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Today on Women In Law On The Record, I'm talking with Amber Russell. Amber founded LOAR, PLLC to help injured Texans get justice before expanding the firm nationally. Her passion for the law started at an early age, and she has worked with victims her entire adult life. Amber graduated from the University of Texas with a Bachelors in Psychology before graduating with distinguished honor to the Order of the Coif, in the top 10% from the University of Texas Law School. Amber started her career working for an international defense firm, before switching sides to represent individual plaintiffs. Since then, Amber has helped hundreds of clients who have been seriously injured, including victims of trucking and auto crashes. In her community, Amber is known for being a fierce advocate. She and her husband launched and serve on the board of Scholarship Opportunities and Relationships or SOAR, a scholarship and mentoring program that provides $100K in annual scholarships, to help open doors for "first females." SOAR selects twenty high achievers each year to receive the scholarships in support of young women who are the first in their family to pursue higher education or who have overcome significant challenges. The scholarship program goes beyond financial resources by giving access to professional development and mentoring resources for these women as they go through school. If you haven't figured it out by now, Amber is just a very cool woman lawyer. I truly admired her during our conversation. I'm proud of and proud for her in all she has accomplished in her career so far and I look forward to watching her bright career continue to shine.

Today I'm talking with Aparna Williams, Chief Legal Officer of Sophos (a cybersecurity company. Aparna was born and raised in the Washington D.C. area. She attended the University of Maryland, Baltimore County where she obtained a bachelors degree in English literature and history. She then went on to the University of North Carolina for law school.  Through experiences and teachers early in life, the seed to become a lawyer was planted in Aparna's mind from a young age. Her family immigrated to the United States and she is a first generation American, so doing something special with her education was important to her.  Aparna took a non-traditional path out of law school, securing her first job in-house during the tech boom. She has remained in-house her entire career, rising through the ranks and making strategic moves along the way.  Aparna and I also shared stories about being a mom and a lawyer. Her insight and support was incredibly meaningful to me. It is a great example of why I do this podcast - to shine a light on women lawyers who inspire others. I hope you enjoy.

Today I'm talking with Rachael Bosch, Founder of Fringe Professional Development. Fringe helps people learn how to communicate better at work and stems from Rachael's belief that when you improve your communication skills, you also improve your work performance. Fringe PD brings coaching and training to professionals across disciplines and experience levels, and they're dedicated to putting humanity back into workplace environments, providing customized and progressive programming, and helping ambitious, high-achieving professionals excel at work. Rachael has worked inside some of the top global organizations with research-backed performance and coaching tools and that's given her the skills to identify strategic paths to advance teams and individual careers and she integrates that into Fringe's neuroscience backed training and coaching. As someone who has worked in a law firm for nearly 10 years, I was fascinated by Rachael's perspective and ideas. Please enjoy my conversation with her.

Throughout her life, Mary Ellen O'Connor has had a passion for standing up for what's right. As the founder of O'Connor Law PLLC, she considers it a privilege to be able to help those in need in the White Plains, Yonkers, and Bronx areas access the benefits that can help them provide for themselves and their families. After earning her Bachelor's of Science from SUNY Albany and her Master's from the College of Mount St. Vincent, Mary Ellen became a teacher. She soon discovered that many of her young students with learning disabilities were unable to access the services they needed to succeed in the classroom. Their parents either didn't know about the resources available or struggled to navigate the legal red tape that was required. Mary Ellen initially hoped that earning her law degree would allow her to be a more effective advocate for children with special needs. Life took an unexpected turn, however. Although Mary Ellen entered law school with the goal of focusing on special education law, she soon became frustrated with the ineffectiveness of the system and how it was being manipulated by the wealthy to provide extra advantages for their children. After an extended period of soul-searching, she channeled her desire to help others into a focus on workers' compensation benefits law and Social Security disability law. Mary Ellen strives to put a client's mind at rest from the very first meeting or telephone call. She draws on her background as a teacher to explain complex concepts without the confusing legal jargon other attorneys use and empower clients to take control of their situation by fully understanding their legal rights.

Today I'm talking with Denise Haugen, Corporate Counsel at Matheson where she has spent the last nearly 18 years of her career. Prior to that, Denise was in private practice. She attended University of Texas Austin where she obtained a Bachelors in political science. She then obtained her law degree from the University of Houston.  I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Denise. Our conversation was honest, her responses and insight were thoughtful, and I am confident there are lots of good takeaways for all of you listening.

