Elise Holtzman left Big Law to raise her children, without a clear roadmap for what came next. Now she’s a leadership coach and founder of The Lawyer’s Edge, helping lawyers build confidence, develop business skills, and grow professionally. In this episode, Elise shares the mindset shifts that led her from practicing law to coaching those still in the field.
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Elise Holtzman began her career in commercial real estate law at a prestigious New York firm. But after practicing for several years, she made the decision to step away from Big Law to stay home with her young children. At the time, she wasn’t sure what would come next, only that she needed a change from the long hours and rigid expectations of corporate legal life.
“I had one kid, it was the middle of summer, it was 100 degrees in the kitchen… and I was just dripping with sweat and wondering, how did I get here?" shares Elise Holtzman on You Are A Lawyer.
That crossroads led Elise to become a certified executive coach. Today, she’s the founder and CEO of The Lawyer’s Edge, a company that supports law firms through business development and leadership training. She also hosts The Lawyer’s Edge Podcast and has built a successful career helping other lawyers grow in ways law school never prepared them for.
Elise admits that law school wasn’t a lifelong dream—it was a logical next step. Like many high-achieving students, she saw it as a way to keep options open, leverage her academic strengths, and pursue a prestigious profession. Once there, she enjoyed the intellectual challenge, but didn’t feel a strong sense of calling toward traditional practice.
“I went to law school for the same reason that a lot of people do — because I could" reflects Elise Holtzman on Episode 210 of You Are a Lawyer.
While she found success in the legal field, Elise never truly felt like she had found her fit. It wasn’t until she became a mother and took time away from practice that she began to explore other possibilities. That break gave her the distance, and clarity, to rethink what she really wanted to do.
For Elise, a law degree isn’t just for courtroom arguments or corporate contracts. It’s a foundation for critical thinking, structured communication, and professional credibility. These skills translated seamlessly into her work as a coach and entrepreneur. She now helps lawyers build business acumen and leadership confidence, areas that law school rarely addresses.
“You come out of law school and you don’t know anything about being a leader. You don’t know anything about running a business," shared Elise Holtzman on Episode 210 of You Are a Lawyer.
Elise believes lawyers are uniquely equipped to lead, but often lack the support and training to do so effectively. Her career proves that legal skills can be applied in powerful ways outside the billable hour model, especially when combined with empathy, strategy, and vision.
What began as a curiosity became a calling. Elise explored executive coaching and soon realized she could use her background in law to serve other lawyers. That side interest eventually became The Lawyer’s Edge, which she now runs full-time, offering coaching programs, firm-wide trainings, and a popular podcast.
“I didn’t set out to start a business. I set out to help people,” Elise Holtzman shares in Episode 210 of You Are a Lawyer.
Elise’s story shows how side projects can evolve into full-fledged careers. By paying attention to what energized her, and what drained her, she built a business that supports both her clients and her life. She encourages other lawyers to give themselves permission to try something new, even if it starts small.
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Elise is licensed to practice in New York and New Jersey
Kyla Denanyoh hosts the You Are A Lawyer podcast.
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