Me: What would the title of your biography be? It happened on the younger side for me, but trust that youll eventually find the perfect culmination of all of your past experiences in a career thats truly fulfilling. The business was suffering, and my role had changed but I had changed, too. Not only has she been an unparalleled champion for womens rights, but her intelligence, confidence, and determination have also made her an incredible role model for young women. ABOUT LAW SITES LawSites is a blog covering legal technology and innovation. Kristen: Paladin is now in beta, and were currently matching a handful of smart, talented attorneys who can give us feedback on our pro bono process. My advice to other mothers:I used to get riled up and stressed about work a lot more frequently before my son was born.

Design the career youre destined to have around the relationships youre building today // Facilitator + Strategic Advisor + Coach + Author. By bringing together those in abundance with those in need, Paladin seeks to create a trusted network of professionals working to close the justice gap. What do you wish more people knew about the importance of pro bono work? He writes the award-winning blog To get an inside look into the lives of working mothers, we spoke with 11 powerhouse women who also hold the title of "mom." Next month, it is holding its first-ever trademark conference, Alt Legal Connect 2020, in Brooklyn, N.Y. (For my recent LawNext interview with Madhani, see:Special Report Alt Legal CEO Nehal Madhani at the Clio Cloud Conference.). Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Emeritus of Signal. Us Too. I believe Jeff Bezos coined the phrase, but it basically promotes decision making with the goal of minimizing future regrets. As weve seen in recent immigration-related events, having a lawyer can literally mean the difference between life and death, so Im passionate about providing that access to all.

My advice to other mothers:Once you accept that you will not run a marathon every day, you'll be happier. Plus, it's made me more aware of and empathetic towards our employees and clients who have kids. 18 Books You Can Fly Through In A Weekend, 12 Steamy Movies That Will Up the Tension on Your Next Date Night, What You Should Read Next Based On Your Zodiac Sign, 19 Kindle Unlimited Books So Good They Alone Make The Subscription Worth It, Code2040 (backed by Google) Entrepreneur-in-Residence for Chicago, 17 Insanely Easy Habits That Will Change Your Life, What I Learned From Managing the Schedules of High-Powered Women, A Cover Letter Template That Hiring Managers Will Actually Want to Read, Growing an Etsy Shop and Moving Abroad with Sarah K. Benning, New to The Everygirl? Nearly overnight, the life of a working mother was flipped upside down. How motherhood made me better at my job: Motherhood has taught me how to ruthlessly prioritize so that I'm maximizing the impact of my time for both my family and my business. After working at a start-up and even gaining experience with the United States Department of Justice, she co-founded the incredible start-up Paladin, a platform designed to match pro bono cases with available legal represenation. Heres Everything You Need to Organize Your Closet Once and for All, 25 TikTok Home DIYs So Genius Youll Wonder Why You Didnt Think of Them First, The Best Amazon Prime Day Deals to Shop ASAP, The Journal Prompt You Should Try Tonight, Based on Your Enneagram Type, All the Essentials You Need to Make Being Outside This Summer Actually Bearable, Should You Change Your Last Name After the Wedding? Please register early for this event to assure your seat. Maybe that means more takeout, a nanny who also does laundry, or letting your kids take the school bus.

Love it, if you can. COVID-19 or not, these mothers have stepped up, both as parents and working professionals. The Grammys. What was your role there, and how did it shape the future trajectory of your career? How motherhood made me better at my job: I don't think I'd be able to handle startup life without my kids. Why is it important for ANYONE to be involved politically? Tell us about Paladin. Im excited by the challenge of making things more efficient, cleaner, better, faster, and by the opportunity to have tangible impact. Some days you have to go slower, some days you're limping. And if you know of any friends who are talented attorneys, please forward this along! Eric was recognized as one of Crains Tech 25 for his contributions to drive technology growth in Chicago. Kristen: The problem Im working on at Paladin is the social justice gap. Me: Advice youd wished youd had or had followed? What are your other goals for 2017, both professionally and otherwise?

