187: Law, Leadership, and Late Motherhood: A Conversation with Katy Mickelson

In this rich, heart-centered conversation, Dr. Gertrude Lyons speaks with family law attorney and equity partner Katy Mickelson about following a nonlinear career path, parenting through IVF, and how real life—not law school—became her greatest teacher. Katy shares what it means to bring creativity into a traditionally rigid field, why she values mentorship, and how raising teens has taught her as much as any courtroom.

They discuss balancing ambition with presence, how fertility struggles shaped her perspective on motherhood, and why authenticity is her superpower in both law and life. This episode is an honest, energizing reminder that there is no one way to lead—or to mother.

You’ll also hear about:

• (01:55) Mentoring future women in law and creating soul-aligned workplaces
• (05:40) Public relations, late pivots, and starting law school at 29
• (10:50) Combining creativity and law: why it doesn’t have to be boring
• (15:10) Gender dynamics in the legal field and carving a new path
• (19:20) Listening as a lost art in law, and why it matters most
• (24:45) IVF journeys, difficult diagnoses, and the shock of unexpected fertility challenges
• (30:50) Motherhood after 35 and the feisty embryo that made it against the odds
• (36:00) Parenting teens and what it means to watch your children become themselves
• (40:30) Guilt, growth, and the myth of perfect parenting
• (44:50) Real-life experience as an undervalued but essential skill

This episode is for anyone navigating career shifts, parenting complexity, or the unpredictable paths we take to become who we are.

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Learn more about Katy Mickelson:

• Visit her Website
• Follow her on Instagram
• Connect with her on LinkedIn

Follow Dr. Gertrude: 

• Learn more on Dr. Gertrude’s website
• Follow Dr. Gertrude on Instagram
• Stay in the loop and sign up to Dr. Gertrude’s newsletter
• Pre-order Dr. Gertrude’s new book “Rewrite the Mother Code”