The Free Lawyer

In this podcast episode, Gary introduces Peter Huang, a writer, author, and retired law school professor, who shares his passion for attorney wellness. They discuss the increasing focus on attorney wellness in the legal profession and the major causes of stress in the field. Peter highlights the lack of autonomy for junior lawyers and the responsibility and zero-sum nature of litigation for senior lawyers as significant stressors. They also explore solutions and recommendations for lawyers struggling with stress, including practicing mindfulness, developing emotional intelligence, and embracing the concept of acceptance. Peter emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence in leadership and suggests changes in legal education to help lawyers find their passion again.

Gary discusses limiting beliefs and their impact on lawyers in this podcast episode. He explains that limiting beliefs are negative and self-defeating thoughts or perceptions that hold individuals back from reaching their full potential. Gary provides examples of familiar limiting beliefs among lawyers, such as feeling inadequate or not skilled enough. He also explores the sources of these beliefs, including family upbringing, education, and personal experiences. Gary highlights factors such as lack of mentoring, negative self-talk, fear of taking risks, and workload stress as contributors to limiting beliefs. He concludes by emphasizing the need to recognize and overcome these beliefs to thrive in the legal profession. Do you struggle with limiting beliefs? if so, let's chat: https://calendly.com/garymiles-successcoach/one-one-discovery-call

Gary introduces Valerie Fontaine, a highly knowledgeable legal search consultant in this podcast episode. Valerie shares her professional journey and how she found her passion for helping lawyers and law firms find the right fit. She emphasizes the importance of understanding clients' and candidates' needs and values to make successful placements. Valerie also provides advice on selling oneself effectively during the job search process and highlights the role of recruiters in preparing candidates for interviews. She discusses how law firms can differentiate themselves to attract top talent and shares insights on hiring trends in the legal industry. Valerie finds fulfillment in her work by positively impacting people's lives. Valerie Fontaine has assisted thousands of lawyers with career transitions over the past four decades as a legal search consultant (headhunter for lawyers). She coaches attorney candidates regarding career development and assists law firms with attracting and retaining top attorney talent. Valerie is a former lawyer, a published author, both in print and online, and has been a guest speaker on several podcasts and presenting before live audiences. Her book, “The Right Moves: Job Search and Career Development Strategies for Lawyers,” published by NALP (National Association of Law Placement), now is in its second edition.   Valerie practiced law with a prominent Los Angeles law firm and entered the legal search profession in 1981. In 2021, 2022 and 2023, she was named to the Fifth Annual Lawdragon Global 100 Leaders in Legal Strategy & Consulting. She was one of three legal recruiters in the U.S. elected to its inaugural Hall of Fame, a “recognition for those consultants whose strategic insight has been unsurpassed in a career dedicated to helping law firms ascend.”  

Gary addresses lawyers facing professional challenges in this episode of "The Free Lawyer" podcast. He discusses the impact of expectations on happiness and how they can hinder success. Gary identifies three types of expectations and emphasizes the importance of controlling our own expectations. He highlights problem areas for lawyers where expectations can cause additional stress. Gary shares his experience and advice on dealing with closed doors and unmet expectations, encouraging listeners to appreciate their blessings and seek support. He provides tools for self-reflection and concludes by emphasizing the importance of letting go of expectations for personal freedom.

In this podcast episode, Gary interviews Jonathan Hawkins, a lawyer in Atlanta, Georgia, who specializes in representing lawyers and law firms in business matters. Jonathan discusses his professional journey and current practice, providing insights into common issues law firms face, the importance of partnership agreements, and tips for lawyers thinking of starting their own firms. He also touches on the challenges of firm dissolutions and partner disputes. Jonathan emphasizes the importance of prevention, well-crafted agreements to minimize conflicts, and the significance of intentional living and financial responsibility for lawyers. He finds fulfillment in representing lawyers and helping resolve their issues. Jonathan Hawkins is a business lawyer for lawyers. He helps attorneys and law firm owners identify, understand, and navigate the legal, business, and ethics-related issues stemming from a law practice. More specifically, he assists lawyers and law firms in starting law firms, law firm structuring, partnership agreements, lateral moves, separation agreements, law firm dissolutions, health crisis planning, and succession planning. He can be reached at jhawkins@jonathanhawkinslaw.com or through LinkedIn.

Have you felt you are working hard, so busy, with too many things on your desk, keeping all the balls in the air? Do you think you got nothing accomplished? I know I have. Busyness is harmful to our business and ourselves. We all know it is no fun to be stuck in the busyness quagmire, nor does it foster our professional success. So how do we escape the busyness trap? In this episode, I will explain why we get stuck in busyness, discuss some of its problems, and give you eight tangible tools to escape the prison of busyness. Do you need help with being overwhelmed with busyness? If so, I can help! Reach out for a complimentary chat here: https://calendly.com/garymiles-successcoach/one-one-discovery-call