By increasing access to justice, we strengthen some of our most vulnerable populations, which in turn strengthens society as a whole. My first job out of college was serving as an International Affairs Specialist at the U.S. Justice Department, working on criminal matters related to Mexico and Central America. After the acquisition, Eric remained at Google in a senior technology role. How did they fare? Name: Kristen SondayTitle: Co-founder, COO of PaladinTwitter: @kristensonday, @joinpaladin. Coco live with her husband Ethan (Princeton '03) and their 2 children in Lincoln Park, Chicago. Now, I keep reminding myself, "Elle, every minute you spend away from your son should be well spent and worthy of your time away from him." Love podcasts or audiobooks? In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it's clear that all of our lives have been altered. Age: 29 Get a daily selection of our top stories based on your reading preferences. Since my working window has tightened, as I want to be present with my kids, I now have the ability to become even more laser focused when I get to work. Having those moms to check in, commiserate, and celebrate with has made every milestone infinitely easier, from baby sleeping through the night to mom going back to work. It is written by Robert Ambrogi, a lawyer and journalist who has been writing and speaking about legal technology, legal practice and legal ethics for more than two decades.

Felicity is very conceptual and a great high-level thinker, while Im much more detail and execution oriented, so we balance each incredibly well. It also happened that time flew quicker than ever before, an hour felt like a minute, so the amount of things I had to accomplish for them had to be efficient, and then the time away from them working had to be structured with each item prioritized. One group that has undoubtedly been affected is parents specifically working parents, and, even more specifically, working mothers, who, as one study shows, are more stressed and worried than their male counterparts during this time. If I'm with them, I do my absolute best to not look at my phone unless we're choosing music for a dance party and when I'm at work, I'm at work. I wish I had known how crucial it is to focus. PEC and Princeton Club of Chicago are pleased to bringTigerTalks on the Roadto Chicago on Thursday, November 8. They shared with us their lessons learned, biggest challenges, and best pieces of advice for juggling a professional journey with the beautiful journey of motherhood. Head to the lin, The most important thing is action & loud voice, In a crushing 54 vote, the U.S. Supreme Court h, Today, the Supreme Court has overruled Roe v. Wade, @lavernecox, actress and LGBTQ+ advocate, said it, How My Husband and I Reconciled Our Spending Differences, 20 Productivity Hacks To Make Your Day Easier, This 2-Minute Wellness Practice Can Help You Level Up at Work, So Youve Made a New Connection by NetworkingHeres What You Should Do Now, The Productivity Method Successful Women Swear By, I Get Constant Compliments on This Matching Setand Nobody Can Believe Its Under $30, GIVEAWAY: Enter to Win the Shoes Our Editor Cant Stop Talking About, The 10 Best Coats From the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, Summer Tops to Wear With Denim Shorts for the Easiest Outfit Ever, What Our Editors Are Buying From The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, The It-Girl Haircut of 2022 Is As Timeless As It Is Trendy, 11 Skincare Products a Dermatologist Would Pick Up at CVS, Does Taking Collagen Really Make a Difference? What struck me most was how meaningful the work was to meadvocating on behalf of victims for justice. How motherhood made me better at my job: One of the most unexpected changes I've experienced is a sense of confidence and capability that I will be able to handle whatever comes up. Learn on the go with our new app. I started my company when I was seven months pregnant because I experienced a lack of sustainable, high-quality, and functional clothes as a pregnant woman. Since becoming a mom, I needed a purpose in life something I can be proud of and show my children one day. Bob is a lawyer, veteran legal journalist, and award-winning blogger and podcaster. Where do you see your career going next? Doxly was not the only one of the startups that presented that year to have been acquired. I loved every minute of it: compiling legal documents, developing relationships with our international counterparts, and helping bring fugitives back to stand trial. By increasing access to justice, we strengthen some of our most vulnerable populations, which in turn strengthens society as a whole. Create an account . While the company still exists as a lawyer marketing agency, I can find no trace of the product, and my emails to the company asking for an update were not answered. Prior to Paladin, Kristen worked on international criminal matters in Mexico and Central America for the U.S. Department of Justice, and served on the founding team of a New York City-based tech start-up, Grouper. Kristen Sonday understandsthe importance of both pro bono work and womens rights, so much that she hasmade helping others the greatest priority of her career. Coco is a Director of the Joffrey Ballet and the American Writers Museum. Create an account so you'll have a place to store your favorites. My advice to other mothers: See and acknowledge what is, without judgment. From there,the company raised a seed round of $3.7 million and then, last November, it raised another $13.2 million in Series A funding, bringing its total investment to $17.4 million. It is not selfish.

