Libsyn Directory

EP #51: How an AmLaw100 Firm Integrated Technology into Their DNA with Jaime Drozd

Release Date: 04/08/2025

EP #56: Leading from Heart: Jami Wintz McKeon on Loving the Firm, the People, and the Work

The Future Is Bright Podcast

Jami Wintz McKeon, Chair of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, joins Chris Batz and Howard Rosenberg to share her journey from associate to leading one of the world’s largest law firms. She reflects on the moments that shaped her path, including overseeing major integrations, heading the litigation practice, and ultimately stepping into the role of chair. Jami talks about the personal side of leadership, carrying both the joys and hardships of colleagues, staying connected across a global partnership, and fostering a culture where collaboration comes before credit. She also discusses...

EP #55: The Future of Nixon Peabody LLP: Culture, Talent, and Growth with Stephen Zubiago

The Future Is Bright Podcast

Stephen Zubiago, CEO and Managing Partner of Nixon Peabody LLP, joins hosts Chris Batz and Howard Rosenberg to share what it takes to lead an AmLaw 100 firm through growth, competition, and change. He talks about how Nixon Peabody LLP aligns talent strategy with client needs, develops attorneys at every level, and builds a culture where collaboration and entrepreneurial drive matter as much as expertise. Their discussion explores the firm’s focus on industries like financial services, real estate and affordable housing, healthcare, and technology, and why being selective about expansion is...

EP #54: The Life of David Lat | Attorney, Writer, Speaker & Family Man

The Future Is Bright Podcast

David Lat spent years climbing the legal ladder, clerking, working at Wachtell, joining the DOJ, before realizing that the most meaningful part of his career wasn’t going to happen in a courtroom. Joining Chris Batz and Howard Rosenberg, David talks through the decisions that shaped his path, from writing a cheeky anonymous blog about federal judges to launching “Above the Law” and building one of the most influential voices in legal media. He reflects on the pressure to follow prestige, the pull of creative work, and the unexpected ways his early writing opened doors he didn’t even...

EP #53: Remaining Curious and the Professional Services Executive Journey, with Rebecca Goodman-Stephens, CEO of Moses Singer

The Future Is Bright Podcast

Titles don’t build trust, people do. And according to Rebecca Goodman-Stephens, that’s where real leadership begins. Rebecca is the CEO of Moses Singer, a New York law firm, but her story starts far from the legal world. She grew up across the UK, Switzerland, and France, studied clinical psychology, and built her career in consulting and public accounting before stepping into her current role. Along the way, she kept coming back to the same core skill: understanding people. As she joins hosts Chris Batz and Howard Rosenberg, Rebecca shares how her background shaped her leadership style,...

EP #52: Succession Planning and A Seamless Transition with Yakub Hazzard Chair of MSK

The Future Is Bright Podcast

Succession only looks seamless from the outside. Yakub Hazzard shares what it really took to step into the chair role at Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP, and why leadership transitions require more than just good timing. How do you plan for change without disrupting what already works? Yakub walks through the nearly two-year succession planning process that prepared him to take over as chair, from building internal alignment to choosing the right leadership partner. He shares how the firm prioritized culture over convenience, and why that made all the difference. Yakub also...

EP #51: How an AmLaw100 Firm Integrated Technology into Their DNA with Jaime Drozd

The Future Is Bright Podcast

Law firms that treat innovation like a team sport are the ones shaping the future of legal practice. Chris Batz and Howard Rosenberg sit down with Jamie Drozd, the managing partner at Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, a corporate law firm known for leaning into technology in ways that actually stick. Jamie shares how her path, from commercial litigator to firm leadership, was shaped by early lessons in service, and how those same values now guide her in a role she never set out to pursue. What does meaningful growth look like for a modern law firm? For Jamie, it’s not about size....

EP #50: Private Equity Dry Powder & Corporate Law Firms with Crispin Passmore

The Future Is Bright Podcast

Private equity is making moves in the legal industry, and Crispin Passmore has a message for firms that think they can ignore it: adapt or risk getting left behind. Chris Batz and Howard Rosenberg sit down with Crispin, the co-founder of Stratify and a former U.K. regulator turned law firm consultant, to talk about what’s happening on both sides of the Atlantic. Why has the U.K. embraced alternative business structures while the U.S. continues to resist change? Is the legal industry really evolving, or does it just feel that way to those pushing for reform? Crispin shares his...

EP #49: Why Corporate Law Firms Merge with Chris Batz

The Future Is Bright Podcast

“It’s astonishing; it’s just mind-blowing,” says Chris Batz about the exponential growth in revenue generated by the AmLaw top 100 firms in the last 22 years. On today’s episode of The Future is Bright, Chris takes a closer look at these numbers, what’s driving them and which firm comes out on top. He also takes a look at the increasing number of firms who are choosing to merge in order to, among many reasons, increase competition, deepen their benches, and to increase their geographic reach. On his first solo episode of the podcast, Chris draws from quotes from...

EP #48: Leading the Way as a Values-Based Law Firm with Kristina Lawson

The Future Is Bright Podcast

“It’s all about people management,” says today’s guest Kristina Lawson, drawing parallels between her time as the former mayor of Walnut Creek, CA to her current role as managing partner at Hanson Bridgett LLP, a mid-sized firm which like Kristina, whose practice was in real estate and land use, has a deep connection and dedication to California and its communities. This values-based California law firm’s equity partners comprise nearly 40 percent women—virtually unheard of in the AmLaw 200—which reflects its pioneering and foundational policies of diversity, equity and...

EP #47: Innovation and Growth in the UK Legal Market with Neville Eisenberg

The Future Is Bright Podcast

“It is still quite challenging to convince partners of the need for change when the traditional model is still serving them incredibly well,” says Neville Eisenberg, Senior Strategy Executive, Mishcon de Reya, who joins The Future is Bright to talk about innovation taking place within UK law firms, innovation he helped contribute to with the contract attorney company, Lawyers on Demand, and now with Flex Legal, an alternative legal services provider now owned by Mishcon de Reya. Neville will discuss with hosts Chris Batz and Howard Rosenberg the growing number of opportunities in the...

More Episodes

Law firms that treat innovation like a team sport are the ones shaping the future of legal practice.

Chris Batz and Howard Rosenberg sit down with Jamie Drozd, the managing partner at Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, a corporate law firm known for leaning into technology in ways that actually stick. Jamie shares how her path, from commercial litigator to firm leadership, was shaped by early lessons in service, and how those same values now guide her in a role she never set out to pursue.

What does meaningful growth look like for a modern law firm? For Jamie, it’s not about size. It’s about deepening expertise in industries like technology, financial services, and media, while staying rooted in strong client relationships and a culture that prioritizes collaboration over ego.

Jamie also offers a candid look at how the firm is approaching technology, including artificial intelligence. From firm-wide hackathons to building custom AI tools that support legal writing and workflow, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP is taking a hands-on approach to innovation—one that empowers people at every level to think creatively about client service.

This episode leaves listeners with a clear vision: growth that reflects the firm’s values, a workplace that supports both ambition and well-being, and a culture where tech isn’t a trend but a mindset.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Introduction

02:09 Leadership Roles and Achievements

09:27 Firm’s Growth Strategy

13:19 Embracing AI and Technology

18:25 Internal Drive for Innovation

20:13 Geographic Expansion Considerations

22:52 Transition from Practicing Attorney to Managing Partner

25:57 Hybrid Work Environment and Engagement

30:50 Long-term Vision and Goals

Links

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