John Eix’s Post

An #InHouseOklahoma panelist profile: Armand Paliotta A University of Oklahoma alumnus with more than 30 years of legal experience, Armand returned to his alma mater in October of 2022 after the university conducted a national search for the #GeneralCounsel position. His legal expertise spans a wide range of practice areas, including #business and #financial #transactions, #healthcare, complex #contractnegotiations, #realestatefinance, #securities and #businesslaw, #taxplanning and #taxcontroversies, and #sportsfranchise matters. _____________________________________________________________________________ “In-House Oklahoma,” bringing together nearly 700 #inhousecounsel representing over 400 companies across the state. The forum is a community of in-house leaders who share #legalbestpractices in a local, peer-to-peer, #networking community. The goal is to build relationships and exchange best practices through strategic programming and networking hosted in our #Oklahoma office cities: #OklahomaCity and #Tulsa. In-House Oklahoma’s mission is to be the choice organization for networking, best practice exchange, and legal department thought leadership among the state’s in-house counsel. Besides Crowe & Dunlevy as the host firm, there are no other law firms or other service/product providers invited or participating. This is intended exclusively for Oklahoma’s in-house counsel. The forum’s inaugural panel discussion event will take place this Thursday May 23, 2024, at Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club from 4:30pm to 7:00pm and will include the following panelists (including Armand): * William Sultemeier, General Counsel, OGE Energy Corp. (Moderator) * Dennis Cameron, General Counsel, Devon Energy * Mandy Hayes-Chandler, Regional General Counsel, SSM Health * Benjamin Russ, EVP & General Counsel, Chesapeake Energy * Kara Smith, General Counsel, Oklahoma Health Care Authority * Anika Stucky, General Counsel, MidFirst Bank In-House Oklahoma will host three annual events, one in Oklahoma City and one in Tulsa, featuring topical industry presentations and leadership panel discussions, and one virtual (co-sponsored by the Association of Corporate Counsel). If in-house counsel in Oklahoma would like to RSVP for Thursday's event and/or be included in invitations for upcoming events and/or member activities, please email us at InHouseOK@crowedunlevy.com.

As lawyers, we’re often encouraged to "get involved," and many young attorneys interpret that as joining local voluntary bar organizations. Four years ago, I chose a different path. Instead of spending my time at networking events, I decided to invest in my community by coaching a youth football team. I had the full support of my firm, which has always paid to get my team the best uniforms. I made this choice because I’ve learned more about lawyering from the football coaches I had than anything I ever picked up in law school. This role offers a hands-on way to truly impact the lives of the next generation, far more meaningful to me than the usual mixers and happy hours. Also, after a long day at work, the last thing I ever wanted to do was hang out with a bunch of lawyers. Oddly enough, coaching youth football has also impacted my professional growth in unexpected ways. It’s put me in contact with people who need legal help but don’t know any lawyers they feel comfortable speaking with. Through these relationships, I’ve been able to help them long after the football season ends. The best part is that I never feel like I’m “marketing,” because the focus is on winning ball games. Plus, my teams have had great success on the field, losing only six games in four years. (Winning cures all 😂) This experience has been rewarding both personally and professionally, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to give back to my community. Though getting involved in voluntary Bar Associations is great, and plenty of people must do it to keep those organizations going, actually getting involved in one’s local community helps a ton. . . . . If you or a loved one have been injured, or you’re a Florida attorney looking for co-counsel on a catastrophic case please do not hesitate to reach out. It would be an honor to fight #ForYourRights #PersonalInjury #WrongfulDeath #MedicalMalpractice #ProductsLiability #NursingHomeAbuse #TrialLawyer #PlaintiffsLawyer #FloridaLawyer #CoCounsel #LitigationCounsel #FloridaBar #FloridaJusticeAssociation #PalmBeachCounty #PalmBeachNative #Florida #BigHometownGuy

📢 Upcoming Director Boot Camp 📢 Are you a director looking to sharpen your skills and stay on top of best practices in governance, risk management, and leadership? My colleagues at Carson McDowell are leading an intensive Director Boot Camp designed to equip you with the knowledge and tools to effectively navigate today’s complex business landscape. Sign up details are in the link below.

