> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.foundedbywomen.org/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Heather Adelman of Adelman Law on Understanding People in Employment Law - URL: https://www.foundedbywomen.org/women-who-lead/heather-adelman-of-adelman-law-on-understanding-people-in-employment-law/ - Published: 2026-10-21T11:32:15.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-21T11:32:15.000Z - Author: Editorial team - Tags: Women Who Lead Heather Adelman is a partner at [Adelman Law](https://www.adelman.legal/?ref=foundedbywomen.org), a firm providing strategic business and employment counsel. With more than 30 years of experience in employment law, she advises both employers and employees through some of the most consequential moments in the workplace. In this Q&A, Heather shares what has kept her practice interesting for three decades, how AI is set to reshape jobs and the law around them, and why understanding people is the most underrated skill in the field. Her perspective offers a practical look at how leaders and employees alike can navigate workplace change with clarity and empathy. > Know a founder (or are one) doing incredible work? **Founded by Women Awards** are open for entries. Showcase your story, gain visibility, and connect with a community of leaders. 👉 [foundedbywomen.org/awards](https://www.foundedbywomen.org/awards/) --- ### Q: What drew you to focus on employment and business law, and what keeps it interesting for you? I have practiced employment law for more than 30 years, and it has never stopped being interesting. The workplace is a microcosm of the world around us. Changes in the economy, in technology and in the way people relate to one another eventually show up at work. Employers have to respond, and employees have to decide what those changes mean for their careers and their lives. I value being able to work on both sides. I help employers make difficult decisions fairly, comply with the law and address problems before they grow. I also help employees through some of their most stressful professional moments, whether that means negotiating a separation package, reviewing an offer letter or helping them leave an unhappy workplace and move toward something better. Seeing both perspectives helps me understand what matters to each side and find a practical way forward. I have been fortunate to work with many clients and opposing counsel who want to do the right thing and help people land on their feet. ### Q: Where do you see employment law heading in the next few years, and what’s driving that shift? AI will be a major force in how jobs change. Some positions may disappear, new opportunities will emerge, and employers will have to make consequential decisions quickly. Employment lawyers will need to keep up with both the changing law and the human impact of those decisions. I have guided clients through recessions, reductions in force and the furloughs of the pandemic. Each period has presented a different set of challenges. As I often tell clients, “I don't have a crystal ball.” What I can promise is that I will help them understand their options, walk through each step with them and deal with what happens next. ### Q: What’s one underrated skill or mindset that makes someone effective in this field? Understanding people. No one calls me for the quick and easy questions. They call when the facts are complicated, emotions are high and the answer matters deeply to them. Good lawyering in those moments takes more than knowing the law. It takes listening carefully, reading the room, staying calm and knowing how to communicate with the person on the other side. At times, I feel like part employment attorney and part therapist. Empathy does not replace sound legal advice, but it often helps people hear that advice and move forward. Those human skills cannot be delegated to AI. We need to keep developing them ourselves and mentoring younger lawyers so that the art of taking care of clients is not lost. > Are you a woman leader with an inspiring story? Founded by Women elevates the voices of women making an impact. > Breaking barriers or paving the way for others? We'd love to feature you. Get in touch! 👉 [hi@foundedbywomen.org](mailto:hi@foundedbywomen.org)