Women in Law: Partnership & Motherhood: How to Succeed in Law & Life

In this International Women’s Day special, we’re celebrating leadership, resilience, and the realities of building a high-performing career while raising a family.In this episode, I’m joined by Olivia Ngan, partner at Sidley Austin in Hong Kong, to talk about navigating motherhood, ambition, and leadership in one of the world’s most demanding professions.Olivia’s story is remarkable. She had three pregnancies and three promotions, including a promotion to counsel after returning from maternity leave with four children under five. Throughout our conversation, she shares how resilience, strong support networks, and a positive mindset helped her navigate high-stakes deals, family responsibilities, and leadership at a global law firm.We talk about why work-life balance is often unrealistic, and why work-life integration or “fusion” is a more accurate way to think about modern leadership and family life. Olivia also shares her non-negotiables for wellbeing, how she maintains high performance under pressure, and the mindset shifts that help her reframe challenges rather than being overwhelmed by them.This conversation is a powerful reminder, especially on International Women’s Day, that leadership doesn’t have one path, and that ambition, family, and resilience can coexist.If you’re a lawyer, executive, founder, or working parent navigating career growth and family life, this episode offers a refreshing perspective on priorities, resilience, and redefining success on your own terms.Timestamps0:00 – Introduction2:01 – Olivia’s international career journey into law5:20 – Becoming a mother while building a demanding legal career10:02 – Four kids under five: navigating family and promotions15:30 – Why motherhood doesn’t have to limit career progression17:07 – Non-negotiables for wellbeing, parenting, and leadership22:28 – Leadership advice for women pursuing partnership29:08 – Work-life balance vs work-life integration36:12 – Cultural differences across global legal careers47:45 – Resilience: failing, standing up, and growing strongerWhat We Cover• How Olivia navigated three pregnancies and three promotions• Why support networks are essential for working parents• The concept of work-life integration instead of work-life balance• How resilience helps leaders navigate pressure and setbacks• Why building a career is a long game of trust and consistency• The mindset shift that helps high performers reframe challenges• Why leadership should be judged on merit, not gender• The importance of role modeling work ethic for the next generation• How fitness, routine, and discipline support long-term successKey Takeaways• Resilience is built through falling down and getting back up repeatedly.• Career growth and family life are not mutually exclusive.• A strong support network is essential to sustain high performance.• Work-life balance is often unrealistic; work-life integration is more practical.• Leadership should be measured by merit and contribution, not circumstance.• Showing children strong work ethic can be as powerful as being present.• Positive reframing helps leaders stay focused during difficult moments.• Success is a long-term game of consistency, trust, and dedication.Guest ResourcesOlivia Ngan – Sidley Austin Profile: https://www.sidley.com/en/people/n/ngan-oliviaOlivia Ngan on LinkedIn: https://hk.linkedin.com/in/olivia-ngan-b5281325Connect With Me🌍 Website: https://charlenegisele.com📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/charlenegisele💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlène-gisèle-bourliout/✉️ Subscribe to my Life Less Burnt Out NewsletterIf this episode resonated with you, share it with someone navigating leadership, parenthood, and ambition at the same time.