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Legal practice is evolving rapidly with technological advancements, and generative AI stands at the forefront of this transformation. This eye-opening episode dives deep into practical applications of AI that can revolutionize how attorneys approach their daily work.

What if you could cut your discovery drafting time in half or prepare more thoroughly for depositions? Commercial litigation partner Emily Logan Stedman shares her real-world experiences using AI as a partner at an AmLaw 100 firm. Rather than theoretical possibilities, she offers concrete examples of how AI tools have enhanced her efficiency while maintaining the quality and personalization essential to effective legal representation.

From using AI to generate document categories for discovery requests to creating deposition outline frameworks and simulating challenging opposing counsel, Emily demonstrates how these tools can overcome procrastination hurdles and writer's block. She explains how AI helps with business development tasks like crafting engaging panel questions that receive consistent praise. Most valuably, she provides candid insights about using AI to combat imposter syndrome when facing more experienced opposing counsel by identifying potential weaknesses in legal positions and developing strategic responses.

The episode doesn't shy away from essential cautions. Emily emphasizes that confidentiality remains paramount, explaining the critical distinction between public AI platforms and enterprise solutions that protect attorney-client privilege. She reminds listeners that AI can "hallucinate" or fabricate information, making human oversight and professional judgment indispensable.

Ready to explore how AI might transform your practice? Start with low-stakes, non-confidential tasks to build comfort with these powerful tools while staying current with this rapidly evolving technology. These innovations aren't replacing attorneys – they're creating space for the strategic thinking and advocacy that truly define our profession.

Find out more at https://thegraceperiod.substack.com/.

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The technological revolution waits for no one—not even lawyers. Generative AI is reshaping how legal professionals work, and understanding its potential could be the difference between thriving and merely surviving in tomorrow's legal landscape.

Commercial litigator and Husch Blackwell partner Emily Stedman cuts through the hype and fear surrounding generative AI to deliver practical insights for attorneys. Unlike search engines that retrieve existing information, generative AI creates content based on your prompts—think of it as a diligent summer associate rather than a replacement for your legal expertise. From drafting discovery requests in half the time to summarizing depositions and creating project plans, these tools create efficiency that allows attorneys to focus on what matters: strategy, client relationships, and the human elements of legal practice.

But with great power comes significant ethical responsibility. Emily tackles the critical concerns head-on: maintaining client confidentiality when using AI systems, verifying the accuracy of AI-generated content (particularly those pesky "hallucinated" legal citations), and fulfilling the ethical obligation to maintain technological competence. Enterprise solutions like Husch Blackwell's "Prompt Composer" offer closed-universe alternatives that maintain attorney-client privilege, while careful review processes ensure AI remains a tool rather than a replacement for legal judgment.

Whether you're AI-curious or AI-anxious, this episode provides the foundation you need to approach generative AI with confidence. And stay tuned—next week's episode will deliver specific examples of how Emily incorporates AI into her daily practice. The attorneys who learn to leverage these tools while maintaining their unique human value will define the next generation of legal excellence. Are you ready to join them?

Find out more at https://thegraceperiod.substack.com/.

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Ever wondered how to break the cycle of toxic management in law firms? Discover a practical, powerful tool that transforms attorney relationships and sets clear expectations without the mind-reading.

Commercial litigation partner Emily Logan Stedman reveals her secret weapon for effective team management: the Best Practices Memo. This comprehensive document eliminates guesswork by outlining everything from file management protocols to communication preferences, creating a foundation for successful collaboration in high-stakes legal environments.

What sets this approach apart is how it balances professional guidance with personal vulnerability. Emily doesn't just share her document formatting preferences and work schedule—she opens up about her professional journey from fifth-grade teacher to law firm partner, her personal strengths and values, and even details about her English bulldogs and passion for Packers football. This blend of clear expectations and authentic personal sharing transforms the traditional hierarchical attorney relationship into something more human and effective.

The Best Practices Memo represents a refreshing departure from the stereotypical law firm culture. Emily emphasizes that while titles matter for accountability and decision-making, "not one of us is more valuable than the other." She encourages associates to challenge her conclusions, nudge her when needed, and recognize that mistakes are part of the learning process. By reviewing and updating this document twice yearly, she demonstrates ongoing commitment to communication and growth.

Ready to transform your own management approach? Whether you're a seasoned attorney or new to leadership roles, this episode offers a tangible template for creating clearer expectations and stronger teams. Reach out directly to Emily for a copy of her Best Practices Memo and start building more transparent, productive, and human relationships in your legal practice today.

Find out more at https://thegraceperiod.substack.com/.

