Women in Law - On The Record

Today, I’m talking with Alex Lagos (Shareholder in Litigation at Greenberg Traurig in Miami), Lara Bueso Bach (Senior VP of Litigation at Televisia Univision), and Mercedes Armas Bach (Retired Judge of the 11th Judicial Circuit in Florida and current JAMS mediator). If you can’t already tell, these ladies all have something in common–they’re related! Alex is the daughter of Mercedes and Lara married into the family when she married Alex’s brother. Law is the family business for these incredibly bright and inspiring women. This was a fascinating discussion. Each of these ladies had a unique experience and perspective to share. And I’m thrilled for you to hear our conversation. Please enjoy!

Today I’m talking with Erin England. Erin has over 20 years of experience in finance and is widely recognized as one of the top lawyers in her field. She specializes in corporate and finance transactions, including serving as outside general counsel to businesses. Erin has helped Fortune 500 companies, private equity and private credit funds, and regional and national banks successfully navigate complex commercial issues. Erin began her legal career at Haynes and Boone in Dallas, Texas. She served as a Partner at three major law firms, and is the former co-chair of the fund finance practice group at an AmLaw Top 30 law firm. With her extensive background, Erin recently decided to start her own firm–Erin England Law. She walks me through her career and her decision to hang her own shingle. She and I had a great discussion and I’m thrilled to shine a light on her story.  

Today I’m talking with Marlana Shoshtari, Counsel for Entertainment Networks (Scripted) at NBC Universal. Marlana is originally from a small town in Oklahoma but later moved and went to undergrad at the University of Virginia where she studied psychology. She and I bonded over our fascination with crime and psychology as both of us grew up during the peak CSI and Criminal Minds days. Marlana decided law school was the best path for her and attended Syracuse University where she got her JD and a Master’s Degree in Public Relations and Image Management. Marlana had her sights set on being an entertainment lawyer so she made her way to the west coast. As you’ll hear, Marlana did WHATEVER it took to achieve her goals. Initially, when she moved to the LA area, she was staying with a family friend, enduring an hour and half commute every day each way to work. She was grinding it out just to get the experience she needed, which she got from a company called New Form Entertainment where she worked closely with the general counsel and created innovative ways to improve their efficiencies. Marlana then broke into the streaming/network scene when she moved to Netflix where she focused on nonfiction series. Now at NBC Universal, Marlana drafts and negotiates contracts for scripted series, among having many other responsibilities. When she’s not practicing law, you can probably find Marlana reading a book. She is a big book lover and even started her own YouTube series reviewing the latest books she’s read. I hope you enjoy our discussion and find inspiration in Marlana’s story (I know I did).

Today I’m talking with Maria Daatio Perez, Senior Counsel & Director for Advertising, Marketing, Content Review, S&P, and E-Commerce. Maria was so fun to chat with. She spoke about her immigrant family’s background, her days in undergrad at UC Santa Barbara, and how she came around to the decision to go to law school. She ultimately attended Southwestern Law School and when she graduated, she wanted to be an entertainment lawyer. She made her way into a startup of sorts, a company called Maker Studios, that was later acquired by Disney. Maria later took a job at Facebook back in the bay area (where she is from originally). At that time, Maria and her husband-to-be were long-distance and commuting to and from southern California to the bay. After that, Maria landed a job at Mattel where she focuses on advertising and marketing issues. Maria was super involved in all the Barbie movie promotional work so you’ll hear me ask about that. I had such a great connection with Maria. I think you’ll hear that and I hope you enjoy the episode.

Today I’m talking with Sara Kamal, Legal Counsel at Yum! Brands. This was an especially fun interview for me because Sara is one of my closest friends. She and I met when she was actually a client of my firm and we were working together on an arbitration matter. It didn’t take long for us to become friends. She is someone I count on all the time to give me a work advice so I’m really excited for you all to hear her insight. But, before we dive into the interview, let me tell you about Sara’s background. She was born in Egypt and moved to the States with her family when she was just a baby. She attended the University of Texas where she majored in accounting. She later moved to Washington D.C. and after law school did a fellowship focused on public policy. After her stint in D.C., Sara moved back to Texas (the Dallas-Fort Worth area) and began working for a small firm. She cut her teeth for a couple years learning everything she could about the law, getting diverse experience in all different subject matters. Sara then moved in-house to Dickey’s Barbecue during the pandemic, where she wore many hats and handled various legal issues, including some especially complicated matters where she had no prior experience. Not surprising to anyone who knows Sara, she handled it like a champ. And that experience is, in part, what gave her the confidence to join Yum! Where she is crushing it y’all. She won’t say that, so I’ll say it for her. She’s GREAT at her job. She has a natural ability to gain the trust of her clients and you couldn’t ask for a better team player. I hope you enjoy this conversation with one of my dearest friends.

