Andrew Lampros | Influential Leaders in Law | Exeleon Magazine

ANDREW LAMPROS

MARIFE NAZARIO

EDWARD LOMENA

SETTING AN EXAMPLE

An d r ew L a mp ros

BBuilding a career in the legal profession is a lot more than just beneitting from monetary gains and high-proile cases. In fact, the core tenets of being an effective lawyer are ighting for justice, defending the ones struggling, and championing the rule of law.

One such personality is Andrew Lampros, a top-rated trial attorney whose life story clearly shows how he ended up becoming what he was meant to be — a lawyer more comfortable in the courtroom than behind a desk.

Andrew is a Partner at Hall & Lampros, LLP in Atlanta. He has experience litigating and trying cases for individuals and small businesses and has recovered millions of dollars on behalf of his clients.

With more than 20 years of legal experience, Andrew represents the rights and interests of plaintiff

clients throughout the greater Atlanta metro region, surrounding areas of North Georgia, Tennessee as well as across the country.

As an inluential leader, Andrew feels that you should have conidence and conviction, but also

the humility to consider the viewpoints of others. Additionally, you should also have the willingness to change your mind or evolve your thinking when new information or facts are presented.

Andrew is certain that good leaders

are decisive and strategic in setting goals for the entire team, yet they also empower people to use their knowledge and judgment to make their own decisions and learn as they go.

He says, “People want to work with leaders that they respect and admire, and who respect and admire them back. My approach is to lead by example, support, and try to understand the perspective of others.”

“I have an incredible team at work, and we support each other and lean in and roll up our sleeves to help each other.”

NURTURING A LOVE FOR ADVOCACY

Many of us have childhood dreams which end up being just that, dreams. Life takes us in different directions and those childhood dreams become farlung memories. But this was not the case for this Georgia-based attorney.

Growing up, Andrew was determined to be a lawyer for as long as he can remember, so much so that he doesn't really remember ever wanting to be anything else!

While most kids were off to camping or the movies on their holidays, his adventures took him to Rabun County Courthouse. His earliest memories of wanting to be a lawyer date back to his

regular trips to the Courthouse and watching his great uncle, John, try cases. This experience cemented the idea of a career in law for him. He was captivated.

“I fell in love with the pace of trial—almost like a sporting event for the mind—and the storytelling arcs, and the raw intellect of the attorneys and the judge and witnesses,” he says.

For Andrew, it seemed like the kind of career that would never get boring, teaching him to always stay nimble and be a lifelong learner.

TURNING DOWN THE NOISE

Although throughout his career, Andrew has achieved a bit too much success advocating on behalf of those victimized, he

recognizes that ighting for justice has its share of challenges and complications.

He shares, “Sometimes several intense and demanding cases occur concurrently, and it can be challenging to manage your time. It can seem like there aren't enough hours in the day, and that's true of most things in life.”

The solution? He suggests, “Prioritizing your time is of the essence.” He also understands that your energy is inite, “You have to be ruthless in prioritizing essential things and accept that less urgent things will move lower on your to-do list,” he adds.

BUILDING A SOLID FRONT

Practicing law can, at times, be demanding. It requires

eagerness, moral iber, and often long hours of case study and research. As an attorney, you aim to move quickly through the ranks, make a partner, or start your own irm.

Andrew loves that his work has a lasting impact. He values his egalitarian culture, with open ofices and the freedom to engage promptly. He loves the amazing team and the possibilities surrounding him.

However, regardless of work, he understands the importance of having a balance in life.

Andrew inds that for him worklife balance is a constant struggle. “I have an incredible team at work, and we support each other and lean in and roll up our sleeves to help each

other,” he says.

He also advocates inding the right life partner. One who shares your aspirations and will work with you through the daily juggle of life. “I'm very fortunate that I have the support and encouragement of my wife Suzanne - none of this would be possible without her,” he adds.

Time and again he reminisces about his undergraduate career at the University of Georgia where he majored in business. Although he enjoyed everything the school had to offer — both on campus and off— when asked if there was one thing that he would have done differently, he says, “I would go back and tell my younger self to approach my studies with more alacrity and reverence.”

