If you’ve ever felt stuck toggling between being an excellent lawyer and a true business leader, this episode is your wake-up call.

In the final installment of the "Built to Lead" series, host Brigit Norris sits down with Catherine O’Connell, a powerhouse legal entrepreneur, to unpack what it takes to step into the role of visionary CEO. This isn’t about tips for better time management—it’s a blueprint for reclaiming your authority, redesigning your career, and rewriting your firm’s future.

Catherine’s hard-won wisdom will push you to rethink your identity, your leadership, and your legacy. If you’re ready to lead instead of just serve, don’t miss this.



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Key Takeaways from Bridgit and Catherine:

1. From Technician to Visionary

Shifting from legal technician to strategic leader requires letting go of perfectionism and trusting others to carry the load.

The real transformation starts when you stop identifying solely with your technical role and start envisioning your firm as a scalable enterprise.

2. Delegation is Non-Negotiable

Delegation isn't a sign of weakness—it's the gateway to growth.

When you delegate with trust and process, you create capacity to lead and think strategically rather than stay buried in daily tasks.

3. Leadership Begins with You

You cannot lead a high-performing team if you're not actively leading yourself.

Creating time for self-reflection, CEO-level thinking, and intentionality is what shifts you from overwhelmed operator to empowered leader.

4. The Power of Presence and Visibility

Visibility isn't vanity—it’s strategy.

Building relationships, showing up, and making your leadership known both within and beyond the firm establishes authority and attracts opportunity.

5. Redefining Success for Women in Law

The path to sustainable success as a woman in law involves redefining legacy and income through innovation, not just legal excellence.

Choosing to lead from purpose and design a business aligned with your life is the ultimate power move.

"If you want loyalty, I think you have to lead with trust, not tasks. So, building that strong team I mentioned before starts with trust — and that begins even before hiring." — Catherine O’Connell

Get in touch with Catherine O'Connell:

Website: https://www.catherineoconnelllaw.com/

Show: Lawyer on Air: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lawyer-on-air/id1553526783

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oconnellcatherine/

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You're not just a lawyer — you're a visionary rewriting the rules.

In this powerful episode of our Build to Lead series, Bridgit Norris sits down with estate planning attorney and trailblazing founder Laura Cowan, who went from Wall Street accountant to building a thriving law firm that works for her.

Laura is the mind behind the 2-Hour Lifestyle Lawyer™ and author of Lifestyle Lawyer Revolution, featured in Forbes and Entrepreneur, and she's living proof that success in law doesn't have to come at the cost of your freedom, health, or happiness.

This episode is packed with real talk, strategy, and encouragement for women lawyers who are ready to define success on their terms — and be bold enough to speak up about it.

If you're done measuring yourself by billable hours and want a model that supports the life you want, this one’s for you.



Key Takeaways from Bridgit and Laura:

1. Profit Over Posturing

Scaling revenue means nothing if it costs your health, time, or peace of mind.

Success in law must prioritize profit, sustainability, and freedom, not vanity metrics like 2x or 3x growth.

2. Delegate What Doesn’t Require a Law Degree

Building a lean, effective firm starts with outsourcing admin work, document drafting, and marketing, even with limited resources.

Focus your time on the few key actions that generate revenue and truly require your expertise.

3. Redefine Success with Intention

Success isn’t one-size-fits-all.

Whether that means working part-time, serving only select clients, or shifting your role entirely, fulfillment comes from designing a practice that aligns with your values, not the legal industry’s outdated playbook.

4. Scaling Comes with Tradeoffs

Growth doesn’t just mean more revenue — it means more clients, more hiring, more systems.

Before chasing scale, define exactly what you want more of, and ensure your team and infrastructure are built to handle it.

5. Bold Voices Shift the Profession

Too many women in law are quietly struggling with outdated norms and expectations.

Speaking openly about freedom, flexibility, and alternative success models doesn’t just serve you — it lights the path for the next generation.

"There's no point in having a million dollars in revenue if you're working until 10 o’clock at night and you've got to spend the vast majority of it just to support the business." — Laura Cowan

Get in touch with Laura Cowan:

Website: https://www.2hourlifestylelawyer.com/

Book: Lifestyle Lawyer Revolution: https://www.amazon.com/Lifestyle-Lawyer-Revolution-Without-Leaving-ebook/dp/B0F3FNZMQN/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thelauracowan/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/2hourlifestylelawyer/

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You're not doing referrals wrong—you've just been taught a system that never really worked for you.

In this empowering fourth episode of our Build to Lead series, hosted by Bridgit Norris, you'll discover how to build a client-generating engine that feels aligned with who you are and how you want to show up in business.

Guest Stacey Brown Randall—founder of Building a Referable Business, podcast host, and author of Generating Business Referrals Without Asking—breaks down the science of referrals and how legal professionals, especially women, are moving beyond outdated “good old boys” tactics.

She shares how to generate referrals through relationship nurturing, brain science, and trust-based strategies—without asking, selling, or relying on traditional networking.

If you're tired of feeling like you have to "sell" yourself to earn new clients, this conversation will reframe everything you thought you knew about referrals.

Stick around—this could be the mindset shift your firm has been waiting for.

Key Takeaways from Bridgit and Stacey:

1. Referrals Are a Distinct Business Pillar

Referrals aren’t part of prospecting or marketing—they’re a third, separate leg of the business development stool.

Recognizing and treating them as their system reshapes how you build sustainable client growth.

2. Asking Isn’t Required—There’s a Better Way

Referrals can be generated consistently without asking, manipulating, or promoting yourself awkwardly.

By focusing on trust and intentional relationship-building, they emerge naturally from genuine connections.

3. Relationship Respect Drives Results

The magic isn’t in the ask—it’s in how well you nurture and prioritize your referral sources.

Putting their needs ahead of your own strengthens trust and leads to more frequent, high-quality referrals.

4. Women Are Leading a Quiet Revolution

Rather than fighting for space in outdated systems, many women are designing approaches that reflect how they truly want to lead.

These new models prioritize alignment, authenticity, and long-term impact over transactional tactics.

5. You Deserve Referrals—But You’re Not Owed Them

Doing excellent work earns you the right to be referred, but referrals aren’t automatic.

To receive them consistently, you must commit to doing the relationship work with clarity and intention.

"If referrals don't fit in prospecting or marketing, well, then they should fit in their own leg of the stool. We've got prospecting, we've got marketing, and referrals—and they're all three good in their own ways, but you need all three of them." — Stacey Brown Randall

Get in touch with Stacey Brown Randall:

Website: https://staceybrownrandall.com/

Book: Generating Business Referrals Without Asking: https://www.amazon.com/Generating-Business-Referrals-Without-Asking-ebook/dp/B07D99KJ6H/

Show: Roadmap to Referrals: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/roadmap-to-referrals/id1405302350

LinkedIn: