New Orleans is calling! Join us at #LMA26, April 20-22, where the Legal Marketing Association – LMA International will be sharing bold ideas, transformative insights and the power of storytelling. Let’s learn and connect!
Thrilled to be joining our moderator (and, yes, childhood neighbor!) Mo Bunnell of Bunnell Idea Group (BIG) alongside fellow panelists K&L Gates’ Craig Budner, Freshfields’ Bryonie Palmer Byers, Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP’s Julie Chodos, and Boston Consulting Group (BCG)’s Erin Carlson for “Elevate Your Impact: Innovative Strategies To Help Your Lawyers Win The Work They Want” on Tuesday, April 21 at 1:30 pm central.
The best BD and marketing professionals don’t just support their lawyers—they transform how those lawyers win work. But creating that transformation requires fresh thinking and proven strategies you won’t find in the usual playbook.
In this high-energy session, four successful leaders will compete to share their most effective ideas—the strategies that have genuinely elevated their own impact. The best part? This will be FUN. The leaders will be sharing their ideas in a game-show style format where the winner will get a special price!
You’ll walk away energized with 10+ new strategies you can implement immediately.
When you’re advising your lawyers proactively—not just taking orders—you become indispensable. And that’s when you can write your own ticket.
Learning Outcomes:
Discover new business development strategies from leading law firms that expand what’s possible for your lawyers and your impact.
Select from the 10+ approaches shared that will best fit the lawyers you support and the growth challenges you’re solving for.
Implement battle-tested ideas immediately to transform your role from order-taker to indispensable growth partner.
P.S. What a night celebrating what makes each and every one of us unique! Proud to be one of INvolve People’s Outstanding 100 LGBTQ+ Executives internationally, but even prouder to have been in the room the evening of March 20 for the #InvolveGala2026 with ALL of the incredible leaders recognized for their work in advocacy, allyship, equity, and representation.
Thank you, Suki Sandhu and team, for your vision and heart and tireless work. You make this world better indeed! Love you!
Thank you, St. John Neighbors’ publisher Diane Lee Jortner, writer Janet Woodward, and photographer Ginnie Wilsman Lange, for your kindness and for this cover story opportunity! You have been so lovely to work with, and we are incredibly honored to be featured in this way. Thank you for all you do for our community!
A Life of Authenticity and Performance: Meet Roy Sexton and John Mola
By Janet Woodward
For Roy Sexton and his husband, John Mola, life in St. John is a beautiful blend of professional achievement, artistic passion, and a deep-seated commitment to authentic living. After moving to the community exactly one year ago, the couple has found more than just a house; they’ve found a neighborhood where they can truly be themselves.
A New Chapter in St. John
Roy and John’s journey to Northwest Indiana was sparked by Roy’s career. In late 2024, Roy was recruited to join Vedder law firm in Chicago as their Chief Marketing Officer. Seeking a location that offered easy access to the city while remaining close to family—Roy’s father, Don, lives in the Fort Wayne area—the couple set their sights on St. John.
They fell in love with their new home here for a somewhat unique reason: the previous owners were avid Star Trek fans. While the memorabilia didn’t come with the house, the “die was cast,” and they knew they had found their place.
In August 2025, John’s father passed away and they helped John’s mother also move into their neighborhood nearby, so the family can be close.
“Our neighbors have been so welcoming,” Roy shares. “It’s a lovely community with people who are fun, genuinely care about each other, and aren’t afraid to be their authentic selves. That’s all we could want”.
From the Stage to the Boardroom
Roy’s professional path is as colorful as a Broadway playbill. A graduate of Wabash College with a double major in English and theatre, he also holds a master’s degree in theatre history and criticism from Ohio State. While he later earned an executive MBA from the University of Michigan, Roy credits his theatre background as the secret to his marketing success.
“My theatre background has been incredibly useful—from understanding an audience and landing a message to the finer points of production and project management,” he explains.
