Podcast Ep. 7: Positioning Yourself as a Lawyer

When your practice area is too broad, you don’t know which conferences to go to, which journals to pitch to or what to say on social media—so you end up posting boring LinkedIn posts about recent case law.  Now, that’s not going to build a clear brand or attract your ideal client, believe me.

Welcome to The Pathway to Partnership Podcast.  On this podcast, we talk about what it really takes to succeed as a woman lawyer in a law firm.

My name is Cecilia Poullain and I’m a former finance lawyer.  Today, I help women lawyers make it to partnership and thrive when they get there using the tools and insights I’ve developed in my Pathway to Partnership programme. 

In this podcast, you’ll get clarity on whether partnership is truly what you want, you will build your confidence and you will master client development in a way that feels sustainable.

So let’s get you walking into the office every morning clear on why you’re aiming for partnership, free of imposter syndrome and confident in your ability to bring in clients without burning out.

OK, let’s jump in.

Positioning Yourself as a Lawyer

Intro
Just before the summer, a client sent me her business plan to review.  The main thing that struck me as I was reading through it was that she was planning to do everything:  write a book, start a podcast, write articles, run conferences, post on LinkedIn, client lunches…  But before working on her business plan, we backed up a couple of steps.  Because not only did she want to do everything, she also was trying to cover four different types of client.  That was going to make her life so much more difficult.

Why do women lawyers think like this?  It’s because they are incredibly intelligent, highly educated women so they can actually do an awful lot of things—and so they think they should.  

At the same time, there is a real tension between developing your skills as a lawyer, not getting bored,  becoming a great lawyer because you have looked at things from so many different angles - and developing a brand, and we’ll look at how to at least partially resolve that tension in a moment.

The Problem
First let’s look at what happens when your brand is too broad:

• People don’t really know what you do.  Even when you’re talking to people inside your firm, they might not really understand, and that is magnified with lawyers outside your firm who might refer you work and clients.

• Clients and referral lawyers don’t come to you because you look like a generalist who does everything OK instead of a specialist.  Think GP vs heart surgeon. And, if you’re a generalist, it means you can’t charge specialist rates.

• You end up spending too little time on too many things and not doing any of them well.

But it also means that in terms of marketing, you don’t know which conferences to go to, which journals to write for, what to say on social media—so you end up posting bland, boring LinkedIn posts about recent case law.  Now, that’s not going to build a clear brand or attract your ideal client.

Why Positioning Works

But when you start to position yourself in the market, your life gets so much easier. Why? 

• Because you develop your deep legal expertise faster in that particular area.

• You start to understand your clients’ specific problems—and not only do you get better at solving those problems, but also, in your marketing, you can speak directly to your clients’ problems, which will absolutely catch their attention.

• Your marketing becomes so much easier because you know what to post, where to go, what to write.  And you only have to do what you like - you don’t have to do it all.  You know where your clients are likely to come from.  Perhaps they are quite a narrow group and you already know them all - for example, private equity firms or aviation companies, in which case posting on LinkedIn is useless - you’re much better off contacting them directly.  But if your potential audience is very broad, as may be the case with personal injury litigation, for example, LinkedIn or even Facebook will be your friend.  Your marketing depends on your positioning.

The Downsides & Nuance
Positioning isn’t all upside. There are risks.

1. Too narrow = risky
   If regulations change or the market shifts, you could be left stranded. A friend told me about a woman partner who had a thriving practice in a very niche area until the market changed and disappeared from underneath her and it was too late in her career to change her focus.  She retired soon afterwards. 
   

2. Too niche = no work
   When I was a derivatives lawyer in France, there just wasn’t enough work in that area for external counsel. So even though that was my brand, I had to work on broader finance matters.  Seth Godin:  “smallest VIABLE audience”.
   

3. Too niche = you get bored
   Doing only one thing for years? That can burn you out. Years ago, I heard of a U.S. firm where lawyers had to change specialties every 5 years. It made them well-rounded and collaborative, but… it was also exhausting.

There’s a real balancing act here—finding focus without boxing yourself in. 

Ways to Position Yourself
Positioning yourself doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing. There are many ways to approach it:

1. Fully Niche
   Go all in. Pick one area. Abandon the rest.

2. Front-Facing Niche
   Brand yourself in one area publicly, but still take other work behind the scenes.  That’s what I do - my brand is working with women lawyers to become partner.  But I also work with a lot of women general counsel or heads of legal departments and also a few men.

3. Broader Niche
   Choose an umbrella—like “private client” or “business law”—which gives you more flexibility but it’s still focused enough for people to identify what you do.  E.g. Clara - she was doing human rights litigation and also working with corporate clients on compliance. Instead of choosing one or the other, she went upwards and found an umbrella title that found the similarities and covered them both.  In particular, she was able to market to her corporate clients that she was in court and really knew what risks they should be looking out for.

4. Audience-Based Niche
   Niche by who you serve, not what you do—e.g. “legal advisor for startups” or “lawyer for healthcare professionals.”  A law firm opened up around the corner from my place recently that specialises in law for old people.

5. Problem-Based Niche
   Focus on a particular pain point—like “helping creatives protect their work” or “shareholder disputes.”

6. Phased Niching
   Start broad, build a wide experience as a lawyer, then gradually narrow as you figure out what you love doing and what there is a market for.  It’s okay for your positioning to evolve.

7. Campaign Niching
   Position yourself for a season. Example: “This quarter, I’m helping families set up trusts for aging parents.” It creates urgency - if people need that help then they are more likely to reach out for it if they know there is a deadline -  and it also means you test whether you have your “smallest viable audience”.  I would suggest you test this for long enough - I don’t think 3 months is enough because often our marketing activities only start to bear fruit after 3 months.

Reflection Questions
Here are a few questions you might like to ask yourself to help you think about your own direction:

• What kind of work do you really love doing?  

• Who are the clients you love working for?

• If you said naturally what you did, what would you say?

• What are you already becoming known for—even if you didn’t plan it that way?

• Where do your best clients come from?  Why did they pick you?

Wrap-Up & CTA
So to sum up—positioning helps you stand out, connect deeply with your ideal client, and make smarter choices in how you market and grow. But it is a balancing act. And, particularly for younger lawyers, it’s okay to evolve over time.

Outro
Thank you so much for joining me on The Pathway to Partnership Podcast. I really appreciate it.  I hope that today’s episode has given you greater clarity and confidence on your own pathway to partnership.

If you enjoyed this conversation, please subscribe, please share it with a colleague who might find it useful, please leave a review — let’s together help more women make it to partnership and thrive when they get there.  

And if you’d like to go deeper, head over to www.ceciliapoullain.com where you’ll find resources and ways we can work together.

Until next time, remember: you don’t have to do this alone, and you get to define success as a woman lawyer on your own terms.

Thanks for listening.

Podcast Ep. 6: How to Be Heard in Meetings

When I ask women lawyers how competent they are on a scale from 1 to 10, they almost always say 9/10.  But when I ask them how confident they are, they almost always say 5/10.  Which is why too many law firms end up with the most confident people as partners but not necessarily the most competent.  

Welcome to The Pathway to Partnership Podcast — where women lawyers come to figure out what success really looks like for them.

I’m Cecilia Poullain — I used to be a finance lawyer. Now I coach women lawyers who want to make partner without losing themselves in the process.

Each week, we’ll explore the three pillars of my Pathway to Partnership programme:  clarity, confidence and client development — so you can grow your career with focus, courage and authenticity.

Let’s go.

How to Be Heard in Meetings

If you’re a woman lawyer, I’m guessing you’ve been in meetings in which you have been interrupted, talked over or ignored.  Actually, I’m not guessing - I know.  Because in 2020, I did a survey of women lawyers in France, the UK and the US, and all the women spontaneously told me that they were so sick of being interrupted in meetings.

And not only interrupted.  They were sick of having their ideas stolen or ignored.

The very first Firm Women breakfast that I held in Paris in July 2024 was on exactly this topic. There was such an overwhelming reaction, everybody had so many examples that we didn’t have time to get to solutions, so I organised a second breakfast on the same theme.

Here’s are a couple of examples:

I had a client who was a partner in an international law firm and her ideas were consistently ignored by the partners in her office.  Once they were looking for a new courier company and she suggested, quite sensibly, that they use one of the big international firms.  Her suggestion was completely ignored and they decided to use a local courier company - only to change back six months later to exactly the same international courier company she had suggested.  She was furious. 

Here’s another example that comes from a professor of law.  She was in a meeting when a colleague referred to “his paper”.  She said:  “I think that would be “our paper” actually”.  In fact, it was entirely her work.  And even though other people around the table knew that, she was severely criticised in the meeting for making that remark and nobody stood up for her.  After the meeting, some of the people who had witnessed what happened came up to her to say how appalling his behaviour had been.

Women are being interrupted by both men and women - it’s not just a male / female thing.  There is a ton of research that shows that women’s voices generally are less recognised in our society.  I now notice myself not taking women as seriously as men.

In their book “Women & Leadership”, Julia Gillard, former Australian prime minister, and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former minister of foreign affairs of Nigeria, quote Michelle Bachelet, former president of Chile:  “A male colleague, who was also an advisor to the minister, said to me:  “I know that you gave the idea and I just repeated it in another way.” So some men are consciously using the fact that they are listened to more than women and feel quite happy in stealing their ideas.  This drives women crazy.

Women are in a double bind.  Either they can raise their voices so that they are heard, but then they are criticised as “hysterical”, “acting like a man” or “inauthentic” or they are ignored or have their ideas stolen.

It doesn’t happen in every law firm and in every department, obviously.  There are a lot of people out there who are very respectful of everyone’s point of view.  But it still happens way too much. 

Impact

• Incredibly frustrating for the women - especially if they don’t know how to deal with it.  But it goes much further than that.

• Means women lawyers aren’t seen as partner material - meetings are often where people are judged for their talent.

• Means more confident people - often men - are promoted over women, who are often more anxious, less confident but more competent.  When I ask women on a scale from 1 to 10 how competent they are, they almost always say 9/10.  When I ask them how confident they are, they almost always say 5/10.  So it means law firms end up with the most confident people but not the most competent people as partners.  You need a certain level of confidence, but there is a level of confidence that is “enough” and a certain level that is “too much”.

• Hearing stories are male solicitors who are on massive salaries and they go from firm to firm, saying “this is how much I was on, so I must be worth it” but it turns out they are useless.  That’s what happens when you recruit over-confident people.  

• Means women shut themselves down.  Worry about speaking in meetings in case they are criticised or interrupted.  A participant in a workshop I did years ago said:  “the boss was so rude to me in that meeting that I decided that I would never, ever speak in that meeting again”.  What a terrible waste of her talent and ideas and of the talent and ideas of so many women lawyers and women generally.

What to do about it

• Get very clear on what you want.  How do you know?  Listen to your emotions instead of what other people are telling you to do.  Then work out how you’re going to get it.  Gives you an enormous amount of power and charisma and people will listen to you.

