Today we have the distinct honor of being joined by Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Bridget Mary McCormack. Her passion for access to justice has been a constant throughout her career in public service. Immediately out of law school in New York, she joined the Legal Aid Society and the Office of the Appellate Defender. As a professor at the University of Michigan Law School, she launched a number of clinics devoted to domestic violence, pediatric health, mediation, low income taxpayers, human trafficking, and juvenile justice. The Michigan Innocence Clinic, which she founded—and in which students represent wrongfully convicted Michiganders—has exonerated more than 22 people so far, and has shined a light on the important justice issues underlying wrongful conviction. She joined the Michigan Supreme Court in January 2013, and became chief justice in January 2019. Since joining the court, Chief Justice McCormack continues to teach at the law school and continues to speak out on important issues around the access to justice problem in our society. Listen in to today's discussion to hear: - Her thoughts on the access to justice challenge and how we can bridge the gap. - Why judges should be agents for justice system reform.

Throughout the year, we highlight episodes of Pioneers and Pathfinders that deserve a second (or third) listen. This month, as we celebrate Black History Month, we are revisiting our interview with Laurie Robinson Haden, founder of Corporate Counsel Women of Color (CCWC). Today, CCWC provides an important platform for Black women attorneys to network and forge successful career paths in law. Laurie Robinson Haden is an award-winning lawyer and agent of change who personifies the pioneering spirit that defines this podcast. During a nearly 20-year stint in various leadership roles in CBS’s law department, she founded CCWC, the largest and most influential professional organization of its kind. What started as an informal group of friends exchanging contact information in 2004 has now become a powerhouse network of nearly 5,000 women of color devoted to empowering one another and lifting one another up. Seyfarth is proud to have played a role in the early days by helping Laurie set the organization up as a 501(c)(3), and the firm is proud to call her an alum, as well. Listen in to today’s conversation to get a feel for Laurie’s infectious energy as we discuss: - The need for an organization like CCWC—especially for first-generation women lawyers of color. - Her advice for getting buy-in and support from employers for diversity initiatives, and why people shouldn’t be afraid to walk away when they don’t get it. - What’s next for CCWC as it turns focus from the chief legal officers space to the boardroom.

Long before the nonstop stressors of the last two years, Jeena Cho was a vocal advocate for the well-being of lawyers. It started when she realized how meditation and mindfulness could help her deal with the stress of practicing bankruptcy law. Since that time, her message about the urgency of wellness for lawyers has resonated throughout the industry, thanks in large part to her best-selling book, The Anxious Lawyer. She is a regular contributor to legal and traditional media, and she also speaks and offers training and workshops to law firms and bar associations around the country. Listen in to today’s conversation to learn about: - Jeena’s journey to law—which was inspired by a long-running TV show. - How her meditation practice started. - When she realized mindfulness had broader application to the well-being issues facing legal professionals, and how it can make the profession more inclusive.

Today’s guest is Professor Dan Katz, a scientist, technologist, and educator who applies innovative approaches to teaching law. His goal is to help create lawyers for today's biggest societal challenges by integrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Dan’s programs at Michigan State University College of Law and Illinois Tech Chicago-Kent College of Law have produced some of the most innovative lawyers practicing and working in the business of law today. He is also actively involved in the rapidly growing legal technology industry. Dan is the co-founder and chief strategy officer of LexPredict, and he also serves as a formal and informal advisor to a number of legal tech startups. Listen in to today’s conversation to hear: - How Dan’s experience as a kicker in college prepared him for law school. - His pride in seeing one of his former students on the Nasdaq live stream in Times Square. - Why the worst thing a legal tech entrepreneur can do is take too much money.

