Podcast
Verdicts and Vogue
Hosted by MedLegal Media · EN
Join Attorney Cristina Perez Hesano in Verdicts & Vogue, a podcast that brings together the world of law and lifestyle in an insightful and engaging way. Episodes feature interviews with top legal professionals as they explore pressing issues in various areas of law and precedents. This podcast goes beyond the courtroom—Cristina and her guests dive into the realities of owning a law firm, being a business owner, and navigating the challenges faced by women in business and working moms.
13episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Cristina Perez & Matt Fendon Part 2: Rebuilding Through Faith, Finding Purpose, and Leading with Humility
Mar 2300:19:18Tap to summarizeIn Part 2 of Verdicts & Vogue, Cristina Perez Hesano continues her conversation with Matt Fendon of Matt Fendon Law Group, diving deeper into the personal journey behind success and what it truly takes to rebuild your life when everything changes. This episode moves beyond titles and achievements, focusing on growth, faith, and the internal work that often goes unseen.Picking up from Part 1, Matt reflects on a time when his firm was growing and everything looked successful on the outside, yet internally, he felt empty and disconnected. Following the breakdown of his marriage, he experienced a period of loneliness that quickly replaced the initial sense of freedom. What once felt like independence turned into isolation, forcing him to confront deeper questions about purpose, identity, and direction. That turning point led him to seek something greater, which he ultimately found through faith. Matt shares how being introduced to Trinity Church created a new path for him, one centered on learning, structure, and connection. For the first time, he began reading the Bible with intention, taking notes, studying verses, and building a daily routine around it. This practice became a foundation that brought him peace, balance, and clarity, replacing the uncertainty he once carried. Cristina and Matt connect through their shared experiences with faith, discussing how spirituality can provide grounding during life’s most difficult transitions. One of the most impactful lessons Matt emphasizes is forgiveness. Learning to let go of resentment and extend grace, regardless of the situation, allowed him to move forward without carrying the weight of the past. This shift not only impacted his personal life, but also how he approaches leadership and relationships today.As the conversation evolves, Matt opens up about how his lifestyle has changed. The distractions, late nights, and social habits that once filled his schedule have been replaced with intentional living. He now prioritizes time at home, personal growth, and meaningful relationships, including his current partner who shares his values and attends church with him. This alignment has brought a new level of stability and fulfillment into his life.A major theme throughout the episode is humility. Matt candidly reflects on how success once led him to become overly confident and lose sight of who he was. Through this period of rebuilding, he rediscovered the importance of staying grounded and self-aware. Cristina reinforces this perspective, highlighting that true leadership is not just about growth in business, but growth as a person.The conversation also transitions into practical advice for those navigating similar challenges. Matt encourages individuals to do everything they can to preserve relationships when possible, but to also move forward with intention and grace when necessary. He stresses the importance of avoiding destructive habits and instead finding healthier ways to heal and grow.On the business side, Matt shares valuable insight into building and scaling a law firm. He emphasizes the importance of strategic planning, mentorship, and consistency. Success, he explains, is not built overnight. It requires discipline, strong client service, and a clear brand that sets you apart. Cristina adds to this by discussing goal setting and the importance of being intentional in both networking and professional growth.The episode closes with a rapid-fire segment that reveals Matt’s current mindset. From trusting his instincts to defining success as an ongoing journey, his perspective reflects continuous growth. He describes success as building something from nothing and consistently pushing it to the next level, never becoming complacent.
