The PERSUIT Podcast

What drew Paul Krause to the legal profession? Logic games and puzzles. It makes complete sense for someone who, contrary to popular belief, doesn’t view legal work as adversarial. A lawyer's job, according to Paul, is all about understanding legal concepts, understanding your audience, and putting those disparate puzzle pieces together in a way that makes efficient decision-making possible for the business. That’s what his in-house career has been all about, starting as a Senior Counsel at ArcelorMittal, and presently, as Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Chief Compliance Officer at Harley-Davidson. We discuss: - His meteoric rise within Harley Davidson - Prizing legal efficiency from outside counsels - The biggest challenges facing in-house legal departments moving forward - Why it’s important to make legal accessible Hear more stories by subscribing to Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast platform. Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Between undergrad and law school, Karen Gally, Vice President and General Counsel of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Companies, wanted to be absolutely sure a legal career was right for her. So, for a time, she pursued another profession. That brief spell in corporate communications and public policy introduced her to the world of healthcare—and that ultimately led to a lifelong passion for health law. During her tenure as GC, she has taken an active role in diversity and inclusion initiatives. She firmly believes that diversity is key to providing incomparable legal services, and with how complicated the industry is, diverse talent, diverse experiences, and diverse opinions are the only way to keep up with a changing world. We discuss: - The challenges of navigating legal matters with an alliance company - Otsuka’s award-winning Diversity Accelerator Program - The benefits of legal design thinking - Volunteering on the Board of the Alliance of Aging Research Hear more stories by subscribing to Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast platform. Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

After only 6 months at Tenneco, and at the tender age of 28, Brandon Smith found himself advising the CEO on how to navigate the company through bankruptcy. For Brandon, that was nothing new. In fact, he’s made a career out of capitalizing on opportunities to take on responsibilities beyond what is typically given to someone of his age and experience level. That trajectory of accelerated growth started when he was at Kirkland & Ellis and has continued through to his current position as Executive Vice President & General Counsel at CHS. His is a story about the stars aligning—that is true. But it’s also a story about leaning in during a time of crisis and stepping forward while others back away. In this episode, we discuss: - An early career opportunity concerning bankruptcy law - Two attributes aspiring GCs should focus on - How a promise of making a difference in rural America drew him to CHS - How he approaches talent development and diversity and inclusion Hear more stories by subscribing to Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast platform. Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Regina Jones, Chief Legal Officer at Baker Hughes, witnessed, firsthand, the value of integrity early on in her career. With a front-row seat to the Enron scandal, she learned that good intentions mean little if you leave your moral compass at the door. Since then, integrity and transparency have become hallmarks of her leadership style, along with an unwavering commitment to community and collaboration, and a willingness to embrace new technology and new ways of doing things. According to Regina, that’s the obligation of the general counsel: to be the moral compass of the company. In the modern world, it is the GC’s responsibility to lead from the front. We discuss: - Why technological acumen is a major differentiator in law - The promising potential of legal technology and how to drive adoption - How the Enron debacle taught Regina the importance of integrity - How the GC role will evolve Hear more stories by subscribing to Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast platform. Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? JusHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

“Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get.” Today’s guest, Jennifer Wuamett, takes that popular quote one step further: You also need to try out different selections before you recognize which one you like best. Indeed, her life bears that out. As a child, she aspired to be a librarian. In college, it was a biomedical illustrator. After starting down the path of a Ph.D. program in biochemistry, she eventually switched over to law, where she discovered a passion for dealmaking and negotiation—and that’s how the scientist and artist turned lawyer. Today, the self-described “deal junkie” is the Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary for NXP Semiconductors. In this episode, we discuss: - Lessons from unifying two legal departments in a merger - How the scope of work for GCs has grown - Important areas to focus on for aspiring GCs - Providing the team with lateral opportunities to promote engagement - Hiring using a value-based framework Hear more stories by subscribing to Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast platform. Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