Today on Women In Law, I'm sharing Part II of my 100th Episode! I hope you enjoyed Part I where I checked in with Amy Tu and Samantha Monk. In Part II, I will first be speaking with D'Lonra Ellis, Chief Legal Officer of the Oakland Athletics and Adjunct Professor at UC Law. D'Lonra was my first guest ever on the podcast. It was such a thrill for me over 6 years ago to be able to feature her. At the time, she was Associate General Counsel of the team and since then she has climbed through the ranks, tackling all kinds of legal issues covering a wide array of subject matters. D'Lonra has set herself apart from most lawyers in the industry and all while also teaching law students the ins and outs of "sports law" at UC Law.   After D'Lonra, you'll hear me speak with Iris Chen. Iris is now the General Counsel of Moloco, which provides machine learning-based advertising solutions to drive growth for businesses of all sizes. Before taking on her first GC role, Iris was Deputy General Counsel at AirBnb and before that VP of Legal at Google where she spent 14 years of her career and where we first met. Iris and I walked through her time at AirBnb and how she gained valuable experience that positioned her for her role at Moloco. Just as she was in our first conversation, Iris is so forthcoming with the best insight and advice to share. I always leave our conversations feeling inspired and encouraged about my career. And this time was no exception.  Please enjoy my conversations with D'Lonra and Iris.

Today on Women In Law, I'm sharing Part I of my 100th Episode! It's been over six years in the making but we are finally here. For this special episode, I wanted to check back in with a few women I've met over the years to see where they are now. In Part I, I'm talking with Amy Tu who I first featured on the podcast in January 2021. Since then, Amy has become the Chief Legal Officer of Target, which is a dream job for her. We chat about what excited her most about the opportunity and how she has enjoyed the culture at Target so far.  After Amy, you'll hear me speak with Samantha Monk, Owner of Play Street Museum in Fayetteville, Arkansas. She and I first spoke on the podcast very early on - at a time when she was an M&A associate at Vinson & Elkins in Dallas, Texas and had just had her first son. Since then, she took an in-house role with Greystar Management and in her latest move she decided to start a Play Street Museum, which is an interactive children's museum & indoor play area designed to fuel imaginations. Sam is one of my dearest friends and I am so proud of her for taking on this new adventure. It's right up her alley - using her business savvy to provide a fun, family friendly venue to her community. In fact, while I visited, I had the opportunity to take my family to Play Street and it was awesome. The kids had a blast running all over the place, making slime, pretending to serve ice cream, work at a bakery, run a pet shop, you name it.  I loved checking back in with Amy and Sam and hope you enjoy hearing the latest about their career journeys.

In today's episode, I reflect back on 100 episodes of Women In Law On The Record and share some of my favorite moments, guests, and memories from the last six and a half years.

Today I'm talking with Leah Mayersohn, founder of Mayersohn Law Group in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Leah has been practicing for 30 years and focuses her practice primarily on criminal law, corporate criminal investigations, and family law. Leah grew up in southern California where she attended UCLA for undergrad. She then moved to Florida to attend the University of Florida for law school and has been there ever since. Upon graduation, and due to the helpful advice of a mentor, Leah's first job post-graduation was as an Assistant State Attorney in Broward County. There, she gained tons of trial experience and was bitten by the courtroom bug. While she considered opportunities with certain firms, Leah decided to hang her own shingle. She founded her law firm nearly 25 years ago and hasn't looked back. She has been able to grow and expand her firm over time and has exciting things on the horizon too. Please enjoy my conversation with Leah. If you want to hear more from Leah or learn more about her practice, visit one of these sites! Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mayersohnlaw Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mayersohnlawgroup/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayersohnlaw/ Linked-In: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mayersohn-law-group-p-a/ Tik-Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mayersohnlawgroup Profitable Attorney Connections Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/profitableattorneyconnections Website: https://www.mayersohnlaw.com/

Today I'm talking to the women behind the "Ladies Who Law" podcast - Samantha Sicola and Haylie Davis. The two together host the "Ladies Who Law" podcast formerly known as the "Ladies Who Law School" podcast. As you'll hear, now as practicing attorneys, Sam and Haylie provide a fresh take on experiences, insights, and practical tips to help you navigate the complexities of the legal profession. Whether you're just starting out in law school or you're a practicing attorney looking to advance your career, Ladies Who Law offers a supportive community and guidance to empower you on your journey. Listen for engaging discussions, inspiring guest interviews, and actionable advice tailored to the unique challenges faced by women in law. When they're not podcasting, Samantha is an attorney practicing employment law and Haylie practices family law. Both are proud dog moms and passionate about looking for the newest trends for lady lawyers. Please enjoy our discussion.