“People want to work with leaders that they respect and admire, and who respect and admire them back. My approach is to lead by example, support, and try to understand the perspective of others.”

HOLDING THE MIRROR OF EXCELLENCE

Andrew and his team at Hall & Lampros, LLP are marvels of the legal world. They are, in fact, tireless in ighting to protect the rights and interests of their clients.

“We will do whatever it takes to make them whole and get them compensated for injuries or wrongs that have been committed. We work collaboratively on many cases and tap into each other's strengths and areas of expertise,” he adds.

Andrew takes immense pride in his team's abilities to deal with any case, be it —unpaid wages or overtime, harassment or retaliation issues, or workplace bullying for people who are transgendered.

In a remarkable milestone, one of his Partners argued the famous Bostock v. Clayton County case before the U.S. Supreme Court that extended workplace protections to LGBTQ+ people. “Most importantly, we will take a case to trial and let a jury decide it. We are comfortable in the courtroom,” he assures.

One of the other cases that he is most proud of is the record $4.8 million settlement in the spring of 2022 for the widow of Julian Lewis. Julian Lewis was a Black man who was shot and killed during what started as a routine trafic stop.

Mr. Lewis was unarmed and driving to the store to buy a cold soda for his wife Betty

when a Georgia State Trooper pulled him over on a rural road for an alleged broken tail light that wasn't, in fact, broken.

The oficer clipped the bumper of Mr. Lewis's car and within seconds of exiting his cruiser, he shot and killed Mr. Lewis.

“There was a dashcam video, but no body cameras because the Georgia State Patrol doesn't require them even though they are readily available and inexpensive nowadays. The facts of the case were tragic, and the settlement was the largest in Georgia's history so it made national and international news,” he shares.

TOWERING FUTURE OF HALL & LAMPROS

Andrew and his incredible team are th fast approaching their 20 anniversary of starting Hall & Lampros.

“In those early days, we had a modest goal of being in practice for ourselves and practicing the kind of law that we were most drawn to.

We didn't necessarily plan on growing it into a irm with numerous attorneys and support staff,” he recalls.

And today, Hall & Lampros, LLP his company has become one of the leading litigation irms in the Southeast for personal injury, labor and employment, discrimination, civil rights, and class actions.

They have won numerous multimillion-dollar settlements and jury verdicts for their clients and recovered more than $400 million so far.

“Frankly, we're just getting started and intend to become an even more signiicant presence across Georgia and the Southeast,” he concludes.

#MyJourney Exeleon Magazine Presents

#MyJourney Coming Soon...

Exeleon Magazine features some of the leading players in business and shares their journey of excellence to inspire aspiring leaders across the globe.

In n versa ti o n w ith Jordan Fischer

For Jordan Fischer, it was inevitable

to enter the ield of law. Growing up, she was surrounded by people who worked in law, including her father who owned a law practice irm.

She knew it was her calling to become a lawyer. Over the years, Jordan has built a unique reputation in the legal space by recognizing her opportunities and taking a leap of faith.

Today, she is the Global Privacy Team Lead at Octillo, a remote-based law irm that focuses exclusively on data privacy, cybersecurity, and technology law.

In this Exclusive Interview, Jordan Fischer talks about her journey, the legal industry, and Octillo.

What according to you makes one a

transformational leader? How do you integrate the same thought into your leadership?

Transformational leaders are willing to look outside of the box and explore the unknown. They ind ways to incorporate their team into brainstorming and solution-oriented approaches. A transformational leader understands that their role is to remove roadblocks and challenges for the team so that each team member can thrive and succeed in her role.

Talk to us about your growing up years. What is your earliest memory as a leader/entrepreneur that you can remember?

Growing up, I beneited from my parents that strongly supported my desire to

Global Privacy Team Lead Octillo

create new and unique opportunities, and they also encouraged me to continue to reach further. My leadership skills were honed early in my life through my girl scout troop, where I worked with fellow girl scouts to develop community projects and to learn key life-long skills.

What prompted your interest and subsequently your foray into the legal space?