• Use meta-communication.  Meta-communication means communicating about how we’re communicating, and saying things like:  “You probably don’t realise, but that’s the third time you’ve interrupted me in this meeting” or “I’ve noticed that some of us don’t say much in these meetings and others are doing all the talking.  I’m getting pretty frustrated about that.”

• Very simply saying:  “I’m not finished yet”.

• Asking other people to support you in the meeting if it’s a meeting in which you’re systematically interrupted - they might say something like:  “I don’t think Chris finished what she was saying a moment ago - I’d like to hear more.”  It also means helping others get back into the conversation.  

• Using amplification.

• Saying:  “I’m so glad you agree with the idea I just expressed.”

• Talk about our experiences as women - men often have no idea.  Ran a series of workshops recently.  In one of the workshops, we mentioned this problem and to his credit, one of the men had checked with women around him whether they were constantly interrupted.  He was amazed to find that they all said it was a problem.

• Each time it happens, instead of getting down or annoyed about it, use it as practice.  Notice what is happening, notice what works and what doesn’t. It’s all just practice.

• Encouragingly, some women have told me that when they get senior enough, the problem disappears.  They are even more respected because people know how hard it is for women to reach those positions.

This is what we’ve covered in this episode:

• This is a major problem - women are systematically being silenced, which is incredibly frustrating.  It means they shut themselves down and it means they aren’t reaching their full potential.

• The impact in many law firms is that the most confident people, not the most competent people, are being asked to join the partnership.

• There are a number of tools to deal with it, including getting clear on what you want and asking for it, getting help from others in the meeting and meta-communication.

Practice:

Do you have a meeting coming up?  If you do, and most of us do, you might want to take a moment to think about how you want to turn up in the meeting, what energy you want to bring to it and how you want to be perceived.  What technique would you like to practice?

If this is a frequent problem, reach out to me.

Outro
Thank you so much for joining me on The Pathway to Partnership Podcast. I really appreciate it.  I hope that today’s episode has given you a realisation that you are not the only one being interrupted or ignored and a few useful techniques to deal with it when it happens.

If you enjoyed this conversation, please subscribe, please share it with a colleague who might find it useful, please leave a review — let’s together help more women make it to partnership and thrive when they get there.  

And if you’d like to go deeper, head over to ceciliapoullain.com where you’ll find resources and ways we can work together.

Until next time, remember: you don’t have to do this alone, and you get to define success as a woman lawyer on your own terms.

Thanks for listening.

Podcast Ep. 5: Boundaries

You would be surprised how often the lawyers I work with simply don’t realise that it is possible to speak up in a particular situation.  They presume they have no power and have to do exactly what is asked of them.  

You’re listening to The Pathway to Partnership Podcast — the place for ambitious women lawyers who want to thrive in law firms, not just survive.

My name is Cecilia Poullain and I am a former finance lawyer who now helps women lawyers make partner with clarity, confidence and clients.

Together, we’ll unpack the real skills behind success in law — from navigating power dynamics and overcoming imposter syndrome to building a book of business and shaping a career that works for you.

If you’re ready to bring purpose, confidence and strategy to your pathway to partnership — you’re in the right place.

Let’s get started.

5. Setting Boundaries:  A Delicate Balance

Hook:  We all know we should be setting boundaries.  People talk about boundaries all the time.  But the difficult thing, especially when you work in a law firm, is knowing which boundaries to set.  

As a lawyer, it’s easy to go to extremes. At one extreme, you can end up working all hours of the day and night, weekends, missing dinners, missing weekends away, accepting poor treatment, doing what partners or clients ask you to do. Or you can swing the other way and focus only on your own needs.  We all know people who say “I need” and it drives everybody crazy. The real challenge is finding the right balance.

In this episode, I’m focussing on two types of boundaries, time and behaviour. How you allocate your energy and your time and how you allow yourself to be treated.

But there are other sorts of boundaries, in particular ethical boundaries or deciding how to act when something clashes with your values - deciding what will you or won’t you do?  We’ll look at those in a later episode.

What happens when you don’t set boundaries at all? 

A senior partner in a major UK law firm told me about a brilliant young trainee.  The trainee had a dinner with her family on a Friday night, so the partner negotiated with the client that they wouldn’t get their email until Monday morning.  But then, the partner was annoyed to see that the trainee had skipped the dinner with her family and sent the email out to the client at 11 p.m. that night.  The following week, the partner reprimanded the trainee - the trainee was upset because she was so used to being perfect and she thought she had done the right thing.  But the partner told her this: if you keep this up, you’ll start to hate this job and you’ll burn out.  They will be the consequences if you don’t set any boundaries in relation to your work-life balance.

So that’s one example of somebody who wasn’t setting any boundaries at all.

If your aim is to become a partner in a law firm, you need a strong support network at home —people who are aware what it’s going to take to make it and are willing to make those compromises and be flexible, but not too flexible.   Sometimes your partner, your friends or your family need to be the ones saying:  this weekend you are not working. This wedding, this dinner, this event matters more.   Without that, the sacrifices of partnership can consume everything. 

And if two lawyers are in a relationship together that’s especially tricky. Without someone outside the system saying “enough,” neither of you puts limits in place.

Boundaries also show up in behaviour. One of my clients was working with a partner who often spoke to her aggressively or treated her badly - and unfortunately she is not alone on the receiving end of that sort of treatment.  For a long time, she simply accepted it.  She believed that she was meant to accept it.  But it had major consequences on the way she behaved because, in order to avoid a cutting remark, she was always second guessing his reaction.  So you can imagine how exhausting that was.

But after we’d worked together for a while, she finally built up the courage to say to him:  “listen, if you keep speaking to me like that, I’m going to leave the room.”  She was terrified when she said it, but it changed everything in their relationship - the next day, he was smiling, he was joking with her and he was treating her with so much more respect.  Young lawyers often think they have to do everything the partners ask of them - but it’s simply not true.  If you’re good at what you do, you have way more power than you think.  The partners need you.  They don’t want you to leave and they don’t want to have to find someone to replace you.  And that gives you power.

What happens when you set boundaries that are too rigid? 

I’ve been hearing lots of complaints that the latest generation of young lawyers who are saying things like:  “sorry, I have to go - I have a dinner tonight” and leaving the seniors lawyers to finish work that needs to be done for the next day.  This is exacerbated by remote working where sometimes the younger lawyers don’t realise that everyone else is still hard at it and they clock off even though they are still needed.  

When young lawyers do this, this has a massive impact on the stress of those who have to cover.  It means they lose trust in their younger colleague and it also means the client ends up paying partner or senior associate rates for work that should have been done by juniors.  And the partners are annoyed because they are working late on something that should have been done by someone more junior and they feel as though they had to work really hard to become a partner and that things ought to be easier now.

Some junior lawyers aren’t like that.  A partner was telling me about a meeting each week to make sure that work is fairly distributed across the team.  She realised that two of the more junior lawyers had way too much on their plate and redistributed their files off them. Within an hour, both those lawyers were back in her office asking her to give them their files back.  Those particular juniors were happy working until midnight because it was more important for them to get the experience.  

So what’s the middle ground? 

How do you know what boundaries to set?

The starting point is to listen to your emotions.  If something is starting to irritate you, that is a clear indication that a boundary is being stepped over - that, according to your unique value system, what is happening isn’t fair.  

But that’s only the starting point.  The next step is to look as objectively as possible at the whole situation.  What does the client need here?  Is that a “need” or a “want”?  How much negotiation room is there?  And the same with the partner or more senior lawyer - what is their position?  How much time do they need to review your work in order to meet the client’s deadline, for example.  It may be that you don’t have all the information.

And then think about what you might be able to communicate in the situation.  Very, very often, the lawyers I work with don’t even realise that it is possible to speak up in a particular situation - they presume that they have no power and just need to do what is asked of them.  

That’s why I do a lot of role play in sessions with my clients - so that they can start to see how it feels to express certain needs.  Sometimes, what they first say isn’t quite right, so they adjust until they have a phrase or phrases that they feel comfortable with.  I am able to reflect back how what they say impacts me - of course, it’s only my experience, but at least it is an external point of view.

It is incredibly powerful when you understand that it is OK to ask, and asking in a way that takes into account both your needs, the needs of your family, the needs of the more senior lawyer and the needs of the client.  

The message really is:  You don’t have to set boundaries all by yourself and in fact, you probably shouldn’t.  It’s by having conversations with the people around you that you can adapt, share information and define the right boundaries for everybody. 

The best workplaces are the ones where there’s trust to have open conversations. I’ve met so many women partners who create this kind of culture. Where juniors feel they can say: I’m exhausted. I have a personal commitment—can we work around it? Or even “I’m feeling stressed” without wanting the partner to do anything particular about it.  That openness makes boundaries work for everyone.

So setting boundaries isn’t about being selfish and it isn’t about accepting anything and everything. It’s about balance, communication and trust. Get them wrong, and you risk either burnout or a damaged reputation. Get them right, and you build a career that is satisfying and sustainable.

Conclusion

Just to recap. Here are the three big messages from this episode:

First, being irritated or angry is a signal that your personal boundaries are being stepped over. 

Second, boundaries only work if they take into account everybody’s needs in the situation and that requires communication.  

And third, balance is the goal. Not saying yes to everything, not saying no to everything — but calibrating between your needs, your team’s needs, your family’s needs, the client’s needs. As with anything, tt takes practice and you’ll sometimes get it wrong but if you aim to have reasonable boundaries, that’s where your career will be successful, enjoyable and sustainable.

Outro
That’s it for today’s episode of The Pathway to Partnership Podcast.

I hope you’re walking away with some practical insights and renewed confidence for your own pathway to partnership.

If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, share it with another woman lawyer, and leave a quick review — it helps us reach even more brilliant women in law.

You can also visit ceciliapoullain.com to explore my coaching programmes, upcoming events and free tools to support your growth.

Thanks again for listening.

Podcast Ep. 4: The Perfectionism Trap

So you can see how by expecting ourselves to be perfect, we hold ourselves back.  And this plays out every day in law firms where women are not speaking up in meetings or on clients calls or in training sessions or on stages because they aren’t 100% sure of what they’re going to say and they’re terrified of making a mistake.

Welcome to The Pathway to Partnership Podcast — the show where we talk honestly about what it takes to build a successful, fulfilling career as a woman lawyer.

I’m Cecilia Poullain, a former finance lawyer turned executive coach, and I help women lawyers make it to partnership — on their own terms.

In each episode, I’ll share the tools, strategies and stories that help you get clear on your goals, build unshakeable confidence and master client development in a way that feels authentic and sustainable.

Let’s dive in.

Episode 4: The Perfectionism Trap

Hook
The theme for the last episode, Episode 3, was “Moving from Lawyer to Leader”.  In this episode, I want to give you a number of concrete strategies for moving from perfectionism to excellence because that is what is required if you are going to move from being a great lawyer to being a great leader and becoming a partner.

