Hiring Insights

Seth Spitzer joins Mosah Fernandez Goodman on this episode of Hiring Insights. Seth is the Global Head of Outside Counsel Management and Operations at Citi. Prior to joining Citi roughly two years ago, he was a partner at Winston and Strawn, an AmLaw 50 law firm in New York. He shares valuable perspective on both the practice of law and the evolving operational role of corporate legal departments. Whether you’re a junior attorney, law firm partner, or in-house counsel, this episode offers practical guidance on navigating change, fostering strong teams, and leading with purpose. Highlights from this episode:

Legal operations is a dynamic, multifaceted field driven by strategy, relationships, and scale.

Key growth areas shaping the future of legal operations.

Exploring diverse career paths that lead to legal ops, because there’s no one-size-fits-all background.

Making a successful career transition through self-reflection and intention.

The role of work-life integration in sustaining a fulfilling career.

How mentorship and relationships fuel long-term success.

Insights on navigating the job search process.

Heather Stevenson, Jonah Perlin, and Matt Schwartz, three attorneys united by The Legal Mentor Network, share a strong commitment to building community through social media, networking, and mentoring, and join Mosah Fernandez Goodman on this episode of Hiring Insights. They explore how legal professionals navigate career transitions, leverage mentorship and networking, and embrace nontraditional paths while drawing on diverse experiences to foster meaningful connections and support others in the field.

Episode Highlights:

Nonlinear career paths can lead to success, and career pivots can open unexpected opportunities. Translating non-legal experience to law helps improve problem-solving, adaptability, and communication.

Leveraging social media for career growth can open doors. Posting insights, answering questions, and engaging online can lead to mentorship opportunities and unexpected career connections.

Authenticity in online presence fosters meaningful connections. Genuine, experience-based content that benefits people reading, builds a personal brand that can attract career opportunities over time.

Strategic networking provides long-term benefits. Some people are natural connectors, while others need to develop relationship-building skills. Building relationships early, especially in law school, pays off over time as professional connections evolve into key decision-makers.

What is the Legal Mentor Network? Scaling mentorship through innovation helps more professionals. The Legal Mentor Network provides mentees with mentors and expands beyond one-on-one support to career-focused events and networking opportunities.

This episode of Hiring Insights is sponsored by Job Lasso -- unlocking hidden talent and revolutionizing how top professionals and employers connect.

Kevin Lewis joins Mosah Fernandez Goodman on this episode of Hiring Insights. Kevin is the Chief Financial Officer at Hudl, where he draws on a diverse career spanning finance, technology, and agriculture. With global experience, private equity exposure, and a background that includes both fast-growing startups and established organizations, Kevin’s journey offers a unique perspective on building high-performing teams, thriving in high-growth environments, and collaborating effectively with boards. Highlights from this episode:

Career Navigation and Challenges

• Decision-making pitfalls, such as prioritizing short-term gains over long-term growth opportunities.

• Challenges faced in managing a nonlinear career path.

Industry Transitions and Adaptability

• Emphasizing transferable skills over industry-specific expertise.

Building and Leading Teams

• Key qualities and attributes sought when building finance and accounting teams.

• The significance of hiring for organizational fit and culture.

Evaluating Candidates and Red Flags in Hiring

• Methods to assess a candidate’s fit beyond technical qualifications.

• Spotting red flags in resumes and interviews.

Hiring in High-Growth Environments

• Adjusting hiring processes to meet the velocity of fast-growing companies or industries.

• Balancing the need for rapid hiring with maintaining team quality and fit.

Leadership and Cultural Fit

• Identifying leadership qualities that align with organizational culture.

• Prioritizing soft skills like communication, adaptability, and emotional intelligence.

Strategic Board Engagement

• Maintaining transparency by presenting clear updates, including wins and areas needing improvement.

Talent as a Core Asset

• Emphasizing talent management, particularly in technology-driven organizations where human capital and intellectual property are critical.

• Prioritizing acquisitions of technology that integrate seamlessly into existing infrastructure.