My desire to pursue a legal career began before I was born, with my father owning his own law practice. In a sense, I grew up surrounded by the law, the people who work in the law, and the unique challenges lawyers are privileged to address. Through this early exposure, I continued to ind the law incredibly interesting. I liked the challenge of reading a rule and inding ways to interpret and apply that law. It felt like a natural step to become a lawyer.

Being the Global Privacy Team Lead, what role do you play in the day-to-day proceedings of the company?

Each member of our team is a pivotal part of our day-to-day operations. I see my core role as two-fold: irst, to work through any roadblocks for the team. Roadblocks could result from a need to research issues, organizing workloads, or addressing client expectations. Secondly, my role involves interfacing with clients on strategic initiatives and continuing to ind opportunities for us to provide value to those clients. Both roles go hand-in-hand and require a sound knowledge of the law and the business.

Talk to us about Octillo and what makes it stand out as a leading technology law irm?

Octillo is unique, both in the area of law it focuses on, as well as in the way we practice law. First, Octillo is a remote-based law irm that focuses exclusively on data privacy, cybersecurity, and technology law. Our irm provides legal insight and guidance in regulatory compliance, incident response, and complex litigation. Second, we understand that our clients are businesses with strategic initiatives and goals. We strive to develop creative solutions, both in how we solve problems and in how we relate to our clients and

provide our services. We use alternative pricing models that it a wide range of needs, allowing us to be a value-added partner for all our clients, regardless of size, industry, or legal ask.

Looking back at your journey, what would you have done different when starting out?

Honestly, I feel incredibly grateful for my journey, both the ups and downs. One thing I continue to work on is trusting myself and my own unique entrepreneurial path. It may not look like the careers of my colleagues or law school classmates and that is completely ine. In fact,

The most exciting aspect of Octillo is that we are poised to really harness some unique opportunities in the future. We have an incredible team that is genuine, engaged, and prepared to address this incredibly dynamic and fast-paced area of the law. Our embrace of technology will allow us to continue to reimagine the way we practice law and provide key support to our clients to prepare for and address new regulatory spaces, changing technology, and an increasingly global economy.Theunknowninthisareaofthelawis bothscaryandexciting,butourteamisreadyto embracewhatevercomesnext.

Finally, what does the future look like for you and Octillo?

it allows me to really embrace my creativity to think out of the box and go for something completely new.

What would be your advice for aspiring and emerging leaders in the legal space?

Take the leap. It feels incredibly scary, and impossible, but it is the most rewarding experience. I have

learned so many new skills and experienced opportunities I never could have imagined had I not taken that leap. And, I have met incredible, generous people who have provided support to me in innumerable ways. This community is what I am so thankful for and those people I may never have met had I not taken the leap of faith in myself. Many members of this legal, technology, cybersecurity, and

privacy community played and continue to play a key role in my everyday growth and evolution as a lawyer, entrepreneur, and leader. I am forever grateful for this.

IMPACTING THE FIELD OF LAW AND BEYOND

MARIFE NAZARIO-YORDAN, FOUNDER, NAZARIOYORDAN LAW, PLLC

Immigration hassles are quite common in developed countries. It happens mostly due to the convoluted laws and language barriers, and the changes made from time to time do not make things any easier. As an explicit outcome of this, many people ind themselves enmeshed in bureaucratic red tapes and legal documentations. With each passing year, this number rises even further.

Hazards regarding these immigration policies often stem from some basic misunderstandings and lack of cognizance. But it leads to a process that often traverses through mires set by legal jargons; and as an obvious outcome, things get prolonged. However, a much easier solution is possible only if someone steps forward with complete knowhow of the legal moves and humane touch to help these people out.

This blend of both makes the presence of Marife Nazario-Yordan reassuring to those tangled in legal webs of the EB-5 and immigration ield. With her expertise in different ields like corporate and commercial

law, and corporate, commercial and real estate transactions and a holistic understanding of the immigration laws, she has inspired trust among her clients.

The rapport she builds with them helps her in delivering positive results consistently. In Marife's words, she has set this outstanding record for herself with an unwavering “focus on quality and attention to detail rather than quantity.”