In this podcast episode, Gary introduces Eric Fong, a trial attorney known for his impressive results and compassionate approach. Eric shares his professional journey, including stumbling into the field of law as a public defender. He discusses a challenging case involving a convenience store robbery and how he uncovered a complex corporate structure behind it. Eric and his partner prepared the case meticulously, ultimately winning a verdict of $91 million. They also discuss the qualities of a good trial attorney and the importance of compassion and empathy in the legal profession. A dynamic episode! With decades of experience, over 100 cases tried to a jury with monumental failures and success, Eric uniquely tries civil and criminal cases with equal passion and sophistication. Landmark cases include creating the constitutional right to Intimate Association (Eric protected the rights of low-income housing residents against oppressive “crime control” measures) and his historic $91,000,000 verdict is the largest compensatory damages verdict for one person in Washington State. As George Clinton's lawyer, the iconic funk musician/artist, Eric's unique view into the entertainment industry crafted a result that allowed him to maintain his collection of music as the lead attorney on the definitive copyright case in American jurisprudence. Eric’s passion is to create and move juries in the courtroom, seek out the truth, and deliver justice. He is recognized as an innovator in trial work and the only Washington lawyer to be recognized by the plaintiffs trial bar (WSAJ) and the defense trial bar (WDTLA) for their prestigious Trial Lawyer of the Year awards. A teacher of over 17 years at the Trial Lawyers College and a student there for 22, Eric is committed to the grace of continued learning. Eric’s deep friendships and mentors, Gerry Spence, Paul Luvera, Rick Friedman, Nick Rowley, and Bill Barton, gift interchange of thought and offer tapestries of insights that inspire and guide him every day.

“Comparison is the thief of joy.” -Theodore Roosevelt Do you ever do this? You see someone proficient, better than you, at something you want to achieve, and you compare yourself to them. We want to be better in our profession, so comparing ourselves to the best makes sense. How does that work out for you? How does it make you feel? In today's world, where social media and other platforms allow us to compare ourselves with others constantly, it's all too easy to fall into the trap of comparison. While comparing ourselves with others may seem harmless initially, it can quickly become a source of stress, anxiety, and low self-esteem. Furthermore, constantly measuring ourselves against others can lead to unhealthy competition, jealousy, and a distorted sense of self-worth. Fortunately, there are tools and strategies we can use to overcome the problem of comparison and cultivate a healthier, more positive mindset. In this episode, we'll explore the issues with comparison and offer nine tangible tools to help you break free from the comparison trap and focus on your unique journey. I am working with attorneys to help them be as successful and fulfilled in their profession as they want. I would love to learn more about you, your challenges and your goals. If you would like to chat, please set up a complimentary discovery call with me here: https://calendly.com/garymiles-successcoach/one-one-discovery-call

In this podcast episode, host Gary introduces Daniel Callahan, a highly successful trial attorney, and discusses his career and achievements. Daniel shares insights on being a successful trial attorney, emphasizing the importance of putting clients first, being prepared, and having confidence. They also discuss the challenges trial attorneys face, the role of creativity in trial work, and the significance of personal freedom and fulfillment in the legal profession. Daniel provides advice about starting a law firm and building strong relationships with clients and opposing counsel. The episode concludes with Gary and Daniel emphasizing the importance of enjoying life and nurturing relationships. Throughout his career, Daniel J. Callahan has always been known as one of the top trial attorneys in California.  His notable jury verdicts included a $934,000,000 jury verdict obtained after a three-month jury trial in a complex business dispute entitled Beckman Coulter vs. Flextronics. This unanimous verdict was the largest in California in 2003 and remains the largest in Orange County history. Mr. Callahan also went on to obtain a $50,000,000 settlement in a road design case against the City of Dana Point. Exclusive of large class actions, this continues to be the largest personal injury settlement in United States history. Mr. Callahan also obtained, after a two-month jury trial, a $38 Million settlement on behalf of a class of newspaper delivery drivers against The Orange County Register. This is still the highest employment settlement in Orange County’s history. Mr. Callahan grew up in Chicago, Illinois where he went on to receive his BA, magna cum laude, from Western Illinois University in 1976, and graduated with honors from the UC Davis School of Law in 1979, while serving as Editor of the Law Review. He began his career in Hawaii before relocating to Southern California and starting his own firm by opening the doors on St. Patrick’s Day, 1984. Mr. Callahan also provides corporate consulting to law firms and lawyers regarding litigation and strategy through Callahan Consulting Group, LLC.

Do you ever feel stressed at work? Do you often feel overwhelmed by pressure from all sides? And do you need to figure out how to manage it best so you can enjoy fulfillment in your professional life? We face many high-pressure situations and demanding workloads that can lead to stress and burnout. We work long hours in a competitive environment, handling emotionally challenging cases. This constant stress can have significant adverse effects on our mental and physical health, as well as our job performance and quality of life. However, lawyers can manage that stress and be happy and healthy.  This episode explores the primary causes of our stress and how that affects us. I will also detail some effective tools and techniques that we can use to manage stress and maintain our overall health and happiness. Is work stress an issue for you? If so, perhaps I can help. Let’s have a confidential chat. You can schedule it here: https://calendly.com/garymiles-successcoach/one-one-discovery-call