Explore every episode of the podcast Compliance Chronicles with Liisa Thomas

Chief Legal Office Lori Baggett shares her journey from small‑town Florida to Big Law litigator to CLO at PODS, a national moving and storage company. In this 11th Episode of Compliance Chronicles, she talks with host Liisa Thomas about what really changes when you move from law firm partner to in‑house counsel and ultimately into the chief legal officer role.

Lori describes her path from Division I basketball player to clerk on the Eleventh Circuit, to 18 years at a prestigious firm where she built a practice in employment law, construction, and OSHA workplace safety—while also taking on leadership roles like hiring partner and office managing shareholder.

A central theme is the identity shift that comes with going in‑house. She contrasts the law firm environment, where everything is organized around selling your legal services, with the in‑house world, where the focus is on being a business person with a law degree, not “the lawyer” in the corner office.

Lori and Liisa dig into how to avoid being seen as “the department of no” and instead become a trusted partner who helps the business get to yes. Lori shares how she learned to make sure she’s invited to the right meetings, build credibility with business colleagues, and communicate that her job is to help them achieve their goals in a safe, compliant way. She talks about mentors who modeled calm, unflappable leadership and taught her when to push, when to listen, and how to stay steady in chaos.

The conversation tackles people leadership and feedback as ongoing challenges, no matter the setting. Lori discusses learning to give and receive constructive feedback, advocate for yourself, and live out her personal mantra: “Do no harm, but take no stuff.” She emphasizes the importance of standing up for your needs—whether that’s feedback, mentorship, or opportunities—while still being a supportive leader for your team and partners.

Operationally, Lori shares how she thinks about building systems that set people up to do the right thing. She talks about looking at leadership workloads, time and motion studies, and the realistic number of hours in a workday when designing compliance and safety expectations. Instead of endlessly adding to the plate of field leaders, she emphasizes prioritization, clarity, and creating structures that make compliance achievable rather than overwhelming.

Lori also offers a powerful mindset shift around blame and mistakes. She explains why she reminds herself that people don’t wake up wanting to do a terrible job at work; most are trying their best within the systems and information they have. That perspective leads her to “link arms” with colleagues, use “we” language, and focus on understanding why something happened before Monday‑morning quarterbacking. She shares her belief that each of us is “one of one,” and that careers get better when we own who we are instead of trying to fit someone else’s mold. For those earlier in their journey, she encourages patience: you will find your “sea legs,” and staying true to yourself will help you find the spaces that are truly the right fit.

If you’re a law firm partner thinking about moving in‑house, an aspiring general counsel or chief legal officer, or a compliance and risk leader looking for inspiration on how to be a better business partner, this episode offers candid insight and practical takeaways.

If you enjoy this conversation, make sure to subscribe to Compliance Chronicles in your favorite podcast app and follow the show so you don’t miss future episodes on privacy, AI, internal audit, and real‑world compliance leadership.

In this episode of Compliance Chronicles, our 10th, Kam Dodge, an in‑house leader with roots in Northwestern SESP’s Learning and Organizational Change program, explains why privacy and compliance are non‑negotiable in heavily regulated industries and introduces his “rubber balls vs. glass balls” framework for prioritizing risk. He shares how to use simple expected‑value thinking (likelihood x impact) to communicate 8‑ and 9‑figure exposure in language that boards and business leaders understand.

You’ll hear how Kam:

• Looks for opportunities to showcase strong compliance
• Builds partnerships with CTOs and CIOs by being willing to ask “basic” questions
• Uses a straightforward test: does this outcome match what a reasonable customer would expect if you explained it at the dinner table?

This episode is ideal for in‑house counsel, privacy and compliance professionals, and leaders in financial services and other highly regulated sectors who want practical, business‑savvy ways to manage risk and strengthen customer trust.

If you enjoy this conversation, make sure to subscribe to Compliance Chronicles in your favorite podcast app and follow the show so you don’t miss future episodes on privacy, AI, internal audit, and real‑world compliance leadership.

In episode nine of Compliance Chronicles, we learn from Deb Sokol the importance of embracing the gray and look at the evolving nature of compliance. Deb shares her compliance journey and lessons she's learned along the way.

If you enjoy this conversation, make sure to subscribe to Compliance Chronicles in your favorite podcast app and follow the show so you don’t miss future episodes on privacy, AI, internal audit, and real‑world compliance leadership.

In our eight episode, we are joined by Rebecca Hanovice, who shares her journey to privacy leadership. She highlights the importance of community and support in the field of privacy compliance.

