Alvarez & Marsal’s Post

Recently, I had the privilege of leading a group of students from Yale Law School in a discussion on a topic close to my heart - career fulfillment. It's a conversation we don't have enough, especially in the legal field. I'm thrilled to play a role in changing that narrative by guiding current and future lawyers through an engaging, reflective workshop entitled: ✨ Finding Fulfillment in Your Career: Charting Your Own Course in the Law ✨ I designed and led this workshop with the aim of helping law students identify and pursue a fulfilling and aligned career path grounded in their core values. The session provided participants with tools to deepen their self-awareness and unlock new levels of authentic leadership. We focused on: - Uncovering core values - Connecting with individual purpose - Defining the impact participants wish to make through their work  - Recognizing the unique gifts, traits and skills that make them so exceptional These essential concepts were seldom discussed during my time in law school – I’m determined to change that trend. During the workshop, students had the chance to engage in intimate, small group discussions during which they connected with each other to explore their unique values, gifts and vision. The result? They got one step closer to unlocking greater fulfillment, creativity, alignment and joy – in both their personal and professional lives. I’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Margie Adler and The Tsai Leadership Program for inviting me to lead this important workshop for the next generation of legal professionals. Sharing my insights, tools and perspectives with the future lawyers in attendance was a deeply rewarding experience, and I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity! #LeadershipDevelopment #CareerFulfillment #LawStudents #CareerGrowth #YoungLawyers #CareerSuccess

Many of my connections here are, like myself, new law school graduates and recent Bar admits - staring down the barrel of great opportunity, but also incredible risk. If you think yourself in that place, this post is for you. I have read 30+ books so far this year, including dozens of chapters on goal-setting, negotiating, effectively managing, inspiring, and curbing procrastination. I have also attended tens of conferences, conventions, and networking dinners for the purpose of seeking mentorship at this pivotal point in my career. But by and large, the best advice I have received in 2023 - from any person, or the pages of any book - is this: “The only failure in your 20s is inaction. Everything else is trial and error.” This advice came from "Build: An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making" by Tony Fadell, which is, in my opinion, the most impactful piece of mentorship that you could get your hands on at the start of your career. Walking through his many successes (and a few failures), Fadell creates, in this book, a guide to navigating big goals in a way that is daring, inspiring, and refreshingly novel. Amongst a sea of time-tested advice, he implores you to approach career pivots from the perspective of “what will I learn” (not "how will the name look on my resume"), and to recognize the worth of continued curiosity - in that good ideas can always be bartered for better opportunities. In so doing, he provides the first articulation (that I’ve come across) of a storied path to greatness that doesn’t come from chasing profits, names, and titles. Instead, it embraces pure and unbridled curiosity, recognition of failure as a necessity on the path to greatness, and a willingness to learn from the ashes of what does not succeed along the way. To many of my law school classmates and colleagues, this mentality might seem offputting. After all, risk aversion is the reason many join this profession — seeking to create stability and order in an otherwise chaotic world. More than that, the law-school push toward established firms with strict expectations is cemented from our first day of 1L, and the idea of venturing out in some unconventional way might seem scary, unpleasant, or impossibly risky. But as Fadell continues, “Every step towards a goal - even a stumble - still gets you closer.” And if you are contemplating an unconventional path, I implore you to pick up his book this holiday season and give yourself the room to breathe and enjoy the risky ride. Even if you fail, you will learn. And what you learn in your 20s has the potential to change the trajectory of the rest of your life. So chase curiosity, and let the rest fall into place.

