Verdicts and Vogue

In this episode of Verdicts & Vogue, Cristina Perez sits down with Lorie Valdez for an honest and inspiring conversation about faith, discipline, marriage, leadership, and what it truly takes to build long-term success in the personal injury industry.

Lorie shares that her journey has never been accidental. From the very beginning, she has operated with intention. Every January, she creates a clear plan for the year, outlining specific goals she intends to hit before December ends. Year after year, she has not only met those goals but exceeded them. She attributes that consistency to preparation, organization, and the willingness to go after what she wants instead of waiting for opportunity to arrive. As she puts it, success does not come to you. You must go to it.

Faith is the foundation of everything she does. Raised by a father who was a minister, Lorie learned early that faith is not just something you speak about but something you apply daily. She believes in declarations, in speaking life instead of negativity, and in the power of words. For her, faith is not separate from business. It fuels her mindset, her discipline, and her resilience. When challenges arise, she leans into that foundation rather than away from it.

The conversation also explores what it means to build a thriving career while maintaining a strong marriage. Lorie and her husband have been married for more than twenty-five years, and she openly acknowledges that longevity requires trust, shared values, and continuous effort. Being in the public eye within the personal injury space brings unique pressures, but she emphasizes that trust and alignment in faith create stability. She speaks candidly about balancing independence with partnership, appreciating a spouse who supports her ambition while quietly providing strength behind the scenes.

Professionally, Lorie reflects on her evolution over the past two decades. When she first began at StandUp MRI, she could not have imagined that she would one day become President of Business Development and be on track to lead the company. Her rise did not happen overnight. It required hard work, sacrifice, and the humility to grow through challenges. She recognizes that growth often comes through difficulty and that true success involves helping others along the way.

She also shares pride in her family, particularly watching her son grow into a young man attending the University of Arizona. Becoming an empty nester has brought a new season of reflection and gratitude. For Lorie, personal success means nothing without strong relationships and a family rooted in faith.

Throughout the episode, listeners see a leader who blends ambition with heart. Lorie’s story is not about shortcuts or overnight wins. It is about vision, preparation, consistency, and unwavering belief. Whether discussing business development strategies, long-term marriage, or stepping into executive leadership, she makes one thing clear: sustained success is built on faith, discipline, and the courage to keep pushing forward.

This episode is a powerful reminder that leadership is not just about titles. It is about character, commitment, and the quiet habits that shape extraordinary results over time.

In this episode of Verdicts & Vogue, host Cristina Perez Hesano sits down with longtime industry leader Lorie Valdez, President of Business Development at Standup MRI, for an honest and inspiring conversation about growth, resilience, and building meaningful connections in the personal injury space.

The episode opens with a candid discussion about stepping into the spotlight, as Lorie shares her journey into podcasting and how learning to relax and truly listen transformed her interviewing style. Inspired by her father’s background in radio and television, she reflects on how a simple idea evolved into her own podcast platform designed to bridge relationships between attorneys, doctors, and providers. Her philosophy is rooted in creating win-win opportunities and highlighting others, a mindset that has shaped her career and reputation across Arizona’s legal and medical communities.

Lorie takes listeners back to the beginning of her career, sharing how she started from the ground up as a receptionist in a personal injury law firm and gradually learned every layer of the industry. From pre-litigation work to public adjusting, she recalls the early experiences that helped her understand both the legal and medical sides of personal injury cases. She candidly describes the challenges of adapting to new roles, including her transition into the medical field, where she initially felt out of her comfort zone but ultimately discovered a passion for patient care and collaboration.

The conversation highlights the importance of business development as more than marketing. Lorie explains that true growth requires consistency, leadership, and a genuine belief in the product or service you represent. She emphasizes that success comes from connection rather than communication alone, encouraging listeners to find common ground and build authentic relationships that benefit everyone involved.

