Cold Calls, Courage, and the Big Law Pivot Redefining Lawyer Growth
In this episode of Lawyers Who Learn (#111), Megan Senese reflects on her journey from Big Law business development to co-founding stage, and how that transition reshaped her understanding of what attorneys actually need to grow.
For years, Megan worked in business development roles at major firms including Pillsbury, Shearman & Sterling (now A&O Shearman), and McDermott Will & Emery. From the outside, it appeared that lawyers had access to every tool for success. After leaving Big Law and building stage, a different reality became clear. Attorneys began sharing the real challenges they were facing, including persistent pressure, unclear paths for growth, and a lack of individualized support. In many cases, these were the same struggles Megan had experienced herself but had not fully recognized at the time.
That insight became the foundation for stage, a model built to deliver fractional marketing and business development support tailored to how individual lawyers actually work. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, stage adapts strategy to the attorney. This might mean leaning into conferences for a client-facing energy lawyer or building a content strategy for someone who prefers to avoid traditional networking environments.
Megan also shares practical frameworks that have shaped her approach to both business development and communication. One is “the most generous interpretation,” a concept borrowed from Dr. Becky Kennedy, which reframes how attorneys respond to silence, rejection, or unanswered emails. Another comes from Dan Pink’s work on motivation, emphasizing that moving people, helping them see and feel something, is more effective than traditional selling.
Her own outreach stories reinforce this philosophy. A cold message to LinkedIn’s CMO resulted in an immediate yes. A direct pitch led to her conversation with host David Schnurman. Her approach is consistent: slow down, understand what someone actually needs, and connect in a way that serves their interests first.
The episode also highlights Megan’s personal evolution. Once unsure she would ever leave a traditional legal career path, she ultimately stepped into entrepreneurship and co-founded a growing firm. A small but meaningful moment, a calendar reminder from her partner reading “IDEA - don’t be nervous,” became a turning point in that transition.
At its core, Megan’s story is about redefining success in law, building a career that is both sustainable and aligned with how you actually want to work, rather than how you are expected to.
By Jennifer Ramsey & Megan Senese