B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes

In this episode of "Beyond Stereotypes," host Merle Vaughn chats with Karen Grant-Selma, Executive Vice President and Head of Business and Legal Affairs at Jesse Collins Entertainment. Karen shares her fascinating journey from Miami to LA, her career in entertainment law, and the challenges and triumphs she faced along the way. Learn about her work with major companies like NBC, AMC, and OWN, and her role in producing the Super Bowl halftime show. Don't miss this inspiring conversation!

In this episode of "Beyond Stereotypes," host Merle Vaughn interviews Grace E. Speights, a distinguished lawyer at Morgan Lewis. Grace opens up about her upbringing in Philadelphia, her career journey, and her dedication to fostering inclusive workplaces. Learn how Grace's personal experiences have influenced her professional path and her approach to crisis management and employment law. Tune in for an inspiring conversation that highlights the importance of authenticity and resilience.

In this episode of "BS Beyond Stereotypes," host Merle Vaughn chats with Ernest Greer, Co-President of Greenberg Traurig. Ernest's story is one of resilience, authenticity, and breaking barriers. From his early days in St. Louis to his rise in the legal world, Ernest shares valuable lessons on overcoming stereotypes, the significance of education, and staying true to oneself. Tune in for an inspiring conversation that will motivate you to embrace your authenticity and strive for success.

In this episode of "Beyond Stereotypes," Merle Vaughn welcomes Nona Lee, founder and CEO of Truth DEI Consulting. Nona discusses her fascinating career path, from her role as Chief Legal Officer for the Arizona Diamondbacks to her current work in diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. Tune in to hear about her personal journey, the importance of authenticity, and how DEI efforts can transform organizations.

Mark Goldstein, Labor & Employment partner at Reed Smith, shares his inspiring journey of overcoming mental health challenges while navigating the high-pressure world of BigLaw. In this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes, Mark opens up to Merle Vaughn about his battle with OCD, anxiety, and depression and how vulnerability and resilience have not only shaped his personal and professional life but also inspired his mental health advocacy in the legal profession.

Jesus Torres, senior trial attorney with Wilshire Law Firm, shares his journey from growing up in a farming community in Oxnard, California, to becoming a successful trial lawyer. In this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes, Jesus and Merle Vaughn talk about his transition from defense counsel to plaintiff's counsel, his dedication to pro bono work, and his passion for helping the underrepresented.

While Sashi Brown pursued a career in law, he always held a deep love for sports. When he learned of a niche sports practice at WilmerHale, he discovered he could combine his passion for sports with his legal expertise. In this episode of BS: Beyond Stereotypes, Merle Vaughn chats with Sashi about his unique career in sports, his commitment to education, and the impact of the Rooney Rule in the NFL.

With a career that started in the legal field, including a stint at the White House, Adrian Miller pivoted to follow his passion for soul food—and has turned that into a celebrated career. In this episode of BS: Beyond Stereotypes, Merle Vaughn sits down with Adrian, a “soul food scholar,” James Beard award winner, and a voice for social justice, to “dish” on the importance of relationships, kindness, and the complex layers of Juneteenth.

John Iino's law firm journey took him across the globe to Japan, where he was excited to connect with his roots. This experience set the stage for a career that would see him rise to the heights of the legal profession, not just as a lawyer, but as a champion for diversity and inclusion. In this episode of BS: Beyond Stereotypes, he chats with Merle Vaughn about diversity, identity, and leadership.

With dreams of becoming an NAACP lawyer, Richard Gray set his sights on law school at an early age. After interning with the legal defense fund, he changed directions to focus his law school experience on courses he found interesting—leading him to urban education courses that “spoke to him.” As a result, Richard has applied his legal training to education reform. In this episode, he and Merle Vaughn discuss the evolution of critical terms in our social vocabulary, the generational shifts that shape our worldviews and the potency of education as a tool for change.

Mindy Gulati, Texas-based Civil Rights and DEI activist, was raised in Utah by grandparents who taught her the importance of standing up for herself and the rights of others. In this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes, Mindy shares her unique family story and explores her commitment to feminism and social equity.

