The Lawyer's Edge

Yen Chu is the Chief Legal Officer of Equinox, an integrated fitness, wellness, and hospitality company. In this role, Yen oversees legal, ESG, government affairs, and community relations. She has led Equinox's growth with the launches of new ventures and businesses, including the first Equinox Hotels, and is the Executive Sponsor for its Equality + Belonging Leadership Council.

Yen is a graduate of Columbia Law School and a member of the Board of Directors of the Columbia Law School Association and the nonprofit DirectWomen. Prior to joining Equinox, she spent 11 years in leadership roles at the Ralph Lauren Corporation, working closely with the Board of Directors and executive team. Yen began her legal career as a corporate attorney at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, where she spent nearly a decade executing complex corporate transactions for private equity firms, investment banks, and public and private companies.

As an executive leader with 25 years of experience, Yen understands the importance of using your voice to uplift others, taking a stand on ESG issues, and admitting what you don't know. In addition to these principles, Yen has built her career using a growth mindset, and she's always looking to expand her knowledge and learn from others.

Over the past two decades, the role of in-house and general counsel lawyers has evolved. These positions are no longer perceived as cushy nine-to-five jobs and are now more focused on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives within a company. This shift has only become more dramatic over the last two years, with social upheaval and a global crisis altering the way organizations operate. So, what makes an effective general counsel today?

According to Yen Chu, in-house attorneys have to be prepared to pivot, give a voice to the underrepresented, and learn from those who are different from them. Most importantly, Yen advises leaders and lawyers alike to execute with kindness and always remember the human aspect of their jobs. The recent global pandemic, social and political upheaval, and economic instability have affected so many lives — it's imperative that we focus on the humanity of our actions, not just the results.

In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge Podcast, Elise Holtzman talks with Yen Chu, Chief Legal Officer of Equinox, about succeeding as an in-house lawyer and leader in today's climate. Yen discusses the importance of creating a diverse and inclusive space, the key to thriving outside of your comfort zone, and how to drive growth and social change through continuous learning.

Diana Manning is the Managing Principal of Bressler, Amery & Ross, a full-service law firm with more than 150 attorneys across multiple states. She is also Co-chair of Bressler's Business and Commercial Litigation practice group and spearheads the firm's Appellate practice team. As a law firm leader, Diana strives to involve her team in decisions, work through surprising challenges, and transform the conversation around what leaders should look like.

Diana has over two decades of experience in complex commercial litigation and is certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a civil trial attorney. She lectures and writes on a number of issues important to attorneys and clients, including legal ethics, business litigation, and professional liability. Diana is also the President-Elect of the New Jersey Women Lawyers Association and a member of the New Jersey State Bar Association's Board of Trustees.

Diana served on the District XA Ethics Committee for 10 years and was appointed Chair by the New Jersey Supreme Court from 2017 to 2019. She is also a past President of Trial Attorneys of New Jersey, the Morris County Bar Association, and the Morris County Bar Foundation.

There's a great deal of responsibility that comes with the role of managing partner — but it may not be what you expect. In addition to ensuring the firm runs smoothly, managing partners must also balance the personal side of leadership, from navigating team health concerns to developing a strong culture. So how can law firm leaders learn to lead through the unexpected?

Diana Manning's background in different committees, associations, and legal roles has helped her jump into her leadership position with enthusiasm. Not only has Diana succeeded as Managing Principal of her firm, but she has also defied the traditional image of a law firm leader. In Diana's experience, there's a high level of mental responsibility required for leaders, and a managing partner has to balance both personal and professional concerns while running the business. How does she manage it all? By embracing the unexpected and leading with authenticity, Diana has transformed the culture and growth of her firm.

In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge Podcast, Elise Holtzman sits down with Diana Manning, Managing Principal of Bressler, Amery & Ross, to talk about the surprising challenges and opportunities for law firm leaders. Diana shares how she rose up to Managing Principal of her firm, the importance of getting involved and expanding your network, and how her leadership style helps her overcome obstacles and empower her team.

Michelle Banks is a Senior Advisor at BarkerGilmore, a company leading the way in legal and compliance optimization. At BarkerGilmore, Michelle specializes in executive leadership coaching for women general counsel.

Active in many nonprofits, Michelle is a member of the Board of Directors at DirectWomen and chairs Ms. JD's annual LaddHer Up retreat. She is also the Co-founder and Co-chair of UCLA Women LEAD, a network of more than 3,000 women law students.

In her role at BarkerGilmore, Michelle primarily supports newer general counsel and those going through a transition period. Bringing an exceptional corporate perspective, she helps them transition into new roles, manage change, and successfully resolve the array of challenges they face. From working closely with various general counsel, Michelle understands what outside counsel should know — and the invaluable power of networking.

