publicinterestlaw

In this episode, I speak with my first “threepeat” guest, Lauren Rikleen.  This is Lauren’s third appearance on Counsel to Counsel. She was actually one of my first guests when I launched the show in 2018.  In that episode, we spoke about success strategies for women and the work she has done on that issue. 

 

In the Spring of 2022,I invited Lauren back to talk more about her legal career including working in the field of environmental law as it was just taking off. We also spoke about what inspired her to make a career shift away from the practice of law.  If you haven’t already listened to it, I invite you to go back to episode 81.

 

I met Lauren in the early 1990s when I was at Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education and later had the privilege of sitting on her Standing Committee on Work/Life Balance when she was President of the Boston Bar Association.  I knew soon after I met her that Lauren is someone who is not afraid to speak up when she sees injustice.

 

She is also a person with a big heart who cares not only about making an impact but also about investing in the success of professionals who come from disadvantaged groups.

 

Most importantly, she laughs at most of my jokes and keeps me laughing as well.

 

I invited Lauren back because she is the editor of a new book entitled Her Honor. Her Honor is an inspiring compendium of the lives of 25 female judges including many judges of color.  Most of these  judges were women who overcame significant gender and racial discrimination to get to the bench and all of them are judges who felt a great sense of responsibility to continue the fight for racial and gender equity.

 

I also invited her back to talk about the important work that she is doing through Lawyers Defending American Democracy.

 

Lauren Rikleen is  President of the Rikleen Institute for Strategic Leadership.  She is also the Executive Director of Lawyers Defending American Democracy. 

 

Additional Episodes

 

• Episode 87-The Advancement of Women in Law with Elise Holtzman
• Episode 81-Lauren Rikleen-Rebel with Many Causes

In the 1960s, Public Interest Law emerged as a way for the legal profession to deploy its expertise in service of the public.  Our guest Darren Walker, President of the Ford Foundation, says that it's time for the same ethic and commitment to emerge from the field of technology. In this episode we discuss how to make that happen and what it will look like practice when we create the structures for technologists to work in the public interest.

This episode first aired on July 14, 2022, as part of Microsoft's Public Sector Future podcast

Ford Foundation | Site | Twitter

Darren Walker | Twitter

Jeremy Goldberg | LinkedIn | Twitter

Microsoft Public Sector Center of Expertise

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at aka.ms/microsoft/podcasts

Is it possible to practice in the public interest at a major law firm?  How can you build a legal career working on complex commercial real estate deals while serving a higher purpose? 

David Abromowitz has been doing that for almost 40 years.

David Abromowitz is a real estate attorney who is nationally known for his work on complex development and finance deals.  A major focus of his practice has been on affordable housing and economic development.  He also has significant experience in workforce development issues supporting youth opportunities.

David is a longtime partner in the law firm Goulston & Storrs, where he headed up the firm's real estate group and its pro bono committee. For the past dozen years he has been moving more into the non-profit and political realm.

Most recently, David launched the New Power Project, a national effort supporting people who’ve grown up in underserved communities run for local and district elective office. Before that he served six years as Chief Public Policy Officer at YouthBuild USA.

He is a past chair and founding member of both the Lawyers’ Clearinghouse on Affordable Housing and Homelessness and of the American Bar Association’s Forum Committee on Affordable Housing and Community Development.  He also served six years on the board of Mass Development, the Commonwealth’s economic development agency.

And he recently wrote his first novel!

Additional Resources

• Episode 21-Creating a Mission Driven Law Practice 
• Episode 41-Using Pro Bono to Build Your Skills and Enhance Your Career Satisfaction in a Time of Crisis

In the 1960s, Public Interest Law emerged as a way for the legal profession to deploy its expertise in service of the public. Today, our guest Darren Walker, President of the Ford Foundation says that it's time for the same ethic and commitment to emerge from the field of technology. In this episode we discuss how to make that happen and what it will look like practice when we create the structures for technologists to work in the public interest.

Ford Foundation | Site | Twitter

Darren Walker | Twitter

Jeremy Goldberg | LinkedIn | Twitter

Public Sector Center of Expertise