Corner Office with Elise Powers

When Elise asks partners what qualities they most value in an associate, one of the top three most common responses is active listening and demonstrating engagement. So why didn’t we learn how to actively listen in school? In this solo episode, Elise explains the science behind why listening is so hard (hello, distraction!) and gives specific recommendations on how to make every single person you interact with feel valued, heard, and understood.

In this episode of Corner Office, Elise sits down with Yvonne Schulte, Partner at Clyde & Co. Yvonne was a single mother living in the projects during law school. Hear her inspiring, unusual story about how she overcame countless obstacles to create a new life for herself and her family. She reveals her take on if money can really buy happiness, and what luxuries she buys now that she has financial stability.

In this episode of Corner Office Elise sits down with Michael Arnold, Chair of Mintz’s Employment practice. Mike shares how he recharges as an introvert so he doesn’t get burnt out. He discusses why he focuses on being grateful for the opportunities he has, and why being resilient is a necessity in this demanding career.

What could you achieve if you were just a little bit more influential at work? You can increase your influence with simple, intentional actions that make it more likely others will do what you suggest. Elise takes you through the social psychology of becoming more likeable, leveraging the power of social proof, and tapping into our desire to reciprocate. You’ll learn actionable ways to boost trust with colleagues and clients.

Michael Powers is Counsel at Katten and an alum of University of Michigan’s undergraduate and law school. He also happens to be Elise’s husband. In this episode, hear what Michael did to earn the firm’s “superstar associate” award, normally given to senior associates, when he was only a second year. Michael describes how he takes ownership of his cases and what his life looked like when he was billing 2,600 hours per year.

What causes you to lose sleep at night? To feel overwhelmed, anxious, and stressed? For many people, it’s the sense of feeling out of control. If you don’t feel like you have a good idea of what work needs to get done, when it will get done, and how to get it done, it’s near impossible to be a reliable associate and feel good about your work. In this solo episode, hear from Elise on the three foundational pillars to staying on top of things: keeping track of your assignments, being intentional with how you spend your time, and giving your colleagues peace of mind that you’re on top of everything.

In this episode of Corner Office, Elise Powers sits down with Eric Gortner, Co-Chair of the Healthcare Fraud Litigation group at Katten. Eric is a partner in Katten’s Chicago office and has an unusual path into law. He shares how getting his PhD in psychology before going to Harvard Law School shapes how he approaches his interactions with clients and colleagues. Eric gives insight into what it was like to work at Kirkland and how his time there influenced his perspective on work ethic and intelligence. This episode covers the fascinating work his practice group does and reminds us of the power of good old-fashioned hard work.

In this episode of Corner Office, Elise speaks with Katy McNeil, a partner in A&O Shearman’s U.S. Energy, Natural Resources & Infrastructure group. Katy recounts her journey from growing up in a steel town in West Virginia to opening up A&O Shearman’s Chicago office. She shares how she found a strong mentor, why she chose to start her career at Mayer Brown, and the factors she considered when deciding to bring her practice group to A&O Shearman. Katy also opens up about how her late husband’s diagnosis with ALS shaped her approach to being transparent with colleagues about her personal life. Through her story, listeners gain insight into how to be intentional about who you choose to work with, and what it looks like to be resilient amidst a devastating personal loss. ______________________________________________________________________[00:00:50] Katy introduces herself and shares her legal career background.[00:02:18] Describes her move to A&O Shearman and the firm's Chicago office launch.[00:02:46] Focus of her practice in project finance and renewable energy.[00:03:01] Growing up in West Virginia with non-lawyer parents and discovering legal interests.[00:04:42] Early proofreading job and how contracts sparked her interest in law.[00:06:00] Choosing University of Michigan Law School and knowing she wanted to be a transactional lawyer.[00:07:46] The advantages of working before law school and understanding professional environments.[00:10:03] Communicating across generations in the workplace.[00:13:12] Advice on addressing colleagues by first names in law firm settings.[00:13:40] The value of mentorship and learning from adjunct professor Paul Astolfi at Michigan Law.[00:18:06] Traits to look for in a mentor and the value of business skills in law firms.[00:22:35] The importance of non-billable skill development for long-term success.[00:23:41] Why Katy and her team moved firms and what they looked for in a new firm.[00:27:23] Advice for lawyers considering lateral moves and firm culture fit.[00:30:46] Balancing professional decisions with personal challenges, including her husband’s ALS diagnosis.[00:31:46] Advocating for transparency in the workplace during personal hardship.[00:36:34] The role of community and workplace support in navigating grief.Links:Katy McNeil on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-mcneilA&O Shearman: https://www.aoshearman.com/en

In this episode of Corner Office, Elise sits down with Jane Arnold, Co-Chair of the Business Department at Polsinelli. At home, she’s a single mom to two adopted daughters, and at work, she’s responsible for the careers of 400 legal professionals. Jane shares how she balances intense professional demands and frequent work travel with her personal commitments. Jane takes us inside compensation committee meetings, explaining factors that determine partner compensation and how important it really is to have a book of business. From deal-making to water aerobics class, Jane reveals what life really looks like when you’re the leader of an Am Law 100 firm.______________________________________________________________________ (00:00:00) Intro(00:01:27) Jane Arnold shares how she balances leadership in a major law firm with raising two adopted daughters.(00:03:14) Jane discusses how she's taught her children to understand and respect her professional commitments and firm culture.(00:05:40) Jane reflects on the influence of her attorney father and her decision to pursue a career in law.(00:08:43) Jane explains how her work ethic evolved through collaboration with dedicated colleagues.(00:10:48) Jane talks about the importance of camaraderie and community in shaping her experience at Polsinelli.(00:13:59) she outlines how her definition of success has shifted over time, valuing purpose and influence over income.(00:16:39) Elise and Jane discuss the disconnect some young associates experience when realizing the work isn't what they expected.(00:22:10) They address the benefits and flexibility of working in big law, especially for working parents.(00:24:20) Jane details her responsibilities as co-chair and how she supports the careers of others within the firm.(00:27:52) She breaks down her meticulous time management strategies and how she avoids being a bottleneck.(00:31:29) Jane shares how she sets boundaries and remains transparent with clients and colleagues.(00:33:48) She provides a behind-the-scenes look into the firm's compensation committee and how fairness is built into the process.(00:39:56) Jane addresses common misconceptions about making partner, especially around business development and workload fears.(00:44:04) She offers her top advice to rising attorneys: be flexible and open to paths you never planned for.