Story  

I was working with a client a month or so ago.  She was worried about doing training sessions for the younger lawyers in her department because the senior equity partners were going to be there.  She was worried she would make a mistake or say something stupid - in other words, she was terrified that the equity partners would find out that she wasn’t perfect.  She mentioned that, then wanted to quickly move on to another topic, but I pulled her back because this was massively important.  Because she was scared of making a mistake, her initial reaction was simply not to do the training.  

But then we talked it through.  And here are some of the things she realised:

• That 97% of what she said was very likely to be correct.  She wouldn’t be taking a huge risk.

• That it was an amazing chance to learn both by doing the training and from the equity partners:  Label from a tea bag many years ago which stuck on the bottom of my computer screen:  “To learn, read.  To understand, write.  To master, teach”.  

• That if she did make a mistake, they wouldn’t be rude or mean to her.  They would be very kind about it.

• Maybe there were different points of view, and her “mistake” would open up an interesting discussion.  

• Maybe the junior lawyers also had the same misconception so it was a chance to clear it up for everybody.

• Finally, she realised that the consequences of making a mistake were, essentially, zero.  That it was far better to make that mistake in a training session than in the heat of negotiations on an €500 million deal. 

So why do we stop ourselves from speaking up?  The reason is that what we’re really terrified of is feeling ashamed.  Because when we feel ashamed, it feels like you want to disappear.  So that’s a pretty strong feeling and it’s not surprising we try to avoid it.  Because we really, really don’t want to feel ashamed.

But by expecting ourselves to be perfect, we hold ourselves back.  And this plays out every day for women in law firms.  Because they are terrified of not being perfect and feeling shame, women lawyers are not speaking up in meetings or on clients calls or in training sessions or on stages because they’re not 100% sure of what they’re going to say and they’re terrified of making a mistake.

It’s interesting, because my clients tell me all the time that as they approach partnership, the senior partners are actually encouraging them to speak up more - but despite that, they still find it difficult to do so.  And sometimes, there are other things going on and actually the partner themselves is unconsciously making it more difficult for the woman to speak up, perhaps by interrupting her or by dominating the meeting or by throwing her in the deep end and not giving her the chance to prepare properly. So there is often a lot to unpack in this dynamic.

From perfectionism to excellence

In a moment, I’d like to give you some tools and concepts that you can use in those moments when you’re hesitating about speaking up.

• But first, let’s look at the difference between perfectionism and excellence.  The little gap analogy.

• Risk coin

• Listening more to yourself and less to others: perfectionism is often driven by the urge to please.  Confidence is believing in your ideas, what you think, trusting your gut instincts - listening to others but ultimately being prepared to trust yourself.

• Calibrated risk. E.g. Want to speak on this client call - ask the partner if that’s appropriate and to back you. 

• It means finding what works for you. For some, “fake it till you make it” works. For others, especially more introverted lawyers, it doesn’t — and may even make things worse. A great resource here is Heidi K. Brown’s book The Introverted Lawyer.  Take small steps, have a plan, backing yourself.  Medici Law - practice pleadings.

Reflection moment

Think back to last week. Was there a moment when you stayed quiet because you weren’t 100% sure what to say? That’s perfectionism at work.

Now imagine what would have happened - what were the risks you were taking - if you had spoken up anyway.

And in the coming week, perhaps notice the moments when you’re choosing to stay quiet and perhaps, make a different choice this time.

We’ve looked at:

• How women lawyers are holding themselves back every day in law firms around the world because they are terrified of making a mistake.

• The difference between perfectionism and excellence

• Some concepts to help us move from perfectionism to excellence, including “the little gap”, the risk coin and listening to yourself more. 

• Taking calibrated risk - having a plan and taking small steps so you don’t put yourself into highly stressful, unmanageable situations.

Closing thought

Perfectionism feels safe and it feels satisfying. But it also stops you from making mistakes — and from learning from them. Excellence, on the other hand, is what you need to move from lawyer to leader. 

Outro
Thank you for tuning in to The Pathway to Partnership Podcast.

I hope today’s episode has given you something to reflect on — a spark of clarity, a boost of confidence, or simply the reminder that you’re not alone on this journey.

If you found this episode helpful, I would really appreciate it if you could follow the show, share it with a colleague or friend, and leave a quick review — it really helps more women lawyers find these conversations.

And if you’d like to go deeper, you’ll find plenty of free resources and coaching opportunities at www.ceciliapoullain.com.

See you next time.

Podcast Ep. 3: Moving from Lawyer to Leader

Welcome to The Pathway to Partnership Podcast.  On this podcast, we talk about what it takes to succeed as a woman lawyer in a law firm.

My name is Cecilia Poullain and I’m a former finance lawyer.  I now help women lawyers make it to partnership, using the tools and insights I’ve developed in my Pathway to Partnership programme. In this podcast, you’ll get clarity on whether partnership is truly what you want, you will build your confidence and you will master client development in a way that feels sustainable, in a way that works for you.

So let’s get you walking into the office every morning clear on why you’re aiming for partnership, free of imposter syndrome and confident in your ability to bring in clients without burning out.

OK, let’s jump in.

From Lawyer to Leader

Hook
“I just want to be the best lawyer I can be”.  I hear this from women lawyers all the time.  But if you want to make partner, this simply isn’t enough.  Apart from all the other skills you need to develop, you also need to be seen as a leader.

The Problem

• It’s not that easy to go from being a great lawyer - to being the best lawyer you can be - to stepping into leadership.  It’s not the same skill set.

• Ailsa Davies.  Women lawyers who are very passive in their careers:  they are often meticulous, reliable, conscientious, but they’re scared about taking risks, scared about exposure, terrified of making mistakes.

• Women are being yelled at, interrupted, shut down.  They hear the negative far more than the positive, appalling management in law firms generally… because lawyers don’t learn to be leaders and managers.  Has a big impact on the younger women lawyers in the firm.

What is a leader?
Distinction between a leader and manager.  A manager tends to focus on getting the job done. A leader, on the other hand, defines the common goal and inspires and empowers people to work together towards it. 

A leader is someone who is prepared to make the decisions.  Can be scary, because you’re often alone in making those decisions and you will be judged, sometimes harshly.  That can be terrifying, especially for women.

The Solution

• More risk

  - Talk about women having to take more risk — yes and no. Depends which risks we’re talking about.  Christine Lagarde - financial crisis - too much testosterone in the trading rooms of banks.  Not taking more risk in the decisions we’re making, but taking the risk of being exposed and of being criticised.  The risk of putting yourself out there.  If the idea of exposure sounds terrifying, if you’re the type of person who absolutely hates speaking in public, for example, that’s something that can be learned to do in ways that work for you.  Because for some lawyers, fake it until you make it doesn’t work.  So I would suggest you reach out for help to me or somebody else if that sounds like you. 

  - But if you’re OK with exposure, perhaps you need to be looking at whether you are taking enough risk to be seen.

Moving from passive to proactive

• Kelly Nolan talks about this on her podcast in relation to time management for professional women — you go from being reactive and having no control over your calendar to having to schedule time for deep thought because that’s what you’re paid for.

• Same with moving from lawyer to leader — move from producing perfect work and becoming a great lawyer to becoming far more proactive in the way you show.  In a moment, we’ll look at what “pro-active” can look like. 

• Moving from “perfection” - can feel very seductive and very satisfying - and producing work to taking ownership of your career.

What does ‘being proactive” look like?
It means:

• It means speaking up more in meetings and on client calls, even if you’re not 100% sure you’re right.  Doesn’t mean being suicidal.  Perhaps back yourself; ask the partner if you can take the lead, knowing that they are there if you don’t know the answer, and that’s OK.  It can be more comfortable not to speak up but if you want to become a leader then you need to get used to the discomfort.

• It means taking ownership of the relationships you want to create and the quality of those relationships (see episode 2)

• It means reaching out to partners so they know you

• It means taking ownership of your learning, working out what skills you need to become a partner and developing a plan to learn those skills — management skills or marketing skills or financial skills, for example.

• It means taking ownership of client development early, in whatever way works for you.  If you need support on that, I’m very happy to help.

How do you become not only a great lawyer but a great leader? 

• HUGE topic and a million resources out there about leadership.  Here are few thoughts:

  - Good to Great — Jim Collins.  Level V leaders.   The very best leaders are humble, take blame for mistakes, attribute their success to good luck rather than personal greatness and very ambitious for the company, not themselves and very, very persistent.  Million dollar question is:  how do you become a Level V Leader?  Jim Collins’ hypothesis is that there are two categories of people:  those who do not have the seed of Level V and those who do.  Under the right conditions, those who are able to subjugate their ego and under the right circumstances - self-reflection or conscious personal development - can develop into Level V leaders.  

  - “Crucial Conversations”:  Great leaders are those who know how to speak their mind and keep the conversation psychologically safe for everyone involved.  They aren’t aggressive and they aren’t silent.  These skills can be learned. 

  - Will Storr:  We need status and we need connection.  When we have status, we feel respected.  When we have connection, we feel we belong.  These are absolutely fundamental human needs and when we don’t get them, this has massive impacts on our health - but often they conflict.  How do we reconcile them?  By seeing leadership as example, by creating community, by teaching rather than as domination.

What happens when you adopt a “leader” mindset?

• You see that most of those risks aren’t risks at all — because there is only upside - learning so much faster

• When you start acting as a leader, you are seen as leadership material so you make partner faster

• Happier, feel more in control of your life and less at the mercy of others

Outro
Thank you so much for joining me on The Pathway to Partnership Podcast. I really appreciate it.  I hope that today’s episode has given you greater clarity and confidence on your own pathway to partnership.

If you enjoyed this conversation, please subscribe, share it with a colleague who might find it useful, and leave a review — let’s together help more women make it to partnership and thrive when they get there.  

And if you want to go deeper, head over to www.ceciliapoullain.com where you’ll find resources and ways we can work together.

Until next time, remember: you don’t have to do this alone, and you get to define success as a woman lawyer on your own terms.

Thanks for listening.

Podcast Ep. 2: Who Can Help You on Your Partnership Journey?

Welcome to The Pathway to Partnership Podcast, where we talk about what it takes to succeed as a woman lawyer in a law firm.

My name is Cecilia Poullain — I’m a former finance lawyer who now helps women lawyers make it to partnership, using the tools and insights I’ve developed in my Pathway to Partnership programme. In this podcast, you’ll get clarity on whether partnership is truly what you want, you will build your confidence and you will master client development in a way that feels sustainable.

Let’s get you walking into the office every morning clear on why you’re aiming for partnership, free of imposter syndrome and confident in your ability to bring in clients — without burning out.

OK, let’s get into it.

Who Can Help You on Your Partnership Journey?

I’d like to start this episode with a story from a client.  She told me a story that made me terribly sad but didn’t really surprise me.  She told that when she was a young lawyer, she cried every day on the way to work, dried her tears and smiled just before she walked into the front door of her firm, I wasn’t surprised. Law can be a very tough, very lonely profession — and too many lawyers think they have to carry it all alone.

In this episode, we’re looking at the three different types of relationships you need to be proactively building with people who can help you on your partnership journey.

