The Lawyer's Edge

Mary Abbajay is the President of Careerstone Group, LLC, a full-service organizational and leadership development consultancy that delivers leading-edge talent development solutions to business and government. Mary has over 20 years of leadership experience and is a frequent contributor to print, radio, and television publications such as Forbes, The New York Times, and the BBC.

In addition to this, Mary currently serves on the Greater Washington Market President's Board of BB&T Bank and is a past Chairman of the Board for Leadership Greater Washington. She is also the author of the best-selling book, Managing Up: How to Move Up, Win at Work, and Succeed with Any Type of Boss.

Do you get along with your boss? If not, how much do these workplace relationships impact your career trajectory? And, what are some strategies to start improving your communication with your managers—especially if you're working remotely?

While there's no blueprint for workplace relationships, getting along with a boss may be more important for your career than you think. With over 20 years of leadership experience, Mary Abbajay is an expert in all things managing up. As she says, the people above us have a huge amount of influence over our workplace opportunities and success. Today, Mary's here to outline everything you need to know to have a better relationship with your boss and start managing your way up in your organization.

On this episode of The Lawyer's Edge, Elise Holtzman talks with Mary Abbajay, the President of Careerstone Group, LLC and author of the best-selling book, Managing Up: How to Move Up, Win at Work, and Succeed with Any Type of Boss. Mary discusses the concept of managing up and shares her tips for dealing with difficult bosses, avoiding toxic workplaces, and communicating effectively while working remotely. Stay tuned!

Kate Mortensen is the Chief Legal Officer at Xact Data Discovery (XDD), a leading international provider of eDiscovery, data management, and managed review services for law firms and corporations. In this role, Kate is responsible for leading corporate strategic and tactical legal initiatives, managing outside counsel, and offering support across all business units.

Kate is also the Assistant Director for the Phoenix chapter of Women in eDiscovery, a nonprofit organization that facilitates advancement, change, and leadership for women professionals in the legal and technology industries. Before this, Kate held executive roles at various other law firms and corporations and ran a travel blog while traversing through South America with her husband.

Are you looking to make a change in your career? Have you wanted to explore an executive role, but don't know how to pivot out of your current position? Do you want to be more intentional with your personal and professional goals? Kate Mortensen did, and now she is the Chief Legal Officer at Xact Data Discovery.

Kate was a litigation lawyer for 12 years before realizing she needed a change. Having both an MBA and JD, she decided to switch gears and take on more business-related roles at various corporations—but she still wasn't sure exactly which path to take in her career. Then, in 2015, Kate and her husband dropped everything and trekked across South America for over a year. Kate returned to the States with a renewed spirit, professional clarity, and a fresh set of career goals.

On this episode of The Lawyer's Edge podcast, host Elise Holtzman talks with Kate Mortensen, the Chief Legal Officer at Xact Data Discovery. Kate discusses her journey from litigation lawyer to business executive, the life lessons she learned from her trek across South America, and her tips for succeeding in an executive role. She also shares everything you need to know about eDiscovery in the legal industry. Stay tuned.

Michael Swanson is the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors at Advocate Capital, Inc., a litigation finance firm that provides funding to law firms, lawyers, and plaintiffs for legal disputes. Michael's daily role covers a wide variety of responsibilities, including client relations, strategic planning, marketing, and public relations.

Before joining Advocate Capital, Inc., Michael was the President of Wellgen Standard LLC, a private equity firm, and the Vice President and General Manager of Champion America, Inc. Michael is the author of How David Beats Goliath: Access to Capital for Contingent-Fee Law Firms, and he also hosts the How David Beats Goliath Podcast.

Where do you turn when you don't feel confident about the finances of your business? Is there a way to gain capital outside of your firm? Most importantly: what do you need to know in order to stop stressing about your finances in 2021?

As the Chief Executive Officer of Advocate Capital, Inc., Michael Swanson knows that lawyers often struggle with financial and business issues. That's why he decided to help lawyers manage their financials so they can get the best possible results for their clients and their businesses. With his expertise and insights, you can be more confident about your finances—without having to become an accounting expert.

On this episode of The Lawyer's Edge podcast, host Elise Holtzman sits down with Michael Swanson, the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors at Advocate Capital, Inc., to discuss everything lawyers need to know about loans, capital, and finances in 2021. Michael outlines common mistakes lawyers make when dealing with finances, his tips for applying for a loan, and the importance of increasing your net worth outside your law firm. Stay tuned.

Shawn Swearingen is the Chief Innovation Officer at Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, a top 50 law firm with locations across the US, the UK, and China. In this role, Shawn collaborates with the executive and operations leadership teams to create a culture of innovation and design. Shawn has an ITIL Foundation Certification and a white belt in Legal Lean Sigma, and in 2011 she was awarded the Minnesota Lawyer Unsung Legal Hero award.

