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News, Events and Articles
Summer Prep Leads to Law Firm Fall Associates’ Success
Law firms, the new associate season is upon us. I am excited to offer two innovative, interactive professional training presentations that prepare your new associates for success.
It’s 7pm – Must Be Dog Time On The Beach
This month I have been spending time at the Jersey Shore – some vacation time, some work time.
Inspiration for all time!
I was fortunate to attend Philadelphia Bar Association’s “Women Who Inspire” program, and inspire they did!
Championing Your Career as a Leader
I was invited me to lead a virtual interactive training session on a CLE-certified program which equips attorneys with the essential skills to excel in three key areas: time management, productivity, and well-being.
What’s kindness got to do with it?
Research shows that engaging in acts of kindness can improve your mood by boosting levels of serotonin and dopamine, neurotransmitters that produce feelings of satisfaction and well-being and cause the pleasure center in your brain to light up.
Key to Successful Time Management and Delegating
Want to find more time in your day? Try delegating.
Women Owned Law Symposium 2024
What a terrific event! – you outdid yourself with this 5th Annual Symposium!
Time Well Spent: Managing Time and Productivity
One productivity hack we will discuss is how “taking breaks within work hours not only does not detract from performance but can help boost it.”
Interactive Workshop on Negotiating for Women and the Power of Personal Style
In honor of #womenshistorymonth, I facilitated an interactive workshop on #negotiating for women and the power of personal style. While the month is coming to a quick close, these tips are important for all of us year round:
Rethinking the Elevator Pitch and Developing Business
Thank you DRI and Nicole Crossey for inviting Ryan Levan and me to speak on professional introductions and first impressions. Here are some of the takeaways:
The Key to Successful Negotiating
Clients tell me they know exactly what they want and need. Asking for it is another story.
Wellness, Civility and Thriving in the Practice of Law
Thank you Tara D. Phoenix and the Philadelphia Bar Association for sponsoring Kathleen D. Wilkinson, Esq., the Honorable Cheryl Ann Krause, Kristine Calalang and me to speak on the various aspects of lawyer civility, wellness and how we need both to thrive in the practice of law.
What’s Your 2024 Game Plan?
This year my New Year’s resolution is to continue being true to myself and to continue being me – in as authentic a way as possible – and to move forward on the progress of being present that I have made this past year.
They Say It’s Your Birthday!
No matter our age, it seems commonplace for many of us to “take inventory” on our birthdays.
Cold Weather Gardening, Anyone?
When I think about work-life integration and wellness, I consider whether we are satisfied and growing as we want to in our current positions.
As the Summer Sun is Setting
Ready to Take Charge of your Career?
I Can Buy Myself Flowers
Miley Cyrus’ song, “Flowers,” seems to be her way of processing her single status following a public and painful divorce from Liam Hemsworth.
Let’s Go Fly A Kite!
The sound of the ocean, the crash of the waves, the bright blue sky and picturesque cotton-ball clouds. I watched the kite soar higher and higher swaying to the right, then the left, in constant motion.
A Teachable Moment
“You want to cherish these moments with the people that you’ve come so far with, your family, your loved ones, your teammates, your peers, everyone that you do it with and do it for.” – Jalen Hurts
Are You Ready?
I hope you have had time this holiday season to recharge, renew and refresh – and get ready for a productive, enthusiastic, and joyful 2023.
The Humble Comma
During the holiday season, we spend hours with family, friends, colleagues, and even strangers, celebrating all the good things that December brings. It is a good time to think about improving our relationships through the ways we communicate to those in our lives.
Why Wait?
A bucket list is comprised of the experiences one wants to have during their lifetime. It seems that many people hold on to their lists until they are older and have “more time.”
Inspiration Indeed!
I recently went to a concert of one of my favorite musicians: Keith Urban. At age 54, with more than 30 years in the music industry, he rocked a sold-out 25,000-person outdoor venue for 2+ hours on a Sunday evening in 90-degree heat. What an inspiration!
People Supporting People
We shouldn’t have to pretend that everything is okay when it isn’t.
One Heart at a Time
On a recent road trip, I stopped in Charlotte, North Carolina and discovered the city loves public art. It boasts over 60 murals, one of which caught my eye and my heart – the Confetti Hearts Wall Mural by artist Evelyn Hanson in the South End neighborhood.
The Slap Heard Round the World
Everyone has heard, seen and dissected the “slap” Will Smith bestowed on Chris Rock. On the precipice of receiving the crowning achievement of his career, the Academy Award for Best Actor, Smith slapped Rock on television before a global audience.
A Formula for Success
As we enter this new year, the pandemic is still creating uncertainty in our personal and professional lives. That said, now is the most popular time to set goals and resolutions. In order to set ourselves up for success, we need to be thoughtful about what we want to accomplish.
Courage Under Pressure
Who among us hasn’t had a moment, a day or a week where we felt the pressure in our lives – professionally and personally – to “go out there” and do what is expected of us even when all we really wanted to do was get back under the covers?
