What does success really look like for women in law and business?

In this episode of Ladies N Law, Lisa and Dawn sit down with attorney, law firm owner, and former President of the Dallas Bar Association, Krisi Kastl, for an honest conversation about leadership, ambition, mentorship, and the realities of building a successful career as a woman in a traditionally male dominated profession.

From launching her own law firm to advocating for women in leadership positions, Krisi Kastl shares lessons learned over nearly two decades of business ownership, the importance of surrounding yourself with supportive people, and why success should be defined on your own terms.

In this conversation:

• Why more women are entering law but fewer hold leadership positions
• The importance of mentorship and women supporting women
• Building a business that aligns with your values• Redefining what success really means• Finding balance in different seasons of life
• The sacrifices that come with leadership and entrepreneurship
• Why women deserve a seat at the decision making table

Whether you're an attorney, entrepreneur, business owner, or professional navigating your own career path, this episode offers valuable insights on leadership, resilience, and creating opportunities for future generations.

Connect with Ladies N Law:

🌐 https://www.ladiesnlaw.com

📧 [email protected]

Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, career growth, entrepreneurship, and the women shaping the future of business and law.

What happens when people feel truly heard?

In this episode of Ladies N Law, Lisa and Dawn sit down with trial consultant, attorney, and former President of the Mexican American Bar Association, Pat Montes, to discuss the power of listening, authentic storytelling, and human connection.

Drawing from her experience as a social worker, trial lawyer, and trial consultant, Pat shares how understanding someone's story can transform relationships, communication, and advocacy. She explains why facts alone are rarely enough and why connection, empathy, and authenticity often make the biggest impact.

In this conversation:

• Why listening without judgment changes everything
• The difference between facts and stories
• How authentic storytelling builds trust
• Finding common ground through shared human experiences
• Why understanding yourself helps you understand others
• Helping people feel heard, understood, and empowered
• The role empathy plays in leadership, communication, and advocacy

Whether you're a lawyer, business owner, leader, or simply someone looking to build stronger relationships, this conversation offers valuable lessons on the importance of truly listening and connecting with others.

Connect with Ladies N Law:

🌐 https://www.ladiesnlaw.com

📧 [email protected]

Subscribe for more conversations about leadership, personal growth, communication, career development, and the stories that shape our lives.

What happens when the plan no longer works?

In this episode of Ladies N Law, Lisa and Dawn explore one of the biggest lessons in business and leadership: success rarely follows the original blueprint.

From hiring the right people and learning to delegate to overcoming setbacks, adapting to change, and building a strong team, this conversation dives into the realities of entrepreneurship and leadership. The path to growth is not always predictable, and sometimes the best thing a leader can do is let go of the plan and embrace what comes next.

In this conversation:

• Why every business owner needs a blueprint and why they eventually need to let it go
• The challenges of building and growing a team
• How delegation creates opportunity for growth
• Why resilience matters more than perfection
• Creating a positive company culture
• Learning from failures and celebrating wins
• The leadership lessons that only experience can teach

Whether you're building a business, leading a team, or considering your next big move, this conversation offers practical insights and honest lessons from women who have been there.

Connect with Ladies N Law:

🌐 https://www.ladiesnlaw.com

📧 [email protected]

Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, career growth, entrepreneurship, and success.

Some conversations are uncomfortable. That does not mean we avoid them.

In Part Two, Dawn and Lisa continue the conversation with JoDee Neil, diving deeper into what it takes to face the truth and why so many people instinctively look away.

This is about listening. Really listening. Even when it is hard.

Key takeaways:
• Why people avoid difficult truths
• How trauma shows up in real conversations
• The role of being a witness and why it matters
• What lawyers need to understand about trauma informed work
• How JoDee Neil is building something bigger than a legal career

This is not easy. It is necessary.

Sponsored by Eve Legal AI, designed to help modern law firms work more efficiently and focus on what matters. Learn more at https://www.eve.legal/

#LadiesNLaw #JoDeeNeil #WomenInLaw #LegalPodcast #OutcryWitness #LegalIndustry #TrialLawyer #LegalLeadership #TraumaInformed

Some stories take years to be told.

In Part One, Dawn and Lisa sit down with JoDee Neil to talk about everything that has changed since her last appearance, from launching her own law firm to writing Outcry Witness, a book focused on healing after sexual violence.

This conversation goes deeper than law. It is about truth, trauma, and what it actually takes to begin healing.

Key takeaways:

• The idea of becoming “unfrozen” after trauma
• Why small, intentional steps matter in the healing process
• The importance of being heard and witnessed • How JoDee’s personal journey reshaped her legal work and purpose
• What it means to turn experience into impact on a larger scale

This is not an easy conversation. It is a necessary one.

This episode is sponsored by Eve Legal AI. A platform built for law firms that helps eliminate time-consuming tasks so you can focus on the work that matters. Learn more at https://www.eve.legal/#LadiesNLaw #WomenInLaw #LegalPodcast #JoDeeNeil #OutcryWitness #LegalIndustry #WomenInBusiness #TrialLawyer #LegalLeadership

Your image is not just style. It is strategy.

In this episode, Dawn and Lisa are joined by JoDee Neal and April Roberts to break down how image shapes perception in law, business, and leadership.

