The Lawyer's Edge

Epizódy

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  Tara Stingley | How to Become a Visible Expert in Your Practice Area 21.07.2026 32min

  Tara Stingley is a Partner of Cline Williams and the Chair of its Labor and Employment Law section. Cline Williams, established in 1857, is Nebraska's oldest existing law firm and is a full-service firm with approximately 60 lawyers working in 5 offices located in Nebraska and Colorado. Tara is the firm's primary representative to the Employment Law Alliance, the largest international network of labor and employment lawyers. Tara focuses her practice on employment law, advising businesses in various industries on compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations. WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT BEING A VISIBILITY EXPERT AS A PRACTICING ATTORNEY Those first travelers making their way West did so without a roadmap. But in taking the opportunity, they paved the way for the nation's expansion. That spirit of the West is very much rooted in Tara Stingley and the Nebraska law firm of which she is a partner. As the first woman to serve on Cline Williams' executive committee, she challenged other members to think about how they defined issues and the impact of their decisions. She also established her niche as an employment law expert within the legal community. Laying down that foundation has paid dividends in affording her opportunities, as it can for you, too. And unlike that first wave of westward travelers, you don't have to go forward blindly; Tara has tips to help you build your roadmap to greater visibility. In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge podcast, you'll hear about the payoff potential in raising your profile and building your brand as a subject-matter expert and how to start proactively doing it (even if you're still a young lawyer). Tara will also discuss the importance of representation, the need for professional women to stop underestimating their value, what plays into a client's decision to pick you over others, and so much more! 1:51 - How Tara became a lawyer and partner at Cline Williams and how the law firm differs from others 9:51 - The importance of Tara's role as the first woman on the firm's executive committee 13:22 - Why you should strive to increase your visibility as an expert in your field, even when you can't see an immediate payoff 20:58 - How lawyers can create branding opportunities for themselves rather than wait for them to appear 25:06 - The mindset you need for approaching opportunities to raise your profile and ultimately get clients you want to work with 29:40 - An essential piece of advice for professional women (especially those dealing with imposter syndrome) Mentioned In How to Become a Visible Expert in Your Practice Area Cline Williams Employment Law Alliance Tara Stingley on LinkedIn Get Connected with The Coaching Team at hello@thelawyersedge.com The Lawyer's Edge SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE… This episode is brought to you by the coaching team at The Lawyer's Edge, a training and coaching firm that has been focused exclusively on lawyers and law firms since 2008. Each member of the team is a trained, certified, and experienced professional coach—and either a former practicing attorney or a former law firm marketing and business development professional. Whatever your professional objectives, our coaches can help you achieve your goals more quickly, more easily, and with significantly less stress. To get connected with your coach, fill out our contact form.
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  Leslie Davis | How Minority and Women-Owned Firms Are Winning Corporate Work 14.07.2026 36min

  Leslie D. Davis is the Chief Executive Officer of the National Association of Minority and Women Owned Law Firms, Inc. (NAMWOLF), a nonprofit trade association that connects preeminent minority and women-owned law firms with corporations and public entities hiring outside counsel. Before taking the helm at NAMWOLF in 2021, Leslie spent 25 years as a trial lawyer and rainmaker, made partner at three firms, and served as lead counsel in complex jury trials, bench trials, and arbitrations. She is also a certified transformational leadership coach, sought-after speaker, mentor, and longtime advocate for equity in the legal profession. Leslie earned her J.D. from the University of Iowa College of Law and her M.A. and B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Iowa. WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT HOW MINORITY AND WOMEN-OWNED FIRMS WIN CORPORATE WORK Minority and women-owned law firms have been fighting for a seat at the corporate table for decades. The barrier has not been a lack of talent or capability. Outside counsel decisions have historically been shaped by connections, relationships, and familiarity, making it harder for firms outside those established networks to compete for corporate work. NAMWOLF works to change that by connecting carefully vetted minority and women-owned firms with corporations and public entities hiring outside counsel. Its member firms are selected based on their reputation, experience, responsiveness, reliability, and ability to handle sophisticated legal work. The organization also creates opportunities for firms and in-house counsel to build real relationships while encouraging member firms to refer work to one another rather than compete for every opportunity. In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge podcast, Elise Holtzman talks with Leslie Davis of NAMWOLF about how minority and women-owned firms win corporate work, why relationships remain central to outside counsel decisions, how NAMWOLF evaluates its member firms, and how the organization is responding to changing attitudes toward diversity. 2:51 - NAMWOLF's mission and the legal market it serves 4:30 - Why member firms collaborate instead of competing for every opportunity 6:50 - How NAMWOLF vets firms for sophisticated corporate legal work 9:06 - Creating relationships between member firms and corporate counsel 12:15 - Why Leslie left trial practice to lead NAMWOLF 14:21 - How litigation and rainmaking prepared Leslie for the CEO role  17:01 - Learning to lead professionals who are not lawyers 20:55 - Responding to the changing climate around DEI 25:04 - Staying focused when the conversation becomes a distraction 30:26 - Building real relationships that lead to business MENTIONED IN HOW MINORITY AND WOMEN-OWNED FIRMS ARE WINNING CORPORATE WORK NAMWOLF | LinkedIn Leslie Davis on LinkedIn Get connected with the coaching team: hello@thelawyersedge.com The Lawyer's Edge SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE This episode is brought to you by the coaching team at The Lawyer's Edge, a training and coaching firm that has been focused exclusively on lawyers and law firms since 2008. Each member of the team is a trained, certified, and experienced professional coach—and either a former practicing attorney or a former law firm marketing and business development professional. Whatever your professional objectives, our coaches can help you achieve your goals more quickly, more easily, and with significantly less stress. To get connected with your coach, fill out our contact form.  
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  Emily Stedman | What Law Firm Leaders Need to Understand About Lawyer Well-Being 07.07.2026 35min

  Emily Stedman is a commercial litigation partner at Husch Blackwell LLP in Milwaukee, where she handles complex business disputes from pre-suit negotiation through trial and appeal. With more than a decade of experience in practice, Emily brings both Big Law credibility and a practical understanding of what it takes to build a successful legal career without burning out. In addition to her litigation work, she is a nationally recognized advocate for lawyer well-being, known for her candid speaking, writing, and thought leadership on the mental health realities of modern legal practice. She has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers Rising Stars, and Corporate Counsel for her influence and leadership in the profession, including a Women, Influence, and Power in Law Award in the Mental Health and Well-Being Initiative category. She has also served on the Wisconsin Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being. WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT LAW FIRM LEADERSHIP AND LAWYER WELL-BEING Lawyer well-being is often treated as something individual attorneys have to manage on their own. Lawyers are told to set boundaries, manage stress, ask for help, and keep going. That advice may be useful, but it only goes so far when lawyers are also making assumptions about availability, visibility, and what it really takes to succeed inside a demanding law firm. Emily Stedman is not arguing that Big Law should stop being demanding or that lawyers can build ambitious careers without working hard. Her point is more practical. If law firms want talented lawyers to stay, leaders need to be more honest about how sustainable careers are actually built, including the different ways lawyers can meet expectations, exercise autonomy, and model a life inside the profession that others can realistically imagine for themselves. In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge podcast, Elise Holtzman talks with Emily Stedman of Husch Blackwell LLP about lawyer well-being as a leadership issue, the assumptions lawyers make about availability and visibility, the generational tensions around boundaries, and why leaders need to tell the truth about how they actually work. 3:22 - Why Emily started speaking openly about lawyer well-being 6:12 - Lateraling to Husch Blackwell and practicing more authentically 7:45 - What Emily changed about how she worked after joining a new firm 9:33 - Building a sustainable Big Law career while still meeting firm expectations 12:08 - The mindset shifts lawyers need before setting better boundaries 16:39 - What law firm leaders get right and wrong about well-being 19:43 - Why lawyer well-being does not mean avoiding hard work 21:23 - Why well-being requires better management conversations inside law firms 24:22 - The connection between everyday well-being, burnout, and mental health crises 29:07 - The one concrete thing law firm leaders can do to make a difference 34:14 - How leaders model autonomy, control, and sustainable careers for others MENTIONED IN  WHAT LAW FIRM LEADERS NEED TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT LAWYER WELL-BEING Husch Blackwell LLP | LinkedIn Emily Stedman | LinkedIn Get connected with the coaching team: hello@thelawyersedge.com The Lawyer's Edge SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE This episode is brought to you by the coaching team at The Lawyer's Edge, a training and coaching firm that has been focused exclusively on lawyers and law firms since 2008. Each member of the team is a trained, certified, and experienced professional coach—and either a former practicing attorney or a former law firm marketing and business development professional. Whatever your professional objectives, our coaches can help you achieve your goals more quickly, more easily, and with significantly less stress. To get connected with your coach, fill out our contact form.
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  Travis Armstrong | What Happens When Lawyers Actually Listen to Their COO 30.06.2026 37min

