The Jabot Kathryn Rubino at Above the Law

Kathryn and Marlon Lutfiyya, Director of Talent and Diversity at Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg, discuss the advancements in legal research and the importance of DEI integration in law firms. Marlon highlights the benefits of joining a mid-sized firm like his, providing associates opportunities to work closely with senior partners and advance at their own pace using a competency-based system. He also stresses the importance of a firm's commitment to individual development and DEI initiatives when choosing the right firm for junior associates.
Who is The Guest?
Marlon Lutfiyya is the Director of Talent & Diversity at Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP.  In that role, he helps lead and advance the ongoing development and implementation of the firm’s recruiting, professional development and diversity strategies.  As a former litigator, Marlon brings strategic and innovative thinking to the areas of recruitment, professional development and diversity & inclusion.  
Prior to joining Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg, he was the Director of Inclusion & Professional Development at Husch Blackwell LLP.  Marlon previously practiced as a litigation attorney at Winston & Strawn LLP in Chicago and at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP in New York.  He is an active member of the National Association for Law Placement, the Association of Law Firm Diversity Professionals, and the Professional Development Consortium.  He previously served as the Vice Chair of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee of the ABA’s Law Practice Division and was appointed to the Law Practice Division’s Attorney Well-Being Committee.
Episode Resources
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marlon-lutfiyya  
https://www.nge.com/ 
 
Episode Highlights
How to integrate DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) into a firm's identity and culture by keeping it top of mind in every aspect of the firm's functions, including recruitment, mentoring, evaluations, and pro bono efforts Strategies to implement DEI initiatives in hybrid work environment Ensuring DEI efforts remain a priority during potential economic downturns, emphasizing the importance of non-monetary initiatives, and adapting strategies to focus on what can be controlled Implementing hybrid work environments with added flexibility by allowing employees to come into the office an average of eight days a month, maintaining connection across practice groups and levels Benefits of the inverted pyramid structure The competency-based level system that allows associates to progress at their own pace, leading to transparency and individual development within the firm Tips for young associates to ask the right questions when joining a firm or looking for a lateral move, focusing on individual development, firm culture, and commitment to DEI Importance of understanding the individual experiences at a particular firm and evaluating the commitment of supervising attorneys to the career trajectories of junior associates
Episode Sponsored By
https://www.lexisnexis.com/lexisplus 

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In this episode, Kathryn, Alanna Kaufman, and Margot Hoppin discuss the Lexis Plus platform and share their experiences in the legal industry. They emphasize the importance of doing meaningful work, creating inclusive law firm environments, and networking. Alanna and Margot highlight the values of their public interest private law firms and their focus on positively impacting clients' lives. They also talk about the challenges of running a law firm, striking a work-life balance, and collaborating with individuals who value personal growth and setting boundaries.
Who are The Guests?
Alanna Kaufman is an accomplished attorney with broad experience resolving civil rights and commercial disputes for her clients. A significant portion of Alanna’s practice focuses on workplace discrimination, retaliation, and sexual harassment. She is a committed advocate for women’s rights, and she has written and testified publicly about sexual harassment laws.  Alanna also advises and trains on compliance with anti-harassment and anti-discrimination law.
Before co-founding Hoppin Grinsell, Margot practiced at Holwell Shuster & Goldberg LLP and Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, where she represented clients in a wide variety of complex commercial disputes. She has also worked as a public defender and a solo practitioner, representing early-stage companies as they navigated complex regulatory and legal hurdles, plaintiffs in employment discrimination matters, and corporate entities in commercial disputes.  Over the course of her career, Margot has represented hundreds of low-income clients in criminal, civil, administrative, and immigration matters.

Episode Resources
Yesakaufman@kllflaw.com https://www.kllflaw.com/alanna-kaufman margot@hoppingrinsell.com https://www.hoppingrinsell.com/team/margot-hoppin  


Episode Highlights How Alanna and Margot decided on their various career paths within the legal industry The different experiences Alanna and Margot had working at big law firms, smaller outfits, and starting their own firms Alanna discusses her decision to start her own law firm as a way to gain autonomy and focus on civil rights work Margot shares her reasons for starting a law firm and how she aimed to approach the practice differently Alanna and Margot describe the values that differentiate their "next generation" law firms, including a focus on public interest and work-life balance Their experiences building their law firms and attracting clients Advice for younger attorneys who want to start their own firms, emphasizing having faith in oneself and taking the leap The highs and lows of running their own firms The nitty-gritty aspects of decision-making and responsibility Process of personal growth and development, as well as the flexibility that working in their own firms has provided them Importance of finding balance and having a well-rounded team to prevent burnout and ensure the well-being of their colleagues
Episode Sponsored By
https://www.lexisnexis.com/lexisplus 

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In this episode, Kathryn speaks with Emily Poler about her experience founding Poler Legal and navigating the legal profession. They discuss negotiation strategies and managing gender dynamics. Emily shares the challenges and rewards of creating her own law firm such as gaining autonomy, selecting compatible clients, and handling the impact of the pandemic. She emphasizes on embracing her identity as a woman in the legal field during negotiations.
Who’s The Guest?
Emily A. Poler is the founding partner of Poler Legal LLC. For nearly 20 years, she has managed tough legal issues through both litigation and negotiation for multinational companies and complex organizations. Her practice focuses on high growth companies and founder disputes.
Episode Resources
https://polerlegal.com/  

