The Free Lawyer

Do you ever feel stuck? Need help knowing where you want to be? Our life often takes unexpected twists and turns. Today, Lisa Lang explains how important it is to be open to learning from different roles in our lives and choosing the life you want for yourself. Lisa discusses: -It is our choice to determine what we want our life to be3 -If you want to change, be the change and change yourself -How to achieve work/life integration   -The importance of knowing what we can control and what we cannot -How to transition to a general counsel role -Finding personal freedom by integrating your work and personal life in a way that makes you happy Lisa Lang serves as Vice President and General Counsel for Ohio Northern University (ONU). Before coming to ONU, Lisa first worked in private practice specializing in insurance defense for a law firm in Louisville, Kentucky. In 2008, Lisa transitioned into the public sector to work for the Commonwealth of Kentucky in the Office of the Attorney General as an Assistant Attorney General and then for the Kentucky Department of Education, serving in various in-house roles beginning in 2011 until 2017 when she was hired as to serve as the General Counsel for Kentucky State University (KSU). Lisa served as KSU's General Counsel until accepting her current role at ONU in November 2022. In addition, she volunteers with Miss JD, helping women transition into the career in law they find fulfilling. Are any of you suffering from burnout and difficulty in setting boundaries? If so, obtain my free tips on how to set boundaries and avoid burnout here: https://www.garymiles.net/burnout

Have you ever had the misfortune of saying completely the wrong thing at the wrong time and regretting what you did? I know I have. Or, sharing something important and personal, and the other person responds with some dismissive comment? We of course all know that we should be impeccable with our words and most of us feel we do a great job at that. But do we really? It is not as easy as it sounds. Last week we began our review of Don Miguel Ruiz's Four Agreements.  In today's we explore the first of the four, be truly impeccable with our word. I will examine exactly what it means to be impeccable with our words, the challenges in doing so, the benefits of using our words carefully, and 10 tools for improving in this arena. We receive so many powerful gifts when we listen attentively, are thoughtful about what we say, and say what we mean and mean what we say. Have a listen! Are any of you suffering from burnout and difficulty in setting boundaries? If so, obtain my free tips on how to set boundaries and avoid burnout here: https://www.garymiles.net/burnout

What a blockbuster episode! Wendy Witt, a consultant to over 8,000 lawyers and small firms, shares her insights about how to find the career of your dreams by learning how to find joy and create impact in your profession. Wendy shares her insightful wisdom on these topics: -Taking advantage of unexpected opportunities when they present themselves to you -Finding the courage to take the next step forward when you do know where it is going -The importance of determining the life values that are most important to you -How to accept being uncomfortable by stepping out of our comfort zone; that is where real growth occurs -Managing our terror barriers -Design your life and know that you can build it -You can do the work you love, make more, and work less -Our mindset can propel us forward or hold us back; the choice is ours -Create personal freedom by developing choices in your life, what we do, who we work with, etc. Wendy Witt is the founder of the private consulting firm, Million Dollar Attorney, where she serves as a Law Firm Business Strategist. Over the past 23 years, she has helped more than 8,000 solo and small law firm owners build their law firms so that they can have the life they love. Wendy is also a co-founder of Purely Estates Law Group; her guidance has been seen on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, Huffington Post, Forbes, and the like. Are any of you suffering from burnout and difficulty in setting boundaries? If so, obtain my free tips on how to set boundaries and avoid burnout here: https://www.garymiles.net/burnout

"Whatever happens around you, don't take it personally... Nothing other people do is because of you. It is because of themselves" - Miguel Ruiz, The Four Agreements Do you ever feel that life controls you? And you have a hard time finding peace and serenity with all that is whirling around you? In his huge bestseller, The Four Agreements, famed author Miguel Ruiz lays out a recipe for creating freedom in our life. In this episode, I will explain the background of how the world can control our happiness; how to break out of that prison; and four tools for living a life of peace and freedom. Are any of you suffering from burnout and a difficulty in setting boundaries? If so, obtain my free tips on how to set boundaries and avoid burnout here: https://www.garymiles.net/burnout

We lawyers are so often involved in situations of conflict. Disputes arise from many directions. Sometimes we do not respond correctly, and it all goes downhill. But instead, we can navigate through differences with others in ways that produce positive, healthy, and peaceful outcomes. Dr. Debra Dupree joins The Free Lawyer today. She is a high-conflict expert, dispute-resolution specialist,  instructor, and author. She shows us today how to transform challenges into learning opportunities. In addition, she shares powerful insights about: -Conflicts arise from a difference of perspective, not right and wrong -The importance of mindfulness and self-awareness -In a challenging situation, how to pause before responding, reflecting, and asking insightful questions to obtain more understanding - How critical it is not to take things personally and to understand the other party's unpleasant approach is more often a reflection of what their issues -Using deep breathing techniques to relieve stress  Dr. Debra Dupree is a Dispute Resolution Specialist, Conflict Coach, Mindset Doc, International Trainer, and Keynote Speaker. Dr. D is the host of the bi-weekly podcast ‘Decoding the Conflict Mindset’ bringing ‘thought leaders’ from various disciplines to gain insight on engaging themselves and others in difficult conversations, high emotions, and tough negotiations. In addition, Debra delivers training throughout North America, Australia, India, and the Pacific Rim in workplace mediation strategies and advanced mediation strategies for leaders and dispute resolution professionals for today’s hybrid work world.

