Tools of the Trade

Tools of the Trade is a Mayer Brown podcast dedicated to topics they don't teach in law school. Each episode focuses with candor and humor on challenges that lawyers and other law firm professionals face in their daily work.

Tools of the Trade is a business podcast hosted by Mayer Brown, with 29 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Mayer Brown hosts Tools of the Trade, a business show with 29 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Tools of the Trade

  Why Great Collaborators Win

  Aug 20, 202617 min

  Dr. Heidi Gardner, a best-selling author and business advisor, joins Jon Van Gorp to discuss why intentional collaboration provides a competitive advantage in today's legal industry. Heidi reflects on her career path—from international study and management consulting to researching collaboration in professional services firms (01:12)—and explains why increasingly complex client challenges require lawyers to work across disciplines and perspectives (03:28). She also shares research demonstrating the performance benefits of strong internal networks (05:53), discusses how collaborative cultures can support successful AI adoption (09:30), and offers practical advice on proactive client service and the habits of highly effective collaborators (13:44).

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  Tools of the Trade

  Building a Legal Banking Career with Intention

  Jul 21, 202615 min

  In this episode, watch (and listen) as Jon Van Gorp talks with Mayer Brown alum Alanna Chang, who serves as US head of legal for corporate and institutional banking at HSBC. Alanna shares insights on emerging trends such as AI and digital assets, the importance of self-advocacy in large organizations, lessons learned from a career break, and practical strategies for effective leadership, negotiation, and long-term career growth. SHOW NOTES: 2:13 – Alanna discusses how AI and digital assets are transforming the banking industry 3:33 – Alanna discusses how different global markets are driving innovation 4:49 – Alanna advises on self-advocacy and making your accomplishments visible within a large organization 8:07 – Alanna speaks about what she learned from taking a two-year career break before returning to HSBC in a larger leadership role 11:44 – Jon and Alanna also discuss effective negotiation strategies and why successful lawyers focus on the bigger picture

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  Tools of the Trade

  Adapting, Learning, and Leading in the Cryptocurrency Industry

  Jun 2, 202615 min

  Tools of the Trade is now viewable! In the first video episode, watch (and listen) as Jon talks with Ryan VanGrack, vice president of legal and global head of litigation at the cryptocurrency exchange, Coinbase. Before joining Coinbase, Ryan worked in both the public and private sectors. He has served as general counsel at Citadel Securities, in addition to serving as senior advisor at the US Securities and Exchange Commission and White House attorney under President Barack Obama.

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  Tools of the Trade

  Andy Stewart Affirms the Importance of Mental Health

  Nov 19, 202519 minS0

  <p>Former Mayer Brown partner Andy Stewart joins Sally Davies for the next installment of Tools of the Trade's series on retirees. Andy, who retired in July 2025, reflects on his long legal career, which spanned more than 40 years. He began his journey with our legacy firm, Rowe & Maw, as an articled clerk in 1984 before becoming a Corporate & Securities partner in 1994. He also pioneered the London Corporate group's mentor scheme long before formal mentoring programs gained widespread acceptance. Tune in as Andy discusses his secondment experience (03:55), mental health in the legal industry (09:28) and advice for young professionals (14:02).</p>

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  Tools of the Trade

  Why You Should Call a Lawyer After a Cyber Incident

  Oct 10, 202517 minS0

  <p>Recognizing Cybersecurity Awareness Month, Jon welcomes Ana Bruder and Stephen Lilley, partners in Mayer Brown's Cybersecurity & Data Privacy practice, to the firm's Tools of the Trade podcast. The guests discuss why clients call Mayer Brown first after a cyber incident and the legal risks of breaches (2:05). Ana and Stephen outline regulatory reporting obligations and evolving regulator responses (5:54). The conversation shifts to law enforcement coordination and how companies engage the FBI or other authorities (9:24), before moving to the issue of responding to ransomware demands, legal considerations, and reputational impacts (11:45). The episode closes with advice on preventative steps such as spotting...

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