Takeaways include:

• The constant evolution of privacy law
• Building relationships with the business
• Importance of community and support

  If you enjoy this conversation, make sure to subscribe to Compliance Chronicles in your favorite podcast app and follow the show so you don’t miss future episodes on privacy, AI, internal audit, and real‑world compliance leadership.

In episode seven, Mark Jaffe shares his journey into compliance, the importance of saying yes to opportunities, the long game of compliance, risk management, ethical decision making, lessons in compliance management, and career development and growth in the compliance space.

Takeaways

• Saying yes to new challenges and opportunities is important for career growth.
• Compliance is a journey, and it's important to focus on the long game and risk management.

If you enjoy this conversation, make sure to subscribe to Compliance Chronicles in your favorite podcast app and follow the show so you don’t miss future episodes on privacy, AI, internal audit, and real‑world compliance leadership.

In our latest episode, we talk to Jill Cusack about her journey as a compliance professional. She shares common challenges faced in the field and gives valuable advice for those just starting out.

In this episode of Compliance Chronicles, we delve into the evolution of business and compliance and the importance of engaging business teams in compliance efforts.

Key takeaways include the concept of compliance as everyone's job and the criticality of solid market identification.

Donna Del Greco, Vice President of Legal Services at SciPlay Games, shares her journey and insights into the privacy compliance space. The conversation covers her introduction to the privacy world, the challenges in navigating privacy compliance, and key advice for privacy compliance professionals.

Takeaways

• Data Privacy and Compliance
• Challenges in Privacy Compliance

  If you enjoy this conversation, make sure to subscribe to Compliance Chronicles in your favorite podcast app and follow the show so you don’t miss future episodes on privacy, AI, internal audit, and real‑world compliance leadership.

The conversation with Katie Witt covers her journey from internal audit to privacy and compliance, the skills transition from audit to privacy compliance, and the challenges and advice for navigating the compliance journey. Katie shares insights on identifying noise and important developments, balancing methodical approach with risk, and the importance of building a network within the compliance field.

Takeaways

• Transitioning from audit to privacy compliance
• Balancing methodical approach with risk

If you enjoy this conversation, make sure to subscribe to Compliance Chronicles in your favorite podcast app and follow the show so you don’t miss future episodes on privacy, AI, internal audit, and real‑world compliance leadership.

How do you turn a “strange path” through the Navy, fraud risk, and call centers into a successful career as a bank privacy officer and compliance leader? In this episode of Compliance Chronicles, Liisa Thomas sits down with Mike Smith, Privacy Officer at Wintrust and former HSBC leader, to unpack how he built a wide‑angle view of risk, regulation, and real‑world data use.

Mike shares how running a centralized privacy project pulled him into the field, why adding the CRCM and broader regulatory compliance responsibilities changed his career ceiling, and how he thinks about the line between smart data use and “creepiness” in financial services. You’ll hear honest reflections on burnout, finding new energy in a fast‑moving regulatory landscape, and the importance of picturing a real person at the other end of the data—whether that’s your own family member or your most vulnerable customer.

Perfect for: privacy and compliance professionals in banking and financial services, aspiring CPOs, and anyone considering a move from fraud, risk, or operations into data privacy.

If you enjoy this conversation, make sure to subscribe to Compliance Chronicles in your favorite podcast app and follow the show so you don’t miss future episodes on privacy, AI, internal audit, and real‑world compliance leadership.

What does it look like to build a global ethics and compliance career from the ground up? In this episode of Compliance Chronicles, Liisa Thomas talks with Keikoh Park, former Vice President and Head of Ethics and Compliance for CBRE’s Global Program Office and longtime JLL lawyer, about how she made the leap into cross‑border compliance and never looked back.

Keikoh shares how negotiating massive multinational real‑estate deals opened her eyes to the risk buried in pages of contractual obligations—and why that curiosity led her to raise her hand for a brand‑new global compliance role. She explains the realities of international regulatory compliance, from navigating conflicting data privacy regimes to balancing cultural nuance with consistent standards, and why relationship‑building is the most underrated tool in a compliance leader’s toolkit.

You’ll hear candid lessons on job moves for long‑term growth, building credibility so you are not seen as the corporate police, and finding fulfillment in work that constantly changes with new laws, enforcement priorities, and business risks. This episode is a must‑listen for in‑house lawyers, global compliance professionals, and anyone wondering whether a lateral move into ethics and compliance could actually be the best career decision they ever make.

If you enjoy this conversation, make sure to subscribe to Compliance Chronicles in your favorite podcast app and follow the show so you don’t miss future episodes on privacy, AI, internal audit, and real‑world compliance leadership.