Vista Law Firm Leadership Summit returns June 22-23, 2023.
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Privacy PolicyWith Thomas J. Giordano, Jr., city smarts and hustle meet suburban polish and finesse.
It’s how a fresh-faced workers’ compensation attorney who put 100,000 miles on a car with a 36,000-mile lease by driving to court appearances across Pennsylvania became a seasoned attorney fighting for the injured and disabled, and later, a founding partner of Pond Lehocky Giordano, the largest workers’ compensation and disability law firm in Pennsylvania.
Today, Tom oversees the firm’s day-to-day operations. His responsibilities include managing the firm’s attorneys to ensure they’re zealously advocating for clients and securing the best legal results possible for them; making sure staff members provide world-class client service and are empathetic when clients tell them their stories; reaffirming that the firm’s culture supports and encourages its attorneys and staff members to be the best they can be; and seeing to it that the firm’s marketing reaches and educates injured and disabled people in need of legal representation.
(With Tom’s efforts, Pond Lehocky Giordano has become renowned within the national legal community for its operations and marketing know-how.)
Grace Montealegre is the Vice President of Marketing for Persist Communications as well as the Vice President of Marketing for Gacovino & Lake Law Firm. Grace has over 15 years of experience in legal marketing with over 20 years of experience in marketing as a whole. She started with import and export law and has primarily focused on personal injury and mass tort law for the last 5 years.
Edward J. Lake is a founding partner of Gacovino and Lake since 1993 and the founding partner of The Lake Law Firm. Mr. Lake grew up working in the garment center in New York City. While learning the various aspects of running a clothing manufacturer, he gained the experience and skills that would ultimately pave the way for founding and running one of the largest Mass Tort practices in the country.
Mr. Lake earned his Bachelor of Science from the University of Maryland in College Park, and then he went on to hold several sales and marketing positions in the high-technology and manufacturing industries. After approximately ten years, Mr. Lake enrolled in the Jacob B. Fuchsburg School of Law at Touro College in Huntington Long Island, New York. While attending, he served on the staff of the Law Review and was presented the prestigious Jacob B. Fuchsburg Oral Advocate Award.
Today, under Mr. Lake’s leadership, The Lake Law Firm co-counsels with large and small firms across the nation and has played a significant role in building one of the nation’s largest mass tort portfolios. Mass torts the firm is currently working on include: 3M military earplugs, hernia mesh, CPAP, talcum powder, Zantac, firefighting foam (AFFF), infant formula, Paraquat and Roundup.
Rob Levine has three passions in life: serving others, building businesses, and the practice of law. At 16 years old, Rob started as a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician for the Glen Rock Ambulance Corps. Rob went on to serve in the Rhode Island Army National Guard as a military police officer. He then became a police officer for the city of Central Falls after earning his bachelor’s degree from Salve Regina University. Rob also became a nationally registered paramedic, working for
various rescue squads over the years and continuing to work as a ski patroller today.
After earning his law degree from Roger Williams University School of Law, Rob opened his own law practice with then-partner, Anthony Gemma. Rob also served as in-house counsel for Gem Plumbing and Heating. Rob sat on the board of directors with five others. Over the next seven years, they grew the company from 50 employees and 5 million in revenue to 300 employees and 40 million in revenue.
During this time, the law practice continued to grow. After seven years of dividing his time working as in-house counsel for Gem Plumbing and Heating and running the law practice, Rob decided to solely focus on the growth of the law firm.
At that time, the law firm focused on personal injury, as well as a real estate title and closing company with approximately 30 employees. In the last 13 years, Rob has expanded the law firm to handle personal injury and medical malpractice in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut as well as social security and veteran’s disability as a nationwide practice. The law firm now has 130 employees and continues to grow.
Ten years ago, Rob formed the company now known as Records on Time, a medical record retrieval company originally designed to serve the clients of Rob Levine & Associates. Records on Time has built a proprietary software platform that integrates 100% with law firms’ case management systems, allowing the paralegal to never leave the case management system while Records on Time pulls the record request, delivers the records OCRed, as well as case expenses, retrieval fees, and notes directly into the case management system—saving the law firm time and money.
