WILL - Women Interested in Leaving Law

Boundary Setting Practice for Women Lawyers

Everyone has to set boundaries, but for lawyers, especially women or people socialized as female, working in a “always be available” culture makes it even more challenging and important. 
Add in the hierarchy and not so subtle power-dynamics at law firms, and you have a recipe for being expected to give nearly everything to your job.  
Do you say YES to tasks that you desire to say NO to, because it’s expected?
And do you say NO and cancel things you really want to say YES to, like concert tickets, brunch with friends and vacations without work?
Today’s short solo episode guides you to re-think how to set boundaries in ways that offer protection and relief.
You’ll have a simple framework to help you reclaim what's most important to you - your time, your energy, your life force, so you can either stay more happily in your role and/or make a change.
You’ll learn to:
Mindset: Shift how you think about boundaries.
Process: A simple three-step framework to set internal and external boundaries.
Practise: Put your new skills into action.
 
References 
Books: The Power of a Positive No and Getting to Yes, both by William Ury.
Find his books and more here: https://www.williamury.com/books/
 
The WILL Podcast is hosted by Elena Deutsch, a dedicated legal career coach and catalyst.  This podcast is more than a good listen — it may inspire you.  As WILL Alumni and Guests break the confines of traditional practice, you’ll see that change is not just possible for them, but for you too. 
Feel stuck, unhappy and ready to explore a WILL journey of your own?
Book your consultation with Elena: https://womeninterestedinleavinglaw.com/book-a-call 
 
Follow
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elena-deutsch/ 
Instagram: www.instagram.com/womeninterestedinleavinglaw 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/womeninterestedinleavinglaw
Web: https://womeninterestedinleavinglaw.com 

Thinking of Starting Your Own Firm? How Two Lawyers Created Theirs (Without Dipping into Savings)

Imagine winning a rapid defense verdict for your client with only 6 weeks to prepare for trial, only to not be thanked, AND get reprimanded by the managing partner for speaking in a frustrated tone to the junior and paralegal, who you trained up from scratch. 
Imagine not being able to get out of bed for two weeks, and knowing you HAD to do something different.  (Which led you to Google “career coach for lawyers”.)
Imagine being a rising 8th year, knowing the partnership question looms.  You know you don’t want to make partner. You can barely keep your head above water now, and struggle to be as present with your young children as you’d like.  But you don’t know what else you could do or where to begin. 
Listen to this special panel discussion with WILL Alumni Destiny Bounds of Bounds Legal, and Wilder Clements of Clements Employment Law.  They share about their journeys from despair to doing work they love… for themselves.  This is especially for you if you’re feeling helpless and/or if you’re considering starting your own firm.   
As it was a live call, you’ll hear Destiny and Wilder respond to questions from the audience. 
See how Wilder:
Leveraged a milestone birthday and child starting kindergarten to give themselves permission to explore and dream
Started their law firm without dipping into any savings! 
Serves values-aligned business owners, enjoys more time for hiking and being with family and celebrates five years of having their own firm! 
Wilder A. Clements brings experienced and value-driven counsel to purpose-driven businesses and organizations with challenging employment law questions. Wilder is experienced in advising clients on the complexities of federal and state labor and employment law, understands steps businesses and organizations need to take to treat and pay their workers fairly, and serves as an instrumental partner in helping organizations and businesses align purpose with people-first practices.  
Wilder devotes a significant portion of their services to pro bono assistance, including representing LGBTQ+ workers and advising local non-profits on employment law issues.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/wilderclements/
https://www.instagram.com/clementsemploymentlaw
 
Listen as Destiny Bounds shares how:
A mental health crisis helped her take a break from her firm.
Being in community with other women lawyers surprisingly brought her a lot of clarity and comfort. 
The clouds that obscured her dreams parted, and was able to take massive action, starting not one, but two businesses!
After leaving her role within a large AMLaw 200 nationwide law firm, Destiny started helping small businesses form strong legal foundations, getting their contracts and legal documents prepared, and, essentially, becoming their “outside” in-house counsel, partnering with them throughout each stage of their business. She realized that she LOVED small business law.
She founded Bounds Business Law with a mission to change the soulless legal profession of law into one that will positively impact the community and beyond.
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bounds-law-llc/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091839366389
https://www.instagram.com/legal.fluence/ 
 
The WILL Podcast is hosted by Elena Deutsch, a dedicated legal career coach and catalyst.  This podcast is more than a good listen — it may inspire you.  As WILL Alumni and Guests break the confines of traditional practice, you’ll see that change is not just possible for them, but for you too. 
Feel stuck, unhappy and ready to explore a WILL journey of your own?
Book your consultation with Elena: https://womeninterestedinleavinglaw.com/book-a-call
 
Follow
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elena-deutsch 
Instagram: www.instagram.com/womeninterestedinleavinglaw 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/womeninterestedinleavinglaw
Web: https://womeninterestedinleavinglaw.com 