Paul Watford recently made the unusual decision to step down from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals bench to return to private practice as a partner with Wilson Sonsini. In this episode of BS: Beyond Stereotypes, Paul shares what motivated him to make that decision and many others he has made throughout his inspirational professional journey.

Sonya Passi's fierce advocacy to raise awareness of gender-based violence began when she was a teenager in the UK. Thinking she wanted to become a human rights lawyer, she went to Berkeley Law where she started her first nonprofit. In this episode of BS: beyond Stereotypes, Sonya discusses her activist work and its evolution to today. She also shares her personal journey as a lesbian woman choosing love over the traditional cultural expectations of her parents.

Moving to the States from the Caribbean to go to college was an eye-opening experience for Michelle Silverthorn—she went from being a member of the majority to being “the only.” In this episode of BS: Beyond Stereotypes, Michelle talks with Merle Vaughn about stereotypes, belonging, and inclusion and why she is committed to the work of change. They also explore how Michelle transitioned from practicing law to delivering a TEDx, making over 100 speeches per year, and founding her own diversity consulting firm.

People make assumptions about blonde-haired, blue-eyed Michael Rhodes, partner with Cooley LLP, and his perceived white privilege. But Mike has a long history with learning from experiences that push him out of his comfort zone and immerse him in different cultures. In this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes, Mike uses storytelling to demonstrate to Merle Vaughn why he believes diverse legal teams are imperative in Big Law.

Reinventing your legal career is possible—especially when you set your mind and intention toward your goals. Eric Burton had done everything right, but he had not followed his dream of becoming an entertainment lawyer. He found the courage to set audacious goals, which set him on a path to celebrating incremental victories. In this episode of BS: Beyond Stereotypes, Eric, who is openly gay, chats with Merle Vaughn about taking control of his career and why representation in the legal profession matters.

Going through life masking to fit in can be exhausting and lead to burn out. Learning to believe the way you are is the right way to be can unlock your power and potential. Courtney Munnings, Diversity Lab's Mansfield Rule and Knowledge Sharing Specialist, successfully navigated law school and big law firm life prior to confirming she is autistic and dyslexic and has OCD. In this episode of BS: Beyond Stereotypes, Courtney shares her courageous journey with Merle Vaughn.

Inspired by her grandmother's civil rights fame and the exposure her father gave her to cultural and economic differences growing up, Josie Duffy Rice solidified her desire to change the criminal justice system prior to attending Harvard Law School. She shares with Merle Vaughn why she decided not to practice law and to instead become a journalist. Her love for writing has led her to create content in all forms and to share marginalized people's untold stories as she does in her latest podcast, Unreformed: The Story of the Alabama Industrial School for Negro Children.

Born in the UK, Claudius Sokenu was sent to boarding school in Nigeria, which shaped him in innumerable ways and prepared him to venture to the US alone to practice law. In this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes, Claudius and Merle Vaughn discuss why he chose to leave his big firm equity partnership to go in-house.

Darrell Miller, LA Office Managing Partner for Fox Rothschild, is a singer, dancer, musician and lawyer who credits faith and work ethic for his success. As the first in his family to attend college, he found support from his school counselor, family and community. The reasoning behind his decision to become a lawyer and the path he took to get there is inspirational. In this episode of BS: Beyond Stereotypes, Darrell shares with Merle Vaughn what it was like to be a working actor, his motivation for going to law school and how his new fame as the Hollywood meme #sendittodarrell explains his empathic style as an entertainment lawyer.

To the outside world, Jennifer Brewer, Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer for Activision Blizzard, appears to have led a life of privilege but, in reality, the road to fighting for equity and justice has been paved with obstacles that have required grit and resilience to overcome. In this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes, Jennifer shares with Merle Vaughn how she has handled adversity and why her current role allows her to be unapologetically herself.

Melique Jones, Chief People Officer for the Lincoln Center, grew up with her mother and grandmother in Harlem. From an early age, her family set the expectation that she would make a difference in the world. Despite falling in love with the arts and journalism during college, Melique chose to attend law school and has ultimately done more than she could have imagined with her JD. In this episode, Melique shares with Merle Vaughn her journey which started as a journalist, her DEI experience in big law, and how both prepared her for her current Lincoln Center position.

