This week on the NAWL podcast, host Mary Card Mina is joined by NAWL past presidents Karen Morris and Lisa Horowitz for a deeply insightful and empowering conversation on navigating career transitions—particularly for military, federal government, and government-adjacent attorneys facing professional change. Drawing from their own rich experiences and coaching expertise, Karen and Lisa explore the emotional and strategic dimensions of transitions, including how to manage a transition mindset, embrace liminality, and plan for the future with clarity and purpose. Whether you're facing a layoff, contemplating a new direction, or supporting others through change, this episode is filled with wisdom, tools, and encouragement to help you move forward with confidence and intention. Tune in to learn how to turn uncertainty into opportunity and build a career—and life—that aligns with your values.
This week on the NAWL podcast, host Mary Card Mina is joined by NAWL past presidents Karen Morris and Lisa Horowitz for a deeply insightful and empowering conversation on navigating career transitions—particularly for military, federal government, and government-adjacent attorneys facing professional change. Drawing from their own rich experiences and coaching expertise, Karen and Lisa explore the emotional and strategic dimensions of transitions, including how to manage a transition mindset, embrace liminality, and plan for the future with clarity and purpose. Whether you're facing a layoff, contemplating a new direction, or supporting others through change, this episode is filled with wisdom, tools, and encouragement to help you move forward with confidence and intention. Tune in to learn how to turn uncertainty into opportunity and build a career—and life—that aligns with your values.
Learn more about NAWL's Coaching Roster here!
William Bridges' Transitions: Making Sense of Life’s Changes: Books by William Bridges | Transition Management Leaders
Bios & Speaker Links
Karen Morris is President and founder of Suizzo Morris Group, LLC, specializing in executive, leadership, career, and transition coaching for individuals and organizations. Focusing on the “whole person,” Karen coaches in 1:1 and group settings, helping her clients find purpose, gain perspective, resilience, and strength, live with agency and intent, enrich their relationships, positively impact their organizations, their families, and their communities, and live with peace and achieve their goals.
During her 30+ year corporate career, Karen held executive roles in Legal, Strategy, Product Management, Marketing, Communications and Regulatory Relations. Most recently, she served as Senior Vice President, General Counsel for USAA P&C Group.
Karen is an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) of the International Coaching Federation (ICF), certified through the Hudson Institute of Coaching. She holds a B.A., magna cum laude, from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota and a J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law.
Karen is a champion of advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, with a focus on the legal community, including serving as President of the National Association of Women Lawyers 2020-21.
Karen's Links
Suizzo Morris Group website: https://www.suizzomorrisgroup.com
Suizzo Morris Group Complimentary 3-month Coaching opportunities: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7337911293078663169/
Dealing with Uncertainty:
Let it Be – Loosening the Grip of Attachment: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/loosening-grip-attachment-karen-morris-15hic/?trackingId=470LTgnLS1u4Ap6fGUnznA%3D%3D
The Value of Not Knowing: https://www.suizzomorrisgroup.com/blog/the-value-of-not-knowing
Mindset:
Managing Stress: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/managing-stress-changing-our-relationship-karen-morris-9553c/?trackingId=a5huFoDKHFxUeROam0SURA%3D%3D
Unlock your Potential – Grow Self-Compassion: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/unlock-your-potential-grow-self-compassion-karen-morris-scn2c/?trackingId=UDvhM5h6wLvGIwV12EnTlg%3D%3D
Lisa B. Horowitz is passionate about helping attorneys build meaningful and fulfilling careers. She regularly coaches attorneys and other senior professionals working globally in legal departments, corporations, law firms, government and non-profits to successfully execute career transitions.
Following almost two decades practicing federal procurement law, Lisa herself successfully transitioned to the talent development and coaching field obtaining her Masters in Organizational Development and Change from Johns Hopkins University. After leading the professional development department of a large law firm, she founded her current coaching, training and consulting firm--the Attorney Talent Strategy Group--to help clients take charge and grow great careers.
As a highly sought-after speaker, Lisa has delivered coaching and training programs on career, leadership and management to a variety of organizations, including the Association of
Corporate Counsel-National Capital Region, American Bar Association, National Association of Women Lawyers, the New York City Bar Association and District of Columbia Bar Association. Her Building Leadership Muscle Series includes core programs aimed at developing critical leadership and management skills including Creating Your Individual Strategic Career Plan.
Lisa has served on the Board and as President of the National Association of Women Lawyers and as a Commissioner on the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession.
Lisa graduated from Tufts University, Summa Cum Laude and from George Washington University Law School with Honors.
Lisa's Links
Email: lbhorowitz@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisabhorowitz/
Attorney Talent Strategy Group LLC website: http://www.atalentstrategy.com/
Articles:
Career Transition is Inescapable: Maximize It: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/career-transition-inescapable-maximize-lisa-b-horowitz-pqlpc/?trackingId=2k7A3nWpRFqLWhf4Kc6p9Q%3D%3D
Tackling Transitions: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/tackling-transitions-untangling-2020moving-2021-lisa-b-horowitz/
Don’t Let Your Legal Career Be A Casualty of the Pandemic: Strategies for Continuing to Own Your Career: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/dont-let-your-legal-career-casualty-pandemic-own-lisa-b-horowitz/?trackingId=zrj1rahbRp6eFau5EDvl6g%3D%3D
Hit a Bump in Your Career? Rebound Resiliently: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/hit-bump-your-career-rebound-resiliently-lisa-b-horowitz/
The views and opinions expressed in this episode of the NAWL Podcast may or may not reflect those of NAWL, the hosts, or participants. Unless otherwise indicated, the hosts and participants are speaking for themselves personally, and not for any firm, employer, or any other organization. This podcast is for educational purposes only, and does not constitute and should not be considered legal advice.