We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Caila Coleman a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Caila, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
You have caught me in the midst of my risk.
About six years into practicing law, I hit a mental wall. I knew I was great at my job, had built a rapport amongst colleagues and judges, and made my client’s happy…but internally, I wasn’t happy. Family Law and Criminal Defense are two of the most emotional areas of law to practice. The term “counselor” never applied more than in those two practice areas. The weight is heavy and the wins are great. I was just tired. Every time I litigated a case, very important things were on the line. I was the gatekeeper between someone receiving their freedom or spending time in prison, a person seeing their children or losing them, gaining money/property or forfeiting what they had worked hard for. It was an enormous undertaking.
In June 2019, I got a call from a law school friend who asked if I could cover a case for her on Court TV. I was to discuss a murder trial on air, LIVE. I had never done that before, but something in me said to “say yes.” I did. I drove about an hour and a half away to another county to shoot live in front of the court house. I didn’t know what they would be asking me on air, but I rolled with the punches. I actually thought I didn’t do so well, but about 10 minutes after I was done shooting, the booking agent asked if I could come back again. I went from being on national television every few months, to every month, to every week, to multiple times a week. I never thought that saying yes to something I had never done before would open me up to a new part of the legal world: Legal Analyst/Commentator/Strategist.
Fast forward to almost four years later and I have decided to pursue the legal television world fully. I have relocated from Florida to Atlanta, GA. I have been a guest on other well known national media platforms (my favorite so far has been TMZ). I am making my way on the unbeaten path. It has been tough some days, but still worth going after my dreams.
I still run my firm. My clients love that I am on tv, have gone viral, and that I’m a pretty cool attorney to have in general. Saying “yes” was a risk. Relocating was a risk. Running my firm remotely was a risk…and it has all been worth the ride so far. I am looking forward to this pivot in my career. Please send positive vibes.
Caila, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am an attorney who practices mainly family law and some criminal defense. I started out my first two years as a Public Defender in Southwest Florida. I then opened my own solo firm and taught myself family law. I have now been prating for nine years. My firm, Coleman Law, LLC is Florida based and run virtually.
I pride myself on assessing my clients’ goals, preparing them for hearings/trials, reviewing evidence thoroughly, and researching to provide the best outcomes. I enjoy helping my clients navigate through the tough times in life and to feel empowered in the process.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
In law school we are taught to know everything. Not knowing something could result in bad outcomes or embarrassment. We are taught to put am immense amount of pressure on ourselves…but I have decided to opt out of that lifestyle.
What differentiates me from others in this field is that if I do not know something, I will simply state “I don’t know.” Now, this doesn’t mean I have not done the work. Sometimes though, there are nuances in the law or new areas that we don’t have set laws for. Therefore, when I let the Judge or a client know that I don’t have the answer, they respect what I have said…and we find solutions together.
This unlearning of perfection has actually helped me establish new case law in Florida. It was definitely a proud moment for me. It’s okay to not know, but it’s not okay to stop until you find an answer.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
In 2015, I determined I did not want to be a Public Defender any more. I told my Mom I was unhappy and I needed a change. I felt like I should move to Orlando (although I didn’t have a strong support system there). I had an aunt and a few friends who lived there, but nothing substantive. I had applied for jobs prior to moving. One job offered $20k. I figured I could make that much on my own. So, at 27 years old, I researched how to start a law firm (YouTube). I asked other colleagues with firms for advice. I then opened my business…and I thought that people would just show up because I was open. HA.
I went from crashing at my Aunt’s house, to moving out on my own when business picked up. I sat in the back of courtrooms in Orlando so I could get to know the Judges, and I was able to gain clients from being at the courthouse. I joined networking groups so I could stay sharp on my business pitches. It was a lot of hustling, meeting new people, and exercising faith daily. I wouldn’t imagine any other path, because it has lead to so many wonderful opportunities.
Contact Info:
- Website: colemanlaw.net
- Instagram: cai_lyfe
- Facebook: Caila A. Coleman
- Linkedin: Caila A. Coleman
- Twitter: cai_lyfe
- Youtube: Natural Legalista