Listeners also get an inside look at the evolution of Standup MRI and how Lorie helped shape its growth. When she joined in 2008, the company had no established lien department or personal injury referral framework. Through persistence, education, and countless door-knocking moments, she introduced new processes, helped providers understand imaging needs, and expanded access to advanced MRI technology. Over time, her efforts contributed to the expansion of multiple locations and advanced imaging capabilities designed to improve patient outcomes, including options for claustrophobic patients and specialized injury evaluations.

Cristina and Lorie dive into what it really takes to build something sustainable in business: vision, faith, and the willingness to keep going even when progress feels slow. Lorie shares that early setbacks and quiet seasons were part of the process, but staying consistent and believing in her mission allowed her to create long-term success. She credits strong support systems, mentorship, and a relentless commitment to service as key factors in reaching record-breaking growth years.

The episode closes with a powerful reflection on perseverance and purpose. Lorie’s story is a reminder that success is rarely overnight, and that the combination of hard work, adaptability, and heart can transform not only a business but an entire professional community. As part one ends, listeners are left anticipating part two, where the conversation will dive deeper into mindset, hustle, and the principles that continue to guide her journey.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone in legal, medical, or entrepreneurial spaces who wants insight into relationship-driven growth, leadership, and the power of staying aligned with your vision.

In Part 2 of Verdicts & Vogue, Cristina Perez sits down again with Jason Pritchett for a deeper, more reflective conversation on leadership, risk, and what it really means to build a legal career with long term vision. This episode moves beyond resumes and titles and into the lived experiences that shape decision making, ethics, and legacy.

Jason shares his unconventional path through law school, including balancing daytime and night programs, early dissatisfaction in practice, and the reality of doing work that did not align with his original goals. That frustration, he explains, became foundational. Years spent in intense commercial and railroad litigation gave him a front row seat to what happens when things go wrong, and that experience now informs how he advises clients on risk, prevention, and strategy. Litigation, he notes, is the nuclear option. It is expensive, draining, and rarely satisfying, even when you win. True leadership is knowing when to fight, when to settle, and when ego needs to step aside for the health of the business.

Throughout the episode, Jason breaks down how lawyers must think more like CEOs. Every legal decision, he argues, should be viewed through the lens of business impact, risk appetite, and long term consequences. He challenges the myth of the slam dunk case, warning that certainty in law is often a red flag. Instead, smart counsel prepares clients for how twelve strangers might interpret their decisions and whether the risk is worth the cost of distraction, time, and resources.

The conversation also explores Jason’s leap into entrepreneurship, from running a solo practice where he wore every hat to helping pioneer Arizona’s Alternative Business Structure model. He explains why lawyers and doctors often struggle as business owners, how law school fails to teach practical business fundamentals, and why surrounding yourself with people who challenge you is critical to growth. Building a board was not about control. It was about accountability, humility, and learning how to run a real business with real assets.

Beyond law and business, this episode is deeply personal. Cristina and Jason reflect on their early friendship during a summer abroad in Madrid, the importance of perspective, and how seeing the world expanded their sense of what was possible. They talk candidly about mentorship, loyalty, showing up for friends during hard seasons, and the quiet strength of relationships that do not require constant maintenance to endure.

The episode closes with rapid fire questions that reveal Jason’s values. Hard work, gratitude, humor, resilience, and an unwavering belief that failure is temporary but effort compounds. Part 2 is a powerful reminder that success is not just about winning cases. It is about building something sustainable, staying human in the process, and never losing sight of why you started.

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Verdicts & Vogue, host Cristina Perez Hesano sits down with longtime friend, respected trial attorney, and legal executive Jason Pritchett for a conversation that goes far beyond titles, accolades, and the courtroom. This episode explores adversity, discipline, identity, and what it truly means to earn your place when nothing is handed to you.

Jason opens the conversation by grounding his story in gratitude, crediting his parents for instilling the values that shaped every chapter of his life. Raised on a farm in Virginia with strong roots in faith, structure, and accountability, he reflects on how growing up in a household that demanded effort and integrity built the foundation for resilience. From attending church multiple days a week dressed in suits and ties to learning early that preparation matters, those lessons never left him and still influence how he carries himself professionally today.

