For Jordan Fischer, it was inevitable to enter the field of law. Growing up, she was surrounded by people who worked in law, including her father who owned a law practice firm.
She knew it was her calling to become a lawyer. Over the years, Jordan has built a unique reputation in the legal space by recognizing her opportunities and taking a leap of faith.
Today, she is the Global Privacy Team Lead at Octillo, a remote-based law firm that focuses exclusively on data privacy, cybersecurity, and technology law.
In this Exclusive Interview, Jordan Fischer talks about her journey, the legal industry, and Octillo.
What according to you makes one a transformational leader?
Transformational leaders are willing to look outside of the box and explore the unknown. They find ways to incorporate their team into brainstorming and solution-oriented approaches. A transformational leader understands that their role is to remove roadblocks and challenges for the team so that each team member can thrive and succeed in her role.
Talk to us about your growing up years. What is your earliest memory as a leader/entrepreneur that you can remember?
Growing up, I benefited from my parents that strongly supported my desire to create new and unique opportunities, and they also encouraged me to continue to reach further. My leadership skills were honed early in my life through my girl scout troop, where I worked with fellow girl scouts to develop community projects and to learn key life-long skills.
What prompted your interest and subsequently your foray into the legal space?
My desire to pursue a legal career began before I was born, with my father owning his own law practice. In a sense, I grew up surrounded by the law, the people who work in the law, and the unique challenges lawyers are privileged to address. Through this early exposure, I continued to find the law incredibly interesting. I liked the challenge of reading a rule and finding ways to interpret and apply that law. It felt like a natural step to become a lawyer.
Being the Global Privacy Team Lead, what role do you play in the day-to-day proceedings of the company?
Each member of our team is a pivotal part of our day-to-day operations. I see my core role as two-fold: first, to work through any roadblocks for the team. Roadblocks could result from a need to research issues, organizing workloads, or addressing client expectations. Secondly, my role involves interfacing with clients on strategic initiatives and continuing to find opportunities for us to provide value to those clients. Both roles go hand-in-hand and require a sound knowledge of the law and the business.
Talk to us about Octillo and what makes it stand out as a leading technology law firm?
Octillo is unique, both in the area of law it focuses on, as well as in the way we practice law. First, Octillo is a remote-based law firm that focuses exclusively on data privacy, cybersecurity, and technology law. Our firm provides legal insight and guidance in regulatory compliance, incident response, and complex litigation. Second, we understand that our clients are businesses with strategic initiatives and goals. We strive to develop creative solutions, both in how we solve problems and in how we relate to our clients and provide our services. We use alternative pricing models that fit a wide range of needs, allowing us to be a value-added partner for all our clients, regardless of size, industry, or legal ask.
Looking back at your journey, what would you have done different when starting out?
Honestly, I feel incredibly grateful for my journey, both the ups and downs. One thing I continue to work on is trusting myself and my own unique entrepreneurial path. It may not look like the careers of my colleagues or law school classmates and that is completely fine. In fact, it allows me to really embrace my creativity to think out of the box and go for something completely new.
What would be your advice for aspiring and emerging leaders in the legal space?
Take the leap. It feels incredibly scary, and impossible, but it is the most rewarding experience. I have learned so many new skills and experienced opportunities I never could have imagined had I not taken that leap. And, I have met incredible, generous people who have provided support to me in innumerable ways. This community is what I am so thankful for and those people I may never have met had I not taken the leap of faith in myself. Many members of this legal, technology, cybersecurity, and privacy community played and continue to play a key role in my everyday growth and evolution as a lawyer, entrepreneur, and leader. I am forever grateful for this.
Finally, what does the future look like for you and Octillo?
The most exciting aspect of Octillo is that we are poised to really harness some unique opportunities in the future. We have an incredible team that is genuine, engaged, and prepared to address this incredibly dynamic and fast-paced area of the law. Our embrace of technology will allow us to continue to re-imagine the way we practice law and provide key support to our clients to prepare for and address new regulatory spaces, changing technology, and an increasingly global economy. The unknown in this area of the law is both scary and exciting, but our team is ready to embrace whatever comes next.
