Cristina Perez & Erica Gelfand: Owning Your Voice, Pivoting with Purpose, and Breaking Bias in Law

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Verdicts & Vogue, Cristina Perez sits down with attorney Erica Gelfand for an unfiltered conversation about gender bias in the legal profession, the emotional toll of immigration law, motherhood, and the courage it takes to pivot your career.What began as an impromptu phone call between colleagues quickly turned into a much larger conversation about what women—especially younger women lawyers—face in male-dominated courtrooms. Erica opens up about being labeled “aggressive” or “combative” simply for disagreeing with opposing counsel. Cristina reflects on hearing the same words used against her throughout her career, particularly by older male attorneys who conflate confidence with hostility when it comes from a woman. Together, they explore how long it takes to unlearn the instinct to internalize those labels and how stepping into your “I don’t give a crap” era can be both freeing and necessary.Erica shares her professional journey, beginning as the daughter of Soviet Jewish refugees who came to the United States in 1979 with the help of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society. Inspired by her family’s story, she pursued immigration law with the intention of working in international human rights. After earning her law degree in 2011, she even went back for an LLM in international and comparative law in Washington, D.C., hoping to work with the United Nations. While that plan didn’t unfold as expected, the experience shaped her worldview and commitment to service.Her years in immigration law were meaningful—but emotionally exhausting. Erica discusses representing families from the Middle East during the 2017 travel ban, including clients who were turned away from airports despite having approved visas. She describes the heartbreak of having no answers for families looking to her for hope, the late nights coordinating across time zones, and the mental strain of practicing in a constantly shifting political landscape. Eventually, the weight of it all—combined with pregnancy and new motherhood—led her to step away from full-time practice.The episode also dives into the realities of working motherhood. Cristina and Erica speak candidly about childcare, guilt, village-building, and the pressure women face to prove they can “do it all.” From trial appearances weeks after giving birth to navigating nanny interviews and school transitions, their stories reflect the layered responsibilities women carry while building businesses and legal careers.In 2019, Erica pivoted into personal injury law—an area she once resisted despite her father’s encouragement. Growing up in her dad’s chiropractic clinic, she had always heard, “Take accident cases.” When she finally gave it a chance, she realized she was still helping people—just in a different way. She found satisfaction in negotiation, advocacy, and guiding injured clients through complex systems.This episode is a conversation about resilience, reinvention, and reclaiming your voice. It’s about choosing growth over burnout, redefining what helping people looks like, and standing firm in who you are—even when the courtroom tries to tell you otherwise.If you’ve ever been underestimated, mislabeled, or forced to pivot in order to protect your peace, this episode will resonate deeply.