Ari P. Kornhaber is a Founder, EVP, and the Head of Corporate Development for Esquire Bank. Ari is a former trial lawyer who represented plaintiffs in personal injury and medical malpractice cases in NY and mass tort litigations nationally. Ari left the practice of law to follow his entrepreneurial spirit and focus on helping lawyers run their law firms like a business and grow. Having lived the life of a trial lawyer who has tried cases to verdict, coupled with being a financial service provider to the legal community for more than 20 years, Ari has a rare perspective, a deep understanding and a wealth of knowledge and experience servicing the unique financial issues of contingency fee lawyers. Ari can often be found on stage presenting at trial lawyer association conferences and seminars across the country and abroad, or online presenting on webinars, webcasts, and podcasts.
Most people who meet attorney Ben Glass come to know him as a father of nine children, four of them adopted from China, a small business advocate, a non-profit and charity supporter, and a soccer referee – in addition to being one of the top-reviewed attorneys in the area (see him on Avvo and Google).
Born and raised in Annandale, Virginia, Ben has spent his career practicing law in the courtrooms throughout Virginia and beyond. A recognized expert among his peers, lawyers travel from around the country to be trained by Ben and his team in the Ben Glass Center for Growth and Innovation.
Ben is a nationally recognized business and life coach who has been featured on numerous podcasts because of his “Live Life Big,” and is the host of the Renegade Lawyer podcast.
Ciera Parks is a Human Resources Executive with 15 years of experience working in higher education, manufacturing, nonprofits, cannabis, e-commerce, and technology. Ciera advises and partners with businesses on their HR needs to develop strategies that improve workplace culture through customized alignment and training. She has a proven track record of success in developing people strategies that drive performance, improve efficiency, and increase profitability. On top of this, Ciera is well-versed in building effective organizational structures and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) topics.
Ciera’s professional accomplishments in the human resources field include a Master’s Degree in Human Resources Development and a Certification from the Society for Human Resources Management. Ciera has also been elected as The Community Involvement Director and Professional Development Chair for two of Amazon’s employee resource groups (ERGs), been selected as the Director for Diversity & Inclusion by CHRA, and is the President of neXco’s National Cannabis Chapter. These honors are a result of her commitment to leadership and skill development for all workforce populations.
Ever since Merril Hoge was eight-years-old, he dreamed of being a professional football player. Growing up in a small town in Idaho, the goal seemed unrealistic. But Merril didn’t just dream about this goal. From that young age, he used the words “Find A Way” to take action to overcome any obstacle and to attain any goal. In 1987, Merril made his childhood dream a reality when he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he played until 1993 and led the team in rushing and receiving in four of his first five years, setting a record in his third year for receptions by a running back. He is one of only two Steelers players to rush for more than 100 yards in back-to-back playoff games. He was the Steelers Iron Man of the Year two years in a row (1989 and 1990) and was named to the All-Madden team in 1989. Merril joined ESPN in 1995 as a football analyst and sideline reporter. He has since served as a host and analyst for a wide variety of ESPN programs.
In 2003, the habits and mindset that Merril formulated throughout his childhood and carried into adulthood, helped him Find A Way to overcome the ultimate challenge – cancer. Merril took on chemotherapy with the same tenacity that got him to the NFL and beat it. Through the difficult moments, Merril found inspiration, and on July 2, 2003, Merril was cancer-free. Merril loved playing in the NFL and loves working at ESPN but what he cherishes most is being a dad. He has used his Find a Way philosophy to become a better parent and to challenge his kids to take ownership for their lives.
Capping a twenty-five-year career in which he served as chief marketing officer and executive vice president, Scott Miller currently serves as FranklinCovey’s special advisor on thought leadership, leading the strategy, development, and publication of the firm’s bestselling books and thought leadership. Miller hosts the FranklinCovey-sponsored On Leadership with Scott Miller, the world’s largest and fastest-growing weekly leadership podcast, reaching more than six million people. Miller also authors a leadership column for Inc.com, hosted the weekly iHeartRadio show Great Life, Great Career with Scott Miller, and hosts and moderates FranklinCovey’s Bookclub.com series with world-renowned authors.
