Our Consultant Spotlight series lets us tell the stories of the people who make up the Lions & Tigers community. After practicing law for a number for years, CJ White (he/him) recognized the family time he had sacrificed and decided to prioritize being a Dad to his three girls. An experienced Communications, Business and Legal Executive, CJ was drawn to L&T’s vision, philosophy of balance, and prioritization of self-care.

ABOUT CJ

I’ve lived all over the United States growing up and throughout my career. Growing up I wanted to be an artist and writer, and I am still very passionate about and involved in art. I have three daughters who are the center of my world, though I had always said when I was younger that I was never going to have kids… or pets, and now we have three cats and a dog as well.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE

I started my career in politics, primarily as a speechwriter and communications/issues consultant. I’ve worked for multiple US Senators, including Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. I am an attorney, with a decade of litigation experience, as well as being a board-certified mediator and arbitrator. I love writing though, and I am glad to be able to focus on that again in a meaningful way.

BEST THING ABOUT BEING A #GIRLDAD

Getting to see the world through their eyes. They are so smart and have such an amazing way of taking in the world, so I love spending time with them. They find my meltdowns at other drivers hilarious, so it feels more justified. Also, being able to make sure they’ll be awesome adults by making them watch my favorite 80s movies with me. There’s something wonderful about watching an 8- and 10-year-old conversing in Ferris Bueller quotes.

WHY LIONS & TIGERS

Having practiced law for so long, I sacrificed significant time with my daughters and came to a point where I wanted to prioritize being a great dad and also not being stressed out on a daily basis. And L&T’s vision and philosophy of balance and prioritization of self-care was extremely appealing to me.

FAVORITE PLACE YOU’VE LIVED

It’s a tie between Chicago where I currently live and Seattle. The raw, natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest is absolutely incredible, and I was very happy living there. Chicago is the real-life Gotham City (sorry to burst your bubble New York). It’s a mix of metropolitan grandeur punctuated by rich gothic architectural buildings and landmarks that you won’t find anywhere else. The drawback is that the winter here literally tries to murder you… so it’s very much in keeping with the Chicago reputation for needless violence.

AREAS OF INTEREST & PASSIONS

I’m passionate about art, history, and literature. I have a fine art collection that includes pieces by Salvador Dali, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Picasso, Bernard Buffet, and original sketches from Rembrandt, as well as ancient coins, manuscripts, and a 68-Million-year-old seabed fossil

WHERE DOES YOUR LOVE OF ART COME FROM 

Probably from my grandmother. She was a rising star dress designer in the 1930s in Chicago, but as was the time, when she met my grandfather (who is my personal hero and like my father), she gave it up because of his military career— he was a pilot in WWII. But she was always very artistic and would spend entire days drawing and painting with me. My mother and my aunt Mary are also very artistic. So, while many of my cousins inherited my grandfather’s mind for mechanics, engineering, and math, I’m proud to say I’m the only grandchild that has any artistic talent.

BIGGEST BENEFIT TO HIGH IMPACT, FLEXIBLE WORK

Being able to prioritize my family, and still be able to work and deliver — but in ways and at times that allow me to be creative and productive when I am most able to.

FAVORITE ARTISTS

Of the old masters I have the goal of one day owning a Monet (but who doesn’t). I am very fond of Edgar Degas -his ballerinas have such a beautiful fluidity and fragility, (and I just made an offer on a small painting of his as a gift for my oldest daughter – she’s 12 and sometimes wants to be a dancer … or a TikTok star). But my most treasured painting is the last painting my grandmother ever did. It’s a lovely landscape that is luminous and spoke to her incredible talent. It hangs on the main gallery wall in my home, right next to my more prominent pieces. As for prominent contemporary artists, I’m very drawn to Miquel Barcelo’s work.

ADVICE TO OTHERS NAVIGATING A CAREER TRANSITION

Just go for it. It’s scary but happiness and fulfilment requires risk.

Interested in joining Lions & Tigers?  Check out our open roles here.