Retaining Top Legal Talent in 2026: The Playbook by Karen Mesmer

January 22, 2026 Joe Stephens

Retaining top legal talent often feels like an uphill climb. Unless you have Karen Mesmer’s playbook.

In this episode of Between the Briefs, Karen, Legal Services Manager at Shook, Hardy and Bacon, joins hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens to explore how premier litigation firms are evolving their operations in the face of technological disruption.

What You’ll Learn:

How to evaluate AI tools without replacing institutional knowledge
The essential soft skills that no technology can replicate
Why technical fluency in platforms like Excel and document management systems is now table stakes
The retention secret of fostering a culture of deliberate care and shared responsibility
How to structure career pathways that grow talent internally
The discipline of vendor evaluation & prioritizing transparency and fair value exchange

The legal industry is nothing without its people. It’s time we started paying attention to them.

Want to watch this episode of Between the Briefs instead? Get the full video on YouTube.

About the Contributors

Joe Stephens

Joe Stephens, J.D., is Steno's Director of Legal Solutions as well as a Clinical Lecturer at Texas Tech University School of Law. With over 15 years of experience in criminal defense and public service, he founded and led Texas' largest rural public defender office, which serves a 12-county area. A graduate of The University of Texas School of Law (cum laude) and Vanderbilt University (B.A.), Stephens currently serves as a Board Member of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyer's Association (TCDLA) and sits on multiple State Bar of Texas committees. His expertise spans the intersection of legal practice and technological innovation in the justice system.

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Adrian Cea

Adrian Cea is Steno's Social Media Manager, leading content strategy, audience engagement, and digital brand-building across platforms. He also produces and co-hosts Between the Briefs, Steno's podcast covering the intersection of legal technology, court reporting, and the future of litigation. With a background spanning content creation, field marketing, and sales at companies like Sell Better and Chili Piper, Adrian brings a multi-disciplined lens to making complex legal tech topics accessible and engaging.

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