SideBar Advisors Hedieh Fakhriyazdi: What Growth Really Looks Like Inside a Big Law Firm
A lot of people in Big Law hear the phrase “professional development” — but don’t always know what it actually means in practice.
In this episode of the Sidebar Advisors Podcast, Niraj Chhabra sits down with Hedieh Fakhriyazdi, Chief Engagement & Development Officer at White & Case, to talk about how growth really happens inside a global law firm — for associates, business services professionals, and everyone in between.
Hedieh shares how White & Case thinks about development beyond titles and promotions, including how associates get real leadership experience early, why listening matters just as much as training, and how employee-led affinity groups shape culture from the ground up.
They cover:
• What “engagement” actually looks like day-to-day
• How associates get a real seat at the table earlier than you’d expect
• Why development can’t just be classroom training
• How firms build trust by acting on feedback — not just collecting it
If you’ve ever wondered what a large firm can do better when it comes to growth, culture, and belonging, this conversation is worth your time.
🎧 Listen to the full episode on the Sidebar Advisors Podcast.