HER JOURNEY

Sometimes the journey is far more important than the goal itself, as the foundation of a sustainable future depends on it. The same is true for Marife Nazario-Yordan, Founder and Managing Attorney of Nazario Yordan Law. Her journey was not smooth; rather, it resembled a sine curve with lots of ups and downs. In her earlier days, her profession depended a lot on her ex-husband's career who had to relocate pretty often, thus forcing her to seek new opportunities.

It disrupted the low of her career, which, otherwise, would have blossomed in due time. With each change in her address, she had to start from scratch to prove herself. After a certain point, she realized how all these moving around was arresting her growth. The time was ripe for inding her own pace.

During that phase, she got the opportunity to work with different law irms, which taught her well and provided her with vast experience in several legal sectors. This inspired her to break the conines and emerge as an independent, authoritative igure. As a subsequent outcome, she started working on her own with clients.

The obstacles she endured made her realize about the gaps in her route map. She got opportunities to look at them in detail and cashed in that by turning them into growth-inducing factors. It was no easy task to prove her mettle in a male-dominated sector. But she never backed down; rather, she worked for long, grueling hours to carve a name for herself.

The process of zeroing in onto the EB-5 and immigration ield as her area of specialization took some time. But once she realized that her passion is in sync with it, she showed her unwavering perseverance to grasp each and every detail of the sector.

However, this never deterred her from pursuing other ields like corporate and commercial laws. She is equally an expert in the mentioned sector and is infusing the ield with her valuable insights.

When she looks back now, she feels, “all the twists and turns of the journey had a rewarding purpose, as like pieces of a puzzle,” which gave her “the breadth of knowledge and experience that ended up complementing each other perfectly” also ensured she excels in the practice.

This perseverance, coupled with a constant low of internal motivation, drives Marife ahead. These are must for a long-term goal. The long process also requires absorbing reliable knowledge to chalk out insights, which can help in staying abreast of developments. At times, this method also encourages to keep the focus set on learning about a particular ield in great detail without getting lummoxed by mediocrity.

Marife believes that it is essential to form a nexus with the right people and maintain valuable social contacts as these can play a crucial role in ensuring growth.

However, she still feels that she would have done much better if she stayed on her course without compromising her prospects. This realization sprouts from a belief that

“stability and the ability to prove yourself over the years within the same irm is critical for a steady pace of advancement in the legal ield.”

THE DIFFERENTIATING FACTOR

It is dificult to create a distinct identity when one is standing in the crowd but to prove one's mettle, it is necessary. Marife is well aware of this and she tries to build a differentiating factor by being a subject matter expert of her preferred EB-5 law and immigration ield. She feels that she was fortunate enough to get an opportunity to train with the best and gain knowledge of the “EB-5 ield representing Regional Centers and project developers, as opposed to only foreign investors.” Now she is leveraging the same.

While dealing with diverse aspects of the sector, she found herself in an advantageous position. Her “background and prior experience as a corporate, corporate securities and real estate attorney, along with immigration,” armed her with a unique set of tools to understand a complex ield like EB-5 law holistically. This helped her uncover details for more signiicant insightssomething she uses all the time to maintain a track record of delivering positive results where only quality matters and not the quantity.

Dificulties always come with a sliver of hope for those who know where to seek it. The path Marife trod was riddled with roadblocks but it also provided her with opportunities to explore diverse areas of law. In a way, that strengthened her footing. This unique way of looking at matters from an unexpected angle bolsters her rise.

THOUGHTS ON LEADERSHIP

Marife has been spearheading her irm for quite some time now and this has helped her evolve in several ways - one is obviously as a leader. Her struggles and then her direct encounter with clients taught her well about being a leader. The serious gravity of this realization gets mirrored when she says, “I believe a leader should be an authoritative and trustworthy igure in the person's ield and for that you need credibility and the ability to inspire trust in others.”

It only requires two simple traits to emerge as a leader like that - subject matter expertise and a reputation for being honest.

But a good leader should also be a good listener. It helps a lot in understanding the audience's exact needs as it acts as the stepping stone towards inding the right strategy that would yield the maximum result.