Have you ever heard all the lawyer jokes made? Mocking the legal profession for a lack of honesty? We are often perceived as lacking in integrity. Why is that? Is that justifiable? And what can be done about it? In this episode, I will discuss what integrity is; its hallmarks, the perception of the legal profession for integrity, what are the gifts of integrity, and how to be more successful in practicing integrity as an attorney. We can together improve our own future and the reputation of the legal profession.  Are any of you suffering from burnout and a difficulty in setting boundaries? If so, obtain my free tips on how to set boundaries and avoid burnout here: https://www.garymiles.net/burnout

Wow, what a blockbuster episode! Aliza Shatzman, President and Co-Founder of the Legal Accountability Project, shares her harrowing story of harassment and retaliation in her clerkship at the hands of a former judge. Fueled by lack of effective means of redress, and the cloak of secrecy around judicial misconduct, Aliza is now seeking to remedy that situation. She is attempting through her non-profit to bring transparency to the clerkship process and support for the law clerks. She details her disturbing story of mistreatment by a former DC judge, and the hurdles she faced in seeking relief from the retaliation. She lost her dream legal position as a result.  But that did not stop her. Aliza's story is one of courage, resilience and passion. She is now attempting to bring dramatic changes to judicial accountability. Your eyes will be opened when you hear Aliza's journey and how she is creating a new clerkship world.  Aliza Shatzman is the President and Founder of The Legal Accountability Project, a nonprofit aimed at ensuring that law clerks have positive clerkship experiences, while extending support and resources to those who do not. Aliza earned her BA from Williams College and her JD from Washington University School of Law. After law school, Aliza clerked in D.C. Superior Court during the 2019-2020 term. In March 2022, Aliza submitted written testimony for a House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing about the lack of workplace protections in the federal judiciary, detailing her personal experience with gender discrimination, harassment, and retaliation by a former D.C. judge, in order to advocate for the Judiciary Accountability Act, legislation that would extend Title VII protections to judiciary employees, including law clerks. Aliza now writes and speaks regularly about judicial accountability. Want to help?? You can contact her directly at Aliza.Shatzman@legalaccountabilityproject.org, https://www.legalaccountabilityproject.org/ Connect with her on LinkedIn / Follow her on Twitter @AlizaShatzman Want to learn more? See her written testimony, submitted to the House Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet on March 17, 2022; her article with the Harvard Journal on Legislation, The Conservative Case for the Judiciary Accountability Act; her article with the UCLA Journal of Gender & Law, Untouchable Judges? What I've learned about harassment in the judiciary, and what we can do to stop it; her article with the Administrative Law Review, The D.C. Courts Are Article I Federal Courts, and They Should Be Regulated That Way; and The Legal Accountability Project's website: legalaccountabilityproject.org.

Do you ever find you spend too much energy wondering what others are thinking about you? Do you worry that others might be judging you or thinking less of you because of something you are doing or some project you are undertaking? Are you concerned that if you fail at some task they will think less of you? Are you ever afraid to take on a new challenge because you wonder what others will think of you? And how does that make you feel? I know I have. I have frequently let  myself be controlled worrying about what others think of me, and what opinions they hold of me. This is a very common problem for many of us, but not healthy. And we do have it within our power to escape from this prison. In this episode of The Free Lawyer, I will talk about why we worry so much about what others think of us; discuss some of the problems that causes for us, explain why other people’s opinions of us really do not matter; and give you tangible tools to start living your life free of the opinions of others.

Owen McGrann reinvented his legal career after overcoming a life-threatening health scare. Today he has built the law practice of his dreams, practicing law the way he chooses, creating synergy with his clients, and finding the balance he has always craved. In this dynamite episode, he explains how we can build the law practice we are excited to work in. Key takeaways: -Hourly billing creates enormous stress on the attorneys and conflict with the clients -The importance of keeping our priorities in order, remembering that our health and happiness are foremost -The many benefits of value based pricing, having the client agree to the fee up front, creating a sense of team with the client, relieving the client of the burden of worrying about the charge for each call, building more profitability and finding greater fulfillment -The challenges of maintaining our mental health in today's legal market;  -Finding ways to do each day what we really love

Are you ever in a mindset where you think negative thoughts, expect poor results, and that’s what happens? Or, alternatively, have you ever envisioned success, the good result, victory, and that has occurred? In this week's Episode, we will examine the Law of Attraction, discuss what it is, its pitfalls, how it can affect your life, and give you tangible steps to make it work for you. Are any of you suffering from burnout and a difficulty in setting boundaries? If so, obtain my free tips on how to set boundaries and avoid burnout here: https://www.garymiles.net/burnout