How motherhood made me better at my job: The experience of taking maternity leave was life-changing for me. Ive heard a lot of no, this wont work, and you cant do this along the way. What is its mission and purpose, and why are you so passionate about its impact? that pings you once a day to jot down five things for which youre grateful.

signing up for her Innovator Insights newsletter. During rough times when I was too exhausted to keep going, they gave me the reason to never give up. This has been most apparent in my creative work as a musician and on interviews and pitch calls with clients. Creating Space in Community for Real-World Learning, MOD the Metaversean online camp for playing with game design, AI, computational thinking and. However, there are 1.3 million attorneys in the U.S. who have a professional responsibility to do 50 hours of legal pro bono every year. We had so much in common (she had done pro bono work through the UN and International Criminal Court, I had my DOJ experience) that we hit it off straight away, and disappeared into a tent to talk after dinner. As a first gen college Latina, Im lucky to have been empowered by my family, various mentors growing up, opportunities through Princeton, and the tech community. What was your first job, and what did you learn from it? My advice to other mothers: This world can be really confusing (and exhausting) to navigate, so having a few go-to women who have been through it and can offer actionable advice makes a huge difference. Then, in October 2018, Court Buddy raised a $6 million Series A round, bringing its total financing to $7.1 million. I feel a sense of duty to now empower others particularly underrepresented groups to allow them to achieve their full potential. These 10 Products Will Put You Right Back on Track, 12 Things I Wish I Could Tell My Single Self, So You Just Had a Great First Date? Prior to Paladin, she worked for the Justice Department doing international criminal work and was part of the founding team at Grouper, the Social Club (a YC alum). in Mechanical Engineering and a Certificate in Applied Computational Mathematics. Many of its members are working mothers who have learned to balance family while leading successful startups and small businesses. You are at the center of your family the energy source for your kids and/or your partner, so you have to make sure your tank is full. As a result, 80% of low income individuals with legal needs dont have those needs met. We were so deep in conversation about the access to justice gap and social impact that by the time we emerged, we had accidentally pulled an all-nighter! However, as an entrepreneur, youre naturally breaking down barriers, so you have to overcome those doubts and use them as motivation. In partnership with the Chicago Bar Foundation, it helped createa digitalPro Bono Opportunities Guidefor the state of Illinois. When things don't work out the way I want them to, looking at my kids puts things in perspective. My advice to other mothers:Make time for yourself because, as Carl Jung said, "Nothing has a stronger influence psychologically on their environment and especially on their children than the unlived life of the parent.". It's never just to buy and sell, but it's creating value-add to the motherhood collective for all women. How motherhood made me better at my job: Once I became a mother, my level of focus and productivity rose to an all-time high. Ive told the story over virtual beers (pandemic), at conferences, and as a humorous anecdote to every business I talked to that is trying to drive leads online organically. Its especially important for women to be informed about world issues so they can actively engage in our democratic process. Current Title/Company:Co-founder and COO of Paladin I learned what it takes to build a company from the ground up, to rally others around a mission, and to grow a sustainable business. What has been the most challenging lesson to learn?