Economic and Job Market Insights

• Highlighting the evolving nature of job markets with increased opportunities at senior levels for growing companies.

Interview Preparation and Career Transition

• Advising candidates to focus on storytelling—clearly articulating their experiences, passions, and fit for prospective roles.

• Stressing the importance of leveraging personal networks to uncover opportunities.

Michelle Comella sits down with Mosah Fernandez Goodman on this episode of Hiring Insights. Michelle is an attorney and certified professional coach working with AMLaw 25 firms, her current role is the Global Director of Career Services at McDermott Will & Emery, a program that she designed and launched in 2020. Prior to making the transition into coaching, Michelle was dedicated to practicing law, that is, until she realized that the responsibilities of a general counsel did not motivate her in the way she felt the right career should. With expertise from previous roles at Kirkland and Ellis, and companies such as Charles Schwab and Fidelity, her broad legal experience make her an invaluable resource for career guidance. Topics discussed in this episode: 

Navigating Career Transitions: Michelle discusses the importance of understanding what one seeks in a career change, rather than only focusing on leaving a current role. She highlights the need to explore opportunities that fulfill new personal and professional aspirations.

Trends in Employment and Career Needs: Two prominent trends among professionals—employment gaps due to economic and personal reasons, and the increasing importance of cultural fit in career choices.

Networking and Personal Branding: Michelle emphasizes the value of networking and building a personal brand. She suggests using platforms like LinkedIn to showcase expertise, values, and professional interests, helping professionals remain connected and expand their career opportunities.

Approaching Networking in Job Searches: Networking can be intimidating and off-putting for some people. Subtle tactics to open the conversation to job searches without making a direct job request.

Using Social Media for Professional Networking: Present yourself authentically on LinkedIn.

Benefits of Leveraging Third Parties in Job Searches: Advantages of involving mentors, coaches, or talent advisors. These third parties can offer objective perspectives, help answer tough questions, and provide alternative interpretations to avoid negative assumptions during the job search process.

Handling Employment Gaps During Job Searches: Strategies for explaining resume gaps, especially during interviews.

Stewart Hirsch, a seasoned expert in the world of coaching and professional development, joins Mosah Fernandez Goodman on this episode of Hiring Insights to share insights into unlocking your career potential through the power of referrals, networking with confidence, developing the right leadership skills, and career advancement. Stewart practiced law for 21 years, in law firms and in-house, including TJX, Staples, Welch’s and others, developing extensive experience advising senior executives and leading business initiatives. As an executive and leadership coach, Stewart serves as a sounding board and strategic thought partner for C-Suite and other executives, assisting with communication and relationship-building. Having coached hundreds of lawyers and other professionals to increase business, Stewart brings a wealth of knowledge and insight. Topics discussed in this episode:

How do coaching services for executives and lawyers address the professional gaps they may be experiencing? What specific coaching areas can they benefit from, and what services can help them become more well-rounded individuals?

Beyond coaching and independent learning, people can use various other methods to grow and expand. Continually work to not only enhance skills and knowledge but also foster personal and professional development through diverse experiences and connections.

Leadership is often about inspiring. Some people think it's about managing and that can be part of it, there has to be some management work in there, but it's really about inspiring others and influencing others to do what is needed and creating a collaborative environment.

What does it look like to be a successful outside or in-house counsel?

We all are referral sources for each other, whether you call it that is in question, but you do it all the time. Referral sources are resources.

Networking: we must have the mindset of both caring and curiosity about other people, it’s a way of thinking.

Overcome fear or reluctance to network by taking the focus off of you. Focus on the other person. People like to talk about themselves.

How and why to use LinkedIn as a tool to connect or reconnect with people in your network.

