393. Enlisting Mentors & Support for Career Success

Laura Meier

At 24, Laura was finding her way as a young lawyer. She was doing her best but knew she had a lot to learn. Then, in a meeting with her managing partner and the Mayor, she was shocked when the mayor said, “Our city attorney quit. We want Laura to have the job.” She was even more surprised to hear her boss’ reply.

Laura K. Meier, Esq. is a family trust attorney, best-selling author, and the mom of four great kids. Her mission is simple: help every mom and dad in America protect their children through a proper family estate plan. She is the author of the #1 best-seller “Good Parents Worry, Great Parents Plan,” a guide for parents that helps them understand the legal and practical steps they must take to protect their children. Her work has been featured by NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, the Fiscal Times, Worth, Investopedia, Wall Street Select and more. She frequently speaks at universities and children’s organizations on the importance of having a proper estate plan.

How Did You Start Using Your Talents?

“I was a lawyer at a young age, at 24. I had gone straight through college to law school. I remember at my first law firm I helped the managing partner on litigation for a city. Of course, I tried to do my best job. At our meeting with the mayor, he said, ‘Our city attorney just quit. We want Laura to be our new city attorney.’ I was young enough to know that I did not have that kind of experience. It was way beyond my capabilities. But the managing partner didn’t hesitate. He said, ‘Yes, she would make a fine city attorney. Let’s do that.’ He threw me in there! They brought me some help and mentoring, but I had to learn, with literally no training, how to become a City attorney at that young age. It taught me that when opportunities come your way, say yes, and then do whatever it takes to meet the challenge. Don’t say no. If it’s meant to be, just say yes and go with it.”

The Most Impactful Turning Point?

“At a 4th of July parade in Huntington Beach, California, I saw a young congresswoman, Loretta Sanchez, campaigning. I was in junior high at the time, and I think she was in her late twenties or early thirties. Nobody was cheering for her, but she was still hustling, reaching people and smiling. I asked my father, “Why isn’t anybody cheering for her?” He said, ” She’s a Democrat and most people here are Republicans.” At that moment, I thought two things: one, how courageous she was to go out and face that silence or risk being booed; and, two, that there was a place in Congress for women! I didn’t even know that, and it made a huge impression on me. I thought, I can do that! She’s doing it, I could do it, too. I’m not planning to run for Congress, but it showed me that no matter what the demographics are or what the faces look like, there’s always going to be a place for me, because of people like her who have gone ahead.”

The Most Powerful Lessons Learned?

“Having a mentor and a support network of like-minded people is crucial to career success and to making life transitions. We had a family friend, a prominent attorney. At a young age, I told him, ‘I want to be a lawyer like you.’ He told me, ‘Laura, I think that’s a fine idea. I’m going to start warming up a seat for you at the law firm.’ Every time I saw him he would say that. It encouraged me to stay on that path. Last month, when I was invited to speak at that law firm, I told the attorneys the story, and I said, ‘I can’t believe I’m finally sitting in a seat at this firm!”