The BOOKS

Susan Smith Blakely’s books are THE books for all young lawyers and those who lead them and mentor them. But her books are just the beginning.

Susan is a dynamic public speaker on the issues challenging ALL young lawyers in practice today. She speaks at law schools, law firms and law organizations throughout the country. She also consults to law firm managers and leaders on issues of retaining talent, and she provides individual and small group career counseling for young lawyers and law students. The Best Friends at the Bar project is one of a kind and is making a great contribution to the profession of law.

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The REVIEWS


Susan Blakely catches the zeitgeist in the legal profession; she has a knack for providing hard-headed advice and uplift, a tricky balance that she pulls off in style. I have had many of my students sing her praises, and her books are valuable resources for them and for women lawyers at all stages of their careers for years to come.

David Logan
Professor and Former Dean, Roger Williams University Law School

“What Millennial Lawyers Want: A Bridge from the Past to the Future of Law Practice” is a must-read for any law firm leader or attorney mentor looking to attract and retain the millennial workforce. Drawing from her personal and professional leadership experiences, Susan Blakely uses extensive research and storytelling techniques to describe how law firms can maximize the strengths that millennial lawyers bring to the practice of law. In doing so, she shares best practices on how to create a law firm culture where all generations can succeed together.”

Colleen Davies
Partner, Reed Smith LLP

Susan is a rare breed in our industry -- she not only talks about the challenges facing women, but she takes action to solve them. Her tireless pursuit and desire to create gender parity in law firms is unmatched. Her newest book, Top-Down Leadership for Women Lawyers, is a guide for both women lawyers and law firm leaders who share her passion -- personally and professionally -- for women's advancement in the legal industry.

Caren Ulrich Stacy
Founder, Legal Talent Lab & OnRamp Fellowship

“In her new book for millennial lawyers, Susan Blakely has made a fascinating connection between the search for job satisfaction by current-day millennial lawyers and the traditional values of the legal profession as exemplified by their WWII-era predecessors. This reconnection with the essence of the profession holds the hope that, with the efforts of Millennial Generation lawyers, that embrace can be greatly strengthened as they come to predominate our numbers.”

Andrew D. Ness
Partner, Jones Day

“Author (and former law partner) Susan Smith Blakely has gathered an extraordinary group of women and men for a no-nonsense, yet inspiring, look at what practicing law is really like for today’s lawyers. Any young lawyer who is thinking about (or navigating) a legal career can benefit from the wisdom in her books.”

Jezra Kaye
Be Your Own Advocate