Today I’m talking with Kristine Campbell, General Counsel of Uhaul. Kristine was so fun to chat with. Not only is she a former Greenberg Traurig attorney, so we bonded over our loyalty to the firm but she was forthcoming about her experiences, how she reached the GC’s office at Uhaul after serving 12 years in the company’s legal department, and how she’s done it all while raising two kids. I also asked her about whether she ever felt like she needed to be a chameleon in the practice of law - everchanging with her circumstances. I thought this was an especially entertaining conversation and it’s an example of why I love doing this podcast. It was a treat to get to know Kristine and I think it will be for you too. Please enjoy this episode.

Welcome to a special episode of Women In Law On The Record. This week I'm sharing a few stories of women lawyers who are also moms. I wanted to honor all the mom lawyers out there and share the good, the bad, and the ugly of being a lawyer and a mom. So you'll hear all those sides. And I preview my next episode as well featuring Kristine Campbell. Thanks for listening! 

Today I’m talking with Erin Borg, Vice President and Assistant General Counsel for the Neiman Marcus Group. Erin is an Arizona native who moved across the country to attend Indiana University Bloomington where she studied political science. She would later return to Arizona to attend the University of Arizona for law school. But, before that, she made a stop to intern at the White House during the Clinton administration. It was her time in Washington D.C. that helped Erin decide she wanted to pursue a legal career. She started out her practice in private practice but made the move in-house to US Airways (now American Airlines) where she primarily focused on labor and employment issues. Erin made a few more stops in-house before landing at Neiman Marcus Group. She speaks openly about why she made the moves she did and how she thinks it has (or has not) impacted her long term. On the whole, through her experiences, Erin has developed a well rounded practice and expertise that has positioned her well for her current position and any role she may have down the road. I found a lot of good takeaways from our conversation, including how we both still deal with imposter syndrome. And y’all…this isn’t a generic discussion about how I question whether I deserve to be a lawyer. We keep it real…giving legit examples of how it shows up for both of us. Please enjoy listening to Erin Borg.

Today I’m talking with Lindsey Swiger, Senior Associate at Norton Rose Fulbright in Houston, Texas. Lindsey is an energy lawyer who has spent her career advising clients on conventional and renewable energy transactions across the value chain.  Lindsey's practice focuses on project development and financing, mergers, acquisitions, divestments and joint venture structuring. Prior to joining Norton Rose Fulbright, Lindsey was in-house counsel with Exxon. During our conversation, Lindsey candidly shares her journey in and out of big law, how life circumstances factored into her career decisions, and how she persevere through some especially challenging times. In my opinion, conversations like this one with Lindsey don’t happen enough in our industry. I’m so proud of Lindsey for sharing her story and inspiring others, myself included. Please enjoy.

Today I’m talking with Aliza Shatzman, an attorney and advocate based in Washington D.C. who writes and speaks about judicial accountability, clerkships, and diversity in the courts. Aliza earned her bachelor's degree from Williams College in Williamstown, MA in 2013 and her JD from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law (WashU Law) in 2019. Aliza is also the Founder of the Legal Accountability Project, a non-profit mission is to ensure that law clerks have positive clerkship experiences, while extending support and resources to those who do not. Aliza shares her personal experience of with a judicial clerkship and how it motivated her to start her organization. She provides incredible insight into how the system can be improved and more transparent. Please enjoy my conversation with Aliza!

Today I’m talking with Camie Carlock McKee, senior energy transactions associate at Haynes Boone in Dallas, Texas. Camie is a graduate of Washington and Lee University where she studied political science and the University of Texas Law School where she was an active participant at the Center for Women In Law. Camie has made so many incredible contributions to the legal and Dallas community through her practice and her volunteer work. She and I had a great conversation around finding the right balance between committing to your passions and leaving space for yourself so that you can best serve others. She shared several important mentorship moments she’s experienced and we bonded over how to work through anxiety or self-doubt. I really enjoyed my conversation with Camie and I hope you do too.   

I've been away from the podcast for about a year but I'm back! And I'm excited to share I've been promoted to Shareholder at my firm, Greenberg Traurig. Today's episode is a little different as it's just me talking about what's happened the last year, how grateful I am for everyone who helped me reach this great milestone in my career, and what to expect from Women In Law On The Record going forward. Hope you enjoy!

Today I’m talking with Lauren Bruning, Associate General Counsel and Global Head of Sustainability and ESG at Energizer Holdings in St. Louis, Missouri. I was excited to talk to Lauren as she was recommended to me by her colleague and prior Women In Law Guest, Kate Dugan. Kate’s description of Lauren was spot on - she is passionate, hard working, and someone who makes things happen! She’s been with Energizer for nearly 8 years, spending most of her career on labor and employment issues. Now, as both Associate General Counsel and Head of Sustainability, Lauren oversees all aspects of Energizer’s global product supply legal work, including patent, environmental, regulatory, supply chain, procurement, and real estate. And beyond the legal department, Lauren brings her women colleagues together in a collaborative and supportive way. You’ll hear her talk about her admirable initiative - the Women’s Leadership Network, which is a first-of-its kind internal organization at the company. Please enjoy.

