The ELLA Leadership Program is designed to support high-potential attorneys working in law firms and in-house legal departments. This six-month professional development experience is tailored for attorneys with approximately four to ten years of experience, a pivotal stage where leadership opportunities emerge and the advancement gap for attorneys tends to widen. During this critical window, attorneys seeking to advance must be strategic and intentional in their approach, developing the tactical skills, visibility, and awareness that position them for future leadership opportunities. The ELLA program equips attorneys at this stage with culturally grounded leadership development programming and coaching support, helping them to enhance and advance their professional careers.

As highlighted in the law review article Still Too Few & Far Between:  The Status of Latina Lawyers in the U.S., Latina attorneys remain significantly underrepresented in leadership roles across all sectors of the legal profession, especially as law firm partners and senior corporate counsel. ELLA was created to meet attorneys at this critical point with the awareness, strategies, and support to help them take greater ownership of their careers.

The program combines culturally grounded leadership workshops, small group executive coaching, and peer accountability to help participants build confidence, increase visibility, and take a more intentional approach to their career growth. Participants gain greater clarity about their leadership path, develop their presence both within their organizations and across the profession, and begin to define the kind of leader they want to become and how to move in that direction.

The program provides a holistic approach to leadership development, incorporating in-person and virtual workshops, small group executive coaching, and peer accountability. These elements work together to empower participants, fostering confidence, self-advocacy, business development, executive presence, business awareness, authenticity, fulfillment, and overall well-being. Participants can take control of their own career trajectory by:

• gaining clarity on what truly matters;
• recognizing and shedding what hinders their progress; and
• building lasting connections with peers equally invested in growth and leadership

Early and mid-career attorneys in law firms and corporate legal departments with approximately four to ten years of experience who are looking to grow as leaders, elevate their presence, and build a sustainable and fulfilling career—whether they are on the partnership track, pursuing senior in-house roles, or exploring their next step.

 Jill Lynch Cruz, Ph.D., PCC, GCDF, SPHR

Jill Lynch Cruz, Ph.D., PCC, is an ICF-certified executive coach and career development consultant with over 25 years in the legal profession, including serving as Chief Human Resources Officer for an AmLaw 100 firm. She partners with high-potential attorneys and leaders to cultivate the skills, strategies, and mindset to advance and enhance their careers with purpose and impact. Recognized as one of the nation’s leading scholars and a sought-after national speaker on the leadership and career development of Latina attorneys, she has published more than two dozen academic and industry works, taught leadership at the graduate level for over a decade, and is completing the first and only book dedicated to empowering Latina attorneys in their careers. She is the founder of the HNBA’s Latina Executive Leadership Program (LELP) and the creator and lead for the new ELLA Leadership Program.

Sara Santoyo, Esq., Executive Coach, Sara Santoyo Coaching, Fresno, CA

Sara Santoyo is a certified executive coach, speaker and licensed attorney with over a decade of experience in law and professional development.  She helps first-generation and diverse attorneys perform at their highest level using research-backed tools and mind-management strategies.  Sara empowers early- to mid-career women of color in law to lead with authenticity, communicate with impact, and navigate high-pressure environments without losing themselves in the process.

Anjli Garg, JD, PCC, Executive Coach, Your Coach to Soar, White Plains, Maryland

Anjli Garg, JD, PCC, is an ICF-certified executive coach, leadership trainer, and former C-suite lawyer with 24 years at Sullivan & Cromwell, American Express, and Citibank. A first-generation lawyer and coach, and woman of color, she helps high-achieving professionals lead with clarity, confidence, and sustainability—blending strategy, emotional intelligence, and mindset to fuel growth without burnout.

1. In-Person Kick-Off Retreat

A full-day retreat held in conjunction with the HNBA’s Annual Convention in Washington, DC, focused on building connection and community, while setting the foundation for the six-month leadership journey.