The Dream is Moving Fast — And So Are We

For many recent law graduates in Florida, yesterday marked the start of something huge. You’ve crossed one of the toughest hurdles in your legal journey, and now it’s official: you’re a Florida lawyer!! All the late nights, flashcards, outlines, and self-doubt led to this. Soak it in. You earned it.

If you're still waiting to check, or if yesterday brought tough news, take a breath. The bar exam is no small thing, and you are not alone. It’s okay to feel disappointed, frustrated, or just plain exhausted. Give yourself space to feel it all. Then, when you’re ready, reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and what you might change in your routine for your next attempt or when sitting for a different state bar. One result doesn’t define you and it certainly doesn’t decide your future.

You showed up for something incredibly difficult, and that alone is worth acknowledging. Be proud of the work you put in. If your path looks a little different than expected, that’s okay. You’ll find your way forward.

I may have passed on the first try but I had no job lined up, so I know how you feel in a way. Sometimes life shows us a path even if it doesn’t line up with the idea we had for it, so take a step back, breathe and focus on what you do have and let the rest work itself out.

To everyone reading: a gentle reminder, if someone in your life took the Bar this summer, don’t ask if they passed. Let them share when and if they’re ready. Silence isn’t failure, sometimes it’s just healing, or rest.

Be kind with your words. Be gentle with each other. However yesterday (or the coming weeks - this applies to all states) looked for you, we're sending support and solidarity your way.

Kayla x Capitol Hill

The past week still feels like a bit of a fever dream — but what an incredible honor it was to be invited to testify as an expert witness before the U.S. House Committee on Small Business at their hearing titled: “Streaming Success: Small Businesses in the Age of Digital Influence.”

The goal was for Committee members and Congress to learn, from the source, more about the growing cohort of American Entrepreneurs called the creator economy. They want to know if there are ways for Congress to support these small business owners with policy changes and new laws and set out to ask questions to guide their efforts.

I’m not sure how long this hearing was in the works for but it all happened very quickly for me. I got the initial email on Sept 2 and showed up on Sept 17 ready to be on the record. Of course I had to ask how they found me: SOCIAL MEDIA. A podcast I had been a guest on led Committee Majority staffers on a deep dive of my accounts and they reached out. I had to say yes of course and that set me on a whirlwind of prep, which I documented online. 

As part of the process, I submitted written testimony and delivered a 5-minute oral summary during the hearing. I know many of you tuned in live or watched the recording, and I just want to say thank you so much for the kind messages, support, and encouragement. It truly means the world. 

My official written testimony is live on my LinkedIn and on the House Repository (aka its on the record forever)! My testimony is the very document that members of Congress are reading and referencing as they consider future policies to protect and support digital creators, influencers, and small businesses across the country.

Please give it a read when you can, and let me know your thoughts. Along with the rest of the record, it's actually very detailed and interesting and this is only the beginning for us as changemakers, I can feel it. 

I may have been the one sitting at that table, but this conversation involves all of us: creators, consumers, and advocates alike. Thank you again to my colleagues, mentors and mentees, associates, law clerks and friends who helped bring this to life, Brittany Ratelle, Adriana Campos-Korn, Claire Gregory, Esq., Frank Poe, Antonella Martinez, Chuong Bui, Dave Ugelow ,Sophia Sofferman, Medha Krishen and Kelby Ballena. From the brainstorm the week before and crowd sourcing ideas for my testimony to the drafting and editing of the final product, I couldn't have done this without my village. To those who came to support IRL, a million thank you all for being with me during this incredible day.

And yes… there's so much more to come. Press, follow up questions, and of course sharing the testimony clips with you all. Things are still unfolding behind the scenes, and I’ll be sharing a more in-depth update soon. Stay tuned and thank you again for being part of this moment. 

Kayla Back in NYC Already?!

After testifying on Capitol Hill, I hopped on a flight to NYC and honestly, it was the best decision I could’ve made. Going from the formality of the U.S. House of Representatives to the energy of New York post fashion week was surreal in the best way. One day I was in a blazer answering questions from members of Congress, the next I was walking a catwalk for a charity at a New York fashion show.

