Ep 25: Breaking the Big Law Myth: Mental Health and Realities with Emily Logan Stedman

In this episode of Conversate with Akeem D. Earle, I sit down with Emily Logan Stedman, a commercial litigation partner at Husch Blackwell LLP. Emily takes us on her journey from teaching 5th grade through Teach For America to making partner at an AmLaw100 firm in Milwaukee.We dive into the realities of Big Law—beyond the Twitter hot takes. Emily unpacks the highs and lows of trial experience, the truth about billable hours, and how she made the pivot from education to law. She also opens up about her mission to destigmatize mental health in the legal field and how she's using her growing platform to advocate for lawyer wellbeing.Whether you're a law student, young attorney, or just curious about what it really takes to make it in Big Law, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.Timestamps:00:00 If I Was Not a Lawyer…05:21 Transition from Teacher to Attorney11:06 Becoming a Partner At Husch Blackwell16:04 Big Law and Trial Experience23:49 Law Twitter and the Big Law Narrative26:30 Billable Hours Explained30:00 Prioritizing Mental Health in the Legal Profession41:11 This or That46:13 Life of a Content Creator and a Lawyer59:03 Closing Argument🔗 Stay connected with ConversateWebsite – https://www.conversatepodcast.com/Instagram – @conversate_w_adeLinkedIn – Conversate Podcast