WPA in the News

HR Star: Lynn Lieber Profile

March 2, 2008

"I began as an employment lawyer," says Lynn Lieber, CEO and founder of Workplace Answers Inc. "And although I very much loved practicing law, and I loved the relationship with clients and counseling HR people, my real passion is for training."

"I so much believe in the power of people and their creativity and their differences and to not fight that but to embrace what everyone brings to the table." Indeed, Lieber’s enthusiasm for her work is palpable. Her passion for her company and her team is obvious when speaking with her, and it’s that passion that has moved Workplace Answers to the top.

But before immersing herself in HR, Lieber studied pre-law and communications at the University of the Pacific. She graduated in 1984, headed off to law school at Santa Clara School of Law, and in 1987, received her J.D. Next, Lieber worked a five-year stint for the largest employment firm in the country representing management: Littler Mendelson. And in 1995, after leaving Littler, she became a partner at Fisher and Phillips.

"I began doing a lot of in-person training for employees and supervisors in areas like unlawful harassment preventions, discipline and discharge, hiring, interviewing, family and medical leave, the intersection of leave laws and diversity type training," says Lieber.

"[All of this] opened my eyes to the fact that as an attorney who knows the law, being with employees and supervisors gave me a very practical take on what it’s like to be in the work place. Because I would sometimes say to them, ‘This is harassment. Here are some examples of what could be harassment.’ And some people [would] say, ‘Well, you don’t understand my job— I’m a police officer. I get harassed everyday. So how does that apply to me?’ So it really opened up my thinking about training."

As a professional who enjoys taking big risks, Lieber soon took a big one: in 2000, she left her practice (and her salary) and launched her own business. Its headquarters? "My kitchen," she adds with a laugh.

Read the Complete Article at HRCROSSING.COM

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