You Are A Lawyer: Take Risks and Change Careers in Law

Daria Levina is a lawyer, academic, and business owner whose path spans Russia, the United States, Italy, and now Berlin. With two law degrees, a PhD in law, and a thriving admissions-advising business, Daria brings a global perspective to legal education and career design. In this episode, she shares what makes a PhD different from a JD, how stand-up comedy transformed her thinking, and why she believes education should be accessible to everyone.

Lawyer Side Hustles

One of the most distinctive parts of Daria’s career is her entrepreneurial project, Harvard State of Mind, an admissions-advising business she built from years of helping friends apply to graduate and professional programs. What began as casual essay review turned into a robust library of courses, guides, and one-on-one services. Motivated by her own experience with education as a tool for social mobility, Daria is committed to making elite institutions feel accessible rather than exclusive.

In addition to running her business, Daria performs stand-up comedy in Berlin. It has been a creative outlet that she describes as both therapeutic and unexpectedly practical. Comedy helps her process difficult experiences, develop new perspectives, and appreciate the collaborative nature of creative work. It’s proof that lawyers can be analytical and artistic at the same time.

Edward Cohn is a criminal defense attorney who has spent 23 years running his own solo practice across three states. In this episode, he shares why opening his own firm right out of law school gave him the freedom he always wanted, how a background in music shaped his confidence and creativity, and why some lawyers thrive when they build their practice on their own terms.

Lawyer Side Hustles

While Edward doesn’t have a traditional ‘side hustle’, his entire career reflects an entrepreneurial mindset that many lawyers overlook. Instead of building a firm with multiple attorneys, he intentionally crafted a lean practice powered by autonomy, flexibility, and meaningful work. He writes his own pleadings, manages client communication, and supplements his bandwidth by hiring students or contractors when needed.

Running a solo practice is his entrepreneurial venture, one that lets him control his schedule, spend time with his homeschooled daughter, and avoid the burnout that many lawyers face. His story shows that autonomy itself can be a form of creativity, and that building a practice intentionally can function as the ultimate professional side project: one that supports your life instead of consuming it.

Anne Hamer is a top-rated family lawyer based in Nashville, Tennessee, whose path to success was anything but traditional. After years in corporate and plaintiff work, and even a decade as a stay-at-home mom, Anne returned to the courtroom with a new sense of purpose. In this episode, she shares how to change your legal career at any age, how her own divorce reshaped her understanding of family law, and why it’s never too late to find work you love.

Anne Hamer’s Background

Born and raised in Memphis, Anne Hamer has spent much of her life in Tennessee, with a detour to New York for law school at NYU. She laughs now about being the Southern student with the unmistakable accent that made her memorable in class but also taught her to adapt and connect with people from every background. After graduation, she weighed a fast-paced life in Manhattan against a more balanced one back home and chose Tennessee.

Anne’s career began in corporate law at a large Nashville firm, where she handled IPOs and mergers but found herself uninspired by the work. After trying litigation, plaintiff work, and even stepping away from practice for 10 years to raise her children, she returned to law with a renewed sense of purpose. Today, she’s one of Tennessee’s most respected family lawyers, recognised by Super Lawyers for her compassionate yet strategic approach to high-conflict and high-asset divorce cases.

Chelsea Jones is the founder of Chelsea Anne Media, a social media marketing agency that helps lawyers build personal brands that feel genuine, not forced. In this episode, she shares how one Upwork client turned into a thriving niche, why Instagram remains the most powerful platform for lawyers, and how authenticity can turn online visibility into real relationships.

How Lawyers Can Build a Brand That Works

According to Chelsea, building a personal brand starts with simplicity. Many lawyers assume branding requires elaborate campaigns, but she insists it begins with clarity; knowing who you are, what you stand for, and how you want to be known. From there, structure and consistency do the heavy lifting.

She advises lawyers to define four or five “content pillars” – the key themes or topics that represent their work and personality. Whether it’s educational posts, personal stories, or motivational insights, these pillars help create focus and flow. For Chelsea, social media success isn’t about perfection or virality. It’s about visibility that feels aligned, authentic, and sustainable.