Emily Logan Stedman

Season 3 of my podcast--The Grace Period--premiers next week. Download this week's preview anywhere you listen to your other favorite podcasts.

When you join a big firm as an associate you often hear: focus on the work, business development follows later. That is true--to a degree. Focusing on my business brings me such joy and energy. I'd have been a happier associate had I had permission to work on the business back then, too.

Thank you to my clients for your trust and partnership. Your growth and resilience inspire me every day.

❤️🔥✌🏻

As lawyers, our greatest impact often lies in empowering others to trust their instincts and make informed decisions. So, I aim to foster environments where clients feel supported and capable of steering their own ships.

I believe that my role as a legal advisor is not just to provide answers, but to equip my clients with the confidence and tools they need to navigate challenges independently.

In the legal world, where uncertainty can often feel overwhelming, it's crucial to maintain a sense of normalcy and control on the business front.

I recently received a compliment that resonated: a client mentioned they try to ask themselves, "What would Emily do?" before sending me questions.

This statement reflects my mission: to empower clients to take ownership of their business decisions, even amidst the complexities of litigation.

Depends on the day. Sometimes it is 1:1. Sometimes I'm "working" 12 hours and bill 10 (or 6).

Tracking my hours this way--coupled with my daily, real-time tracking and time-entering habit--keeps the billable hour boogie man at bay.

Tracking and billing our time is just part of the job--it is that simple.

Now, off to bank those hours.

🔥❤️✌🏻

If I bill less, I'll:

🔁 add the missed hours to tomorrow's goal; or

🔁 spread the missed hours over the rest of the week; or

🔁 spread the missed hours over the rest of the month; or

🔁 give myself a break, knowing sprints and long days are 100% in my future.

5/

When I bill more, I'll:

🔁 bank the extra hours, creating a credit I could use in future, slower periods; or

🔁 bill less the next day; or

🔁 bill less over the course of the rest of the week; or

🔁 bill less over the course of the rest of the month.

4/

When I look at January, I see one half-billing day (yesterday--I didn't plan to and did not bill a full day, but I worked some) and 22 full-billing days.

200 ➗ 22.5 🟰 8.9 hours on full-billing days and 4.5 hours on half-billing days.

3/

This is a mix of billable time (client work) and non-billable or investment time (mentoring, networking, DEI, recruiting, business development, professional development, firm work, administrative time, etc.).

My goal goal is simple: 200 hours a month, each month, for the next 12 months.

2/

January 2, 2025 -- the first business day of the year, so you know what time it is: my first billable hour check in of the new year.

My firm expects partners to track 2400 hours a year.

1/

It might now sound like it, but: In 2025, I want to do less. I've set myself up for that by saying no to things, transitioning away from certain commitments, and envisioning more spacious days.

✌🏻❤️🔥

👑 stick to my health plans and boundaries--blocking of time in the day to workout and eat mindfully (away from my desk) and sticking to this more days than not.

👑 hit 2,400 hours all in (again)--focusing on client work and new professional development opportunities, continuing to build my business and brand, and eliminating the investment hours that no longer serve me and my goals.

1.1.25 -- Here we go. This year, my theme is: optimize. I hope to calibrate and fine tune this year's efforts to:

👑 increase my firm metrics--steadily growing my working collections, managing collections, and new client collections.

Today is the last day of my billable year. Should I save these hours for next year (tomorrow)? ❤️🔥✌🏻☠️

More speaking engagements, growing The Grace Period, and continuing to show that success in big law doesn't require sacrificing your humanity.

To everyone working to make our profession more sustainable: your voice matters. Keep pushing for change while doing the work that drives you.

❤️🔥✌️

Yes, I track detailed systems around practice management.

Yes, I openly share them with our community.

And yes, I talk candidly about mental health and wellbeing in the law (and big law).

Looking ahead:

2025 will be about scaling this impact while growing my commercial litigation practice.

"I'm back and I'm a partner" -- setting the tone for authentic leadership in big law

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Behind these milestones was a deeper shift: learning to value my unique approach to partnership.

"My hashtag#billablehour breakdown has started to catch some flack" -- on why transparency about big law realities matters

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"Ambitious women: there remains a place for us..." -- because the glass ceiling still needs cracking

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• Secured first paid speaking engagements on lawyer wellbeing

• Built significant business development momentum through coaching and relationship building

• Maintained work-life integration with weekly tennis and extended time Up North

Three posts that particularly resonated:

• Launched "The Grace Period" podcast in May (now at 4,428 downloads across two seasons)

• Earned Corporate Counsel's Women, Influence & Power in Law award for mental health initiatives

• Completed Mental Health First Aid certification

2024 marked my transition from senior associate to partner--and it became about something bigger: showing that you can maintain a thriving practice (2,400 hours and all) while advocating for real change in how we work.

Some highlights that shaped this mission:

My 2024 Rewind (brought to me by Coauthor--they nailed it):

My first year as partner taught me something powerful: success in big law isn't about hiding the hard parts--it's about being honest about them and building better ways forward.

thank youuuuuuu

Your clients are humans--they want human interaction from you--this includes being real with them and being real with them will build trust that allows you to lead them to follow your conclusions and recommendations.

🔥❤️✌🏻

6/6

It builds in flexibility for new developments and strengthens the relationship.

There's no hiding the ball--and no pressure to do so--when you communicate clearly and honestly every step of the case.

5/6