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Have you ever wondered who's really keeping your law firm running? It's not the rainmakers or the trial lawyers—it's the people handling what I call "professional housework." This invisible infrastructure of scheduling, organizing, tracking deadlines, and administrative support quietly powers our legal organizations, yet rarely receives recognition.

In this discussion, I pull back the curtain on the hidden labor that keeps our professional houses in order. The revelation isn't just that this work exists—it's who's doing it. Research consistently shows these tasks disproportionately fall to women, junior attorneys, and lawyers from underrepresented backgrounds. And, the people least likely to say no become the ones shouldering responsibilities that everyone benefits from but few acknowledge.

The consequences are profound. When the same individuals consistently handle these background tasks, they have less time for billable work that leads to advancement. Over time, burnout sets in, engagement drops, and talented professionals leave. 

Note: This isn't just about fairness—it's about retention. By failing to distribute professional housework equitably, we're inadvertently pushing away the very talent we're trying to develop and retain. 

On this episode, I offer practical solutions, including tracking your non-billable time, thoughtful delegation practices, and a month-long challenge to document all the invisible work you do. Only by making this work visible can we begin to value it appropriately and share it fairly. Your workplace culture and your colleagues' wellbeing depend on it.

Ready to transform how your organization handles professional housework? Start by recognizing who's really keeping things running, and take steps to create a more equitable distribution. Share your experiences and let's continue this important conversation!

Find out more at https://thegraceperiod.substack.com/.

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Ever stood in a courtroom or boardroom and thought, "They're all going to realize I have no idea what I'm doing"? That familiar feeling of being an imposter isn't a sign of failure—it's a sign of growth.

In this deeply personal episode, I share a perspective-shifting definition of imposter syndrome that changed everything for me: "Imposter syndrome is what happens when we meet the edge of our comfort zone." This simple reframing helps us understand that self-doubt isn't evidence we're unqualified; it's evidence we're stretching ourselves into new territory.

As attorneys, we face unique challenges that amplify imposter syndrome. Without clear milestones marking our progression from associate to partner, we're constantly learning on the fly and taking on increasingly complex responsibilities. 

I offer practical strategies for managing these feelings when they arise. By questioning our negative thoughts, practicing self-compassion, and reframing our internal narratives, we can transform "I can't believe they're letting me do this" into "I'm getting this opportunity because someone believes in me." The most successful attorneys aren't those who never doubt themselves—they're the ones who keep showing up despite their uncertainty.

Remember: growth is uncomfortable, self-doubt is normal, but you are not an imposter, and you are not alone. You belong exactly where you are, doing exactly what you're ready to do. Subscribe to The Grace Period for more honest conversations about finding balance and preserving your humanity in the high-stakes world of law.

Find out more at https://thegraceperiod.substack.com/.

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Ever wonder if it's possible to take a random afternoon off in Big Law without sacrificing your career? After nine years in the trenches, I've discovered something surprising: strategic breaks aren't just possible—they're essential for peak performance and ethical practice.

The legal profession glorifies constant availability and marathon work sessions, but what if we've been approaching this all wrong? Drawing from nearly a decade of experience, I reveal my counterintuitive approach to thriving in a high-pressure environment: occasionally walking away when my work is tidied up, even during a regular workweek. This isn't about slacking off—it's about recognizing that mental fatigue impairs judgment and increases errors.

The key lies in what I call "trust capital"—the professional credit built through years of reliability, exceptional work product, and dedication to both billable and non-billable contributions. By consistently meeting or exceeding expectations and demonstrating unwavering commitment to clients and colleagues, I've created space to prioritize well-being without compromising performance. This hard-earned platform allows me to model a different way of practicing law—one that acknowledges that our ethical duty of competence includes taking care of ourselves.

Whether you're a seasoned partner drowning in obligations or a new associate trying to find your footing, or anywhere in between, this episode offers a blueprint for building a sustainable legal career. Learn how to earn the trust that gives you freedom to set boundaries, when to take strategic breaks, and why rest isn't a luxury but a professional obligation. 

Join me in reimagining what success in law can look like—where excellence and well-being aren't competing priorities but essential partners. Subscribe now to continue the conversation about finding your own grace period in a profession that rarely stops to breathe.

Find out more at https://thegraceperiod.substack.com/.

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Making the leap into big law as a summer associate or first-year attorney? The learning curve is steep, but this episode provides the roadmap you've been searching for. We're breaking down the unspoken rules and critical strategies that determine whether you'll simply survive or genuinely thrive in the demanding world of high-stakes legal practice.

Discover exactly what to do when you receive your first assignment – from the initial meeting with the assigning attorney to the final submission of your work product. Learn how to ask effective questions, establish clear expectations, leverage support staff, and follow up appropriately. These seemingly small details make the difference between being perceived as organized and reliable versus appearing overwhelmed and unprepared.