Shawn previously held the position of Senior Director of Technology at Faegre Drinker. With a focus on e-discovery and research, she led teams responsible for intranet, document automation, project management, legal process improvement, and more.

Is there a tried-and-true way to build personal connections between practice groups at your law firm? How can design thinking improve the way you approach and understand your clients' needs? And, what does a Chief Innovation Officer do for a firm? Discover the answers to all of these questions and more on this episode of The Lawyer's Edge podcast with guest Shawn Swearingen!

Shawn is an expert at building stronger relationships—both between teams and between lawyers and their clients. As the Chief Innovation Officer at Faegre Drinker, she has implemented a variety of innovative systems and processes to improve her firm's workplace culture and drive it's success. As she says, it's all about communication, collaboration, and working toward the same big picture goals.

Shawn Swearingen, the Chief Innovation Officer at Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, joins Elise Holtzman in this episode of The Lawyer's Edge to discuss her strategies for creating a culture of innovation at your law firm. Shawn talks about the importance of maintaining a communal workplace culture, how to shift your focus to design thinking, and why lawyers should put trust in their operational leadership teams. Stay tuned for more!

Kelly Purcaro is a practicing attorney and Partner at A.Y. Strauss, a law firm based in New York and New Jersey. She is Co-chair of the Litigation Group, specializing in complex and commercial litigation across the United States, as well as the Chair of the Class Action practice group. Kelly has over a decade of experience as a skilled trial lawyer and dynamic litigator, representing both individual and institutional clients on matters including consumer fraud, breach of contract, commercial disputes, and more.

Before pursuing law, Kelly earned a Master of Social Work at Rutgers University and served as the Director of Government Relations for a non-profit. In addition to her current role at A.Y. Strauss, she also works as a pro bono attorney for victims of domestic violence, serving trial counsel through Alternatives to Domestic Violence (ADV) in New Jersey.

Is there a set path to becoming a lawyer? How do you choose your niche in the field? And, is defense work really the dark side of practicing law?

When Kelly Purcaro first began her path to becoming a lawyer, she had a degree in social work and a dream. Now, after years of hard work and a wide variety of side jobs, Kelly is a Partner at A.Y. Strauss, where she specializes in complex civil and commercial litigation. For Kelly, there was no set path to practicing law, and even now she tries to trust her gut when it comes to the evolution of her career. So, what is Kelly's advice to new or practicing lawyers looking for their niche in the legal field?

On this episode of The Lawyer's Edge podcast, Elise Holtzman talks with Kelly Purcaro, Partner at A.Y. Strauss, about her unique path to becoming a Rainmaker for her firm. Kelly discusses her experience as both a plaintiff and defense attorney, how being a woman shaped her career, and why giving back is a vital aspect of her role as Rainmaker. Tune in for all this and much more!

Uri Gutfreund is the Founder and Moderator of The Managing Partner RoundTable™, a proactive forum where law firm leaders can share their best practices and seek advice from their peers. This unique program has quickly become a leading venue for thought leaders in the legal industry and is the largest regional peer-to-peer professional development group. Uri is a frequent speaker at legal industry conferences and Bar Association events and writes on law firm leadership, business practices, and risk management.

Uri is the National Law Firm Practice Leader at Risk Strategies, a top 15 National Insurance Brokerage. At Risk Strategies, Uri is responsible for the development and execution of insurance and risk management services for the company's law firm clients.

How open are you with other lawyers in your field? Do you like to share your insights with your peers, or would you rather keep things close to your chest?

When Uri Gutfreund first started The Managing Partner RoundTable™, he was faced with this obstacle: will industry leaders be willing to share their strengths? What about their failures? After some strategizing, he discovered that when the members of a group aren't in direct competition with one another, the answer is yes—and then some. So, what are the benefits of opening up to your peers, and how can you start making more valuable connections in 2021?

Join Elise Holtzman in this episode of The Lawyer's Edge as she sits down with Uri Gutfreund, the National Law Firm Practice Leader for Risk Strategies and the Founder and Moderator of The Managing Partner RoundTable™. Together, they talk about what inspired Uri to create The Managing Partner RoundTable, the insight he's gleaned from his conversations with managing partners, and the trends he foresees in the legal industry for 2021. Stay tuned for more!

John Mitchell is a lawyer, leader, and the Owner of KM Advisors and Quandary Consulting. John is also a Member of the Core Faculty for the Fellows Program at the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity and an Advisory Board Member and Co-Creator of the CBA Leadership Institute for the Chicago Bar Association.

Known as "The Purple Coach," John specializes in helping lawyers and unsung leaders discover and maximize their leadership potential to continuously develop themselves in pursuit of changing the world. In addition to helping individuals, John also works with organizations to create and maintain a culture that attracts and retains the best talent in the industry.

What does resilience look like to you? Is it the ability to roll with the punches? To keep your head above water? To persevere no matter what? More importantly, how are you and your team staying resilient in the face of the current social, medical, and global crises?

