A gratitude practice will not only make you feel happier on a day-to-day basis, but it will help transform you into the kind of person who sees possibilities, rather than limitations.

Lawyers’s Escape Call: http://bit.ly/escapecall 

Geoffrey Stein is a litigator turned portrait artist. Geoffrey initially went into the law because it was something reasonably stable to do with a liberal arts degree. Although he wasn’t passionate about it, he found himself at the top of his class and going down the standard firm route. He practiced in a few different arenas, while trying to incorporate more and more of his long-standing love for art. Eventually he decided to go all-in and leave the law to be a full time painter.

In this episode we discuss:

• Art was always a part of Geoffrey’s life

Lawyers’s Escape Call: http://bit.ly/escapecall 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megansmileyesq 

Geoffrey’s Website: https://www.geoffreystein.com/

In today's episode I talk about identifying your unique strengths through the Clifton StrengthsFinder test, and why this will be more useful in helping you identify next steps than just trying to repackage your skills.

Lawyers’s Escape Call: http://bit.ly/escapecall 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megansmileyesq

Alli Elmunzer is the Attorney & Founder of Influencer Legal, a virtual law firm helping entrepreneurs navigate the legal side of online business. Alli started her career in commercial real estate. But after becoming quickly disillusioned, she left to be a wedding photographer. Alli was a photographer for 6 years. During that time, she also helped other creative business owners with legal issues on the side. She found that the legal work, done on her terms, was a good fit. She is now able to run her law practice the way that suits her and still be immersed in the world of entrepreneurship that she loves.

• Alli was pretty clear from the beginning that she wasn’t happy in firm life

Lawyer’s Escape Call: http://bit.ly/escapecall 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megansmileyesq 

Alli’s Website: https://www.influencerlegal.co/

In this episode, I talk about how big tech companies know that well-designed spaces can reduce stress, improve cognitive function, and enhance mood, creativity, and productivity. They go to great lengths to incorporate this knowledge into their office space.

I also give a few tips on how you can leverage this information to get some of these same benefits, even when you work in a boring gray box.

Stacey Wang is the Director of Product Marketing at Ironclad, Inc. Stacey went from Harvard Law to being a BigLaw litigator, along the traditional path. But a few years in, she started to feel unfulfilled and started assessing what, specifically, wasn’t working for her. She realized that the practice of law was stifling her creativity. She also had an epiphany that you only live once, so she better make it count. So, she pushed past the identity crisis and fear and landed a job at a start-up. From there, she’s been building a career in start-ups that she loves.

In this episode, we discuss: 

• Stacey reflects on how her experience in the early years of practice were colored by being very young

Illegal Design: Leaving Law made Fun Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/leavinglawmadefun 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megansmileyesq 

In today's episode I talk about the importance of broadening your circle of influence. If you're always surrounded by lawyers sticking to the traditional path, it's going to continue to make it hard to see different perspectives and opportunities. So, spend time with people who expand your world, not limit it.

Leaving Law Made Fun Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/leavinglawmadefun

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megansmileyesq

Amy Impellizzeri is a former big law corporate litigator who leveraged a sabbatical opportunity to do freelance writing for a  start-up publisher. She then permanently left practice to lean into her interest in writing and is now, as she says, a writer who used to be a lawyer rather than a lawyer who writes. She’s published 5 fiction novels and one non-fiction book, “Lawyer Interrupted”. In 2022, “How to Leave the Law”, her second non-fiction book with co-Author Liz Brown, will be released.

We have a great conversation about creativity, limiting beliefs, and prioritizing taking the time for exploration. For anyone who has thought about chucking it all to become a writer, I think you’ll love this interview.

In this episode we discuss:

• Amy started in a smaller law firm, then moved to big law for a decade thinking that’s what you do if you have the chance

Illegal Design Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/illegaldesign

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megansmileyinteriors/ 

In today's episode I talk about 3 reasons why you should prioritize play in your life: 

• Calms the mind

I also talk about the 4 main types of play:

• Physical

Illegal Design Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/illegaldesign

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megansmileyinteriors/ 

Vanessa Perlman is a corporate attorney and has mixed freelance legal work with running her own travel business. She gives us a great example of how building a career isn’t an all-or-nothing endeavor. You can mix and match. You can go back and forth. You can do what makes most sense for each season of your life. As lawyers, we often put so much pressure on making a change, and Vanessa shows us that we can lighten up on ourselves a bit and it will still all work out.

• Vanessa ended up doing freelance legal work

Illegal Design Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/illegaldesign

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/megansmileyinteriors/