Before I become your professional best friend, we should probably get to know one another.

 

Emily Hirsekorn | Founder & Executive Coach

So, who am I really?

  • Mama of two curious, creative, comedic kids and two rescue pups.

  • Wife to my original coach and fellow lover of life, eternal optimist, and go getter.

  • The life of the party—I love nothing more than hosting, dancing all night, connecting people left and right, and laughing the loudest!

  • Life-long learner, educator, and asker of a million questions.

  • Big city woman at heart who loves the convenience and coziness of the midwest suburbs.

Coming out of law school, my career was all that mattered. I had poor self-awareness and failed to prioritize self-care. Not only did my career suffer, so did my personal relationships, health, and confidence. When the stress became unbearable, I knew things had to change.

Before law school, I earned my B.A. in Psychology and worked in Positive Psychology pioneer C.R. Snyder’s Hope Lab, exploring the correlations between different sources of social support and hope. Despite feeling called to help others as a hope practitioner, I decided to pursue law school instead for what felt like a shorter, more secure path to “success.”

I excelled in law school, then networked into an incredible job opportunity—a strong salary in an interesting practice area with a mid-sized defense firm in dreamy San Diego, despite graduating during the Great Recession and moving into a tight-knit legal market. But soon enough I found myself working long hours, overstressed, out of alignment, and unhappy overall. I continued to power through to make it in the career I thought I was supposed to have without addressing the underlying issues of discontent, misalignment, and terribly poor energy management.

I was a talented lawyer but left the law out of fear—fear that I couldn't find work aligned with my values, practice meaningful self-care, or enjoy the personal life I so badly desired. I was also showing up irritable and ineffective when I wasn’t speaking up about work-related concerns. After later serving thousands of lawyers and law students in law school career development, I saw so many other lawyers struggling with these same concerns, leading to industry-wide career confusion, untapped potential, and ultimately burnout.

In addition to empowering the right career moves, coaching supported me through an intense life transformation.

  • I found my own voice, started trusting myself, clarified my vision of success, and finally started moving towards my dreams without hesitation;

  • I built a thriving business that aligns perfectly with who I am personally, my professional purpose, and my desired working style and lifestyle;

  • I left beautiful San Diego to return to my hometown of Kansas City after serious reflection on what matters most, how my husband and I wanted to live, and how we wanted to raise our children; and

  • I left my “safe” 9 - 5 job to go all in with my coaching practice just one year after launching, trusting fully that it would flourish, knowing that it is what I was meant to do, and mapping out my path to success year after year.

And I felt compelled to help other mid-career lawyers and leaders ready to maximize their success to make their own personal shifts too.

A quick note about my top virtues and how they impact the coaching work I do…

  • I bring high energy to EVERYTHING I do, and believe you me: energy is contagious!

  • I bring humor to my work because I believe we should be having fun as often as possible.

  • I bring strength and light to coaching sessions so we can tackle all of the hard stuff with grace and poise.

  • I bring extreme curiosity to push you further than you would push yourself towards your goals.

  • I teach THE gratitude practice scientifically proven to effectively increase happiness over time.

Client Success Stories

Hear more on…

Conscious Leadership | Career Clarity | Career Confidence | Sustainable Performance

“5 Ways to Build a Fulfilling Legal Career Without Burning Out” with Sasha Berson of Grow Law Firm

"Seven Levels of Leadership" with Jordan Ostroff of the Exhibit (A)ttorney podcast

"How To Manage A Law Practice And Still Have A Life Outside Of It" with Answering Legal's Summer Reboot

“Evaluating Your Career Goals” with Answering Legal’s Holiday Guide

"How Can Lawyers Overcome Burnout and Find Career Fulfillment?" with Gary Miles on The Free Lawyer podcast

"How to Become a Better Leader for Your Law Firm" with Answering Legal's Summer Reboot

“The Link between Personal Development & Leadership Development” with Answering Legal’s Holiday Guide

“Work-Life Balance Recommendations” with Answering Legal’s Holiday Guide

"The Fulfillment Formula: A 30-Minute Guide to Assessing Your Legal Career" with Steve Seckler and the ABA

"Energy Leadership for Lawyers" with Elena Deutsch of Women Interested in Leaving Law

“The Career Leadership Code: Four Steps to Finding Fulfillment without Burning Out” with Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers

Credentials

Professional Certified Coach | ICF

EQ-i 2.0 Assessment Practitioner | MHS

COR.E Leadership Dynamics Specialist | iPEC

Energy Leadership Index-Master Practitioner | iPEC

Juris Doctor | University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law, cum laude
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology | University of Kansas
Positive Psychology Research (focus: hope and social support) | Professor C.R. Snyder, PhD

Publications

Michelle Nichols DeLong and Emily Hirsekorn, Finding Joy After Burning Out, 50 ABA Litig. J. no. 3, Spring 2024 at 53.

Sarra Ziari and Emily Hirsekorn, A Coach Approach to Building Lawyer Confidence, NALP Bulletin, April 2023 at 26.

Emily Hirsekorn, Thriving as a Woman in a Male-Dominated Industry, Authority Magazine, Oct. 11, 2022.

Emily Hirsekorn, Emily Hirsekorn on the Five Things You Can Do to Become More Resilient in Turbulent Times, Thrive Global, October 7, 2022.

Certification badge with the ICF logo, stating 'ICF Credentials and Standards,' 'PCC,' and 'Professional Certified Coach'.