Lead yourself first. The rest will follow.
Do you want 2026 to be the year it all comes together?
Here's what that might mean for you:
- You're a relatively new partner or an associate who's getting close and you want to establish yourself as an emerging leader - "one to watch". You want support taking on more of a leadership role so that people see you that way and you feel more confident doing it. That means being strategic about what take on (and not take on), making decisions even when it's hard and learning to deal with the discomfort of taking on more responsibility, whether it's fear of making the wrong decision, guilt about delegating work or giving difficult feedback or questioning whether you have what it takes to succeed.
- You're an established partner with management responsibilities and you're ready to expand your role and influence. Your practice is good, but you know it can be better. You want to support, ideas and accountability to help you recalibrate the focus, substance and operation of your practice to better align with the role you're creating for yourself, which may include building your team, having your voice heard at the table and exerting greater influence over the direction of your firm.
- You're stepping out on your own and you want to create the practice you dreamed of and avoid recreating the very problems you chose to leave behind. You know you're going to be going through a lot of "firsts" and you want support as you redefine yourself from firm member to firm founder, build up the elements of your practice required for it to thrive and set yourself up for work life balance that feels sustainable over the long term.
- You're an established leader of your own firm and you're ready to embrace less doing and more leading so that your team and your firm can grow. You've reached success by giving a lot of yourself and you want to scale back your 1:1 time with your team and with clients without sacrificing productivity of your firm or rupturing relationships you've worked so hard to build. You know your team can perform even better and take on more leadership responsibilities themselves, but you need to make changes that might not be easy to implement at first. You want support, reassurance and input from fellow high performers as you make decisions and changes required to run your firm the way you want it to be in the future, instead of what worked in the past - when your firm was smaller and you had more 1:1 time to give your team and your clients.
- You're a successful lawyer with a busy practice and you want to dust off an important goal that you keep putting off until "someday when". You've decided that 2026 is that "someday". Your goal may be marketing, business development, additional skills training, mentoring your team, teaching, community involvement (like joining a board) or even mapping out your desired career path and deciding what goals you want to set in the first place. Instead taking action, your goals collect dust as you put billable work first, along with “urgent” tasks and other people’s needs. You want support and accountability so you can stop putting off your goal and finally make it happen, even if the rest of your life doesn't slow down.
- After several years of your practice looking kind of the same and not getting better, you feel increasingly stagnant and stuck. You want this to be the year that you decide whether to "stay or go". You may even feel deeply frustrated, resentful and like your only option is to start over. You’ve reached a plateau and you’re at a crossroads. You know you need to make a decision, but you keep pushing it off. This year, instead of letting things drift, you want to find your way - with the support, accountability and perspectives of a coach and other high performing women who understand where you’re coming from, speak your language, and have only your best interests at heart.
- You're returning to practice after your mat leave, or you're still on mat leave, and you want to plan strategically so that the practice you (re)build when you return from leave aligns with your values, goals and family life. You want support, accountability and validation as you figure out your new normal, develop yourself as a leader at work and at home, redefine your identity in your dual role of lawyer and parent and deal with the challenges, decisions and opportunities that come along with integrating work and kids - even when you're sleep deprived.
- Your practice feels reactive and you want to feel more in control. You want to enhance your leadership by becoming more organized, consistent and systematic in the way you run your practice. You want support from a coach who can help you build your systems and inspiration from a community of other high performing women who each have their own tips and tricks for managing time and getting things done.
- From the outside, you have the title, relationships and life that look perfect on paper. On the inside, you feel disconnected and question the path you're on. You want to feel excited again about your work and your life instead of simply going through the motions. You want to get to know yourself again so that you're leading from a place of clarity, integrity, confidence and courage instead of feeling depleted and doubtful as you go through the motions, try to do it all and make everyone else happy and ignore your own needs for the sake of getting the job done. You want permission to invest in yourself, explore what you need and give yourself the time and space to let the answers come to you - without rushing or having someone else tell you what they think you should do.
- Your practice is successful, but you have nearly burned yourself out to get there. You want success to feel sustainable. You want support, accountability and maybe even permission to rebalance the way you work to be sustainable and include more time for "self care" – without feeling guilty, indulgent or like you’re wasting time, or sacrificing the practice and relationships you have worked so hard to build.
If any of this sounds familiar, you’re in the right place.
As a high performer, you know you have what it takes to do whatever you set your mind to, but you also face unique challenges when it comes to reaching your goals:
- Time: You're already busy and adding to your plate feels impossible. But, you don't want to let another year drift by without change.
- Risk: You worked hard to get to where you are and you have something to lose. You don't want to damage your practice or rupture relationships you worked so hard to build.
- Uncertainty: Your “go-to” strategies got you to where you are today. Even if they're not helping you reach that next goal and you know that "what got you here won't get you there", it feels uncomfortable to deviate from what has worked in the past and try something new.
- Other people’s disappointment or disapproval: You're used to people being happy with you - gold stars, A+, the "go-to". You get the job done and consistently meet (and often exceed) expectations. You worry about how people will react if you stop being the dependable one they have come to know and rely on.
- Fear of success: It's subtle, but real. You may notice that you hesitate here and there - before raising your hand to speak up or when you let the magnitude of what you want sink in. These small but subtle signals act like mini-brakes, and may reflect a deeper concern about what you'll need to give up - including parts of your identity - if you reach the goal you have set your sights on.