A leader should also be a positive person as clients derive a lot of strength from that optimism. Legal battles are often stressful and long, and maintaining that bit of bright outlook could help stay on the right track.

In fact, Marife's thoughts on leadership are twined with the vision she has set for her future and NazarioYordan Law . As an entrepreneur, she wants to establish a humane way of practicing legal moves sans self-interests and egos, and the level of dedication she wants to infuse in her system would be equal for all.

A COMPASSIONATE LEADER HELPING PEOPLE WITH LEGAL NEEDS

Humans by nature are selish

beings. We are compelled to believe that we deserve others helping and taking care of us, without having the minute understanding that it goes the other way as well.

However, there are individuals who are dedicated towards the art of giving back and lending support to others without the faintest of expectations to getting anything in return.

Rena McDonald, Owner of McDonald Law Group, is one such individual who believes in giving back to the community.

Rena didn't like how huge legal businesses treated their clients. And only after ive years of practice, she felt that she could manage things differently. Thus, she established her own civil litigation irm, McDonald Law Group, covering Bankruptcy, Foreclosure Prevention, Real Estate Litigation, Estate Planning, Family Law, Personal Injury Litigation, Contract Litigation and Review, and Small Business Development with an emphasis on Entity Formation and Real Estate Development.

As a highly motivated person, satisfying people with their legal need drives Rena every day. "Helping people is what attracted me to the legal ield, and fortunately, that is what I get to do every day. Legal issues are life-changing and can deinitely create some of the most stressful times of a person's life. I am so fortunate to be able to help my clients navigate these dificult periods," she describes.

OPENING THE WINDOW OF LEARNING

For Rena, the journey so far has been challenging yet incredibly rewarding. Her irst challenge was to mitigate the challenges of the 2008 global economic crisis as it had only been a year since the establishment of her irm. Fortunately, she was able to weather the storm, which has further helped her learn how to overcome the present pandemic's challenges.

According to her, having an open mindset has enabled her to learn a lesson from each challenge that she has faced and ind a window of opportunity. She has utilized these lessons in a way that helps her in moving forward and attain unmatched success.

However, it wasn't always that Rena had this learning mindset. She recalls how she held herself to a standard that was unreasonable; and emphasizes on being more kind to herself. “This caused me to spend too much time criticizing myself instead of learning,” she shares.

Looking back at how far she has come, she is quick to note how grateful she is for her work and for the opportunities that have enabled her to help people and give back to the community. Today, Rena makes sure to counsel new business owners to treat themselves the way they would with a friend.

COMPASSION IS THE KEY

What makes Rena a compassionate leader and a great human being is her drive to help people and the community with legal needs. She exclaims, "A desire to improve my clients and my community has been the biggest driving factor in my career. I truly care about my clients and their cases. I also strive to work in my community to help others in need. This has helped me be a better leader and human being.”

It hasn't always been easy for Rena. It was with time and experiences that she realized that not everyone comes from the same place of care and compassion. She shares that not everyone is motivated by their clients' needs; a realization that is often dificult for her to rationalize and overcome.

Nonetheless, by perceiving the situation and keeping compassion as her primary weapon, Rena has fostered a work environment

where compassion, personal & professional growth, and satisfaction mattered.

Taking a leaf out of Rena's ideology, her colleagues and employees leave no stone unturned when it comes to serving people. The team at McDonald Law Group goes the extra mile to deliver the legal and personal care they need. Rena elaborates, " I think about how I would want my mother or best friend to be treated and strive to provide that for our clients. My team and I strive to effectively communicate what is going on each step of the way and what they can expect moving forward. This helps immensely to reduce or even eliminate their stress and anxiety.”

MAKING 'HER' NAME IN THE BUSINESS

Rena practices work in a ield that has predominantly been surrounded by men. During the early days of her professional career, she would face dificulties to receive any value on her perspective or inputs. “Some of my male counterparts assumed that as a woman I was weak, emotional or indecisive,” she recalls.

Nevertheless, Rena took advantage of these stereotypes and gained the upper hand on such individuals. Moreover, she solidiied her credibility by helping fellow young women out of similar situations.