It won't be there for long. Location:Chicago, IL Leila and Ezra are my real superpower and endless energy resource. Kristen Sonday is the co-founder and COO of Paladin, a pro bono marketplace that connects high quality attorneys with personalized, vetted pro bono opportunities through partner nonprofits. I take a bath, watch a show, read, or chat with a friend. Prior to joining Signal, Eric was co-founder and CTO of FeedBurner, which Google acquired in 2007. In Canada, we get a year away from our jobs, and in that year, I realized that I dreaded returning to mine both because of the toxic culture, and because I realized that I had become someone I didn't like while working there: selfish, competitive, and self-important. We deliver personalized, vetted pro bono opportunities to high quality attorneys, connecting them to their community, current events, and causes they care about. The reception thus far has been wonderful, and weve seen a surge in pro bono interest over the past few weeks, which is exciting. Kristen: Success to me is about empowerment. Name:Kristen Sonday Youre outspokenly passionate about the potential of young Latina women. As a result of her work to close the justice gap, she has been named a 2017 ABA Woman in Legal Tech to Watch, ABA Journal Legal Rebel, and FastCase50 honoree. As Ive been getting ready for the 2020 pitch competition, it got me wondering whatever happened to the startups that participated in the first competition in 2017? My advice to other mothers: Block out time on your calendar for everything. Kristen is also a member of Dreamers // Doers, a highly curated community of high-achieving trailblazing women who come together to support each other on their entrepreneurial paths. After raising our first round of investment, hiring a team, and having users from all over the world, things got real very quickly. All you need to do is sign up at joinpaladin.com, and well follow up. My advice to other mothers: Juggling day-to-day priorities becomes much easier when I remind myself what the alternatives are for everyone involved my husband and I are the only ones who can fill the role of parents for our children when they need us, while a fair amount of what I do professionally can be done at another time or by another person. Paladin was a part of the 2017 Techstars Chicago class, and Kristen also recently served as the Google for Entrepreneurs Code2040 EIR at 1871, supporting Black and Latinx founders. No guaranteed time their child would be away from the house learning. That year, the winner of the competition was Ping, an AI-powered timekeeping application that automatically tracks your billable hours. Education:Princeton University. How motherhood made me better at my job: Being a mother made me more efficient with my time and has given me the ability to hustle harder. In high school, I worked part-time at a small law firm that did estate planning. Its easy to get distracted by high-profile or short-term projects, but unless your team is truly focused on your core product or service, youre going to have trouble delivering. For example, there is only 1 legal aid attorney per 6,415 people in poverty, as opposed to 1 lawyer for every 429 people in the general population. Ruth Bader Ginsburg. If you could have lunch with any woman, who would it be and why? How motherhood made me better at my job:In managing our team of mothers, I have found that the more freedom and flexibility we give them to be parents first (and colleagues second), the more committed they actually are to the organization. The three panelists are: The panel will be moderated byDon Seitz 79, Chairman of Inkubate and Assistant Director, Alumni Engagement at PEC. Its easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of startup life, so its great to have a friendly reminder to slow down and appreciate the little things. Kristen: Im an entrepreneur because I like solving hard problems. You met and bonded with your co-founder just recently in 2015. Not long after Techshow, the Ping team moved to London for the summer to participate in the MDR Lab incubator run by the law firm Mishcon de Reya. After the 2017 Techshow, founder Haley Altman, a former biglaw partner, spent two years focused on enhancing the application and growing the business. Since the 2017 pitch competition, Madhani tells me, the company has nearly tripled its customer base and quadrupled its revenues. Kristen: My husband Ben recently introduced me to the regret minimization framework, which I wish I had heard of sooner! Loving Summer? The company has also rebuilt and redesigned its software to serve organizations of all sizes, Madhani says, allowing it to work with Am Law 200 and Fortune 100 companies. 34 Chambers St. What advice would you give to your 23 year old self?

