Legal Management Consultant

Often in-house corporate counsel has concerns about smaller, but potentially risky matters within their litigation portfolio. As an in-house National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) instructor at her firm where she was an equity partner, Sandy conducted deposition training for trial associates. Sandy has decades of hands-on experience in the following areas:

Let Sandy help you find factual gaps in your evidence, strategize motions practice with you and your outside counsel, assist in identifying potential early settlement opportunities and provide another viewpoint in assessing and determining trial readiness.

  • Outside counsel’s early case assessments and reasonableness of litigation budgets;

  • Fact and expert witness searches;

  • Non-testifying consultant selection and trial expert deposition preparation/strategy;

  • Evidentiary and dispositive motions strategy;

  • Conducting jury verdict research to help predict likely case outcomes and settlement ranges;

  • Preparing for mock trials with jury consultants;

  • Strategizing for voir dire, jury instructions and interrogatories;

  • Mediation briefs and settlement conference preparation.

Community Building

Sandy is a master builder of a close sense of community, both within an organization and also in brokering mutually beneficial partnerships with other like-minded, outside entities and stakeholders with shared goals. She is a skilled and persuasive liaison in pulling groups together to achieve a common cause.

As her peers make clear, Sandy knows how to bring about collaboration, foster cooperation and put plans for sustainability and growth into direct action. Her sharp intuition, creativity and strong interpersonal skills can help give you a fresh perspective and assist you in carrying out your goals.

Sandy is currently serving as the Chairperson of the Dartmouth Advocates for Reconciliation and Trust, a social justice subcommittee for her graduating Class. She was appointed by Class Officers and class members to lead in developing educational programs and curated resources on antiracism and anti-bias for members of the Dartmouth community. She was selected based on her unwavering truth and authenticity in tackling issues involving racism and bigotry in the communities where she lives and work and also in online groups she created focusing on antiracism work and equity for disenfranchised people.

The subcommittee reports to the College President and his leadership team at the end of the year. Under Sandy’s leadership, on May 5, 2021, Ijeoma Oluo, NYT and WSJ best-selling author of “So you want to talk about race” and “Mediocre: The Dangerous Legacy of White Male America,” delivered a keynote address at Dartmouth College as part of a virtual Book Club presentation. Sandy interviewed Ms. Oluo during a Q & A session for Dartmouth students, admitted students, parents, alumni, faculty and administrators.

Call Sandy to help you with the following:

  • Brainstorming ideas for creating, branding and promoting new community-based programs and partnerships where you live and work;

  • Developing concrete plans and strategies for supporting and increasing your company’s participation in existing community-based programs in your locale; and

  • Planning events and developing deeper relationships with other stakeholders and clients with shared goals around community work.

Corporate Education – DEI

Sandy is a well-recognized leader in the hiring, promotion and retention of Black people, people of color and women in the workplace. For Sandy, true equity and inclusion of marginalized and underrepresented people require more than just a performative “numbers game” and “checking the box” during hiring, with no further thought or consideration.

Sandy’s brand is authenticity. Her reputation among peers speaks for itself regarding her ability to create real, sustainable culture change throughout all layers of an organization.

Sandy is strategic and intentional about equitable work distribution and providing meaningful professional opportunities and promotional opportunities to marginalized people. She has proven abilities in building a true sense of belonging and community for marginalized people within organizations. She also knows how to build new organizations from the ground up, achieving buy-in and enthusiastic participation in the process.

Sandy is available to work with you, your team and your customers on issues such as Microaggressions, Cultural Competency, Cultural Appropriation, Cross-Cultural and Cross-Gender Mentoring.

  • Teaching monthly, in-depth workshops and webinars (currently offered only virtually, due to COVID);

  • Leading book club discussions and movie reviews;

  • Facilitating Lunch & Learn and Outside Speaker Series discussions on antiracism and anti-bias;

  • Assisting your Communications and Media teams with sensitive internal messaging on issues referring to and affecting marginalized groups.

Public Speaking

Sandy is a strong, in-demand public speaker, presenter and writer on both substantive legal issues and is often sought out for her advice on sustainable strategies for achieving inclusion and equity within organizations.

Sandy is a widely respected thought leader, well-known for her distinctive speaking and writing voice, and her honest and straightforward communication and presentation style. She is adept at reading the room, managing conflict and keeping people at the table, while simultaneously making sure to center and hold space for the most marginalized people in the room.

Sandy brings to the table hands-on professional experience as an equity partner in a major law firm and an in-house attorney and executive at a Fortune 35 company, accustomed to conducting training for employees in the United States, China and India.

Sandy also offers a wealth of specially curated educational resources, maintains a strong, supportive network and has built a loyal following across various communities because of the strength of her voice.

Sample topics that can be customized for you and your company include:

  • Recognizing Microaggressions and Naming Their Harmful Impact

  • White Supremacy, White Privilege and Systemic Racism

  • Reverse Racism Is Not Real

  • “Colorblindness” Is Not A Compliment

  • Implicit Bias in Performance Evaluations and Mentoring

Sandy is an experienced Legal Management Consultant, DEI Strategist and community builder.

She has tried to verdict, settled and managed large-scale, high-profile litigation matters in the U.S. and globally and navigated courtrooms across the country. Her skills include managing the worldwide litigation portfolio, electronic discovery and oversight of outside counsel for a Fortune 50 company. She had previously served as the Business Practices and Ethics executive for global Compliance for one of its business units, strategizing and personally conducting Audits and employee trainings within the United States, as well as in person trainings of hundreds of employees in India and China.

From personal experience working in high level positions in largely white spaces, Sandy also can contribute knowledge and proven successes in DEI planning, providing personal perspective that is necessary to genuinely change corporate culture at all levels. She is a skilled strategist, proven leader, social justice activist and changemaker who inspires others to build a strong sense of community and to take direct actions to promote antiracism and anti-bias in their own workplaces and communities.

Sandy is also a well-established and in-demand public speaker and event moderator on substantive legal issues, successful DEI strategies and positively impacting underrepresented communities where we live and work. She is a well-respected educator with a committed following and strong credibility in these areas.

Skills & Qualifications

Legal Management Consultant

Sandy now offers litigation management consulting services to small to medium corporate in-house law departments.

Educator of antiracism and anti-bias program

Sandy is well-recognized by her peers as a frontrunner in the areas of inclusion and equity.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Strategist

Recognized leader in the hiring, promotion and retention of Black people, people of color & women in the workplace through creating equitable professional opportunities and effective mentoring and sponsorship initiatives.

Professional Public Speaker

Experienced in both live and digital stages, Sandy connects with the audience to communicate and engage. Her brand for preparedness, even in brokering difficult discussions, is well-known and highly respected among her peers.

Facilitate Speakers for Your Events

Facilitating Lunch & Learn and Outside Speaker Series discussions on antiracism and anti-bias. Depending on your budget, Sandy is able to suggest additional outside speakers to help lead change within your organization.

Inclusive & Accessible Culture Builder

Assisting Communications/ Media teams with sensitive internal messaging on issues affecting marginalized groups. Microaggressions and insensitivity are sometimes encoded in internal messaging, causing serious harm and derailment, despite good intentions. Call Sandy for help with successfully communicating programs and initiatives meant to be inclusive and welcoming.