  Travis Armstrong is the Chief Operating Officer of English, Lucas, Priest & Owsley, also known as ELPO, the largest full-service law firm in South Central Kentucky. He has managed the operations of the firm for 21 years, after beginning his career in public accounting and later serving as a CFO in the insurance industry. Travis holds both a CPA and Certified Legal Manager designation and has overseen finance, operations, facilities, HR, and marketing as the firm has grown. He is also the immediate past president of the Association of Legal Administrators, the premier international professional association for legal management professionals, and has made mental health and well-being in the legal profession a personal priority. Outside of work, Travis is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys hiking, kayaking, and running, and has completed six marathons. WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT LAW FIRM LEADERSHIP AND OPERATIONS There is someone inside your firm who sees things that may never make it into the managing partner's inbox. They see the operational strain, the succession gaps, and the cultural undercurrents that affect how the firm actually runs. Yet in many law firms, the people managing the business side are still treated as support instead of strategic leadership. That gap creates real risk. Firms may have plans for transitioning client relationships, but far fewer have thought through what happens when the COO, firm administrator, or another long-tenured business professional leaves. There is also a cost to doing nothing, from attorney time spent figuring out administrative systems to culture problems that quietly affect productivity, retention, and mental health. In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge podcast, Elise Holtzman talks with Travis Armstrong of English, Lucas, Priest & Owsley about what law firm COOs see that leaders often miss, why operational succession planning matters, how mental health affects the whole firm, and what it means to look at and listen to your culture. 2:33 - How Travis moved from accounting and insurance into legal management 4:34 - Why law firms tend to adopt change more slowly than other industries 5:25 - What the Association of Legal Administrators does for law firm business professionals 10:05 - How managing partners can get more value from their COO or firm administrator 13:14 - How Travis's role evolved from firm administrator to COO as the firm grew 14:17 - Why operational succession planning is a blind spot for law firms 19:00 - The cost of doing nothing when an operational leader retires 21:23 - Why difficult succession conversations are worth having early 23:11 - What the ALA survey revealed about mental health resources in the legal profession 25:16 - Why legal administrative professionals often lack access to the same mental health resources as lawyers 27:45 - How ALA's mental health first aid training helps legal professionals spot warning signs 31:00 - Why law firm leaders need to look honestly at their culture 34:19 - The business case for supporting mental health in law firms 35:25 - Why attorneys need to listen to administrative staff and trust their judgment Mentioned In What Happens When Lawyers Actually Listen to Their COO  English, Lucas, Priest & Owsley, LLP | LinkedIn Travis Armstrong on LinkedIn Association of Legal Administrators ALA Mental Health First Aid Training Amanda Koplos | How Legal Administrators Help Unlock Your Law Firm's Potential Retirement by Design - Ida Abbott Consulting LLC Get connected with the coaching team: hello@thelawyersedge.com The Lawyer's Edge SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE This episode is brought to you by the coaching team at The Lawyer's Edge, a training and coaching firm that has been focused exclusively on lawyers and law firms since 2008. Each member of the team is a trained, certified, and experienced professional coach—and either a former practicing attorney or a former law firm marketing and business development professional. Whatever your professional objectives, our coaches can help you achieve your goals more quickly, more easily, and with significantly less stress. To get connected with your coach, fill out our contact form.
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  Steve Barham | Leading with Integrity as the Legal Profession Changes 23.06.2026 34min

  Steve Barham is the president and managing shareholder of Chambliss Bahner & Stophel, PC, a law firm based in Chattanooga, Tennessee. A graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law, Steve has practiced in Chattanooga since 1998 and joined Chambliss in 2004. His litigation practice focuses primarily on healthcare and commercial business matters, and he now splits his time between leading the firm and representing clients. Before becoming firm president in 2025, Steve served as the firm's general counsel, advising on ethics, risk management, and professional responsibility. He serves on the Board of Legal Aid of East Tennessee, was appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court to serve as an interviewer for Tennessee Bar applicants, and helped build the Stophel Scholars Program, an endowment supporting exceptional students at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT LEADING WITH INTEGRITY AS THE LEGAL PROFESSION CHANGES Law firm leadership is changing fast, and the pressure is not only coming from technology. New business models, client expectations, and generational shifts are forcing leaders to think carefully about what should change and what should be preserved. Steve Barham's answer is rooted in the values that made the profession worth entering in the first place, including integrity, service, and the lawyer's role as a trusted advisor. Those values have to show up in the actual work of leading a firm. They shape how leaders work through conflict, how they protect relationships, how they talk to younger lawyers about the future of practice, and how they keep learning instead of assuming they already have the answers. For Steve, leading well means staying open to change without losing sight of the profession's larger obligations to clients, communities, and the rule of law. In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge podcast, Elise Holtzman talks with Steve Barham of Chambliss Bahner & Stophel about what is worth preserving in the legal profession, how lawyers can remain trusted advisors as technology changes the work, why service matters to the rule of law, and what it means to lead with integrity when the pressure to compromise is real. 2:32 - Steve's path from firm general counsel to managing shareholder 4:31 - Why interpersonal relationships are the backbone of a law firm 7:46 - Consolidation, technology, and changing client expectations for midsize firms 8:11 - Looking for opportunity instead of reacting from fear 10:08 - Staying focused on client service and relationships 11:00 - Why AI will change the work but not the trusted advisor role 13:12 - Teaching younger lawyers that business development is relationship-based 16:21 - Servant leadership and helping lawyers build careers they are proud of 19:01 - The books shaping Steve's thinking on business development and meaning 21:43 - What it means to maintain law as an honorable profession 27:07 - Walking the talk as a law firm leader 29:33 - Finding meaning outside the law through service MENTIONED IN LEADING WITH INTEGRITY AS THE LEGAL PROFESSION CHANGES Chambliss Bahner & Stophel, PC. | LinkedIn Steve Barham on LinkedIn The Activator Advantage The Meaning of Your Life by Arthur Brooks Get connected with the coaching team: hello@thelawyersedge.com The Lawyer's Edge SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE This episode is brought to you by the coaching team at The Lawyer's Edge, a training and coaching firm that has been focused exclusively on lawyers and law firms since 2008. Each member of the team is a trained, certified, and experienced professional coach—and either a former practicing attorney or a former law firm marketing and business development professional. Whatever your professional objectives, our coaches can help you achieve your goals more quickly, more easily, and with significantly less stress. To get connected with your coach, fill out our contact form.
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  Ryan Lockman | How One Managing Partner Is Rethinking Attorney Training From the Ground Up 16.06.2026 41min

