Who says career moves have to be lateral? Laura Caldwell was a partner in a Chicago law firm, specializing in medical malpractice defense and entertainment law, when — with the support of colleagues and her then-husband — she made the transition to full-time author. Her first book, Burning the Map, was a New York Times best seller and named one of the best books of the year by Barnes & Noble booklist and she’s since gone on to publish 14 novels and one nonfiction book.
While researching her sixth novel, Laura became involved in the criminal case of a young man who was coerced into confessing a crime he didn’t commit. Ultimately, she helped prove his innocence and wrote her first nonfiction book, Long Way Home: A Young Man Lost in the System and the Two Women Who Found Him. Inspired, Laura then founded Loyola’s Life After Innocence, which assists wrongfully convicted individuals and other innocent persons affected by the criminal justice system in order to help them re-enter society and reclaim their lives.
From civil trial attorney to accomplished author, nonprofit founder and scholar in residence at Loyola University, we dive into Laura’s unexpected career transition below.