***HELLO WORLD!*** I'm finally breaking my silence after over 2 years of absence from posting on social media, on my birthday... My name is Jodi R. Netzer (a.k.a “Sparkle”/“Sparkles”). I’ll share more about my journey of loss, trauma, and eventual healing with lessons learned and gifts to share. For now, here’s part of my “backstory to hero story,” with an invitation… I have a diverse background as a life/business coach, artist, event coordinator, advocate for social/environmental issues, and community builder. I've created many innovative collaborative projects such as The Water Festival in Tucson, participated in many events such as the Philadelphia Fringe Festival and conferences, been asked to audition for America’s Got Talent, ran an entrepreneurs group, was developing a multi-faceted startup company, and much more. I’m a creative catalyst and synergizer of people, ideas, and opportunities. However, my life turned when I met my then-fiancé in 2015. What started as a hopeful partnership slowly evolved into an abusive relationship. I was persuaded by him to assist him in his complex legal matters. I knew nothing about law at the time, but he needed help to edit and research documents. He taught me some of what he learned in law school, but I am substantially self-taught. Like a frog in heating water, I became essentially an indentured servant, isolated and overwhelmed, working 10-24 hours per day, 7 days per week, for a small stipend and a contract for substantial commissions from litigation proceeds worth millions of dollars. HIs sudden death after his surgery in 2021 left me grappling with grief and managing 11 legal matters without an attorney, taking a toll on me physically and emotionally. I was facing malicious prosecution as retaliation and obstruction of justice by the ‘injustice’ system. In the 9 years since meeting my fiancé, there was no positive conclusion of all the litigation and my finances were drained. The experience has been a slow death by 10,000 paper cuts. Though intense adversity, I reopened my heart and met my partner Gene, and entered into a delightful, loving relationship. I was finding a path to let go of the past and look forward into the future. It was like a rebirth from low self-worth/self-esteem to rising like a Phoenix through the ashes. This was a turning point into a positive shift in my life.   I am now acknowledging the trauma endured, and crediting the support of loved ones and great friends, plus my powerful healing modalities, for helping me emerge from darkness. I'm grateful to refocus my energies on my passions and purpose of creating a happier, healthier, and more sustainable world. So I'm inviting you to my 49th birthday/Peace Fair Party with a dance workshop (info in comments)! Thanks for your support. I feel my journey is a testament to resilience, healing, and the power of community in overcoming adversity and realigning with passions and purpose. Stay tuned for more posts and opportunities…

Law firm leaders: Giving back to communities Above the Law discusses the importance of law firm leaders being involved in their communities. Kenneth Van Winkle, managing partner of Lewis Roca, highights the obligation of business leaders to shape and improve their communities. He suggests that leaders identify their passions and seek out community organizations that align with those passions. Van Winkle also emphasizes the need for active engagement, including attending meetings, joining task forces, and advancing into leadership positions. Subscribe to Legal Slice if you want to stay up-to-date on the latest news and trends in the legal world: ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dZp_tvpt #LawFirms #law #legal #LewisRoca

The American Bar Association Annual meeting begins today for a week in Chicago. I’ll be wrapping up my second of three years on the Board of Governors for the organization. The progress we’re making can be slow at times but meaningful. Last week, the Board passed its first five year strategic plan. One of first goals is ensuring that we make the organization the home for ALL lawyers and nurture thriving inclusive member communities. The ABA has already been a home for me since I was a young lawyer. I remember going to my first young lawyer meeting in Scottsdale years ago (note how I am purposely vague on how long ago) and feeling a sense of belonging. I had found my “people”. We have to continue to do this for others. Providing meaning and value to membership is just important, even in (or perhaps especially to) an organization as large as the ABA. As we meet over the next few days; I look forward to continuing to discuss ways we can improve both the organization but the member experience. Already, we are investing more to improve the member experience. A new CLE platform is in the works for example. If you’re around, drop me a line so we can connect and talk.