It was clear to Katie Barrett from an early age that she was destined for a career in law. Indeed, early — and frequent — arguments with her parents clearly proved she had a knack for the art of persuasion. Her early practice was focused on litigation — both in private practice, and subsequently, in-house with Anheuser-Busch InBev — and she credits that focus with creating valuable connections across the organization and providing a master class on how a business is run. Today, as Global General Counsel, she cultivates a culture of diversity and support so that those with an aptitude for collaboration can advance and thrive within the organization. In this episode, we discuss: - Why early experience with litigation is great in a legal career - How to develop a global team of experts - Why collaboration is such an important leadership skill - Fostering a culture of female leadership Hear more stories by subscribing to Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast platform. Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Step out of your comfort zone and you will be able to handle a remarkable range of issues. The career of Tom Moriarty is a testament to that. Early on, he accepted the risk of leaving a big law firm to join a smaller one. His goal was to develop professional skills that would pay dividends later on. At Merck, Mako Health, and CVS Health, where he’s currently the Executive Vice President, Chief Policy and External Affairs Officer and General Counsel, he continuously took on diverse roles, often without much previous experience. What he did have was a growth mindset, and the courage to venture outside of his wheelhouse. The result: A long and distinguished professional life that has revolved around the intersection between law, policy and regulation. In this episode, we discuss: - Navigating the interplay between law, policy and regulation - Strategies for brand reputation management - Playing a central role in COVID-19 testing and the vaccine rollout Hear more stories by subscribing to Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast platform. Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In a special Thanksgiving episode, host Jim Delkousis shares a compilation of insightful thoughts our guests have had on the topic of diversity, equity and inclusion. Our guests talk about the importance of inclusion, of bias awareness, of leveraging data to enhance DEI efforts, and of diversity of thought. So, this Thanksgiving, sit back and listen in to what diversity, equity and inclusion means to our guests and their organizations, and what we can do as an industry to continue moving forward towards a more diverse, equitable and inclusive future. Featuring quotes from: - Harvey Anderson - Chief Legal Officer at HP - Sabine Chalmers - Group General Counsel at BT - Ann Kappler - Executive Vice President & General Counsel at Prudential Financial - Phyllis Harris - Chief General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer at American Red Cross - Rishi Varma - General Counsel & Corporate Secretary at HPE - Darren Zeidel - Executive Vice President & General Counsel at Aon - Vanessa Sutherland - Chief Legal Officer at Norfolk Southern Corporation - Vanessa Watson - Senior Vice President & Assistant General Counsel at Mastercard - Akshay Verma - Director & Head of Legal Ops at Meta - Leslie D. Davis - CEO of NAMWOLF - Bruce Byrd - Executive Vice President & General Counsel at Palo Alto Networks - Tom O’Neill - Partner at Jenner & Block and previously Senior Vice President and General Counsel at Exelon - Louise Pentland - Executive Vice President & Chief Business Affairs and Legal Officer at PayPal Hear more stories by subscribing to Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast platform. Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Bindu Cudjoe has spun a passion for transactions and deal-making into a rewarding career in the banking industry. Starting out in private practice negotiating deals for banks, she later transitioned in house joining BMO Bank in a variety of roles. Today, she is the Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary at Canadian Western Bank. Tapped as a finalist for Female Trailblazer of the Year by Canadian Lawyer Magazine and named a Leading Lawyer Under 40 by Lexpert, she is known for a curiosity and optimism she brings to the legal function. It’s a dynamic combination that energizes those who work with her and imbues collaborative efforts with an unbridled sense of creativity. We discuss: - Why legal should aim for incremental innovation rather than invention - Embracing curiosity and optimism - How to foster the right attitude toward risk taking - Building an educational program for female lawyers looking to advance their careers Hear more stories by subscribing to Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast platform. Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

The story of Caroline Tsai begins on a chicken farm 40 miles outside of Sao Paulo, Brazil. When she turned 5, her family traded in a life devoted to 20,000 chickens for a life in the big apple. Now Asian-American, her parents had but one expectation for her: become a doctor. It turned out that fate had other plans. Upon taking her first political science class, Caroline became enamored with the idea of going into law. Following tenures at both Bank of America and BMO Financial Group, she became the Chief Legal Officer & Corporate Secretary at Western Union, where she is committed to fostering innovation in the fintech industry and mentoring the next generation of Asian-American lawyers. We discuss:  - What law schools can learn from business schools - The importance of stretching yourself - How the legal function helps drive innovation, especially in Fintech - Paying it forward through DEI initiatives and mentoring the next generation Hear more stories by subscribing to Innovative Legal Leadership on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any podcast platform. Listening on a desktop & can’t see the links? Just search for Innovative Legal Leadership in your favorite podcast player.Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.