Today’s episode is the second in a two-part series featuring graduates from the Ladder Down program in Cleveland, Ohio. Ladder Down is a national year-long program that provides direct training and career development through a combination of coaches, sponsors, and participants to empower women lawyers in three critical areas:  leadership, business development, and mentoring. In today’s episode, I’m talking with the graduates from the Ladder Down program including Susan Hughes, Jo Tatarko, and Alanna Guy. We talk about the benefits they’ve seen from their participation in Ladder Down, what their big takeaways were from the program, and personal experiences that made a lasting impact on each of them. I truly enjoyed our conversation because it was everything I hope to achieve with this podcast–real conversations with hard working women making it in the legal industry. To those who participated in this episode and to all of you listening - keep up the great work.

Today’s episode is the first in a two-part series featuring graduates from the Ladder Down program in Cleveland, Ohio. Ladder Down is a national year-long program that provides direct training and career development through a combination of coaches, sponsors, and participants to empower women lawyers in three critical areas:  leadership, business development, and mentoring. In today’s episode, I’m talking with Kelley Barnett who founded the Cleveland chapter of Ladder Down and is the current chair. Kelley and I became friends through this podcast as she was one of my very first listeners. From day one, I have seen first hand that Kelley practices what she preaches and that is to uplift other women in our field. I so appreciate that about her. After Kelley, I have one-on-one conversations with Aanchal Sharma, Janet Stewart Scalley, and Talia Sukol Karas where we talk about their backgrounds and their experience in going through the Ladder Down program.

Today’s episode is a panel discussion with several impressive ladies - including Kelli Roach (General Counsel of Black Mountain Sand), Christina Sanders (General Counsel of NGP ETP, and Casey Moore (Senior Counsel for Litigation at Vistra Corp). Each of them is a member of the Women’s Energy Network - North Texas Division. The vision of the Women’s Energy Network is to provide networking and community outreach opportunities and foster career and leadership development. Although I spoke with lawyers today, the organization invites women from all different backgrounds.  I thoroughly enjoyed my conversation with Kelli, Christina, and Casey. They shared valuable advice, interesting experiences, and lots of laughs too. But I think my favorite moments in our conversation were the really specific, tangible examples of how they’ve all managed to overcome challenges and insecurities. They’re all talented lawyers and I so appreciated learning more about how they got to where they are.

Today’s episode is the second part in a two-part series featuring four impressive ladies from the Institute for Energy Law (aka IEL): Tina Nguyen (Partner at Baker Botts in Houston), Kristi McCarthy (General Counsel and VP of the Land Department at Chevron Upstream), Suzana Blades (Managing Counsel - Commercial Litigation and Arbitration at ConocoPhillips, and Daniella Landers (Partner at Womble Bond and Dickinson). In this episode we talk about IEL. The mission and vision of IEL is to provide superior educational and professional opportunities for lawyers and other professionals in the energy industry through educational courses, conferences, scholarly publications and membership activities. During our conversation, you will hear about what the organization is doing to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in the energy law industry. 

Today’s episode is very special as it is the first of a two-part series featuring four impressive ladies from the Institute for Energy Law: Tina Nguyen (Partner at Baker Botts in Houston), Kristi McCarthy (General Counsel and VP of the Land Department at Chevron Upstream), Suzana Blades (Managing Counsel - Commercial Litigation and Arbitration at ConocoPhillips, and Daniella Landers (Partner at Womble Bond and Dickinson). As you will hear, I spoke with each of them one-on-one to learn more about them individually. In part 2 of this series, I sit down with them as a group to discuss IEL, their involvement, and what the organization is doing to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in the energy law industry. Enjoy!

Today I’m talking with Danielle Conway - Dean of Penn State University’s Dickinson Law School. Dean Conway is a leading expert in procurement law, entrepreneurship, intellectual property law, and licensing intellectual property. She joined Dickinson Law after serving for four years as dean of the University of Maine School of Law and 14 years on the faculty of the University of Hawaii School of Law. Dean Conway also served in the US Army for 27 years of combined active, reserve, and national guard service. She retired in 2016. Her scholarly agenda and speeches have focused on, among other areas, advocating for public education and for actualizing the rights of marginalized groups, including Indigenous Peoples, minoritized people, and members of rural communities.  She has a fascinating story and background. I’m confident you’ll enjoy hearing all about it.

Today I’m talking with Christina Montgomery, Chief Privacy Officer of IBM in Armonk, New York. Christina attended Binghamton University where she studied English before going to Harvard Law School. She spent one year in private practice before taking her first in-house job at IBM over 27 years ago. Over nearly three decades, she has held several roles, become a subject matter expert in a variety of areas of the law, and consistently and loyally served her client. Now, as Chief Privacy Officer, Christina oversees IBM’s privacy program, compliance and strategy on a global basis, and directs all aspects of IBM’s privacy policies, including the IBM AI Ethics Board. Christina’s career is admirable and her insight is beyond valuable. Please enjoy hearing all about it.