Erica Zolner Featured in Law.com "How I Made Law Firm Leadership" Series

Erica B. Zolner, 47, Equity Partner and Chair of Management Committee at Redgrave, Chicago, Illinois

Job title: Member, executive committee

Practice area(s): Litigation, e-discovery

Law school and year of graduation: Northwestern University School of Law, 2002

The following has been edited for style.

How long have you been at the firm?

I joined Redgrave in August 2021 and have been with the firm for over two and a half years.

How long were you a partner at the firm before being promoted to firm leadership?

I joined the firm as a partner and was promoted to equity partner and chair of the management committee in January 2023, a little less than a year and a half after joining Redgrave.

Were you a partner at another firm before joining your present firm? If so, which one? How long were you there and when did you leave?

I was a partner at Kirkland & Ellis before joining Redgrave. I spent close to 20 years at Kirkland, beginning my tenure as a summer associate (2001) and then serving as an associate (2002-2008) and a partner (2008-2021).

What year were you promoted to your current position?

I was promoted to equity partner and chair of the management committee at Redgrave in 2023.

Were there any surprises you faced after becoming a leader at the firm?

I wouldn’t characterize them as surprises, but I confronted several new challenges (and opportunities) when I became a leader at the firm. The most significant challenge was the shift in focus required by my new role. When you’re only focused on being a practitioner, your concerns are primarily on completing client-facing tasks. As a leader, your view has to be broader than just the work or individual client matters. While those are still important, my new role requires keen attention to the overall health and prosperity of the firm, strategic communication on how firm decisions and actions impact and benefit our people (and clients), and a holistic view of the marketplace.

I now have the opportunity to expand my reach to impact significant decisions for the entire business. I have also learned that with the increased responsibilities, I have also needed to ensure my communications with other firm leaders and employees have been sufficient and appropriate for the circumstances, and finding the right balance and tone is crucial, especially when handling sensitive business information and personnel decisions.

What’s been the biggest change, day-to-day, in your routine since becoming a leader at the firm?

Since stepping into a leadership role at the firm, the most noticeable change in my day-to-day routine has been the necessity for more creative time management and meticulous organization. I’ve had to carefully structure my day to ensure I manage my client work and client teams as well as attend to broader firm business needs without becoming a bottleneck for other client teams and practices. Being in a leadership role demands that you view your role as one of an overarching manager rather than an individual contributor. My day requires innovative approaches to effectively juggle various priorities, including firm recruitment, administrative tasks, financials and client needs.

What do you think was the deciding point for the firm in elevating you to your current position? Was it your performance on a specific case? A personality trait? Making connections with the right people?

The depth of my legal experience, my creative approach to litigation, my drive for excellence, and my attentive listening skills were significant contributing factors influencing the firm’s decision to promote me to my current role. I strive to communicate and connect with clients and colleagues on a level that allows me to understand their business, legal and development needs and to strategize effectively to reach identified goals. I also find it vital to embrace empathy to be an effective leader. My ability to connect with clients and colleagues genuinely has gifted me a certain amount of trust that the firm recognized as a valuable leadership trait.

I’m also tenacious, a strength that has influenced my path to leadership and informs how I navigate complex legal situations for clients and approach guidance and mentorship with my colleagues to secure the best possible outcomes.

How do you utilize technology to benefit the firm/practice and/or business development?

We leverage technology in various ways to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the firm’s internal collaboration and communication, which substantially benefits our client work and business development efforts. Microsoft Teams has revolutionized our ability to work jointly, providing real-time connectivity through chats and seamless document sharing. Teams has also streamlined communication within our firm, making staying connected and engaged on projects less cumbersome.

I also rely on technology to support my organizational efforts. I have found Microsoft OneNote integral to maintaining constant rolling notes for matters and facilitating easy access to information. OneNote allows me to streamline how and where I document my work, communications, and day, and it is a godsend for pivoting between priorities and projects.

Moreover, Redgrave has fully embraced remote work and operates as a virtual firm. By leveraging technology, we have established seamless workflows and communication channels that allow us to operate efficiently and effectively regardless of physical location. Platforms like Teams and Zoom have become instrumental in connecting with clients and prospects, allowing us to conduct meetings and presentations virtually.

Beyond these workplace tools, we also leverage substantial technologies to assist clients in facing discovery and investigation challenges. These include all manner of technology-assisted review and artificial intelligence tools in many flavors.

What advice would you give to someone whose goal is to ascend to firm leadership?

Ascending to firm leadership requires a multi-faceted approach to your career and your relationship and involvement with your firm. This means not solely focusing on client work or business development but having a holistic understanding of what makes a firm tick and succeed. Consider team dynamics, financial issues, administrative needs, and how you need to grow and evolve to handle these responsibilities. Understand the culture and ensure that you are aligned, for you need to be genuine about your excitement to be a leader, and that will only happen if you know that you “fit” within the firm.