Congratulations to our lawyers who have been recommended by their peers in the newly published The Best Lawyers UK 2025 guide: David Greene; Linky Trott; Rachel Harrap; Simon Miles; Christopher Berry and David Goepel. https://lnkd.in/gPeKCXBj #classaction #employmentlaw #intellectualpropertylaw #restructuringandinsolvencylaw #charitieslaw

Did you know that in 1995 Washington state enacted a law that banned affirmative action in any state funded contracts? The result has been decades of underrepresentation and lack of diversity in contracting statewide. I had no idea - but I learned so today and City of Seattle’s Regional Contracting Forum. The event has been a huge learning opportunity for me — meeting organizations doing essential equity work, connecting with folks I admire at organizations like the GSBA, and collecting info on the dozens of potential certifications we could be exploring in order to stand out for these kind of contracts. My big takeaway? These events are awesome but behind these scenes there is a huge need for better technology, more community outreach, simplified RFPs, and streamlined certifications so more small businesses know about and have the ability to access these big and business changing contracts. Curious to know from my fellow founders, what business certifications do you have and how have they been beneficial to your company? Rachel Pereyra Luisa Alberto Trystan Reese Joanna Lovering, MA Maureen Dykinga Tricia M. Taitt Cate Luzio Heather Lovato Martha Shaughnessy (she/her) Carol Cho, CLU®, ChFC®, BFA™ #smallbusiness #equity #certification #dei #community #impact #femalefounders #businessgrowth #learning

I'm happy to announce that I'm running for NAPABA President-Elect for the 2024-2025 term. I'm planning on posting regularly here, so keep an eye out! I've put together some FAQs: 1. Who are you? I am the current Secretary of NAPABA, and have been part of NAPABA's Board since 2019. Although I am presently a labor and employment attorney at Littler, I previously worked in-house, at a number of regional law firms in New York, and at a small firm in Long Island. The aggregate of these experiences have allowed me to see NAPABA from a wide lensed perspective, and to be part of NAPABA's growth and trajectory over the last five years. Aside from work, I am happily married (Pauline Lee), we have two amazing kids, and a fluffy dog. 2. Why are you running for NAPABA President-Elect? I'm running for NAPABA President-Elect in order to build upon our momentum over the past five years. Through tremendous adversity, our organization has thrived and emerged as a pre-eminent organization on the national stage. With that said, there are many critical areas where we need to continue to grow. These include: 1. securing our pipeline and investment into younger attorneys, 2. growing our policy and advocacy influence, and 3. strengthening our parternships with affiliates, committees, members, and national affiliates. I'm passionate about this organization, and I've spent countless hours over the last 4.7 years on the Board, contributing to its growth and trajectory. I've led committees, been part of revising and drafting some of our governing documents, and supported many of our advocacy efforts. With that said, NAPABA is at a critical juncture, where this election will shape how we move forward. I believe that I have the experience, institutional knowledge, and skills to take us to the next stage. Contact! James Y. Lee 267 304-8316 JamesLee@Littler.com Learn More! NAPABA Official Candidate Page:  https://lnkd.in/eZxwD5Tf Book a time!  If you would like to book some time with me, my calendar entries are being handled by Calendly. Please click on the link for available times, and the system will automatically populate a calendar invitation with a Zoom link. https://lnkd.in/e-kN6_Pr Please consider Endorsing Me! Endorsements for Affiliates: https://lnkd.in/eaYzU2dz Endorsements for Members: https://lnkd.in/eE9Gsw3S

The Legal 500 directory rankings for 2025 have been published....and it's pleasing to see plenty of chart smashes and high new entries for Brabners in the legal profession's equivalent of Top of the Pops 💥 👇 #legal500 #brabners #topofthepops