I interviewed Erik Gustafson, CEO of LeClairRyan on Friday January 12th, 2018.

We discussed the following topics:

• Evolving client trends of procuring legal services
• How the buyers are younger general counsel
• The non-law firm competitors
• Trends of aging attorneys and succession planning
• The lateral market
• Advice for aspiring law firm leaders and managing partners
• What’s on his bookshelf
• Populism around the globe

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Links referred to in this episode:

• Erick Gustafson Web Bio
• Now, Discover Your Strengths by Buckingham and Clifton
• C. S. Forester | Horn Blower Series | Amazon author page
• Frank Herbert | Dune Series | Amazon author page

I interviewed Manar Morales, CEO of Diversity and Flexibility Alliance on Thursday December 7th, 2017.

Topics we discussed were:

• A holistic approach to diversity initiatives
• How Manar goes to an employer, assesses culture and presents findings to leadership
• Flexibility in the work environment
• Getting more women in leadership
• How employees can bring diversity initiatives to their employer
• Her family life and her passion for a 360 life
• What she just read
• Why her Egyptian parents inspire her

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Links referred to in this episode:

• Manar Morales' Web Bio
• Unconscious Bias by Wikipedia
• Is a Meritocracy Hurting Diversity Efforts?
• 10 Takeaways for a Successful Flexible Work Initiative
• Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown

• Global perspective vs. In-House perspective
• Transition from a sellers to a buyers market
• Better discussions about services and value delivered
• Getting 9 independent firms to work together
• The shirking supply of lawyers
• Importance of law firms utilizing technology
• His family and marriage
• Woodworking
• Recommended books
• Advice to his younger attorney self 

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Links referred to in this episode:

• Mark Smolik’s LinkedIn Profile
• Maximizing Success & Embracing Change Article (Mentions 7 KPIs for rating law firms)
• Speak Like a CEO: Secrets for Commanding Attention and Getting Results by Suzanne Bates
• All the Leader You Can Be: The Science of Achieving Extraordinary Executive Presence by Suzanne Bates
• John Grisham’s Amazon Author Page

I interviewed Lea Ann King, General Counsel of Toyota Material Handling USA on Friday November 17th, 2017.

• How she landed a position in a corporate legal department
• Her role at Toyota
• Being a division of a Japanese company
• What inspired her to be a General Counsel
• What she looks for in hiring attorneys
• Mentoring others
• Women in leadership
• Her family life and recommended books

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Links referred to in this episode:

• LeaAnn King’s Company Profile
• LeaAnn King’s Linked Profile
• Inside Counsel’s Project 5/165
• The Rice-Paper Ceiling: Breaking through Japanese Corporate Culture by Rochelle Kopp
• Widow’s Succession by Wikipedia

We discussed the following topics:

• Law Firm merger and combination trends
• Tools they provide at Altman Weil such as MergerLine
• Why do some deals succeed
• Law firm merger deal killers and what can prevent the death of a deal
• Why law firms should consider a combination
• The leadership of law firms
• His passion for the outdoors, woodworking, UNC sports, and his family
• Predictions of tech companies

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Links referred to in this episode:

• Tom Clay's Professional Bio
• MergerLine by Altman Weil
• In M&A You Only Get One Chance To Make a First Impression By Altman Weil
• Law Firms in Transition Survey 2017 by Altman Weil
• How Kodak Failed by Forbes
• The ABA Commission on Multi-Disciplinary Practices-(The Commission on Multidisciplinary Practice’s mandate was to study and report on the manner and extent to which professional service firms operated by non-lawyers were seeking to provide legal services to the public.)
• PwC Opens ILC Legal Services in the US by New York Times DealBook
• Does the UK Know Something We don't about Alternative Business Structures? by ABA Journal
• The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell  
• Grandma Gatewood’s Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail by Ben Montgomery
• University of North Carolina Tar Heels Basketball Team
• Peter Drucker by Wikipedia
• The Great Artificial Intelligence War of 2018 by Fast Company
• Richard Susskind | Author and Futurist

I interviewed Steve Harper, Author, Retired BigLaw Trial Lawyer and Adjunct Law Professor on Wednesday October 4th, 2017.

We discussed the following topics:

• The legal industry critique of the law firm model
• His book The Lawyer Bubble
• Downfalls of the eat what you kill law firm incentive model
• His fictional account of law firm culture called The Partnership
• Personal family history and his dad’s run-in with Jimmy Hoffa
• Books of choice
• Lack of succession planning in law firms
• His next book project and current focus tracking the Trump and Russia facts.   

