Verdicts and Vogue

From Public Defender to Protecting Women & Children | Caitlin Engstrand

After 12 years as a public defender representing children and families, Caitlin Engstrand made a bold decision: leave the public sector and build a practice centered around protecting women, children, and helping families navigate some of life’s hardest moments.In this episode of Verdicts & Vogue, Cristina Perez sits down with Caitlin to talk about what she learned inside the juvenile justice system, why she walked away from the traditional path, and how motherhood, advocacy, and purpose changed her definition of success.This conversation explores:• What really happens inside juvenile court• Children in the justice system and how young charges can begin• Why protecting kids starts earlier than most parents realize• Parenting in a digital world• Social media, gaming, and online safety• Why Caitlin doesn’t allow sleepovers• Building a legal career around impact, not volume• Motherhood, ambition, and redefining successThis episode is thoughtful, practical, funny, and full of hard-earned perspective for parents, professionals, and anyone navigating change.Subscribe for conversations on law, identity, parenting, growth, and life beyond the courtroom.#VerdictsAndVogue#CaitlinEngstrand#Parenting#WomenInLaw#ChildSafety#PersonalGrowth#Motherhood#LegalPodcast#WomenWhoLead#JuvenileJustice#TikTokLawyer#Podcast

How a One-Way Ticket Led to a $150 Million Empire | Amy Barrie

Amy Barrie sold her belongings to buy a one-way ticket from Canada to Florida with no plan, no money, and no guarantees. Today, she’s a key leader at one of the biggest companies in the mass tort industry.In this episode of Verdicts & Vogue, Amy sits down with Cristina Perez to talk about hustle, ambition, ego, discipline, reputation, and what it really takes to succeed in high-pressure industries.From sleeping on an air mattress and cold-calling law firms… to helping build a $150 million company, Amy shares the lessons she learned navigating business, leadership, confidence, and life as a young woman in a male-dominated industry.This conversation dives into:• Building success from nothing• Why reputation matters more than attention• The “ego death” that changed her career• Confidence, discernment, and boundaries in business• Women navigating power and professionalism• Why hustle alone isn’t enoughThis is a conversation about ambition, growth, humility, and becoming the kind of person success can trust.Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, identity, confidence, and personal growth through the lens of law, business, and life.#VerdictsAndVogue #AmyBarrie #WomenInBusiness #Entrepreneurship #Leadership #PersonalGrowth #SuccessMindset #ProfessionalDevelopment #Confidence #Podcast

Cristina Perez & Melissa June: Leading with Purpose, Living with Alignment

In the Season 2 premiere of Verdicts & Vogue, host Cristina Perez Hesano sits down with Melissa June for one of the most raw and inspiring conversations yet. What starts with laughter over Melissa’s famous “feelings wheel” quickly turns into a deep discussion on emotions, ambition, burnout, healing, and authenticity. Melissa, a performance and alignment coach, explains how the feelings wheel helps people identify emotions beyond the basics like happy, sad, or angry. She believes vulnerability creates true connection, especially among women. Cristina admits that while she understands emotions in her work as a trial attorney, expressing her own feelings has always been difficult. Melissa shares her journey from legal and marketing professional to coach. She spent years constantly “on,” attending conferences, building relationships, and chasing success. As a wife, mother of three, and high performer, she became consumed by the need to achieve and be needed. She openly discusses how hustle culture affected her marriage, family, and mental health. Her life changed in 2021 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Even after a bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction, she kept working, planning events, and attending conferences. She scheduled chemo around work obligations until her body forced her to stop. After suffering a blood clot and an emergency hospitalization while battling cancer and COVID alone, Melissa was finally forced into stillness. In the hospital, she discovered guided meditation, which she credits with saving her life. Meditation helped Melissa unravel the identity she built around achievement and validation. She realized her life, marriage, and career were not what she truly wanted. After chemotherapy, she divorced her husband, left her job, and started over. She also reveals the darkest point of her life, battling severe depression and suicidal thoughts after chemo. Cristina deeply relates to Melissa’s story. The two bond over the pressure women face to excel professionally while also meeting expectations of being perfect wives, mothers, and leaders. Cristina reflects on how much of her life was spent performing perfection and constantly chasing “more.” Melissa’s advice for women at a crossroads is simple but powerful: stop and sit in the discomfort. Instead of distracting ourselves with work or obligations, she encourages people to listen to the sensations in their body and get curious about what those feelings are trying to say. She discusses the power of silent meditation retreats, including her own 10 day Vipassana experience. The conversation also touches on leadership and emotional intelligence in high pressure industries like law. Melissa explains the importance of communication, active listening, and understanding emotional triggers. She encourages leaders to know their team’s goals, strengths, and aspirations to create healthy, aligned workplaces. Cristina shares a story about confronting sexism in the legal field and reflects on how far she has come in owning her confidence and authenticity. Together, they discuss liberation and what it means to stop performing for others and start living in alignment. Melissa closes by sharing her work as a performance and alignment coach, helping individuals and businesses clarify their mission, values, and partnerships to create meaningful impact. This powerful season opener reminds listeners that success without alignment can feel empty, and life’s biggest breakdowns can lead to the greatest breakthroughs. Through laughter, tears, and honesty, Cristina and Melissa encourage listeners to confront their feelings, redefine success, and embrace healing and purpose.