Opening: The Problem

• Loneliness is a surprisingly big problem in law firms.  Surrounded by people but they still feel lonely. 

• With competitive, smart people who can sometimes be a little intolerant of weakness and fragility. 

• And lawyers themselves are used to succeeding - so when they feel they’re not, that can be a very new emotion for them.  

• So what do they do? 

  - They try to carry it all alone.

  - Talk to family or friends.

  - Might help, but often doesn’t.

  - They don’t understand the industry and they can’t really help you find solutions to your problems.

• The real issue: 

  - Recognise when you’re struggling

  - Think strategically about which relationships you actually need.

✅ The Core Solution

• Truth: you cannot be a successful lawyer without successful relationships.

• Three types of relationships you need to support your career. 

These are the different networks:

1. Emotional Support (for You)

• Different times in your career.

  - When you’re a young lawyer.

  - Approaching partnership.

  - When a new partner.

  - Can also be an issue with more senior lawyers, who find themselves isolated. 

• Crucial to be emotionally OK → otherwise you can’t be a great lawyer - or a great anything else.

• May be bringing people down around you.

• Not able to be proactive.

• Not 100% of the time - not realistic.

• Best support comes from people who understand the industry.

  - Coaches and therapists can really help.  Find someone you really resonate with who can help you work through various situations.

  - Communities like Firm Women breakfasts → recurring feedback: “Thank goodness I’m not alone.”  Gives you a much greater perspective on your problems.  Run in-person in Paris and also online for women outside Paris.

  - Groups of other lawyers within or outside the firm - you might want to start one.  Imagine if it ran for years and you got to know each incredibly well - amazing support.

  - Pathway to Partnership:  1:1 coaching + group.

If you’re feeling stressed, overwhelmed, depressed, or lonely → this is your #1 priority.  I can’t stress how critical this is.  I don’t want to see another talented, brilliant woman lawyer leaving the law because she wasn’t the emotional support she needed.

2. Career Support (for Your Growth)

Technical & Practical Help

• Many lawyers suffer from imposter syndrome.  The problem is, it’s not really imposter syndrome - a lot of lawyers, especially the younger ones, really don’t know what they’re doing.  And this is a massive source of stress for them.  If you don’t know what to do and are under tight deadlines to get it done, that is massively stressful.  So you really need this group of people.

• Colleagues, boss or peers in other firms.

• Friends in-house, lecturers, professional associations.

• Make it as reciprocal as possible.

Strategic:  Mentors, Sponsors & Coaches

• Women say that it’s not maternity leave or having small children that holds them back - it’s the lack of career support from more senior leaders.  Some less ethical partners do this on purpose.  Younger women lawyers - diligent. Very motivated.  If you’re not getting it, you need to reach out.  

• Distinction between mentors, sponsors & coaches.

• Inside and outside the firm.

• Coach to work through business plan, difficult relationships, where they’re lacking confidence strategic decisions.

Caveat:  don’t overwhelm the senior women!

3. Referral Lawyers

• Other lawyers are often your biggest referral source.

• Go back through your recent clients → many come from other lawyers, not just direct clients.

• Reciprocal - how can you be supporting their practice.  What might they need from you?

📝 Practical Exercise

Take 10 minutes after this episode to map your current network:

1. Who supports me emotionally?

2. Who helps me with technical or strategic issues?

3. Where does most of my work come from? 

4. Where are the gaps?

Circle the one gap that feels most urgent — and commit to taking one small step this week to start filling it.

Outro
Thank you so much for joining me on The Pathway to Partnership Podcast. I really appreciate it.  I hope that today’s episode has given you greater clarity and confidence on your own pathway to partnership.

If you enjoyed this conversation, please subscribe, share it with a colleague who might find it useful, and leave a review — let’s together help more women make it to partnership and thrive when they get there.  

And if you want to go deeper, head over to www.ceciliapoullain.com where you’ll find resources and ways we can work together.

Until next time, remember: you don’t have to do this alone, and you get to define success as a woman lawyer on your own terms.

Podcast Ep. 1: Why Do You Want To Be A Partner?

Welcome to The Pathway to Partnership Podcast, where we talk about what it really takes to succeed as a woman lawyer in a law firm.

I’m Cecilia Poullain — a former finance lawyer who now helps women lawyers make it to partnership, with the tools and insights I’ve developed in my Pathway to Partnership programme. In this podcast, you’ll get clarity on whether partnership is truly what you want, you will build your confidence and you will master client development in a way that feels sustainable.

Let’s get you walking into the office every morning clear on why you’re aiming for partnership, free of imposter syndrome and confident in your ability to bring in clients — without burning out.

Let’s dive in!

Simon Sinek famously says:  “Start with Why”, so that’s exactly where we’re going to start.

With the “why” of partnership.

For many women lawyers, partnership is the ultimate goal — the reason for all those lunches at your desk, late nights and weekends at the office.  Becoming a partner in a law firm, especially in the big international firms, can look incredibly glamorous from the outside.  You have the money, the public recognition, the status.  But it can also involve incredible sacrifices.  It can be really tough.  And the million dollar question is… is it all worth it?   How can you know if partnership is for you before you put in all the hard work?

In this episode, you’ll be learning:

1  Why it’s so important to ask yourself “why” before you get on the partnership track

2  What partnership really involves

3  What questions you can ask yourself in order to get clear on your “why”.

Personal Story
But before we get into it, and because this is the first episode and we don't know each yet, I’d like to share a little of my own story.

At school, I loved English and the humanities but I hated science. In Australia, good students did either medicine or law.  So for me, law seemed an obvious choice.  In addition, my father was a lawyer -  he was a partner at Minter Ellison, one of the big Australian law firms - and I really admired my father - he was my role model for so many years. For such a long time, I believed that partnership in a law firm was the be-all and end-all.

When I arrived in France in 1996, I found a job in the legal department of a bank and left the world of the law firm.  But I dreamed of going back, so I passed the French bar exams and got a job at an American law firm in Paris.

And I hated it. I didn’t fit and it didn’t fit me. When I asked myself why I was putting myself through that and why I wanted to be a partner, it turned out that I was basing myself on who my father was rather than on who I was.  And I was putting an enormous amount of pressure on myself to be perfect. 

Eventually, I realised what I really wanted was to support women lawyers. At first, I hesitated — should I work with women who were leaving the law, or women aiming for partnership? I chose partnership, because I wanted to help women who stay in firms influence the culture from the inside and to make law firms better places for women - and in fact, everyone - to work.

And it turned out to be perfect for me. I love what I do now — working with women who want to thrive in law and helping them ask the right questions before they step onto the partnership track.

I often talk to women who become partners simply because it’s the next logical step, or because it’s what their families or societies expect of them, or because the income and status is incredibly attractive — without thinking about what they want.  And then they feel trapped, under enormous pressure to bring in enough client work or doing all the different tasks involved running a business when in fact all they were interested in was the legal work.  That is so incredibly sad.  Lawyers are amazingly talented people - what a waste of their talent if they weren’t meant to be lawyers in the first place.

One of the biggest problems I see is that lawyers don’t fully understand all that becoming a partner involves.  All those things that nobody teaches you as a lawyer.   

Because as a partner, you are first and foremost a business owner.  That has a huge impact on how you spend your time.  As a partner, you need to:

• Manage a team.

• Recruit and develop talent.

• Bring in new business, which involves positioning yourself and your team, marketing and selling.

• Handle difficult conversations and conflicts, both inside the firm and with clients.

• Stay on top of the firm’s finances.

• Make decisions about the future of the firm.

Becoming a partner in a law firm is a fascinating, challenging role — but it’s not for everyone.
Some of the women I work with are absolutely focussed on partnership - there isn’t a shadow of doubt in their mind that that is where they are going.  They don’t even mention it.  And others aren’t so sure.  

So - how do you know?  If you’ve worked as a lawyer all your life, it can feel terrifying to even imagine doing something else altogether.  The thought of losing the status and income that goes with being a lawyer can feel as though you are losing yourself. How can you know that you want to do something different if you’ve never done it?

In addition, many, many women lawyers are so used to doing what is expected of them by their families or by society, or doing what they think is expected of them, that they no longer know what they want.  They live their lives second-guessing what other people think they should be doing.  They have completely lost touch with themselves.

In my experience, many lawyers have spent so much time developing their left-hand brain skills, their rational, factual brain skills, that they are not very in touch with their feelings.  When I ask my clients “how are you feeling right now?”, many of them tell me what they are thinking.  They simply don’t know what they are feeling any more.

But when you are working out how you want to spend your life, those feelings are critical information about what we need and what will make us happy. 

So, before you get onto the partnership track and spend all that time and energy in reaching for that goal, you need to ask yourself questions like:

• What do I love about the law?  

• What do I hate about it?

• What activities give me energy, both inside and outside work?  

• What do I really love doing?

• What drains or exhausts me?

• What gets me into “the zone”, where time seems to disappear?

• And finally, when I look at all the tasks required of partner, do I actually want to do them?  Do I want to be a business owner as well as a lawyer?     

If you discover, as you work through those questions, that you love the law, you love being a lawyer, you’re ready for all the entrepreneurial challenges that partnership brings, then go for it! Congratulations!  Leaving any residual doubts behind will release a ton of energy and help you achieve on the goal.  You have an incredibly fulfilling, interesting life ahead of you, working with intelligent people, full of challenges and opportunities.  

And if you discover that you don’t, then that’s OK.  You don’t have to resign this second, and you probably shouldn’t.  But at least you know that maybe, at some stage, you want to explore a different path.

Closing
So, just to recap, we’ve looked at: 

1  Why it’s so important to ask yourself “why” before you get onto the partnership track

2  That partnership involves so much more than just being a good lawyer - and not everyone is cut out for that or wants to do it

3  That your feelings are vital information about whether partnership lights you up or whether your incredible, unique talents would be better off elsewhere. 

Outro
Thank you so much for joining me on The Pathway to Partnership Podcast. I really appreciate it.  I hope that today’s episode gave you greater clarity and confidence on your own pathway to partnership.

If you’ve enjoyed this conversation, please subscribe, share it with a colleague who might find it useful, and leave a review — let’s help more women make it to partnership and thrive when they get there.  

And if you want to go deeper, head to www.ceciliapoullain.com where you’ll find resources and ways we can work together.

Until next time, remember: you don’t have to do this alone, and you get to define success as a woman lawyer on your own terms.

See you next time.

Hiring Without Values Is a Risk You Can’t Afford

Let me ask you something. When was the last time you stopped to consider your values?
Not your firm’s glossy mission statement. Not what’s printed on a poster in the HR office.
Your values.

If you're a woman lawyer navigating your career - particularly if you're aiming to become a partner in a law firm - I urge you: pause and take a good, hard look at what you stand for. Because here's the truth: Values are not optional. They’re essential.

Why Values Are More Than Just Words on a Wall

In the 1990s, corporate books like Built to Last by Jim Collins brought values into the business spotlight. Suddenly, companies everywhere were rushing to “define their values.” HR departments wrote up inspiring statements, printed them on beautiful paper, framed them in reception areas... and promptly forgot about them.

