Career Development

#0023: (CCT) Lead from Where You Are: 5 Steps to Show Leadership Without a Title

Many of us have titles which do not include leadership roles (e.g., Chief, Director, Manager) but often need to find ways to motivate and inspires others. 
 
This discussion will hone in on five tangible steps/ways for showing leadership even when you don't have formal authority.
 
Moderator:@Glenn Hoxie - Practice Solutions Manager, Paul Hastings LLP
 
Speakers:@Bruce James - Senior Manager, Program Management Office, Paul Hastings@Tanya Pereira - Business Transformation Specialist, Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP@Nicola Woodfall - Senior eDisclosure/eData Manager,Legal Technology
Recorded on 6-5-2024

#0018: (CCT) Cracking the Code: Understanding and Applying the new LMA Body of Knowledge in Legal Marketing

The Body of Knowledge (BoK) is a foundational resource developed by the Legal Marketing Association for professional development in marketing that defines the core skills necessary for legal marketers to succeed. The BoK defines essential and accepted domains, competencies and associated skill sets within the legal marketing profession at every level. It helps legal marketers hone their skills, assists legal marketing managers to develop themselves and their teams and provides a universal benchmark against which legal marketers can be assessed.Moderator:@Rachel Shields Williams - Director, Knowledge Management Enablement & Insights, Sidley Austin LLP Speakers:@Holly Amatangelo - Education Director, Legal Marketing Association (LMA)@Paul Bonner - Director of Marketing, Venable LLPRecorded on 05-09-2024.

#0015: (CCT) Clear is Kind Providing Actionable Feedback and Setting Up Your Team for Success

We've all been there: a boss cushions their language so much we leave meetings unclear on whether we were doing a great or terrible job.  
 
In this podcast panel interview session, seasoned managers will discuss on what things to include & avoid in feedback sessions, and how providing feedback on the go is much more valuable than waiting for formal performance reviews 
 
Moderator:@Harriet Joubert-Vaklyes, Director, Legal Operations, CBRE   
 
Panelists:
@Janelle Eveland Belling,  Director of Legal Project Management, Perkins Coie @Amy Monaghan, VP of Client Success and Product Innovation, Infodash@Nicola Woodfall, Senior eDisclosure/eData Manager, Travers Smith
 
RECORDED 4-25-2024

#0009 (CCT) Where’s Better to Build a Career in eDiscovery Within a Law Firm or At An External Consultancy

In this podcast panel session, the panelists will share the pros and cons for eDiscovery professionals for working in-house at a law firm as opposed to externally at a service provider.
 
Moderator:@James MacGregor - Managing Director, Ethical eDiscovery
Panelists:@Rachel McAdams -  Senior Consultant, Sky Discovery
@Dina Hetherington - eDiscovery Technology Manager, A&L Goodbody LLP
@Jakub Kur - Head of Forensic Technology, Bird & Bird
@Tom Quinn - Head of eDiscovery, Simmons & Simmons
Recorded on 3-15-2024

Pivoting: Career Transitions Within the Firm

In this podcast interview, the moderator talked with speakers who have both recently transitioned careers within the same firm. They will discuss how has their experience prepared them, why did they chose to stay within firm, what has been the overall key differences in the new role, challenges and successes experienced and more. Questions the moderator asked the speakers:-Tell us a little about your previous role(s) and what you do now-What are some of the key differences between your previous role(s) and current role?-What have been some of the biggest challenges that you have faced in making the transition?-What are some of the biggest factors in your success?-Do you have any advice for others looking to pivot?Moderator: @Harriet Joubert-Vaklyes - Senior Project Manager, Legal Operations, CBRESpeakers:  @Tanya Pereira - Business Transformation Specialist, Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP         @Martina Udovicic - Account Manager, Legal Operations, Borden Ladner Gervais LLPRecorded on 10-26-2023

Communicating Burnout to Leadership: Helpful Tips and Best Practices

In this podcast interview, the speakers had an important discussion about how to best successfully communicate a need for rest and recovery during burnout to leadership.Questions the moderator asked the speakers:-What are some best practices for legal professionals to recognize and identify burnout in themselves or their colleagues before it becomes a major issue?-Communication can be challenging when dealing with sensitive topics like burnout. Could you share some effective strategies for initiating a conversation about burnout with firm leadership?-Many legal professionals worry about the repercussions of discussing burnout.  How can they navigate their conversation without jeopardizing their professional growth?-Can you highlight some success stories or examples where effective communication about burnout led to a positive change within a law firm?-Are there any specific tools or resources that legal professionals can utilize when discussing burnout with leadership, such as data, surveys, or industry benchmarks?Moderator:@Tanya Pereira - Business Transformation Specialist, Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLPSpeakers:@Adam Wehler - Director of Practice Support, Robinson Bradshaw@Julie Wilson - Legal Resources & Innovation Lawyer, Gowling WLG
 
Recorded on 10-25-2023

Law and Order: The Importance of Practice Management in a Law Firm Startup

We often think of Practice Management in the context of managing a large legal practice. But how does it actually apply to a startup? What principles apply to the first days and years of a firm with just a few partners? Where do they start? And/or what do they wish they would have paid attention to first if things didn't go smoothly?
Questions the moderator will ask the speaker:-Tell us a little about you and your firm.-What made you decide to leave your prior job and when did you know it was time to break out on your own?-What resources did you take for granted at your prior firm? -What has been the most eye-opening part of the transition from practicing attorney to manager of your own firm?  -What technology are you using for case management software? -How are you structuring the firm to meet your management needs and how is that integrating?-What advice would you give someone contemplating making the same change?
Moderator:@Kristin Rhodes - Senior Practice Manager, Paul Hastings LLP
Speaker:@Philip Andonian - Member, CalebAndonian PLLC
Recorded on 10-24-2023.

