Professional Evolution: How to Successfully Pivot in Your Career

The evolution of species over millennia seems an abstract, distant concept that is difficult to comprehend. While in fact, if we sit still for long enough, we can begin to understand how drastic changes occur bit by bit.

It starts as a passing thought as you move through your daily routine. What if I were to do something different? What if this place I have found, this job I was so excited to begin, is not where I am meant to be forever? As humans, evolution is nearly as natural as breathing. Our prehistoric ancestors explored and moved across the planet as a means of survival. Their movements taught them new skills and opened them to new opportunities, not unlike how transitioning to a new job can satisfy that longing for change in us.

On April 9, 2024 five attorneys shared how their transitions to new practice areas and positions helped propel them forward and reminded them that sometimes the biggest risk we take is taking no risk at all. The panelists and attendees, brought together by the CWBA at Lady Justice Brewing Company in Englewood, Colorado, spent an evening sharing and collecting resources, connections, and practical advice for pivoting successfully.

Leila Hock, the Director of Legal Business Enablement and Alignment at Stryker, shared how her interest and experience in professional coaching and management lead her to create and originate her present role. Bronwyn Scurlock’s experience with navigating her own divorce forged her path to family law from municipal prosecution as a city attorney. Jessica Perrill proved that professional disappointments can often be opportunities in disguise, as her 14-year tenure at the Colorado Attorney General directed her away from a judgeship and towards her present position at the US Center for Safe Sport, investigating and litigating allegations of abuse for Olympic athletes.

Kym Sorrells is a shining example of how a wide breadth of experiences and an openness to learn can take one from large national law firms to becoming the Jefferson County Attorney, leading and supporting teams in nearly every legal civil practice area. Amanda Gall’s adventurous spirit and years abroad kept her from being pigeonholed in corporate finance and drove her to seek out trial experience and later become a sexual assault policy expert and lobbyist.

The panelists addressed nearly all the concerns when pivoting to a new job, including logistics such as salary changes, retirement, and moving from an office job to being in court. Their advice for all the unknown consistently circled back to networking, leaning on others, timing, and confidence.

If you are considering a new practice area or a new nonlegal position, seek out people who are currently in the role you want or in the area you want to practice. Ask them questions about their positions and absorb the language they use to become more familiar with it. The panelists also recommended doing your own research, watching hearings or reading literature in the area. Discuss your thoughts on pivoting with your tribe: your family, friends, and trusted mentors. Perhaps they have a connection they can share to assist in the process.

Keep in mind that just because your perfect transitional role isn’t out there right now doesn’t mean it never will be. Think deeply about where you want to go and be mindful of the reasons why you actually want to transition. Are you just dying to get away from your current job and would take anything new? Take a pause and think deeply about what type of role you would rather be in, and what kind of job satisfaction your dream role will bring. If you are intentionally curious about what roles you are interested in, the right opportunity will come at the right time. Trust that the timing will work when it is supposed to, so long as you are open to learning more about opportunities outside of your current field.

When you find a job posting that calls to you, remain confident in your present abilities. Even if you don’t have all the experience listed on the posting, think about how your past experiences relate to the skills you have gained. Continue to do your research on what the position entails and connect your skills and passions to it. Admit that you may not have all the experience required but express how your willingness to learn and passion about the new practice area will fill all the gaps.

Remind yourself that change, as difficult as it may be to manage, creates new opportunities and metrics for success. And don’t forget that as humans, we were never meant to stand still.

About Katherine Carroll

Katherine Carroll recently pivoted from private practice and works as an Assistant County Attorney in Jefferson County in the Human Services division. A New York native, she moved to Colorado after completing a clerkship with the Hon. Paula T. Dow in New Jersey Superior Court. Katherine received her J.D. from Touro University Law School in Central Islip, New York in 2022 and her Bachelors from the State University of New York at New Paltz in 2017. Prior to law school, she worked as a radio and television journalist in Albany, New York and New York City. While completing her J.D., Katherine worked with Mental Hygiene Legal Service representing individuals in civil commitment hearings and the Sexual Harassment Working Group researching and proposing policy to protect survivors of workplace sexual harassment. Katherine also wrote and served as a notes editor for the Touro Law Review. Katherine is a member of the Colorado Bar Association, Colorado Women's Bar Association, the National Association of Women Lawyers, and the American Bar Association. In her spare time, Katherine enjoys reading historical fiction novels, watching RuPaul's Drag Race, and going on hikes with her boyfriend and their dog, Moose.