  Ryan Lockman is the managing partner of Horn Williamson & Collins, a mid-sized construction and commercial litigation law firm in Philadelphia and Delaware. A trial lawyer representing homeowners in residential construction defect and consumer protection disputes throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Ryan has secured more than $20 million in verdicts and arbitration awards, including a $3.2 million jury verdict for homeowners in a construction defect trial. He earned his MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, which informs his approach to law firm management, operational efficiency, and long-term strategic growth. Most recently, Ryan developed Construction Defect University, an AI-assisted internal training platform built using Claude Code to provide more structured onboarding and practice-specific training for attorneys and paralegals. WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT ATTORNEY TRAINING Law firms have long relied on observation-based training, with younger lawyers learning by sitting in meetings, listening to experienced attorneys talk through cases, and gradually figuring out how the work gets done. But as Ryan Lockman explains, that kind of ad hoc training only goes so far when new attorneys and paralegals need to understand the terminology, client communication expectations, and litigation process before the work starts to make sense. At Horn Williamson & Collins, Ryan started addressing that gap by creating more structure inside the firm, including team leaders, internal CLEs, and clearer benchmarks for how attorneys and paralegals should stay on top of cases and communicate with clients. From there, he built Construction Defect University, an AI-assisted internal training platform designed to give new attorneys and paralegals more practice-specific training. In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge, Elise Holtzman talks with Ryan Lockman about why the old expectation that lawyers should "just figure it out" is breaking down, how structured training supports client service and talent retention, what Construction Defect University actually includes, and how he built it using Claude Code in less than 30 hours. 3:16 - Ryan's path from civil rights law to construction defect litigation 7:00 - How business school changed Ryan's approach to running a law firm 11:15 - Recognizing when an ad hoc training approach no longer works 14:37 - Why "hit the ground running" was never a reasonable expectation 16:23 - The connection between attorney training and talent retention 20:28 - Using incentives to help lawyers understand expectations 23:20 - Training team leaders to manage, mentor, and communicate 27:17 - How Ryan built an AI-assisted internal training platform 29:27 - Internal response to the platform and involving associates in the process 30:46 - What Construction Defect University includes for attorneys and paralegals 36:24 - Using AI as a substitute for hands, not brains 39:21 - Why leaders forget what new lawyers do not know Mentioned In How One Managing Partner Is Rethinking Attorney Training From the Ground Up Horn Williamson & Collins | LinkedIn Ryan Lockman on LinkedIn Claude Code Microsoft Copilot Get connected with the coaching team: hello@thelawyersedge.com The Lawyer's Edge SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE This episode is brought to you by the coaching team at The Lawyer's Edge, a training and coaching firm that has been focused exclusively on lawyers and law firms since 2008. Each member of the team is a trained, certified, and experienced professional coach—and either a former practicing attorney or a former law firm marketing and business development professional. Whatever your professional objectives, our coaches can help you achieve your goals more quickly, more easily, and with significantly less stress. To get connected with your coach, fill out our contact form.
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  Ivy Slater | Why Succession Planning Is a Growth Strategy, Not a Retirement Issue 09.06.2026 37min

  Ivy Slater is the CEO of Slater Success, a boutique coaching and consulting firm working at the intersection of strategic growth and succession planning. Before becoming a coach and advisor, she built and sold a seven-figure business in New York City and has spent nearly two decades since working with leadership teams on the strategy, structure, and leadership development required for sustainable growth, with a particular focus on the legal sector. Ivy has guided companies through the leadership and cultural dynamics that shape whether growth, transition, or acquisition actually succeeds. Ivy is a TEDx speaker, host of the Her Success Story podcast, and author of The Best of the Best: Lead Boldly, Scale Rapidly, Create Your Legacy. WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT SUCCESSION PLANNING AND LAW FIRM GROWTH Law firm leaders who avoid succession planning rarely think of it as avoidance. The conversation feels like it belongs later, closer to retirement, or after the next growth milestone gets hit. So firms keep running on the assumption that the people at the top will always be there, and the planning that would actually protect the firm never quite makes it onto the agenda. Ivy Slater argues that succession planning and strategic planning are the same conversation and that separating them produces short-term thinking at best. Firms that integrate succession into their growth strategy from the start are building something solid, something that can function and grow without depending on any one person to hold it together. That shift starts with how leaders think about succession itself, not as an exit, but as the foundation of a legacy. In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge podcast, Elise Holtzman talks with Ivy Slater of Slater Success about why succession planning belongs inside the growth strategy, how to develop the next generation of leaders and rainmakers, what the numbers in your firm are actually telling you, and how to reframe succession from an end-of-career conversation into a strategy for long-term growth. 2:34 - Why firms treat strategic planning and succession planning as separate conversations 3:13 - Why separating succession from strategy produces short-term thinking 5:45 - The ego and fear that make succession planning feel threatening 9:14 - Succession planning means developing leaders, not just identifying successors 9:49 - How to know your people's strengths and develop them intentionally 13:39 - How Ivy's own business transition became a model for succession done right 17:54 - What firm leaders should actually be tracking 19:46 - Start every conversation with a success by focusing on what's working 23:43 - Reframing succession from exit planning to legacy building 27:28 - The real cost of waiting and what firms lose when they put this off 31:09 - Thinking 5 to 10 years forward and building a firm that lasts 35:58 - Why firm leaders need to read the storybook of numbers Mentioned In From Why Succession Planning Is a Growth Strategy, Not a Retirement Issue Slater Success | Her Success Story Podcast The Best of the Best: Lead Boldly, Scale Rapidly, Create Your Legacy Ivy Slater on LinkedIn Rocket Fuel by Gino Wickman   Get connected with the coaching team: hello@thelawyersedge.com The Lawyer's Edge SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE This episode is brought to you by the coaching team at The Lawyer's Edge, a training and coaching firm that has been focused exclusively on lawyers and law firms since 2008. Each member of the team is a trained, certified, and experienced professional coach—and either a former practicing attorney or a former law firm marketing and business development professional. Whatever your professional objectives, our coaches can help you achieve your goals more quickly, more easily, and with significantly less stress. To get connected with your coach, fill out our contact form.
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  Michael Caplan | How a Client-Facing COO is Changing the Business of Law 02.06.2026 39min