That’s not how values work.

Values aren't branding. They’re not slogans. They’re daily decisions. They’re guides for behavior. And in law firms, where pressure runs high and the stakes are often personal, values determine whether we act with integrity - or look the other way.

My Experience as a Woman in Law

Having worked in firms across Australia, the UK, and France, I’ve met exceptional lawyers. Most have been brilliant, principled professionals. But I’ve also witnessed conduct that should never have been tolerated - from subtle ethical breaches like wrongly charging client accounts, to more serious misconduct I won’t detail here.

What shocked me more than the misconduct itself? The way some firms responded - or rather, failed to respond.

There was no reference to values. No discussion of what kind of culture the firm was cultivating. Instead, there was hesitation, second-guessing, and fear of losing a “valuable” partner - even when that partner was eroding the firm's integrity from within.

If a firm’s values aren’t guiding decisions - including who stays and who goes - then those values are meaningless.

What Does This Mean for You?

If you’re a woman lawyer looking ahead to partnership, you must start with clarity:
Do your values align with your firm’s? And equally important: Does your firm actually live its values?

When you're interviewing with a firm, ask about their values. Better yet - observe whether they practice those values. Are junior lawyers respected? Are working parents supported? Is integrity upheld, or is bad behavior excused if the numbers look good?

And if you're hiring? Start by getting clear on the values you want to see in your team. Then, ask questions that probe for those values - not just experience or qualifications. For example:

• “Tell me about a time you stood up for something unpopular but important.”

• “What does ‘client commitment’ look like to you, especially under pressure?”

• “When have you chosen the harder, more ethical path - and why?”

My Business Values

Over the past months, I’ve been refining the values that drive my work as a coach and advisor to lawyers. Here’s where I’ve landed:

1. Integrity and Respect
   Uncompromising respect for the law, for clients, and for colleagues.

2. Client Commitment
   We do what it takes to help clients reach their goals - with generosity and focus.

3. Excellence Through Iteration
   We improve by trying, refining, learning - again and again.

4. Culture of Learning and Openness
   We stay curious. We listen, read, ask, disagree, and grow - especially from those different from us.

5. Balanced Work Ethic
   We work with intensity and rest with intention.

6. Trusted, Caring Professionals
   Everyone we engage with - clients, suppliers, team - is treated with care and professionalism.

These aren’t just statements. They’re principles I return to again and again - when making decisions, when evaluating relationships, when navigating challenges.

For Women Lawyers on the Path to Partnership

If you’re a woman lawyer who wants to make partner in a law firm, here’s my invitation to you:

• Don’t leave values at the door.

• Don’t assume a firm’s values are lived just because they’re written.

• Don’t compromise your own.

A values-driven lawyer is a powerful lawyer. And a values-driven partner? That’s the kind of leader the profession - and the world - desperately needs.

If you’re thinking seriously about partnership, I’ve created a free guide: “How to Make Partner in a Law Firm”. It outlines the hidden obstacles my clients have faced, and the strategies that helped them move forward.

👉 Grab your copy here: https://www.ceciliapoullain.com/free-guide

And until next time, remember: Your values are your compass. Use them.

Warmly,
Cecilia

Source: LinkedIn Live: https://www.linkedin.com/events/hiringwithoutvaluesisariskyouca7338852754729148417/theater/

The Power of Speaking Up and Refusing to Shrink

How anxiety keeps talented women lawyers from partnership

The confidence gap: Many women quietly disqualify themselves from the partnership track because they are afraid, writes Cecilia Poullain.

C is eight years PQE and works at one of the top French law firms. She’s an excellent lawyer – conscientious, thorough, and hardworking – yet she’s still terrified of speaking up in meetings. Eight years qualified, and still staying silent. Wow.

She knows it’s hurting her partnership prospects, but she doesn’t know how to change. She finds it incredibly frustrating, but speaking up still feels too frightening.

I know exactly how she feels. When I returned to private practice after five years in-house, I felt the same way. I would sit in meetings, wanting to participate but unsure whether what I was going to say was exactly right. It felt safer to stay silent than to risk saying something wrong – or worse, something stupid.

Of course, not all women lawyers feel this way. Many are confident and determined to make partner – and they go for it. Yet, in many Western jurisdictions, where women outnumber men among law graduates and junior associates, men still dominate at partnership level.

One major – but often overlooked – factor is anxiety. Many women quietly disqualify themselves from the partnership track because they are afraid. Afraid of exposure. Afraid of not being good enough. Afraid they won’t bring in enough business.

This anxiety is costing women dearly – and costing law firms the talent they need to thrive.

Why this matters

Despite a growing backlash against diversity and inclusion (D&I) programs, many law firms still recognise that gender-balanced leadership boosts profitability. They understand the value of demographic and cognitive diversity – but often miss the invisible barriers preventing it.

Sexism is still alive in law firms, though not always recognised by those who don’t experience it. One woman was told by a judge, “Let her speak – she’s cute.” Another was laid off during COVID-19 because her male colleagues “had families to support” – despite being her family’s main breadwinner. A male partner once remarked of a woman peer: “There’s something about her that’s just not right.” His colleague agreed, “She’s just not one of us.”

So, yes, sexism is still a problem – but so is anxiety.

Supporting women to manage anxiety isn’t just a D&I gesture – it’s good business. Building confidence benefits the lawyers, their firms, and their clients.

Perfectionism and fear of failure

When I returned to private practice, I found it terrifying. Clients were high-profile and demanding, and I felt pressure to have all the answers. I told myself that if I didn’t make partner, I’d failed. If I wasn’t completely sure of what I wanted to say, I said nothing at all.

When I did make mistakes – and I made plenty – I was devastated. I’d lie awake at night, replaying every misstep. I often cried in frustration.

I share this because many women – and some men – feel the same way. When I bring women lawyers together, they’re relieved to know they’re not alone.

Shame is one of the most painful emotions. It makes us want to disappear. To avoid it, many of us stay silent.

We crave external validation – it’s human. However, too much reliance on it can drive extreme perfectionism, especially in high-pressure legal environments. That shows up in women lawyers as:

• Working long hours but neglecting relationship-building.

• Discounting billable hours out of guilt.

• Avoiding public speaking or client events.

• Staying silent in meetings.

• Not building visibility within the firm.

The result? They become invisible. They miss out on promotion. Their firms miss out on their talent.

What can be done?

There are no quick fixes – but confidence and resilience can be built. Here’s how:

1. Pinpoint the real trigger

Start by noticing when anxiety arises. Is it constant, or linked to specific situations or people?

C, for example, realised her anxiety flared up only around one particular partner. He once asked her to lead a client meeting with no prep time, then later hijacked a meeting she’d prepared for. She felt ashamed – until she recognised it wasn’t her anxiety, but his poor leadership. Once she raised it with him, his behaviour changed.

2. Reframe risk as excitement

Think of risk as a coin. One side is fear; the other is excitement. You won’t know the outcome until you flip it. Both feelings show you care. Focus on the excitement before acting. If things go wrong, feel the disappointment – don’t suppress it. Acknowledging emotions helps them pass.

3. Challenge the catastrophe story

Ask yourself: How bad would it really be if I got this wrong? You might not sound like a seasoned partner – yet – but chances are, you’ll say something worthwhile. And if not? You can always follow up. Most worst-case scenarios exist only in our heads.

4. Use your imagination to ground yourself

Visualisation can help reduce anxiety. A simple technique: locate the fear in your body and accept it. Don’t fight it. Just notice it. That alone can take away some of its power.

5. Step into the fear – on purpose

Growth often feels like walking off a cliff. But fear doesn’t mean stop – it means you’re expanding. Acknowledge it. Then act.

6. Back your own judgment

Confidence isn’t about always being right. It’s about trusting your perspective – and acting on it. Your voice matters. Say what you think, even if others might disagree.

7. Practice in small doses

We expect to be brilliant in high-stakes moments without practice. But confidence is built incrementally. Start small: speak in low-risk meetings, ask a question, suggest an idea. Each moment is a chance to build muscle.

8. Value your time – and bill for it

Don’t undercharge because you think you worked “too slowly”. You’re still learning. Your time has value – charge for it. And remember: many male lawyers bill every second – and sometimes more than that.

Conclusion

Anxiety at work is normal. It shows we’re growing, stretching, and taking risks. A workplace without anxiety would be flat and unchallenging. And it’s not just a women’s issue – nor a weakness.

What matters is how we respond to it.

Law firms must recognise that many women lawyers experience far more anxiety than they show – and addressing it is not about lowering standards. It’s about unlocking potential. Leaders must adapt their approach to the individuals they manage. And women lawyers must find ways to manage anxiety before it manages them.

Cecilia Poullain is a Paris-based coach for women lawyers.

Source: Lawyers Weekly

How to Lead Better Meetings: Disagreement Without Damage

A few weeks ago, I shared some thoughts on how to contribute in meetings - even when you feel you don’t have anything groundbreaking to say. But in reflecting more deeply, I realised I had overlooked something crucial: conflict.

Yes, conflict. That word that makes most professionals sit up a little straighter - or want to run for the door.

But here’s the thing: If your meetings feel dull, unfocused or like they’re going nowhere… it’s probably because the real issues are being avoided. And when we avoid conflict, we also avoid the chance to move forward meaningfully.

Why Most Meetings Are Boring

Here’s what typically happens:

• People share information that could have easily been an email.

• Or worse, people don’t share what’s really on their minds.

So we sit in long, ineffective meetings where nobody disagrees out loud, and nobody learns anything new.

And yet, healthy teams and high-functioning leaders do engage in disagreement—but they do so constructively. They make space for ideas to be challenged without egos being bruised. That’s the kind of constructive conflict that drives real change. And it’s a skill. One we need to learn, model, and protect.

Constructive Conflict Is a Value - But Also a Practice

I recently read about law firms that list “constructive conflict” as one of their values. But too often, when someone in the team finds that environment uncomfortable, the response is, “Well, it’s just not for everyone.”

Frankly, that’s not good enough.

It’s not enough to say, “You don’t fit.”

The better question is: How do we create the conditions where people feel safe enough to engage in disagreement - especially those who find it hard to speak up?

This isn’t just a diversity issue. It’s a performance issue. And as an executive coach who works with global leaders, I can tell you: until people feel safe, they will hold back. And when they hold back, you miss out on their insight, creativity and brilliance.

First Comes Trust, Then Comes Conflict

In his book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Patrick Lencioni explains that trust is the foundation of every strong team. Without trust, you can’t get to the next level: productive conflict. And without that, forget about commitment, accountability or shared goals.

So how do we build trust?

Here are four ways I share with my clients:

1. Time and Testing
   Simply spending time together and seeing how people behave under pressure. Are they self-interested, or do they put the team first?

2. Personal Sharing
   Share something about your background. It doesn’t have to be deeply personal. Just enough to humanise the space.