Identify your strengths and weaknesses to pinpoint areas for focus and improvement. Commit to steering your life and career towards leadership, consistently seeking growth and eyeing opportunities for your and the firm’s development. Remain adaptable and ready to pivot quickly if the firm needs to change direction. Effective leadership requires a willingness to tackle challenges, have hard conversations, and make tough decisions to improve the firm’s future. And don’t be afraid to fail from time to time, as long as you know that you will get back up with the help of your colleagues and friends.

Who had the greatest influence in your career that helped propel you to your leadership role? 

Donna Welch, partner at Kirkland & Ellis, has immensely influenced my career. Donna was one of the first colleagues I worked with at Kirkland, and she was not afraid to challenge my abilities as a junior lawyer. With her guidance, I stepped into roles that were indeed trial by fire, and I cannot thank her enough for having the confidence and trust to give me these opportunities. Donna does not operate from a scarcity frame of mind, and she reaches down to help others up the ladder rather than pull it up behind her.

Donna represented the type of lawyer and leader I strove to be and was integral in encouraging my development and growth. She also helped me realize that leadership was a path I wanted to take. I am continually inspired by her advice, leadership style, and impressive ability to handle tricky arguments, think through litigation themes, and do everything possible to be prepared for trial.

I have also admired Jonathan Redgrave, partner at Redgrave, for many years. I’ve watched what he has done to develop the field of e-discovery, and while at Kirkland, I had the opportunity to work with him and see his expertise in action. His ability to navigate complex technology and litigation issues inspired me to focus my practice in the field of information law.

Knowing what you know now, if you had a chance to advise or mentor your younger self (at any stage), what advice would you give to yourself and/or what would you do differently?

The advice that comes to mind is “don’t panic.” Everyone makes mistakes, and mistakes can be fixed. It is natural to sweat the small stuff, especially as a junior lawyer. The early-career realization that things will go wrong, however, is vital to developing the fortitude to quickly pivot and navigate issues back on course.

Do you have a prediction on how the legal industry will evolve over the next several years?

Regarding legal industry diversity, I think we will see a remarkable change in women assuming leadership roles at firms. There are continued calls for more seats for women at the table, and we will gain more significant momentum, especially as existing women leaders continue to advocate for each other and support the mentorship and development of other women lawyers into leadership roles.

In terms of changes related to litigation, we will see increased discovery-related issues, technology implications, and bigger bet-the-company litigation, which will, in turn, make litigation more challenging, painful, and time-consuming. With this future looming, the defense bar must continue to advocate for rule changes and utilize our voice to benefit our clients.

What is the one behavior or trait that you have seen derail more leaders’ careers?

Scarcity complex—leaders who are not leading because they hoard the work, praise, and client relationships for themselves. Successful leaders need to view work through the team lens; those who do not do this will set their ceiling and effectively derail their careers. As leaders, we need to promote the skills and talent of those around us and spread the wealth of work and relationships. Being a good leader means promoting and supporting the entire team for success, praise and a good reputation.

Please share with us any firm or industry initiatives that you are working on as well as the impact you hope to achieve.

As a leader of a majority women-owned and women-managed law firm, I actively promote initiatives that advance the skills and excellence of women lawyers at the firm and in the legal field. Redgrave also focuses on advancing career opportunities for women professionals with technical and scientific backgrounds. Supporting and participating in legal organizations advocating for women lawyers is also vitally important. I have been heavily involved with the National Association of Women Lawyers for several years.

Increasing diversity in leadership roles should be a constant focus for law firms and industry organizations across the board. I hope my work navigating this path at Redgrave has a positive and inspiring impact on both the legal and technology industries.

What career advice do you wish more people would ask you? (e.g., ”if you just listened to me you could have…”)

I wish more people would ask, “How do you think I could continue to improve on my ‘x’ (e.g., skillset, writing, business development, networking skills, etc.).” Asking pointed questions that will impact your development as a lawyer and your future potential as a law firm leader will have immense benefits. There are so many elements of being a lawyer that are not learned in law school, so I encourage people to ask questions, focus early on relationship development, and devote time to understanding their clients and asking them what makes them tick or what are persistent problems. Putting in the effort to get to know people—colleagues, clients, and industry contacts—will do wonders in building a professional network that will lead to increased opportunities in your legal career.

As a law firm leader, what impact would you like to have on your firm and/or the legal industry as a whole?

As a leader at my firm, I want to influence colleagues to approach complex problems in novel yet practical ways. This means looking at issues from a holistic perspective, dissecting them to produce meaningful and straightforward solutions, and communicating these insights and solutions to clients efficiently and directly to be beneficial from both a legal and business perspective.

Regarding the legal industry as a whole, I encourage the defense bar to speak up early and often on rule changes that could benefit clients and organizations. Being involved in organizations that advocate for and promote having a say in federal and local rules is a unique ability of our field. We can have a direct hand in the direction of our practice, but it is on us to proactively take that opportunity by the reins and be a voice for change. We must ensure the continued promotion of what is important to our clients and the evolution of the legal field.