We recently connected with Juliet Burgess and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Juliet, thanks for joining us today. Can you share a story about the kindest thing someone has done for you and why it mattered so much or was so meaningful to you?

My 9-year-old daughter will tell you that one of my favorite movies is the remake of Cinderella (2015) staring Lily James. I love this movie for many reasons but one of them is that early on in the film (as Cinderella’s beloved mother is on her death bed) she asks Cinderella to promise her she will always, “have courage and be kind.” Cinderella honors this promise, and despite the adversities she must overcome, she remains kind and courageous to animals, the underprivileged, and even those who are unkind to her. I repeat this motto to myself and to my three children when we find ourselves or those we care about
struggling.

One example that is close to my heart stems from the tragedy of September 11, 2001. During my first semester of law school at American University, my beloved Uncle Robert Speisman, came to Washington, DC for business and took myself and my cousin to dinner. In the morning, he boarded American Airlines flight 77 heading to California for work. Hours later my cousin received the terrible news that her father’s plane had been hijacked by the 9/11 terrorists and that he was killed when they crashed his flight into the U.S. Pentagon. My cousin and I called the airlines, spoke with our families, packed our bags, and immediately left DC in a car to NY. All flights were grounded, the roads were being shut behind us, and we saw American flags at every toll booth and home we passed.

When I eventually returned to law school, the outpouring of support, friendship, and genuine kindness I received from my professors and classmates amazed me and is something I will always remember. People I had only met the very week before went out of their way to share their coveted study guides with me and catch me up on everything I had missed. To this day, many of these special people still reach out to me on the anniversary of 9/11 to let me know that even though it has been 20 years, they have not forgotten that day or my family. Kindness is a magic–even in the darkest of times it helps light the way for everyone involved.

Juliet, 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?

After a decade of successfully practicing labor and employment law and commercial litigation in the Phoenix offices of leading international firms, I launched my boutique practice in 2016 as a way to continue providing my clients with practical cost-effective legal guidance on sensitive workplace issues, but in a modern flexible way that allowed me to drive my kids to school, pick them up from sports practices, co-lead my daughter’s girl scouts troop, serve on non-profit boards and chair meaningful events for the community.

In my practice I strategize, collaborate, and counsel human resources professionals, business leaders, and executive level employees, on labor and employment law issues, including state and federal paid sick leave and family leave requirements, OSHA safety and infectious disease prevention requirements, wage and overtime compliance, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, hiring and termination practices, employment policies and handbooks, etc.

I am also proud to share that over the past few years, The Burgess Law Group has grown tremendously and now includes my highly esteemed partners (Todd Burgess, Emily Craiger, Janel Glynn, and Lindsi Weber), an incredibly talented staff (Dana Troy and Angie Renteria), as well as contract attorneys, interns, and summer associates enabling us to provide personalized legal services in the areas of labor and employment, corporate restructuring, commercial bankruptcy, business litigation, and creditors rights.

At the Burgess Law Group, we firmly believe that local businesses are the heart and soul of a city, and we are proud to be a part of this amazing community of entrepreneurs and artists. Indeed, many of the local small businesses we frequently visit as customers are also clients of the firm. Additionally, we are passionate about demonstrating to the next generation that they do not have to choose between having a successful career and spending time with their family. With creativity, grit, and grace–they can (and should) have it all!   We are proud to share that the Arizona Womens Lawyer Association agrees with us and in 2021 gave the firm special recognition as the “All in for Women” award recipient.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

In the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, “do not go where the path may lead. go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

These words resonate with me because I grew up believing that if I trained hard as a dancer and competitive gymnast and, later, that if I worked hard as a law student and as an associate at a big firm, I would be guaranteed success. In other words, stay the course and all will be worth it in the end. As an entrepreneur though, I have discovered that the very opposite can be true as well. Each time I have followed my intuition and taken a risk I have learned that when we write our own journey the process can be just as rewarding (if not more so) than the finished product itself. Sometimes, when we use our own creativity to shape our personal and professional lives, the end result is even better than if we had played it safe!

As an attorney, philanthropist, and mother, I don’t know where my trail will ultimately lead. But I can say with integrity, that I have loved the process of collaborating with inspirational individuals and building a business based on my deeply held value that the next generation of women (and men) should find it easier to balance having a career and a family because of the work we are doing today. I work hard to model to my three children that although you should always try your personal best, it is also OK (and actually sometimes wonderful) to change your mind, try new things, and ultimately enjoy the journey, regardless of the final destination.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I think the word “pivot” has mixed connotations post-pandemic, but I am a big believer in “evolution.” As a dear friend and mentor of mine once shared, we are all writing our own books–the unpublished stories of our lives! For me, one of the most impactful things I have learned in the chapters I have lived through so far is that women are stronger together and that when I work with inspired, intentional, creative individuals and groups of people– I learn, I love, and I live the best version of myself.

For example, when my son was born in 2010, I had mixed feelings about returning to work. I joined the Board of a local non-profit, Angel Mamas dedicated to supporting mothers going through times of crisis needing physical and emotional support. I eventually Co-Chaired the organization’s “Wings of Love” fundraiser and connected with many special women who I am still close with. After my daughter was born in 2013, I helped with a book drive and was asked to join the Board of the Phoenix Public Library where I worked with  community leaders to fundraise for programs such as kindergarten bootcamp that has benefited over 600 5-year olds, and college depot where an estimated 12,000 adults continue their education annually. This inspired me to Co-Chair the Jewish National Fund’s Women for Israel luncheon, raising record numbers of money, featuring inspirational women, such as Paralympic gold medalist Keren Lebowitz, and bringing together women of all ages and backgrounds to help others.

The next year, just as the pandemic was beginning, I co-founded an entity known as the Aggregate to support, connect, and inspire women in the law including over 70 prominent members of the Arizona legal community ranging from non-profit directors, managing shareholders of international firms, in-house attorneys, professors of law, and boutique practitioners, as well as the Sandra Day O’Connor School of Law at ASU.  The Aggregate offered continuing legal education credit and partnered with local female-owned businesses to elevate our “Stronger Together” mission at a time when women were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.

This work connected me to the Arizona Foundation for Women whose mission is to improve the safety, health, and economic empowerment of women in Arizona, where I serve on their Board of Directors, as a Champion for their She Leads mentorship program, and recently Co-Chair of the organization’s 25th Anniversary Silver Soiree where we raised over $330,000 for women in Arizona who need it most.

As I continue to write my story, I know that I will continue to grow as a person and that encourages me to appreciate the past, live in the present, and look forward to the future. I am grateful for the incredible women and men I have worked with in each chapter so far. I know we will continue to evolve individually and as a community.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.theburgesslawgroup.com
• Instagram: @juliet.burgess
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliet-burgess-ab4216133/
• Other: www.afw.org

Image Credits
Colleen Katz, Pictures In Pixels Leland Gebhardt Photography Cat Ford-Coates Maui Family Photographer Michelle Sullivan Moreau