Legends

of Culture

Listen in to learn from today’s most innovative brand evangelists and culture leaders.

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Welcome, Legends

What does it take to build legendary culture? We’re on a mission to find out.

Welcome to Legends of Culture, the monthly podcast hosted by Benesch Chief Culture Officer Jared Oakes going all in on exploring what’s next in workplace culture. Each episode features candid conversations with accomplished culture leaders and innovators who are redefining what it means to create a thriving, engaged workplace.

At Benesch, we believe in delivering a better experience—for our clients, our people, and our communities. Legends of Culture reflects this commitment by uncovering actionable insights, strategies for gaining employee buy-in and real-world examples of what truly works. In addition to being the right thing to do, there is massive return on investment in creating organizational cultures that are “all-in” on their team members and whose team members are all-in for each other. We are on a mission to find, study and provide positive exposure to the absolute best
organizational cultures in America (and beyond).

Legends of Culture brings you closer to the authentic voices and bright business thinking that define our firm and some of the most successful companies around—talent empowered to chart their own course and make things better for everyone.

Legends of Culture is produced by Benesch, a business law firm outpacing industry growth benchmarks and raising the bar for client service and professional satisfaction. New episodes are released monthly and are available on all major podcast platforms.

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Meet your host

Jared Oakes eats, sleeps and breathes culture. He wears several hats in his work at Benesch, one of the top business law firms in the United States. In addition to co-chairing the national commercial real estate practice group at Benesch, Jared serves as the firm’s Chief Culture Officer.

In this role, Jared has been focused on taking what was already a great culture and making it truly remarkable. Benesch is perennially recognized as a top workplace and is the only law firm ranked in the top 100 Most Loved Workplaces by Newsweek (the #58 company overall in 2024). Jared is also an avid student of other organizations that “get it right” from a culture perspective.

Featured Guests

Latest news & insights

Client Alerts & Insights 6.11.26

IEEPA Tariff Refunds Challenged in Court – Q&A for Supply Chains

Many of our clients have filed declarations to receive International Emergency Economic Powers Act (“IEEPA”) tariff refunds for “Phase 1” of the new refund process. Some have already received those funds. Recent Department of Justice (“DOJ”) actions between June 2 and June 9, 2026, raise questions about the viability of this administrative process for duty refunds beyond those allowed in Phase 1.
Client Alerts & Insights 6.11.26

Versata v. Ford: Federal Circuit Reinstates $82M Award and Opens Door to Even Greater Damages

Recently, the Federal Circuit affirmed the Eastern District of Michigan’s ruling that Ford Motor Company (“Ford”) misappropriated Versata Software Inc.’s (“Versata”) trade secrets and breached a software licensing agreement. The three-judge panel ordered a new trial on trade secret damages, finding that the lower court improperly limited available damages theories, and reinstated the jury’s $82.3 million award from Ford’s breach of the software licensing agreement.
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