Lisa Lang joins Mosah Fernandez Goodman on this episode of Hiring Insights to discuss her diverse legal background, career advancement, relationship building, and the benefits of utilizing social media.  Lisa is the Vice President and General Counsel at Ohio Northern University, her varied background spans private practice, nonprofit, academia, and six years in the United States Army, first as a legal specialist and then as a legal non-commissioned officer. Lisa is an author and passionate about building community and being a resource as she shares her journey and experiences in the legal world. The topics discussed in this episode:

•  “You can’t connect the dots looking forward, you always have to connect them looking backward.”  Steve Jobs
• Don’t be so fixated on a specific goal, that you lose sight of opportunities that may exist right in front of you.
• The relationships that you build and develop are key to not only doing good work and having trust, but also for advancement and opening up opportunities.    
• How do you develop a personal brand, a reputation and a persona outside of your organization?
• Opportunities that LinkedIn and social media can open up beyond finding a new role.
• If you’re utilizing LinkedIn, it’s not as much about the content you're posting, but the relationships that can be built from commenting and engaging with others.
• When building relationships, give without expecting anything in return.
• Career advancement isn’t always a straight climb up in title and pay, consider lateral moves that will provide experience for the long-term strategy.

Brian Davis joins Mosah Fernandez Goodman on this episode of Hiring Insights to discuss advancing your career as an outside counsel. Brian handles lateral partner recruiting and in-house searches for financial services clients and law firms. He is particularly skilled in private equity, hedge fund, corporate, corporate finance, capital markets, compliance and tax searches for major financial institutions, broker-dealers, hedge funds, private equity funds, asset managers, sovereign wealth funds, family offices and law firms, domestically and internationally. In addition to his work in the United States, Brian has extensive experience with international firms in London, the European Union and the Middle East.

Topics discussed:

When do law firms choose to engage a search firm and what does that process look like?

Tools that candidates should be utilizing when either contemplating a search or in the middle of one.

If you’re an associate or partner considering a move, what active steps should you be taking?

No one is worried about your career except for you, you have to manage it.

Expectations for an attorney’s book of business and does that impact their ability to be recruited.

Common myths about the recruiting process.

Trends in the legal industry.

Red flags that candidates should avoid.

Mosah Fernandez Goodman sits down with Bryan Krajeski in this episode of Hiring Insights. Bryan is not only an incredible external recruiter, but he also has a long history of sales, marketing, and internal recruiting experience. In addition to giving us some insight into the recruiting world, both internal and external recruiters, Bryan will help us understand what goes on behind the scenes in a recruiting process, tips and tricks for how to optimize your LinkedIn profile, the importance of networking, how to draft a great cover letter, and use your resume effectively to help yourself get noticed.

Specific steps a recruiter goes through to place someone; sourcing, building a talent pool, challenges.

How to advantage yourself as a candidate.

What happens after you submit an online application?

Recruiter myths.

Making outreach to a recruiter; when they can help, and when they can’t.

Utilize the career tools at your disposal (LinkedIn, resumes, cover letters) but put thought and strategy into how you are creating them.

Requisites and red flags for resumes.

Network. Network. Network. Talk to the recruiters who make outreach, look to people in your industry, and strategize what companies you are targeting.

How best to work with a recruiter.

What qualities make a most placeable candidate (MPC)?

Finding a new position is a marathon not a sprint.

On the second episode of this two-part series of Hiring Insights, Mosah Fernandez Goodman sits down with Tom O’Connor, George Zaharatos, and Lem Montgomery.  Tom is the former Executive Vice President of Compliance & Ethics, EHS, ESG at Guardian Industries, George is the Principal-Global Data and Technology Leader for Trade and Customs at KPMG, and Lem is an attorney for Butler Snow, LLP. We focus the discussion on their insights into what it takes to be a successful candidate searching for an executive position in today’s job market.

• What you need as a job seeker in today’s market to get hired.  

• As an attorney looking for a senior level role, whether that’s a firm partner or going in-house, what should you know starting your search?

• Social media plays a role in the hiring process today, but how much?

• The best c-level executives have these common traits…

• What NOT to say in an interview.