Today’s guest is Jayne Reardon, executive director of the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism, which promotes a more civil, professional, and inclusive legal culture in the state. In her nearly 16 years at the commission, Jayne has overseen a growing roster of initiatives rooted in civility, including programs on ethics, diversity, well-being, and the future of law. These programs are united by her belief that the legal profession can and should do better in meeting the legal needs of consumers by unlocking the underutilized potential of attorneys. Listen in to today’s conversation to learn: - How Jayne’s approach to the issues facing the profession are shaped by her prior experience as a successful trial lawyer. - What she sees as the barriers to civility in the profession. - How a focus on civility can increase access to justice.

Today we are joined by Bea Seravello and Brad Blickstein, leaders of new law advisory services at Baretz+Brunelle, a strategic communications and digital marketing agency. Bea and Brad bring complementary experiences to their roles. Bea is a longtime business of law leader at top Am Law firms, and Brad is a renowned legal industry futurist. Most recently, they released a two-part report on innovation adoption in law firms, which provided fascinating insights on the current rates of adoption—spoiler alert: the numbers are low—and case studies on successful adoption from a number of large law firms. Seyfarth is honored to have been profiled. Listen in to today's conversation to learn more about: - How Bea and Brad’s individual journeys intersected and culminated in the founding of B+B’s new law advisory practice. - How their experiences complement each other. - Their specific insights on innovation adoption in law firms.

Isabel Parker has long been a leader in pushing boundaries and driving change in the legal profession. She started her career as an associate at Freshfields, and after a brief break, she rejoined the firm to lead legal services. Isabel eventually took on the role of chief legal innovation officer, where she was part of the leadership team driving the firm's digital transformation initiative. During that time, she spearheaded the formation of Freshfields’ legal services center in Manchester, a first of its kind captive ALSP. Today, Isabel is the executive director of the Digital Legal Exchange, a nonprofit whose mission is to enable legal leaders to deliver measurable commercial value to the business and its customers. If that isn't enough, she recently authored a book, Successful Digital Transformation in Law Firms: A Question of Culture. Listen in to today's conversation to learn more about: - Isabel's fascinating journey from Magic Circle associate to head of innovation. - How her journey informed her take on the digital transformation of law firms. - Her advice for how to achieve the firmwide mindset change required to drive transformation.

Basha Rubin, CEO and co-founder of Priori Legal, discusses her entrepreneurial journey, the use of technology and data in legal services, and challenges faced by women entrepreneurs. Priori connects in-house teams with skilled attorneys using a data-driven process. They explore Priori's new product, Scout, which aims to diversify legal services and address pain points faced by law firms in identifying suitable lawyers.

Joy Heath Rush has spent virtually her entire career supporting lawyers, and has had a leading role in defining the value of allied professionals. Her career path started at Sidley Austin in document services, where her devotion to excellence and love of technology helped her move into a number of leadership roles. After a stint at Litera, Joy is now CEO of the International Legal Technology Association (ILTA)—what she calls her dream job. Listen in to today's conversation to learn: - Why she loves working with lawyers. - How Joy’s role as CEO of ILTA is the culmination of all her professional experiences. - How COVID-19 has transformed the delivery of content. - The advice she gives to allied professionals who want the career longevity she has had.

Today we continue our exploration of the efforts underway to close the justice gap with our guest, John Mayer, the executive director of the Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction (CALI) at Chicago-Kent, the law school of the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT). One of CALI’s key projects is A2J Author, a software tool that enables nontechnical stakeholders from the courts, legal services programs, and law schools to rapidly build and implement user-friendly interfaces for document assembly. A2J Guided Interviews remove many of the barriers faced by self-represented litigants, allowing them to easily complete court documents. It is a testament to how law, design, and technology working together can close the justice gap. Listen in to today’s conversation with John to learn: - Why an engineer by education and self-described systems thinker chose to stay “law adjacent” rather than embarking on the chief information officer path. - How John’s participation in a joint project of Kent Law School and the Institute of Design at IIT on self-represented litigants laid the groundwork for A2J Author. - And why John believes automating court forms is one of the best ways for law students to learn the law.