Career Tip of the Week: The legal landscape is ever-changing, and staying ahead is crucial. Continuously investing in education, certifications, and specialized training doesn't just enhance your expertise—it makes you indispensable to your clients and firm. This dedication to growth can set you apart, opening doors to advanced roles and leadership opportunities. Keep evolving to stay on top! #LateralLink #LegalCareers #CareerGrowth #ProfessionalDevelopment

Beginning your career in the legal industry can be daunting, but mentorship and guidance can make all the difference. In a dynamic field like law, seasoned mentors offer invaluable insights, personalized guidance, and networking opportunities that can shape your career trajectory and help you excel. Here are five ways mentorship can benefit you: 1️⃣ Gain insider insights from veterans in the field, honed through years of experience. 2️⃣ Receive personalized guidance tailored to your career aspirations and goals. 3️⃣ Expand your professional network and connect with industry leaders. 4️⃣ Navigate challenges with confidence knowing you have a trusted mentor by your side. 5️⃣ Foster personal growth and resilience by learning from inspiring role models. Whether you're a law student, recent graduate, or seasoned professional, mentorship can be a game changer. Seek out mentors who inspire, challenge, and empower you to reach your utmost potential. #mentorship #legalindustry #careergrowth

Hard truth most partner-level attorneys need to hear: If you want to have a strong team, you need to mentor associates the way you practice law - proactively and with earned care. I don't: - Wait to be formally assigned as a mentor through the mentoring program. - Give out gold stars for unnecessarily burning the candle at both ends. - Allow my associates to be abused by clients or other attorneys. Instead, I: - Take the initiative and connect with more junior attorneys. - Include personal goals with career goals (with metrics and skills matrices) in regular reviews. - Don’t work with people who terrorize associates. Mentors with resounding impact allow their mentees to grow and develop, teaching them how to advocate for themselves, conduct meetings, and reap the benefit of time spent with senior leaders. Approaching mentorship in this way paves the path to how I define my own career success. In the end, I won’t personally measure my success by the cases I won or the prestige of my clients. My success will be the people I helped succeed, people who built great careers (at the firm or elsewhere) and will continue paying it forward. How do you define career success? #PracticeTips #CareerAdvice #Lawyer

You’ve attended a lot of trainings. Many of them relevant and given by great teachers. Some were memorable. But did anything change for you? The most important part of any training is not what happens during the session. It’s what you do differently after you've attended. The best part of my FREE MASTERCLASS for diverse lawyers - How to Progress Your Career When You're The Only One - is not the 5 vital steps to progress your career (although these are good). It’s how it puts you in the driving seat of your career and gives you a simple doable process for moving it forward from the minute you leave the Masterclass. Which means - ✨ no more letting your career be something that happens to you - because you're in charge now. ✨ No more leaving to chance what other people think about you, giving them free rein to label or misjudge you - because now you're the one controlling the narrative. ✨ No more waiting to be included, hoping to be invited and feeling helpless when the environment isn't designed to include you - because from now on you'll be including yourself. ✨ No more playing small and avoiding being front and centre - because at last you're ready to be seen. ✨ And no more working twice as hard - because, well because you know your value. You know you don't need to. I give you the strategy and the mindset to achieve your progression goal (and if you don't know your goal, I help you decide it). I show you how to use them. And I tell you everything you need to know to get started the minute you leave the Masterclass. This training changes everything 🚀 Click here to register 👉🏾https://lnkd.in/eGsRZybN This Masterclass covers it all. Allow 90 minutes in your calendar. ⏰ And even if you only have 10 minutes, use that 10 minutes to get started. If you're keen to attend but the timing doesn't work for you, register here anyway and I'll send you the replay. See you there. P.S. This Masterclass is free but you must register. Registration link in the comments. P.P.S. Know someone in your network who needs this? Don't forget to like and share 👍🏾 #bethefirst #lawyers #attorneys #blacklawyers #careerprogression #legalcareer #diversityandinclusion #lawyercoach