Keeping Up with Hands-Off Communication with Hands Off Teams

In this podcast session, the moderator will discuss with an attorney the best communications strategies and practices they have encountered with Litigation Support and Legal Staff.
Questions the moderator will ask the speaker:
-What are some steps you take to keep communication consistent in your remote team?-What are some pitfalls about purely remote work that some managers or team members might not consider?-Do you find that your communication style changes between individual team members or is it more consistent due to remote work?-How often do you think you need to stay in contact with team members to maintain consistent communication?-Do you have any advice for remote managers to follow for best practices?Moderator:@Ryan Gerlach - Legal Analyst, State of California Office of the Attorney General, DOJSpeaker:@Ann Halkett - Director, SOLVED eDiscovery Services, a division of AHBL MLPRecorded on 06-29-2023

Do You Want to Build a Podcast? Unraveling the Magic Behind ”Entertaining” Content

Your average end user now spends more time consuming and sharing educational entertainment than ever before.
From podcasts to film documentaries, there is a formula that keeps us coming back for more, and ensures the audience retains that information well enough to talk about it with everyone they know. How do we capture that spark in professional learning? As trainers and developers, how do we bring entertainment to education? What looks easier than it actually is, and what is far easier than it looks?
What kind of talent can help you create and execute that vision? In this session, learners will identify the educational fundamentals we see in this genre of entertainment, and then brainstorm opportunities to blend entertainment tactics into our learning strategy to make exciting podcasts.
 
Questions the moderator asked the speaker:  
We’d love to hear your origin story.  [Insert what we know about them to show engagement with the panel.] What inspired you to create your current podcast series?
Is there anything that surprised you along your journey?
Many of our listeners work for legal organizations which have contemplated or actually implemented podcasts.  What are some things to watch out for when building your first podcast?
My guess is a newbie podcaster may see a decent level of interest in their early podcasts perhaps because of its’ novelty.  However, the newbie may see some drop-off over time.  What have you found to be successful ways to maintain audience engagement?  Related, any tips on building your audience?
Many law firms and other legal organizations have created their own podcasts.  What have you found that makes your podcast a differentiator?
I’ve heard of many podcasts bubbling up from within a law firm.  As an example, BD has a podcast, Knowledge Management has one, and multiple partners have created one perhaps even in conjunction with partners at other law firms.  Assuming there is value in coordinated efforts at a firm, do you have any recommendations for combining forces?
I’ve heard of edutainment – the combination of education and entertainment.  What have you learned from other podcasters or your own experience on blending the best of those worlds?
Any practical tips generally – for example, have you found the best duration for a podcast (e.g., 20 minutes, 60 minutes)?  Audio quality tips? Upside/downsides to inviting guests?  Stick to only audio or sometimes include video?
 
Moderator:@Alejandro Vallellanes - Former Global Senior Manager of Research, Baker McKenzie
Speaker:@Greg Lambert - Chief Knowledge Services Officer, Jackson Walker L.L.P
 
Recorded on 06-28-2023

The Scourge of the ”Non-Attorney” Heading

Overwhelmingly, law firms operate as though attorneys are the ""important"" parts of their business, and that business staff is... well, chopped liver. How can firms adjust/improve their language to change this attitude/perception?
Questions Harriet asked the speakers:• The landscape for hiring and recruiting within law firms has changed a lot since January 2020 (and again since the end of 2022). What are some of the biggest changes you’ve seen in the industry/in convos with peers? What surprised everyone the most about how recruiting/hiring has changed in the legal field? (I’m thinking first year associate pay has got to be a big one!)• What are your predictions for how things will stay the same/change in law firm operations over the next 5-10 years? Do you think attorneys will fundamentally change their expectations around work-life balance? And how are firm resources being marketed to attorneys during their recruiting process (as part of the support package)? (i.e. research departments, LPM, etc)• Let’s talk a bit about the split in law firms between attorneys and “everyone else”… what have you seen across the industry, and do you think those divisions are breaking down, becoming more defined, or something else? I’m also interested in how you think this will play out as the market retracts again: it’s been popular to cut back on administrative staffing in times of financial concern, but that loads more work back onto attorneys—do you see anything differently happening this time around?
Moderator:
@Harriet Joubert-Vaklyes -  Senior Project Manager - Legal Operations, CBRE Group 
 
Speakers:
@Jennifer Bluestein - Chief Talent and HR Officer, Perkins Coie@Chris Boyd - Chief Operating Officer, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
 
 
Recorded on 04-07-2023

How to Become a Great Mentor in a Remote Working Environment: Mentor/Mentee Edition

In the second part of this podcast series, the speakers will talk about successful strategies to mentor young or new colleagues in the legal IT space when being remote. In addition, we will learn what is a great mentor, how do you find a mentor, how does it change working remotely and why is mentoring so important?Moderator:@Carolyn Bragiel - Advisor, Legal E-discovery, Cardinal Health
 
Speakers:@Joy Murao - Founder and CEO, Practice Aligned Resources (Mentor)@Candi Smith, CEDS -  Sr. Legal Technology & eDiscovery Specialist, Jabil Corporation (Mentee)
Recorded on 01-26-2022