Andrea Markstrom | The Changing Role of a Law Firm CIO – It’s “Not Just About the Gadgets”

Andrea-MarkstromAndrea Markstrom is the CIO at Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, a law firm with over 600 attorneys located in the Midwest. As CIO, Andrea is responsible for leading firm-wide technology and security initiatives across all tax practices and geographies. She has more than 25 years of technology leadership experience, including 15 years in the legal industry. Before entering the legal space, Andrea spent 13 years leading technology departments for the Target Corporation.

A recognized leader in her field, Andrea was awarded the NYC CIO of the Year Award from the CIO Inspire Leadership Organization in 2019. She is also the Founder and CEO of i.WILL (Inspiring Women Igniting Leadership & Learning), a professional women’s networking organization focused on mentoring, advancing and supporting women in their careers.


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Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

  • Andrea Markstrom’s role at Taft and how the firm instituted its “business continuity plan on steroids”
  • The organizational opportunities and silver linings presented by COVID-19
  • Andrea talks about the responsibilities of a CIO: keeping the lights on and assuming the role of a strategic business advisor
  • The power of knowledge management and knowledge sharing systems within a law firm
  • Andrea discusses the introduction of Alternative Legal Service Providers (ALSPs)
  • The challenges Andrea has faced as a woman in the technology industry and what she’s learned throughout her career
  • Why did Andrea decide to start a women’s networking and leadership organization?
  • How to connect with Andrea Markstrom

In this episode…

How did your firm handle the onslaught of COVID-19? More likely than not, there was a bit of scrambling. But, after the initial shock of what was going on, was your practice able to take on the challenges presented by the pandemic—and turn those obstacles into opportunities?

CIO Andrea Markstrom was quick to find the silver linings and organizational opportunities in 2020. As a renowned technology leader, she is no stranger to innovation, and her responses to the changes at her firm were no different. So, what are Andrea’s expert strategies for implementing a bit of fun, unity, and authenticity during a crisis?

In today’s episode of The Lawyer’s Edge, Elise Holtzman sits down with Andrea Markstrom, the CIO of Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, to talk about how her firm was able to adjust—and improve—as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Together, they discuss the changing role of a CIO, the importance of knowledge management and knowledge sharing systems, and the challenges Andrea has faced as a woman in her career—and how she’s working to empower others. Stay tuned!

Resources Mentioned in this episode

Sponsor for this episode…

This episode is brought to you by The Lawyer’s Edge, a firm based in the New York metropolitan area founded by Elise Holtzman in 2008 to help lawyers become skilled business developers and leaders so that they can grow their practices, retain top talent, and step confidently into leadership roles.

The firm offers customized coaching, consulting, and training programs such as their signature business development program, Lawyers Making Rain.

Now more than ever, it’s not enough to just do good work and hope your law firm will thrive. And no matter how smart and hard-working you are, it can be time-consuming and overwhelming to figure it all out by yourself.

To learn more about how we help lawyers become rainmakers and leaders, visit thelawyersedge.wpengine.com or email us at podcast@thelawyersedge.wpengine.com.

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