As we approach the end of 2023, I wanted to have my final LinkedIn post of the year highlight the top ten moments in my own professional life in 2023. So, in no particular order… 1. City Century events – I’ve travelled across the country and attended some awesome events with friends and colleagues spreading the love for solicitor apprenticeships! Some of these great people include Arina Stelmokaitė, Kangwa Musonda, Cassandra Barton Patrick McCann and Joanna Hughes. 2. Meeting the data protection team at Eversheds Sutherland (big thanks to Sarah Thorley for organising this). Meeting people so passionate and excited by their respective practice group was so refreshing! 3. Starting my job at Linklaters and joining, in my humble opinion, the coolest team in the firm. I was finally able to see myself fitting into the professional services dynamic after some pretty poor experiences previously. 4. Being given the opportunity to talk about my sporting career and how this translates into my career at a law firm (love talking about this so do reach out if this interests you). 5. Spreading awareness around DE&I related issues within professional services. I have around 3,000 connections now on LinkedIn. So being able to create a network which educates and creates comradery for young working class/socially mobile individuals has been very cool. 6. Meeting Sophie Pender was a fanboy moment I must say haha (a true icon who I look up to and stopped me from shying away from a career in law). 7. Becoming a GROW MENTORING Mentee. This introduced me to so many people! One being Stuart Mason, who became my mentor two weeks before my Job offer for Linklaters! Key Grow events to name being the Pride event in June, and the Next Gen Summit in October. 8. Helping with volunteering opportunities at my firm. My favourite was giving advice to a student on how she could improve her LinkedIn profile to increase employability. 9. Coordinating Global events for lawyer learning. This gave me so much exposure to the work within Capital Markets all the way to Merger Control in the firms AFIG practice group. Travelling and meeting employees across the firm has been priceless. I’ve met employees all the way from Hong Kong to Frankfurt; something not many twenty-two-year-olds can say they’ve done. 10. Last but certainly not least, being asked to join as the Co-lead for the Legal Operations DEI & Social Mobility Strand at Linklaters alongside Alison McBurney BSc (Hons) Psych (Open). I can’t wait to see how I can take my own lived experience and knowledge to help combat DE&I related issues. I hope everyone has a restful Christmas and a very happy New Year! And for those who find this time of year difficult, my LinkedIn messages are always open for a chat. 🧡 #professionaldevelopment #legalcareer

"I JUST CANNOT BELIEVE IT!!! I AM A GENERAL COUNSEL!!" More amazing news from a new Client, who just secured her first GC role. This time last year she felt bombarded with feelings of overwhelm, imposter syndrome, insecurity, really low confidence, thinking she was failing as an In-House Lawyer. She came onto the In-House Lawyers Leadership Programme Advanced Programme. NOW, she has been appointed as a GC in her dream organisation. At the start of her journey, her big realisation was that she wasn't a bad In-House Lawyer - she just had a skills gap, which she didn't gain in Law School. To provide you with a clear understanding of how we helped her identify and acquire the skills she needed for success, here's a breakdown: ⚖️ We assessed her Leadership Skills, essential for leading a successful career as an In-House Lawyer. ⚖️ After identifying her areas for improvement, such as low project management, structural awareness, and stakeholder management skills, we developed a tailored development plan. ⚖️ We provided her with frameworks and nurtured her strategic thinking, resulting in increased recognition and influence. ⚖️ By eliminating inefficiencies and introducing innovative working methods, we enhanced productivity within her team. ⚖️ With her growing skills came increased confidence, leading to earlier involvement in crucial decision-making processes. ⚖️ Empowered by this newfound confidence, she pursued opportunities elsewhere, eventually securing her dream job and organisation. It's evident that many In-House Lawyers face challenges such as stress and frustration, often stemming from inadequate skills, not typically covered in law school. Some individuals manage to navigate these challenges independently, while others recognise the need for development but hesitate to invest in it. Meanwhile, some may not even understand the root cause of their struggles. Over the past four years, the GC's, senior Lawyers who has worked with me has overcome self-doubt upon realising that their struggles often boil down to a skills gap. If you're a senior In-House Lawyer and you are experience frustration, worry, stress in your role - its likely you are missing a Leadership Skill If you are interested identifying and addressing your skills gap to alleviate stress, overwhelm, and frustration while boosting confidence, feel free to DM me with the word "Leadership Assessment," and we'll arrange your assessment promptly. #inhouselawyers #leadershipcoaching #placeathetoptable

Aspire is part of our career development program designed for senior lawyers to guide them through a comprehensive journey, fostering the mindset, skills and behaviours essential for achieving partnership success. We recently held launch events in London and Cleveland to welcome the 2024 cohort from across our global offices. ⬇️ Stay tuned for more firsthand insights from #TeamSPB on all developmental programs across the business! #CareerinLaw | #LegalCareer | #GlobalLawFirm