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• Steve Harper's Website
• Steve Harper's Amazon Author Page
• Testimony by Scott Turow
• Anne Bradford and Aspire Legal
• The Plot Against America by Phillip Roth
• Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
• Last Hope Island: Britain, Occupied Europe and the Brotherhood That Helped Turn the Tide of the War by Lynne Olson
• Altman Weil Study - Next Generation of Leadership and Success Planning
• Trump Russia Timeline on BillMoyer.com

I interviewed James Fisher, Managing Partner of FisherBroyles on Wednesday September 29th, 2017.

We discussed the following topics:

• The history of FisherBroyles
• Cloud-based law firms
• Vision and anticipated growth trajectory of the firm
• Future of training lawyers
• Technology and talent to leverage a win-win for both clients and attorneys
• Developing blockchain technology
• Travel and his family

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• James Fisher Bio
• Kevin Broyles Bio
• Can Cloud-based Firms Rival the Traditional Model? by the National Law Review
• Block Chain Technology
• The Enterprise Ethereum Alliance

I interviewed Daniel Rodriguez, Dean of Northwestern University Pritzker Law School on Thursday September 7th 2017.

We discussed the following topics:

• Law school trends such as enrollment, LSAT vs. GRE, law firm hiring trends, etc.
• The current impact and use of legal tech in law schools
• Law school’s Innovation Lab
• Non-attorney ownership of law firms
• Life as a law school dean
• The First Amendment
• Topics and authors he likes to read

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• Daniel Rodriguez Bio
• NuLawLab by Northwestern University School of Law 
• Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens - NWU Alum
• Trump Pardon's Arizona Sheriff Arpaio
• Trump Moves to End DACA
• Richard Susskind - Legal Futurist, Author and Consultant 
• Rules for a Flat World: Why Humans Invented Law and How to Reinvent It for a Complex Global Economy by Gillian Hadfield
• Legal Evolution Blog by Bill Henderson, Professor of Law at Indiana University School of Law 
• Clay Christensen on Disruptive Innovation, Harvard Business School Professor
• Alfred Chandler - Business History Professor at Harvard University 
• Prophets of Regulation by Thomas K. McCraw

I interviewed Elliott Portnoy, Global CEO of Dentons, on Tuesday August 29th, 2017.

Topics we discussed were:

• Meteoric growth since he took the role
• Numerous combinations, mergers, and group acquisitions
• M&A advice for firm managing partners and leadership
• His team and friendship with Joe Andrews
• Who Denton’s competitors are
• What will and won’t change in the next 10-20 years for the legal industry
• Being the global CEO of such a large firm
• Non-profit experience with KEEN

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• Elliott Portnoy Law Firm Bio
• Elliott Portnoy Wikipedia Page
• Joe Andrew Law Firm Bio
• Sonnenschein Nath Rosenthal Wikipedia Page
• SNR Denton Wikipedia Page
• Dentons Wikipedia Page
• Denton's NextLaw Law
• KEEN USA - Kids Enjoy Exercise Now
• Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by JD Vance

I interviewed Norm Champ | Partner of Kirkland & Ellis on April 21st, 2017.

We discussed:

• Hedge fund to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
• Being the Director of the Division of Investment Management
• Being a law partner in the New York office of Kirkland & Ellis
• His new book Going Public: My Adventures Inside the SEC and How to Prevent the Next Devastating Crisis
• What surprised him inside the Federal Government
• Bernie Madoff and how he could have been caught more quickly
• Interactions with the Hill
• FSOC and their influence with SEC’s role in regulating US mutual funds, investment advisors and other investment firms
• Inspirations to him in public service
• What books should be written that are not yet

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• Norm Champ Law Firm Bio
• Norm Champ Speaking Writing Website
• (Book) Going Public: My Adventures Inside the SEC and How to Prevent the Next Devastating Crisis - released March 2017
• Bernie Madoff
• Allen Standford
• SEC Division of National Exam Program
• SEC Division of Investment Management
• Financial Stability Oversight Council
• Scott Alvarez, General Counsel of the Federal Reserve
• Mary Jo Wright, SEC Chair
• Jay Clayton, SEC Chair nominee
• Judge Charles Haight
• Patrick O'Shaughnessy & Invest Like the Best Podcast