Today, Rena surrounds herself with men and women who recognize gender differentiation to have no value in creating a great work environment. This has helped her to grow and silence the

preconceived notions of others that once affected her mental being. Rena practices the same attitude in helping her clients and refutes any prejudices against her gender. She sees this as a dramatic change in her career from when she began almost 20 years ago.

When asked to give advice to young and emerging women leaders in the legal space and beyond, Rena passionately exclaims, “Stand up for yourselves, your clients, and others. You will never convince anyone that you are great by saying you're great. You must demonstrate your worth in your dealings with others. Do not let little people bring you down to their level. Throughout your career you will be dismissed and you will be judged by others ideals of what you are. Do not lose yourself in that struggle and remember your vision of why you do what you do.”

THE ROAD AHEAD

Speaking about the future, Rena looks forward to seeing the ofice of McDonald Group grow and lead the industry in terms of client relations.

On a personal front, she is determined to continue working in a manner that leads others by example. She strives to create an environment both in her ofice and the community that helps and supports everyone. “I am very proud of what I have built and am excited to see what else I can do,” concludes Rena.

EDWARD LOMENA

MANAGING ATTORNEY OF PERSONAL INJURY, MCDIVITT LAW FIRM

DRIVEN BY A PURPOSE OF HELPING OTHERS IN DESPAIR

Sometimes, all you need is a

sign from the Universe to help discover your life's purpose. And once you get your life goals sorted, and keep your vision irmly in sight, nothing can really stop you.

This has been the story so far for Edward Lomena, a renowned Plaintiff Lawyer at McDivitt Law Firm, Colorado. A stand out individual, Lomena's journey towards becoming an attorney, and his unwavering faith in humanity and compassion, are what distinguishes him from any run-ofthe-mill lawyer.

However, his journey was one that began with a personal loss, one which shaped his professional career and discover his life's purpose.

THE BEGINNING

An unsatisfactory childhood

experience with a lawyer after his mother’s medical incident and demise, propelled Edward Lomena to become a lawyer himself. He realized that in times of despair, what people really want is a reassuring hand on the shoulder, a personal touch. His lawyer was unable to provide either, and Lomena was deeply disappointed.

He understood that a lot of people may be in a similar situation, desperately seeking legal help, but unable to attain the same. The then nineteen-year-old Lomena decided to ill in that vacuum and started studying for a career in law.

FINDING A FOOTHOLD

His journey as a lawyer has not been easy though. Starting as a trainee attorney at a small Plaintiff's irm in New York, he fought cases for accident and injury victims in the

irst year of his career.

His next stint at an insurance defense irm, was to essentially save insurance companies from paying claimants their due redress. It was an extremely well-paying job, but one which prompted him to face a moral dilemma. Edward realized he was walking away from his original purpose – helping ordinary people who had been through life altering tragedies. Dissatisfaction and guilt gnawed upon him.

Soon after, Lomena realigned his career to his original purpose. He chose McDivitt Law Firm as his preferred destination to take his professional journey to new heights. Since then, Edward Lomena has not looked back.

Talking about his role as a lawyer, Edward mentions “As a lawyer I must inluence the narrative for the judge,

jury, opposing counsel and even my clients. I must apply those same philosophies to my team of attorneys to help them perform above and beyond.” He believes too many lawyers view the ield of law as black and white, or get tied down by outdated modes of work. However, there is a pressing need to inject originality and creativity into the process. He emphasizes that he himself tries to inluence his team of attorneys to think creatively in handling their cases.

EMPATHY AND SINCERITY IN CLIENT RELATIONS

Throughout his professional life, empathy and compassion have been Lomena's guiding principles.

When accident victims reach out to him, they are assured of a patient hearing and a genuine commitment to their cause. He understands that an accident or injury can be debilitating in terms of both physical and mental trauma. His clients might never be able to work properly or support their family in future. They are confused and worried about an uncertain future and at that time may be unable to comprehend legal jargons or respond sensibly.

Here, he says listening with empathy is of utmost importance. “Listen to what they are telling you because that is what you are going to use to argue their case.”

