The Lawyer's Edge

David Schnurman is the CEO of Lawline, the leading provider of online Continuing Legal Education (CLE) in the country. He's also an author, speaker, and the past President of Entrepreneurs' Organization New York.

David authored the book The Fast Forward Mindset: How to Be Fearless & Focused to Accelerate Your Success, which shares the simple formula to break through walls and fast forward your entrepreneurial success and happiness. Recently, David gave a TEDxYouth talk to inspire high school students to reach their full potential in life.

Additionally, David frequently speaks on topics ranging from entrepreneurship, mindset, leadership, and culture. He's published articles in Forbes and has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Inc. Magazine, the New York Post, and Law.com, among many other outlets.

It's easy to look at someone and believe that they're fearless. However, David Schnurman reminds us that when you go a layer deeper, you notice that everyone has fears (even if they seem fearless on the outside).

Our circumstances may not be the same, but we've all gone through challenges in order to grow, and we've all faced fear along the way. But David says you can work through your fears by removing labels from a situation. When you label a situation as good or bad, you often become paralyzed by fear. But when you avoid labels, you can take action knowing that whatever the outcome is, it's not good or bad — it's just one step in your path to success.

In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge Podcast, Elise Holtzman talks with David Schnurman, CEO of Lawline, about strategies to overcome fears, focus on your goals, and accelerate your journey to success. David discusses the challenges he faced while scaling his business, how coaching can greatly impact your journey, and why it's important to always have a beginner's mindset.

Toya Gavin is the Founder of Legally Bold, a coaching and consulting firm for lawyers, and she's the Founder of Woke Up Worthy, a life coaching firm for women of color. Toya is also part of The Lawyer's Edge coaching team. On top of these accomplishments, Toya is the Founder of the Law Office of Toya Gavin, which serves the needs of micro-businesses.

In 2014, Toya attended a conference that helped push her to live her dreams. She describes this conference as "a leap of faith," which led to her quitting her job, starting her own law practice, and becoming a certified coach. Through the years, Toya realized just how momentous that leap was and now helps others do the same. According to Toya, it's important to seek support in navigating your goals, working through your fears, and taking that leap (even if you don't know all the steps in between).

Toya holds a JD from the George Washington University Law School and a Bachelor of Science in industrial engineering from Rutgers University. She's licensed to practice law in New York and New Jersey and has been featured in outlets such as ABA Magazine, DC Entrepreneur, the Generation Why Podcast, and the Former Lawyer Podcast.

Many lawyers know what they want — whether it's making partner, changing firms, or finding harmony between their personal and professional lives. However, lawyers can get stuck in the "how" phase, wondering what steps they need to take to reach their goals. Caught in the fear of the unknown, people might find themselves stuck in a rut and no closer to achieving their objectives. So how do you work through it?

Toya Gavin is here to share her expert tips on navigating your goals and reaching your biggest dreams without getting caught up in the "how." According to Toya, you don't need to work towards your goals alone. Hiring a coach is one of the best ways to follow through on your plans, hold yourself accountable, and see progress in achieving your objectives. Working with a coach gives you the space and time to focus on yourself and build a fulfilling career that aligns with your personal values.

In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge Podcast, Elise Holtzman is joined by Toya Gavin, Founder of Legally Bold and Woke Up Worthy, to talk about the benefits of hiring a coach. Toya describes her transition into coaching, why lawyers should use a coach to set goals and work through challenges, and why you don't need to have every step planned out before taking a leap of faith.

Melanie Lippman is a New York-based image coach and personal branding consultant. She's also the Founder and CEO of Melanie Lippman Style Consulting, where she helps people express confidence with style.

Melanie has received multiple degrees from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), and she studied fashion merchandising and cosmetic fragrance marketing in college. Later in life, she had a transformative internship in Marie Claire's fashion closet and a successful career selling fine jewelry wholesale to stores, including Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus.

When it comes to the legal industry, Melanie helps attorneys stop the stress and overwhelm of getting dressed and instead use their style as a tool to attract clients, build connections, and achieve next-level visibility. Her philosophy is simple: when you're confident in your appearance, you can show up and conquer anything the day brings you.

Does it really matter what you wear to work? When you're a busy lawyer focused on your job, it can be tempting to give up shopping and throw on whatever's in your closet. In truth, your clothing sends a message to your colleagues and clients.

