Voice of Experience: Yolanda Seals-Coffield, Principal, Office of the General Counsel, PwC

Having begun her career as an employment litigator and then moving in-house to work for Diageo, and now PwC, Yolanda Seals-Coffield, Principal in the Office of the General Counsel, has used her considerable skills in nurturing authentic relationships to build the career she’s envisioned for herself.

“Women should understand that your potential is limitless,” she said. “How far ones goes should be defined by what one wants to do, not by what people tell them they can do.”

“There are many things I have learned over the course of my career – but I wish I had known from the beginning that I had more input and accountability in driving my career If I knew then what I know now, I would have had the confidence in the early years to be more proactive and seek out the opportunities that interested me rather than waiting to be tapped on the shoulder” she explained.

“It would have been advantageous to know that I had a lot more flexibility around who I wanted to be, where I wanted to go, and the impact I wanted to make,” she said. Seals-Coffield, who now supports the human capital function at PwC, is doing her best to open doors and clear a pathway for the women climbing the ladder behind her – and blazing her own trail as well.

A Career Coming Full Circle

After studying political science at Howard University, Seals-Coffield went on to Boston University School of Law. She then spent a year clerking for a Federal District Court judge in Massachusetts and went to work for a law firm in employment litigation.

“I spent half of my career in the professional services field and then decided to go in-house to Diageo,” a multi-national adult beverage company.

She continued, “That was a great move for me. It afforded me the opportunity to practice labor and employment law from an in-house perspective, continuing to grow and develop my career in a new direction. At the same time, I was entering into a new phase in my family life having just had my first child. This was an incredible period of personal and professional growth as I learned how to balance the things that were important to me.”

Approximately four months ago, Seals-Coffield joined PwC to lead the employment law group. “I’ve almost come full circle – having started my career in the professional services, then going to the corporate sector, and now back into professional services again,” she said.

Regarding her professional achievements, Seals-Coffield said she is most proud of the authentic relationships she’s built over the years. She explained, “As an employment lawyer, I support the human capital function, where I am proud to help the organization manage its most valuable assets. What allows me to be effective in my role is my ability to develop authentic relationships with the people I support.”

She added, “Those relationships have resulted in my clients looking to me as a trusted advisor when working through complex business and people issues.”

Diversity and Inclusion at PwC

Seals-Coffield says what energizes her most in her role at PwC is the work the firm has done around diversity and inclusion – coupled with the knowledge that there is more to do.

“PwC has a tremendous track record in diversity and inclusion – it’s one of the things that attracted me to the firm. The firm has been recognized for its best in class practices, but we are not resting on our laurels,” she explained.

In fact, Seals-Coffield said that two particular programs at PwC sparked her interest – the firm’s Full Circle and Mentor Moms programs. Full Circle enables parents to off-ramp for up to five years and then return to the firm. The Mentor Moms program pairs new mothers (or mothers-to-be) with more experienced mothers at the firm. She explained, “While these programs don’t specifically apply to where I am in my life right now, the fact that these programs exist speaks volumes to the firm’s commitment to inclusion and to helping families better manage this very important time in their lives.”

While she believes that women still continue to struggle with work-life balance, she explained that individuals should feel encouraged about the choices they have in today’s professional environment. She said, “The world is changing, and people entering the workforce today have so many opportunities to find the environment that works for them, both in traditional and less traditional career tracks. People have choices and flexibility that didn’t exist even a decade ago, and I believe our workforce is better because of it.”

Advice for Women in Professional Services

Despite the challenges around work/life flexibility that women face in the workplace, Seals-Coffield said there are many opportunities for women in today’s world. She explained, “While women may still be an underestimated and underutilized resource in some environments, great companies are finding ways to leverage the intangible value that women bring to organizations at every level. Women should know this, and should be confident about the value they bring.”

She recalled how when she was starting her career, she would occasionally be mistaken for a court reporter when she was actually going to take a deposition. “Whether it was because I was a woman, or a woman of color, or because I was young, at times I would be underestimated. But I quickly learned that being underestimated could be an advantage.”

Early on, she also learned the importance of instilling confidence in colleagues and clients. She recalled, “In my first year of practice, I worked with a senior partner on a matter that required a series of witness interviews. When asked several days before if I knew what I intended to ask each witness, I responded that I had a general idea, but – ”

She continued, “as he turned to walk away mid-sentence, the partner responded that I needed more than a general idea. Later that day he returned and said, ‘You’re good at what you do. I trust that. But you need to know that a big part of your job is instilling confidence in those around you.’ That was a humbling and valuable lesson to learn early in my career,” she said with a laugh.

As for women advancing in their career, Seals-Coffield advised that there is always more to learn. “At the mid stage, you are in a very interesting position – looking ahead and looking back. It is important to leverage the unique learning opportunity this presents and to hold on to the intellectual curiosity that has served you well thus far. I also think women today are in a unique position to create a path for the women who will follow us.”

She continued, “And I think it’s important to remember that there are other dimensions to diversity that we need to embrace besides gender and ethnicity. For example, generational differences can play a significant role in workplace dynamics and create another opportunity for women to learn from one another.”

In Her Personal Time

Outside of work, Seals-Coffield said her life mainly revolves around her family, including her two young daughters, who are eight and five years old. “Whether it’s playing with Barbie dolls or going to violin practice, they are our hobby,” she joked.

“Being the best mother and the best professional I can be is a big part of what drives me every day.”

By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)