Cleared for Takeoff: Kerrie Forbes of JSX on Playing Fair and Building Legal Strategy in Aviation

From 16 years at Southwest to leading legal at JSX, Kerrie Forbes knows what it means to navigate turbulence—regulatory battles, competitor challenges, and high-stakes litigation—while keeping fairness and trust as her North Star. In this episode, she reveals how legal leaders can find clarity at 30,000 feet and on the ground.

You’ll hear:
– How JSX operates under FAA and TSA frameworks while delivering a 20-minute airport experience
– Turning adversarial airport disputes into ribbon-cuttings through relationships and tone shifts
– Why “play fair” is a leadership principle that sustains credibility with regulators and competitors
– The differences between firm and in-house litigation strategy—and knowing when to fight vs. resolve
– How EOS (Traction) and GC AI are helping her team build capacity and accountability
– Preparing the next generation of lawyers (including her daughter, now a 1L) for an AI-driven future

Books Mentioned:
– Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Wickman

Follow Kerrie:
@Kerrie Forbes on LinkedIn

Show Notes:

– Kerrie’s journey from Jones Day to Southwest Airlines to JSX CLO
– The real regulatory stack: FAA Part 135/380 + TSA TFSSP
– Case study: Orange County dispute → resolution and ribbon-cutting
– Why “outcomes, not arguments” defines in-house success
– EOS (Traction) as a system for accountability and productivity
– Lessons from building trust with regulators and airport authorities
– Family of lawyers: mentoring the next generation in an AI era
– Leadership values: fairness, positivity, and passion for your company

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⁠@GC AI⁠ on LinkedIn
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