Introduction: 1:09

• Introducing Junna Ro, Former General Counsel and Compliance Officer at Metromile

Taking a break from legal work and reflecting: 2:22

• Understanding the importance of taking a break.
• Reconnecting with your family.
• Meeting other lawyers of Korean heritage living across the world.
• What to do when you have no job title.
• The value of community building.

Book recommendations: 9:23

• Recognizing that passion doesn’t develop overnight.

Sharing the cultural context of your upbringing: 12:11

• Growing up in a traditional Korean household in San Francisco.
• Experiencing discrimination from an early age.

Existing as both a legal outsider and a legal insider: 15:16

• Overcoming personal challenges and upbringing.
• Lacking the same connections and role models as your law school peers.
• The importance of representation and normalizing Asian women in leadership roles.

Finding the courage to speak up in high-pressure moments: 17:34

• Holding a strong position when you disagree with your boss.
• Valuing corporate compliance over business-friendly attitudes.
• Refusing to sacrifice your integrity.
• Speaking up more and taking up more space.
• Overcoming the voices in your head that tell you to speak up.

Defining the difference between ethics and compliance in legal: 23:16

• Establishing compliance guidelines in a highly regulated industry.

• Maintaining a strong control environment.
• Building an ethical corporate culture where people feel comfortable speaking up.
• Developing a passion for diversity and inclusion.
• Creating a culture of integrity from the top.

Moving into a General Counsel position at Metromile: 26:49

• Asking the question, “Why not me?”
• Finding an employer committed to change, innovation, transparency, and fairness.
• The power of a strong corporate generalist.
• Steering the ship in a start-up or small company.

Taking a stand against asian hate: 33:55

• Leading a listening session to respond to nationwide tragedies.
• Seeing the importance of a leader who recognizes the impacts of trauma.
• Sharing your thoughts so others can share them too.
• Allowing young lawyers to see someone who likes like her in a leadership role.

Advising executive teams on taking a stand on social issues: 39:23

• Deciding who you are as a company and what your values are.
• Examining what is at the core of who you really are and what you believe in.
• Making sure all of the right people are present at the table.

Offering advice to leaders about tackling difficult topics: 44:16

• Leaning in to your convictions and having the courage to do the right thing.

Reflecting on failures: 44:56

• Discovering the futility of chasing titles and promotions without any personal reflection
• Making sure to avoid burn-out.

Advice for young lawyers: 46:56

• Leaving yourself open to taking non-linear career paths
• Recognizing that the law is not always right and the importance of advocating for change
• Giving back to the community with your legal skills.