It's very hard when you're in a scarcity mentality, thinking you have to take every case and sign anything that walks in. I caution people to be careful going down that path, because case selection can make or break you, especially early on. It did that to me. I took on cases, got deep into them, and thought, why did I take this? I took it because I was afraid that I had no cases to work on and figured I'd get something out of it. That was not a smart move. It says a lot about you when you can stick with your gut and protect yourself, your time, and your worth, and stay available for the people who need you most. That's one of the best pieces of advice I can give.

Be true to yourself. If something is uncomfortable, figure out why it’s not comfortable. Is it not comfortable because you don’t have experience? In which case, just reach out to other women for support, or suggestions, or ways to help you the first time you deal with something, or the first few times, or until you feel comfortable. But if it’s something where you feel like you’re truly uncomfortable because it’s not you, whether it’s being aggressive in a deposition and that goes so far against your nature that it makes your skin crawl, or whether it’s taking cases to trial, and you’d rather be second chair or be the brief writer, be honest and be true and find what brings you happiness in the work, because you’re doing it for the long haul.

Be true to yourself. If something is uncomfortable, figure out why it’s not comfortable. Is it not comfortable because you don’t have experience? In which case, just reach out to other women for support, or suggestions, or ways to help you the first time you deal with something, or the first few times, or until you feel comfortable. But if it’s something where you feel like you’re truly uncomfortable because it’s not you, whether it’s being aggressive in a deposition and that goes so far against your nature that it makes your skin crawl, or whether it’s taking cases to trial, and you’d rather be second chair or be the brief writer, be honest and be true and find what brings you happiness in the work, because you’re doing it for the long haul.

It's no secret that the legal field is still heavily male-dominated. I always get excited when I see law school enrollment data, because more and more women are entering the profession and entering plaintiff's practice every year. Without the women in the profession—whether support staff, paralegals, IT, bookkeeping, or attorneys—cases don't get moved. You can't talk to your clients the way you want to, and nothing else happens without women.