As a co-founder of what has grown into the largest woman-owned law firm in the nation, I carry that title with pride, but also with a deep sense of responsibility. It’s not just about leading a successful firm; it’s about ensuring that the talented women who work here feel a strong sense of belonging, purpose, and value in everything they do.
Three years ago, Hilgers Graben was growing, and we were becoming a destination law firm for many hyper-talented women. Our leadership team wanted to spend more time with those women, building relationships and strengthening our careers together. Two of our exceptional attorneys suggested that we start a monthly female-attorney-only video call.
Soon enough, we realized that this call was not just for attorneys, but all women who make up our firm. All these women tend to be overachievers, as you might expect, but it is not as easy as they make it look.
We are all balancing a host of obligations at work, at home, and in other aspects of our lives, but there is no single way to do that. We are all highly involved in so many things that can make balancing it all a bit overwhelming at times.
We have had some great conversations since this endeavor started in 2022, and I am inspired by all the amazing women I am fortunate enough to be around every day.
One of the things I’ve talked about with other women at the firm who are mothers like me is the invisible burden we sometimes carry when we’re working full time while being expected to keep our homes running. We’re often tasked with planning meals and scheduling doctors’ appointments on top of the work we do in our practices.
That is why it has been so reassuring for us to talk to other women who are facing the same challenges in keeping all the plates spinning. We’ve discussed how to create and protect boundaries for ourselves.
Our topics have been wide-ranging — organization, life hacks, book clubs, meal prep, business development, and so much more. These talks take on a life of their own and often become open discussions.
We have the best dialogue about life and dealing with its challenges. We’ve been able to be open with each other in ways that you typically don’t see in a work setting where everyone is focused on trying to maintain a professional demeanor.
These calls have been an amazing avenue for our women to get to know each other since we often only get a small glimpse at each other’s lives outside of work.
We hosted a meeting on community involvement and volunteerism that offered an eye-opening look at the things the people in our firm are doing to change the world and make it a better place. It was very inspiring.
These calls have helped me develop as a leader because now I am comfortable being vulnerable and admitting I am a human being who sometimes makes mistakes. Despite that, I’m also working every day to be the best version of myself as a leader at the firm and as a parent at home.
I firmly believe that the reason we have been able to grow into a nationwide firm offering high value to our clients is because of our strong culture. I believe happy attorneys are better attorneys, so we strive to take care of our people in order for them to do their best work. That keeps us near the top of our industry because of the excellent legal product we provide.
Our monthly calls have helped so many at our firm, and they have truly helped me. It has helped us all be more vulnerable with each other. I want the women (and the men) at our firm to realize that they are valued as people, not just as employees. I hope more firms adopt this kind of intentional culture — not just for better work product or retention, but because valuing people makes our entire profession, and our society, stronger.