Episode Highlights
Emily shares her journey to becoming a lawyer, despite initial opposition to the idea The transition from a BigLaw firm to a smaller practice and the benefits of working in a boutique setting The importance of having work-life balance Moments of reflection and importance of self-assessment in the legal profession The process of building her own practice area and finding work-life balance The importance of a rational mindset in negotiations and counseling clients through the process The highs of starting and running a law firm on your own, including control over your own work and clients Challenges faced in starting a practice, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic Diversity issues in the legal profession, specifically the male-dominated environment Emily’s approach in dealing with gender dynamics, using them to her advantage

Episode Sponsored By
https://www.lexisnexis.com/lexisplus 


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In this episode, Kathryn interviews Jenny Hamilton, Chief Legal Officer at Exterro. They discuss the launch of the Lexis Plus Platform and its AI-powered Judicial Brief Analysis tool, Hamilton's journey into the legal profession, her experiences with e-discovery, and her perspective on being a woman in a male-dominated industry.
Hamilton shares her insights on evolving the legal industry, with a focus on finding balance in gender representation and adapting legal technology to the increasing privacy regulations and rising volumes of data that today's legal departments face. She emphasizes the importance of trusting oneself and one's instincts in both personal and professional life.
Who’s The Guest?
Jenny Hamilton is respected as an innovator in the legal profession for her award- winning approach to building legal operations and data governance programs. In recent years, her practice has focused on the intersection of e-discovery, privacy and cybersecurity. After graduating from University of Texas, she went into major account sales for Gateway Computers where she was encouraged by in-house counsel to make a leap towards law school. Upon graduation from the University of Iowa College of Law, she moved to Chicago to practice commercial litigation. John Deere recruited her from private practice to spearhead the company’s e- discovery, investigations and data privacy. Early on, Hamilton’s team selected Exterro as their first e-discovery program, and Legal Technology News hailed Deere for their disciplined approach to technology acquisition. Hamilton continued on to receive c-suite recognition through the team’s transformative use of data analytics, building a scalable cross border program for forensic investigations and e-discovery, and leading a law department-wide technology initiative to achieve operational excellence. Following her 14-year career at Deere, Hamilton served as general counsel and data privacy officer for a legal services firm, HaystackID, as a strategic legal advisor to the c-suite and board while building out their legal and compliance operations.

Episode Resources
https://www.exterro.com/about/leadership-team  

Episode Highlights
Jenny Hamilton discusses her decision to go to law school as a way to escape the decline of the company she was working for at the time. Jenny shares how she enjoyed learning about contracts from a legal perspective and tying it into real life experiences. Transitioning from a trial lawyer to an in-house role, and how the learning curve differed. The evolution of e-discovery and the significant changes in the industry. Roles and responsibilities of a chief legal officer at Xterra, including being an advisor to the business and developing a legal strategy. Tackling gender disparity in the legal industry, the importance of allyship, and finding balance. The adaptation of the legal tech industry to cater to the needs of today's legal departments.
Episode Sponsored By
https://www.lexisnexis.com/lexisplus 

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In this episode, Kathryn welcomes Michelle Kallen, a Partner at Jenner & Block, to her journey to becoming an appellate lawyer. She explains that the more she learned about law, the more she was drawn to the field. She then goes on to talk about the appeal process and how it can be a difficult one to enter. Finally, Michelle shares her advice on how to get into the field of appellate law, including the importance of continuing to educate yourself on the legal field.
Who’s The Guest?
Michelle Kallen is a former Solicitor General of Virginia who helps clients navigate complex matters before federal and state appellate courts. Leading companies in the aerospace and defense, hospitality, technology, and transportation industries benefit from her extensive government experience, unique insight into multistate and constitutional litigation matters, and award-winning appellate work.

Episode Resources
https://www.jenner.com/ https://www.jenner.com/en/people/michelle-s-kallen 


Episode Highlights What made her decide to specialize in Appellate Law Transitioning from government to private practice and working on high profile cases Exploring different aspects of litigation and appellate practice Breaking down the day-to-day practice of Biglaw as an appellate lawyer Different practice models as an appellate lawyer Finding the right fit: The pros and cons of the different practice models Appellate practice for junior associates Strategies for success as an associate and partner Overcoming roadblocks and advancing in a legal career
Episode Sponsored By
https://www.lexisnexis.com/lexisplus 

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In this episode, Kathryn welcomes Jennifer Henderson, a Partner with the legal recruiting firm, Major, Lindsey & Africa (MLA), to discuss why she decided to go to law school and how she ended up becoming a legal recruiter. She also talks about the current lateral market and provides advice for those looking to make a move. Additionally, she shares some tips on how to effectively negotiate with the candidate and the legal world’s stand on hiring people who are working remotely.
Who’s The Guest?
Jennifer Henderson is a Partner from the legal recruiting firm, Major, Lindsey & Africa (MLA). She focuses on placing associates and partners with law firms and corporations and is assisting attorneys with all stages of their career development. Jennifer has counseled, coached, recruited, and placed top talents with the legal and the tech center for more than 10 years. She uses her background as a practicing lawyer to offer valuable insights to her candidates as they consider potential career moves.

Episode Resources
https://www.mlaglobal.com/ https://www.mlaglobal.com/en/people/jennifer-henderson?byconsultantorauthor=jennifer-henderson https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-henderson-6466386 


Episode Highlights The path from aspiring to saving the world to becoming a legal recruiter Different careers in legal recruiting Leveraging the Biglaw experience to help others find career satisfaction Understanding the lateral market in 2021 and 2022 Changing the legal market in 2021, 2022, and the years to come The impact of the 2021 legal market on lateral hiring and performance-based layoffs Remote working as a perk for career transitions Red flags when interviewing candidates
Episode Sponsored By
https://www.lexisnexis.com/lexisplus 

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