His career has spanned healthcare and law, leading to his current role as CMO at Vedder, where he recently oversaw a refreshed brand and website launch. Roy is also a respected leader in the Legal Marketing Association, serving as their international president in 2023.
A Commitment to Visibility
Roy’s leadership is deeply rooted in his lived experience as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Growing up in Indiana as an only child, he didn’t always find meaningful acceptance. Today, he leads openly and authentically, believing that representation is “not symbolic—it is catalytic”.
His advocacy has not gone unnoticed. Roy was named a Notable LGBTQ+ Leader by Crain’s Detroit Business in 2021 and has been recognized on the INvolve Outstanding 100 LGBTQ+ Executives Role Model List for three consecutive years. In 2024, he even hosted a digital interview series, All the World’s YOUR Stage, which focused on how embracing identity strengthens both performance and culture.
Life at Home: Pups, Cars, and Boy Bands
The Sexton-Mola household is shared with three beloved rescue dogs: 13-year-old black lab Duncan and two spunky Chihuahua-mixes, Hudson and Henry J. Roy notes the hilarious dynamic of the 7-pound Hudson lining up to howl alongside the 60-pound Duncan. Hudson is particularly attached to a “filthy and patched” stuffed mummy toy that he prizes above all else.
When they aren’t managing the “chorus” of rescue pups, Roy and John enjoy a few quirky hobbies. They are surprisingly dedicated fans of 98 Degrees, having attended so many concerts that the band members now recognize them by name.
John is the family’s resident car enthusiast. He once claimed to have the fastest PT Cruiser in North America and has recently restored Roy’s late mother’s 1994 forest green Pontiac Grand Am GT—affectionately known in the family as the “Dead Mother Car”. Roy’s mother, Susie Sexton, was a well-regarded columnist, and both she and Roy have published books of their work.
A Heart for the Neighborhood
Through the years they spent many summers making memories at DisneyWorld with John’s sister Lori and her children Gabby and Andrew. Since Roy and John had never visited the resort when they were children, they insisted on taking the kids on every ride and attraction, even when the kids weren’t interested. Roy says they nearly missed an important dinner reservation at Crystal Palace by watching Carousel of Progress for 45 minutes.
They also traveled to St. Augustine for a great vacation that they would like to repeat.
Roy and John are now focused on creating new traditions in St. John. From exploring local favorites in Crown Point and Valparaiso to simply chatting with neighbors, they feel they “won the lottery” with their new community.
“Thank you for your kindness and for welcoming us with such open arms,” Roy says to his neighbors. “Pulling up stakes and moving to a completely new area made us nervous, but everyone being so genuinely invested in getting to know us has meant more than I can properly express”.
Neighborly Note: Roy is still looking for his “theatre home” in the area. If any local theatre groups are looking for a “slightly over the hill singing actor,” be sure to give him a call!
Thank you, Ben Paul and The BD Ladder, for including my thoughts in this video, and for compiling these great insights from others. Honored to be included alongside these wonderful voices! And I stand by my answer that one of the best things we can do as marketing and business development leaders is to focus on our teams and make sure they have the right guidance, support, encouragement, and resources to flourish.
Ben writes …
What is the one BD or marketing trend professional services firms should focus on this year?
I asked a group of BD and marketing leaders from around the world to answer just that one question.
Simon Munro, Duncan Cotterill; Naomi Lynn, BDO in Australia; Zach Shaw, Halim Hong & Quek, a member firm of Andersen Global; and Roy Sexton, Vedder, recorded short responses, and I’ve stitched their insights into a single video.
The result is a collection of perspectives from across the global professional services community on where firms should focus their business development and marketing efforts in 2026.
Thank you, Diana Lauritson, MBA, M.S. and Breaking Rank Podcast, for the opportunity and for the lovely chat and for bringing such authentic leadership to our profession and industry
In this episode, Roy Sexton, Chief Marketing Officer, former Legal Marketing Association International President, and trusted leader, gets real about authenticity, leadership, and why he no longer stays in spaces where he’s perceived as “too much.”
