Sue Covelli-Buntley and Poyee Chiu of UpSpiral Leadership interview Melissa Nelson and Angie Sebastian of Levenfeld Pearlstein, LLC, a unique and contribution-driven law firm that was born out of the desire to be different and make this world a better place.
[00:54] Introducing Melissa Nelson and Angie Sebastian
[05:18] Starting in the Legal Industry
[07:40] Every person matters
[12:16] How to make people feel valued and connected to each other
[18:59] The LP way and how it stood the test of time
[28:54] The Future of the LP Way
[36:22] Lighting Round: A Series of Brief Questions
Melissa works as the Director of Professional Development at LP. She got her master’s degree in Leadership and Organizational Development because she believed there were better ways to be a leader. After completing her master’s program, she began working in professional development in the legal industry.
Angie is the Chief Executive Officer at LP. She has her MBA, oversees the organization’s financial and operational functions, and is responsible for the execution of the firm-wide business plan. She considers herself so lucky to have been part of LP since almost the very first day and having created things that never previously existed.
Back then, their firm only had one thing in mind: the things they didn’t want to do. Angie says that it’s as valuable as knowing what to do. Twenty years later, they had come up with a great story and an impactful culture that engages and honors every person that’s part of the firm.
The LP Way has been going on for at least 10 years. Despite its age, it still holds value today and continues to drive business strategies and decisions. The LP Way helps everyone at LP be aligned.
The idea of the LP Way came from the very beginning and has borrowed inspiration from great business leaders. Despite bombarding the people at the start, the leaders at the firm did a great job of simplifying the LP Way into 5 steps that help people at LP understand what their role is, where their relationship is, and how they’re adding value. It was difficult to add or to amend concepts in the LP Way, says Angie. However, they found a strategy to make it work. They didn’t sell things as new. Instead, they made people understand that these are just parts of the pre-established steps. That’s how they prevented resistance.
According to Melissa, they are intentional about finding ways to develop their people and work through the challenges of today. Angie echoed that they embrace the circumstances and find new ways to execute and make it better.
When asked about the future, both women said that they are both excited for the new, emerging leaders at LP. They have developed a succession plan and are partnering with UpSpiral Leadership to prepare and empower these new leaders for the future. Angie emphasized the importance of establishing a path forward for the future leaders of the firm.
Learn more about Melissa Nelson and Angie Sebastian of Levenfeld Pearlstein, LLC by visiting their website. For more information on becoming an excellent leader, visit the Upspiral Leadership Website, and remember to tune in to our next episode.