Former Coaching Client:
Laura was thorough, detailed, knowledgeable, honest, flexible, collaborative, positive, and authentic. From reviewing my resume, to working on cover letters and conducting mock interviews, Laura was consistently able to provide insightful feedback that undoubtedly enhanced my prospects of securing a job. In fact, approximately two months after I began working with Laura, I was able to land a position as a plaintiff-side employment attorney in the Denver office of a national law firm. Considering the quality of the services offered by Laura, in conjunction with her efficiency and reasonable rates, I would highly recommended retaining her as a coach.
– Julian G.G. Wolfson
3L Law Student:
Laura is incredibly brilliant, kind, patient, thoughtful, and truly wants to help in any way she can! The advice I have received from Laura has always been candid and given with clear direction to get me to my end goal – a career as a civil rights attorney. Laura asks questions and creates an environment in which I feel absolutely comfortable answering those questions without fear of judgment. Not only is Laura a wonderful human being and advisor, but she is also a badass attorney doing the work I hope to do in the future. Because of this, I know I can always count on her thoughts on career development being spot on. I have followed Laura’s advice on resumes, cover letters, choosing recommenders, and interviewing and have gotten opportunities that I would not have without her guidance. I cannot recommend Laura highly enough!
– Naomi Martin
Recent Law School Graduate:
I first met Laura during my second year of law school at DU Law. Like all law students, I was feeling a lot of pressure about what kind of job I was going to get after graduation. Some people had me convinced that if I couldn’t get myself on a certain track right away, there was no hope for success.
Laura was not one of those people. Despite my lack of connections and obvious uncertainty about my future career, she wanted to know who I was, what I was interested in, and how she could help.
She encouraged me to not take a job out of fear but rather to center my job-search around what my real passion was. She’s helped me think about my big-picture goals while also giving me advice about smaller things like what not to say in a networking email.
Laura takes the time to brainstorm possible opportunities and then helps you plan, in more concrete terms, how to explore those opportunities. Laura’s insight has been invaluable, and I look forward to continuing to work with her as I find my way.
– Liz Othmer
Recent Law School Graduate:
Laura fights for justice all day every day, and somehow she finds time to bring new meaning to the concept of mentorship. Laura taught me that mentorship does not have to feel transactional or intimidating. With her, mentorship is about relationship building, mutual support, learning, and self-exploration.
I went to a public interest focused law school, but I still felt limited by the career office’s advice. As someone who wanted to pursue a career in civil and human rights, I thought there were only a few options for me after graduation. Laura appreciates the diverse paths people take that can lead them to a fulfilling civil rights career. She helped me understand that getting a dream job is not a matter of following steps a, b, and c. It is a matter of creating my own path. What’s more, she has been there to help every step of the way.
Laura is a brilliant attorney who is deeply connected within the civil rights community. She shares her knowledge and experiences extremely generously, and has been a source of endless tips, introductions, and wisdom.
-Eve Deveau
First Year Civil Rights Attorney:
My law school tried hard to pair me with a mentor who would be a good fit. But my law school, like so many others, was almost entirely disconnected from the attorneys who are practicing the type of law I wanted to practice. Thankfully, I got connected to Laura through a mutual friend and found a mentor who not only got me through law school, but also into the career of my dreams!
Laura routinely spent the time talking with me about the barriers to practicing civil rights law, and she worked with me to develop a professional identity and network. She not only offered me sage advice, but also invited me to engage with the civil rights community in Denver. She shared her connections within the community so I could build my own. I have no doubt that without Laura’s guidance and friendship I would have found myself in very different circumstances today. She brings boundless passion, integrity, and humor to all that she does. You couldn’t ask for a better ally or mentor.
-Rachel Kennedy
Second Year Civil Rights Attorney (Public Defender):
I met Laura four years ago when I interned as a law student for her law firm, Rathod Mohamedbhai. Since my time interning, Laura has remained a friend and mentor. That is what Laura does. Once you get to know her, she always makes an effort to stay connected and involved in your life. She remembers the little things, sends texts asking you to coffee, and genuinely cares about you as a person. Throughout my career, Laura has always been a great resource to talk through anything life- or career-related. She knows how to ask questions specific to who you are as a person, and gives advice tailored to you. So often lawyers like to give advice based on their path, their interests, and what worked well for them. But Laura listens first. Laura and I have had long conversations about the many ways to fight for justice, and she has been incredibly helpful and supportive as I realized my passion was for indigent defense, leading me to my current job with the appellate division of the Public Defender’s Office. Laura cares about helping others find their area of passion.