On the first episode of this two-part series of Hiring Insights, Mosah Fernandez Goodman sits down with Tom O’Connor, George Zaharatos, and Lem Montgomery.  Tom is the former Executive Vice President of Compliance & Ethics, EHS, ESG at Guardian Industries, George is the Principal-Global Data and Technology Leader for Trade and Customs at KPMG, and Lem is an attorney for Butler Snow, LLP. We focus the discussion on finding a career you're passionate about, mentorship, and networking to advance your career at any stage.  

• Navigating your career path; is it intentional, linear, or opportunistic?

• Regardless of your age or the stage of your career, having a mentor in your life is crucial to success.

• Building a network without it feeling transactional.

• Overcoming the fear of potential rejection when networking.

On this episode of Hiring Insights, Mosah Fernandez Goodman sits down with three attorneys: Brenda Morris, Drew Fossum, and David Hecker. Brenda is the Vice President, Assistant General Counsel, Litigation, Employment and Compliance at Sealed Air, Drew is the Vice President and General Counsel at Tenaska, Inc., and David is the Group General Counsel for Kiewit. Part 2 of this 2-part episode focuses on their insights into the job seeking process and experience.

• The legal and executive job market today; recession, record revenue, who’s hiring right now?

• There could be 10 other resumes just as good as yours, whether you’re a CFO looking to make a move or an attorney with 20 years of experience, what should you be doing to stand out in the job search process?

• Looking at, evaluating, and negotiating your compensation prior to starting a job.

• Considerations before starting a search; be realistic about the possibilities for your career or the type of practice you are looking for, and the type of lifestyle you want to live.

• What things are a hiring manager looking for to gauge and understand a candidate’s validity or credibility?

On this episode of Hiring Insights, Mosah Fernandez Goodman sits down with three attorneys: Brenda Morris, Drew Fossum, and David Hecker. Brenda is the Vice President, Assistant General Counsel, Litigation, Employment and Compliance at Sealed Air, Drew is the Vice President and General Counsel at Tenaska, Inc., and David is the Group General Counsel for Kiewit. Part 1 of this 2-part episode focuses on their paths to an executive level legal career, career strategies, and the importance of networking.

• Career journeys: they’re never linear. What did you expect to happen along the way, and what are some things that happened that you weren’t quite expecting?

• You can’t always control the options that you’ll have at various points in your career, but they’re critical junctures. The more you have thought through some type of strategy, the better prepared you’ll be.

• Taking on new opportunities, constantly absorbing knowledge, finding value in mentors and consistently networking, all play major parts in leading you down the most opportune path.

• Building and cultivating a professional network.

• Going in house as an executive is a dual functioning role, what should you be aware of to bring value across cross-functional teams?

• Three words to encourage you to get out of comfort zone when it comes to networking.

Brian Potts, Partner at Perkins Coie, joined us to provide insights into the changing landscape for law students, how to translate rejection in a job search into motivation, and what you can do to maximize your job search strategy. He is also a writer whose has been featured in Forbes, Wall Street Journal, Politico, Bloomberg, the Wisconsin State Journal, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Weekly Standard and author of the book The Jobless Lawyer’s Handbook: How to Get Hired as a Lawyer. He is an inventor, professor and helped found The Legal Mentor Network, the first nation-wide, free mentorship program for law students and recently barred attorneys.

• It’s rare that anyone regrets going to law school, but the system is failing to adequately prepare law students for the actual job search.
• Advice for those headed to law school or even considering a career in the legal field.
• Do you know what rejection is? It’s proof that you’re trying.
• The Jobless Lawyer’s Handbook: How to Get Hired as a Lawyer, a lot of the information (resume, networking, interview prep) is relevant to anyone, not just young lawyers.
• The Legal Mentor Network: transforming an informal network to fulfill a need into a non-profit serving thousands of mentees.
• When searching for your first job or even later in life, stop and strategically think about where are you the most marketable? Can you be flexible geographically to get a steppingstone to your dream job?
• 70-85% of all jobs come from someone you know. You HAVE to network.
• Working with third parties, coaches or professional advisors offers the benefit of more than just advice, it provides accountability.

This episode is brought to you by Top Talent Advocates, career advocacy for top talent!

Hosted by: Mosah Fernandez Goodman.