I’ve Been in the Room Where It Happens

Now I Help Others Navigate It.

Harvard Law graduate. Former Am Law 100 Employment Law partner. LCLD Fellow, Class of 2014. Certified Executive Coach. Strategic Advisor to legal leaders and organizations.

I’m Erika Royal, founder of
Royal Influence®.

I spent 22 years as an employment lawyer at an Am Law 100 firm, where I became a partner and held leadership roles including hiring partner, affinity group chair, and diversity council member. I advised and represented Fortune 500 companies and conducted internal investigations across complex employment matters.

That experience gave me an unusual vantage point on both sides of work: how institutions make decisions, how professionals experience those decisions, and what happens in the gap between formal policy and informal reality.

Today, through Royal Influence®, I advise senior lawyers and organizations. My proprietary framework, Strategic Radical Acceptance™, helps professionals determine what requires escalation, what the organization can change, and how to navigate the Gray Area with greater agency and precision.

The Through Line

Across both sides of my work, the question is the same: who owns the lever?

For lawyers, that means understanding the economic, political, and informal systems that shape advancement, then acting on the levers that are actually available.

For organizations, that means distinguishing what must be escalated, what management can fix, and what employees still need tools to navigate.

The work is different by audience. The operating principle is the same: diagnose reality accurately, then spend energy where it can produce a result.

Off the Record

one

I became a licensed nail tech to pay for school—but never worked a day in a salon because the chemicals made me sick.

two

I can deliver a devastating cross-exam or crush karaoke night. Depends on the mic I’m holding.

three

My family teases me by calling me the “grammar police.” They’re not wrong.

Four

I took the scenic route to Harvard Law School — and I brought everything I learned with me.

Kind words from clients

"Erika became one of the advisers I turned to when I needed a thought partner who understood both the legal landscape and the human dynamics of organizational life. That combination is rare."

“I worked alongside Erika for her entire legal career. Her transition from partner to executive coach was a natural evolution—she brings empathy, strategic insight, and deep legal experience to help lawyers thrive. Her acumen and coaching skill make her an invaluable resource.”

“I worked with Erika on two national conferences—the 2024 Leadership Event and 2025 CEO Summit—and can’t recommend her highly enough. She tailored every detail to our audience, delivered an engaging, emotionally intelligent session, and left our leaders with tools they’re still using.”

“During one of the most pivotal times in my life, Erika was an invaluable sounding board. Her advice was clear, candid, and always on point. She challenged me to take ownership of my path—and helped me grow into the leader I wanted to be.”