Finding A Brand New Subfield

Quite a few lawyers have made these kinds of transitions.

(Image via Shutterstock)

Law is a broad field. Between criminal, maritime, entertainment, and civil rights law, there’s a cornucopia of options to choose from. Even within such subfields, the experience can be very different, depending on where you work, but there are quite a few lawyers that have made these kinds of transitions.

Transitioning Between Subfields

For example, Ari Redbord, who used to work as a federal prosecutor, is now head of legal and government affairs at a tech startup called TRM Labs. He and I discussed why he made such a change, and he gave advice to lawyers considering making a big transition themselves. What’s different? What’s the same? It was very insightful, as you can see (or, rather, hear) for yourself by listening to the podcast.

An Even-Bigger Transition

While many have moved from one law subfield to another, some of you may be on your way to changing fields entirely. That was K Royal’s experience as a registered nurse becoming a lawyer. Currently, she is associate general counsel at TrustArc and an adjunct law professor.

Sponsored

How did she make this huge transition? And what’s it like being a woman in privacy law? With over 25 years of experience in both law and medicine, she is more than capable of answering these questions, and plenty of others. Listen to my discussion with her on this podcast.

 

The Importance Of Wellness

Sometimes, as attorneys, we focus so much on our work that we neglect ourselves. This is not only dangerous to us as individuals, but it also threatens our productivity, too. This is what I discussed with Monica Phillips, president and founder of Spark Plug Labs. After having delivered many keynotes and taught various workshops on wellness, she is more than qualified to speak on this issue. For the past 22 years, she has led innovation and change in law firms.

Sponsored

She and I discussed some of the legal industry’s top saboteurs and how they impact relationships and productivity. She ties this all back to wellness, its importance, and how it leads to improved performance on diverse teams. Take a listen here.

With the information discussed in these podcasts, you will be better able to make any transitions that may arise in your legal career. Whether you’re entering the field of law, moving from one field to another, or even going through some changes at your current job, this advice will help. And, really, all I want for you is to be better able to handle these changes in your professional life.


Olga V. Mack is the CEO of Parley Pro, a next-generation contract management company that has pioneered online negotiation technology. Olga embraces legal innovation and had dedicated her career to improving and shaping the future of law. She is convinced that the legal profession will emerge even stronger, more resilient, and more inclusive than before by embracing technology. Olga is also an award-winning general counsel, operations professional, startup advisor, public speaker, adjunct professor, and entrepreneur. She founded the Women Serve on Boards movement that advocates for women to participate on corporate boards of Fortune 500 companies. She authored Get on Board: Earning Your Ticket to a Corporate Board Seat and Fundamentals of Smart Contract Security. You can follow Olga on Twitter @olgavmack.