Jay Sullivan
Consultant, N. America
Jay Sullivan is the former Managing Partner, and currently leads the firm’s Law Firm Group. He is an award-winning author and columnist and was an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown Law Center and Fordham University School of Law. His book, Simply Said: Communicating Better at Work and Beyond, was released by John Wiley & Sons in 2016, and has since been translated into Arabic, Chinese, French, Korean, and Russian. As a contributing writer for Forbes.com, Jay brings relevant and timely advice on enhancing one’s communication skills to the business community.
In Action
Trailer: Simply Said by Jay Sullivan, Exec-Comm
Exec-Comm Tip: Negotiations
Past Experience
Jay joined Exec-Comm after nine years as a practicing attorney. He received his J.D. from Fordham University in 1989. That year, Jay was named among the first class of Skadden Fellows by the Skadden Foundation. For two years he acted as in-house legal counsel at Covenant House, a crisis shelter for runaway and homeless teenagers. He then practiced corporate law for seven years on behalf of Lloyds of London.
Education
Fordham University School of Law
J.D.
Boston College
Bachelor's Degree, English Language Literature
Fun Facts
Jay spent two years in the Jesuit International Volunteer Corps teaching English. His book about that experience, Raising Gentle Men: Lives at the Orphanage Edge, was named the 2014 Best Book by a Small Publisher by the Catholic Press Association. Jay sits on the Board of Directors of Dot Foods, Inc., the nation’s largest food redistributor. He and his wife, Mary, live in Pleasantville, New York, where they raised their four children. Jay plays squash weekly (and weakly, but with great enthusiasm).
Featured Articles
Complete Communicator: Daily habits to… Complete Communicator: Daily habits to deepen your firm’s bench strength
10/22/24
As lawyers, we’re not in the legal industry; we’re in the relationship business. That applies both internally within our firms…
From “Ugh Factor” to “Aha… From “Ugh Factor” to “Aha Moment”
10/07/24
When you put together materials for a presentation slide deck, you should keep one overarching principle in mind. Avoid the…
Choose Your Words Carefully. You’ll… Choose Your Words Carefully. You’ll Be Grateful.
09/16/24
Our word choice matters. It determines the tone of our messages and whether those messages have impact. Years ago, I…
A More Civil Discourse Results… A More Civil Discourse Results In A More Productive Debate
09/12/24
Last week I had the honor of participating in a panel discussion about how we can all promote more civil…
Cross-Selling Made Easy Cross-Selling Made Easy
08/20/24
As everyone returns from summer vacations and refocuses on business, there’s usually a renewed energy put toward business development. Particularly…
Thinking Critically - Through the… Thinking Critically - Through the Election and Throughout Every Day
08/26/24
As the election approaches, we’ll be inundated with ads and messages about a wide array of important topics. Effective democracy…
How Your Passion Drives Your… How Your Passion Drives Your Executive Presence
07/29/24
When experienced professionals share complex ideas in meetings or in formal presentations, their delivery can, on occasion, be flat and…
Mindfulness Made Easy Mindfulness Made Easy
07/08/24
We are all better communicators when we focus less on ourselves and more on other people, always asking ourselves, “Why…
How To Make Your Presentation… How To Make Your Presentation Sound More Like A Conversation
07/01/24
The main difference between strong, confident speakers and speakers who seem nervous in front of the room is in how…
Becoming a More Nimble Leader Becoming a More Nimble Leader
06/07/24
When Bob Dylan wrote The Times They Are A-Changin’ in 1963, he chose a tempo that seems quaint and measured today, but…
To Increase Your Impact, Think… To Increase Your Impact, Think From Your Audience’s Perspective
05/28/24
The next time you have to share an update at a meeting, give an important presentation, or deliver a speech…
Improve Your Critical Thinking By… Improve Your Critical Thinking By Avoiding Assumptions
04/30/24
In an article earlier this month, I shared three questions we can ask ourselves in the moment to avoid allowing…
Replacing “No” with “Whoa.”: Three… Replacing “No” with “Whoa.”: Three Questions to Help Us Avoid Making Assumptions
04/18/24
Being human, we are prone to two behaviors that impact our ability to both think critically and communicate effectively. First,…
Complete Communicator: #1 Goal for… Complete Communicator: #1 Goal for 2024: Pay attention
03/18/24
We’re all now six weeks into our New Year’s resolutions. We’ve already figured out which ones we’re likely to stick…
Complete Communicator: Artificial Intelligence vs.… Complete Communicator: Artificial Intelligence vs. Genuine Wisdom: Why Lawyers Remain Necessary and Continue to Add Value
11/14/23
AI looms over every conversation these days, equal parts promise and threat. While there is much talk about how chatbots…
Complete Communicator: Help Your New… Complete Communicator: Help Your New Associates Launch Their Careers with Confidence
09/13/23
Law firms are organic entities. They grow, they evolve, they expand their capabilities, and they incorporate and absorb new people.…
Complete Communicator: Strategies to Prepare… Complete Communicator: Strategies to Prepare for Your Partnership Interview
08/16/23
Every firm operates on its own annual timetable regarding when and how they promote attorneys into the partner ranks. All,…