  Michael R. Caplan is the Chief Operating Officer of Lowenstein Sandler, where he oversees the firm's business, financial, and administrative operations. Before joining Lowenstein, Mike served as COO at an Am Law 50 firm for nearly a decade and spent years leading legal operations at Goldman Sachs and Marsh McLennan, giving him a client-side perspective most law firm COOs simply don't have. With more than 25 years of experience across accounting, financial services, and consulting, he has worked with more than 30 general counsels on data analytics, technology implementation, and law firm relationship management. His leadership has earned him recognition as one of the Financial Times North America's top five Legal Intrapreneurs, Legal Innovator of the Year from The Changing Lawyer Awards, and a spot on NJBIZ's Law Power List for two consecutive years. WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT HOW A CLIENT-FACING COO IS CHANGING THE BUSINESS OF LAW Law firm COOs typically manage operations and execute on what firm leadership puts forward. They respond to partners, oversee administration, and stay behind the scenes while lawyers own every client relationship. Even when clients have their own operational counterparts who would benefit from connecting with their law firm's business professionals, those introductions rarely happen. Michael Caplan has spent the last decade building a different model. At Lowenstein Sandler, he and his Business Enterprise Solutions Team work alongside lawyers in pitches, RFP negotiations, and client meetings, bringing expertise in pricing, technology, project management, and data analytics directly into the relationship. The approach requires internal trust, a firm culture that supports it, and the right people on both sides of the conversation. But when it works, clients get a partner that understands both the practice of law and the business of law, and the firm differentiates itself in ways that go beyond the legal work. In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge, Elise Holtzman talks with Michael Caplan of Lowenstein Sandler about what it looks like when business professionals are embedded in client development, how to build internal trust so lawyers bring operations leaders into client relationships, the financial discipline that separates good revenue from bad revenue, and where private equity and AI may reshape law firm operations in the years ahead. 2:43- How Mike's client-side experience at Goldman Sachs and Marsh McLennan shaped his approach 5:53 - Building the Business Enterprise Solutions Team (BEST) at Lowenstein 7:18 - Getting lawyers on board and building internal trust 8:55 - Showing wins to bring more lawyers into the model 9:27 - The financial side of the COO role and negotiating pricing with clients 12:49 - Where emerging partners need the most help on collections and client management 15:14 - What smaller and midsize firms should think about when building an operations team 20:02 - Non-lawyer ownership, private equity, and the MSO model in law firms 22:26 - AI, legal technology, and why firms that invest in business resources will be more profitable 27:22 - Why most COOs wouldn't do this podcast and what holds firms back 33:31 - What clients actually get from a firm that embeds operations into relationships 36:19 - Getting the right people in front of the right clients Mentioned in How a Client-Facing COO is Changing the Business of Law Lowenstein Sandler | LinkedIn Michael Caplan on LinkedIn Get connected with the coaching team: hello@thelawyersedge.com The Lawyer's Edge SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE This episode is brought to you by the coaching team at The Lawyer's Edge, a training and coaching firm that has been focused exclusively on lawyers and law firms since 2008. Each member of the team is a trained, certified, and experienced professional coach—and either a former practicing attorney or a former law firm marketing and business development professional. Whatever your professional objectives, our coaches can help you achieve your goals more quickly, more easily, and with significantly less stress. To get connected with your coach, fill out our contact form.
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  Jim Pattillo | Scaling a Litigation Practice Without Losing What Makes It Work 26.05.2026 32min

  Jim Pattillo is a litigation partner and litigation practice group chair at Christian & Small, a law firm based in Alabama and Mississippi. With more than 20 years of trial experience and over 70 trials to verdict, Jim represents insurers and corporate clients in high-stakes litigation and is frequently called in for complex, high-exposure matters. In addition to his practice, Jim plays a key role in the firm's growth and talent development efforts, with a strong focus on training younger lawyers, building high-performance teams, and creating a culture of accountability and excellence. He also holds a master's degree in mass communication from the University of Florida, giving him a unique perspective on how legal strategy, client communication, and business development intersect. Jim is a frequent speaker and writer on litigation strategy, trial readiness, and law firm leadership. WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT SCALING A LITIGATION PRACTICE Law firms say associates are their most important resource, but many are still treating them primarily as billing units. Work gets pushed down with no relationship behind it, and younger lawyers are left figuring things out by asking another associate or a paralegal how a partner likes things done. That might keep files moving, but it doesn't build the kind of lawyers clients ask to have on their next case. Jim Pattillo's litigation group at Christian & Small went from three associates to roughly 15 in about four years, across three offices. That growth required more than hiring. It meant making partners accessible, helping associates understand not just the work but the business behind it, and being intentional about training rather than expecting people to pick it up by osmosis. From Monday morning team meetings to monthly associate lunches to a review process where associates tell the firm what they think they need, the investment is planned, tracked, and measured. In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge, Elise Holtzman talks with Jim Pattillo of Christian & Small about what real investment in younger lawyers looks like, why work product quality is the best business development tool, how to maintain consistency across a growing litigation team, and what law firm leaders miss about the connection between culture and profitability. 2:09 - The false dichotomy between culture and profitability 4:16 - Why younger lawyers need to be in the office to learn 5:42 - What drove the firm's growth from 3 associates to 15 6:51 - Being intentional about training, not just hiring 11:37 - Why work product quality is your best business development tool 13:30 - How AI changes the associate role without replacing it 15:22 - The constant pull between producing and leading 19:16 - What equity partners need to understand about profitability 20:19 - The rule of thirds and helping associates see themselves as assets 25:28 - Hiring for soft skills and letting lawyers be themselves 27:56 - What associates actually need from their firms MENTIONED IN SCALING A LITIGATION PRACTICE WITHOUT LOSING WHAT MAKES IT WORK Christian & Small, LLP | LinkedIn Jim Pattillo on LinkedIn Marcie Borgal Shunk and Sona Spencer | The Death of Apprenticeship: What it Means for Lawyers and Law Firms Get connected with the coaching team: hello@thelawyersedge.com The Lawyer's Edge SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE This episode is brought to you by the coaching team at The Lawyer's Edge, a training and coaching firm that has been focused exclusively on lawyers and law firms since 2008. Each member of the team is a trained, certified, and experienced professional coach—and either a former practicing attorney or a former law firm marketing and business development professional. Whatever your professional objectives, our coaches can help you achieve your goals more quickly, more easily, and with significantly less stress. To get connected with your coach, fill out our contact form.
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  Katya Jestin | Leading with Authenticity in High-Stakes Legal Environments 19.05.2026 30min

  Katya Jestin is a partner at Jenner & Block and co-chair of the firm's investigations, compliance, and defense practice. A former federal prosecutor, Katya represents companies, universities, executives, and boards in high-stakes criminal, regulatory, congressional, and internal investigations, particularly in sensitive and crisis-driven matters. From 2020 to 2024, she served as Jenner & Block's co-managing partner, helping lead the firm during a period of significant change and uncertainty for the legal profession and the broader business world. WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT VALUES-DRIVEN LEADERSHIP IN BIG LAW Lawyers who step into leadership roles quickly discover that technical excellence isn't enough. Whether they're managing a practice group, leading a firm, or navigating a high-stakes investigation, the pressure to protect what's already working can push decision-making toward fear and self-preservation. That instinct feels safe, but it tends to produce the worst outcomes. The alternative takes more nerve. It means grounding decisions in values even when the short-term economics are uncertain, building culture around teams instead of individual credit, and being willing to model vulnerability in environments that have traditionally rewarded the opposite. It also means treating mentorship as something you do, not something you talk about, by creating real opportunities for the people coming up behind you. In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge, Elise Holtzman talks with Katya Jestin of Jenner & Block about making values-based decisions under real pressure, why team-based culture outperforms individualism in law firms, how being underestimated can become a strategic advantage, and what effective mentorship looks like beyond words. 2:49 - Taking over as co-managing partner on January 1, 2020 3:35 - Making difficult decisions through values, not fear 6:10 - Why the worst decisions come from a place of fear 7:27 - Shifting from individualism to teamwork and why "teams crush individuals every time" 11:06 - The vulnerability panel at the partners retreat 12:43 - Growing up underestimated and the power of kindness and grit 14:25 - Why being underestimated is disarming and how it produces better outcomes 17:11 - Mentoring through vulnerable, closed-door conversations 19:00 - Mentoring through action, not just words 22:09 - Why fear-based thinking leads to terrible decisions at every level 24:46 - Instilling institutional values in the next generation without sacrificing standards 28:37 - The curse of knowledge: never be afraid to ask questions Mentioned In Katya Jestin | Why Values-Driven Decisions Pay Off in Law Firm Leadership Jenner & Block | LinkedIn Katya Jestin on LinkedIn Get connected with the coaching team: hello@thelawyersedge.com The Lawyer's Edge SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE This episode is brought to you by the coaching team at The Lawyer's Edge, a training and coaching firm that has been focused exclusively on lawyers and law firms since 2008. Each member of the team is a trained, certified, and experienced professional coach—and either a former practicing attorney or a former law firm marketing and business development professional. Whatever your professional objectives, our coaches can help you achieve your goals more quickly, more easily, and with significantly less stress. To get connected with your coach, fill out our contact form.
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  Marcie Borgal Shunk and Sona Spencer | The Death of Apprenticeship: What it Means for Lawyers and Law Firms 21.04.2026 47min

