We help legal teams navigate change with clarity, confidence, and a sense of possibility.

We design every engagement from scratch—with the care and attention of true craftspeople—because your firm isn’t a template, and your transformation shouldn’t be either.

Grounded in legal education and real-world strategy, we bring deep expertise in innovation and AI, delivered with warmth and genuine partnership. We’re educators at heart, strategists by training, optimists by choice, and deeply committed to work that actually works.

What guides our work.

Craftsmanship over templates

We don’t do off-the-shelf. Every program is designed specifically for your organization, your culture, and your challenges. The details matter.

Education as empowerment

We’re not here to create dependency—we want to give your people the knowledge, skills, and confidence to lead change themselves.

Warmth and genuine partnership

We show up as collaborators, not consultants who swoop in with a deck and disappear. Relationships matter. We care about the people, not just the project.

Optimism about the profession

We believe law can evolve—that firms and lawyers are capable of real transformation. We’re not cynical about the industry; we’re energized by what’s possible.

Rigor grounded in reality

Our work is research-backed and strategic, but always practical. We’re not interested in theory that doesn’t translate. Work that actually works.

Joy in the work

We genuinely love what we do. There’s energy and enthusiasm in how we approach every engagement—not just obligation.

Meet the team

Jen Leonard

Founder & Principal

Jen founded Creative Lawyers to support law firms, corporate legal departments, law schools, and other professional services organizations that understand the urgency to modernize practice, services, and education.

She works with leaders to cultivate innovative cultures, build nimble and collaborative strategies to navigate a volatile environment, and promote skills and mindsets that drive change. Her work includes cutting-edge generative AI education, design thinking workshops, innovation challenges, retreat keynotes, and ongoing strategic support as a fractional Chief Innovation and Generative AI Officer.

Before launching Creative Lawyers, Jen was the first Chief Innovation Officer and Executive Director of the Future of the Profession Initiative at Penn Carey Law, where she closely studied changes in the legal industry and translated insights into curricular and thought leadership programs. She practiced law for ten years after graduating from Penn Carey Law in 2004, including serving as Chief of Staff to the City of Philadelphia Law Department.

At Penn, she teaches Generative AI in Law Practice, Design Thinking for Lawyers, Modern Law Firm Business and Innovation Strategy, and Attorney Well-Being as Ethical Obligation. She has also taught design thinking and ideation techniques in Wharton’s Executive MBA program and Penn Nursing’s Summer Innovation Institute.

Jen was named to the 2024 ABA Women of Legal Tech list, is a Fellow of the College of Law Practice Management, serves on the Board of the Pro Bono Institute, and received Penn’s Beverly Edwards Award for Exceptional Leadership. She hosts several podcasts including 2030 Vision: AI and the Future of Law (with AAA CEO Bridget McCormack), Law 2030, Future-Proofed (with Kirkland’s Chief Innovation Officer Rachel Dooley), and PLI’s Fast-Tracked.

Mariel Staszewski

Chief Strategy Officer & Content Designer

Mariel is a seasoned legal professional with over 15 years of experience spanning law firm practice, legal education, and strategic consulting. As a Senior Advisor at Penn Carey Law and Strategy Consultant & Designer at Creative Lawyers, she leverages her diverse background to empower legal professionals and drive innovation in the rapidly evolving legal industry.

Her career began at Dechert LLP, where she honed her skills as an associate in the finance and real estate group. Building on this foundation, she transitioned into legal education and career development, taking on progressively senior roles at Penn Carey Law—including leading the school’s high-performing Career Planning & Professionalism team in securing the best law school employment outcomes in the United States.

Through her work with Creative Lawyers, Mariel designs and implements innovative projects that support clients across the legal industry in structuring and leading change. These initiatives encompass educational experiences, strategic consulting, and tailored leadership support.

Her unique blend of experiences allows her to serve as a strategic advisor, process designer, thought partner, and puzzle solver for clients and students alike. Her approach is characterized by a deep understanding of the professional services landscape, coupled with a forward-thinking mindset that anticipates challenges and promotes novel opportunities.

Mariel is a graduate of Penn Carey Law, where she served on the editorial board of the Law Review. She brings rigorous attention to detail to the strategic work she develops, resulting in exceptional client-centric support that offers elegant solutions and tangible outcomes.


Our team

Genevieve Tung, Esq

Genevieve Tung, Esq.

Legal Intelligence Specialist

Aaron Tran

Aaron Tran

Podcast Producer

Barbara Burns

Barbara Burns

Travel Coordinator

Kendall Shue - Executive Assistant

Kendall Shue

Executive Assistant

Ready to work together?

 

We’d love to hear about your goals and explore how we can help.

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