VC20: LI11 Closing Session: Current Issues, Trends and Challenges Facing the Next Normal in the Business of Law

Stuart Dodds was one of the first and longest serving pricing and legal project management directors in the legal industry, first with Linklaters and most recently with Baker McKenzie. Previously, Dodds worked as a management consultant for 18 years in a variety of strategy, supply chain and procurement roles across many industry sectors. He is a sought-after speaker at conferences, extensively quoted in pricing and project management publications, and the author/editor of two books on legal pricing and project management (Smarter Pricing, Smarter Profit and Pricing on the Front Line, both published by the American Bar Association). Dodds is a Certified Pricing Professional (CPP) and is a Fellow of the College of Law Practice Management.

Jennifer Hill is President of JHill's Staffing Services, a Division of Marcum Search LLC. She began recruiting in 2003 and has recruited for top tier law firms and corporations throughout the United States. Hill also hosts a weekly radio show on LA Talk Radio, called "Get Yourself the Job," with more than 30,000 listeners a month, where she interviews experts and authors from around the world on the subject of landing one's dream job. Jennifer has earned a B.A. in Psychology from the University of California Irvine, and currently is a part of the Dean's Leadership Society with UCI.

Judy Hissong, CLM, PCC, is the President of Nesso Strategies, a law firm consultancy that speaks, trains and coaches on leadership. Hissong is a Certified Legal Manager and Professional Certified Coach. She is a Past President of the San Diego Chapter of ALA, the 2006 Annual Conference Chair, and currently serving the Association on the International Board of Directors.

Brenda Neckvatal, PHR, CHRS, is an award-winning HR professional and is often referred to as the "HR Force of Nature" by her clients. Not only does she help business leaders solve their most difficult people issues, she is a specialist in crisis management, government contracting HR compliance, and mentor to women in HR working in a HR department of one. Having the benefit of working for a total of five Fortune 500 companies, she converted her experience into a series of focused best practices helping small businesses achieve their workforce goals. In her 30 year career in human resources and business, she has consulted to nearly 500 small businesses and C-suite leaders. She has optimized employee effectiveness and helped mitigate the high costs that are associated with making hasty employment related decisions.

Neckvatal is a devoted volunteer in the Navy SEAL Community and finds new ways of supporting veterans of Naval Special Warfare. She dedicates 32 weeks a year working with The Honor Foundation to support the career transition of Special Forces personnel by providing them with her knowledge, insight, and creativity. Perseverance, integrity, and relentless optimism are just of the few of the ingredients that make up what you experience in Brenda's character.

Blane Prescott is a Consultant and the Managing Shareholder of MesaFive, LLC, a strategy and management consulting firm based in San Francisco. Prescott works with clients on a wide variety of management and strategy issues, including merger negotiations and assessments, partner compensation, economics, growth and restructuring. He is the author of more than 60 articles on law firm issues and was a Partner and Consultant with Hildebrandt International for more than 20 years. Additionally, he's served as the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer of large law firms based in the United States.

David Skinner is a Co-Founder of Gimbal and a certified Lean Six Sigma Sensei with more than 20 years' experience practicing law. Skinner spent more than 10 years in large, international law firms in Canada, Europe and the United Kingdom, then spent the second half of his career in-house in the venture capital and biopharmaceutical industries. Most recently, he was Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of a public company. He combines his profound understanding of the practice of law with the perspective he gained as a client to help lawyers improve their practice, performance and profitability. Skinner is a change management expert and a recognized leader in the application of Lean to the legal profession. Since founding Gimbal, he's facilitated successful improvement projects in law firms and legal departments across North America and taught Gimbal's unique LeanLegal® approach to over a thousand lawyers and legal professionals. He was a member of the Quebec Bar for 25 years and remains a member of the Bars of Massachusetts and New York.