Success, Silence, and Postpartum Depression in the Law: The Conversation Big Law Needs

“ The motivation that got me going was thinking about the moms behind me, and not wanting them to have that same experience if we could do something to avoid it.” - Lindsay AggarwalWhat happens when a successful Big Law partner does everything “right” and still finds herself struggling? In this episode of So Much To Say: A Legal Podcast for People, Megan Senese and Jennifer Ramsey speak with financial services litigator and partner Lindsay Aggarwal about the realities of returning to practice after parental leave, the risks of mental health invisibility in high-performance environments, and how one person’s experience became a catalyst for institutional change.After returning from her second parental leave, Lindsay found herself facing a reality she hadn’t experienced the first time around. What began as anxiety and overwhelm eventually led to a diagnosis of postpartum depression: a moment that forced her to step back, seek help, and rethink what support for working parents in Big Law could look like.Instead of navigating the experience quietly, Lindsay helped lead the development of a structured parental leave coaching initiative at her law firm that was designed to support lawyers before, during, and after leave — an effort that reflects evolving expectations around leadership sustainability, talent retention, and modern career trajectories in Big Law.You’ll hear about:How to navigate postpartum depression while sustaining the visibility and performance demands of Big Law partnershipThe inflection point that led Lindsay to translate personal experience into firm-level supportHow she helped launch a structured parental leave coaching initiative within a global law firmWhat the BCLP program signals about retention, leadership pipelines, and culture evolutionHow peer groups and individualized support models strengthen working parent outcomes in lawHow caregiving realities intersect with client relationships, business development, and differentiationWhy the traditional Big Law model may no longer fit modern working families — and what offers hope for the futureAbout Lindsay Aggarwal:Lindsay Aggarwal is a partner at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (BCLP) and a financial services litigator with more than a decade of experience in complex litigation. She also leads BCLP’s Parental Leave Coaching Program, an initiative designed to support lawyers navigating parental leave and returning to practice.Through her advocacy and writing, Lindsay is helping spark broader conversations about parental leave, mental health, and sustainable career paths in the legal profession.Stay Connected:Love So Much To Say? Let us know! Drop a review, give us 5 stars in your favorite podcast app, and tell us what made you laugh, think, or just go “yep, that’s me.” Every review helps us reach more awesome humans who want to make legal…well, human. Want to go deeper? Curious about 1:1 coaching with Megan or Jen? Or want the inside scoop on stage? Hit us up below, we’d love to chat!Learn more about stage, helping lawyers make business development human Connect with Megan Senese Connect with Jennifer RamseyEmail us at [email protected]