Fireside Chat with Pauline Chan
- Prudence
- Jul 29
- 7 min read
July 29, 2025
“My voice without the lies, this is what it sounds like. Why did we cover up the colors stuck inside our head? Get up and let the jagged edges meet the light instead. Show me what's underneath, I'll find your harmony. Fearless and undefined, this is what it sounds like.”
These powerful lyrics from This Is What It Sounds Like, an empowering track from the animated movie K-Pop Demon Hunters (highly recommend, by the way!), beautifully echo the spirit of this month’s Equilawbrium Fireside Chat, featuring the one and only Pauline Chan.
We couldn’t be more thrilled to share this heartfelt conversation with Pauline. Whether she’s emceeing the Goodlawyer Future of Law Summit with unmatched flair as the Head of Lawyer Experience, championing the voices of women and lawyers of color, teaching yoga or barre with grounding grace, or brewing up her next business idea, Pauline exudes a magnetic warmth and energy that’s unforgettable. She’s the kind of person whose authenticity, infectious smile, big-heart energy, and uplifting presence will light up every room and make you feel like anything is possible.
Through candid reflections and thoughtful insights, Pauline reminds us that work-life harmony isn’t about chasing perfection but about crafting a life with intention, one that aligns with your values, even when it’s messy and bittersweet.
Get ready for a conversation that’s not only inspiring, but energizing, deeply human, and full of heart. Pauline’s journey is one to lean into, laugh with, and learn from.
Without further ado, let’s get started!
Part 1 - Introduction
Hi, my name is... Pauline Chan.
Year of call to the Bar: 2010.
Type of practice, your role, and where: Head of Lawyer Experience at Goodlawyer, Fractional General Counsel and Fractional Senior Legal Counsel.
How many children do you have? 2 boys, aged 10 & 7.
What do you do for self-care or stress relief? Exercise (barre, pilates, yoga, HIIT, I will try anything at least once, biking with the kids).
What would you do for work if you weren’t in the legal profession? Entrepreneur - lots of business ideas cooking in my head all of the time!
Part 2 - The first “Dual 10” Challenge: within the first 10 years post-license
Equilawbrium: Did you have a master plan for your career path? What was the driving force behind your career decisions? What are the important things to consider as you are figuring out your career path?
Pauline: Growing up, my parents encouraged me to find a stable job with a stable income. So they encouraged me to get into accounting. But it honestly sounded boring and not creative (sorry accountants)! And I knew I wasn’t going to be a doctor or engineer (didn’t interest me). Entrepreneurship would have been the opposite of what my parents wanted me to pursue.
I never had a master plan for my career. It has been a lot of trying things and figuring them out as I go. But because I didn’t have a strong idea of what I wanted, I was prone to getting pulled onto the BigLaw tracks, when I did OCIs before even my first day of law school!
I chose to become a lawyer to help people in a similar situation I found myself in in my mid-twenties: going through a divorce with someone who was both my partner and business partner. A lawyer helped me massively during that period, and I was driven to help others who found themselves in such a difficult spot.
I think the important things to consider when figuring out your career path are what you like and don’t like, but also what you’re naturally good at and not good at, and what the world needs. I believe in IKIGAI!
Equilawbrium: Please list one soft skill that contributed to where are you now and suggestions on how to cultivate it.
Pauline: Knowing that there are a million ways to say something, and that we need to learn how to say the same thing in different ways to fit the context. (i.e. the words you use and the tone of voice).
Finding the right mix can allow you to communicate better (be clearer), and make people allies, not enemies. It’s the difference between giving constructive feedback that is welcomed and criticism that leads to resentment and conflict.
There’s a Chinese saying “speaking like fish with bones.” What this means is that you sandwich the tough stuff between the good stuff. Being candid and honest but saying it in such a way that the other person can leave with their sense of pride intact.
Equilawbrium: Please list one hard skill that contributed to where are you now and suggestions on how to cultivate it.
Pauline: Language proficiency - whether that be English, Cantonese-Chinese, or music.
I cultivated it by immersing myself in it. I used to watch Chinese movies and shows with Chinese audio and Chinese and English subtitles. I listened to tons of Chinese music and karaoke. When I was learning the piano, I spent 2 hours per day playing, listening to music and watching other pianists. I taught piano for 12 years (starting at age 13), and this forced me to become a better player.