Miller is the author of the multivolume Mess to Success series, including Management Mess to Leadership Success: 30 Challenges to Become the Leader You Would Follow, Marketing Mess to Brand Success: 30 Challenges to Transform Your Organization’s Brand (and Your Own). He is the coauthor of the Wall Street Journal bestseller Everyone Deserves a Great Manager: The 6 Critical Practices for Leading a Team and the author of the Amazon #1 Bestseller Master Mentors: 30 Transformative Insights from Our Greatest Business Minds, which features insights from his interviews with the leading thinkers of our time, including Seth Godin, Susan Cain, General Stanley McChrystal, and many others.
Connie Podesta is a game-changing, revenue-building, sales-generating ball of fire whose rare blend of laugh-out-loud comedy, killer take-away strategies, and interactive, no-power-point delivery style have made her one of the most unique and memorable speakers on the stage today. 25 years. Two million people. 1,000 organizations. Hall of Fame speaker. Award-winning author. Seven books. Former Radio/TV personality. Therapist. Expert on the psychology of sales, leadership, change, accountability, and engagement. Amazing ROI. Plus (what we all could probably use in today’s crazy world )… a Comedienne.
Kendall joined the Vista Team in 2022 as an Operations Consultant. With a keen eye for operations optimization, she specializes in areas such as intake, client touch points, and departmental organization/structure.
Kendall has worked in the personal injury realm for the last seven years, serving as the Firm Administrator and later the Director of Office Operations for a prestigious plaintiff firm in North Carolina. There her leadership mission was to implement solid systems and processes that created an optimal client experience, encouraged firm growth, and expanded the firm’s reach. Prior to becoming the Firm Administrator, Kendall created, developed, and managed the firm’s intake department. Her deep expertise in all aspects of a successful personal injury law firm will help her guide Vista clients toward new levels of growth.
Bill joined the Vista Team in 2022 as a Culture Architect | Leadership Strategist. Bill is also serving as the CEO of Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers and is considered one of the nation’s most innovative thinkers in law firm leadership. His unique perspective on culture and ability to inspire and multiply leaders has created a movement reshaping firms across the country. He is the founder of the Law Firm Leadership Summit, host of the Transforming The Culture of Law Podcast, limited engagement consultant to select firms, and is relentlessly committed to spreading his message of Love Your People & Demand High Performance as a platform for organizational success. He is also the President of Biggs & Associates serving high value sports professionals and franchises as a brand and messaging strategist. His distinguished client list includes Heisman Trophy winners, NFL HOFers, NBA champions, Olympians, and many of the top teams in college and professional sports. Bill is a Phi Kappa Phi graduate of Texas A&M University and completed his executive training through the CORe program at Harvard Business School.
He lives in College Station, Texas, with his beautiful wife, two sons, and a herd of dogs.
Tim co-founded Vista Consulting in 2009, along with his partner Chad Dudley. Vista’s aim was to help plaintiff law firms reach their full potential. In December 2017, Tim acquired Chad’s interest in Vista. Tim and Chad remain very close friends to this day! Tim has decades of CPA experience with local, regional, and national CPA firms. However, it is through Tim’s prior consulting practice that he found his passion. He has worked with many business owners, assisting them with defining and attaining success in their business and personal lives. Developing a management philosophy with business owners along with the associated systems and processes that assist in delivering outstanding management to Vista’s client teams is Tim’s forté.
Dr. Heather Carroll holds a Doctor of Business Administration in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. She specializes in areas such as job satisfaction, motivation, burnout, and organizational commitment, particularly as these workplace factors apply to the legal industry.
During her nearly 20 years of legal experience, she has held many roles from Case Manager, to Litigation Paralegal, to HR Manager, to Firm Operations Administrator. The majority of Dr. Carroll’s legal experience has been in the area of personal injury. However, she began her legal career at a labor union by assisting in the negotiations of a new collective bargaining agreement between a major US airline and their pilot group. It was through that experience that her interest in team and operational matters, within a legal setting, took root. Many years, and a doctorate, later helping legal teams thrive through increased operational efficiency is her passion.
