News

Teaching Law Students to Find Their Own Executive Presence

We’ve heard before that we should “dress for the job we want,” but it takes a lot more than a great suit to make a solid impression. It is a collection of factors that establish true “executive presence” (EP). Jessica Wood was pleased to weigh in on this topic at a recent Georgia Latino Law Foundation (GLLF) event focusing on establishing EP hosted by Mark Newman and his firm Troutman Sanders.
Coined by Kennedy Scholar and economist Sylvia Ann Hewlett, “executive presence” is an amalgam of qualities that true leaders exude, a presence that telegraphs you’re in charge or deserve to be. EP is a dynamic, cohesive mix of appearance, communication, and gravitas.”

Some people seem to have EP naturally, like Amal Clooney, Nelson Mandela, Oprah and Malala Yousafzai, but like anyone seeking to gain respect and be heard, they had to work to get to that point. It isn’t just about being bold either, those with true executive presence build others up too. They support their peers – particularly women and people of color who may be vulnerable – avoid destructive gossip, and model exemplary workplace behavior. Jessica and her fellow panelist, Sofia Bork of Hispanic Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs (HYPE), shared with the law students in attendance the actions they had taken to create their own EP.

Other topics discussed included how to give and accept compliments and constructive criticism, how to exceed expectations by establishing clear deliverables with law professors and partners, and ways to establish processes to impress others with authority, poise, reliability, and stability. Real life examples of how to accomplish this included:

• Visiting courthouses and other important venues in advance of important dates, to control logistics and enhance proactivity;
• Researching clients, opposing counsel, and the judge to identify points of commonality, work styles, and preferences;
• Creating more than one version of any speech or presentation, as well as videotaping and watching themselves with the sound on and off, to eliminate nervous tics and focus on nonverbal communication; and
• Adding value with comments and questions without undermining that value with throat-clearing expressions like, “this may be a stupid question, but….”

To round out the event, GLLF founder Ana Maria Martinez educated the entire group about proper dining etiquette to instill confidence during interview-based meals and other professional events. (Jessica learned more than she anticipated during this part of the event.)

If you are interested in learning more or having Jessica speak about executive presence with your organization, feel free to reach out.

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GLLF was created to increase diversity in the legal profession by supporting the Latino legal community pipeline. Participating law students attend events, work with individually assigned mentors, and they are eligible for prestigious fellowships.

National Sweden Day

Tom Rosseland, Principal and the Honorary Consul for the Kingdom of Sweden attended Sweden Day held at Magnolia Hall in Piedmont Park. The event was hosted by the Swedish American Chamber of Commerce – Georgia. Tom was a speaker at the event and discussed his Swedish background and his own connections with the community. The event also included a musical performance by Swedish singer Ulrika. Sweden Day hosted over 120 attendees and is the biggest Swedish National Day celebration in the southeast.

From left to right: Sara Persson, Executive Director, SACC-Georgia, Monica Enqvist, Head of Press, Information and Culture Department at Embassy of Sweden, and Tom Rosseland, Honorary Consul for the Kingdom of Sweden

Brian Bodker Moderates Association of Corporate Counsel’s Women’s Initiative Panel

Brian Bodker, Principal at Bodker, Ramsey, Andrews, Winograd & Wildstein, P.C., recently moderated the “Mending Fences: Recognizing and Learning How to Push Back on Gender Bias” panel discussion, presented by the Association of Corporate Counsel’s Women’s Initiative. Panelists included Dorian Denburg (Assistant Vice President – Senior Counsel, Technology Operations, AT&T), Joe Freeman (Vice President, Cox Enterprises, Inc.), and Wanda Morris (Assistant General Counsel, The Home Depot, Inc.). Other firm attendees included Cecilia Fly, Nora Robb, Harry Winograd, and Jessica Wood. The firm is proud to be a founding sponsor of the Association of Corporate Counsel’s Women’s Initiative and is committed to the future growth of this inclusive organization. To learn more about the Association of Corporate Counsel’s Women’s Initiative, please visit their website at https://bit.ly/2ID7xmO.

Tom Rosseland Attends 32nd Annual International VIP Tour

Tom Rosseland, Litigation Principal and Honorary Consul for the Kingdom of Sweden, recently participated in the 32nd Annual International VIP Tour sponsored by the Georgia Department of Economic Development. Tom and his colleagues from the Georgia Consular Corps visited many stops throughout Atlanta. Some points of interest included the Ron Clark Academy, Monday Night Garage, The Westside Beltline, Serenbe, The Porsche Experience Center, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Blackhall Studios, DeKalb County Economic Development, The Centers for Disease Control, and The Martin Luther King National Historical Park.

Click here to read more about the 32nd Annual International Georgia Consular Corps VIP Tour.

Jessica Wood on Law School Outreach Committee

As Co-Chair of the Atlanta Bar’s Law School Outreach Committee (LSOC), Jessica Wood helmed a panel presentation by judges to educate law students about staff attorney responsibilities. The Judicial and Litigation Sections of the Atlanta Bar co-hosted, along with the LSOC.

Jessica’s practice focuses on commercial litigation, including breach of fiduciary duty, contracts, employment, fraud, tortious interference, and trade secrets.

Jessica Wood to Receive Trailblazer Award

Jessica Wood will receive the Trailblazer Award from the Georgia Latino Law Foundation (“GLLF”) on April 11, 2018. The award is given to attorneys who are committed to the success of Latino law students and who support the mission of the Foundation. Jessica supports GLLF’s mission by mentoring GLLF law students and creating opportunities for them to attend mock job interviews, professional networking events, and Atlanta Bar activities. here.

Jessica’s practice focuses on commercial litigation, including business tort, contract, employment, and intellectual property issues. To learn more about Jessica and her practice, please click here.

Upcoming Alimony Changes and How It Affects You

Steve Andrews recently discussed the upcoming changes in alimony following divorce with Financial Advisor, Russ Thornton. These changes are part of the recent 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. You can access the full article here.

Steve Andrews is a principal in the Litigation Section at Bodker, Ramsey, Andrews, Winograd & Wildstein focusing his practice primarily family law and the litigation of estate, probate and trust cases. To learn more about Steve, you can access his full bio by clicking here.

Team Building With Breakout Atlanta

The entire staff at Bodker, Ramsey, Andrews, Winograd & Wildstein, P.C., went to Breakout Atlanta, a company specializing in escape room challenges, for a team building exercise. The staff had to come together as a team and use their problem solving skills to solve clues, with each clue leading closer to an escape. In the end, it was a great team building experience and the staff had a great time! To learn more about Breakout Atlanta, please visit www.breakoutgames.com.

Congratulations to Jessica Wood!

Many congrats to Jessica Wood for being named a 2018 Georgia Super Lawyer Jessica was also named to both Top 100 and Top 50 Women lists! Congratulations Jessica!

Seven Bodker, Ramsey, Andrews, Winograd & Wildstein, P.C. Attorneys Named 2018 Georgia Super Lawyers

Bodker, Ramsey, Andrews, Winograd & Wildstein, P.C. is honored to have seven attorneys from three different categories named 2018 Georgia Super Lawyers!

Brian D. Bodker – Business & Corporate
Timothy J. Ramsey -Business & Corporate
Harry J. Winograd – Business Litigation
Robert D. Wildstein – Business Litigation
Thomas Rosseland – Business Litigation
Jessica J. Wood – Business Litigation
Stephen C. Andrews – Family Law

You can view the full list here. Congratulations to ALL 2018 Super Lawyers!