Applications to law school are up, but so are the risks

On January 24, 2026

These are extraordinary times, prompting law school applications to rise, but so is the risk, as reported by the New York Times today. Applications to law school shot up 44% from 2 years ago, and are up 17% this year alone. Why? Working as a lawyer can seem like a sure thing: “For decades, the […]

Career Management, Career Tips, Departure, Mentors

The Exception to the Adage “Don’t Make Too Many Moves”

On November 1, 2025

Hiring managers consistently prefer candidates who have grown their skills and tend to avoid candidates who have made multiple moves. But one bullet-proof answer to why you made those moves is you worked with a great manager who repeatedly asked you to come along. It shows you do good work and build strong connections. And […]

Career Management, Career Tips, Departure, Move

When to Walk Away

On October 18, 2025

As in-house counsel, you constantly assess risk, opportunity, and timelines for your company. But how often do you do it for yourself? Here are the highlights from NPR Life Kit’s podcast on “how to know when it’s time to walk away” so you can guide your own career. 1. Don’t stick with something “just because […]

Career Management, Career Tips

What to Do if You Didn’t Get the Promotion

On April 6, 2025

Getting passed over at work stings. A few years ago in-house lawyers could have their picks of other jobs because the market was so hot. Unfortunately that’s not the case now. WSJ reports job openings are down by 8.6% and the number of people quitting jobs is down 2.6% compared to last year, but gives […]

Career Management, Career Tips, Market

2025 Recruiting Take-Aways

On January 19, 2025

I spoke on AABA’s recent career panel addressing the Bay Area in-house market with talent acquisition experts Angela Cheung (ex Uber) and Herman Gee (Exelixis). Here are 5 takeaways: Pay for top in-house lawyers has generally been trending up, despite recent layoffs. This is in line with Levels.fyi’s report on tech/engineering comp. Compensation is made […]

Career Management, Career Tips

Will You Get Ahead by Working More?

On January 5, 2025

It’s a new year! If you are a junior lawyer, should you show your commitment by working the longest hours? I read this CNBC article on “showing up to work early and staying late won’t get you ahead” and what instead will. Does the advice apply to lawyers? The article argues working long hours to […]

Career Management, Career Tips

5 Lessons from Fortune GC

On November 13, 2024

I just attended an inspiring NAPABA conference in Seattle. Mentees of four-time GC Don Liu (who just retired from Target) listed the all-time best advice he gave them: 1. Learn the business and have a strategic mindset! Prioritize clients’ business needs when you counsel them. 2. It’s easy to get sucked into office politics, but […]

Career Management, Career Tips

Life & Career Lessons, a Case Study of a GC

On March 3, 2024

I love learning the origin stories of super stars so I appreciated Chad Aboud’s interview of Jessica Nguyen, the GC of Lexion. You can find his podcast here, and he summarizes key takeaways (with time stamps!) but I wanted to call out five that resonated especially well with me and that can work for you! Hustle […]

Career Management, Career Tips

5 Lessons from Top Silicon Valley Legal Leaders on Developing Your Career

On February 11, 2024

I recently attended a fascinating panel of legal leaders in Silicon Valley discussing lessons learned while navigating to the top. Here are five tips straight from the room where it happened: Develop relationships. If you build trust with business partners, they will back you when you need it. (And it’s best to build the relationship […]

Career Management, Career Tips

5 Top Career Tips Out of Leading Convention (NAPABA’s 35th)

On November 12, 2023

I just returned from the 35th annual convention of National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA), where top legal leaders (and recruiters!) convene. Here are the 5 career tips I heard over and over again: Gain substantive legal expertise. This requirement is “table stakes” (this phrase was used repeatedly!). Gain soft skills. You must also […]

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