Introduction: 1:09
- Introducing Junna Ro, Former General Counsel and Compliance Officer at Metromile
Taking a break from legal work and reflecting: 2:22
- Understanding the importance of taking a break.
- Reconnecting with your family.
- Meeting other lawyers of Korean heritage living across the world.
- What to do when you have no job title.
- The value of community building.
Book recommendations: 9:23
- Recognizing that passion doesn’t develop overnight.
Sharing the cultural context of your upbringing: 12:11
- Growing up in a traditional Korean household in San Francisco.
- Experiencing discrimination from an early age.
Existing as both a legal outsider and a legal insider: 15:16
- Overcoming personal challenges and upbringing.
- Lacking the same connections and role models as your law school peers.
- The importance of representation and normalizing Asian women in leadership roles.
Finding the courage to speak up in high-pressure moments: 17:34
- Holding a strong position when you disagree with your boss.
- Valuing corporate compliance over business-friendly attitudes.
- Refusing to sacrifice your integrity.
- Speaking up more and taking up more space.
- Overcoming the voices in your head that tell you to speak up.
Defining the difference between ethics and compliance in legal: 23:16
- Establishing compliance guidelines in a highly regulated industry.
- Maintaining a strong control environment.
- Building an ethical corporate culture where people feel comfortable speaking up.
- Developing a passion for diversity and inclusion.
- Creating a culture of integrity from the top.
Moving into a General Counsel position at Metromile: 26:49
- Asking the question, “Why not me?”
- Finding an employer committed to change, innovation, transparency, and fairness.
- The power of a strong corporate generalist.
- Steering the ship in a start-up or small company.
Taking a stand against asian hate: 33:55
- Leading a listening session to respond to nationwide tragedies.
- Seeing the importance of a leader who recognizes the impacts of trauma.
- Sharing your thoughts so others can share them too.
- Allowing young lawyers to see someone who likes like her in a leadership role.
Advising executive teams on taking a stand on social issues: 39:23
- Deciding who you are as a company and what your values are.
- Examining what is at the core of who you really are and what you believe in.
- Making sure all of the right people are present at the table.
Offering advice to leaders about tackling difficult topics: 44:16
- Leaning in to your convictions and having the courage to do the right thing.
Reflecting on failures: 44:56
- Discovering the futility of chasing titles and promotions without any personal reflection
- Making sure to avoid burn-out.
Advice for young lawyers: 46:56
- Leaving yourself open to taking non-linear career paths
- Recognizing that the law is not always right and the importance of advocating for change
- Giving back to the community with your legal skills.
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