3. Naming Strengths and Weaknesses
   Give honest, respectful feedback - and ask for it. When people stop second-guessing how others see them, trust builds fast.

4. Vulnerable Leadership
   Özgür Can Kahal, a brilliant lawyer at DLA Piper, once shared how she models vulnerability by naming what’s not going well—and doing it with confidence.
   “I’m struggling today.” “This didn’t go as planned.”
   When leaders go first in showing they don’t have to be perfect, they invite others to be real, too.

How to Make Conflict Safe Again

When trust is in place, we can finally begin to have constructive conflict - the kind where no one ends up emotionally wounded or checking their watch.

The book Crucial Conversations gives us a practical framework.
When someone in a meeting goes quiet - or reactive - it’s usually because they no longer feel safe. Your job isn’t to push harder. It’s to pause and restore psychological safety.

Here’s how:

1. Apologise
   If you’ve crossed a line, say so. And yes, this applies to senior leaders too. It takes courage, but it models humility.

2. Clarify Your Intentions
   “I didn’t mean X. What I meant was Y.” Often, the damage isn’t what we said - it’s what someone thought we meant.

3. Find Mutual Purpose
   Shift the focus to what everyone agrees on. Then go back to the points of disagreement from that shared foundation.

Ground Rules Make it Work

Whether I’m coaching a leadership team or facilitating a group, we always begin with ground rules:

• Confidentiality

• No judgment—positive or negative

• No unsolicited advice

Why no advice? Because advice puts you above someone. It assumes they don’t know what’s best for them. And in coaching, that’s not our belief.

In business meetings, your ground rules might differ, but the principle is the same:
Create a container where people feel safe to tell the truth.

Conflict Without Casualties

What we’re after isn’t more drama. It’s more truth. More clarity. More progress.

Constructive conflict allows people to express what matters before it turns into resentment or disengagement. And when it’s done right, no one bleeds. There’s no "blood on the floor" - just better decisions, stronger teams, and more courageous leadership.

If you're looking to develop these leadership skills in yourself or your team - I’d love to support you.

I've written a step-by-step guide to making partner that walks through some of the key barriers (including conflict avoidance!) that hold people back.

👉 Download it here: https://www.ceciliapoullain.com/free-guide

And if this sparked something in you - let’s keep the conversation going.
What’s your experience with conflict in meetings?
When has it worked, and when has it gone off the rails?

Until next time,
Warmly,
Cecilia

Source: LinkedIn Live: https://www.linkedin.com/events/howtoleadbettermeetings-disagre7336326514856153090/theater/

Be Where Your Clients Are. Less Time. More Impact.

A few weeks ago, I talked about niching - about truly understanding who your ideal client is. So I’m going to assume that you’re already there. You’ve defined your niche. You know exactly who you want to work with.

But here's where I see many brilliant lawyers getting stuck: even after identifying their niche, they try to do it all. They attend every legal conference. They post on LinkedIn religiously. They’re podcasting, publishing, pitching for rankings, writing for legal directories, networking at every possible client event - just ticking every box. Exhausted yet?

This pressure to be everywhere is not only overwhelming - it’s ineffective.

Let’s pause.

You Don’t Need to Do It All.

You need to be where your clients are.

That’s the distinction.

Too many lawyers conflate visibility with effectiveness. They assume that more activity equals more opportunity. But the key is targeted visibility. Once you know who your clients are, the next question must be: Where do they hang out? What are they reading? Who do they listen to?

Let me give you some examples:

• If your ideal clients are general counsel in a specific industry, and you already have access to that circle, why waste time broadcasting on LinkedIn to everyone else? Instead, go deeper. Create tailored events or thought leadership specifically for them. Meet them where they are. You’re not building a new audience - you already have one. Serve it.

• If your business relies on referrals from other law firms, then your focus should be on staying top of mind for those lawyers. That might mean attending key legal conferences where referrers gather, or even just nurturing those relationships one-on-one. If someone is looking for an arbitration lawyer in Paris, and that’s your niche, you want your name to be the first that comes up. So show up where those conversations are happening.

• If your client base is built through cross-selling within your own firm, your strategy is simpler still: make sure your colleagues understand what you do and how you can help their clients. A well-crafted internal PowerPoint and a few strategic conversations across offices can go further than 50 LinkedIn posts ever will.

It’s Not About Being Seen Everywhere.

It’s about being seen in the right places.

Just yesterday, a client asked me whether it was important to be listed in legal directories like Lexology or Chambers. And my answer was: It depends.

If you’re relying on lawyer-to-lawyer referrals, those ratings probably do matter - because other lawyers notice them. But if your clients are businesses with whom you already have direct relationships, they’re probably not even looking. I know I wasn’t, back when I was a client.

So, don’t be seduced by shiny distractions. Don’t waste your energy trying to be everywhere at once.

Instead, ask yourself:

• Where are my ideal clients actually spending their time?

• What do they read?

• Which conferences do they attend?

• Who influences them?

• And how can I show up there, with value?

When you know where your clients are and you meet them there with intention and generosity, marketing stops feeling like a grind. It becomes aligned, strategic - and so much easier.

Before I go, I’ve got something to help you take the next step: I’ve created a step-by-step guide to becoming a partner. If you're interested, you can grab your copy here: https://www.ceciliapoullain.com/free-guide

I’ll also link my previous LinkedIn Live on niching, so you can connect the dots between identifying your ideal client and showing up exactly where they are.

Have a wonderful week—and remember: you don’t need to do it all. Just do what matters.

Warmly,
Cecilia

Source: LinkedIn Live: https://www.linkedin.com/events/bewhereyourclientsare-lesstime-7333787771305701376/theater/

LinkedIn Live on Niching: https://www.linkedin.com/events/morefocus-morefreedom-morefees7313470015221997568/theater/

Risk-Free Visibility

You know the feeling. You're sitting in a meeting, listening. People are talking - some dominating, some interrupting, some simply trying to get a word in. And you find yourself stuck between two uncomfortable options: either stay silent and feel like a pot plant at the table - or speak for the sake of speaking, just to prove you have a voice.

Neither option feels right. So what’s the alternative?

Let’s talk about how to contribute meaningfully - even when you’re unsure of what to say.

1. Become the Observer

Start by paying close attention to the room. Who’s speaking the most? Who hasn’t spoken at all? Who’s generating interesting ideas, and who’s being overlooked or cut off?

Simply noticing the dynamics is powerful. It gives you insight - and opens the door for thoughtful, supportive action.

2. Ask Clarifying Questions

You don’t need to offer a brilliant new idea to add value. One of the most powerful things you can do is to ask someone to clarify theirs.

Nancy Kline, in her book Time to Think, reminds us that many people don’t know what they think until they hear themselves say it. So if someone shares something unclear, try: “Just to check - did I understand correctly that you’re saying X?”

That moment of reflection might help them refine their thinking - or feel heard and validated. Either way, you're contributing to clearer, sharper dialogue in the room.

3. Make Space for Interrupted Voices

If someone has been cut off (it happens more often than we’d like to admit), you can gently bring them back into the conversation: “I was really interested in what Kate was saying earlier, but I don’t think she had time to finish. Kate, could you say a bit more?”

That small act of support can change the tone of a meeting - and earn you real trust and respect.

4. Amplify Good Ideas

This is a powerful technique borrowed from the women in President Obama’s cabinet. When someone shares a valuable idea, say: “That was a great point that Helen made. What she said was…”

Why does this matter? Two reasons: First, it reinforces the value of her contribution. Second, it makes it much harder for someone else to later repackage the idea as their own (something we’ve all seen happen too often). And saying it twice helps it stick.

5. Invite Quieter Voices In

Notice who hasn’t spoken. Then simply say:

“I’d love to hear what Zachary thinks - perhaps he has something to add?”

People often hold back because they think what they have to say is too obvious or not valuable. But more often than not, their insights are exactly what the conversation needs. You may be the reason that a crucial voice gets heard.

Why This Matters

Research shows that meetings where speaking time is more evenly distributed produce better decisions. It’s not just about who’s in the room - it’s about what ideas are in the room. That’s cognitive diversity. But people can only contribute if the space feels safe and inclusive enough for them to do so.

So no - you don’t need to walk into every meeting with a TED Talk in your back pocket. You don’t need a headline-making insight or a perfect one-liner.

You just need to be present, engaged, and willing to support the flow of thought in the room.

That, in itself, is powerful leadership.

Before I go, a quick announcement: the waitlist is now open for Pathway to Partnership, starting this October. It’s my programme designed especially for women lawyers who want to step into partnership with clarity, confidence, and purpose. We’ll focus on the why of partnership, building real confidence, and developing client relationships that support your growth.

If that sounds like you, send me a DM or book a chat through my website. I’d love to hear from you.

Until next time,
Cecilia

Source: LinkedIn Live: https://www.linkedin.com/events/risk-freevisibility7331226082215460864/theater/

How to use referrals to get great clients (without feeling pushy)

If you're a lawyer reading this, chances are you're not thinking about client development. Most lawyers aren’t. Let’s be honest - finding clients often feels like something for later, or something someone else handles. You’re busy doing the work.

But if, by any chance, you are one of those lawyers curious about how to grow your practice - and particularly if you're on the path to partnership - then let’s talk about one of the simplest, most powerful tools you have: referrals.

What Is a Referral?

At its core, a referral is simply asking someone to introduce you to someone else. That’s it. Not pushy. Not sleazy. Just a connection, a conversation. And yet - so many women lawyers hesitate to ask.

Why?

Three big reasons:

1. We don’t think of it. It’s not part of the usual legal toolkit, so it doesn’t occur to us.

2. We don’t have a process. We mean to do it, but it gets lost in the busyness.

3. It feels icky. We’re worried it might come across as salesy or self-serving.

Sound familiar?

Let me reassure you: it doesn't have to feel that way. You can create a process that feels natural, generous, and entirely aligned with your values.

Why Referrals Matter

Referrals are like job hunting - only instead of one job, you're cultivating a series of opportunities. When I moved to France in 1996, I knew almost no one. To find work, I picked up the phone (yes, the actual phone!) and introduced myself to people who had never heard of me before. It took courage - and it didn’t get easier - but what it did do was build connections that led to opportunities.

That’s what client development is: connection-building. One relationship at a time.

Just the other day, I reached out to a long-time client - just to check in. Toward the end of the conversation, I gently asked if there was anyone she could introduce me to. Her response? “Oh yes, I’ve been meaning to!” By the end of the day, she’d connected me to four people.

Will all four turn into clients? Maybe not. But even one or two conversations can lead to four more - and then eight - and so on. That’s the power of exponential connection.

Two Simple Referral Strategies

1. In-Person Referrals

Start with your happiest clients. Think of those who already trust and value your work.

Then:

• Reach out to reconnect - suggest coffee, lunch, a Zoom catch-up.

• Focus on them. Ask questions, listen deeply. What’s going on in their world?

• Offer value. It could be business-related (an introduction, a helpful article), or personal (help finding a holiday rental or advice for their teenager - yes, really!).

