WILL - Women Interested in Leaving Law

What if your negative thoughts aren’t the problem, but actually clues pointing you toward what you truly want? In this episode, Elena shares a powerful mindset revelation she recently uncovered while coaching women lawyers through the CPR process: underneath every critical or limiting thought is actually a deeper value, desire, or goal. Through personal stories and client examples, Elena walks lis...

“I thought people with rich husbands could make career pivots, not me.” After 20 years as a lawyer and in-house executive, Pam Richardson had the career many attorneys work decades to achieve. But beneath her title, compensation and success, she couldn’t shake the feeling “ There has to be something more than this!” As a single mom of twins, leaving law felt impossible. In this episode, Pam shares...

“ The world's not gonna fall apart without you for a couple of hours.” It’s the phrase that EVERY woman lawyer needs to hear. From early career misery to making partner in big law, Heather did everything “right.” Until a life-changing cancer diagnosis forced her to rethink what success actually meant. In this episode, Heather shares how she rebuilt her career and her life on her own terms. We cove...

“What if nothing is wrong… but it still doesn’t feel right?” Jessie Brown didn’t hate being a lawyer. She had a prestigious career, stable income, and was at a “good” firm. But beneath it all, something felt off. After years of pushing through and ignoring what her body told her, Jessie reached a turning point. In this episode, Jessie shares her journey from Big Law to coaching and how she left be...

Imagine having a simple tool to stop your spiral into doubt, fear, or worst-case scenarios. Imagine you easily interrupt negative thought loops.  You are able to intentionally reignite your motivation, clarity, and desire. In this episode of the [@] WILL podcast, I talk about a powerful mindset tool called "CPR".   CPR stands for Choose, Positive, and Repeat/Reignite. It was inspired by a coach I...

“What does your ideal day look like?”  It was the first time that Hillary Sobel had ever been asked that question. 32 years of feeling unseen, undervalued and “unallowed” to want anything else. 22 years of knowing that law was not for her. Then in the space of 10 seconds, her world shifted on its axis. In this episode, WILL Alum Hillary Sobel talks about her life transformation from 32-years as a...

In this episode Anne Marie Segal and I discuss how your resume isn’t a record of your past, but rather a strategic document designed to answer one question: Why should I hire you? Anne Marie walks us through the mechanics and mindset of moving beyond Big Law — without losing the gravitas that comes with it. We cover… Resumes, cover letters, and LinkedIn optimization. Networking strategy, recommend...

How Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction saved Courtney from Anxiety and Burnout.   If you feel constantly stressed, even when things look “fine” from the outside… If you’re looping in your head, replaying the past and worrying about the future…   If you wonder if something’s wrong with you or if working in law is wearing you down… This episode is for YOU!   I’m joined by Courtney Schulnick, a forme...

This one’s spicy!  I am not the biggest curser.  I like the occasional f-bomb, but it’s not typically how I speak, so I don’t do it often in my business.  For some people, it’s part of their brand.  Not me. This is an exception. I had a BIG insight when working with one of my coaches who talked about re-writing our thoughts, beliefs and stories.  In my notes I wrote TBS for short.  Then a bubble b...

Imagine you’ve gone from big law to in-house and become a GC.  Yet, you feel empty.  You’ve been a “success” and yet you long for more. Finally, you allow yourself to explore what else you can do and your passion for travel rises to the top.   At first you don’t believe it’s possible to make money doing that, but you take one small step at a time to explore.   (Travel is a multi-billion dollar ind...

Imagine everything in your business or career is successful, but something tugs at you to pause.   Imagine allowing yourself to stop producing, proving, and hustling long enough to ask who you are without your work or title.   In this episode, I’m joined by Goli Kalkhoran, creator of  ‘ Lessons from a Quitter’ , to explore what it means to press pause on a successful business and sit with uncertai...

Do you feel successful on paper but internally frustrated, exhausted, or unfulfilled?   Do you wonder whether the problem is the law itself , or whether you’re in the right environment? Do you feel anxious, wondering whether you will ever feel truly satisfied in your career? You’re far from alone.   In this episode, I’m joined by Jennifer Gillman; a former practicing attorney, turned legal matchma...