  Marcie Borgal Shunk is the founder and president of The Tilt Institute and creator of Leadership Foundations, a high-impact virtual program designed to give law firms essential leadership skills and practical solutions. For nearly three decades, she has worked with more than 3,000 law firm leaders on talent, culture, and leadership, helping dozens of AmLaw firms anticipate and prepare for the future of law. A Harvard graduate, Marcie holds two fellowships, four certifications in culture and coaching, and several board advisory positions. She is a frequent contributor to the American Lawyer, Thomson Reuters, and Bloomberg Law. Sona Spencer is the Chief Legal Talent Officer at Troutman Pepper Locke, where she leads the firm's legal recruiting, professional development, inclusion, and career coaching functions. Drawing from more than 15 years of experience in AmLaw 50 firms, she collaborates closely with firm stakeholders to implement training, compensation frameworks, and inclusion and retention strategies that ensure the firm can attract and retain talent at all levels to exceed client service goals. WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT THE DEATH OF APPRENTICESHIP IN LAW FIRMS The apprenticeship model built generations of lawyers, and for a long time it worked. Junior associates learned by proximity, absorbing how to think and practice by working alongside more experienced attorneys over the course of years. Hybrid work, lateral mobility, and generational shifts in how people learn have quietly dismantled that model, and many firms are still operating as though it's intact. Addressing the problem requires more than plugging holes. Firms need to rethink how they signal investment in their people, build structured pathways that make expectations explicit, and develop the human and leadership skills that AI cannot replicate. The firms getting this right have moved beyond standalone training programs and created systems where talent can see the path, understand what's expected, and take an active role in their own development. In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge, Elise Holtzman talks with Marcie Borgal Shunk of The Tilt Institute and Sona Spencer of Troutman Pepper Locke about why the apprenticeship model is failing, what the most forward-thinking firms are doing differently, how AI is reshaping the skills lawyers need to develop, and where firm leaders should start if they want to make a real change. 2:38 - The origin of "The Death of Apprenticeship" article 4:08 - Why hybrid work and generational differences are breaking down the model 7:08 - Why what made senior lawyers successful may not work for the next generation 8:07 - Lateral mobility and compensation wars as added pressure on retention 10:45 - Making the business case for talent development 13:27 - Breaking down the true cost of replacing an associate 15:13 - AI and the risk of outsourcing junior associate learning 19:08 - The human skills firms need to be building deliberately 22:13 - Executive presence and how lawyers show up on camera and in rooms 27:07 - Why leaders have to model what they teach 29:34 - How Troutman Pepper Locke's YOUniversity achieved 75% participation in year one 32:02 - Benchmarks, Learning Management System (LMS) integration, and self-directed development paths 34:48 - Takeaways for smaller firms without large Learning & Development resources 38:44 - Starting small with pilots and building intentionally 41:26 - Don't assume your path is everyone's path 43:36 - Clear communication and moments of kindness Mentioned In The Death of Apprenticeship: What it Means for Lawyers and Law Firms Marcie Borgal Shunk on LinkedIn | The Tilt Institute Sona Spencer on LinkedIn | Troutman Pepper Locke The Death of Apprenticeship: Reimagining Law Firm Talent Strategy for a New Era Get connected with the coaching team: hello@thelawyersedge.com The Lawyer's Edge
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  Estelle Winsett | How Lawyers Build Credibility Before They Say a Word 07.04.2026 34min

  Estelle Winsett is a former litigation attorney who now works as a style strategist for women in law. After seven years practicing law and more than a decade in legal professional development, she saw firsthand how perception, presence, and visibility influence who is trusted with leadership roles, client relationships, and partnership opportunities. Today, Estelle helps women lawyers align their outward presence with their expertise so they can show up with confidence, authority, and authenticity in courtrooms, boardrooms, and business development settings. Through speaking, consulting, and private styling, she teaches women how strategic personal style can support credibility, leadership presence, and professional growth. WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT PERSONAL STYLE AND CREDIBILITY FOR LAWYERS Before a lawyer says a word in a room, others are already forming an impression. That assessment happens fast, and personal style is doing more work in that moment than most lawyers realize. It is the first nonverbal communication, and, like any form of advocacy, it can either work for you or against you. The lawyers who understand this treat style as a tool rather than an afterthought. A signature look builds the know, like, and trust factor over time. Clothes that fit and feel right reduce the mental energy that quietly drains confidence before the day even starts. And an outward presentation that reflects who a lawyer actually is today, rather than who they were earlier in their career, opens doors that strong work alone may not. In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge, Elise Holtzman talks with Estelle Winsett, a former litigation attorney and style strategist for women in law, about how personal style functions as a tool of advocacy, why the shift to business casual has created new challenges for lawyers at every level, how to develop a signature style that builds the know, like, and trust factor, and what practical steps lawyers can take to align their appearance with their authority. 2:49 - Why style transformation is about more than the clothes themselves 4:37 - Style as a tool of advocacy that works for you or against you 5:25 - How business casual has created new challenges for lawyers at every level 9:15 - What a signature style is and why it builds the know, like, and trust factor 13:17 - Why your wardrobe needs to evolve as your career does 15:38 - The halo effect and the science behind first impressions 20:41 - Defining the message you want your wardrobe to send 22:39 - Investment pieces versus trends and how to balance both 25:45 - Adding personality through accessories without overhauling your style 29:41 - The hidden mental energy cost of an unsolved wardrobe problem 32:01 - Fit is the single most important factor in how you present yourself MENTIONED IN ESTELLE WINSETT | HOW LAWYERS BUILD CREDIBILITY BEFORE THEY SAY A WORD Estelle Winsett Consulting | LinkedIn Take Estelle's Style Quiz Book a Style Discovery Call Paula Edgar | How to Boldly Be YOU in Everything You Do Get connected with the coaching team: hello@thelawyersedge.com The Lawyer's Edge SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE This episode is brought to you by the coaching team at The Lawyer's Edge, a training and coaching firm that has been focused exclusively on lawyers and law firms since 2008. Each member of the team is a trained, certified, and experienced professional coach—and either a former practicing attorney or a former law firm marketing and business development professional. Whatever your professional objectives, our coaches can help you achieve your goals more quickly, more easily, and with significantly less stress. To get connected with your coach, fill out our contact form.
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  Niraj Chhabra | Turning Legal Success into Financial Security 31.03.2026 43min