If this sounds familiar, please know that nothing has gone wrong. You're smart and capable with a track record of success. You're fully able of taking on and accomplishing whatever you choose to focus on.
You can also do it on your own. But you don't have to.
We could work together. Here’s what that would look like:
You would work with me as your coach within a community of other high performing women lawyers in a group learning, coaching and mastermind experience. Over the next six months, you'll be supported as you define your goal and work toward it through a structured program where the stages have been mapped out for you and accountability is built in.
Beginning in January, you will be led through a six month framework where you will make measured and steady progress each month. Here’s what you will do each month:
- January: You'll learn to set a goal that sticks and inspires motivation, even when it feels hard.
- February: You'll come to understand what it means to have a "self concept" and you will develop your self-concept as a leader. It's not just about HOW you'll reach your goal. It's equally WHO you must be (and become) in the process.
- March: You'll learn how to identify and define your obstacles and use them as a roadmap for your success.
- April: You'll learn exactly how to build your self confidence so that you can make decisions and take action with courage and clarity, even when you feel doubt about the outcome or your ability to achieve it.
- May: You'll learn how to protect and build what is most important as a leader of yourself and others through effective boundaries and delegation.
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June: You'll define what sustainable success means to you and anchor the practices you need to build and maintain that success over the long term.
In addition, you’ll have two bonus classes:
- Transitions: You'll learn the stages of change so that you can predict challenges, define your outcomes and learn to master uncertainty and growth.
- Time Management: You'll learn more than how to be productive in doing what’s on your list. You’ll learn what to put on your list in the first place.
These are all foundational skills that you can use and reuse in your practice indefinitely. The initial investment you make in learning them compounds over time.
Housekeeping and logistics:
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Two 60 minute group coaching calls each month over Zoom:
- Calls take place on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at noon PT
- Call #1: Lesson and strategy
- Call #2: Coaching, brainstorming and mastermind
- Two private 1:1 60 minute coaching calls with me
- Strategic exercises and resources each month
The program will run from January to June 2026. The calls will be at noon PT on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month and are best attended live. That said, you'll have access to call recordings in an online learning platform in case you miss one or want to re-watch it.
The group will be capped at 8 women lawyers with priority given to women who sign up first. You may register below.
If you have questions, I would be happy to discuss them with you. Please email me at [email protected].
I hope to see you in the program!
This program is for you if:
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You're a high performer who has reached an inflection point in your practice. You're ready for more and you want help to crystallize your vision into a clear goal and make space for it among competing priorities.
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You've been taking on more leadership roles and building your skills as you go. With the knowledge and experience you now have, you want to consciously design your leadership style to be intentional and aligned with your goals and values.
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You have great ideas and skills to implement them, but you're strapped for time. You want support, structure and accountability to prioritize your ideas instead of letting them collect dust.
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You haven't seen examples of leaders who model the type of leader you want to be. You want a program that will help you define what that is for you, become that leader and model it for future leaders.
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You enjoy personal and professional development and you want to join a program designed for women lawyers by a woman lawyer, who understands the environment you work in and the challenges you face.
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You're resourceful, ambitious and excited to see what you can accomplish by June of this year
Program Details
This is a six month virtual group coaching and mastermind experience that will run from January to June 2026. Here are the details:
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Is the program eligible for CPD credit?
Previous cohorts of the session have been approved for 14 hours of CPD in BC (professional responsibility and ethics and practice management) and Ontario (EDI Professionalism). I expect the same again this year.
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What topics will you cover?
Each month you will learn - and practice applying - a new skill. In order, you will learn to: (1) set a clear and compelling goal; (2) define yourself as a leader; (3) use obstacles as a roadmap for growth; (4) create confidence with intention; (5) effectively set boundaries and delegate; and (6) create sustainable growth. There are also two bonus classes: (1) Time management; and (2) Transitions.
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How many women will be in the program?
There will be a maximum of 8 women lawyers in the program.
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How does the program work?
Each month has a theme. You'll be given a set of exercises each month along with resources related to the theme. There will be two 60 minute Zoom calls monthly.
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When are the calls?
The group calls will be on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at noon PT. The first call is a lesson and strategy call on the month's topic with time for questions. The second call is a group coaching and Q&A call. There will also be two bonus calls (Time Management and Transitions) with a time to be determined once the program starts.
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What happens if I miss a call?
The group calls will be recorded and posted to the learning platform so that you can re-watch them or watch any calls you missed. You're encouraged to attend the calls in person if you can.
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Will there be time for private coaching?
You will have two 60 minute private strategy sessions with me as your coach.
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How will I engage with other participants?
You will engage during our live coaching calls. You may also build relationships with other participants and engage outside of our calls if you choose to do that.
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What equipment do I need for this course?
The course will be done virtually, with live Zoom calls. The course materials are hosted on a cloud based learning platform.
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Instructor
Paula J. Price
Paula is a former litigator, ICF Professional Certified Coach and creator of the weekly podcast, The Joyful Practice for Women Lawyers. Paula helps lawyers thrive at all stages of practice through private and group coaching and training. She helps lawyers leader more effectively, better manage their time and practice and create sustainable and fulfilling careers. If you have questions about how Paula can help you, send her an email at [email protected].