Today I'm speaking with Lisa Roberts, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Stax Payments. Lisa and I met a couple years ago when we connected through a mutual friend and had coffee over Zoom but this was our first time meeting in person. We had a fantastic discussion about Lisa's background and how she made the strategic moves she has so far in her career. Lisa grew up in St. Croix with her family where she was a competitive swimmer. Her family later moved to California where she would attend Cal State University in Bakersfield and study English Literature. Lisa took some time off between undergrad and law school to figure out what she really wanted to do. When she decided law school was her best path forward, she chose the University of Montana after having had the opportunity to spend time in Yellowstone and recognizing her love for the outdoors. There, she made a mentor in one of her professors who would help her get a job in Atlanta at a boutique firm specializing in real estate deals. Lisa cut her teeth at the firm for 6 years and when she started to have a family, she decided it was time to make a move in-house. As you'll hear, Lisa has taken thoughtful steps towards achieving her goal of becoming a general counsel. She diversified her expertise, continuing seeking out mentorship from others, and capitalized on unique opportunities. She has a great perspective that I loved hearing all about.

Today I'm sharing some exciting personal news - I'm pregnant! I am expecting a baby girl in early April and my family and I are super excited about it. In this episode, I share thing I'm looking forward to, some of my fears, and answer some practical questions I've been asked. Please enjoy this unusual episode!

Today I'm sharing an interview I did in 2019 with Iris Chen who was with Google at the time. This is one of my favorite episodes I've ever done. Iris is such a bright and inspiring lawyer. After Google, Iris went on to become the Deputy General Counsel of Airbnb and, very recently, Iris became the General Counsel of Moloco. She's had an incredible career trajectory. I'm going to get the full update from her in my upcoming 100th Episode where I'll feature Iris and a few others who I have previously interviewed to see "where they are now?" For now, hear all about Iris's background in our discussion here.

Meredith a Partner at Quinn Emanuel in New York City. She attended Harvard University for undergrad and Columbia Law School. Meredith grew up in the Philadelphia area. She is a seasoned trial lawyer with extensive experience litigating a broad variety of complex commercial disputes in a host of state and federal courts and arbitration tribunals. In fact, in career, she has practiced on both coasts–being part of the firm's San Francisco office as well as New York. Meredith shared valuable insights for any lawyer making their way through big law. I really enjoyed talking with her and hope you enjoy listening to our conversation.

Today I'm talking with Kelley Barnett, Senior Vice President and Senior Managing Counsel at AmTrust Financial Services. Kelley is so many things to me…a friend, a long time listener and supporter of this podcast, an incredibly talented lawyer, and masterful advocate for women in the legal field. Kelley graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in economics, then attended Case Western University where she obtained her law degree. Early in her career, Kelley was a prosecutor for several years. In 2004, she was honored to become a member of the Major Trial Unit of the prosecutor's office, which is the elite trial unit of the county prosecutor's office responsible for prosecuting the community's most serious offenders. Kelley then made the move to private practice at Frantz Ward where she would spend 12 years litigating and trying a wide variety of cases. Next, Kelley moved to AmTrust in 2019 where she focused on labor and employment issues. As you'll hear, Kelley continuously raised her hand for new opportunities at AmTrust. And now she leads a team of lawyers responsible for overseeing employment, intellectual property, the negotiation and drafting of commercial and technology agreements, antitrust and related regulatory issues, data governance, and related litigation and other issues for AmTrust and some of AmTrust's domestic and international businesses. When Kelley isn't practicing law, you may find her hanging out with her dogs or her family or she is promoting other women in the law. In fact, one of her most outstanding achievements was establishing Ladder Down Cleveland. You may recognize the name as I've featured the organization on the podcast about two years ago. You'll recall it's an organization for women lawyers to help them build their business development skills. Kelley and I have known each other for years now and it was a true pleasure to interview her for this podcast. Please enjoy.