Listeners quickly learn that law was not Jason’s original plan. A lifelong athlete with deep family ties to professional sports, he once envisioned a future in orthopedic medicine, drawn to the intersection of sports, medicine, and business. While preparing for the MCAT, however, reality set in. The long and demanding medical path ahead no longer aligned with the life he wanted. A chance look at an LSAT book changed everything and redirected his future.

What followed was anything but a traditional journey. When Jason arrived at law school only to be told he could not begin because he could not afford tuition, he was forced to pivot immediately. Instead of walking away, he enrolled in night school and worked full time at a criminal defense firm during the day. His schedule was relentless. Mornings in court, afternoons with clients, evenings studying, and nights in class. There were no shortcuts and no safety net, only persistence.

Under the mentorship of a no nonsense supervising attorney, Jason was thrown directly into real cases with little guidance. Jail visits, hearings, trials, and closing arguments came quickly. Mistakes were public and lessons were unforgettable. Judges were unforgiving, but the pressure forged confidence, courtroom instincts, and an uncommon level of trial experience long before graduation. By the time he completed law school, Jason had tried nearly a dozen serious criminal cases, experience most attorneys never gain so early in their careers.

Jason speaks candidly about the adrenaline of trial work, describing closing arguments as one of the most intense and addictive experiences of his life, rivaled only by elite level athletic competition. He reflects openly on failure, humility, and the reality that growth never comes from winning alone. True growth, he explains, is forged in discomfort, loss, and the willingness to stay present when the pressure is highest.

The conversation also dives into professionalism and presence and why Jason believes how you show up still matters, especially when clients are trusting you with the most difficult moments of their lives. His perspective on discipline, adaptability, and embracing change offers insight not just for lawyers, but for anyone navigating high pressure careers or nontraditional paths.

This episode is a masterclass in resilience. Jason’s story is proof that unconventional routes are not weaknesses. They are often the very experiences that prepare you to lead. As the episode closes, he leaves listeners with a defining message. Do not fear adversity. Lean into it. Embrace it. Because if you have survived it once, you will survive it again, stronger every time.

Part 1 sets the foundation. And in Part 2, Jason shares something he rarely speaks about, shifting the entire conversation in a way listeners will not expect.

In Part 2 of this powerful Verdicts & Vogue conversation, Amy Gunn and Erica Slater pull back the curtain on what it really looks like to bet on yourself—and win. From launching their own law firm to taking high-stakes cases to verdict almost immediately, this episode is a masterclass in preparation, courage, and trusting your instincts when it matters most.

Amy and Erica walk through the intentional, months-long planning process behind opening their firm, emphasizing that success didn’t come from impulse, but from strategy. From hiring key staff before opening their doors to ensuring their systems, website, and office were fully operational on day one, they describe a launch built to command confidence—internally and externally. Ethical rules required them to resign and open the firm on the same day, turning launch day into what they both describe as one of the most thrilling, emotionally charged moments of their careers.

Just weeks later, Erica tried a case under the firm’s new name—a decision that was both necessary and symbolic. Refusing to appear vulnerable or be lowballed by defense counsel, they committed to trying cases when settlement offers didn’t reflect fair value. That mindset paid off when a $150,000 offer turned into a $400,000 jury verdict, reinforcing their belief that credibility is built in the courtroom.

The episode then dives deep into a landmark medical malpractice trial that defined the firm’s early identity. Amy recounts a devastating birth-injury case involving prolonged labor, clear signs of distress, and catastrophic outcomes for a newborn. Despite overwhelming facts, the defense contested every aspect of liability, causation, and damages. On the first day of trial, the defense offered $10 million—an offer Amy and her clients declined without hesitation.

What followed was a three-week trial culminating in a stunning jury verdict: $28 million in compensatory damages and $20 million in punitive damages. Amy explains the rare opportunity to argue punitive damages in a medical malpractice case, the gravity of asking a jury to “send a message,” and the responsibility that comes with wielding that power. The jury’s four-hour deliberation, request for a calculator, and emotional connection to the family underscored the human impact behind the numbers.

