Influential Woman · Legal Services
Sharla J. Frost
Owner, Keynote Speaker and Author, Sharla J. Frost, Attorney at Law
Houston, TX 77005
Her Story
About Sharla
For Sharla J. Frost, life has never been about reaching a destination. It has been about recognizing when it's time to write the next chapter.
Attorney, keynote speaker, author, and entrepreneur, Frost has spent more than three decades building a career defined by leadership, resilience, and reinvention. After earning her law degree from Baylor Law School, she established a nationally recognized litigation practice and became one of the country's leading trial lawyers in asbestos litigation. In 2020, she made the uncommon decision to broaden an already successful legal career, not by leaving the law behind, but by expanding it into a multifaceted entrepreneurial platform.
Today, she maintains an active legal practice while also serving as a consultant, mediator, expert witness, author, keynote speaker, and business strategist. Drawing on the lessons of the courtroom, the boardroom, and the stage, she helps professionals and organizations navigate change, build meaningful relationships, develop business, and lead with confidence and authenticity.
That willingness to embrace reinvention has become the hallmark of Frost's career. Whether advising clients, speaking to business leaders, or writing her next book, she is known for translating experience into practical wisdom. She believes preparation creates confidence, authentic relationships create opportunity, and resilience transforms setbacks into new beginnings. Her message is simple: success is rarely about starting over. It is about building on everything you've learned to create what comes next.
Frost is the author of the Power At The Table series for professionals and entrepreneurs and the Frogville: Quest children's fantasy series, reflecting her belief that leadership, courage, and character are lessons worth cultivating at every stage of life. Although her audiences range from attorneys and executives to entrepreneurs and young readers, the underlying message remains the same: every person has the ability to grow, lead, and write a meaningful next chapter.
Frost remains deeply committed to professional excellence and community service. She is a Fellow of the American Board of Trial Advocates and a past President of the Litigation Counsel of America. She serves on the Foundation Board of Southeastern Oklahoma State University and the Board of the Recreate Fort Towson Foundation, and previously chaired the Oklahoma Southeast Economic Development Organization.
As she often reminds audiences, "Every chapter teaches us something. The real question isn't whether life will change. It will. The question is whether we're willing to use what we've learned to write a better next chapter."
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Sharla
01What do you attribute your success to?
While persistence and a willingness to embrace opportunity have played an important role in my career, I have always believed my greatest advantage began much earlier. I was blessed with wonderful parents and a happy childhood that instilled values, confidence, curiosity, and resilience. Those lessons became the foundation upon which every professional achievement has been built, and they continue to guide me today.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I have ever received was simple: keep moving forward. Every career includes setbacks, unexpected detours, and moments of uncertainty. What matters is the willingness to stay focused, remain resilient, and continue taking the next step. Looking back, I have found that perseverance has often been the difference between temporary obstacles and lasting opportunities.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering the legal profession is to prepare yourself well, work hard, and never stop learning. Look for opportunities to contribute, even when they seem just beyond your comfort zone, because that's where confidence is built. Invest in relationships, keep your word, and treat everyone with professionalism and respect. Over time, your reputation will become one of your greatest assets. Don't spend your career waiting for permission. Prepare yourself so well that when opportunity comes, you're ready to make a meaningful contribution.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The legal profession is evolving rapidly, creating tremendous opportunities for those willing to adapt and continue learning. Artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies are making lawyers more efficient in areas such as research, document review, and case preparation, but they cannot replace sound judgment, strategic thinking, or the ability to build trusted relationships.
Technology will continue to change how we practice law, but it will never change why clients choose one lawyer over another. The greatest opportunities belong to attorneys who embrace innovation while continuing to invest in preparation, integrity, communication, and service.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that guide both my professional and personal life are integrity, service, lifelong learning, and investing in people. I believe experience carries an obligation to give something back. Whether I'm working with a client, speaking to an audience, mentoring a colleague, or serving my community, I hope to leave people better informed, more confident, and better prepared for whatever comes next. To me, success isn't measured only by what we accomplish ourselves, but by the opportunities we help create for others.
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