He continues, “I do not believe personal injury cases are about the property damage or the medical bills; they are about the people and how the accident changed their lives. If you care about the client and

empathize with their situation you will get them the best results.” This personal touch is what distinguishes Lomena's attitude towards his practice.

MOMENTS OF DOUBT

Most leaders and professionals have their moments of self-doubt and hesitation. It is no different with Lomena. However, it is how one responds to those feelings is what makes one stand out from the crowd. He admits to being overcome by an Imposter Syndrome now and then, but instead of getting bogged down by such feelings, he works harder to prove himself. He believes that hard work and genuine intention go a long way towards building solid relationships. Moreover, sincerity and authenticity have been the cornerstones in his practice, thereby helping him ight his clients' cases effectively.

He emphasizes “…My job is to help my clients rebuild their lives after an accident that was not their fault. I walk them through every aspect of their case and keep them informed.”

TAKE ON LEADERSHIP

Lomena irmly believes “Leadership, like empathy, is about having the ability to relate, connect and listen to your employees. Empathy doesn't mean you always agree with them, but it shows that you are aware of their feelings and you are willing to understand them and appreciate them. When a leader shows empathy and that he cares, employees are more loyal, put in more effort and are overall happier.”

It is the same way he treats his clients, for whose cause he “ights like hell” to get them compensated adequately.

THE WAY AHEAD

Lomena has a high regard for his employer irm McDivitt. He asserts, “McDivitt will continue to rebuild clients' lives, and will continue to be a philanthropic force in the community. I strongly believe McDivitt law irm is the best personal injury irm in Colorado.” Furthermore, he is conident of leading McDivitt to greater heights by inluencing his team to think out of the box.

He has extremely high expectations from the new generation of attorneys at McDivitt. He believes they have some very talented young attorneys that will blossom into great trial attorneys. As a token of advice for such young attorneys, he mentions “When you try a case do not do what everyone else does. Use the skills and talents that you possess as an individual to try a case in a way that best suits you.”

On a personal front, Edward pictures himself developing and leading the best trial team in the country in the near future.

Driven By a Purpose

Alexander

M. Kayne

Chief Legal Officer | CarepathRx

The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

With the advancement of time and human civilization, the idea of leadership has gone through its evolution at a simultaneous pace.

Scholars, philosophers, and leaders themselves have all tried to lend their deinition to the term leadership.

However, not one deinition has been able to stand the test of time as expectations related to leadership has been fragile and ever-changing.

Case in point, in recent years, there has been a growing interest in purposedriven leadership. Although rare, this form of leadership has been persuasively argued by academics to be the need of the hour across organizations of every scale.

Moreover, purpose is considered to be an essential need among leaders to navigate the complex, convoluted, and ambiguous world that we face today.

Alexander M. Kayne, Chief Legal Oficer at CarepathRx, is one such purpose-driven leader who is dedicated towards contributing to a mission that far-exceeds his own needs and expectations.

A transformational leader in every right, Alexander Kayne, referred to as Aly, features as the Cover Story in Exeleon Magazine to share his story of purpose-driven leadership and more.

THE DIRECTION

For Aly Kayne, the path was always clear to him. He believed and still to this day believes the role of a state or federal judge to be one of the most honorable and prestigious professions.

“At an early age I wanted to be a judge and went into litigation thinking courtrooms would be the place I would learn the most about law,” he recalls.

After earning his JD from Yale Law School in 1997, Aly started practicing law with the intention of becoming a judge one day.

He began this journey working as a law clerk for the Honorable Raymond J. Dearie in the Eastern District of New York. After his clerkship, he went into private practice at a prestigious international law irm based in New York. This opportunity enabled Aly to work alongside some amazing lawyers as well as notable corporate clients.

He claims, “I learned our clients' businesses to be the best advocate

possible.”

As Aly continued to learn more and more from these corporate clients, his career direction also went through a gradual change.

“I started to move away from thinking my future would be serving as a judge, and instead became more and more interested in the impact of leading industry clients toward better outcomes.”

