Women in Law: Discovering the True Meaning of Success

Strategic Advisor and Coach Michelle Banks, former EVP, Global General Counsel, Corporate Secretary, and CCO of the Gap Inc., is joined by Angela Han, Senior Corporate Counsel at HealthPro Heritage, Life Coach, and Podcast Host of “Fit to Practice,” Heather Stevenson, General Counsel of Red Cell Partners, and Tatia Gordon-Troy, Founder and CEO of Ramses House Publishing, to discuss their diverse personal journeys to achieving success in law and other facets of life.

Below are highlights from the webinar. To learn more, the video recording and podcast are available on this page.

Four women attorneys, representative of the 23 who co-authored Women in Law: Discovering the True Meaning of Success, tell their unique stories, highlighting the many directions a law career can take to ultimately lead to success. Reflecting on the challenges they overcame or what gave them the strength to make difficult choices, they dispel traditional expectations surrounding the practice of law. In the end, there are many ways to use the skills acquired through a legal education, especially in today’s rapidly changing world.

A quote on the inside cover is especially meaningful to me because it’s from my mentor, Michele Coleman Mayes, GC & Secretary, The New York Public Library. She notes, “The authors of Women in Law: Discovering the True Meaning of Success know the power of stories. The book is chock full of illuminating and inspiring ones. The rich diverse voices of women attorneys beckon the reader to reflect on the many experiences shared, and then seem to invite the reader to write their own unique story to say, ‘I dare you not to.’”
Michelle Banks

Angela Han’s Story

In law school, I believed BigLaw was the trajectory to success. Since I didn’t really know what success meant, I adopted other people’s definitions. When I didn’t get into a BigLaw firm, I believed I was not smart enough to be a lawyer and could not become an in-house counsel without that experience. For nearly a year after graduation, I didn’t think I would find the right job for me, so I undertook a self-assessment. Facing health issues and trying to navigate the healthcare system as an immigrant, I realized I was interested in healthcare and found an in-house position in the industry. This dream job has given me the flexibility to raise a family, build my business as a life coach, and serve as a podcast host. Listening to myself and not allowing others to influence my choices allowed me to find my path to fulfillment.

Life is about constant progress, new ideas, new movement, new concepts. It’s what makes us feel alive. Your missteps and your mistakes simply indicate you are on your way to something even more exciting.
Angela Han

Heather Stevenson’s Story

My long-term career goal was to become a BigLaw partner. While working in a BigLaw firm with great colleagues, learning and growing, and being surrounded by some of the smartest individuals I’d ever met, I still felt the need to explore my other interest. The time I was spending as an associate was also the time in my life when fulfilling my desire to become an entrepreneur made the most sense, since I didn’t yet have kids and could take risks. Leaving the law, my husband and I moved from New York and founded a successful juice bar in my hometown of Boston. After a few years, however, I missed practicing law and considered whether there was opportunity to practice outside of BigLaw. I found my way to an in-house role and was hired at the Boston Globe because of my contractual experience gained from the juice bar. It was a great position, and when I wrote the chapter for the book, I commented on how it gave me the flexibility I needed with an infant at home. Just after the book was published. I was contacted about heading up the legal department for a new venture firm. Since my son was now ready to go to school, I felt I had the mental capacity to face this new challenge, took the risk, and reinvented myself.

One could say I have life figured out. Of course, it wouldn’t be true. Life can’t be figured out. I now know we cannot only adjust as we go, but we can change our minds.
Heather Stevenson

Tatia Gordon-Troy’s Story

My last year with my employer was pretty brutal. I had been there for almost 15 years and the only reason I stayed was because I was moving up the ladder. Proving myself time and time again, the bar was now being raised higher and I had to do even more to get to the next level. In tandem with the increased pressure at work, my marriage was falling apart. In addition, my mom was living with us and in the early stage of dementia. I was frazzled, and for someone who had been consistently exceeding expectations, I realized I wasn’t getting much support from my employer. It left me wondering why I was forcing myself to continue keeping up the pace to meet unrealistic demands. My mother’s dementia worsened, and she suddenly went missing. When she was found, I realized I needed to refocus my priorities and spend time taking care of her. Taking ownership of the situation, I quit my job and started my own business, working from home. Since I always wanted to start my own business, I was able to turn a negative into a positive.

You must find happiness and satisfaction in life on your own terms. Remember you’re in charge of your own destiny; go for what you want, what you desire, and be prepared to step outside your comfort zone to achieve your goals. Believe in yourself and take ownership of your future.
Tatia Gordon-Troy

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