In-house counsel and their outside attorneys communicate on a regular basis. But private practice lawyers who haven't worked in-house often don't fully understand the in-house counsel role, potentially reducing the value that private practice lawyers deliver to their clients.

On a separate topic, it's no secret that, despite the fact that women have been graduating from law schools at the rate of 50% for nearly 30 years, women lawyers continue to be underrepresented in leadership roles.

In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge Podcast, Elise Holtzman is joined by Michelle Banks, former Global General Counsel at The Gap and a Senior Advisor and Executive Coach at BarkerGilmore, where she specializes in working with general counsel who are changing roles or taking on significant leadership responsibility. Michelle talks about what general counsel wish their outside lawyers knew about the demands of their jobs and the career-boosting tip that she wishes she had known early in her career.

A tireless advocate for women's advancement in the profession and the Co-founder and Co-chair of UCLA Law Women LEAD, Michelle offers tips to help individual women lawyers advance and thrive but also strongly believes that corporations and law firms must intentionally work to interrupt gender bias within their organizations so that talented women can lead.

Michelle also goes into detail about her own professional journey, the passion she has for her volunteer work empowering women in the legal community, and the value of cultivating a growth mindset.

Janet Falk is a writer, speaker, and consultant with over 30 years of experience in public relations and marketing communications. Through her company, Falk Communications and Research, she helps attorneys, executives, and firms stand out in the market.

Janet leads workshops and advises on media relations, websites, LinkedIn profiles, articles, nonlegal industry trade publications, and client newsletters, among other areas. She has published articles on media relations and marketing in the New York Law Journal, the New Jersey Law Journal, and Marketing the Law Firm. Janet is also a frequent speaker on webinars and podcasts about public relations and legal marketing.

Janet advises attorneys at solo and small law firms on media relations and marketing communications so that they can attract new clients, remain top of mind with prior clients, keep in touch with referral sources, help recruit associates, generate a news story about litigation that puts pressure on opposing counsel, and achieve business goals. One of the major components that can help firms thrive in these areas is knowing how to deal with reporters. That's why Janet is on a mission to help attorneys gain visibility, get in touch with reporters, and craft a memorable message that will make them the go-to lawyer for big news stories.

Why would an attorney want to be in the news? Beyond the immediate gain of being in front of your potential client, getting in the news can help you keep in touch with referral sources, recruit employees, advocate for a cause, and prove that you're an expert on a given topic. So how can you situate yourself as the go-to lawyer reporters want to call?

According to Janet Falk, attorneys have to think about the reporter's audience. This is crucial if you want reporters to continuously use you as a source. Additionally, you want to be memorable and quotable. But how? Janet breaks it down into the "four A's:" acronym, analogy, anecdote, and alliteration. You have to be creative in your remarks to a reporter, and providing visuals, a story, or any one of the "four A's" will give them something that they can latch onto and turn into a compelling account for their audiences.

In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge Podcast, Elise Holtzman is joined by Janet Falk, consultant, writer, and speaker at Falk Communications and Research, to talk about strategies for dealing with reporters and getting in the news. Janet details how to identify and contact reporters, the best ways to shape your media profile, tips for dealing with spontaneous reporter calls, and why it's crucial to keep the reporter's audience top of mind throughout the process.

Honorable M. Margaret McKeown is a Judge in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Before being appointed to the court in 1998, she was in private practice for over two decades in Seattle and Washington, DC.

Hon. McKeown is recognized for her work on judicial ethics, gender issues, and international rule of law. She is a member of various committees, has lectured throughout the world, and has participated in numerous rule of law initiatives with judges and lawyers. Hon. McKeown is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and received the ABA Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award, the ABA John Marshall Award, and the Girl Scouts Cool Women award, among others.

Roberta (Bobbi) Liebenberg is a Senior Partner at Fine, Kaplan and Black, focusing her practice on antitrust and class actions. She's also a Principal of The Red Bee Group, a women and minority-owned consulting firm that concentrates on helping organizations and law firms use data-based strategies to attract and retain talent, foster innovation, and attain diversity, equity, and inclusion objectives.

Bobbi is one of the nation's leading authorities on advancing diversity and inclusion inside the legal profession, and she has written, spoken, and consulted extensively on these issues. She has chaired organizations devoted to gender equality in the profession, spearheading a number of initiatives, studies, and publications concerning various matters of importance to women lawyers.

Hon. McKeown and Bobbi have diligently researched implicit gender biases, specifically regarding office work in the legal space. "The Hazards of Female Lawyers Being 'Office Moms,'" an article they co-authored, describes why women are often viewed as the "glue" or the "moms" of the firm — and thus why office work is often disproportionately delegated to them. Hon. McKeown and Bobbi dig into the history, the current trends, and their advice on how firms can avoid yielding to the "office mom" phenomenon.