Beyond the verdicts, Amy and Erica reflect on what success means to them now. They speak candidly about resisting the pressure to scale for scale’s sake, choosing instead to remain trial lawyers at heart—deeply involved in the work, the clients, and the courtroom. Their shared vision centers on autonomy, integrity, and building a firm that aligns with their values, not industry expectations.

The episode closes on a lighter note with rapid-fire questions that reveal their personalities, humor, and humanity—reminding listeners that behind the verdicts are two women who lead with preparation, heart, and an unshakable belief in doing the work the right way.

In this episode of Verdicts & Vogue, host Cristina Perez Hesano sits down with powerhouse trial attorneys Amy Gunn and Erica Slater, co-founders of Gunn | Slater, for a candid, thoughtful conversation about law, leadership, mentorship, and the realities women face in building long-term careers in a still male-dominated profession.

Amy Gunn reflects on nearly three decades of practice, sharing her journey from defense work to plaintiff-side litigation and ultimately to firm ownership. She speaks openly about loving the practice of law while recognizing moments when the environment around her no longer aligned with who she wanted to become. Her reflections are grounded in perspective—acknowledging that while all parties deserve capable representation, representing individuals and families felt more aligned with her values, personality, and sense of purpose. Amy also discusses the importance of proximity, balance, and timing, particularly as a young mother navigating demanding legal work.

Erica Slater shares her path into the profession, beginning long before law school, having worked at a small plaintiff’s firm as a teenager. That early exposure shaped her understanding of advocacy, client relationships, and responsibility. After graduating during the recession, Erica entered insurance defense, where she gained valuable courtroom experience and discipline—but quickly realized the limitations of autonomy, creativity, and leadership within that structure. A defining moment came when she looked around and didn’t see anyone she aspired to become, reinforcing her belief that long-term fulfillment required a different environment. Reconnecting professionally with Amy ultimately led Erica back to plaintiff-side work and, eventually, to launching their own firm together.

Throughout the episode, Cristina guides the discussion toward a broader examination of representation, visibility, and attrition in the legal profession. Despite women comprising roughly half of law school graduates for decades, Amy and Erica point out the stark underrepresentation of women among equity partners, firm leaders, and decision-makers. They explore why many women hesitate to raise their hands for leadership roles—and how simply “showing up” in those rooms can change what future generations believe is possible.

The conversation also highlights the powerful role of mentorship and professional organizations. Amy recounts her experience coaching trial programs and mentoring younger attorneys, emphasizing that mentorship is not a one-way exchange but a mutually energizing relationship. Erica shares her involvement in judicial selection and legal service through Missouri’s court plan, underscoring how service beyond billable work shapes the justice system and strengthens communities.

As the episode closes, listeners are left with a clear throughline: leadership is built intentionally. By choosing autonomy, investing in others, and stepping forward when representation is lacking, Amy Gunn and Erica Slater exemplify what it means to build a legacy—not just through verdicts, but through presence, integrity, and action. Their story is one of earned confidence, collaboration, and the courage to create the professional future they wanted to see.

In this episode of Verdicts & Vogue, Cristina Perez continues her conversation with personal injury attorney Sophia Augeri, diving deeper into the mindset, emotional intelligence, and authenticity that shape powerful trial lawyers. What begins as a discussion about being a woman in law quickly unfolds into a thoughtful exploration of how empathy, self-awareness, and personal growth can become some of the strongest tools in the courtroom.

Sophia reflects on how being underestimated early in her career—often because she is both a woman and Latina—initially pushed her to overcompensate with aggression and intensity. Over time, she learned that strength doesn’t always come from force. By leaning into her natural personality, kindness, and humanity, she found that she could build trust in depositions, disarm opposing parties, and uncover the truth more effectively than by being combative. Her ability to connect with people on a human level has led to defendants opening up, apologizing, and even offering help, moments that reveal the power of authenticity in legal advocacy.