  Niraj Chhabra is the founder of Sidebar Advisors, a financial planning firm dedicated exclusively to serving attorneys at every stage of their careers, from rising associates to equity partners. For more than 20 years, Niraj has helped lawyers navigate the financial complexity that comes with success, including partnership compensation, tax strategy, equity, retirement planning, and the competing demands of career growth and family life. Using a Behavioral Financial Advice approach, he works with attorneys to align their financial decisions with their values, helping them build wealth intentionally, reduce unnecessary stress, and create real optionality in both their careers and personal lives. WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT TURNING LEGAL SUCCESS INTO FINANCIAL SECURITY A high income does not automatically produce financial security. Attorneys who are billing at the top of their game can still find themselves financially stuck, sitting on too much uninvested cash, watching savings fall behind income, and putting off financial decisions because another billable hour always takes priority. Getting ahead of that complexity requires more than good intentions. It means building systems that grow alongside income, understanding the financial dynamics specific to each stage of a legal career, and examining the behavioral patterns that shape how people make financial decisions long before they become lawyers. In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge, Elise Holtzman talks with Niraj Chhabra of Sidebar Advisors about why some high earners still feel financially stuck, how behavioral history shapes financial decisions, what many lawyers get wrong about building wealth, and the systems that make the difference over time. 2:32 - Why some high-earning lawyers still feel financially stuck 3:12 - How reversing the savings and checking account structure changes spending behavior 4:04 - The cost of leaving millions sitting in a savings account uninvested 5:38 - What makes financial planning for lawyers uniquely complicated 7:05 - What behavioral financial advice actually means 10:02 - Unpacking cultural and family background before making financial plans together 12:23 - How equity partnership changes the financial picture for lawyers 15:05 - Why some lawyers turn down partnership because their spouse doesn't understand the compensation structure 17:34 - Financial considerations across career transitions, from associate to partner to in-house to solo 22:02 - Why the retirement number looks different depending on how accounts are structured 27:00 - Gender-specific financial dynamics for women lawyers 33:03 - Practical habits that distinguish lawyers who build long-term wealth 35:13 - What to do first if you feel financially successful but uncertain about the bigger picture 37:30 - The money stories we carry and how they show up in financial behavior MENTIONED IN TURNING LEGAL SUCCESS INTO FINANCIAL SECURITY Sidebar Advisors | LinkedIn Niraj Chhabra on LinkedIn Get connected with the coaching team: hello@thelawyersedge.com The Lawyer's Edge SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE This episode is brought to you by the coaching team at The Lawyer's Edge, a training and coaching firm that has been focused exclusively on lawyers and law firms since 2008. Each member of the team is a trained, certified, and experienced professional coach—and either a former practicing attorney or a former law firm marketing and business development professional. Whatever your professional objectives, our coaches can help you achieve your goals more quickly, more easily, and with significantly less stress. To get connected with your coach, fill out our contact form.
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  Dennis Meador | Conversations as Authority: How FAQ Podcasts Help Lawyers Differentiate and Attract Clients 20.01.2026 40min

  Dennis Meador is the CEO of The Legal Podcast Network. DM has been an entrepreneur since he was a teenager, building businesses in everything from shoveling snow to SEO before finding his fit helping attorneys share their voices. A lifelong communicator from his years as a pastor to his more than 20 years in legal marketing, DM believes the best ideas don't come from selling, they come from conversations.  WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT HOW FAQ PODCASTS HELP LAWYERS DIFFERENTIATE Eighty-two percent of people use the internet to find their attorney. They type in a search, get hundreds of results, and every lawyer looks the same. With no way to distinguish expertise, potential clients default to asking how much it costs. The legal profession has become commoditized, turning skilled attorneys into interchangeable service providers competing on price alone. The solution isn't more traditional marketing. It's conversations. Founder-led, authentic content where lawyers answer the specific questions their ideal clients are asking. FAQ-style podcasts give attorneys the opportunity to demonstrate their expertise, show they understand client problems, and position themselves as the obvious choice before a prospect ever picks up the phone. In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge, Elise talks with Dennis Meador of The Legal Podcast Network about why expertise needs to be visible to be valuable, how podcasting creates authority through conversations instead of sales tactics, what lawyers get wrong about giving away knowledge for free, and the multiple ways podcasts generate business beyond download numbers and ad revenue. 2:06 - Why 82% of clients search online and what that means for lawyer visibility 3:34 - How commoditization has driven down hourly rates over the past decade 6:51 - Founder-led, authentic marketing is what resonates with today's clients 8:14 - Why FAQ-format podcasts are the best way for lawyers to differentiate 10:33 - The two biggest objections lawyers have about sharing expertise publicly 13:36 - Why posting too much content won't chase away the clients you actually want 16:24 - Authority podcasts are designed to inform potential clients, not brag 18:21 - How to create a year's worth of evergreen podcast content 21:25 - Using patterns in client stories instead of specific confidential details 23:23 - The nuts and bolts of podcast ROI for lawyers 26:40 - Monetization strategies beyond ad revenue and sponsorships 33:23 - Turning 30 minutes of recording into a month of marketing content 35:29 - The curse of knowledge: explaining things like you're talking to an eight-year-old 37:03 - Cumulative learning and why repeating yourself actually delivers value MENTIONED IN CONVERSATIONS AS AUTHORITY: HOW FAQ PODCASTS HELP LAWYERS DIFFERENTIATE AND ATTRACT CLIENTS The Legal Podcast Network | LinkedIn Dennis Meador on LinkedIn Get connected with the coaching team: hello@thelawyersedge.com The Lawyer's Edge SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE Today's episode is brought to you by the Ignite Women's Business Development Accelerator, a 9-month business development program created BY women lawyers for women lawyers. Ignite is a carefully designed business development program containing content, coaching, and a community of like-minded women who are committed to becoming rainmakers AND supporting the retention and advancement of other women in the profession. If you are interested in either participating in the program or sponsoring a woman in your firm to enroll, learn more about Ignite and sign up for our registration alerts by visiting www.thelawyersedge.com/ignite.
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  Adam Severson | Executive Presence: How to Turn Skill into Influence 13.01.2026 35min

  Adam Severson is the Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer at Baker Donelson, a leading national firm with more than 700 lawyers and 25-plus offices in the United States, primarily in the southeastern U.S. Adam's role is unique compared to many who hold that title in that he spends a lot of his time meeting with clients and actually selling the firm's services. Adam is a past president of the Legal Marketing Association and a Hall of Fame member. He's also a Fellow in the College of Law Practice Management. WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT EXECUTIVE PRESENCE Executive presence can seem hard to define. Many people think you either have it or you don't. But Adam Severson frames it differently. When you walk into a room or lead a pitch meeting, others are asking themselves whether they can take you seriously and whether you instill confidence. That assessment happens fast, and it's based on more than just what you say. The lawyers who are best at client development aren't necessarily the ones trying to be the smartest or most interesting person in the room. They're the ones who show up prepared, ask thoughtful questions about what's actually happening in a client's business, and then follow through when they promise to find an answer. Adam calls that gap between what people say they will do and what they actually do the "say-do gap." Closing it builds trust faster than almost anything else, and most people never even realize they're leaving it open. In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge, Elise Holtzman talks with Adam Severson about what executive presence actually looks like in law firms, why imposter syndrome stops people from even trying to develop it, and how lawyers can build credibility through preparation and genuine curiosity rather than trying to have all the answers. 2:09 - How Adam defines executive presence  3:16 - The three elements of executive presence  5:26 - Executive presence vs. confidence and whether you can have one without the other 6:22 - Practical behaviors to demonstrate executive presence 8:53 - Being interested in others matters more than being interesting 10:27 - Using data to build credibility with lawyers and practice groups 15:07 - How executive presence impacts business development and client retention 15:32 - The "say-do gap" and why following through on what you promise matters 21:10 - Imposter syndrome keeps people from trying to develop executive presence 22:14 - The perfectionism problem and why you don't need all the answers 25:07 - Lessons learned from Adam's own career building executive presence 28:20 - Modifying the approach by showing your work instead of just stating the conclusion 30:38 - Don't make assumptions about who you're talking to 34:06 - Why self-awareness matters more than confidence Mentioned in Executive Presence: How to Turn Skill into Influence Baker Donelson | LinkedIn Adam Severson on LinkedIn Get connected with the coaching team: hello@thelawyersedge.com The Lawyer's Edge SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE Today's episode is brought to you by the Ignite Women's Business Development Accelerator, a 9-month business development program created BY women lawyers for women lawyers. Ignite is a carefully designed business development program containing content, coaching, and a community of like-minded women who are committed to becoming rainmakers AND supporting the retention and advancement of other women in the profession. If you are interested in either participating in the program or sponsoring a woman in your firm to enroll, learn more about Ignite and sign up for our registration alerts by visiting www.thelawyersedge.com/ignite.
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  Abby Remore | Own Your Career: How Intentional Choices Create Autonomy for Lawyers 06.01.2026 36min