According to style consultant Melanie Lippman, clothing is the largest form of nonverbal communication. Whether intentional or not, your style sends a message. So, you want to make sure that you're putting effort into your style to send the right message. Luckily, Melanie has some valuable tips to help you figure out your style, find what flatters you, and develop your personal brand.

In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge Podcast, Elise Holtzman is joined by Melanie Lippman, the Founder and CEO of Melanie Lippman Style Consulting, to talk about shaping your personal style. Melanie shares the benefits of putting effort into your wardrobe, why style is more important than trends, and tips for building confidence through your clothing.

Lori Mihalich-Levin is the Founder and CEO of Mindful Return, a movement that helps new parents navigate the uncertain terrain of working parenthood. Currently, 92 employers offer the Mindful Return program to support employees in their transition to working parenthood.

Additionally, Lori is the author of Back to Work After Baby: How to Plan and Navigate a Mindful Return from Maternity Leave and created the Mindful Return Maternity Leave E-Course. She also co-hosts the Parents At Work podcast and is a healthcare lawyer in private practice at her own firm, The GME Group, PLLC. Lori's thought leadership on issues related to working parenthood has been featured in publications including Forbes, The Washington Post, and New York Times Parenting.

As a working parent of two boys, Lori understands the need for a supportive community of working parents — especially when you're first transitioning from parental leave. Her mission is to help parents feel empowered to make thoughtful choices and be present both with their babies and in their careers.

Working parents wear many hats and often struggle to find the support needed to thrive in both their personal life and professional career. After transitioning back to work after parental leave, numerous parents deal with the guilt of leaving their children, logistical challenges of finding childcare, and a lack of confidence that they can show up the way they used to at work. Can new parents find success in both areas of their life without sacrifice?

When Lori Mihalich-Levin was a new mom transitioning back into her legal career, she found many resources focused on the baby but nothing about personal and professional identity transition. Desperate for help as a working parent, Lori created her own program, Mindful Return, which helps new parents gain support from other working parents and find the resources needed to grow in all areas of their life. But Mindful Return doesn't stop with the parents — Lori and her team are on a mission to help employers retain new parent talent and keep their employees' careers on an upward trajectory.

In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge Podcast, Elise Holtzman sits down with Lori Mihalich-Levin, the Founder and CEO of Mindful Return, to talk about working parenthood and parental leave. Lori discusses the importance of destigmatizing parental leave for both men and women, how employers can help new parents navigate the transition, and how Mindful Return is helping both new and experienced parents succeed in their personal and professional life.

Kori Carew is the Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer at Seyfarth, an international Am Law 100 firm with more than 900 attorneys. In this role, she leads efforts to expand the firm's culture of inclusion and advance diversity within their partnership.

Using advocacy and organizational strategy to address structural barriers to diversity in the workplace, Kori brings an incisive voice, unapologetic questioning of the status quo, and a lifelong fascination with human potential to her work. She's a nationally sought-after speaker on topics of diversity, inclusion, belonging, inclusive leadership, talent engagement and development, authenticity, and leveraging power. On top of that, Kori is a self-described disrupter, womanist, and social justice advocate.

Kori has a powerful TEDx Talk, "Just Belonging: Finding the Courage to Interrupt Bias." According to Kori, the path to racial healing, justice, diversity, and inclusion requires courage. And choosing courage to create belonging is not an easy task — it's a practice and process.

A firm's team is likely comprised of people with diverse backgrounds, experiences, races, genders, and classes. But we often fail to recognize that the differences between people don't necessarily indicate different needs — it just means that the way we create a sense of inclusion might be different. So, as a leader, how do you create an inclusive environment?

Kori Carew says that inclusive leadership requires courageous conversations. It calls upon leaders to be in a constant state of curiosity and learning, understanding that we won't always know everything and we'll often make mistakes. Inclusive leadership is also about being vulnerable, listening to your people, and seeking to understand their perspectives. By choosing courage over comfort, leaders can address obstacles and create high-performing, well-cared-for teams.

In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge Podcast, Elise Holtzman is joined by Kori Carew, the Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Seyfarth, to talk about having courageous conversations around diversity, equity, and inclusion. Kori discusses the trends and challenges she sees in the space, the important traits of inclusive leadership, and why it's crucial to have conversations about race, differences, and inclusion.

Roy Sexton is the Director of Marketing at Clark Hill, a law firm with more than 650 lawyers spread across 27 offices in the US, Ireland, and Mexico. Roy is also the 2022 President-Elect of the Legal Marketing Association (LMA) and will become the President in 2023, previously serving as a board member, content expert, and presenter.