Here Are All the Options to Consider, Always Overpacking? BUY TICKETSFOR TIGERTALKS ON THE ROAD: VENTURING TIGERS. Unfortunately, access to justice in the U.S. is currently disaggregated and decentralized. It's a constant gear shift that requires a great deal of control, and I think any mother would agree that parenting (especially in the early days) is the greatest test of this. Firms can search freelancers profiles for free. Is there anything you wish you had known before starting your own business? My intention was to optimize time, because after having my twins I realized what a precious resource time was.

I joined an organized new parents group eight weeks after my daughter was born. But if there is anything mothers have shown us from the moment they give birth, it's that they are resilient, strong, and adaptable. My advice to other mothers:Outsource what you can, and save time for what you care about most. Its been life-changing; suddenly, the things that used to seem crazy or intimidating are more achievable, and even encouraged! Thats 65 million hours that could be spent serving those in need, but only about 20% of attorneys actually hit the 50 hour requirement! Felicity and I were introduced by a mutual friend at a festival during the summer of 2015.

I would love to tackle the access to justice gap and then move on to helping solve another global issue, but I am dedicated to public interest work long-term. So exciting Paladin is moving out of beta stages and into national production this year! Part III. This year, were focused on launching Paladins pro bono services nationwide, expanding internationally, and eventually moving into industries outside of law (think engineering, finance/accounting) to offer access to professional services more generally. This is the story of how I accidentally came to dominate. That really helps me not sweat the small things anymore. Even though there are 1.3 million lawyers in the U.S. with a professional responsibility to do 50 hours of pro bono per year, the system is so disaggregated that about 80% of low income individuals who need legal help never get it. I'm proud to say that I'm still going strong. Every commitment, every deadline, and every decision to delegate needs to be compatible with your family's needs. Legaltech Week. For example, after the latest Executive Order was issued around immigration, I wanted to develop a number of apps on the side and launch dozens of new partnerships, which would have taken away from delivering an excellent experience for our current members and the amazing work theyre doing. And whether you are a parent or not, there are invaluable lessons we can all learn from their experiences. Its an easy way to contribute to your community and fulfill your 50 hour pro bono professional responsibility. Four years after Techshow, it now counts among its customers some of the largest global law firms in the U.S. and U.K. Second place that year went to Doxly, a transaction-management platform. What are you most looking forward to? Two others were also: While those three companies were acquired, one of the 2017 contestants has been so successful that it has become the acquirer. As a Co-founder and COO of Paladin, Kristin Sonday is working to increase access to justice by helping legal teams run more efficient pro bono programs. ClariLegal, a vendor RFP and management platform for law firms continues its mission to make complex simple and easy, founder and CEO Cash Butler tells me. I block out time for projects, deliverables, meetings, and self care. Where Are They Now? I also love that the entrepreneur community is filled with brilliant, passionate, and scrappy people who are all working towards developing something innovative. More broadly, the beauty of democracy is that every voice is entitled to be heard, and it takes open-mindedness and education on the issues to arrive at the best solution for the common good. One of its signature event series,TigerTalks,starts its third season this fall in New York City and began traveling to cities elsewhere across the USA last year in San Francisco, Boston, and Los Angeles. Sign up for our weekly newsletter for exclusive content straight to your inboxincluding the Trader Joe's articles you don't want to miss! So I decided to do a check-in. And now Ill share it with you. How has your own childhood impacted what drives you now, and what are the best ways to support young women in our own communities? Law, hosts the podcast about legal innovation, LawNext, and hosts the weekly legal tech journalists' roundtable, Where I might have panicked in the past, I now trust myself to handle tough situations. Wewanted to disrupt the model that takes a percentage from the freelance lawyers paycheck and we stand by this commitment, Downs says. For