CZ and Friends
CZ and Friends
Podcast Description
CZ & Friends is a podcast about what it takes to lead and evolve legal in an era of exponential change. Hosted by Cecilia Ziniti, former General Counsel turned founder and CEO of GC AI, each episode features candid conversations with legal and business leaders who are building for scale, taking bold bets on technology, and leading with humanity. Whether you're a GC, operator, or in-house counsel, this podcast is your front-row seat to the future of legal.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast focuses on the evolution of legal practices amidst rapid technological change, covering topics such as legal leadership in startups, AI integration in legal frameworks, and operating within complex regulatory environments. Noteworthy episodes include conversations on legal operations in global fintech and insights on how legal functions can scale effectively within innovative sectors like cannabis and logistics.
CZ & Friends is a podcast about what it takes to lead and evolve legal in an era of exponential change. Hosted by Cecilia Ziniti, former General Counsel turned founder and CEO of GC AI, each episode features candid conversations with legal and business leaders who are building for scale, taking bold bets on technology, and leading with humanity. Whether you’re a GC, operator, or in-house counsel, this podcast is your front-row seat to the future of legal.
In this episode, Cecilia Ziniti sits down with Joseph Schohl for a candid conversation about what it really takes to succeed in the GC role without burning out. Joseph is a former Fortune 500 healthcare General Counsel (DaVita), Founder of Inside Counsel Academy, Founder of GeneralCounselWest, and host of Becoming the GC Podcast.
Joseph reflects on stepping into the General Counsel seat at just 36 years old, navigating high-stakes M&A and regulatory scrutiny, and learning through experience how judgment, systems, and self-awareness matter more than perfection. He shares why confidence is built by doing hard things early, how leaders can develop better judgment intentionally, and why building a strong team is the only way to make the role sustainable.
Cecilia and Joseph also explore how AI has become a daily productivity partner in his work today, helping him expand judgment, accelerate learning, and reclaim time without sacrificing quality. Along the way, Joseph explains why there is no single path to becoming a GC, what executives actually want from their legal leaders, and how in-house lawyers can grow into leadership roles while protecting their personal lives.
This episode is practical, honest, and deeply human, offering clear guidance for anyone navigating the pressure, responsibility, and opportunity of modern legal leadership.
Follow Joseph:
@Joseph Schohl on LinkedIn
Show notes
Books, Authors & Thinkers Mentioned:
• David Allen, Getting Things Done
• Ben Heineman, The Inside Counsel Revolution
• Stephen Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
• James Clear, Atomic Habits
• Cal Newport, Deep Work
Other References:
• Inside Counsel Academy (leadership training and coaching for in-house lawyers)
• GeneralCounselWest, PC (outside GC support for healthcare companies)
• Fortune 500 healthcare legal leadership
• FTC review and regulatory approval processes
• Judgment as the core competency of the GC role
• Coaching and mentorship for senior legal leaders
• AI as a daily productivity and judgment-enhancement tool
• GC AI (legal AI platform for research, drafting, and insight)
• “Confidence built through experience, not titles”
• Sustainable leadership and career longevity
Follow us on all social platforms to get each new episode when it drops.
@Cecilia Ziniti on LinkedIn
@CeciliaZin on Twitter/X
@GC AI on LinkedIn
gc.ai website
Disclaimer
This podcast’s information is provided for general reference and was obtained from publicly accessible sources. The Podcast Collaborative neither produces nor verifies the content, accuracy, or suitability of this podcast. Views and opinions belong solely to the podcast creators and guests.
For a complete disclaimer, please see our Full Disclaimer on the archive page. The Podcast Collaborative bears no responsibility for the podcast’s themes, language, or overall content. Listener discretion is advised. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy for more details.