Part 3 - The second “Dual 10” Challenge: have kids in their first 10 formative years
Equilawbrium: How did you juggle work/life responsibilities? Is it possible to have a family life and a work life simultaneously and harmoniously?
Pauline: I think it is possible. But you need to design it intentionally. And you can’t do it alone. You have to have a partner who is interchangeable with you in every way.
And I want to emphasize that, even if it's possible, it won’t be perfect. It’s still messy, tiring and the most difficult job I’ve ever had. But I know it’s better than how it would have been had I not designed my life to operate in a harmonious way.
My partner Tavis and I share the load evenly. We divvy up responsibilities that better fit our schedules (for example, he can more easily do the school pickup). And we also think about modelling shared parenting to our children, so that they can see that men can do the cooking, and that mom can be the breadwinner.
Equilawbrium: Having walked the walk, what is the one parenting tip or trick that you wish you’d known?
Pauline: I wish I’d known (or had a better appreciation of) how fast kids grow up. There are many things that have happened that I didn’t know it would be the last time they’d ever do that.
My son used to sing me a long goodnight song that would almost start to drag on, and I’d be thinking “OK, wrap it up!” But one day, it stopped happening, and now I look back on it and miss it. I wish I could have recorded one of those moments (and more like it).
Equilawbrium: What is your fondest memory of your kids at this age?
Pauline: There are many, but this one comes to mind: Last year, after a big family trip to Asia, we spent 3.5 weeks glued together 24/7. It was challenging logistically, emotionally, and mentally. After we got home, I asked them “What was your favourite thing about this vacation?” And they answered, independent of one another, “spending time together with our family. Thank you Mommy and Daddy for giving us such a great life.” Cue the waterworks!
Part 4 - Achieving Equilawbrium: how to survive & rise from the “Dual 10” Challenges
"The biggest challenge is not knowing what the next challenge is. It’s like a pop quiz every day. And sometimes you know the subject, but most times you’re not prepared for it." – Pauline Chan
Equilawbrium: What was your biggest challenge going through the Dual 10 phase? Any advice for our readers who are living and breathing this phase and trying to survive and excel?
Pauline: The biggest challenge is not knowing what the next challenge is. It’s like a pop quiz every day. And sometimes you know the subject, but most times you’re not prepared for it. And your answers are expected to be practical, profound, broad, and deep.
Guiding kids' lives is a huge responsibility, and there are big questions. Like how do I teach my children about racism? So that the next time they’re faced with it at school, they can be an ally, stand up for themselves or educate others. It’s really hard, and all we can do is our best.
Equilawbrium: What is your take-home message for our readers who are trying to find their “equilawbrium”?
Pauline: To find your ‘equilawbrium,’ you must proactively seek it and intentionally build it. This likely means working with your partner and with your work.
And because life and work are always changing, that means your equilawbrium will also keep changing. Not just between different stages of life and career, but even just day to day. Once you’ve designed it intentionally, remember that it’s not going to be perfect. I like to aim for good enough! Just go with the flow.
Equilawbrium: What is the one-word encouragement/support that you would want us to remember?
Pauline: Bittersweet.
<<End of Fireside Chat with Pauline Chan>>
**A MILLION THANKS TO Pauline!!**
<<Pauline's Biography>>
Pauline Chan is the Head of Lawyer Experience and Lawyer-in-Residence at Goodlawyer, a technology company that is transforming how lawyers and businesses work together. Pauline brings 14+ years of experience as a corporate lawyer to a role that perfectly aligns with her passion for innovation in the legal sector and social justice. She is deeply committed to expanding access to legal services, particularly for founders from marginalized groups. She is also an entrepreneur, having run her own barre and yoga studio, giving her first-hand experience of what it takes to help a small business succeed.
Pauline’s role at Goodlawyer is more than leading our community of 140+ lawyers – it’s about redefining the experience of law for clients and legal professionals, ensuring a more accessible, diverse, and responsive legal environment. Pauline is leading the charge towards a more inclusive and forward-thinking legal future and is a frequent speaker at industry events.
Disclaimer: Any views, information, and personal opinions expressed by the authors or guests are entirely their own and do not reflect or represent those of their employers or clients.
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