Karla McKenzie

I attribute my success to doing work that truly matters to me and to building things that actually work for people. A mentor once told me not to focus on climbing a ladder, but on the impact of what you're creating. Titles come and go. If you're doing great work and building something meaningful, everything else follows. I've been fortunate to find work that keeps me grounded. At Children's Hospital, I was a parent of two young kids, I knew exactly what it felt like to sit with fear while contemplating life-saving procedures for your child. That lived experience shaped how I communicated. I understood what might bring a scared family even a moment of reassurance, and I brought that into everything I built. That kind of connection is what refills my tank. Because burnout is real and I've definitely felt it. But I've learned to stop measuring every season by the same standard. Some seasons I'm thriving. Some seasons I'm just holding it all together. Both are valid. And knowing the difference is its own kind of wisdom.

The best career advice I ever received came from a mentor who reframed everything: stop chasing the ladder. Every role, every campaign, every strategy is about building something that actually works for people. The title isn't the point. When you're doing great work and building great things, the recognition follows — on its own timeline, not the one we were told to expect. Our generation was handed a neat staircase map, but careers rarely move in straight lines. Do your best work. That's the whole strategy. Everything else will come.

My advice is to learn to evolve. In a field being reshaped by artificial intelligence, adaptability isn't just useful - it's a superpower. But evolving doesn't mean surrendering your judgment to the tools. It means understanding why you do the work, not just how. AI can automate a task; it cannot replace a person who thinks critically, connects authentically, and brings their own point of view into the room. Invest in yourself. Develop a perspective. And if big law is where you want to go, go in clear-eyed because there will be seasons of real sacrifice. Work-life balance is something I value deeply, and I've also learned that some chapters simply require more of you. That's the reality of the environment, and accepting it frees you to show up fully when it counts. What has sustained me at a firm like Cooley isn't just output. It's how I work: with kindness, with collaboration, with follow-through. I give time to my kids and prioritize my family, and I'm also someone who meets every deadline and gets things done. People notice that combination.

In a field as high-stakes as law, staying current isn't optional - you have to know your market, watch your competitors, and track how people find and consume information. That landscape is shifting constantly, and being the person responsible for shaping that experience is meaningful work, even when it's demanding and challenging. The bigger shift, though, is AI. It's changing everything. And what it can't change is the need for authentic human connection. In a field built on trust, that emotional dimension isn't a soft skill., it's the differentiator.

At the core of everything is authenticity. I want the work I do and the way I show up — professionally and personally — to actually mean something. That starts with integrity: doing what I say I'll do, treating people with kindness, and never losing sight of the human on the other side of whatever I'm building. I also deeply value growth. I'm always pushing myself to evolve, to stay curious, and to understand not just what I'm doing but why. And grounding all of it is family. Being present for my kids, even in the middle of a demanding career, reminds me what the work is ultimately for. When those things are aligned, that's when I feel like I'm truly thriving.