E79: Scott Penick Director of Legal at KION North America

Scott is a Fordham University School of Law graduate and currently works as the Director of Legal for North America at KION North America. In this episode, I sit down with Scott, whose path from an Academic All-American cross-country athlete to a law school graduate has been anything but linear. Scott’s story is one of resilience, adaptation, and the relentless pursuit of finding his true calling.We kick off at Harding University, where Scott excelled as a track and cross-country athlete while still figuring out what he wanted from life. His next chapter took him to Georgia State University, where he earned an MBA, setting the stage for a career in law that would be anything but ordinary.Scott opens up about his law school years—sharing insights from his internships and clerkships that revealed not just what he wanted to do with his legal career, but more importantly, what he didn’t want to do. This clarity would come in handy when his post-law school career at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft hit a major roadblock: the 2008 Financial Crisis. Out of work and navigating mounting financial stress, Scott pivoted, hanging his shingle before eventually landing at McGovern Legal Services—a humbling but pivotal experience.In a candid conversation, Scott shares how those tough times reshaped his outlook and the lessons he learned about thriving in adversity. He dives into what makes a great associate, the importance of taking initiative, and why being proactive is key to career growth.Finally, we bring things full circle to Scott’s current role at KION North America, a position that allowed him to return home to South Carolina. Scott’s journey offers a wealth of wisdom on mindset, reinvention, and resilience for anyone looking to forge their path—whether in law or beyond.Scott’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/scottpenickesqBe sure to check out the Official Sponsors for the Lawyers in the Making Podcast:Rhetoric - takes user briefs and motions and compares them against the text of opinions written by judges to identify ways to tailor their arguments to better persuade the judges handling their cases. Rhetoric's focus is on persuasion and helps users find new ways to improve their odds of success through more persuasive arguments. Find them here: userhetoric.comThe Law School Operating System™ Recorded Course - This course is for ambitious law students who want a proven, simple system to learn every topic in their classes to excel in class and on exams. Go to www.lisablasser.com, check out the student tab with course offerings, and use code LSOSNATE10 at checkout for 10% off Lisa's recorded course! Get full access to Lawyers in the Making Podcast at lawyersinthemaking.substack.com/subscribe