A Gold Star Moment
As part of my goal to practice wellness during the work week, I committed to do a short mindfulness exercise. I downloaded a Mindfulness app and began using it for a 10-minute practice three times a week.
Pivot, Anyone?
Covid has caused us to reevaluate many aspects of our lives and ask the questions: What am I doing with my life? Is this what I really want?
Toxic Positivity
Getting into a good public high school in NYC, where I grew up, was a high-stakes, competitive process. My older brother was already attending the Bronx High School of Science, the crown jewel of the magnet schools, and now it was my turn to take the exam, pass it, and follow in his footsteps.
Our 2021 Superpower
Our 2021 Superpower is . . . After having our world suddenly turned upside down in 2020, it seems that 2021 could not have arrived quickly enough. I started my day on Monday, January 4 - - excited to work with my clients on their goals and challenges for this new...
All Of A Sudden It Seems To Make Sense
Once upon a time . . . when my legal career was rising and my mood was falling, I knew I was no longer in the right place. I set out to find a new job that would better fit my need for purpose.
Apples and Pumpkins and Squash, Oh My!
We typically mark the seasonal transition with traditions we enjoy, like Halloween trick-or-treating and cheering with the crowd at sporting events. However, since many of our favorite pastimes remain restricted due to the continuing global pandemic, here are some suggestions on what we still can do
Shower Anyone? Here’s a Good Reason to Take One
Research shows that being near, in, on, or under the water can improve our mood and our health, and increase our creativity and connectedness. “People can experience the benefits of the water whether they’re near the ocean, a lake, a river, a swimming pool or even listening to the soothing sound of a fountain,” says Wallace J. Nichols, a marine biologist, avid scuba diver and author of Blue Mind (2014).
Count Your Blessings
When I was growing up, my beloved grandmother Adele repeatedly would tell me to appreciate my parents – no matter what they did – and to count my blessings.
Welcoming Challenge
After returning from a trip I am reminded that people of all cultures all over the world are career changers. In the upcoming year, what challenges are you ready to take on?
Staying Calm in an Uncertain Time
Staying Calm in an Uncertain Time We are still in a new reality - one of incredible uncertainty.For the past 10 days, I have been waking up in the morning thinking I had dreamt the day before and this new day would be "normal." Then I check the news and discover we...
Why is the Soil Red in Arizona?
Research shows that being in nature increases positive emotions, including serenity, inspiration, joy, gratitude and hope.
Four Keys to Achieving What You Really Want
Four Keys to Achieving What You Really WantMy father was a Holocaust survivor and partisan, fighting with the underground resistance in Eastern Europe for the lives and freedom of those targeted during World War II. He was an ordinary man living an extraordinary life....
Effecting Change in a New Year
Research shows that more than 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail. Why? Because the expectations we set for ourselves are too big, too many, and too unrealistic. So, what can we do if we want to make changes and be successful?
Where Will You Begin?
Where will you begin this Fall? Renew a relationship, restart a delayed project, dedicate time for exercise? Start that job search, ask for a promotion, sign on for a next level assignment?
Happy September! Welcome Back
Now is a great time of year to clean off your desk, reprioritize your agenda, and make those projects that have been lying dormant happen.
Clients and Engagement Forums
Clients and Engagements Gail shares her insights and advice in a variety of speaking engagements across industries.Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity Conference Association of Pro Bono Counsel Ballard Spahr LLP Columbia University Law School Counseling and...
Keynote Speeches, Retreats, Interactive Presentations and Workshops
Keynote Speeches, Retreats, CLEs, Interactive Presentations and Workshops2024 “Time Well Spent: A Town Hall on Time Management” – Moderator/PresenterWomen Owned Law 2024 Annual SymposiumPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaApril 18, 2024 In Honor of Women’s History...
Why I Love Meghan Trainor
I am not a pop music fan. I am, however, a fan of the 2014 breakout singer Meghan Trainor whose song, “All About That Bass,” sped to the top of the music charts. What is she singing about?
A Study in GRIT and Resilience
Today, I had the good fortune of bearing witness to a question-and-answer session with Paulette Brown speaking up close and personal about her journey in becoming the first woman of color to be elected to the presidency of the American Bar Association.
Post-Election Blues
It’s over for the candidates, but it’s just beginning for the voters whose candidates lost the Presidential race, not to mention local, state, and Congressional races.
Wisdom from the Past
My father would have turned 90 years old this month, had he not passed away just about five years ago. A Holocaust survivor who was proud to have been a “partisan”- he fought with the underground resistance movement, thereby saving his own life and many others.
Stress Management
All professionals experience stress at work – it’s part of the package. Meeting deadlines, juggling clients, conferencing with colleagues, checking and returning phone calls and e-mails. Sound familiar? What can you do to manage daily stress? Start simple. I know you have heard this before, however, the following “coping mechanisms” can make a big difference in your day.