The Future Is Bright Podcast

I interviewed Don Prophete of Constangy Brooks Smith & Prophete, partner and practice chair of the firm's Whistle Blower Group.

Today we discussed:

• Being a minority black man among a dominant white male industry
• Advice for young minorities in BigLaw
• Advice for law firm leaders wanting a more diverse law firm
• Insights as a rainmaker and business development professional
• Trends in the legal industry and for the future of law
• His hobbies, favorite basketball teams, heroes
• What he reads daily
• New skills he is going after and his current passion

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• Donald Prophete's Web Bio
• U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
• Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
• Sprint Corporation 
• Law 360's 2016 Law Firm Diversity Snapshot 
• Venture Capital
• Kevin Warren CEO of the Minnesota Vikings
• San Antonio Spurs
• Frederick Douglass
• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  
• Jay Z
• Barack Obama
• Wall Street Journal
• New York Times
• Bloomberg
• USA Today
• Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't by Jim Collins
• Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell

I interviewed Richard Supple of Hinshaw & Culbertson, the New York Managing partner and Co-leader Hinshaw’s Lawyers for Professionals

We discussed these topics:

• Representing law firms and lawyers in professional ethics-related matters
• Law partner departures
• Management and the delicate dance they have when exploring new lateral opportunities
• Why firms file claims against departing partners
• World travels
• His love for mountain climbing
• His recommended reading

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• Richard Supple's Web Bio
• Mount Rainier
• Author Haruki Murakami
• Author Dave Eggers 
• What is the What by Dave Eggers
• Brazilian Drink: Caipirinha
• Rio Carnival
• Duke Basketball

I interviewed Aric Press of Bernero & Press.

We discussed the following topics:

• What sets apart average and above average law firms
• Client conversations and surveys
• Meeting global client demand
• How the Am Law 100 and 200 are compiled
• Peter Kalis' leadership
• Competition and Axiom
• Non-attorney ownership of law firms
• Favorite Sports Teams
• Aric's heroes
• His preferred podcasts
• His bucket list

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Please share your feedback for the show, who I should interview, and the topics that interest you right now. 

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Links referred to in this episode

• Aric Press' Web Bio
• Closing the Customer Feedback Loop by the Harvard Business Review 
• Axiom
• The ABA Resolution 105
• The American Lawyer 100, 200 & Global 100 
• Peter Kalis of K&L Gates
• New York Mets
• Cleveland Indians
• Cleaveland Browns
• Cleveland Cavaliers
• Jack Greenberg
• John Doar
• Robert "Bobby" Kennedy
• The American Lawyer Lifetime Achievement Awards
• The New York Times
• The Washington Post
• The Wall Street Journal
• Pardon the Interruption Podcast
• Slate Cultural Gabfest Podcast
• New York Times Weekly Book Review Podcast
• The Axe Files with David Axelrod Podcast
• Kai Ryssdal of Marketplace.org

On this second episode, I interviewed Kent Zimmerman of Zeughauser Group.

We discussed the following:

• The 2016 law firm merger environment
• The merger of Andrews Kurth with Kenyon & Kenyon
• The Hogan Lovells merger
• The Polsinelli & Novack Druce merger
• Denton's challenge to global law firms and the race to 10,000 Attorneys
• Managing partner qualities
• The 2016 Elections
• Brexit
• Unfunded pension liabilities
• His love of Twitter
• What's left on Kent's bucket list

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Please share your feedback for the show, who I should interview, and the topics that interest you right now. 

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• Kent Zimmermann's Web Bio
• Kent's Twitter Account 
• Andrews Kurth Kenyon LLP
• Hogan Lovells
• Polsinelli 
• Dentons
• Frank Aquila of Sullivan & Cromwell Twitter Account
• Wimbledon 
• Kai Ryssdal of Marketplace.org

For episode #1, I interviewed Lee Schreter, the Chairperson of Littler Mendelson.

We discussed the following topics:

• Diversity and inclusion
• Littler's Protege Program
• The firm's strategic initiatives
• A key aspiring law firm leader trait
• Her go-to metric as a big law firm manager
• What she reads, drinks, her heroes and what's on her bucket list. 

_______________________________________________

Give Feedback

Please share your feedback for the show, who I should interview, and the topics that interest you right now. 

_______________________________________________

• Lee Schreter's Web Bio
• Littler on Diversity & Inclusion
• Littler win's Minority Corporate Counsel Associate award for their Protege Program
• Out & Equal
• Out Leadership
• The LGBT Bar Association
• Leonardo and the Last Supper by Ross King
• Representative John Lewis
• Harvey Milk
• Johnnie Walker Black Scotch
• Kai Ryssdal of Marketplace.org