The conversation then shifts toward personal development and how becoming a better lawyer starts with becoming a better person. Sophia shares how focusing on her own growth through habits, learning, and self-reflection has created positive ripple effects in her legal practice. Cristina and Sophia discuss how understanding others—whether opposing counsel, defendants, or clients—creates better outcomes and deeper insight into every case.

They also explore the importance of mentorship and community in the legal profession. Sophia credits the many attorneys who invested time in her growth and explains why giving back, serving on boards, and leading women’s initiatives are now central to her mission. From advocating for better safety regulations to handling complex traumatic brain injury cases, she emphasizes the importance of choosing meaningful work and building a practice rooted in purpose.

The episode closes on a lighter note with a rapid-fire round that reveals Sophia’s personality beyond the courtroom, reminding listeners that great lawyers are also deeply human. Together, Cristina and Sophia offer a refreshing reminder that success in law isn’t just about strategy and skill—it’s about integrity, curiosity, empathy, and the courage to be yourself.

In this episode of Verdicts & Vogue, Cristina Perez sits down with personal injury attorney Sophia Augeri for a candid and relatable conversation about career evolution, confidence in the courtroom, and the personal experiences that shape strong women in law. What begins as a light, friendly exchange quickly unfolds into a meaningful discussion about growth, mentorship, and learning to trust your own voice.

Sophia shares her journey into the legal profession, beginning in criminal defense and prosecution before transitioning into personal injury law. She reflects on how early courtroom exposure, trial experience, and adaptability helped shape her as a litigator. Growing up as a military brat, Sophia learned resilience early on, moving frequently and learning how to navigate new environments skills that later became invaluable in her legal career.

Cristina and Sophia dive into the realities many female attorneys face when working alongside more experienced male counterparts. Both speak openly about moments of self-doubt, being underestimated, and initially holding back despite knowing the case inside and out. Sophia explains how preparation, mastery of the law, and real courtroom wins helped her build confidence, while Cristina shares her own turning point in learning to step forward, take the lead, and trust her instincts as both a lawyer and a business owner.

The conversation balances professional insight with humor and personal stories, including Sophia’s passion for dance and the unexpected way it led her to both love and a major career shift, as well as Cristina’s candid reflections on growth, leadership, and letting go of limiting beliefs. Together, they emphasize that confidence is not given it is built through experience, persistence, and self-belief.

This episode offers an honest look at what it takes to grow in law and in life, reminding listeners that finding your voice is a journey, not a moment, and that authenticity, resilience, and preparation are powerful tools in and out of the courtroom.

In Part Two of this Community Highlight conversation, Cristina Perez continues her discussion with Genein Letford by diving deeper into brain capital, workplace wellness, and the role brain health plays in leadership, culture, and long term success. This episode expands beyond creativity alone and explores how the brain itself has become one of the most valuable assets in today’s rapidly evolving world.

Genein introduces the concept of brain capital as the combination of brain skills and brain health. She explains that as artificial intelligence continues to advance, the human brain becomes even more essential. While technical skills matter, the majority of the skills identified as critical for the future workforce are brain based skills such as curiosity, adaptability, empathy, and social influence. These are skills that drive innovation, connection, and sound judgment across every profession, including law.

The conversation addresses the growing mental health crisis and the rise of neurological conditions such as anxiety, depression, Alzheimer’s, and dementia. Genein emphasizes that waiting for a cure is not the solution. Instead, prevention and early intervention are key. Using the metaphor of a river, she explains that rather than pulling people out downstream, society must look upstream to understand why people are falling in at all. This philosophy shapes her work with organizations and communities by focusing on proactive brain health practices that support long term performance and wellbeing.

Cristina and Genein discuss how brain health directly affects workplace culture. Long hours without breaks, lack of sunlight, minimal movement, and constant stress all diminish cognitive performance. Genein highlights the importance of intentional workplace design that allows for brain breaks, physical movement, access to art, exposure to nature, and moments of reflection. These elements are not luxuries but necessities for maintaining focus, creativity, and emotional regulation.