Cristina Perez & Katherine Anderson Part 2: Owning Your Path and Redefining Success

In Part 2 of Verdicts & Vogue, Cristina Perez Hesano continues her conversation with Kathryn Anderson, diving deeper into what it truly means to step away from comfort and build a career with intention. This episode moves beyond the initial decision to leave Big Law and focuses on what happens next. It is about growth, discipline, and learning how to navigate the realities of high level litigation while staying grounded in purpose. Katey reflects on her early success in personal injury law, including a powerful case involving a young client who suffered severe injuries in a shooting. What made this case stand out was not just the outcome, but the strategy behind it. Through detailed research and persistence, she identified additional theories of liability, including the use of dram shop law, which ultimately helped push the case toward resolution. The discussion highlights how preparation, creativity, and teamwork can significantly impact the outcome of a case and the life of a client. The conversation also explores the contrast between different areas of law. Katey shares her experience transitioning from the more collaborative and close knit environment of bankruptcy law into the fast paced and often adversarial world of personal injury litigation. Cristina and Katey openly discuss the challenges that come with this shift, including difficult opposing counsel, delays in resolution, and the constant need to advocate for clients who are often overlooked or misunderstood. A major theme throughout the episode is the process behind success. Katey explains that her approach is not about moving quickly, but about being thorough. She spends time identifying every possible weakness in her cases, asking herself where she could lose, and preparing for those moments before they happen. This level of preparation allows her to walk into court with confidence, knowing she has done the work necessary to support her arguments. Beyond the legal work, the episode brings a personal and relatable perspective. Cristina and Katey share their experiences balancing demanding careers with family life, as well as the pressures and expectations placed on women in the legal profession. They speak candidly about how their perspectives have evolved over time, and how their partnership works because of their differences. Cristina describes herself as more structured and reserved, while Katey brings a level of openness and authenticity that creates balance both inside and outside the courtroom. One of the most memorable moments from the episode highlights how personal and professional worlds often collide. During a deposition, a client was required to bring her newborn baby due to personal circumstances. What could have been seen as a disruption instead became a powerful example of adaptability and compassion, as the legal work continued while ensuring the client felt supported throughout the process. As the episode comes to a close, Katey shares a defining realization. For the first time in her career, she has a clear vision of where she is going. Stepping away from a structured environment allowed her to take control of her future and build something that aligns with her values. Instead of contributing to someone else’s vision, she is now creating her own path with purpose and clarity. Part 2 is a conversation about ownership, resilience, and growth. It is a reminder that success is not always immediate, but it is built through preparation, consistency, and the willingness to take risks. It is about trusting the process, embracing challenges, and understanding that the most meaningful work often comes from stepping into the unknown and building something that is truly your own.

Cristina Perez & Katherine Anderson Part 1: From Big Law to Building Your Own Path

In this episode of Verdicts & Vogue, Cristina Perez Hesano sits down with attorney Kathryn “Katie” Anderson for a candid, unfiltered conversation that goes far beyond the courtroom. This episode explores the realities of building a legal career, navigating personal challenges, and redefining success on your own terms. Cristina and Katie open up about their decade-long journey from colleagues in bankruptcy law to becoming trusted friends and business collaborators. What began as a professional connection evolved through shared life experiences, including navigating career transitions, personal hardships, and the emotional weight of practicing law. Their conversation highlights how loyalty, trust, and timing play a role not only in friendships but in leadership and business growth. Katie shares her background working in high-level federal and bankruptcy litigation, including her time in large national law firms, where she developed strong technical skills but also experienced the limitations of corporate structure. The discussion dives into the tension many attorneys face between stability and autonomy, and what ultimately pushed Katie to step away from big law to start her own firm. Her leap into entrepreneurship reflects a broader theme of trusting instincts, embracing risk, and pursuing a more meaningful way to practice law. A powerful portion of the episode focuses on Katie’s personal experience with traumatic brain injury within her own family. This life-altering event reshaped her perspective as an attorney, giving her a deeper understanding of the emotional and psychological impact clients face. It also highlights the human side of personal injury law—where cases are not just about legal strategy, but about real people navigating life-changing circumstances. Cristina and Katie also discuss their transition into working on catastrophic personal injury cases together, combining their strengths in litigation and strategy to deliver meaningful outcomes for clients. Their dynamic showcases how complementary skill sets and aligned values can create powerful results, both professionally and personally. This episode is ultimately about growth—growth as lawyers, as business owners, and as individuals. It touches on leadership, resilience, and the importance of building a team and environment that reflects your values. For anyone navigating career decisions, entrepreneurship, or the pressures of high-performance industries, this conversation offers insight, relatability, and a refreshing level of honesty. Stay tuned for Part 2, where the conversation continues into building a firm on your own terms, trusting your decision-making, and defining what true partnership really looks like.