Creating a Women-Owned Firm with Culture at the Center: Shira Katz Scanlon

Welcome to another episode of Trial by Fire, hosted by Julia Hensel. Trial by Fire is a podcast featuring women across the legal industry who stepped into ownership, built influential businesses and practices, and created careers on their own terms. In this episode, Shira Katz Scanlon shares her journey from law student to founding shareholder of a successful women-owned law firm. Shira explains how an unexpected shift away from psychology led her to law, why she and her partner decided to build a firm of their own, and how a practice that began with two lawyers and one assistant grew into a larger team over more than a decade. She also shares why culture and intentionality have been central to the firm from the beginning, what she learned about running a business without formal business training, and how the partners have developed roles that reflect their individual strengths. Shira discusses her work as president of Women-Owned Law, the importance of creating stronger support systems for women in the legal profession, and her belief that the next generation should have an easier path to leadership and ownership. 00:00 Introduction to Shira Katz Scanlon and Her Legal Journey 01:59 Deciding to Become a Lawyer and Early Influences 04:12 Founding the Firm and Growing Over 14 Years 05:54 Building a Culture Around Intentionality and Flexibility 08:03 Early Challenges and Learning How to Run a Business 10:01 Organic Growth and Expanding the Team 12:02 Partner Roles, Collaboration, and Firm Management 15:01 Women-Owned Law and Building Community for Women in Law 17:06 Supporting Women and Creating Stronger Professional Networks 19:01 Gender Bias, Microaggressions, and Women in the Legal Profession 25:10 Finding Her Place in Family Law and Focusing on Client Needs 28:32 Work-Life Balance, Boundaries, and Being the “Laptop Mom” 31:57 Advice for Women Considering Starting Their Own Firm About Shira Katz Scanlon Shira Katz Scanlon is a founding shareholder of Martine, Katz Scanlon & Schimmel, a women-owned law firm with offices in Cherry Hill, Philadelphia, and Princeton. After initially planning to pursue psychology, Shira found her way to law and later to family law, where her empathy and ability to help clients make difficult decisions proved to be a strong fit. Only a few years into practice, she and her partner launched their own firm with a clear goal of creating a culture built around flexibility, collaboration, and the ability to have a meaningful life outside of work. Over the past 14 years, Shira has helped grow the firm from two lawyers and one assistant into a larger team of attorneys and staff. She is also the president of Women-Owned Law, where she supports women across the legal industry who are interested in ownership, leadership, and entrepreneurship. Her approach to firm ownership is rooted in intentional culture, strong partnerships, authenticity, and creating a clearer path for the women coming up behind her. About Julia Hensel Julia Hensel is the host of Trial by Fire and the CEO of both Lexigate and Repspert, two companies built around helping law firms grow and thrive. She spends her days thinking about what makes a practice succeed, from the business side to the people behind it, and that work has given her a deep admiration for the women who take ownership. That admiration is what sparked this podcast. Trial by Fire is her space to sit down with women across the legal industry, hear their stories, and celebrate the grit, wisdom, and courage it takes to build something on your own terms. Subscribe for more conversations with women who are leading, building, and redefining success in the legal industry. #TrialByFire #WomenInLaw #WomenLawyers #WomenAttorneys