Originally I planned to stay til Friday and make a work trip out of it but then I spontaneously decided to stay the weekend with no plans, and it was perfect. After such an intense lead-up to the hearing, I needed a reset. I wandered the city, met up with old and new friends, slept in, stayed out all night dancing, people-watched, and just let myself be. 

I also caught up with a fellow panelist in person to debrief the hearing and see how we can collaborate in the future. I’m really excited to see how the next few months unfold with the new opportunities being an expert witness for the Small Business Committee brings my way, so be on the look out when I can share.

It was the kind of weekend that reminds you it’s okay to slow down and breathe after pushing through something big. Rest is part of the process too. NYC isn’t normally a city I associate with rest but in this case, it was just what I needed. Who knows, I might be making plans to return again soon… because why not?

Quote of the Month

From Idea to Impact

Remember five months ago when I was in Tallahassee filming something I could barely talk about? 

I’m so excited to announce that this October (yes, next month), my executive education course with the FSU Stoops Center on Law and Business at the FSU College of Law on the business of content creation will officially be available to the public! I’ve partnered with them to create a course designed for law students, early-career professionals, and anyone interested in how legal and business strategy intersect with the creator economy.

I have always enjoyed the mentorship and teaching aspect of my career, so getting to build out this course has been a lot of fun and yet another pinch me moment. Already similar opportunities are pouring in and I can’t wait to see where this aspect of my career goes next.

What started as a surprise email in the summer of 2024 turned into months of writing, outlining, preparing powerpoints, filming, and refining something I genuinely wish existed when I was in law school or even in my first year of practice. It’s a crash course into my world, business, and all the things I wish I knew. So, I hope you all check it out. A very special thank you to the Stoops Center team for helping me bring this opportunity to life. 

The Dream Team Is Growing!

As new opportunities arise for KML, so do chances to grow and expand! I’m so thankful to share the firm’s growth with some incredible new team members.

Antonella Martinez joined the team as my second assistant, because Emilee is now a 1L at FIU, so I have to make her focus on school. I first met Antonella at Empire State of Law only a month ago, and already she has been an integral part of my life and business. She’s been handling admin and project coordination such as committee member research and coming with me to speaking engagements like my NBC 6 feature on South Florida Live and DC. She also helps me conceptualize, shoot edit, and manage multi-platform content for both the firm and my personal brand. 

Nicole Verdi is a recent New York Law School graduate who while awaiting Bar Exam results is helping me on a new secret project I’m cooking up. As the firm continues to expand, I can’t wait to bring her on more too.

Claire Gregory is officially our first associate! A graduate of University of Miami School of Law, she’s already barred in Virginia and now Florida. Claire brings a new and refreshing attitude to KML. In addition to assisting me in preparing my written testimony for the hearing, alongside my friend Medha Krishen, who is awaiting New York Bar results, she will be helping me expand the KML offerings and bandwidth.

This growth is something I never planned for or thought about as I launched and grew over the last few years, but now I can’t picture a better fit for the team. Bringing on board Claire, Nicole, and Antonella is a major milestone for the firm, and I’m so excited for what’s ahead. 

I also want to take a moment to give a special shoutout to some of the incredible people who’ve been holding it down behind the scenes and supporting KML every step of the way: Kaitlyn, my social media manager, Emilee, my second brain, and Frank Poe, my mentor and colleague who has become so much more (we joke he’s my work dad).

I truly can’t put into words how much your support has meant to me. Of course, none of this would have been possible without my parents and my friends. You all have shown up and shown out the last few weeks, so thank you. You've helped keep me grounded through the stressful, chaotic moments over the last month and have been right there to celebrate the wins big or small. I couldn’t do it without you!

So Much Gratitude, So Much Movement

It’s hard to believe how quickly things are moving right now. From Capitol Hill to New York, course launches and team expansion, it’s overwhelming in the best way.

I’m so deeply grateful to be in a position where I can say this is my reality. Where the ideas I once quietly dreamed about are now showing up as real opportunities, beyond my wildest dreams, fast-moving projects, and doors I never expected to open. It’s a lot, and I’m still catching my breath, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

There’s so much more ahead and I can't wait to keep sharing it with you.

Keep Up With Kayla and Kayla Moran Law

Let’s make September a month of purpose, passion, and productivity.

Thanks for reading!

Talk soon,

Kayla