How Getting Out of $670K of Debt, Led Rho Thomas to Become a Financial Coach

Imagine you’re a mid-level IP associate at a big firm. 
You’ve just had your first child.  As the end of your mat leave rapidly approaches, you consider going back to work 50% time for 50% pay.  But after looking at your family finances, you see that you and your medical resident spouse are $670K in debt! 
That would have sent me back to bed, but not our next guest on the WILL Podcast, Rho Thomas.  
Rho not only went back to work full-time, she got to work to reduce their debt, which she more than halved in just a few years.  
After overcoming the shame, she began to share her story (anonymously at first). Rho now helps lawyers get out of debt and control of their money.  
Listen in as Rho:
Tells about the moment she realized she and her husband had $678,000 in debt.
Learned how to reduce that by more than half in a few years.
Felt the call to blog, then podcast about her journey. 
 
Where to find Rho:
Instagram: @iamrhothomas
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/iamrhothomas
Website: https://www.rhothomas.com 
Podcast: Personal Finance for Lawyers with Rho Thomas - https://www.rhothomas.com/podcast 
 
The WILL Podcast is hosted by Elena Deutsch, a dedicated legal career coach and catalyst.  This podcast is more than a good listen — it may inspire you.  As WILL Alumni and Guests break the confines of traditional practice, you’ll see that change is not just possible for them, but for you too. 
 
Feel stuck, unhappy and ready to explore a WILL journey of your own?
Book your consultation with Elena:
https://womeninterestedinleavinglaw.com/book-a-call 
 
Follow
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elena-deutsch 
Instagram: www.instagram.com/womeninterestedinleavinglaw 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/womeninterestedinleavinglaw
Web: https://womeninterestedinleavinglaw.com 
 

Anxiety in Women Lawyers: How it Affects You, and What You Can Do

Does your heart stop when you get an email from a certain partner or client?
Have you experienced health concerns that doctors have been unable to diagnose - like stomach pain, rashes or hair loss?
You didn’t used to “be an anxious person” but now you wonder if this is who you are?
If you’re increasingly concerned about the toll anxiety from work is taking on your physical and mental health, this is for you.
In this episode, Elena shares her understanding of “situational anxiety” and how she sees it impacting women lawyers.    
She openly explains:  
What occurs in the body and the effect of living in a frequent state of stress.
How being self-compassionate can help (and why that’s so hard for women lawyers).
Three techniques to reduce anxiety and regain calm.
 
References
Book: The High Five Habit, Mel Robbins
 
Trigger Warning: Anxiety, mental health. Elena is not a licensed mental health professional. If you are experiencing significant anxiety, then we recommend talking to a health professional. 
 
Hosted by Elena Deutsch, a dedicated legal career coach and catalyst, the WILL Podcast is more than a good listen — it may inspire you.  As WILL Alumni and Guests break the confines of traditional practice, you’ll see that change is not just possible for them, but for you too. 
 
Feel stuck, unhappy and ready to explore a WILL journey of your own?
Book your consultation with Elena: https://womeninterestedinleavinglaw.com/book-a-call 
 
Follow
Web: https://womeninterestedinleavinglaw.com 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elena-deutsch 
Instagram: www.instagram.com/womeninterestedinleavinglaw 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/womeninterestedinleavinglaw 
 

How Pursuing Comedy Led Pamela T. to Her Ideal Legal Job

Imagine feeling overwhelmed and stressed as a big law litigator, breaking down on the A train to JFK as you head to England for the Christmas holidays.
Imagine a weird relief that COVID offers, as you move temporarily to Vermont where you begin to sort out what you’d really like to do next.   
Imagine deciding to forgo law, only to discover an ideal job while writing a joke for your burgeoning stand-up comedy routine.   
In this episode, meet Pamela T, a former big law attorney, who had an epic journey across four countries before landing in Newcastle, England. 
Now she pursues her dual passions - fighting the patriarchy and comedy, all while raising her son and enjoying the occasional good cup of coffee after Pilates.  You can’t make this up!
In our conversation, hear how:
COVID helped Pamela step off the lock-step path and expand her perception of reality. 
She freed herself from her firm in stages.
ONE phone call with a Greek comedian opened up a world of opportunities.
Pamela turned away from law before landing an ideal legal role.
Mindset shifts help her in all aspects of life, and especially after a bombed a comedy set.  
Hosted by Elena Deutsch, a dedicated legal career coach and catalyst, the WILL Podcast is more than a good listen — it may inspire you.  As WILL Alumni and Guests break the confines of traditional practice, you’ll see that change is not just possible for them, but for you too. 
Note: In this episode you’ll hear me refer to a tech fail, but my editing team patched it up - so it should be fairly smooth listening!  Please enjoy this inaugural episode of the WILL Podcast!!
 
Trigger warning: miscarriage, sexual assault and cults.
 
References
Midnight in Cairo, by Raphael Cormack
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
Follow Pamela on Instagram: @pt_lolz.