Imagine you make great money as a lawyer, yet feel trapped by the “golden handcuffs” and unsure if this is the life you want.   Imagine you see that you could leave (big) law, reduce stress, AND pursue a life that aligns with your values, without sacrificing your financial stability.   In this episode, financial advisor Niraj Chhabra, talks through how lawyers; especially women attorneys, can gain...

Imagine realizing your vision of practicing law doesn't fit in someone else's structure. Imagine trusting yourself enough to bring that vision to life. Building a firm grounded in your values, your instincts, and the impact you want to make. Imagine choosing to create something meaningful. Not because the path is certain, but because staying aligned with your purpose matters more than staying comf...

In this special one year anniversary celebration episode of the WILL Podcast , I reflect on key moments in the podcast.   I share about the top themes from interviews with women lawyers - especially pivotal moments that helped them make their career changes.  I also focus (okay, rant!) on the importance of getting okay with discomfort as we grow and make bold new moves.   I highlight: The “straw t...

Do you ever feel like you’re doing everything for everyone else and still running on empty? Would you love to show up as confident and grounded, but you’re often overwhelmed, burned out, or questioning whether you even want to stay in law? You’re not alone. In this episode, I’m joined by Career Leadership Coach Emily Hirsekorn, who helps lawyers build clarity, confidence, and fulfillment using her...

Imagine you are a Romanian immigrant Lawyer who relocates to New York at 22 years old, re-does law school and passes the NY Bar. Imagine you think you have to be “Superwoman” and do it all - set up and run a business, have a baby, look a certain way - and not realize the mistakes you're making along the way. Imagine you’re arrested and your 14 year-old daughter sees your mug shot while watching TV...

Do you spend much of your day thinking: “I need to do XYZ…”? Does your endless to-do list and litany of “shoulds” parade through your mind?   If it’s hard to hear what YOU TRULY want to do, you’re not alone.   Here are three questions that quickly cut through the internal noise.  Listen to these three simple questions. And because I LOVE you for being here, and value your time,  here they are!   ...

Imagine you manage to navigate the pressures and achievements of your legal career, yet feel an overwhelming sense of anxiety and dissatisfaction. Imagine that after you set boundaries and say “no”, you see nothing bad happened.  This helps you loosen the grip of perfectionism, and unlock opportunities that align with your true self. If you’ve earned your gold stars, but happiness feels out of rea...

Imagine being at the height of your legal career; earning more than ever, admired by peers, and yet feeling completely miserable.  That was Sarah Burke’s reality before she made one of the boldest choices of her life. To walk away from traditional legal practice in pursuit of autonomy, alignment and self-love. Imagine transforming from someone who's afraid to say “no,” to  becoming confidently bui...

Imagine being a 29 year-old criminal prosecutor who’s diagnosed with breast cancer, only to realize the biggest shocker is that chemo is the “best experience of your life.” This wake-up call for Dina Cataldo began her journey into entrepreneurship and personal growth that ultimately led to coaching and moving to Sedona, Arizona.  Along the way she faced fear, guilt and shame, opening her up to sel...

Imagine feeling stuck in a high-paying legal job as you’re buried deep in student loan debt. Imagine having everything you ever wanted in a career - Your dream job right in front of you, and then realizing you absolutely hate it. Imagine feeling unsure how to make a change…until one conversation shifts everything. In this inspiring episode, Jessica Medina shares how she went from being completely...

When Mel Robbins agrees with you... Have you ever been in this situation before women in law? Your heart races when an unexpected email comes in from a difficult partner, or you wake up with a jolt in the middle of the night.  You wish you could stop the spiraling, self-doubt and overthinking but just keep going to that worst case scenario.  How about this instead? You have a simple, discreet tool...

Trigger warning - adolescent suicide.  Imagine struggling to leave your firm but you’re "enmeshed" with your group, and don’t want to leave them.  Imagine you go to an in-house role, and keep “leaning in” at work, giving and giving, while your recognition flat-lines. Imagine you work in “occupational health and safety” but your own mental health is at the bottom of your priority list.  Imagine you...

What happens when your dream job becomes a nightmare that puts you in survival mode? In this episode, you will learn how to recognize burnout warning signs, choose yourself over prestige, and align your career with your values. This is exactly what happened to Samorn Selim. As the daughter of illiterate Lao refugees and the first in her family to go to college, she thought landing a big law job me...