Episode 124-Lauren Rikleen on Social Justice and Defending American Democracy

Counsel to Counsel - Career Advice for Lawyers

In this episode, I speak with my first “threepeat” guest, Lauren Rikleen. This is Lauren’s third appearance on Counsel to Counsel. She was actually one of my first guests when I launched the show in 2018. In that episode, we spoke about success strategies for women and the work she has done on that issue.

In the Spring of 2022,I invited Lauren back to talk more about her legal career including working in the field of environmental law as it was just taking off. We also spoke about what inspired her to make a career shift away from the practice of law. If you haven’t already listened to it, I invite you to go back to episode 81.

I met Lauren in the early 1990s when I was at Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education and later had the privilege of sitting on her Standing Committee on Work/Life Balance when she was President of the Boston Bar Association. I knew soon after I met her that Lauren is someone who is not afraid to speak up when she sees injustice.

She is also a person with a big heart who cares not only about making an impact but also about investing in the success of professionals who come from disadvantaged groups.

Most importantly, she laughs at most of my jokes and keeps me laughing as well.

I invited Lauren back because she is the editor of a new book entitled Her Honor. Her Honor is an inspiring compendium of the lives of 25 female judges including many judges of color. Most of these judges were women who overcame significant gender and racial discrimination to get to the bench and all of them are judges who felt a great sense of responsibility to continue the fight for racial and gender equity.

I also invited her back to talk about the important work that she is doing through Lawyers Defending American Democracy.

Lauren Rikleen is President of the Rikleen Institute for Strategic Leadership. She is also the Executive Director of Lawyers Defending American Democracy.

Additional Episodes

• Episode 87-The Advancement of Women in Law with Elise Holtzman
• Episode 81-Lauren Rikleen-Rebel with Many Causes