Dr. Carroll resides outside the Seattle/ Tacoma area of Washington currently. She is a military spouse and a mom of three.
Ryan joined the Vista team in 2014 as a Programmer. He has more than fifteen years of experience working in various finance and accounting roles with a strong background in IT and management information systems. Ryan codes in Visual Basic and is an expert with all Microsoft products. He works closely with Vista’s Operations Consultants to build out custom dashboards for our clients. These dashboards become integral in our clients’ success. Ryan is skilled at assessing and understanding our clients’ requirements and translating those into clear and concise reporting tools that allow our clients to improve firm operations.
Mary Ellen Murrah joined the Vista Team in 2019. Prior to joining Vista, Mary Ellen spent more than 16 years managing and marketing a national, legal case management software company. That position introduced her to thousands of personal injury law firms across the country. She was a familiar face at annual legal events and a frequent voice on topics ranging from legal marketing to data integrity. Over the years, she’s forged meaningful relationships with legal vendors, which has provided keen insight on almost every corner of the legal industry. She is skilled in identifying law firm business improvement opportunities and brings her extensive operations, team management, and industry knowledge to the Vista team. Mary Ellen has a true passion for tackling projects with common sense management. Her eye for detail, human resources experience, and deep operations skills are an asset to help law firms grow their businesses and help attorneys foster and maintain efficient, profitable practices.
Pam joined the Vista Team in 2020 as an Operations Consultant. She began her career more than twenty years ago at a personal injury law firm where she served as Law Firm Administrator for close to a decade. In that role, she became intimately familiar with the nuances of personal injury firms and developed a keen eye for improvement and success. She then took her passion for data management and effective processes to a national, legal case management software company. There, she worked with hundreds of law firms across the country to help them implement a new system that allowed them to collect and analyze their data and institute seamless workflows. She then transitioned to the role of Training Director for a large personal injury firm where she served as project manager for a massive data conversion and software platform shift. Ultimately, she yearned to get back to her roots, traveling the country, meeting thousands of attorneys and team members, and helping them transform their business.
Stephanie joined the Vista Team in 2009 as an Operations Consultant. She brings her knowledge and experience in management and operational excellence to our team. Prior to joining Vista, Stephanie spent twelve years working for insurance claims departments and five years as a Chief Operations Officer of a multi-office, northeast, personal injury firm. She is admitted to practice law in Connecticut, New York, and Tennessee. Stephanie utilizes her experience to assist Vista clients in implementing tried and true solutions in law firm operations. She is an innovative thinker who can apply solutions to clients’ specific circumstances. Stephanie has a knack for assisting COO’s and Office Managers in challenging situations. She has polished coaching techniques and is skilled at helping her clients work through the decision-making process. She is extremely thorough, exhibits strong communication skills, and partners with key client personnel in delivering systems and accountability that drives results.
Terri joined the Vista Team in 2018 as an Operations Consultant. After joining a large, multistate law firm in 2004 as a front desk receptionist, Terri quickly realized that her passion for serving others was best utilized in the personal injury firm setting. She developed a love for the legal field. Terri’s passion and desire to understand all aspects of a personal injury case resulted in several promotions to Senior Legal Assistant. In 2015, Terri was selected to join a brand new personal injury firm as Senior Legal Assistant and Office Manager. In this new role, Terri was able to utilize her dedication to the profession and years of experience to help this firm quickly become one of the premier small firms in her hometown. Terri looks forward to helping personal injury firms meet their growth goals.
Amanda Hankins joined Vista Consulting Team in 2017, bringing more than two decades of intimate experience working in personal injury law firms. Amanda’s career at a large, multistate law firm took her from Receptionist to Legal Assistant to Intake Supervisor to Medical Treatment Coordinator. This experience in working in every department of a personal injury firm serves her clients exceptionally well. She’s been there, she knows the struggles, and she knows how to drive progress. She also has experience working with one of the largest medical funding companies as a Business Development Manager. She has a true passion for customer service and loves working with law firms to teach them all avenues of keeping client satisfaction as a top priority.