-Katie Steefel
Third Year BigLaw Associate:
Laura has been my principal professional mentor for seven years. Throughout my career, Laura has helped me to consider what professional moves are possible as well as ways, both short-term and long-term, to prepare for them. Laura and I have had very different paths through the legal profession with several shared points, but I have never found her guidance about situations she has not experienced to be any less considered, informed, or helpful than her advice that came from a place of personal experience. Although I am currently a BigLaw associate, whenever I face a thorny professional issue Laura is the first person I come to, and she is my first sounding board when considering a move. Wherever you are in your legal career, I cannot recommend Laura’s guidance highly enough.
-BigLaw Associate in Washington, D.C.
Attorney Transitioning from Defense-Side Practice to Civil Rights:
First and foremost, Laura is a fixture in the Colorado civil rights community. And that is a result of her passion and success for protecting and promoting civil rights, her genuine relationships with other civil rights attorneys, and her commitment to the community. These attributes are what make Laura uniquely qualified to help others find their dream careers in the civil rights arena. I know firsthand.
I wanted to use the law to protect the civil and constitutional rights of the disenfranchised. But I feared that dream would never materialize. I practiced commercial litigation for almost three years. With each passing month, I felt that I was further away from my dream, and at some point, it would be too difficult to make the switch. I needed to be proactive and realized that I couldn’t do it alone.
Enter Laura.
When I met with Laura to discuss this goal, she first wanted to understand what personally motivated my desire to pursue a legal career in civil rights. She taught me that this career requires genuine commitment to the cause and that I needed to convey my passion to those practicing in this community—especially coming from a job in commercial litigation.
Through these conversations, I recognized that my interest in protecting civil rights was deeply personal. I was fired up about fighting for people and ready to pursue a civil rights career from a place of passion. I was no longer nervous about saying the right things; rather, I was eager to share my story in why I was motivated to join the fight for civil rights. Laura helped me become comfortable and confident in sharing that story.
She next wanted to learn about my specific goals and areas of interest. Over the course of the next few months, Laura introduced me to several successful civil rights attorneys.
Because she has formed authentic friendships and mentorships with these attorneys, she has her fingers on the pulse on the best civil rights law firms and organizations, including which firms specialized in certain areas of civil rights and which ones were hiring.
Laura also offered her insight about my cover letters and resume as I began applying and interviewing for jobs. And sure enough, within those few months, I found a job practicing employment law that enabled me to fight for people’s civil rights in the employment setting.
I could not have transitioned into practicing civil rights litigation without Laura’s help and guidance. She is as relentless in helping others find fulfilling careers as she is in advocating for her clients. Her professional reputation precedes her. But it is her desire to help people discover their passion and how that passion can ignite a meaningful career that makes her an exemplary career coach.
-John Michael Guevara
10-Year Attorney Transitioning to Civil Rights:
I met Laura shortly after moving to Denver while in the midst of my career search. Her guidance and expertise was truly invaluable and I am so grateful she helped me. At the time, I was looking for a way to use my business and legal background in a non-traditional capacity while making a difference and helping others. Not only did Laura help me craft my career story but she also introduced me to those who could provide me with the opportunity and experience that I was seeking. As a result, I obtained the position that I was looking for and I have grown as a professional. Laura is exceptionally smart, creative, and gifted at helping others.
-Michael
College Graduate Considering a Civil Rights Legal Career:
I went to Laura for guidance when I was working as a legal assistant at the same firm as Laura. The attorneys there opened my eyes to the powerful impact of the law on social justice issues, and I thought law school might be a good fit for me. However, I wasn’t sure, and I didn’t have a very clear idea of what exactly I wanted to do with a law degree. Laura was enormously helpful during that time. She helped me evaluate my strengths and passions to hone in on several suitable career paths, and she introduced me to many key players in my fields of interest so that I could make an informed decision.
In the end, after substantial coaching and research, I decided not to attend law school. Laura encouraged me to trust myself and go a different route. I’m now pursuing a graduate degree in social work and policy analysis, and I feel confident that this is the best path for me. I’m so grateful to have had Laura’s advice. She is a thoughtful, ambitious, meticulous person, who has many connections with the community and vast knowledge about the civil rights world.
-Louisa Silverman
College Graduate Considering a Civil Rights Legal Career:
Empathy is at the core of Laura’s approach to mentorship. She never attempts to predefine one’s narrative, but rather seeks to identify an individual’s underlying values and ambitions. I found that developing my understanding of the latter was imperative to constructive decision making as it pertains to my professional growth. Laura complements self-reflective exercises with practical resources to address not only one’s immediate concerns, but also offer guidance through continual growth and learning.
-Lauren Yi