• Once you’ve created genuine reciprocity, say:

“I was wondering - do you know anyone who might benefit from the kind of work I do?”

It’s that simple. If the relationship is strong, they’ll be more than happy to help.

2. LinkedIn Referrals

Your LinkedIn network is a goldmine of second-degree connections. Here’s how to tap into it:

• Browse your current connections (your first-degree network).

• Look at their connections - especially those in your niche.

• Identify a few people you’d like to meet.

• Reach out to your original contact and ask:

“Would you feel comfortable introducing me to X? I think we might have some overlapping interests.”

To avoid overwhelm, create a habit. Block 10 minutes every Monday to do this. That’s it. Keep it light, consistent, and pressure-free.

Remember: You’re Not Selling - You’re Connecting

You're not asking for business. You're inviting conversations, expanding visibility, and letting people know what you do. That’s the foundation of client development - and it’s built on generosity, curiosity, and courage.

One Last Thing…

The waitlist is now open for the next round of Pathway to Partnership, my signature programme for women lawyers who are on the road to becoming partners - or who are already there and want to lead with more confidence and clarity.

We're diving into everything from the why of partnership, to confidence-building, to client development (including smart strategies like this one). You can DM me or book a chat through my website: www.ceciliapoullain.com

Thanks for reading - and here’s to building a practice that’s grounded, intentional, and entirely yours.

Warmly,
Cecilia

Community Matters. Serve Others. Grow Your Legal Career.

If you’re a woman lawyer aiming for partnership—or even just wanting to thrive in your current role—there’s something essential you might be overlooking.

Not technical expertise. Not efficiency. Not even productivity.

What I’m talking about is community.

Yes, community. That human, relational glue that holds teams, careers, and firms together. And in my experience coaching lawyers around the world, I’ve seen that while many women lawyers excel in their work, they often forget just how important connection is—not just for others, but for themselves.

Status vs. Community: The Hidden Tension

Will Storr, the English journalist and author of The Status Game and The Science of Storytelling, argues that all human beings are driven by three fundamental needs:

1. Survival

2. Community

3. Status

And yet, in so many law firms, community and status seem to be in conflict. When the goal is to win the biggest clients, be seen by the right people, and climb the ladder to partner, collaboration can take a backseat. The very culture that encourages high performance can sometimes discourage genuine connection.

But what if I told you that community and status don’t have to be at odds? In fact, building real relationships might just be the fastest way to sustainable success.

“I Just Want to Be the Best Lawyer I Can Be” – And Why That’s Not Enough

One thing I hear time and again from women lawyers is:

“I just want to focus on doing excellent work.”

And of course, excellence matters. But it’s not enough.

Too many women keep their heads down, work hard, and then feel blindsided when they’re passed over for partnership. They wonder, What happened? The answer is often this: they didn’t build visibility, sponsorship, or relationships. They were efficient—but they were isolated.

Céline Alix, a former lawyer at Linklaters, explores this in her brilliant (though sadly untranslated) book Merci Mais Non Merci (Thanks, But No Thanks). In it, she shares stories of women who loved being efficient—but also needed to get out of the office at a decent hour. One woman, in an annual review, was told, “You’re very good—but it seems like you just want to leave by 8 p.m.” Her internal response? “Yes, I do.”

Efficiency is valuable—but when it comes at the cost of connection, it can quietly sabotage your career.

Why Community Matters—For Your Career and Your Health

We are wired to belong. Loneliness, research shows, is not just unpleasant—it’s a health risk. It’s more harmful than smoking or a sedentary lifestyle.

So yes, your community matters—not just to your career trajectory, but to your well-being.

As Ginni Rometty, former CEO of IBM, once said:

“When we serve others, we serve ourselves.”

Serving your community—whether it's your team, your firm, or your clients—isn’t about being selfless. It’s about understanding that what lifts others also lifts you.

Practical Ways to Build Community as a Lawyer

1. Inside the Firm

Start with your internal networks:

• Your team

• Your practice group

• Your office

• The broader firm

Ask yourself: How can I help people connect across silos?

Most firms complain about the lack of cross-practice communication. What if you were the one to change that? Invite colleagues from different departments for coffee, organise a small lunch, or create opportunities for collaboration. You might face some rejection—leadership always involves risk—but it positions you as a connector and future leader.

2. With Clients

Don’t wait for marketing to create opportunities—start small:

• Host a lunch with a few clients who share common challenges

• Invite them to a discussion or event

• Think about how you can bring them value, and to each other

A friend of mine, Sharon Lewis, who leads finance at Hogan Lovells, had a brilliant approach early in her career. She’d buy inexpensive tickets to early rounds of the tennis at Roland Garros, invite clients (and their children), and bring her own kids along too. It was relaxed, fun—and powerful. The clients ended up promoting her to one another. Connection led to visibility. Visibility led to trust.

You don’t need big budgets. You just need intentionality.

Don’t Just Be a Great Lawyer—Be a Community Builder

Building community is not a soft skill or a “nice to have.” It’s a superpower—a strategic, human, and deeply effective way to lead.

So don’t just focus on perfecting the brief or hitting your billables. Look up. Look around. Who are you connecting with? How are you helping others thrive?

Because when you do that—when you serve others—you serve your own career in ways you might not expect.

Warmly,
Cecilia

The Smartest Investment a Woman Lawyer Can Make

One of the most common things I hear from women lawyers when they’re considering Pathway to Partnership or one-to-one coaching with me is: “It’s too expensive.”

And I want to be direct with you today: That’s absolute rubbish.

Let’s do the maths. Imagine this: You make partner just one year earlier than you expected. One year. That single shift could repay your investment in coaching immediately. And not just once—but every single year after that, for the rest of your partnership career.

How many investments do you know where you get a 100% return in one year—and then keep reaping the rewards indefinitely?

This is not a cost. It’s an investment—in your career, your confidence, and your ability to lead with clarity and conviction.

“This Feels Better Than All the Gold in the World”

That’s what one of my clients said after just a few weeks in Pathway to Partnership. Not because she’d closed a big deal or landed a promotion—but because she finally felt like herself again. Confident. Certain. Energised.

That kind of transformation isn’t about spreadsheets or status updates. It’s about who you become in the process.

You Don’t Need to Be Ready—The Work Makes You Ready

Last summer, I had a call with a woman who told me she didn’t think she was in a “good enough place” to work with me.

She was exhausted, disheartened, and in tears by the end of our first call.

But I knew—she couldn't afford not to do this. And when I said that, she knew it too.

Three months later?

• She’d resigned.

• She’d found a job she was excited about.

• She was surrounded by people she genuinely liked.

• Her energy was back.

• She was happy.

That’s the power of doing the inner work, guided by someone who’s walked the path and coached hundreds of others through it.

So if you’re waiting until you feel “ready,” you may be waiting forever. This is the work that gets you ready.

What You Actually Get from Pathway to Partnership

Here’s what happens when women go through the programme:

1. Clarity

You get crystal clear on whether you want to be a partner—and why. No more half-hearted ambition or “should I/shouldn’t I” spirals. Just grounded clarity.

2. Confidence

Your confidence soars—not because we give you affirmations, but because you’re in a group of other brilliant women lawyers, realising that your fears are normal, your doubts are human, and there is a path forward.

3. A Clear Business Plan

We build it together. We make it yours. Whether your firm requires one formally or not, you’ll have a compelling narrative of how you’ll grow your practice—and a plan to get there.

4. Strategic, Sustainable Marketing

You stop chasing every networking lunch and last-minute webinar. Instead, you get focused on two or three targeted marketing actions that:

• Fit around your busy day

• Play to your strengths

• Actually move the needle

No overwhelm. No fluff. Just practical, focused action.

So... Is It for You?

If you’ve been sitting on the fence—wondering if Pathway to Partnership is right for you—please reach out. Send me a DM. Or head to www.ceciliapoullain.com and book a call. Let’s talk.

Because here's the truth:
If you’re ambitious, if you want to grow, if you want to lead on your own terms—you can’t afford to keep waiting.

And no, it’s not too expensive. Not when the return is exponential—not just in money, but in your energy, clarity, and confidence.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Warmly,
Cecilia

You're on the Pathway to Partnership - But are you leading the way?

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been sharing the six most common mistakes I see women lawyers make on their journey to partnership. And today, we’ve arrived at the sixth—and in many ways, one of the most disempowering:

Mistake #6: Relying too much on your firm to support your progression to partner.

This came up in conversation with a woman who attended one of my Firm Women Breakfasts. She’s a partner in one of the Big Four, and she said something that stuck with me: “So many women are told they’re on track for partnership, and then… nothing happens. They’re left waiting—and confused.”

They’ve done everything “right.” They’ve been told they’re in the running. And then the silence becomes deafening. No roadmap. No feedback. No support. And naturally, frustration creeps in.

The truth is: some firms have brilliant partnership programmes. Others offer patchy, inconsistent support. And many—far too many—offer nothing at all. They expect you to just “figure it out.”

If this sounds familiar, here’s what I want you to know: You can’t afford to wait. You have to take the lead on your own development.

From Reactive to Intentional

Let’s talk about your day-to-day reality. Client work lands in your inbox—and you do it. More work comes in—you do that too. It’s a cycle of reactivity. One client told me: “If the senior partner calls, you drop everything and say yes.”

But here’s the thing: you have more agency than you think. Becoming a partner isn’t just about saying yes. It’s about being intentional—with your time, your energy, your learning, your visibility.

If partnership is something you really want, then you need to get crystal clear on:

• What skills you still need to develop

• How you’re going to build those skills

• And—critically—how you’ll fit that into your client work without burning out

This is Why Having a Niche Matters

One of the key things we focus on in Pathway to Partnership is niching—because clarity unlocks capacity.

When you know exactly who your ideal clients are, you no longer try to serve everyone. You stop being reactive. You become focused, expert, and efficient. You know:

• What keeps your clients up at night

• Where to focus your time

• How to deliver real value without overwhelm

That’s how you free up the headspace to work on the strategic skills that matter for partnership. You stop spinning plates—and start building momentum.

It’s All About Balance (And Yes, You Can Have Fun Too)

One of the biggest realisations my clients come to is that success isn’t about going all-in on just clients or just self-development. It’s not about doing everything for the firm—or ignoring your own growth. It’s about balance.

Balance between what you need, what your clients need, and what the partners need. Balance between doing the work and building the relationships that will carry your career forward.

Let me share a wonderful example.

My dear friend Sharon Lewis—now a senior partner at Hogan Lovells—used to book early-round tickets to the tennis at Roland Garros. She’d invite clients and potential clients with their children, and bring her own children too. Everyone had fun. Clients connected with each other. And the best part? They started marketing her—to each other.

It wasn’t expensive. It wasn’t stressful. It was a brilliant, joyful way to combine work and life—and to let her strengths speak for themselves.

What We Do in Pathway to Partnership

When you join Pathway to Partnership, we don’t just talk about theory. We build your roadmap. Together, we figure out:

• Which skills you still need to develop

• Where you are on each of those skillsets

• How you’re going to build them—realistically—around your client load

• How to set boundaries so that your development doesn’t get endlessly postponed

And most importantly, we help you do all of that without feeling overwhelmed.