From color choices to consistency to how you show up on camera and in the room, this conversation gets into what actually builds a recognizable and trusted presence.

This is not about looking polished for the sake of it. It is about using image intentionally to communicate confidence, clarity, and authority before you even speak.

Key takeaways:

• Why consistency builds recognition and trust
• How color and styling impact how people perceive you
• The connection between image, messaging, and storytelling
• Why simplicity and clarity matter more than overcomplicating your brand
• How to show up in a way that aligns with your goals and audience

Your brand is already speaking. The question is whether you are controlling the message.

This episode is sponsored by Eve Legal AI. A platform built for law firms that helps eliminate time-consuming tasks so you can focus on the work that matters. Learn more at https://www.eve.legal/#LadiesNLaw #WomenInLaw #LegalPodcast #PersonalBranding #LawFirmLife #WomenInBusiness #LegalIndustry #BrandStrategy #EveLegalAI

Lisa and Dawn sit down with April Roberts for a conversation that goes beyond traditional law and into what actually drives long term success.

After starting in Big Law, April transitioned into entrepreneurship and built multiple businesses. She now mentors female founders and CEOs, helping them navigate growth, decision making, and leadership in a completely different way.

This episode gets into the real challenges high performing women face. Career pivots, burnout, and the pressure to stay in roles that no longer fit. It also explores how intuition, energy, and self awareness play a role in building something sustainable.

They break down what it takes to move from practicing law to thinking like a business owner, how to make confident decisions, and why understanding how you operate is key to growth.

If you have ever questioned your next step or felt stuck in your career, this is a conversation worth listening to.

This episode is sponsored by Eve Legal AI, a fully integrated AI platform designed to support modern law firms. From streamlining workflows to helping you focus more on strategy and client relationships, Eve Legal AI is built to make practicing law more efficient and less overwhelming.

Learn more at https://www.eve.legal/

#LadiesNLaw #WomenInLaw #LegalPodcast #FemaleEntrepreneurs #LawyerLife #CareerGrowth #WomenInBusiness #EntrepreneurLife #Leadership #LegalIndustry

When polite stops working, what comes next?

In this episode, Dawn and Lisa get real about the moments every lawyer and business owner faces when professionalism alone is not enough. From courtroom pressure to difficult client dynamics, this conversation breaks down how to stay in control without losing your edge.

This is not about being rude. It is about knowing when to stand your ground, when to step back, and when to shift strategy entirely.

Key takeaways:
• Why politeness does not always equal control
• How to handle aggressive or condescending behavior
• The power of silence and timing in high pressure moments
• Why adaptability is one of the most important skills in law and business
• How to stay focused on winning without getting pulled into the noise

There is a difference between reacting and responding. This episode shows you how to stay in control when it matters most.

This episode is sponsored by Eve Legal AI. A platform built for plaintiffs’ firms that helps eliminate time consuming tasks so you can focus on the work that matters. Learn more at https://www.eve.legal/

#LadiesNLaw #WomenInLaw #LegalPodcast #TrialLawyer #LawFirmLife #CourtroomStrategy #WomenInBusiness #LegalIndustry #EveLegalAI #LegalLeadership

A quickfire round of what lawyers actually love and what they cannot stand.

Lisa and Dawn keep it light and honest as they go back and forth on the realities of working in law. The good, the frustrating, and the things no one really talks about.

From courtroom moments to everyday annoyances, this episode is a mix of laughs and real opinions from inside the legal world.

In this episode:

• The best parts of working in law
• The small things that get under your skin
• Paper versus digital debate
• Being available all the time
• Building friendships through the profession
• Why some moments in law never get old

A fun, unfiltered look at life in the legal industry.

This episode is sponsored by Eve Legal AI. A platform that helps streamline time consuming legal tasks so you can focus on the work that matters. Learn more at https://www.eve.legal/

#LawyerLife #WomenInLaw #LegalCareer #LawFirmLife #TrialLawyer #LegalIndustry

Being a lawyer is demanding. Being a mom is demanding. Doing both at the same time changes everything.

Lisa and Dawn get real about what it actually looks like to build a legal career while raising a family. The pressure, the guilt, the tradeoffs, and the decisions no one prepares you for.

This is not a perfect balance conversation. It is about what actually happens in real life.

In this episode:

• Planning versus unexpected motherhood during a legal career
• The reality of balancing billable work and raising young children
• Why support systems are not optional
• The pressure women feel in law firms around time off and flexibility
• Career decisions that impact your family and vice versa
• The role of partners and what it really takes to make it work
• Missing moments and dealing with that reality
• How priorities shift over time and why that is okay
• The importance of choosing the right firm and the right people
• Why motherhood and career cannot be treated as separate worlds

They also talk about how the legal industry is evolving, how expectations around working mothers are changing, and what it actually takes to build a career without losing your family in the process.

This episode is sponsored by Eve Legal AI. A platform used daily in practice that allows lawyers to focus on strategy, clients, and leadership instead of time-consuming tasks. Learn more at https://www.eve.legal/

#WomenInLaw #WorkingMoms #LawyerLife #Motherhood #CareerWomen #WorkLifeBalance #FemaleLawyers #MomLife #ProfessionalWomen #WomenInBusiness #LegalCareer #WorkingMomLife