As part of Leadership and Ethics Week, the Student Leadership and Ethics Board (SLEB) of the Bernstein Center is excited to host Laura McPhail, for a practical conversation on ethical hiring. Building on the recent Klion Forum discussion on the meritocracy paradox, Laura will unpack how real hiring decisions get made in light of incomplete information, including who gets considered, what “fit” means, and how character and judgment are weighed alongside experience.
Moderated by Copeland McCarter ’27, this session will also equip students with practical tools to become more effective hiring managers, such as asking better interview questions, spotting bias, and raising concerns constructively.
Key Learning Objectives:
-Explain why ethical judgment matters in hiring decisions for all companies
-Apply approaches that make subjective hiring evaluations more consistent and fair
-Understand practical ways to reduce implicit bias in interviews
This event is sponsored by The Paul M. Montrone Seminar Series on Ethics.
About Laura McPhail
Laura co-founded Hedley May in the US with a vision for a compelling client proposition: a global executive search boutique capable of matching powerful advisory relationships with excellent delivery. Today that vision is a reality.
Laura is a recognized expert in the recruitment of functional leaders and teams, including global General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officers, Chief Risk Officers and Chief Audit Officers, as well as other senior Legal, Regulatory, Risk and Communications talent to a range of corporates and financial institutions. She is often invited to speak to leadership teams, at industry forums and at conferences on the characteristics of great functional leaders. Previously, Laura led the global internal executive search team at Merrill Lynch, advising executive leadership on how to attract and retain critical talent.
Hedley May’s sustained track record of over 55% diverse placements each year is very important to Laura, a leader of the New York office. However, she believes the path to a diverse future starts early, working closely with the students, teachers and administrators at the Urban Assembly School for Law & Justice on the mission to prepare students from underserved communities for educational and professional success. Laura is also a member of the Bay Street Theater board of trustees where she helps guide the theater’s strategic direction, supports fundraising efforts, ensures financial and organizational oversight, and serves as an ambassador for its mission in the community. In addition, Laura has maintained a long-standing, five-year partnership with Girls Inc. of New York City, a nonprofit delivering life transforming programs to girls, young women and gender-expansive youth throughout the five boroughs.
Laura has a BS in Marketing and International Business from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business.