Episode 213: Tim Lupinacci, CEO and Chair, Baker Donelson

This week, we interviewed Tim Lupinacci. Tim spent the first 28 years of his legal practice focused on helping financial institutions solve complex problems arising in commercial restructuring and bankruptcy matters throughout the country. During his leadership journey at Baker Donelson, Tim chaired the Financial Services Department, the Women's Pathways to Leadership Committee, and served as a member of the Firm's Diversity & Inclusion Committee. He was awarded with the Firm's highest award for both advancement and support of women and advancement and support of minorities. Four years ago, he was selected as CEO and Chair of Baker Donelson, which is one of the 100 largest law firms in the country. In these positions, he has led the Firm through significant organizational change, growth, and the global pandemic. He continues leading Baker Donelson through its five year BakerVision 2028 strategy, and the execution of its Diversity & Inclusion Compact. As a self-professed "leadership junkie", Tim's journey to stepping up as a leader began thirty years ago as a young lawyer after disappointing a boss with an epic failure. The boss challenged Tim (after significant yelling and tough love!) by saying he saw Tim as a strong young leader who needed to recognize that he was a leader, and step up to own his work, his career, and his ambitions In the three decades since, Tim has studied, read, and grown his leadership skills through hard work, being curious, trying novel ideas, failing, learning from the failures, and getting better every day. This culminated in launching a non-profit called "Everybody Leads" focused on empowering individuals in underserved communities with basic leadership skills and confidence to better lead themselves, lead others, and lead in the community.