How many times have we heard advice about how to have it all? A prestigious career, a beautiful family, a wonderful marriage and gorgeous home. But, at what cost? Especially for women?

Vanessa Heap. Photo: Pinsent Masons. Vanessa Ford. Photo: courtesy of Pinsent Masons.

On Sep. 23, 2023, 47-year-old Vanessa Ford, a senior equity partner at the London firm Pinsent Masons, was struck and killed by a train after she fell onto the tracks, having consumed a large amount of alcohol while experiencing an acute mental health crisis. It was reported that Ford, the only woman on a major deal team, had been working 18-hour days preceding her death. An inquest was heard on Feb. 24, 2024, and a report was issued on the cause of Ford’s death, which was multiple traumatic injuries.