Paula Edgar | Engage Your Hustle!

Paula T. Edgar Esq. is Principal of PGE, LLC – a boutique speaking, coaching and consulting firm. The firm provides innovative and strategic solutions on career management, executive/leadership development, diversity efforts, higher educational outreach and retention programs, intercultural competence initiatives, networking and social media strategy.

She is a well sought after speaker in the areas of networking, branding, social media, leadership and diversity. Paula moves audiences with her motivational and inspirational speeches, workshops and seminars. Gatherings, both large and small, of attendees from a variety of industries including the legal profession, higher education and corporate diversity settings, have all benefited from her directive to “engage your hustle!™”

For more than a decade, Paula has demonstrated leadership in the areas of diversity and inclusion, issues related to students of color and the legal diversity pipeline. Currently active with a number of organizations and social justice initiatives, she serves as the President-Elect of the Metropolitan Black Bar Association, the immediate past Chair of the Diversity Pipeline Initiatives Committee and member of the Enhance Diversity in the Profession Committee at the New York City Bar Association and she is an active member of the New York State Bar Association. Paula was also a 2015 Council of Urban Professionals (CUP) Fellow.

Her professional experiences include serving as the inaugural Chief Diversity Officer at New York Law School, the Associate Director of Career Services and member of the Diversity Council at Seton Hall University School of Law, and as the Executive Director of Practicing Attorneys for Law Students Program, Inc. (PALS), a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing diversity in the legal profession and providing mentoring, academic support, and networking opportunities to law students and junior attorneys of color. Prior to working at PALS, Paula practiced in the Law Enforcement Division of the New York City Commission on Human Rights.

Paula received her B.A. in Anthropology from the California State University (Fullerton) and her J.D. from the City University of New York School of Law.

Paula has been recognized by The Network Journal Magazine as a “40 Under Forty” Achievement Awardee, as Ms. JD’s “Woman of Inspiration” and as was honored by Lawyers of Color Inc. in the first annual “2013 Lawyers of Color Hot List.” She also received the Distinguished Alumni award from the Black Law Students Association at CUNY Law School and the Ruth Whitehead Whaley Service Award by the Association of Black Women Attorneys (ABWA).

Paula Edgar is spirited, smart, witty and inspiring. She served as a featured keynote speaker at the Inaugural National Diversity Pre-Law Conference and Law Fair in Washington, DC. She spoke on the topic of “What is Your Why?” and provided sage advice to our audience of diverse pre-law students from all over the country. What most impressed me was that she didn’t come to speak and then leave. What was unusual is that she stuck around and spent quality time getting to know many of the aspiring lawyers in attendance after her actual speech and well beyond. Her dedication and genuine interest in our attendees spoke volumes. I’m excited about having her back and working with her at future diversity events and efforts.

Evangeline M. Mitchell, Esq., Ed.M.Marketing Founder & President, National Pre-Law Diversity Initiatives, Inc. Houston, Texas

Paula Edgar has been a regular panelist and speaker for the New York City Bar Association. She always brings a great energy to whatever topic she is speaking on, and fully engages the audience. She is an expert in social media, especially LinkedIn and Twitter, as she spoke to a captive audience about those platforms specifically at our 2014 Boot Camp: Basic Training for Lawyers. Paula is honest and fun, so her talks never seem like work, and she inspires people to use the tools she so adeptly teaches. Paula is an enthusiastic supporter of the City Bar and is also dedicated to student development and mentoring. I highly recommend Paula as a consultant and/or speaker.

Arlene BeinDirector of Membership & Marketing at New York City Bar Association

Paula Edgar is a wonderful speaker. She addresses real issues that we face both in our firms and in our own daily lives. At a Ted Talk-style presentation Paula conducted for our chapter this past summer, she fully engaged the audience with her frank, interactive and compelling style. Her discussion of the importance of inclusion was right on point and very thought provoking. She has been added to our speaker list and we hope to have her address our chapter again in the future.

Jenniffer A. BrownVP, New York City Chapter Association of Legal Administrators (ALANYC) Chair, Diversity & Inclusion Committee

Paula is fantastic! She spoke to Harvard Law Students in November (2015) about social media — why it matters, how to use it, and how to leverage it to build a network and a career. She was engaging, funny, and thoughtful, and she provided our students with concrete steps they could take to build and improve their professional on line presence. Paula’s insights and style are great for students and for practicing lawyers trying to build up their network and business development skills. I would definitely have Paula come back to campus.

Margie BooneAssistant Director and Director of Professional Development, Harvard Law School

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