In this episode of "Real Talk," hosts Megan Monson and Rachel Moseson Dikovics talk with Alessandra M. Moore about mentorship and sponsorship – inspired by the lyrics of the Wicked song “Popular” – by sharing their own experiences on both sides of each role. They emphasize the importance of building relationships with individuals who will publicly vouch for you and privately guide you and offer advice to junior professionals who want to build their mentorship and sponsorship relationships.

Speakers:

Megan Monson, Partner, Executive Compensation, Employee Benefits
Rachel Moseson Dikovics, Counsel, White Collar Criminal Defense
Alessandra M. Moore, Associate, White Collar Criminal Defense

In this episode of “Real Talk,” host, Megan Monson, partner in Lowenstein Sandler's Executive Compensation Employment and Benefits Practice Group, talks with Robin Goldfischer, senior vice president and general counsel at Valley Health System, about her career path, how she manages her own work-life balance, and the importance of knowing when you don’t know the answer. Robin says that her 40 years of experience in the practice of law has taught her many important lessons, including that learning is a continuous process, there is value in being kind, and professional women must advocate for each other.

Speakers:

Megan Monson, Partner, Executive Compensation, Employee Benefits
Robin L. Goldfischer, Senior Vice President & General Counsel, Valley Health System, Inc.

In this episode of Real Talk, host Megan Monson chats with Patricia A. Barbieri, Esq., Special Advisor at Daiichi Sankyo, about her career path from paralegal to general counsel and all the steps in between. As she contemplates her upcoming retirement, Pat shares the lessons she has learned along the way and offers advice on ignoring negative self-talk, making (and learning from) mistakes, and being nimble when life goes differently than you initially planned.

Speakers:

Megan Monson, Partner, Executive Compensation, Employee Benefits
Patricia A. Barbieri, Esq., Special Advisor, Daiichi Sankyo

In this episode of “Real Talk,” Lowenstein lawyers Megan Monson, Nicole Fulfree, and Rachel Moseson Dikovics discuss the Surgeon General’s recent advisory titled “Parents Under Pressure,” which described the state of American parents’ mental health as “an urgent public health issue.” They share their own experiences in trying to balance the demanding roles of woman, attorney, and mother, and offer advice to working parents and their employers.

Speakers:

Megan Monson, Partner, Executive Compensation, Employee Benefits
Nicole Fulfree, Partner, Bankruptcy & Restructuring
Rachel Moseson Dikovics, Associate, White Collar Criminal Defense

Today on “ Real Talk,” Rachel Moseson Dikovics, Amanda K. Cipriano, Brianna M. Ferrante, and Jessica I. Kriegsfeld discuss what law firm life looks like to associates who joined the practice of law during or after COVID. Lawyers who graduated law school in 2020 and after describe the challenges of returning to the office, including practicing time management, forming relationships with potential mentors, and balancing both working from home and being in the office. They also talk about the benefits of hybrid schedules and the importance of technology in effectively navigating the modern workplace.

Speakers:

Rachel Moseson Dikovics, Associate, White Collar Criminal Defense

Amanda K. Cipriano, Associate, White Collar Criminal Defense

Brianna M. Ferrante, Associate, Mergers & Acquisitions

Jessica Kriegsfeld, Associate, Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits

In this episode of “Real Talk,” Nicole Fulfree, Megan Monson, Julia E. Sanabria, and Rachel Moseson Dikovics tackle the subject of microaggressions: comments or actions that subtly and often unconsciously or unintentionally expose a prejudiced attitude towards a member of a marginalized group. Women who experience microaggressions at work are 4.2 times more likely to feel burned out, 3.3 times more likely to consider leaving their company and 3.8 times more likely to feel that they don't have an equal opportunity to advance. The hosts discuss what microaggressions are, a range of different circumstances and intentions that can give rise to these situations and offer tips on navigating these instances when they occur.

Speakers:

Nicole Fulfree, Partner, Bankruptcy & Restructuring
Megan Monson, Partner, Executive Compensation, Employment & Benefits
Julia E. Sanabria, Partner, Real Estate
Rachel Moseson Dikovics, Associate, White Collar Criminal Defense

This episode of “Real Talk” features a discussion with Nicole Fulfree, Megan Monson, Kristin V. Taylor, and Rachel Moseson Dikovics about whether the self-promotion gender gap—a concept explored by researchers at Harvard and Wharton—really exists, and to what extent professional women may be disproportionately impacted by its repercussions. The hosts discuss why some women might shy away from taking credit, explore the societal and cultural reasons women may approach self-promotion a bit differently, and provide suggestions for women on increasing visibility at work without feeling cringey.

Episode Resources:

• The Gender Gap in Self-Promotion – National Bureau of Economic Research
• Women Don’t Self-Promote, But Maybe They Should – Harvard Division of Continuing Education
• Rent the Runway Is Giving $1 Million in Monthly Subscriptions to Women Celebrating Career Wins on LinkedIn

Speakers:

Nicole Fulfree, Partner, Bankruptcy & Restructuring
Megan Monson, Partner, Executive Compensation, Employment & Benefits
Kristin V. Taylor, Partner, Tax, Private Client Services
Rachel Moseson Dikovics, Associate, White Collar Criminal Defense

In this episode of “Real Talk,” Amanda K. Cipriano and Rachel Moseson Dikovics speak with Dr. Traci Cipriano, clinical psychologist, formerly practicing lawyer, and a speaker, executive coach, consultant and author, about emotional intelligence and how it can be used as a professional tool. Dr. Cipriano says that emotional intelligence reflects one’s ability to recognize, understand, and manage emotions and use them strategically to influence thinking and behavior; she describes it as an ability to recognize other people's emotions by interacting them, reading the room, and responding appropriately; it also reflects an ability to cope with difficult challenges, especially regarding the workplace, work demands, and work environment. The most effective leaders are high in emotional intelligence, and research suggests that their teams and their organizations are more productive and generate more revenues.

Speakers:

Rachel Moseson Dikovics, Associate, White Collar Criminal Defense
Amanda K. Cipriano, Associate, White Collar Criminal Defense
Traci Cipriano, JD PhD LLC, Clinical psychologist, formerly practicing lawyer, speaker, executive coach, consultant