example, creative innovators like Elon Musk, brave activists like Martin Luther King, Jr, and political powerhouses like Angela Merkel. Its pretty simple: you tell us your preferences and availability, and well match you with a perfect pro bono case! Among the milestones, it launched integrations with LawPay and Clio; it was added as a member benefit by theThe Florida Bar, The North Carolina Bar Association, and the Oklahoma Bar Association; and it was the winner of the2017 Duke Law Tech Lab Pitch Day. How motherhood made me better at my job:I've learned to be more present and bring focus to being with the children or doing work. Perhaps because of this, nothing fit anymore when I returned. No extracurriculars. My advice to other mothers:It has been so important for me to make friends with other parents. Princeton Entrepreneurship Council LawSites, is a columnist for Above the Aggregate Law, a platform where law firms can hire freelance project attorneys, has recently relaunched with a new platform and a new payment model. One product appears no longer to exist. Privacy, For information about which freelance attorneys have experience in a particular area of law, or for information about rates, please contact Montage Legal Group at 949-400-0798 or, Making the Future of Legal Tech Female: How We Can Promote Women Founders, Becoming a Freelance Lawyer Montage Highlighted in National Law Review Article, Find Your Why, Know Your Way: How to Make Values-Based Decisions in Your Work and Family Life When Youre Feeling Stretched Thin, How to Be a Freelance Lawyer: Tips and Considerations. Coming out of school, I was focused on a set career path without really knowing what else was out there. Prior to startup life, Coco was based in Paris where she helped market and manage global brands under the L'Oreal SA portfolio. The panel discussion, Venturing Tigers, will feature three outstanding local alumni who have founded and/or invested in startups across the spectrum. Its been a challenge to learn to say no to external projects, but its worth it in the long-term. I am a huge proponent of mentorship, and as a first generation college student, relied a lot on mentors to help me navigate my academic and professional career. (For my recent LawNext interview with Altman, see:LawNext Special Report Doxly Founder Haley Altman at the Clio Cloud Conference.). Alt Legal, a cloud-based, IP docketing software company founded by former Kirkland & Ellis lawyer Nehal Madhani, has acquired two former competitors in trademark docketing:MarkTendand Name Warden. The firm clearly liked what it saw, since it then signed on as Pings first enterprise client and also became an investor. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider It seems the voters selected well, as Ping has gone on to achieve notable growth and adoption. Trust that youll eventually find the perfect culmination of all of your past experiences in a career thats truly fulfilling. Tracking Down the Startups from the First ABA Techshow Pitch Contest in 2017, LawNext Special Report Doxly Founder Haley Altman at the Clio Cloud Conference, Special Report Alt Legal CEO Nehal Madhani at the Clio Cloud Conference, LawNext Episode 35: Felicity Conrad, Cofounder and CEO of Paladin, Win More Clients by Using Document Automation Differently, LawNext Podcast: CALI Executive Director John Mayer on Using Tech to Advance Legal Education and Access to Justice, New SixFifty Product Automates Compliance with All State Data Privacy Laws, Priori Legal, Marketplace for In-House Legal Teams, Raises $15M to Fuel Growth and Meet Demand, More Information on the Quiet Launch of a New Legal Research Service by LexisNexis Parent RELX, Celebrating Four Years of My LawNext Podcast. How does Paladin and its mission relate to the general public? Performance anxiety can't inspire the same terror now that I've made it through birth and taken care of a newborn. Heres What to Do to Make Sure The Second One is Even Better. Now, I don't feel bad saying "no" to projects and events that don't move my company forward, and my time is much more focused whether I'm at home or the office. Whats the hardest career lesson youve had to learn, and how does it affect you now? He will also share with the audience an overview of the many exciting entrepreneurial programs and initiatives rapidly expanding across campus and the broader Princeton ecosystem. Bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich, Favorite award show to watch? Prior to Rebelle, Her company PrettyQuick (acquired by Groupon in 2015) introduced major efficiencies to the $70 billion beauty services industry by offering seamless reservations at salons and spas nationwide. My advice to other mothers: Take at least an hour for yourself a day! A serial entrepreneur, angel investor, and advisor.