The extra office work — like administrative tasks, lifting morale, and organizing client meetings — is mission-critical to the health of a firm. However, these duties are often uncompensated, unrecognized, and fall on the shoulders of women lawyers, feeding into the "office mom" phenomenon. So what can leaders do to ensure they're assigning this work more equitably? And what strategies can individual lawyers use to avoid these gender-biased assignments?

Through their research, Hon. M. Margaret McKeown and Bobbi Liebenberg were able to explore the "office mom" stereotype and brainstorm strategies to avoid this kind of implicit bias, specifically in law. Because of social pressure, obligation, and fears of penalization, it can be challenging to navigate resolutions to the biased office work assignments. However, Hon. McKeown and Bobbi have discovered solutions for women in any industry: speak up, use humor, and seek the advice of allies and mentors to help guide you.

In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge Podcast, Elise Holtzman talks with Hon. M. Margaret McKeown, Judge in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and Bobbi Liebenberg, Senior Partner at Fine, Kaplan and Black and Principal of The Red Bee Group. Together, they delve into the reasons why office work is so important, why the tasks are often assigned to women, and how individuals and firms alike can break this inequitable cycle.

Stephanie Scharf is the Founding Partner of Scharf Banks Marmor LLC, a nationally prominent women-owned law firm that represents corporate clients across a range of litigation and corporate matters. Stephanie is also a Founding Principal of The Red Bee Group, a consulting firm that helps businesses, organizations, and law firms achieve their growth goals.

Stephanie was the Chair of the American Bar Association's Commission on Women in the Profession from 2017 to 2020 and was the 2015-2016 Advisor to the American Bar Association's Presidential Commission on Diversity and Inclusion 360. She has over 30 years of experience in complex litigation. Previously, she was a Partner at Jenner & Block and a Partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

Stephanie has published innovative research on topics such as the success of law firms in retaining and advancing lawyers, attributes of effective leadership, and strategies for growth and talent development. She understands the importance of data and how it can help law firms be an advocate for change, diversify their workforce, and achieve the concrete goals of their entire team.

How can you initiate change in your law firm? Why is sponsorship important for both leaders and growing lawyers? What role does data play in achieving your firm's goals? Stephanie Scharf is here to share her insight into these difficult questions.

As an industry thought leader with more than 30 years of experience in law, Stephanie understands the need for change — and the tools law firms can use to initiate change. Amidst the many moving parts of a law firm, one thing is for sure: if you are expecting change, you need to measure it. In her many years of research, Stephanie has discovered that data and metrics are major components of change. But the process doesn't have to be complicated. Shape your goals around the needs of the team, craft a strategy to achieve them, and measure your progress each step of the way to decide what works.

In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge Podcast, Elise Holtzman is joined by Stephanie Scharf, Founding Partner of Scharf Banks Marmor LLC and Principal of The Red Bee Group. Stephanie shares insight into her research, discusses strategies to create change in your law firm, and talks about the importance of measuring data and metrics to reach your goals. She also explains how sponsorship is mutually beneficial — and why every lawyer should have a sponsor.

Jemi Lucey is a Partner in the Litigation and Employment Law Departments at Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis LLP and is Co-chair of their higher education practice group. She represents private companies, public entities, and institutions of higher learning in federal and state civil litigation matters across various practice areas.

Jemi is an American Bar Foundation Fellow. She was also recognized by the Commerce & Industry Association of New Jersey as one of New Jersey's Women Business Leaders and was selected for inclusion by the New Jersey Law Journal on its 2020 list of the Top Women in the Law, among many other accolades.

Jemi has held many leadership roles throughout her career. As the immediate past President of the New Jersey Women Lawyers Association, Jemi has experience leading a group through the pandemic, pushing for the advancement of women in the profession, and promoting equity and education in the legal space. Above all, Jemi's leadership positions have shown her the value of being an authentic leader.

Thriving in a leadership role requires more than just being a good lawyer. For Jemi Lucey, leadership is about leaving an organization better than when you started, speaking up when you have issues, and enlisting others for help. But there's one principle that can help you succeed through it all: authenticity.

Authenticity is one of the best tools in the practice of law because it allows you to connect genuinely with others and gain their trust. People are drawn to help you advance a cause when you appeal to them authentically, but you have to be vulnerable, engaging, and willing to take risks. A leader should be someone that people want to follow — and when you lead with authenticity, they'll happily support your plan to effect positive change and grow as a team.

In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge Podcast, Elise Holtzman talks with Jemi Lucey, Partner at Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis LLP, about what it means to be an authentic leader. Jemi discusses the characteristics of a great leader, why authenticity is vital, and how to lift up your team members and grow together. Plus, Jemi talks about her personal experience as a leader and shares the advice that guided her along the way.

Linda Perez Clark is the Managing Partner of Kean Miller and the Program Director for Kean Miller Connection, an annual law school preparatory program for traditionally underrepresented individuals in law school and law practice.

