ABOUT MONICA

Monica R. Parker, J.D. is CEO (or “Chief Entrepreneurial Officer”) of LeavingTheLaw.com, a company devoted to empowering unhappy lawyers to find work outside of the law and create the lives of their dreams.

Monica’s journey from frustrated lawyer to ecstatic entrepreneur has taken many twists and turns—from developing films for Spike Lee to managing a grocery store to doing corporate training to teaching negotiation at Harvard Law School, her alma mater.  And, of course, practicing law, first at a large law firm and then a boutique law firm in Atlanta, GA.  Five years into the practice of law, Monica finally admitted to herself that the law offered absolutely no engagement for her and it was time to figure out what did.  She began reviewing her options and…promptly got stuck.

She discovered that now that she’d become a lawyer, it was really hard to let go of her professional identity.  After reading every career book on the market, taking an expensive career course and working with career counselors, Monica stumbled upon a coach. Not only did she get unstuck, she fell in love with coaching.  Deeply affected by a quote from Frederick Buechner, “The place where God calls you is where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger intersect,” Monica chose to create a coaching company to help lawyers who are desperate to leave the law find work that brings them joy and financial reward. 

Shortly after starting her business, Monica was featured in an article in The Daily Report, Georgia’s leading legal newspaper.  The article was syndicated and appeared at law.com and nylawyer.com.  That’s when Monica began to get calls from unhappy lawyers all over the country. Once she created her email newsletter, Lawyers on the Move, she received international acclaim, as lawyers all around the world, including Canada, the UK, New Zealand, France, and China, signed up to receive her bimonthly tips on how to make a career change.

While Monica is best known for her expertise in how to make a career transition, her students share that the biggest impact comes from her philosophy to “create the work and life that you want.” Rather than scouring the legal job postings or living up to family and friends’ expectations, Monica says that making the decision to trust yourself to determine what work and life you want to have is critical to your happiness and success.  

Monica has been quoted as an expert by the American Bar Association Journal and Essence magazine.  She has written numerous articles for The Complete Lawyer, an online legal magazine distributed by several bar associations across the country, including the Atlanta Bar Association, the New York Bar Association, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, and the Massachusetts Bar Association, among others.  Monica’s career path and business have been featured on several episodes of the nationally-syndicated radio show, The Career Clinic.  Her business has also been featured at the Wall Street Journal Legal Blog and Marketwatch.com.

Monica’s book, The Unhappy Lawyer: A Roadmap for Finding Meaningful Work Outside of the Law (2008, Sourcebooks), is a witty, no-nonsense roadmap for finding and pursuing engaging work outside of the law and making a good living.  Monica’s book has been featured on several radio programs across the country.

Monica grew up in Savannah, GA, and then lived in Cambridge, MA and New York City.  After graduating from Harvard College and Harvard Law School, Monica decided she’d had enough of snow and moved back to the South to Atlanta, GA. 

Monica loves reading mystery novels, watching action films, and eating brownies.  When she’s not in Atlanta, she’s likely visiting her family in Savannah and Ft. Lauderdale, FL or traveling in Europe, Asia, or the Caribbean.  

Monica Parker helps lawyers change careers.