When Bob Major founded Major, Lindsey & Africa in 1982, he could not have envisioned what the organization would become and the impact it would have on the legal profession. In this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes, Bob shares his extraordinary 40-year journey as one of the predominate influencers in the legal recruiting industry and how he did it as a proud openly gay man.

For Mark Zemelman, Kaiser Foundation's recently retired GC, joining the legal department was a full circle experience—his father was one of the first physicians in the Southern California Permanente Medical Group, which is the KP medical group in Southern California. Mark shares with Merle Vaughn his self-directed career journey and how his cultural background has informed his unwavering commitment to diversity and inclusion.

In this episode of BS: Beyond Stereotypes, Dipti Singh, GC of Planned Parenthood Pasadena & San Gabriel Valley, shares with Merle Vaughn how she developed a passion for human rights work while in law school. Dipti walks us down her unique career path, which began in big law and has culminated in her position as a public interest lawyer fighting for equality and reproductive rights.

In this episode of BS: Beyond Stereotypes, George Fatheree, real estate partner at Sidley in Los Angeles, speaks with Merle Vaughn about leading the Bruce's Beach case, the first land reparations granted to a Black American family and describes how it felt to have everything he had worked for in his life come together. George chats with Merle Vaughn about his humble beginnings in Chino, California, and the importance of intentionality, professional excellence, and authenticity throughout in his career.

Eli Albrecht, M&A attorney at Gibson Dunn, has been embraced on LinkedIn globally after sharing his epiphany to be authentic about his Orthodox Jewish culture in a professional setting. In this episode, Eli and Merle Vaughn discuss how he balances his love for practicing law with his commitment to his beloved wife, kids and family farm.

John Haney is an associate at Holland & Knight in their renowned Indian Law practice. As a member of the Seminole Indian tribe, John Haney has remained connected with Native American communities throughout his educational and professional journeys. In this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes, he shares with Merle Vaughn stories of his rich heritage, discusses the inner workings of tribal structures and shares his advice on specializing in tribal law.

Dan Johnson, IP attorney and vintner, learned early in his career the importance and necessity of being comfortable in his own skin and embracing his authentic self to succeed. In this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes, Dan talks to Merle Vaughn about attending Yale Law School (with the Clintons and Clarence Thomas), being the first Black partner at Cooley and owning Okapi Fine Wines in Napa Valley, CA.

For Aiko Bethea, a leadership development coach, being a leader and a DEI professional are one in the same. In this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes, Aiko shares how being raised by a Japanese mother in a Black community gave her a unique perspective on the world and the influence racial identity has on power differentials. She shares her story, her passion and her perspective on relating to others with Merle Vaughn.

You may know Laurie Levenson as a legal commentator for several high-profile, televised criminal cases. While she uses her knowledge and passion for criminal law to educate the general public, Laurie can more often be found in the classroom at Loyola Law School educating future lawyers and running the Loyola Project for the Innocent. Growing up white in Inglewood, paired with other pivotal personal experiences, informs her empathy for others and her belief that we all need to look in the mirror and face our stereotypes. She shares her journey and her passion with Merle Vaughn in this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes.

Raqiyyah Pippins, partner at Arnold & Porter, brings her contagious energy to everything she does. In this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes, she shares how her beliefs and optimism have guided her and helped her succeed as a young Black attorney.

Dennis Garcia understands the importance of changing and evolving. He's seen a life of evolution unfold for his grandmother who is now in her 100s. In this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes, Dennis talks to Merle Vaughn about how his upbringing has shaped him, why presenting opportunities to people of color is important and why feedback is a must for success.

Richard Amador recognized quickly that he wanted to leave big law. Nearly three decades later, he hasn't looked back. In this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes, Richard shares with Merla Vaughn why he is adamant about mentoring lawyers of color and how he's gone beyond stereotypes.

For nearly three decades Yasmin Cader has been standing up for the rights of others as a public defender and civil rights attorney. Now as the deputy legal director for the ACLU's Trone Center for Justice and Equality, she is making an even bigger impact on civil rights and social justice. Yasmin shares with Merle Vaughn her beliefs on social justice, authenticity and interconnectedness of us all.