Roy shares what it means to:
Give fully to your people and your firm
Lead with clarity and conviction
Walk away from environments that require self-erasure
This is a powerful conversation about boundaries, belonging, and choosing spaces that value your full presence.
In this episode of Breaking Rank, Roy Sexton reflects on what it looks like to lead differently and why conformity was never the goal.
Roy shares how he has pushed back against systems that expect leaders to shrink, soften, or fit a narrow mold. He talks openly about taking risks despite criticism, the pressure to change appearance or behavior to keep others comfortable, and the resolve it takes to choose yourself anyway.
Grounded in empathy and self-awareness, Roy’s leadership is shaped by intention rather than approval. He explores how everyday choices about how we show up, speak up, and stand firm can become powerful acts of leadership over time.
This episode is for leaders who are questioning inherited norms, navigating visibility, and choosing authenticity even when it comes with risk.
Roy Sexton is the Chief Marketing Officer at Vedder, where he leads the firm’s overall marketing strategy, brand positioning, and business development initiatives across the legal sector.
With more than 25 years of experience in marketing and strategic communications—including nearly 15 years focused in legal marketing—Roy has shaped campaigns, digital outreach, and organizational storytelling that support growth and differentiation for global professional services.
He has also served in leadership roles within the Legal Marketing Association – LMA International (LMA), including as International President, and is recognized for his contributions to marketing leadership and inclusive leadership in the industry.
Thank you for having me, Rachel Clar, Esq.! I enjoyed that conversation on the power of authenticity very much, and I found the engagement from our wonderful attendees so affirming. Thank you for being you.
The more you try to fit in, the easier it is to be undervalued.
You sit in silence as he mispronounces your name again, because correcting him feels riskier than letting it slide.
This is the invisible tax so many women in BigLaw still pay.
Not because they lack skill.
Because they were taught to shrink to stay safe.
Rachel coaches BigLaw women across the AmLaw 200.
Roy leads marketing inside a global firm and has lived this firsthand.
On Wednesday, December 10 at 1 pm ET/noon CT, join Rachel Clar, Esq. and Roy Sexton for:
Coming Out as Yourself in BigLaw: Strategy Over Sanitizing
We will unpack how your identity can support your strategy in the rooms that decide your future.
This Live is for attorneys who want to:
→ Speak directly without being labeled difficult → Ask for resources in ways that raise your status → Decline misaligned work without whispers about your lack of dedication
This session sets the stage for a deeper dive in winter 2026, where you can learn to use your voice in ways that shift outcomes inside your firm.
All registrants get The BigLaw Power Moves Cheat Sheet, which includes ten strategic cues to get yourself heard in high-stakes moments.
P.S. Which moment feels most familiar: Being talked over. Being labeled “too direct.” Being the default note taker. Being the token woman in the room. Or saying yes because no feels dangerous?
Screenshot
P.S. I received this lovely note froman attendee …
I completely loved your and Rachel’s session — and found SO MUCH of it to resonate deeply within me. Here are just a few of the MIC-DROP statements you made that I wrote down! 🎤💥
–the importance of *earning* the right to express more and more of one’s unique authenticity through work quality and reliability
–how you used compassion, humbleness and humor in response to someone butchering your name to convert that challenging moment into a critical bonding/trust moment with him
–don’t look to the company who is paying you to define who you are (boom!!)
–the hidden cost of sanitizing oneself and the profound effects of doing so on mental health, anxiety and overall thriving
–WTF happens in law school such that it spits out people who are in a frantic race to be the first to be second?!? LOL!! #truth
–one can have an abundant mindset in a world/environment of scarcity through authenticity (can I add another BOOM!!??)
–distinguishing between non-negotiables in one’s identity and “gravy” — and how this directly dictates one’s energy and passion
–how you were using your gayness as a lens to signal to everyone else who is feeling othered to be themselves
–the right people will COME TO YOU when you are in your authentic self
🥹🥹🥹
P.P.S. Rachel’s summary …
You don’t have to be all things to all people. Because then you’re nothing to no one.