Linda has more than 20 years of experience representing clients in a wide variety of transactional matters, including engineering, procurement, construction-related contracts, asset and stock acquisitions, and commercial leases.

Linda is listed among the top Corporate/M&A lawyers in the state of Louisiana by Chambers USA 2020. She's also on the Lawyers of Color's (LoC) power list 2020. As the first female partner at Kean Miller, Linda is dedicated to diversity, inclusion, and leading with gratitude.

As the first-ever female managing partner at her firm, Linda Perez Clark diligently leads with transparency, gratitude, and a commitment to help other minorities receive support to grow in their careers. What has she learned from being a managing partner, and what are her top lessons for current and aspiring leaders?

Mentored by great lawyers and professionals, Linda had a front-row seat to inspirational leadership. As a trustworthy, hard worker, she earned the role of managing partner, vowing to elevate the firm and bring educational opportunities to the community. What has helped her thrive in this position? Linda says it's vital to open your mind and heart to opportunities that will help you learn and grow. Most importantly, Linda advises you to lead with gratitude, acknowledge others' contributions, and share thanks for the people who support you along the way.

In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge Podcast, Elise Holtzman sits down with Linda Perez Clark, Managing Partner at Kean Miller, to talk about leadership lessons and share top tips for those in the legal industry. Linda discusses her journey to become Managing Partner, the challenges she faced transitioning from lawyer to partner, and why gratitude and relationships are vital to success.

Cathy Miron is a seasoned leader and business mentor with experience in Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, and nonprofits. She is known for her expertise in data protection, cybersecurity, and digital transformation.

Cathy is the President and CEO of eSilo, a data protection company that offers managed backup and cybersecurity solutions. In this role, she works with business owners, CEOs, and CFOs to educate staff and deploy turnkey security and data protection solutions.

Cathy has worked with many of the country's premier law firms, accounting firms, financial advisors, consultants, healthcare institutions, and country clubs, implementing technologies that protect vital information. A cyberattack can happen to anyone at any time, so it's essential to prepare before disaster strikes. That's why Cathy is educating industries on all things cybersecurity — because you may not be as protected as you think.

As the digital world evolves, small and large organizations alike are seeing more threats to their data. According to Cathy Miron, cyberattacks have tripled in recent years. So what can you do to protect your data and your clients?

There are surprising — yet common — mistakes that can lead to cyberattacks, system failures, or loss of data, and Cathy has seen it all. From email phishing scams to cats walking across computers to billion-dollar ransomware threats, there are so many factors that could lead to a major loss. What will save you from this? Data backups, encryption, and disaster plans. Since data is one of your most important assets, you have to make sure you're secure across the board.

In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge Podcast, Elise Holtzman is joined by Cathy Miron, President and CEO of eSilo, to talk about cybersecurity best practices. Cathy shares the most common mistakes that lead to data loss, how firms of all sizes can be affected, and the crucial investments that can protect you from cyberattacks and security threats.

Michele DeStefano is the Founder of Movelaw, a company that brings a human-centered design perspective to the law industry in order to retain lawyers, create culture change, develop a collaborative approach, leverage technology, and bring cross-border initiatives to fruition. Michele is also an author, speaker, consultant, and facilitator in these areas of expertise.

Michele is a Professor at the University of Miami School of Law, affiliated faculty at Harvard Law School Executive Education and IE Law School, Founder of LawWithoutWalls, and Co-curator of the Compliance Elliance Journal. She has been recognized as a "Legal Rebel" by the American Bar Association and as one of the "Top 20 Most Innovative Lawyers" by the Financial Times.

Michele researches and writes about the intersections between law, business, and innovation. She has authored two books that leverage perspectives from countless lawyers and leaders on innovation, technology, and the future ecosystem of the legal sector. For Michele, creating a collaborative, culture-based firm relies heavily on innovation, creativity, and a team that's ready to drive change.

How can change-averse lawyers get on the path to innovation? What does it take to create a culture shift and build up a team of like-minded individuals?

According to Michele DeStefano, creativity breeds innovation. Luckily, she says we are all born creative — yes, even lawyers — and drawing out this creativity is a launching point for change. You must leave behind the meticulous research, over analyzation, and hesitation to really get on the innovation track. Embrace the creative, be open to opportunities, start small, and begin with yourself. When you lead with these characteristics, your team will follow, and you'll make a significant difference in the industry.

In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge Podcast, Elise Holtzman talks with Michele DeStefano, Founder of Movelaw, about the mindset and behavior shifts needed to innovate. Michele shares why you need a team of like-minded early adopters, how to generate culture change on a big scale, and the importance of crafting a team-centered approach. Michele also discusses her 3-4-5 method for change and why a diversified network is a key to success!