This episode features a discussion with Jack Lord. Jack is a partner and co-chair of Foley’s Labor & Employment Group. Jack reflects on his 25-years practicing at Foley, including what it was like being a junior employment associate in the mid-1990s, when a variety of new labor and employment laws were adopted, navigating legal practice as an out gay man, and the progress that has been made regarding LGBTQ rights. Jack also shares about his passion for yoga and why it’s so important for attorneys to focus on their well-being.

This episode features a discussion with Marcella Jayne. Marcella is a litigation associate in Foley’s New York office. Marcella shares her long and winding journey to law school and to Foley, essentially a journey in which she was able to pull herself, and her family, out of poverty. Marcella shares about dropping out of high school, getting her GED, and setting her sights on law school while in community college. Marcella reflects on how incredibly difficult it was for her to get to Fordham Law School, but how she was able to not only get to law school but excel as a single mother of two young children.

This episode features a discussion with Galen Yu, senior counsel in Foley & Lardner's Los Angeles office. Galen is an IP attorney focused on patent prosecution. Galen shares about moving to the U.S., from China, when he was in middle school, as well as how he decided to become both an engineer and IP lawyer. Galen also shares tips for both cross-cultural communications and gardening.

This episode features a discussion with Lauren Champaign, senior counsel in Foley & Lardner's Washington D.C. office. Lauren is a litigation attorney focused on securities litigation, product liability defense, antitrust, and consumer finance matters. Lauren shares about growing-up in a military family, relocating frequently, but never losing connection with her family in Charleston, South Carolina and the Gullah community. Lauren also shares about her path to law school and how she deferred it to volunteer for the Obama campaign. Finally, Lauren stresses the importance of finding somewhere to work that allows you to be your authentic self.

This episode features a discussion with Von Bryant, senior counsel in Foley & Lardner's Washington D.C. office. Von is a corporate attorney focused on venture capital financing and M&A transactions. Von shares about growing-up in West Philadelphia and the suburbs of New Jersey, navigating high school as the number one Ivy League recruit, as well as life as a college football player at Duke University and University of Pennsylvania. Von also shares some incredible stories about the professional path of his late father, and reflects on how he's been impacted by discrimination as a Black man in America.

Join Alexis Robertson, Director of Diversity & Inclusion at Foley & Larder LLP, in exploring the professional origin stories of the attorneys at Foley & Lardner —a full service law firm with over 1000 lawyers in 21 offices across the U.S. Each episode is a one-on-one candid conversation with a new attorney guest sharing their unique background, path to law school and path to Foley & Lardner.