Thank you, Roy Sexton, for sharing so many pearls on yesterday’s Live, 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝗶𝗴𝗟𝗮𝘄: 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴.
Thank you, Chandler Quintin and Video Brothers! This was such an enjoyable conversation, and I’m a BIG believer in having fun while ALSO having substantive discussion (which this was/is). While I didn’t win the contents of the “silver briefcase,” I won a new friend and had a great time along the way!
EPISODE DESCRIPTION: 🪨📄✂️ It’s time to go down the funnel with Roy Sexton, CMO at Vedder Price, in this episode of Video Brothers’ #RockPaperFunnel.
Roy’s proof that “boring” industries are only boring when the people leading them are. He took an English & theatre background, walked into Deloitte “a thousand years ago,” and somehow turned it into a career building brands for some of the sharpest lawyers in the world.
From reimagining three different law firm brands to walking on stage in rainbow sequins with a drag queen at a legal marketing conference, Roy doesn’t just talk about inclusion and humanity in business… he performs it.
And now at Vedder Price, he’s helping attorneys show the world what actually sets them apart: substance, empathy, and real business understanding (not just another “world-class service” tagline).
Stay sharp. Stay weird. And above all… stay memorable.
Wicked. I read Gregory Maguire’s book thirty years ago and was transformed. In this pre-internet era, the idea of approaching a well-worn tale like The Wizard of Oz (which had always been an obsession of mine) from the “villain’s” perspective was relatively, er, novel. But Maguire had more than a gimmick – he had an incisive message to relay, a takedown of the patriarchy, an attack on racism and classism, a desire to champion the rights of all creatures great and small. I had never read anything like it.
A few years later, Stephen Schwartz (another obsession) adapted the novel into a big, brassy Broadway musical. My husband and I would finally see the show in Toronto a few years after its debut, and John fell deeply in love with the score and the narrative around an underdog and a top dog striking an unlikely friendship that changed both of their lives … for good. I enjoyed the show but felt something had been lost. The novel’s thornier edges had all been sanded down and replaced with an equally moving but slightly different message around empowerment in the face of institutional adversity.
Twenty years later, director John M. Chu crafted a cinematic hybrid of sorts between novel and stage show to generally positive results. Wicked, Part 1 as it has come to be known felt like a revelation (again), bringing the zip of Schwartz’s score into an overlit landscape that didn’t shy away from Maguire’s cultural critique, while remaining a family-friendly, infinitely merchandisable affair. Chu made the arguably controversial, definitely monetizable decision to break the stage show into two films. Given that the first act of the stage show remained unencumbered from too many specific ties to L. Frank Baum’s Oz books and was thereby free to do a good bit of world-building around the school years of Elphaba and G(a)linda, the first film felt like a complete thought, ending with the triumphant anthem “Defying Gravity.”
So what to do with the stage show’s more problematic second act which episodically barrels through key moments in Elphaba’s and Glinda’s adult life, intersecting frequently, sometime elegantly, often cumbersomely with key moments in Dorothy’s overly familiar journey through Oz? On balance, Chu blessedly gives us some breathing room to digest all that is happening. It took me four views of the Broadway show to actually remember and process what the heck transpires in that second act. Offering that second act material more cinematic real estate is both good and bad. In Wicked: For Good, we get far more character moments, enriching the dynamic between the former school chums as they lead their separate yet symbiotic lives. The downside? There’s more time for us to scratch our heads and ask, “Wait, where were Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, the Lion just then?” From a chronological perspective, at times it just feels like that math ain’t mathing.
But Chu was damned if he did, damned if he didn’t. If he drastically reworked act two to unravel some of the nonsensical bits, 20 years of Wicked-heads would have revolted. If he changed too little, the more casual audience members (and mean-spirited critics) would declare this second installment a letdown. “It’s just not as much fun as the first one.” Well, duh. Elphaba does still have to become the “Wicked Witch” we all knew and feared as children. Schrodinger’s witch as it were.
