B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes
B.S.: Beyond Stereotypes--hosted by Merle Vaughn, National Law Firm Diversity Practice Leader and a partner recruiter for Major, Lindsey & Africa--explores the unique, inspiring and often unbelievable personal and professional stories and experiences of highly successful lawyers and legal professionals. Whether it’s someone with an unusual side gig or a passion for something out of the ordinary, Merle encourages them to share their authenticity with the world.
Episodes
March 29, 2025 • 46 mins
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 Bow...
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March 9, 2025 • 52 mins
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 h...
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February 8, 2025 • 46 mins
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...
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January 24, 2025 • 50 mins
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.
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October 14, 2024 • 60 mins
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 ad...
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September 16, 2024 • 61 mins
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.
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August 19, 2024 • 63 mins
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.
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June 17, 2024 • 59 mins
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 June...
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May 20, 2024 • 57 mins
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.
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April 15, 2024 • 53 mins
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 critic...
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March 18, 2024 • 64 mins
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.
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February 19, 2024 • 57 mins
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.
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January 15, 2024 • 51 mins
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 cultura...
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November 20, 2023 • 53 mins
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, mak...
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October 16, 2023 • 55 mins
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.
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September 18, 2023 • 56 mins
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 cont...
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July 17, 2023 • 49 mins
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 h...
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June 19, 2023 • 49 mins
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 margina...
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May 15, 2023 • 46 mins
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.
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April 18, 2023 • 51 mins
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...
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