It’s about being proactive, strategic, and focused. And it’s often far less time-consuming than you think.

That wraps up my six-part series on the most common mistakes women make on the journey to partnership. Let’s make sure you’re not just waiting for someone else to move your career forward. Let’s get intentional—together.

Warmly,
Cecilia

You Can’t Make Partner by Playing It Safe

Too many brilliant, capable women lawyers are stuck in a pattern that’s quietly derailing their careers.

They come into the office early. They work hard. They rack up the billable hours. They take a quick lunch, keep their heads down, and finally leave late in the evening. And then—someone else makes partner. Someone less qualified. Someone less committed. Someone less excellent.

Why? Because that woman lawyer, despite all her effort, has stayed silent. She’s stayed invisible.

Hi, I’m Cecilia.

I work with women lawyers who want to become partners faster—and thrive once they get there. And today I want to talk to you about the fifth mistake I see women make on the pathway to partnership: staying silent, staying invisible, and hoping the work will speak for itself.

Let me be clear: it won’t.

In many jurisdictions, over half of law graduates are women. And yet, the further up the ladder you go, the more the numbers flip. 60–70% of senior associates are women—but 60–70% of partners are men.

There are a ton of reasons for that. But one of the most consistent and fixable? Women staying quiet. And that silence shows up in three ways.

1. Staying Silent in Meetings

You’ve probably felt it—the hesitation, the second-guessing. You sit in a meeting with something to say, and then you hold back. You tell yourself:

“What if it’s wrong?”
“What if they think I’m stupid?”
“What if I look like I don’t know what I’m talking about?”

I’ve been there. Years ago, working in a U.S. firm in Paris, I remember sitting in meetings terrified of saying the wrong thing. But here’s the truth: saying nothing is worse than saying the wrong thing. People are judging you anyway—they might as well judge you based on what you do say, not what you don’t.

Start by setting a small goal: speak once in every meeting. Then make it twice. Then three times. Speak early. It doesn’t have to be profound. Just show up. Let your voice be heard.

2. Forgetting You’re Part of a Community

So many women lawyers are excellent at their work—but they forget that law is not a solo sport.

You’re part of multiple communities: your team, your practice group, your office, the broader firm, even trade associations and networks outside the firm. But if you’re sitting in your office, quietly grinding through work, people begin to wonder:

“Why isn’t she connecting?”
“Why doesn’t she participate?”
“Is she even part of the team?”

You’re not just not contributing—you may be detracting. And yes, I hear this often:

“I hate politics.”
Here’s the reframe: It’s not politics—it’s connection. It’s humanity. It’s about letting people know who you are, and taking an interest in who they are.

If the other partners don’t know you—if they’ve never had a real conversation with you—why should they trust you to join them at the table?

3. Thinking the Work Will Speak for Itself

It won’t.

You need to advocate for yourself. You need to have conversations about your ambitions—and have them often. Not just once a year in an annual review.

You need to be telling people what you’ve done, what the results were, and what you want next. That’s not arrogance. That’s clarity.

If you’re not comfortable shouting about your work from the rooftops (and let’s be honest, most of us aren’t), start small. Share your wins with trusted colleagues. Practice stating your accomplishments with confidence. Let people know what you bring to the table.

What Visibility Looks Like in Practice

So what does it look like to stop being invisible?

• Speak up in meetings. Even if your voice shakes. Start early. Start small.

• Create community. Ask someone you admire for coffee. Host a casual breakfast with colleagues. Take the lead in building the relationships around you.

• Tell your story. Share what you’re working on. Advocate for your next step. Make your ambitions known.

If there’s a partner you want to connect with—but it feels awkward—don’t start with the most senior person. Start with someone closer to you. Build your circle gradually. Let that circle introduce you to others.

That’s how networks are built. That’s how trust grows. That’s how leadership starts.

What Will You Do This Week?

What’s one small step you can take this week to become more visible?

Because here’s the truth:

If your own firm doesn’t know who you are, how can they trust you to build client relationships outside the firm?

Law is a relationship business. Don’t let your brilliance stay hidden behind your billables.

This was the fifth mistake in my Six Mistakes Women Lawyers Make on the Pathway to Partnership series. If you’d like the full list, I’m dropping the link in the comments.

And next week, I’ll be back with the final one.

Until then—be bold, be visible, and take up space.

Warmly,
Cecilia

More Focus. More Freedom. More Fees.

Let’s talk about freedom. Let’s talk about fees. And let’s talk about how a clear brand and a tightly defined niche unlock both.

You see, too many brilliant women lawyers I work with fall into the same trap: They try to do too much.

They say yes to everything interesting. They work across multiple areas of law. They serve multiple kinds of clients. They keep expanding, thinking: “If I develop expertise in all these areas, surely the work will follow.”

But here’s the truth: It’s not adding more that creates success—it’s focusing more.

What I See With My Clients

Time and again, I watch highly capable, thoughtful lawyers scatter their energy across five, six, sometimes even ten different practice areas or client groups. Everything feels compelling. Everything seems worth exploring.

But the result?

• A diluted message

• A fuzzy professional identity

• And a whole lot of exhaustion

When you’re spread thin, you're not deepening your expertise—you’re chasing your tail. You're constantly context-switching. You’re marketing to everyone and connecting with no one. And more importantly—your ideal clients? They don’t see you.

A Strong Niche Brings Freedom

It may sound counterintuitive, but narrowing your focus gives you more freedom, not less.

Why? Because when you define a clear niche:

• You know exactly what kind of work to say yes to

• You know what to decline without guilt

• You stop wasting energy on low-impact marketing

• You become known for something—and that something attracts the right clients

That’s when your name gets passed around. That’s when opportunities find you. That’s when fees go up—because you're seen as the go-to in your space.

Why We Resist Niching

Let me guess—if the idea of niching down makes you feel nervous, it’s probably because of one of these thoughts:

“But I like variety.”
“I don’t want to limit myself.”
“What if I pick the wrong thing?”

These fears are valid. But here’s the shift I invite my clients to make:

You’re not closing doors. You’re choosing the right ones to walk through.

You can still be curious. You can still explore. But your brand, your visibility, and your value are all built on clarity. A niche isn’t a trap. It’s a springboard.

More Freedom, More Fees—Here’s How

If you’re serious about growing your practice—whether you’re heading toward partnership or looking to lead more confidently in your role—start here:

1. Get crystal clear on your niche
   Who are your ideal clients? What problems are you solving for them? What outcomes do you help them achieve?

2. Craft a focused, compelling brand
   When someone asks what you do, the answer should be sharp, specific, and memorable. You want people to think: “She’s the one I need for this.”

3. Let go of the rest
   You don’t need to serve everyone. You need to serve the right people—and serve them exceptionally well.

One Final Thought

When you niche, you’re not just making your marketing easier. You’re reclaiming your time, your energy, and your authority.

You’re choosing to stop doing everything—so you can do the right things, brilliantly.

That’s what leads to more confidence.
That’s what leads to stronger client relationships.
And yes—that’s what leads to more fees.

If you’re a woman lawyer who wants to find your niche, build a clear brand, and finally stop spinning in circles, let’s talk. Pathway to Partnership is designed exactly for this.

And if you're not sure where to start, ask yourself: What’s one thing you could stop doing today to start narrowing your focus?

Because clarity isn’t just powerful. It’s profitable.

Warmly,
Cecilia

Great lawyer? Sorry, it's not enough.

One of the most common things I hear from women lawyers is this:

“I just want to be the best lawyer I can be.”

And I understand that. I really do. But here’s the hard truth:

Being a great lawyer is no longer enough.

In today’s firms—particularly if you have your eye on partnership—your legal skills are table stakes. It’s your non-legal skills that will set you apart, that will make you visible, and that will determine how fast (and whether) you move forward.

The Fifth Mistake on the Pathway to Partnership

We’re in the middle of a mini-series about the six biggest mistakes women lawyers make on the pathway to partnership. And this one is critical:

Mistake #5: Failing to take ownership of your non-legal development.

Too many women assume that the firm will take care of it. That if they’re “on the track” to partnership, someone will help them get there.

But let me be honest—support varies wildly.
Some firms have excellent programmes.
Some have good intentions but deliver very little.
And some? They leave it entirely up to you.

In every case, one thing is true: you must take ownership of your own growth.

Your Job Changes Completely at Partnership

Becoming a partner isn’t just about doing more legal work. It’s about becoming a:

• Marketer

• Sales expert

• Team leader

• Business developer

• Financially literate business owner

None of that was covered in law school. And most of it isn’t covered on the job. So if you’re not learning these skills intentionally, you’re falling behind—even if your legal work is stellar.

The Myth of “Doing It All Immediately”

Let’s acknowledge something else I see constantly: Women thinking they have to master everything right now. That’s simply not possible. And it’s a recipe for burnout.

So instead, what I recommend is this:

Create a Strategic Non-Legal Skills Plan

1. Identify the skills you need.
   Think leadership, business development, sales conversations, branding, visibility, internal influence, financial acumen.

2. Prioritise.
   Which skills will have the biggest impact now?
   Which are long-term plays?
   Which are quick wins?

3. Build a phased timeline.
   Example:

   • Months 1–3: Focus on leadership and team dynamics

   • Months 4–6: Focus on business development and branding

   • Months 7–9: Focus on sales conversations and niche positioning

4. Choose your learning methods.
   Will you take a course? Read a book? Hire a coach? Practice on the job? Find a mentor? Make it real—and make it manageable.

What About Client Development?

One major red flag I often hear:

“My firm doesn’t really let junior lawyers develop their own clients.”

That’s a problem. Because suddenly—right before you’re up for partnership—you’re told to bring a business plan and prove you can attract clients. But no one’s ever shown you how.

If that’s your situation, consider:

• Talking to your firm about how they can support your client development

• Seeking support outside the firm (coaches, mentors, training)

• Or yes—considering whether you're in the right firm at all

Because like it or not, if you want to be a partner, you need to know how to build relationships, define your niche, have sales conversations, and create your own book of business.

Start Now. Start Small. But Start.

Your legal skills got you to where you are now.
Your non-legal skills are what will get you to partnership—and beyond.

And the sooner you start building them, the better positioned you’ll be when the time comes.

Pathway to Partnership – One Spot Left

As it happens, today we’re kicking off the second round of Pathway to Partnership, and I’m thrilled to say we’ve already seen massive transformations in the women who went through the first round. They’ve shifted their confidence, clarified their ambitions, and made powerful moves.

If you're serious about:

• Gaining clarity on whether you want partnership and why

• Building confidence to speak up, show up, and lead

• Learning client development and other critical non-legal skills

…then this programme is for you.

There’s one spot left. And the price is going up in June. So if you’ve been on the fence, now is the time.

Send me a DM today and we’ll find a time to talk.

Because you don’t have to figure it all out alone. But you do have to take the first step.

Warmly,
Cecilia