For most people, the answer is pretty simply: resilience is the ability to bounce back. But, John Mitchell's take goes a bit deeper. John explains that resilience is the ability to move forward and end up in a better place after your setback. He's focused on helping his clients not just overcome the challenges of the past year, but become better leaders because of them. How can you apply this definition of resilience to your team, so you can grow stronger in the new year?

In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge, Elise Holtzman sits down with John Mitchell, a lawyer, leader, and the Owner of KM Advisors and Quandary Consulting, to talk about building resilience in the face of adversity. John discusses the successes and failures he's seen in the leadership response to COVID-19, the various ways technology can help—and harm—company culture, and the importance of taking care of your mental health. Keep listening for more of John's winning leadership strategies!

Mark Goldstein is a Partner at Reed Smith's New York Labor & Employment Group, where he helps companies in New York and around the world manage their workplace needs. Mark defends employers in a wide range of employment litigation matters and advises clients on a variety of day-to-day and big-picture workplace issues, including policy development, risk assessment, and litigation avoidance.

Mark is also a passionate mental health and wellness advocate, particularly in the legal profession. He has written for numerous legal publications, speaks at conferences and Bar Association events, and was recently selected as a member of ALM Media/Law.com's Mental Health Advisory Board.

When you're feeling physically ill, do you call out of work for the day? What about when you're not feeling well mentally? Do you still reach out to your firm when you need to take time off to work on your mental health?

In the legal industry, and within BigLaw in particular, there is often a badge of honor for working yourself to the bone. Lawyers are lauded for lack of sleep, long hours, and neglected vacation time. But, this type of work environment is a recipe for burnout—and a serious detriment to your mental health. Mark Goldstein, Partner at Reed Smith, says that while physical ailments and mental health issues may appear different, both should be handled with respect in the workplace.

In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge, Elise Holtzman sits down with Mark Goldstein, Partner at Reed Smith's Labor & Employment Group, to talk about mental health in the legal industry. They discuss Mark's experience diagnosing, treating, and maintaining his mental health, the advocacy work he's done in the years since his diagnosis, and how being open about his health has opened doors for him in his career. Plus, Mark shares some practical tips on how you can address your mental health in the workplace.

Jeffrey Stern is the Co-Chair of Structured Finance Practice at Winston & Strawn LLP, an international law firm with over 900 attorneys in financial hubs around the world. Jeffrey has more than 25 years of experience in structured finance and derivatives, focusing on bespoke transactions and esoteric assets.

Jeffrey is a regular writer and speaker on topics related to structured finance and previously served as the Chair of the Structured Finance Committee of the New York City Bar Association. Before entering law, Jeffrey performed as a jazz pianist, studied the Old Testament in Jerusalem, and worked in a commercial bakery.

How did you enter the legal industry? Did you always know you wanted to practice law? Or, did you pivot from a previous career? We all know that there are many different paths to becoming a lawyer. But, what is not as often discussed are the advantages of working in a different sector before going to law school or joining a practice.

Jeffrey Stern lived multiple lives before becoming a practicing attorney—from studying the Old Testament in Jerusalem to working in a commercial bakery for a year. According to him, this unique background not only gave him invaluable life experience, but it also helped him grow and succeed in his law practice.

Join Elise Holtzman in this episode of The Lawyer's Edge as she talks to Jeffrey Stern, the Co-Chair of Structured Finance Practice at Winston & Strawn LLP, about his path—and ultimate success—in law. They discuss lateral hiring, Jeffrey's strategies for success in business development, and the due diligence necessary for maintaining healthy and successful relationships with your clients and colleagues. Stay tuned!

Jennifer Rosa is a Partner in the New York office of Mayer Brown's Litigation & Dispute Resolution Practice. Her practice focuses primarily on the banking and financial services sector where she represents financial institutions in complex commercial and securities litigation in federal and state courts. Jennifer's experience also includes representing clients in government agency proceedings and internal investigations.

Jennifer is an active participant in Mayer Brown's Women's Forum, hiring committee, and mentoring and training programs. She is also one of the leaders of the New York office's wellness initiatives and a board member of the Fordham Law Alumni Association.

It's a new year, which usually means one thing: resolutions. Now is the time to think about the things we'd like to change, the habits we'd like to make and break, and the ways we can continue evolving for the better—both personally and professionally.

For those of us in demanding careers like law, these resolutions usually center around how we can improve our work practices. But, what about our health? According to Jennifer Rosa, one of the best ways to be a better lawyer in the new year is to prioritize your mental and physical health and wellness.

In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge, Elise Holtzman sits down with Jennifer Rosa, Partner at Mayer Brown's New York office, to talk about an important trend in the legal industry: health and wellness. Together, they discuss Jennifer's journey prioritizing her health after a cancer diagnosis, the changes she's made in her professional and personal life since then, and the key to developing new habits—and making them stick. Keep listening for more!