As a former college football player and football coach turned lawyer, Scott McLaughlin confirms that workplace biases can affect fairness. In this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes, he shares with Merle Vaughn how being a white male athlete benefited him and why he believes in speaking up and pushing the legal industry to do better when it comes to diversity.

Ben Wilson, chairman of Beveridge & Diamond and the beloved mentor to Black lawyers nationally, shares his life lessons and experiences learned starting with his Southern roots through his successful legal career.

Paula Edgar's life was forever changed on 9/11. As a career and life coach, an attorney and a DE&I professional, she continues to persevere and shares her passion and energy with everyone she meets—including Merle Vaughn in this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes.

Born in a Japanese American internment camp as Michael Yamamoto, Mia Yamamoto has experienced hate and injustice first hand. In this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes, Mia, a transgender criminal defense attorney, candidly discusses with Merle Vaughn the “model Asian” stereotype, historical racism and the need for all minorities to work together to effect change.

Megha Parekh believes everyone should have a voice and opportunity. In this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes, she shares with Merle Vaughn what it's like for her as a woman in the NFL, how living in the South is different from growing up in New Jersey and why she believes open conversations are important in the workplace.

Adrienne Lawrence is not one to sit still or let barriers stand in her way. A straight shooter, she holds nothing back in this inspiring conversation with Merle Vaughn that touches on sexual harassment, bullying, gaslighting and so much more in this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes.

When you are a white female, diversity often goes unnoticed. Carmen Chambers tells her story as a queer woman living in Birmingham and how assumptions are a daily part of her life experience. In this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes, Carmen and Merle Vaughn discuss self-identification and privilege as well as the networking group she and a friend started within the Alabama LGBTQ community.

Jeff Harleston, GC and EVP of Universal Music Group, has felt the impact of stereotypes within his career. In this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes, he shares with Merle Vaughn how he is breaking down stereotypes within the music industry, embracing his authentic self and doing his part to effect change in the legal industry.

Paula Boggs took a leap into the unknown in 2012, leaving an unparalleled career in the law and starting her music career. In this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes, Paula retired GC of Starbucks and current frontwoman for the Paula Boggs Band, shares stories of her upbringing, her love of music and why being a Black woman has been her superpower.

Growing up, David Kelly wanted to be a basketball player and a musician. While his path ultimately has led him to a career as an NBA lawyer, he is also a successful musician and underground rapper. In this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes, David, Chief Legal Officer of The Golden State Warriors, shares with Merle Vaughn how he landed his dream role, the sponsors who helped him along the way—and his insights on the league and team culture. He also discusses his passion for hip hop and how it allows him to be his authentic self.

Steven Hunter, partner at Quarles & Brady, doesn't let anything hold him back from being his authentic self and living his best life. In this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes, Steven shares stories about what has inspired him to pursue his passions and chats with Merle Vaughn about his competitive drive and commitment to creating opportunities for other diverse lawyers.

Growing up on the basketball court, O'Melveny's David Lash was not your stereotypical player. In this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes, David chats with Merle Vaughn about getting beyond stereotypes personally and the eye-opening moments from some of his most memorable pro bono cases, several of which are “ripped from the headlines” and one that was made into a movie.

Sheila Foster, a Professor of Law and Public Policy at Georgetown University, loves disrupting expectations. In this episode of B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes, Sheila chats with Merle Vaughn about how her youthful appearance, race, and gender often present challenges within the classroom, and how she maintains her authenticity by always speaking her truth and staying grounded and connected to the community. She also explores the benefits of meditation and how her Zen-like focus helps her through tough situations.

A lawyer and entrepreneur, Sierra Elizabeth lets nothing hold her back in life. In this episode, Merle Vaughn chats with Sierra about how she decided to stay authentic - even in the courtroom, why she started her own business and why she chose to earn a law degree instead of following in her family's entertainment industry footsteps.

Derrick Boston, general counsel of Virgin Orbit, shares with Merle Vaughn how he's pushing beyond the stereotypes associated with being a lawyer and being a black man and embracing his authentic self in his personal and professional lives. He talks about the values he's instilling in his children, how he handles stress, and the role sports have played in shaping him.