Navigating Your Own Path: Lessons from Sara Kaplan-Khodorovsky's Journey to Legal Advocacy
“The advice I would give to my younger self is definitely, ‘Do not pay any attention or give any headspace to people’s opinions or expectations of you.’”
That is the wisdom Sara Kaplan-Khodorovsky, Esq. with Green Savits, LLC - Employee Rights Advocates shared with us recently. “I think it’s hard to have that skill when we’re young. We somehow think we’re limited by other peoples’ projections or opinions. But I have found that those projections and those opinions have nothing to do with us and are a part of the other person's story, not yours.’
"That realization had been really critical for me in branching and developing my own practice in a very niche area." Sara speaks of her growing legal practice fighting for Long Term Disability, pension, and other employee benefits on behalf of her clients.
“After law school, I was fulfilling my law clerk obligations and someone asked me what kind of law I wanted to practice. ‘Insurance Law.’ They affirmed, ‘If you are backing large insurance companies, you’ll find work easily.’ I responded, no, I want to fight those insurance companies. I want to represent human beings, not corporations.’
It was a tight market when I completed my law clerkship but I found a job doing pretty much exactly what I wanted to do. Now I have had the opportunity to develop a practice that is unique to me while being grateful for those who have nurtured and continue to support my goals. The take-home message is, disregard others’ expectations. If you have a fire in the pit of your stomach to do something, pursue it.”
“My childhood did play into my career choice. I grew up a child of a single parent. It always seemed to me as though the little person, the one who needs the most help, was the one getting knocked down. Because of that, I developed a kind of anti-establishment tendency. I wanted to help people not get knocked down. If I am being honest, I also think I became a lawyer in part to prove myself because I came from this kind of a background.” Now, she says, it is about giving back.
“The proudest moment for me is when I get to call a client, who may not know how they will make ends meet, and tell them the good news. To say, ‘We won,’ is the best part of my job. There’s nothing like it for me. You can’t write a better story. It’s so great, championing people who need it most and are so courageous and deserving." Sara is living her advice.
"I hate taking pictures and hate what I look like in them, but I think that has changed since Alissa took my headshot. She tells you how to pose, how to hold your face, how to tilt your head; details about smoothing your clothing. It was a great experience. Having headshots with Alissa at All About Headshots is top-tier self-care."‘
Thank you, Sara, for sharing your journey with us.