  Abby Remore is a member at Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi (CSG Law) in Roseland, New Jersey, where she leads the firm's trademark and copyright practice group. Her practice focuses on protecting brands and creative works through litigation, enforcement, clearance, counseling, licensing, and prosecution of trademark and copyright applications. She has particular expertise litigating trademark and copyright disputes in federal courts and before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Abby is president-elect of the New Jersey Women Lawyers Association. WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT BUILDING CAREER AUTONOMY AS A LAWYER Saying yes to every opportunity, volunteering for committees, and being the person others can count on helps associates build strong reputations and advance toward partnership. Once lawyers make partner, the job description changes. They're expected to continue producing excellent work while also developing business, leading teams, and contributing to firm management. Without recalibrating, the habits that earned the promotion can quickly become overwhelming. The transition requires intentional choices about what work means and how time gets allocated. Business development stops being something that happens when there's time left over and becomes a core responsibility. Delegation shifts from losing control to creating capacity for higher-value work. Stepping back from committees and saying no becomes necessary instead of optional. In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge, Elise talks with Abby Remore, an alumna of the inaugural Ignite Women's Business Development Accelerator cohort, about making the partnership transition successfully. They discuss redefining what counts as work, learning when to say no, why business development requires the same intentionality as billable work, and how lawyers can build careers that reflect their own values instead of copying someone else's blueprint. 2:52 - How Abby ended up in law without planning to be a private practice lawyer 7:11 - The challenge of transitioning from associate to leader and business generator 10:13 - How the job shifts when you make partner and why saying yes stops working 15:36 - What motivated Abby to join the Ignite program 18:01 - The biggest mindset shift: business development isn't just networking events 21:28 - Why BD and leadership development are about mindset, not just tactics 22:30 - The apprenticeship model is dying: why outside programs matter 25:49 - Staying intentional as an emerging rainmaker and avoiding old habits 28:26 - Changing your job description to include business development 31:30 - The curse of knowledge: advice for lawyers building their own vision of success Mentioned In Own Your Career: How Intentional Choices Create Autonomy for Lawyers Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi (CSG Law) | LinkedIn Abby Remore on LinkedIn New Jersey Women Lawyers Association Get connected with the coaching team: hello@thelawyersedge.com The Lawyer's Edge SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE Today's episode is brought to you by the Ignite Women's Business Development Accelerator, a 9-month business development program created BY women lawyers for women lawyers. Ignite is a carefully designed business development program containing content, coaching, and a community of like-minded women who are committed to becoming rainmakers AND supporting the retention and advancement of other women in the profession. If you are interested in either participating in the program or sponsoring a woman in your firm to enroll, learn more about Ignite and sign up for our registration alerts by visiting www.thelawyersedge.com/ignite.
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  Dawn Anderson | How Strategic HR Transforms Law Firm Performance 16.12.2025 39min

  Dawn Anderson is the Chief Human Resources Officer at Butler Snow LLP, a law firm with nearly 400 lawyers across 25 offices. With more than 30 years of HR experience and both an MBA and law degree from the University of Georgia, Dawn brings a unique perspective to law firm leadership. After two decades in HR leadership roles in retail and manufacturing, Dawn transitioned to the legal industry where she now oversees Butler Snow's HR function and operations. She has taught as an adjunct professor teaching college-level courses and facilitating countless training seminars on leadership, management, and human resources. She is also an active member of the Atlanta Association of Legal Administrators, where she previously served as board member and chapter president. WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT STRATEGIC HR LEADERSHIP Law firms often treat HR as a cost center or an administrative function that handles paperwork, processes bonuses, and deals with employee issues when they come up. But there's often a disconnect between what HR professionals actually do and how lawyers value that work. Administrative leaders get kept out of important conversations, even when those decisions directly affect people and performance. When HR leadership operates strategically and lawyers work with the professionals who understand people management, things change. Compensation systems become transparent and defensible instead of feeling like a black box. People get prepared for leadership roles instead of being promoted and left to figure it out. And firms make smarter decisions about retention, hiring, and succession planning because the work gets more intentional instead of reactive. In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge, Elise Holtzman is joined by Dawn Anderson to discuss building credibility as an HR leader in a law firm, why lawyers sometimes undervalue the work administrative professionals do, and how strategic people management changes both culture and business results. 2:49 - Dawn's journey from chemical engineering to HR with a JD and MBA 6:37 - Why lawyers sometimes undervalue administrative professionals 8:33 - Taking five years to get into the bonus process at her previous firm 9:33 - Creating a defensible bonus system in hours instead of days 14:42 - Building trust and credibility with attorneys using The First 90 Days approach 17:31 - The challenge of recruiting legal assistants in today's market 21:30 - Pairing experienced legal assistants with new attorneys as a training tool 24:18 - What "revenue enablers" means and why language matters 26:39 - Change management without the corporate jargon 28:28 - Getting the right people in the right seats 30:30 - Preparing people for partnership instead of just promoting them 33:32 - Why investing in people beats losing them to firms that will 38:04 - HR is everyone's job, not just HR's job MENTIONED IN HOW STRATEGIC HR TRANSFORMS LAW FIRM PERFORMANCE Butler Snow LLP | LinkedIn Dawn Anderson on LinkedIn The First 90 Days by Michael D. Watkins   Get connected with the coaching team: hello@thelawyersedge.com The Lawyer's Edge SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE Today's episode is brought to you by the Ignite Women's Business Development Accelerator, a 9-month business development program created BY women lawyers for women lawyers. Ignite is a carefully designed business development program containing content, coaching, and a community of like-minded women who are committed to becoming rainmakers AND supporting the retention and advancement of other women in the profession. If you are interested in either participating in the program or sponsoring a woman in your firm to enroll, learn more about Ignite and sign up for our registration alerts by visiting www.thelawyersedge.com/ignite.
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  Stacy Ackermann | A Focus on Relationships: The Real Key to Rainmaking and Impactful Leadership 09.12.2025 36min