Roy has a passion for solving problems, improving culture, facilitating business growth, and collaborating on long-term strategies. He has nearly 20 years of experience in marketing, communications, and strategic planning across a range of industries. Roy has also written two books, Reel Roy Reviews volumes one and two, which is a compilation of his essays and reviews on movies and cinema.

After supporting the rebranding of Clark Hill, Roy realized just how magical the combination of branding and culture development can be. In the process of branding, you're uniting company values, the customer experience, and a diverse team, which, in turn, helps develop the true, authentic culture of your organization.

Branding (and rebranding) requires more than just updating a logo. Likewise, culture requires more than just checking off a box and labeling your firm as diverse. So, how do you effectively develop your brand and culture in a way that unites all segments of your law firm?

According to Roy Sexton, affirming your brand has the magical power of galvanizing your culture and showing clients your true, authentic selves. First, you must take stock of who you are now and who you want to become. Once you gain clarity in those areas, you can craft your messaging and unite your culture in an open and transparent way.

In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge Podcast, Elise Holtzman sits down with Roy Sexton, Director of Marketing at Clark Hill and President-Elect of the Legal Marketing Association. Roy discusses the process of branding and rebranding, how it's connected to culture, and why these are key areas for creating a cohesive firm. He also shares marketing and social media tips and the powerful theater lessons that apply to business.

Nora Riva Bergman is a business coach, Certified Practice Advisor at Atticus, and the Founder of Real Life Practice, where she helps attorneys balance their life and law practice. Nora has practiced as an employment law attorney and certified mediator and has served as a Professor at both Stetson University College of Law and the University of South Florida, teaching courses in alternative dispute resolution and negotiation. As a licensed attorney for more than 25 years, she understands the frustrations attorneys face every day and is committed to helping them change their lives for the better.

Chelsy Castro is the CEO and Founder of Castro Jacobs Psychotherapy and Consulting (CJPC). As a lawyer-turned-psychotherapist, she's an expert in lawyer well-being who teaches individuals and organizations how to build the skills they need to achieve their goals in a healthy, productive way. Chelsy's publications and trainings focus on science-based skills and strategies for improving performance and increasing well-being in high-profit, high-pressure professions.

Nora and Chelsy are Co-authors of the book 50 Lessons for Happy Lawyers: Boost Wellness. Build Resilience. Yes, You Can!, which is the most recent book in Nora's 50 Lessons for Lawyers series. This book raises awareness on mental health and well-being challenges in the legal profession and equips individual lawyers with the skills needed to take action and live a happier life.

A 2016 study from the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation shows that 28% of lawyers struggle with some level of depression, and 19% demonstrate symptoms of anxiety. On top of that, a Legal Trends Report from 2018 tells us that 75% of lawyers frequently work outside of business hours, and 39% said that working long hours has affected their personal lives. Since the emergence of the pandemic, these numbers are likely higher. So what can we do, whether on an individual or institutional level, to support lawyers' mental health and well-being?

Nora Riva Bergman and Chelsy Castro believe lawyers deserve to lead happy, healthy, and resilient lives. That's why they co-authored the book 50 Lessons for Happy Lawyers, where they share tools and strategies to help lawyers support their health and well-being. Traditionally, the idea of lawyers' physical and mental health has been swept under the rug, but now, Nora and Chelsy believe that the legal profession is at an inflection point — and they're helping create change one small step at a time.

In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge Podcast, Elise Holtzman is joined by Nora Riva Bergman, Certified Practice Advisor at Atticus and Founder of Real Life Practice, and Chelsy Castro, Founder of Castro Jacobs Psychotherapy and Consulting (CJPC). Nora and Chelsy share why they wrote 50 Lessons for Happy Lawyers, their favorite lessons from the book, and strategies lawyers can use to invest in their well-being and create lasting change.

Mary Balistreri is the President and CEO of More Business Today (MBT), ​​which offers coaching, professional development programs, and facilitation services. Mary is a certified Conversational Intelligence (C-IQ) Coach, a Diversity to Belonging Facilitator, and a key member of the coaching team at The Lawyer's Edge.

Mary has more than 20 years of experience in law as an internal business development and leadership coach. She was the first Director of Business Development at an AmLaw 200 firm, where she helped create industry teams, client service teams, a target marketing program, and a coaching program, among many other initiatives.

