Women in Trial Travel Summit: Redefining What It Means to Lead in Law & Life

Purpose, Possibility & Powerful Connections: A Conversation with Lauren Wood & Ray Lakhani

By Lauren Wood

Some podcast episodes inform you. Others affirm you. And then there are the rare ones that do both, while quietly challenging you to rethink how you’re showing up in your career and your life. That’s exactly how I felt sitting down with Ray Lakhani and Adam Warren on the Open N’ Raw Podcast.

This conversation didn’t feel like a standard “law podcast.” It was real, grounded, and deeply human. We talked about identity, leadership, connection, and the quiet courage it takes to do things differently, especially in a profession that doesn’t always make room for that.

From Trial Lawyer to Community Builder

My story starts where many high-achieving women’s stories do: success on paper, paired with the feeling that something was missing. As a trial attorney, I was doing the work, showing up, advocating fiercely, building a reputation. But traditional legal spaces weren’t offering what I, and so many other women, needed most: genuine connection, trust, and room to be fully ourselves. I believe those connections are needed to be better advocates for our clients, better moms and better partners.

I reached a point where I had a choice. Accept that as “just how it is,” or act on what I knew was missing.

So I acted.

That decision is what led to the creation of the Women in Trial Travel Summit, a space that feels more like a sisterhood than a conference. A place where women in trial law don’t just network, they connect. They don’t just exchange business cards, they share stories. They don’t just learn, they grow together.

Why WITTS Exists

WITTS is built on a simple but powerful idea: real relationships are formed through shared experiences. Not rushed introductions in conference halls. Not transactional networking. But time, presence, and proximity.

By blending legal education, international travel, and intentional community, WITTS creates an environment where women trial lawyers can connect as humans first and professionals second. The result is deeper trust, stronger referral networks, and relationships that extend far beyond the event itself.

This isn’t networking for networking’s sake. It’s connection with purpose.

Authenticity Over Image

One of the most important things I shared during the episode is how deeply I believe in authenticity. I don’t have a polished persona, and I don’t pretend to have all the answers. Building something meaningful required me to push against expectations, navigate vulnerability, and show up fully as myself in a profession that often rewards conformity.

Here’s what I know for sure: your humanity is not a liability. It’s your edge.

Success doesn’t come from playing a role. It comes from being trusted. And trust is built through honesty, consistency, and the courage to be real.

Leadership That Feels Sustainable

We also talked about something many women in law don’t talk about enough: burnout, balance, and sustainability. Building a law practice while creating a national community hasn’t been easy. I don’t pretend otherwise. What I do believe in is building systems and businesses that support your life, not just your resume. Leadership doesn’t have to mean exhaustion. Ambition doesn’t require self-abandonment. And success isn’t measured solely by revenue or recognition.

Sometimes, success looks like choosing alignment over approval.

Why Travel Changes Everything

Travel is central to WITTS for a reason. When you remove people from their daily environments and place them in shared, unfamiliar experiences, walls come down. Conversations deepen. Perspective shifts.

What might seem unconventional, earning legal education credits while traveling internationally, is actually strategic. Shared meals, new cities, and collective experiences create bonds that boardroom events never could.

In these spaces, women aren’t just talking about cases. They’re talking about fears, goals, growth, and what they want their careers to actually feel like. That’s where real community forms. And that’s where lasting professional relationships are built.

The Bigger Message

This conversation wasn’t just about a summit. It was about rewriting the rulebook that says lawyers have to burn out to be respected, sacrifice connection for success, or fit into a mold that doesn’t reflect who they truly are.

The work I do, both in the courtroom and through the Women in Trial Travel Summit, is about creating a different way forward. One rooted in connection over competition. Integrity over image. Presence over performance.

If you’re a woman in law who’s craving something more, more meaning, more alignment, more community, this is your sign.

You’re not imagining it. You’re not asking for too much. And you’re absolutely allowed to build it differently.

You can listen to the Open N' Raw Podcast anywhere you get your podcasts. Listen to Lauren Wood's podcast HERE.