Some people believe hardship should be the rite of passage. “I suffered, so you should too.” Today’s guest, Wendy Meadows, chose the opposite: learn, evolve, and then make the path easier for the next woman.

Wendy spent years as a family law litigator before realizing the role no longer aligned with who she is. She turned off the litigation spigot, built a solo practice, and shifted to family law mediation—where curiosity, calm leadership, and practical systems do what conflict rarely can: create durable solutions.

• Pain doesn’t have to be a template.

• Real leadership looks like shortening the learning curve for others.

• Wendy’s lens: use your story to open doors, not gatekeep them.

• Mediation lets families design outcomes privately and humanely.

• It fits Wendy’s strengths: listening, clarity, and future-focused agreements.

• Key shift: from “win/lose” to interest-based problem solving.

• Reputation and relationships beat aggressive advertising.

• “Top of mind” marketing: consistent presence on LinkedIn and Facebook, clear messaging about mediation services.

• Make the ask: tell colleagues you now mediate; referrals follow clarity.

Wendy now coaches burned-out lawyer moms and attorneys who want to go solo. Her coaching centers on:

• Defining the work you actually want to do

• Simplifying operations (intake, billing, client experience)

• Saying no to misaligned matters and yes to sustainable revenue

SEO cues: burnout for lawyers, coaching for attorneys, leave big law, attorney work–life balance

Wendy’s Pause Time Playbook is a simple daily practice:

1. Set your compass each morning (who you’ll be, what matters).

2. Rehearse high-stakes moments before they happen.

3. Reflect at day’s end to lock in learning and confidence.

Pen-to-paper intention turns reaction into leadership.

• Get honest about alignment. If the role no longer fits, explore alternatives like mediation or a limited-scope practice.

• Tell people what you do now. Clear, repeated messaging builds referral paths.

• Systemize once, benefit daily. Intake, payment, templates, and checklists save hours.

• Journal with purpose. Decide who you’ll be before the hard moment arrives.

Hear the full conversation with Wendy Meadows on The Seed to learn how she left litigation, built a values-aligned practice, and helps other attorneys do the same.

Keep Going—with Support

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