2023 Becoming Series

“Law Mamas and Work-Life Balance”

The PBA Young Lawyers Division is proud to present Becoming: Law Mamas and Work Life Balance. Hear from our distinguished panel about their path to success, some of the obstacles they have overcome, and the advice they think will help make you a successful government attorney representing the Commonwealth and its various agencies.

Work-life balance can be hard to achieve, especially when you are building your family, as you are building your practice as a young lawyer and mother. In this installment of the Becoming series, panelists at various stages of their legal careers and family building phases, will discuss strategies for success that young lawyers can employ as they build their families and their practices. This panel focuses on the unique perspectives of lawyer moms, which may also be useful to young lawyer dads. Learn what worked for these Law Mamas and what did not.

The panel included:

  • Lawyer Mom of College-Age Son: Tyesha Miley, PBA Zone 1 delegate; Bar Leadership Institute alum; past chair, PBA Minority Bar Committee; Governor’s Office of General Counsel, Department of State
  • Lawyer Mom of School-Age Children: Ana Paulina Gomez, chief counsel, Pennsylvania Health Insurance Exchange Authority (Pennie); adjunct professor, Penn State Dickinson Law; treasurer, PA Supreme Court Continuing Legal Education Board; co-chair, PBA Insurance Staff Attorney Committee; co-chair, PBA Government Lawyer Committee
  • Lawyer Mom of School-Age Children: Maraleen Shields, co-chair, WIP Diversity Subcommittee; shareholder, Fitzpatrick Lentz & Bubba PC; assistant solicitor, City of Bethlehem
  • Lawyer Mom of 12-Year-Old Daughter: Su Ming Yeh, co-chair, PBA Minority Bar Committee; executive director, PA Institutional Law Project
  • Lawyer Mom of Preschool Children: Mariane Gardner, YLD Liaison to PBA Minority Bar Committee; law clerk