Being a mother and a lawyer is challenging enough, but doing it as the breadwinner takes an entirely different kind of courage. Suzanne Leslie, founder of Leslie Law Firm and once the “baby of the class” at Western State Law School, reveals how she built a thriving personal injury practice while raising two children and supporting an artist husband. In this conversation, she shares how she navigated a male-dominated firm with no female mentors, relied on family support to survive what she calls the “hamster wheel” of work and parenting, and focused on quality rather than quantity of time with her kids. Her story offers a practical blueprint for any lawyer-mom stepping into the breadwinner role and still wanting a meaningful family life.

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Balancing family life and a demanding legal career requires more than ambition; it calls for learning how to set boundaries in a law career that protects time, energy, and values. Terri Wagner Cammarano, Chief Legal Officer at Cedars-Sinai, built her path from law firm partner to the C-suite while raising children, and she speaks candidly about the strategies that made it possible. She describes how she learned to say no without sacrificing opportunities, how she reshaped her leadership style to support other women lawyers, and why mentorship matters at every stage. Terri also shares mistakes she made along the way and the practical habits that help her stay grounded. This conversation offers mothers in law a clear, relatable roadmap for advancing their careers while preserving balance and authenticity.

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Walking away from a prestigious law career isn’t easy, but Linda Klein reveals how leaving Paul Hastings after just 11 months opened the door to a more meaningful life. From chasing deadlines so grueling that an accident felt like relief, to mourning her mother’s passing and discovering her purpose in healthcare, Linda shares the pivots that shaped her path. She reflects on creating wellness programs at City of Hope, choosing to stay home with her twin daughters, and later finding purpose in leading bereavement support groups. With candor and warmth, Linda shows how resilience, grief, and joy can coexist—and how redefining success can lead to a more fulfilling journey.

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Balancing part-time law and full-time motherhood is no small feat, and attorney and author Kara Kinney Cartwright gets candid about the wins, struggles, and lessons along the way. From returning to work just six weeks postpartum to navigating unpredictable hospital counsel demands during 9/11, Kara shares how she built resilience, found champions for workplace flexibility, and created her own “Cartwright rule” for earning trust. She opens up about parenting with humor, writing her book Just Don’t Be An Assh*le as a parting gift to her sons, and finding healing through her upcoming book on grief after losing her husband. With wit, honesty, and compassion, Kara reveals what it really takes to keep showing up as both lawyer and mom.

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Balancing motherhood and a professional career is indeed an overwhelming duty. Mothers often feel guilt over their shortcomings to their children, and it often puts their mental health at risk. But with the proper support and the right mindset, they can make this demanding task more manageable and meaningful. For the podcast’s inaugural episode, Carrie Fogliani sits down with Jeannine Taylor, Deputy General Counsel for Keck Medicine of the University of Southern California, who shares how she balances a legal career and her many responsibilities as a mother. She offers valuable insights into overcoming her biggest professional challenges by tapping into her own village and embracing the “get to” approach. This conversation is for every mom out there who wants to achieve both professional success and personal fulfillment.

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