It’s our first episode and the Honorable Erika Orr helped us launch with a bang. Determining what you want and then asking for it is a key driver of personal success and greater social change. Erika’s insights as woman on a journey to becoming a judge – owning her own law firm, working in corporate, and tackling motherhood – prove this over and over.
Key moments:
- Hanging up her own shingle after the 2008 recession (8:40)
- Conflicts for women developing career and family in America (10:13)
- Asking for what you want (15:05)
- What Erika Orr wants to see changed in law (19:06)
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MEMORABLE QUOTES
“Part of [bridging the pay gap] is making sure women know they can make the ask, don’t be afraid to make the ask…. Even as a child I was empowered to speak my piece.”
“At some point [we’re going to have to] assess what our value system is around the working family…. There’s a cost factor to it but cost really is associated with whatever your value system is. It’s not an expensive proposition if certain things are important to you. We as a country are going to have to make a determination about what it is we want.”
“We need more people to dive deep and not be afraid to ask the questions of themselves.”
CONNECT WITH ERIKA ORR
Erika Orr is currently a full circuit Cook County judge where she is seated in the Domestic Violence Division. Prior to that, Erika was a solo practitioner and owner of the Orr Law Group, Ltd. in Chicago, where she specialized in domestic relations law.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/erika.orr
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erika-orr-4a55971a/
Cook County Court, Judges Pages: http://www.cookcountycourt.org/Judges-Pages/Orr-Erika
FURTHER READING
- “Visible Invisibility: Women of Color in Law Firms” ABA Commission on Women in the Profession
- “PF2.1. Parental leave systems” Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
- White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard For White People To Talk About Racism by Robin Diangelo
Have comments, questions, or concerns? Contact us at feedback@1958lawyer.com
“The 1958 Lawyer and his 1938 Dollar” still defines the business of law…
It’s time for a change.
If you’re a lawyer, you’re familiar with the ABA article “The 1958 Lawyer and his 1938 Dollar” which gives our podcast its title, and its inspiration. That article was the start of the billable hour for law firms…And the last major change to the business of law, 70+ years ago now. Well, it’s past time for another change.
This podcast is all about bucking the status quo of the business of law. Your hosts Ron Bockstahler and Kirsten Mayfield run Amata Law Office Suites, providing law firms an alternative to the traditional fixed-cost business model that places unwanted stress on attorneys to work long hours that often-times lead to burn out, broken relationships and in many cases substance abuse. Each week they’ll discuss alternatives to the 12 hours days, endless rotation of clerks and paralegals, and the expensive offices leased to impress clients who rarely show up in person anymore. They’ll interview successful lawyers who are doing law differently, and finding a work-life balance while still running a successful firm.
Do you want to find a better way to run your law firm? It’s time for the next big change in the business of law, and you’ll get it here on The 1958 Lawyer.