Friendtoring and Other Lessons
From Working Towards Nine by Women Lawyers Association of Michigan
May 20, 2025 · 16 min · Season 2 · Episode 11
About this episode
Nicole Smithson interviews Bernadette Catalana about frendtoring and career lessons from her book.
In this episode, host Nicole Smithson speaks with attorneyand author Bernadette Catalana about frendtoring—peers functioning as mentors—and lessons that Bernadette shared in her book, Daughter Lessons. While it can be challenging to find a traditional mentor, everyone has people in their lives who act as wise advisers. Bernadette Catalana is the partner in charge of Thompson Coe’s New York office. She is a litigator focusing on mass torts, toxic exposure cases, and Child Victims Act claims. Bernadette wrote the book, Daughter Lessons , and she shares practice tips and career advice for lawyers and other working professionals in her “Mentoring Moments” series on LinkedIn. Nicole M. Smithson is the Oakland County Indigent Defense Services Office’s principal attorney for compliance with Standards 6 and 7. She is currently president of the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, creative director of the Working Towards Nine podcast, and co-chair of the National Association of Women Lawyers’ membership, growth, and engagement committee. Connect with Bernadette Catalana on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernadette-catalana-27057759/. Learn more about WLAM on our website and…
People in this episode
Host: Nicole Smithson
Guest: Bernadette Catalana
Topics covered
- mentoring
- career advice
- women in law
- peer support
- professional development
Keywords
- frendtoring
- mentorship
- lawyers
- career tips
- Daughter Lessons
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Women Lawyers Association of Michigan, Thompson Coe, National Association of Women Lawyers
Books & works: Daughter Lessons
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