#98 - The Attorney Who Wrote Her Own Dream Job Description

Miriam Benor convinced her firm to let her create a role that didn't exist: Director of Attorney Coaching at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, where she coaches attorneys on anything they want to discuss, personal or professional. After finding her calling as a law school career counselor following seven years as a litigator, she moved over to Pillsbury to do training and development. After innovating numerous firm programs in that role, she pitched her dream job to the firm, and they said yes.

In this episode of Lawyers Who Learn, host David Schnurman explores Miriam's unique coaching philosophy that challenges conventional wisdom. When clients struggle with difficult situations, she offers a powerful reframe: instead of only exploring how to overcome obstacles, she asks whether it's worth changing yourself to fit the environment or changing the environment to fit yourself. Her approach combines active listening with direct advice, using metaphors that help people see their challenges from new perspectives and analytical skills that uncover the true root of problems.

Miriam has become her firm's canary in the coal mine, spotting trends before they become crises, from pandemic burnout to creating forums after George Floyd's murder to now addressing generational shifts with Gen Z. She presents internally on topics like resilience, feedback, and confidence, sharing how the term "imposter syndrome" has now permeated the zeitgeist - with only a small percentage of attorneys having familiarity with the concept eight years ago to nearly universal awareness today.

Beyond coaching, Miriam plays violin with the Los Angeles Lawyers Philharmonic orchestra, performing annually at Disney Hall. Her message resonates: pursuing what makes you happy and fulfilled creates more authentic success than forcing yourself into someone else's definition of achievement.