210. Empowering Women in Law: A Journey of Entrepreneurship and Balance

In this podcast episode, host Gary interviews Miriam Airington-Fisher, the founding partner of Airington Law, a women-led law firm in Virginia. They discuss Miriam's transition from a trial lawyer to an entrepreneur, her challenges as a single mother starting her practice, and how she managed to grow her firm while maintaining a work-life balance. Miriam shares her journey from taking any case that came through the door to strategically building a business supporting her clients and her team. The episode also touches on the importance of setting boundaries, the concept of "mom guilt," and leadership in law firms. Miriam's book, "Mom's a Lawyer," is highlighted as a resource for those looking to start their law firm. Miriam Airington-Fisher is the founding partner of Airington Law, a women-led law firm based in Virginia specializing in immigration, criminal defense, and civil litigation. Miriam is the author of Mom’s A Lawyer: How to Start a Firm and Take Control of Your Life, a guide for women law firm owners based on her experience starting and growing a firm while raising three children. In addition to managing the daily operations of the law firm, Miriam coaches other women law firm owners. She consults with law firms on attracting and retaining ‘lawyer mom’ talent through family-friendly workplace culture. Transition to Entrepreneurship (00:05:02) Miriam explains her transition to entrepreneurship, starting her own law practice, and the challenges she faced.

Starting a Law Practice (00:06:20) Miriam discusses her fears and challenges when starting her own law practice and how she managed them.

Growth and Vision for the Firm (00:10:08) Miriam shares the growth and vision for Arrington Law, focusing on quality representation and employee-friendly operations.

Learning to Run a Business (00:12:35) Miriam discusses the importance of understanding business skills and resources available for lawyers to become successful business owners.

Client Service and Team Culture (00:14:18) Miriam emphasizes the importance of client service and the positive team culture at Arrington Law.

Balancing Work and Family (00:19:03) Miriam explains how she balances raising children, managing her firm, and setting boundaries for a healthy work-life balance.

The challenges of being a lawyer mom (00:21:40) Balancing work and family life, flexible work arrangements, and managing the practice of law as a mom.

Overcoming mom guilt and setting boundaries (00:22:48) Challenges of mom guilt, changing traditional boundaries, and setting boundaries professionally with clients, judges, and managing partners.

Leadership and business lessons (00:27:45) Leadership insights, treating people with respect, and the challenges and responsibilities of running a law firm.

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