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, and why listening, curiosity, and follow-through matter more than any formal authority. How do you get people to want to work with you? How does one shift a firm’s culture without blowing up what’s already working?
Rebecca also talks about her move into legal services and what surprised her most, like how much creativity and momentum she’s found in a space often viewed as slow to change. From evolving compensation structures to narrowing focus and driving intentional growth, she walks through the mindset behind her first two years as CEO.
This episode touches on private equity and what legal leaders can learn from the accounting world. Rebecca offers a clear message: don’t wait for outside investment to fix what you haven’t yet addressed internally.
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Meet Rebecca Goodman-Stephens
04:04 How Clinical Psychology Shapes Rebecca’s Leadership Approach
08:02 Lessons from Consulting and Public Accounting
12:52 Why Rebecca Moved into Legal Services
15:50 What Surprised Rebecca About the Legal Industry
17:27 Leading Change as CEO at Moses Singer
21:13 Private Equity and the Future of Law Firms
24:23 Building a Resilient, Forward-Looking Organization
26:41 Launching a Business-Focused Law Firm Podcast
27:56 Personal Passions, Family Life, and New York Favorites
Links
Connect with Rebecca Goodman-Stephens:
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-goodman-stephens-b702665/
Connect with Howard Rosenberg:
LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hrosenberg/
Company web profile: https://www.baretzbrunelle.com/howard-rosenberg
Connect with Chris Batz:
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisbatz/
LinkedIn Company page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/columbus-street/
Columbus Street website: https://www.columbus-street.com/
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm
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