The heart of Mary's coaching practice lies in supporting individuals and teams to achieve their potential and build belonging into business. She has witnessed the power of conversation to clarify, communicate, and create improvements. Mary says that as long as clients are committed and ready to put the work in, coaching can transform their lives.

According to Mary Balistreri, the #1 most successful tactic to improve individuals and teams is coaching. Although Mary is a coach, this isn't a self-fulfilling prophecy. Throughout her 20 years of experience, she's witnessed countless transformations — both for the individual and their business.

In Mary's very first year of coaching, she took on 13 attorneys who were drowning in work. Of those 13, five of them became top rainmakers in their firm. Since then, she's worked with numerous attorneys and other professionals who embraced the power of coaching to help them achieve their loftiest goals. But what makes coaching so beneficial? It comes down to three things: individual solutions, accountability, and a goal-centered approach that propels you into action.

In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge Podcast, Elise Holtzman talks with Mary Balistreri, President and CEO of More Business Today (MBT) and Coach at The Lawyer's Edge. Mary discusses the benefits of coaching and how it differs from other counseling, the impact conversations can have on business, and why commitment is key to beginning your coaching journey.

Kimya Johnson is the Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer and Principal of the Corporate Diversity Counseling Practice Group at Jackson Lewis. With nearly 1,000 lawyers across 63 offices, Jackson Lewis is one of the largest national law firms specializing in the practice of labor and employment law.

As the firm's Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer, Kimya leads DEI efforts in alignment with the firm's strategic plan and the realization of DEI as a core firm value. With almost 20 years of practice as an employment lawyer, Kimya knows how to develop and implement strategies to provide legally compliant, impactful, and organizationally integrative DEI action plans.

Among many awards, Kimya was recognized as an Influential Woman by the NAACP Philadelphia Chapter and a Wonder Woman in Business. She also received a Multicultural Leadership Award from the National Diversity Council. Kimya earned a BA in Psychology from Spelman College, an MA from the Teachers College at Columbia University, and her JD from Case Western Reserve University School of Law. She then went on to earn a Certificate in Diversity and Inclusion Management from Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts are evolving, and it's crucial that your firm keeps up. But DEI is not one-size-fits-all, and it's not just a series of programs. So, how can your firm figure out what works — and avoid what doesn't work — when it comes to DEI initiatives?

As a Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer and an employment lawyer who helps others realize their DEI visions, Kimya Johnson knows the best practices for building and expanding DEI initiatives. She says that first, you must assess your firm's current position. Next, you need to develop a strategy that addresses the goals and vision of your firm. What are you looking to achieve, and how does your strategy advance your people and business? The final step is putting people in place who marry their professional skills with their passion for DEI.

In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge Podcast, Elise Holtzman is joined by Kimya Johnson, Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer and Principal of the Corporate Diversity Counseling Practice Group at Jackson Lewis. Kimya talks about changing trends in law firms, how to measure success with your DEI initiatives, and why action and authenticity are so integral to your initiative.

James (Jim) Persing is a former practicing lawyer who has been coaching professionals for more than 20 years. He supports clients through a collaborative process of designing, effectuating, and sustaining change.

Jim married his law experience with his passion for coaching clients in a variety of professions to help others envision, achieve, and maintain success. Much of his work focuses on helping early and mid-career professionals develop their leadership vision and produce positive action. As someone who launched and ran a successful law practice, Jim is a specialist in helping other solo and small-firm attorneys succeed.

In addition to working in the legal profession, Jim works with clients in healthcare, finance, and government agencies. He is a member of the coaching team at The Lawyer's Edge, and he's also partnered with BetterUp Coaching, Thrive Partners UK, The Wall Street Coach, Wellspan Health, and more.

Law school doesn't teach you how to run a practice, develop your business skills, or foster relationships with other lawyers and leaders in your industry. For many lawyers, you have to learn these skills on your own while balancing your law practice, your personal life, and everything in between.

The truth is that you don't have to go it alone. Working with a coach can help you build on opportunities, see things from a different perspective, and sustain the success you desire. Instead of working tirelessly on your own, a coach brings an unbiased opinion to help you get clear on where you want to be, how to get there, and how to see continued success.

In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge Podcast, Elise Holtzman is joined by professional coach Jim Persing to talk about the benefits of working with a coach. Jim shares how a coach can help you shift your perspective, illuminate blindspots, and strategize a plan of action. He also discusses the importance of integrating wellness practices into your life, getting intentional with your goals, and tackling new opportunities.