Beyond assignment management, we explore fundamental habits that build a successful legal career: triple-checking work, communicating proactively, developing organizational systems, managing time ruthlessly, and building relationships throughout your firm. Most importantly, we tackle the delicate balance of delivering exceptional work while preserving your well-being through boundaries and self-care practices. The truth is that burnout doesn't have to be inevitable – with the right approach, you can excel professionally while maintaining wholeness as a person.

Whether you're just beginning your legal career or mentoring those who are, this episode offers practical wisdom that law school never teaches but practice quickly demands. Ready to find your grace period in the midst of billable pressures? Listen now and transform how you approach your legal career from day one.

Find out more at https://thegraceperiod.substack.com/.

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Mistakes—the dreaded, anxiety-inducing, but absolutely inevitable part of being an attorney. Despite what your brain might tell you, every legal professional makes them because behind every suit and legal pad is a human being capable of error.

In this candid exploration of attorney mistakes, I pull back the curtain on the perfectionist culture that plagues our profession and offer a practical four-step framework to handle errors with professionalism and self-compassion. From learning to breathe through the initial panic to developing action plans that address both correction and prevention, this episode provides tangible strategies for moving forward after making a mistake. I share my personal mantra—"I didn't miss a deadline, I didn't commit malpractice, no one died"—that helps put legal errors in perspective when rumination threatens to take over.

But this conversation goes deeper than personal error management. I challenge supervisors and senior attorneys to break the toxic cycle of harsh reactions when team members report mistakes. The legal profession has long operated on a hazing mentality where new attorneys are expected to endure the same difficult treatment their predecessors experienced. What if we chose kindness instead? What if we responded to others' mistakes with the grace we wish we'd received? This paradigm shift doesn't mean lowering standards—it means creating environments where accountability coexists with compassion, ultimately building stronger teams united by trust rather than fear. The path to transforming our profession lies not in perfection, but in how we handle inevitable imperfection. Join me in reimagining a legal culture where making mistakes doesn't define us—how we respond to them does.

Find out more at https://thegraceperiod.substack.com/.

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The legal profession has a math problem. Despite law schools graduating classes with 50% or more women for years, female attorneys continue to disappear from partnership tracks at alarming rates. Why do women leave, and what does it mean for those who stay?

In this reflective and deeply personal episode, I share my ABA-published essay "Women in the Room: On Being a Female Partner in 2025." Drawing from my own journey through big law, I explore the jarring moment when, after making partner, I walked into my first partner meeting to find only five women among approximately twenty partners. This stark gender imbalance exists despite our associate ranks being predominantly female—a contradiction that raises uncomfortable questions about how the legal profession continues to function.

Emily examines how women in law often find themselves performing the professional equivalent of "housework"—tracking deadlines, organizing teams, saying yes to additional tasks—while simultaneously trying to fit themselves into a century-old model of what a partner should look like. For those with intersecting identities—women of color, LGBTQIA+ attorneys, those with disabilities—these challenges multiply exponentially. We're left contorting ourselves to fit spaces not designed for us.

But this isn't just about counting women in rooms. It's about creating genuine pathways to leadership that don't require women to choose between authenticity and advancement. My hope is that associates will have real choices about what their future in the law looks like, including partnership at big firms. 

Find out more at https://thegraceperiod.substack.com/.

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Every attorney has faced that dreaded moment: opening an email from opposing counsel and feeling your blood pressure instantly rise. Your heart sinks, frustration mounts, and suddenly checking your inbox becomes an anxiety-inducing task. Sound familiar?

Season 4 of The Grace Period kicks off by tackling one of the most universal challenges in legal practice: navigating difficult opposing counsel and pro se litigants. These "energy vampires" come in various forms—the unnecessarily aggressive adversary treating every interaction like warfare, the ghost who materializes only at deadline's edge, the perpetually unprepared, the hypocritical demander, and those who constantly test ethical boundaries. Pro se litigants bring their own complications with their emotional investment, system distrust, and procedural confusion.

I share my hard-earned playbook for maintaining sanity and professionalism during these challenging relationships. Learn why documentation serves as your shield, how establishing early communication protocols creates necessary structure, and when stepping back from immediate responses preserves your wellbeing without compromising your advocacy. 

The most powerful insight? Professional detachment combined with strategic empathy yields far better outcomes than matching difficult behavior with your own emotional reactions. When you go low like they do, you've lost and they've won. Instead, develop your personal toolkit for handling these situations.

Ready to transform how you handle difficult opposing counsel? Subscribe now, share with colleagues facing similar challenges, and join us next week for a reflection on what it means to be a female partner in 2025. 

Find out more at https://thegraceperiod.substack.com/.