Today’s interview is with the lovely and very accomplished JL, someone who I think you will really enjoy meeting. JL is a successful attorney who has been able to find the flexibility in maintaining a work/life balance – something I definitely wanted to hear more about. She’s also a fascinating woman with a variety of passions – which include screenwriting and monkeys! And last but not least, she of course has a fabulous wardrobe. Enjoy meeting JL!

Some of JL’s Van Cleef collection

Who are you? What do you do, and where do you live?

Hi! I’m JL and I currently live on the West Coast, though I’m a Chicagoan at heart. I’m an attorney specializing in employment law and I currently work from home part-time which I juggle with taking care of my 4.5 year old twin girls. Before having twins, I was a full-time attorney in private practice for over ten years with a busy litigation and counseling practice. I’m very fortunate to be able to continue pursuing my career in a more flexible way while my children are young.

JL’s adorable girls in her Chanel puffer jacket

You went to some great universities (Georgetown and Stanford) for your undergraduate degree and law school. What would be your advice for others who are just entering the field of law? Do you think its more competitive/difficult today that it was earlier?

Thanks for the compliments! To answer your second question first, I think the practice of law is much more competitive and difficult today than it was when I started. I started practicing in 1998 and, although it sounds archaic now, we communicated with clients and opposing counsel by fax and letters. Yes, we actually sent letters in the mail! Now communications are by email and cell phone and attorneys find themselves being required to be available and accessible 24/7. Never really being able to shut down for the day can definitely take its toll and the issue of work/life balance is what I struggled with the most when I was practicing full-time. The economy has also impacted law firms and there is constant pressure to keep costs down as much as possible. Attorneys today need to be able to hit the ground running and I don’t know that there is as much time and opportunity for on-the-job training like I received as a junior attorney. It also used to be that you would put in your dues, make partner, and be able to ease off a little. That is no longer true. The legal market is so competitive today that even partners are working non-stop and under constant pressure to bring in new business. Continue reading »