GAINING EXPERTISE IN HEALTHCARE

Aly's entry into the healthcare space was never a planned direction for him. However, over the years, he has garnered unmatched legal expertise in the healthcare space owing to his experiences spearheading executive positions at various leading companies in the industry.

Following his appointment as Omnicare's Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Aly built a reputation of excellence within the industry. Omnicare, Inc. was a Fortune 500 publicly traded company when Aly joined it in 2011.

Now a subsidiary of CVS Health, Omnicare is one of leading providers of comprehensive pharmaceutical services to patients and providers across the United States. At Omnicare, Aly was positioned to help develop a corporate legal team from the ground up. He advised the Senior Management and Executives on all things related corporate governance and securities.

Moreover, he played a crucial role in helping the company through its merger with CVS Health.

Following Omnicare, Aly joined Genoa Healthcare, which is the largest provider of behavioral health pharmacy and medication management services for individuals with behavioral health and other complex, chronic health conditions in the U.S.

After Genoa Healthcare was acquired by OptumRx, a subsidiary of United Health Group, Aly joined CarepathRx as the Chief Legal Oficer.

CarepathRx provides the industry's most comprehensive hospital pharmacy care delivery model, providing support across the patient's complete healthcare journey—across multiple care settings, from hospital to home, no matter the patient's acuity level.

Since joining CarepathRx, Aly has been executing effective strategies that position the company for smooth operations, and his expert guidance on everything from acquisitions to health care regulations has played a key role in the company's continued success.

His approach to seeing every problem from a narrowed-down lens enables him to ind actionable pointers that help mitigate and solve the problem. Owing to these contributions, Aly was named as the New York Stock Exchange's General Counsel to Watch award.

“Think big… and when you think you are thinking big, think bigger!”

CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER

For Aly Kayne, the role of a Chief Legal Oficer is like holding an ofice. This includes making various key decisions and judgments.

He mentions that having good judgment is a key character trait for the job, and it is imperative to remain calm in dificult situations, as there will be a multitude of dificult situations.

“For me as a chief legal oficer, it means becoming the person that all parts of the business can't do without. Whether it be operations, inance, strategy, or human capital. The importance of this role is not limited to regulatory and compliance decisions.”

This further echoes Aly's views on transformational leadership. “Transformational leaders are the ones who move the goalposts on what conines their role by becoming integral to all aspects of an organization — particularly those that are farthest from the role you are in.”

According to Aly, CarepathRx is an amazing company that is built on the premise that patient care is of paramount importance. Moreover, the company believes hospital systems being able to continuously service their patients through their own pharmacy network results in better outcomes and clinical service for the patients.

This overarching mission to improve the healthcare system and patient health makes Aly proud to be involved in supporting and working for CarepathRx.

Taking a page out of his journey, he advises young aspiring leaders to always keep searching for the next dificult fulilling assignment.

“Think big… and when you think you are thinking big, think bigger! I tell this to my kids all the time… my mother Frances Rodriguez told me this all the time when I was growing up.” Today, this learning from his mother has laid the foundation for Aly's success and he hopes the leaders of tomorrow will follow this same advice.

through how to best serve our hospital clients in a compliant manner.”

Aly is driven by the mission that CarepathRx holds. He believes this mission is “critical to our nation's success — one that ensures better healthcare for all of our people.”

DRIVEN BY A MISSION

At CarepathRx, Aly is involved in all aspects of the business. “I am integral to counseling our CEO and Board of Directors on all legal matters, but I am also heavily involved in major strategy decisions.”

He further adds, “I work with our Chief Compliance Oficer on all regulatory matters and employee training. I also spend a good deal of time with our operators working

Being able to be part of this mission is one that is not only exciting for him but also fulilling. He claims, “Being responsible for at least a portion of the solution to our healthcare concerns is a wonderful, fulilling endeavor.”

Going forward, CarepathRx will continue its growth trajectory and expand its services to nearly all hospital systems nationwide.

“I hope to continue as a steward of that growth to bring better patient health to our nation” he concludes.

Being responsible for at least a portion of the solution to our healthcare concerns is a wonderful, fulfilling endeavor. “