Betting on Yourself: How One Lawyer Curated a Career That Fits

What does it look like to leave a demanding corporate legal role — not out of burnout, but out of recognition that something more aligned is possible?In this episode, I sit down with Maria Flanagan, JD, founder of Flanagan Law PLLC in North Carolina. Maria's story isn't a dramatic escape from law — it's something more nuanced: she found a way to do the work she enjoys while reshaping it to fit her life.We talk about her unconventional path to law school, her decision to leave a senior counsel role after realizing she was doing GC-level work without the title or pay, and what finally gave her the courage to go out on her own. Maria also shares what her life looks like now — kayaking with her rescue dog, visiting her 102-year-old grandmother every other weekend, volunteering at animal shelters, and doing pro bono immigration work she calls the most rewarding thing she's done with her law license.This episode is for anyone who wonders: Is a different way of practicing law actually possible? Can I really have this kind of life? Maria's answer is yes — and she breaks down exactly how she got there.In this episode, we explore:How Maria put herself through evening law school while working full-time — and what that taught her about doing hard thingsThe moment she realized she was doing the work of a GC without the title or compensation — and what she did about itWhy the unknown is scarier than the reality, and how one conversation changed everythingWhat "set it and forget it" actually looks like for a solo practitionerHow she thinks about work-life harmony The question she asks herself: Is this the hard thing I actually want to do?Why reputation and fear of "losing face" keeps many lawyers from making the changes they long to makeConnect with Maria:LinkedIn: Maria FlanaganConnect with Jessie:LinkedIn: Jessie Brown, JD, PCCReturning to Soul is a podcast for lawyers and high achievers seeking deeper meaning, purpose, and fulfillment in their work and lives. New episodes explore what it looks like to return to who you actually are — and build a career and life from that place.