Purpose emerges as a central theme throughout the episode. Genein explains that when people understand how their role contributes to a larger mission, their engagement and performance increase. Cristina reflects on how this principle applies within her firm, noting that every team member plays a critical role in shaping client experience. From the receptionist to the case managers, each interaction matters, especially when clients are navigating some of the most stressful moments of their lives.

The episode also explores how connection reduces bias and strengthens empathy. Genein explains how the brain naturally categorizes people into groups within seconds, but meaningful interaction can override these instincts. Simple actions such as shared experiences, team activities, storytelling, and even wearing matching shirts can neurologically reinforce belonging and trust. These small but intentional practices help break down silos and foster collaboration across different roles and backgrounds.

Genein shares insight into her nonprofit work and educational initiatives designed to support brain health across the lifespan. Through programs that combine music, movement, and learning, she creates experiences that help people retain information and translate it into real behavior change. She also discusses her work with children and families, emphasizing the importance of building cognitive reserve early in life through sleep, nutrition, creativity, social connection, movement, and stress reduction.

The conversation highlights the importance of lifelong learning and curiosity. Genein explains that the brain thrives when challenged and engaged, and that learning should not stop after formal education ends. She shares practical strategies for individuals and families to support brain health in accessible and engaging ways.

In Part One of this Community Highlight episode, Cristina Perez welcomes Genein Letford for a thoughtful and wide ranging conversation that connects creativity, brain science, culture, and leadership to the legal and professional world. This episode marks a departure from traditional attorney focused discussions and instead opens the door to learning from voices outside the legal field whose work deeply intersects with human behavior, judgment, and decision making.

Genein Letford shares her background as an educator who spent more than fifteen years teaching students from kindergarten through fifth grade before expanding her work to middle school, high school, and higher education. Her experience includes teaching future educators at California State University Northridge, founding a nonprofit focused on youth development, and serving on the board of a national nonprofit alongside leaders from major global organizations. This diverse exposure allowed her to work with individuals ranging from young children to executives running multibillion dollar companies, giving her a rare perspective on how creativity, culture, and brain function shape human interaction at every level.

The discussion centers on Genein’s work in creativity and brain based thinking, emphasizing that creativity is not limited to artistic expression. Instead, it is the ability to problem solve, adapt, and generate meaningful solutions in complex environments. She explains how creativity often declines as children move through traditional education systems and how this decline carries into adulthood and professional settings. This loss of creative thinking has significant consequences in fields that rely on judgment, communication, and adaptability, including law.

Cristina connects these ideas directly to her experience as a trial lawyer and business owner. She discusses how attorneys must constantly assess human behavior, interpret emotional responses, and communicate difficult information to clients, juries, and colleagues. The conversation highlights how unconscious bias and learned assumptions influence decision making long before individuals realize it. Genein reinforces this point by explaining how the brain relies on past experiences and cultural conditioning to make rapid judgments, often without conscious awareness.

A major theme of the episode is intercultural creativity, a concept Genein developed to describe the ability to problem solve with relevance and value while working with people from different lived experiences. She explains that cultural competence, sensitivity, and responsiveness are developmental skills that vary widely depending on exposure, upbringing, and environment. Rather than expecting everyone to operate at the same level, leaders must recognize that cultural understanding evolves over time and requires intentional learning.

Cristina shares personal workplace experiences that illustrate how well intentioned actions can still cause harm when cultural awareness is lacking. These moments underscore the responsibility leaders carry to address issues thoughtfully while protecting trust, dignity, and psychological safety within their teams. Genein emphasizes curiosity as a foundational skill for both creativity and cultural growth, noting that asking thoughtful questions allows people to learn rather than shut down when mistakes occur.

The episode concludes with a discussion on leadership responsibility and workplace culture. Genein explains that policies alone do not shape culture. Daily behaviors, conversations, and accountability do. Leaders must create environments where individuals feel safe acknowledging mistakes, learning, and improving. With rapid changes in technology, workforce dynamics, and communication norms, this approach is no longer optional. It is essential.