Today we meet Chaula Shukla, Manager of Legal Recruiting and Learning & Development at Sullivan & Cromwell. Chaula possesses a wealth of knowledge about navigating a legal career and creating opportunities for growth. Not only is she a Big Law professional development pro, but her career has taken her through many twists and turns of her own devising, from social work to public interest law to law school advising even before bringing her talents to Big Law. Chaula and Greg talked about building a supportive professional ecosystem filled with true friends. They investigated the narrow line between charismatic confidence and cringey self-sales. This is also one of our most emotional episodes because Chaula was so honest and open about her experience of loss and her ability to bring that part of herself to work.

Access a transcript of this episode here: https://bit.ly/3SeuPC3

00:51 Chaula Shukla's Career Journey

02:14 Transitioning from Social Work to Law

03:10 Experiences in Law School and Public Interest Law

04:06 Shifting to Career Development and Mentorship

07:45 Building Confidence on the Interview Circuit

13:27 How to Know When It’s Time for a Change

27:19 Professional Friends

33:36 Career Advancement and Management Committee of the City Bar

37:10 Sibling Loss and Opening Up in Work Spaces

44:09 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

47:21 Conclusion and Final Thoughts