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Cristina Perez & Matt Fendon: Leadership in Law, Building a Firm, and Rising Through Lifes Challenges
Mar 2300:30:24Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Verdicts & Vogue, host Cristina Perez Hesano sits down with Arizona attorney Matt Fendon, founder of the Matt Fendon Law Group, for a candid and insightful conversation about leadership in law, leadership in business, and the personal resilience required to navigate both.Matt shares the story of his journey from growing up in Phoenix and studying communications to eventually entering the legal field through an unexpected path. Before becoming an attorney, he worked closely with his father—an influential workers’ compensation lawyer in Arizona—first as a paralegal and later as a partner in the family firm. Those early years provided a firsthand education in the realities of building and managing a legal practice, showing him that success in law requires more than legal knowledge alone. As Matt explains, law school teaches theory, but leadership in a firm requires business acumen, relationship building, and the ability to develop systems that allow a firm to grow.Throughout the conversation, Matt discusses how his MBA and business mindset helped him transform the firm’s infrastructure and expand its reach within the legal community. He shares practical insights into networking, relationship development, and the discipline required to build meaningful professional connections—emphasizing that leadership often begins with showing up, engaging with others, and consistently following through.But leadership is not built without adversity. Matt opens up about one of the most challenging chapters of his career: a difficult family partnership breakup that ultimately led him to leave the firm and start over. What began as a painful separation became an opportunity to build something new. In 2018, he launched the Matt Fendon Law Group, creating a practice centered on structure, teamwork, and clear operational processes that would allow the firm to grow sustainably.The episode also explores the human side of leadership. Matt reflects on the personal changes that came alongside his professional transformation, including family challenges, navigating divorce after more than two decades of marriage, and the emotional toll that major life transitions can bring. Through those experiences, he learned the importance of resilience, self-reflection, and finding purpose beyond titles or achievements.Cristina and Matt also dive into the realities of workers’ compensation law—an area often misunderstood but essential to protecting injured workers. From explaining how the system operates to discussing one of the largest workers’ compensation settlements in Arizona history, Matt offers a rare look into the strategy, advocacy, and persistence required to secure meaningful outcomes for clients.At its core, this episode is about growth. It is about what happens when lawyers evolve into leaders, when professionals transform challenges into opportunity, and when personal setbacks become the foundation for stronger businesses and stronger people.Through honesty, experience, and perspective, Matt Fendon’s story reminds listeners that leadership is not defined by titles or accolades—it is defined by perseverance, adaptability, and the courage to keep building even when the path forward is uncertain.
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Cristina Perez & Erika Gelfand Part 2: Standing Your Ground, Navigating Bias, and Growing Through The Practice of Law
Mar 2300:28:26Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Verdicts & Vogue, Cristina Perez Hesano sits down with attorney Erica Gelfand for a candid and insightful conversation about the realities of practicing law, navigating the legal industry as women, and the personal growth that comes with building a legal career. The discussion blends professional experiences with personal reflections, offering listeners an honest look into the challenges and rewards of life in the courtroom and beyond.Cristina begins by sharing a recent experience during a deposition where opposing attorneys treated her with open hostility, questioning her competence and speaking disrespectfully both during and outside of the proceeding. The situation highlighted an ongoing issue that many female attorneys still encounter: being underestimated or treated differently because of gender. The conversation explores how moments like these can be frustrating and discouraging, but also serve as reminders of the resilience required to succeed in the legal field. Erica relates with her own story of being underestimated during a wrongful death case, where opposing counsel assumed she lacked experience and openly spoke about strategy while believing she was not listening. Ultimately, the case resolved successfully, reinforcing the idea that perseverance and preparation often speak louder than assumptions.Throughout the episode, both attorneys emphasize the importance of mentorship and learning through experience. Erica discusses how she has approached her career by stepping into challenging opportunities even when she initially felt uncertain. From taking on her first wrongful death case to handling complex immigration matters she had never worked on before, she explains how pushing through discomfort allowed her to develop confidence and expand her practice. Cristina echoes this perspective, describing how working alongside experienced attorneys early in her career helped her develop courtroom skills and sharpen her litigation abilities.The conversation also touches on the emotional and mental challenges of practicing law, including imposter syndrome, stress, and the pressure of representing clients during difficult moments in their lives. Both women acknowledge that even seasoned attorneys experience doubt, but they have learned to view that doubt as motivation to prepare more thoroughly and continue improving their craft. They also discuss the importance of maintaining humility, strong client relationships, and a service-oriented mindset as key pillars for long-term success.As the episode moves into a rapid-fire segment, Erica reflects on the sacrifices made while building her firm, recalling the early days when she managed every aspect of the business herself and celebrated even small milestones like handling ten active cases. She credits her support system—particularly her family and mentors—for encouraging her to take risks and pursue opportunities for growth.The episode concludes on an uplifting note as Cristina and Erica discuss their goals for the future. Both attorneys express a desire to continue growing their practices while also taking time to appreciate their accomplishments. They emphasize the importance of recognizing wins, learning from setbacks, and continuing to support other women in the legal profession.Overall, the conversation highlights resilience, mentorship, and the evolving landscape for women in law, reminding listeners that success often comes from persistence, collaboration, and the willingness to embrace new challenges.
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