For the tl;dr crowd, I enjoyed the film. A lot. It took me a week, though, to figure out what if anything I wanted to say about it. So here’s this. Go see it. Be open-minded. Hold space for revelatory turns by both Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. And remember how disappointed you were with The Empire Strikes Back as a child, but how eventually it became your favorite Star Wars film in adulthood because it dares to be dark … and, well, real. Or as real as fantasy can be. Through a mirror darkly revealing that even in a magical land of escapism there are, in fact, lions, and tigers, and bears. Oh my.
I’m incredibly proud to be recognized among such inspiring LGBTQIA+ leaders for the third year running. Visibility and representation aren’t just nice-to-haves — they’re essential. These awards go far beyond the fleeting buzz of personal recognition; they signal to the wider business community the real power of authenticity … of those who are brave enough to bring their whole selves to work, and to speak openly about it. As a young gay man growing up in Indiana in the 80s and 90s, seeing a list like this would have meant the world to me. It would have shown me that there is a place for people like me — that we belong. I’m deeply grateful, and hopeful, that in some small way I can help pass that message forward to the LGBTQIA+ community today.
Founder & CEO of INvolve, Suki Sandhu OBE, says, “I’m so thrilled to be celebrating this global group of trailblazing Executives, Future Leaders and Advocates who are working to ensure LGBTQ+ individuals in the workplace can thrive. All the individuals featured in our Outstanding Role Model Lists supported by YouTube are championing inclusion and leveraging their expertise and knowledge to drive impactful initiatives and strategic change within their organizations. It’s vital that LGBTQ+ employees across global organizations can succeed and achieve career success, and these Role Models are essential drivers of change who are smashing barriers to progress. We could not effect change without them leading the way.”
TheOutstanding LGBTQ+ Role Model Lists supported by YouTube showcase LGBTQ+ business leaders and allies who are breaking down barriers and creating more inclusive workplaces across the world. They aim to represent the wide range of impactful and innovative work being done for inclusion across different countries, organizations and sectors, and celebrate the diverse range of inspiring individuals who have made it their personal mission to make a difference.
In their recognition, INvolve wrote, “Roy Sexton, Chief Marketing Officer at Vedder Price, is a visible and authentic advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion. As 2023 International President of the Legal Marketing Association and current co-chair of their DEI shared interest group, Roy centers DEI in the organization’s strategy, leading impactful town halls and creating safe spaces for LGBTQ+ members. At Vedder Price, Roy mentors colleagues and fosters a culture of belonging. His leadership extends to over 150 interviews, keynote speeches, and panel presentations, amplifying the importance of inclusive leadership. Roy has been recognized by a number of organizations including Crain’s and Corp! Magazine for his leadership capabilities, particularly as an executive within the LGBTQ+ community. He served as a board member for a number of Michigan-based charitable organizations, such as the Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit and Ronald McDonald House Charities. Roy’s visibility as an openly gay executive inspires others to embrace authenticity and drive change.”
INvolve is a consultancy and global network driving diversity and inclusion in business. Through the delivery of advisory solutions, awareness workshops, talent development programs, INvolve drives cultural change and create inclusive workplaces where all individuals can succeed. They publish annual role model lists recognizing and celebrating business leaders and future leaders who are breaking down barriers at work and inspiring the next generation of diverse talent.
Thank you, Emily Neal 👩🏻💻 and DSMN8 – The Employee Advocacy Platform, for including my thoughts here.
“For Roy Sexton, this authenticity comes down to empathy and intention: ‘Authenticity is one of those words that gets thrown around a lot these days, often by people who don’t exemplify it. But what this report shows us is that people who engage on these platforms from a genuine place of empathy and intellectual curiosity make a huge difference in brand building. Organizations would be wise to embrace these techniques and tools to leverage genuine voices across their communities.’”