  Stacy Ackermann is the global managing partner of K&L Gates, one of the world's leading law firms with more than 45 offices across the globe. A trailblazing leader and accomplished finance lawyer, Stacy brings a rare blend of strategic vision, authenticity, and deep industry insight to her position. Drawing on her extensive experience advising on complex transactions and a long track record in key leadership roles, she's shaping the future of the legal profession with a focus on innovation, collaboration, and inclusive leadership. WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT RAINMAKING AND IMPACTFUL LAW FIRM LEADERSHIP Many lawyers see business development and firm leadership as entirely different skill sets—rainmaking on one side, management on the other. But attorneys who have done both often discover the gap isn't as wide as it looks. The same strengths that build a thriving book of business—deep relationships, engaged teams, and a genuine understanding of client needs—are the very ones that fuel effective leadership. Stacy Ackermann never set out to become managing partner of K&L Gates. She wanted to work on deals, serve clients, and grow her practice. But she also couldn't sit on the sidelines when important decisions were being made. That tension between wanting to focus on the work and needing to be at the table shaped everything about how she leads today. In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge, Elise speaks with Stacy about her path from summer clerk to leading 1,700 lawyers across 45 offices worldwide. They discuss building teams through relationships, why disagreement strengthens trust when there's mutual respect, how compensation structures can encourage collaboration, and why her closing advice is both simple and hard—take a risk on yourself. 2:57 - Why Stacy never raised her hand for leadership but couldn't stay on the sidelines 5:38 - Building a team isn't about delegation, it's about investing in relationships 8:05 - What loan workouts taught her about taking problems apart and putting them back together 10:27 - Why respectful disagreement from regional managing partners is actually good feedback 13:20 - Learning to be comfortable being uncomfortable as the path to growth 17:35 - Why AI won't replace lawyers  19:35 - The mini MBA program for second-year associates learning the business of law 22:13 - The lateral market is eye-opening and makes your head spin 24:28 - Why first-year classes have gotten smaller and what that means for partner capital 27:26 - How compensation structure encourages collaboration across offices 32:01 - Bringing the voice of the client into every management committee meeting 36:03 - If you're going to take a risk, take a risk on yourself Mentioned In A Focus on Relationships: The Real Key to Rainmaking and Impactful Leadership K&L Gates | LinkedIn Stacy Ackermann on LinkedIn Smart Collaboration and Smarter Collaboration by Dr. Heidi Gardner Get connected with the coaching team: hello@thelawyersedge.com The Lawyer's Edge SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE Today's episode is brought to you by the Ignite Women's Business Development Accelerator, a 9-month business development program created BY women lawyers for women lawyers. Ignite is a carefully designed business development program containing content, coaching, and a community of like-minded women who are committed to becoming rainmakers AND supporting the retention and advancement of other women in the profession. If you are interested in either participating in the program or sponsoring a woman in your firm to enroll, learn more about Ignite and sign up for our registration alerts by visiting www.thelawyersedge.com/ignite.
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  Elise Buie | Scaling With Soul: Building a Profitable Law Firm Without Burning Out Your Team 02.12.2025 30min

  Elise Buie is the founder and CEO of Elise Buie Family Law in Seattle, Washington. After losing everything in Hurricane Katrina, she rebuilt her life and career from scratch, bringing lessons in resilience and New Orleans hospitality to her practice.  Elise is a passionate and creative family law attorney who has lived the life you're living now, juggling the endless tasks of a lawyer and law firm owner while dreaming of something better. She grew her firm from six figures to multiple seven figures, navigating the pandemic and intentionally scaling back to ensure the firm operates with healthy numbers and a culturally aligned team.  WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT BUILDING A PROFITABLE LAW FIRM WITHOUT BURNING OUT YOUR TEAM Most law firms measure success by billable hours and revenue growth. But what if the path to profitability runs through shorter workweeks, lower billable targets, and generous budgets for client gifts? Elise Buie grew a family law practice from six figures to multiple seven figures while implementing policies that sound counterintuitive. Attorneys bill around 1,200 hours annually. Paralegals work 30-hour weeks while getting paid for 40. Team members receive bonuses for "unreasonable hospitality" rather than billing more hours. The firm maintains 30% profit margins with a three-times return on investment per employee, proving that you don't need to run your team into the ground to build a successful practice. In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge podcast, Elise Holtzman speaks with Elise Buie about building a profitable law firm without sacrificing what matters most, including how to delegate effectively, why emotional intelligence is critical in family law, and what it really takes to create a culture where people bring their best selves to work. 2:32 - Rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina and how COVID tested the firm 5:39 - What unreasonable hospitality means and why it matters 8:49 - Why the firm bonuses people for client delight, not billable hours 11:48 - Hiring for alignment and emotional intelligence 13:30 - Why the firm turns away most applicants to find the right fit 16:56 - How the firm stays profitable with attorneys billing 1,200 hours a year 18:09 - Running the business by the numbers while keeping reduced hours 21:30 - Where the business knowledge came from (hint: lots of studying) 23:04 - Why daily data dashboards reveal problems before they become crises 26:14 - Why delegated work doesn't have to be perfect to be valuable Mentioned In Scaling With Soul: Building a Profitable Law Firm Without Burning Out Your Team Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara Elise Buie Family Law Group | LinkedIn Elise Buie on LinkedIn  Get connected with the coaching team: hello@thelawyersedge.com The Lawyer's Edge SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE Today's episode is brought to you by the Ignite Women's Business Development Accelerator, a 9-month business development program created BY women lawyers for women lawyers. Ignite is a carefully designed business development program containing content, coaching, and a community of like-minded women who are committed to becoming rainmakers AND supporting the retention and advancement of other women in the profession. If you are interested in either participating in the program or sponsoring a woman in your firm to enroll, learn more about Ignite and sign up for our registration alerts by visiting www.thelawyersedge.com/ignite.
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  Lisa Sawyer Derman | Legal Spirits: How One Lawyer Turned a Legal Career into a Bourbon Brand 18.11.2025 37min

  Lisa Sawyer Derman is the Founder and CEO of Five Springs Infused Bourbon, a bourbon brand that blends Kentucky roots with modern, mixable flavor. Before launching Five Springs, Lisa spent more than 30 years in the global spirits industry, building and leading some of the world's top alcohol brands. Her career includes serving as Chief Operating Officer at Stoli Group, Head of Legal at Absolut, and the Head of the North Division at The Macallan. Drawing on her legal background and executive leadership experience, Lisa launched Five Springs in 2024 with three distinctive expressions—Vanilla Maple, Honey Sage, and Blood Orange—crafted to be enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or in cocktails. Five Springs is designed to make bourbon more approachable and inclusive for a wider range of drinkers and is currently available online nationwide and at retail in multiple states. WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT BUILDING A BOURBON BRAND Launching a spirits brand is nothing like selling a typical consumer product. The industry is heavily regulated, the three-tier system slows everything down, and it can take years before a product reaches a shelf. After spending more than 30 years as a lawyer and senior executive in the global spirits industry, Lisa Sawyer Derman knew the legal, operational, and financial pieces she would need to get right. Instead of starting with a big marketing push, she tested the product at home, refined the formulas with her family, and proved the concept in two markets before expanding. Her background in deals, regulation, branding, and operations helped her avoid costly mistakes and build a bourbon brand designed to be more approachable and mixable. In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge, Elise talks with Lisa about moving from legal roles into business leadership, launching in a highly regulated industry, learning from founders she worked with along the way, and how she used three decades of industry experience to shortcut the hardest parts of alcohol startups and launch a bourbon brand built for today's drinkers. 2:26 — How a summer mentor pulled her into alcohol beverage law 6:36 — Moving in-house and shifting from legal to deals and operations 11:39 — Using regulatory experience to reduce startup risk (labels, formulas, distributors) 15:05 — Kitchen experiments lead to the infused-bourbon concept for cocktails 18:59 — Testing before investing: launching first in New Jersey and Kentucky 23:35 — From behind-the-scenes lawyer to founder as the face of the brand 26:13 — Handling skepticism in a crowded category and staying with the strategy 29:33 — Advice to younger lawyers: training, mentors, specialization 33:26 — What she tells lawyers who want to start a business 35:49 — Trust your instincts instead of assuming anyone else knows better than you Mentioned In Legal Spirits: How One Lawyer Turned a Legal Career into a Bourbon Brand Five Springs Infused Bourbon | Instagram Get connected with the coaching team: hello@thelawyersedge.com The Lawyer's Edge SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE Today's episode is brought to you by the Ignite Women's Business Development Accelerator, a 9-month business development program created BY women lawyers for women lawyers. Ignite is a carefully designed business development program containing content, coaching, and a community of like-minded women who are committed to becoming rainmakers AND supporting the retention and advancement of other women in the profession. If you are interested in either participating in the program or sponsoring a woman in your firm to enroll, learn more about Ignite and sign up for our registration alerts by visiting www.thelawyersedge.com/ignite.