In Episode 65 of Lawyerpreneur, we talk with Suzan Hixon, the founder of Legally Blissed, which is the coaching business she uses to help lawyers structure a practice that suits their needs. In our candid conversation, Suzan talks about her own mental health struggles and how that enabled her to shine a light on mental health issues within the legal industry. She has not only become an advocate for others, but through her business is showing other lawyers how to advocate for themselves. For other conversations about mental health in the legal profession, check out past episodes with Brian Cuban...
Coaching Lawyers in Career Crisis with Annie Little
For Episode 64 of Lawyerpreneur, Annie Little and I had one of those conversations that I thought about for a long time afterward. She is a career coach who helps other lawyers understand and recognize the skills that they have developed and put those in the context of how they fit in the job market. What really stood out to me is how ineffective we tend to be at self-assessment, and the value someone else can provide in identifying for us what we don’t see in ourselves. When Annie Little figured out that practicing law wasn’t the best use of...
Focusing on the Humanity of Lawyers with Kevin Pratt
In Episode 63 of Lawyerpreneur, we talk with Kevin Pratt about why he focuses on bringing out the humanity of lawyers in his podcast, The Human Lawyer. Kevin talks about having a bias toward action (a topic we also discussed with Colin Levy) and how that has driven him through his legal career and added him in navigating an unsuccessful business. You’ll note that my conversation with Kevin Pratt starts somewhat unconventionally as it actually carried over from our pre-recording conversation. But it was pertinent enough that I didn’t want to leave it out. Focusing on the Humanity of Lawyers...
In Episode 62 of Lawyerpreneur, Colin Levy talks about having a bias toward action, career evolution and non-linear paths, being a legal tech evangelist, and being open on social media about difficult circumstances. For more interviews with great folks in legal tech, check out my interviews with Haley Altman, Robert Ingalls, and Alex Su. Career Evolution and Legal Tech with Colin Levy You can listen here or on your favorite podcast apps: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Audible, Stitcher, iHeart Radio, TuneIn, YouTube, and RSS. Today’s show is sponsored by ALPS, the nation’s largest direct writer of lawyers’...
Wanderlust, Parenthood, and Law Practice with Margo Weinstein
Margo Weinstein left a successful law practice to rediscover the adventures she had known in her younger years. But now that she had her adolescent son traveling with her, the adventures would look a little different. In Episode 61 of Lawyerpreneur, with Margo Weinstein about navigating the intersection of law practice, parenthood, and wanderlust. We also trade some travel stories and discuss Weinstein’s new travel memoir, Jalan-Jalan: A Journey of Wanderlust and Motherhood (link). This is an episode you won’t want to miss. Learn more about Weinstein at her website. Wanderlust, Parenthood, and Law Practice with Margo Weinstein You can...
In Episode 60 of Lawyerprenuer, Professor Jonah Perlin of Georgetown Law Center talks about the feeling of putting billable hours behind him when he entered academia and began teach legal practice and advanced legal writing. We discuss the changes in classroom instruction that have developed out of the pandemic and the ways in which he works to build and maintain relationships with his students. Professor Perlin talks about his motivation for launching an interview-based podcast, How I Lawyer, and unexpected outcomes from having the podcast. M.C. Sungaila returns to co-host the episode. Learning How to Lawyer with Jonah Perlin You...
Finding Success on the Far Side of Failure with Norman Bacal and M.C. Sungaila
In Episode 59 of Lawyerpreneur, I talked with Norman Bacal and M.C. Sungaila in what felt very much like an extraordinary after-dinner conversation. We discussed the importance of teaching the business of law practice to the next generation of lawyers, and how they teamed up to write a series of articles for The American Lawyer on that topic. We talked about the current climate of lawyers changing firms, which is something that I’ve done within the last six months. But my favorite part of our conversation was about failure. It’s something that is both stressful and inevitable. And both Norman...
Providing Access to Justice through Entrepreneurship with Erin Levine
As the managing member of Levine Family Law Group and the CEO of Hello Divorce, Erin Levine is the prototype of the kind of lawyerpreneur that this podcast has always sought to highlight. She is also using her platform and entrepreneurship to help provide access to justice to those in need. Levine is a founding member of the recently-launched Justice Technology Association, where my co-host today, Maya Markovich, is the executive director. During the interview, Levine talks about experiencing burnout with her business and law practice, and coming out on the other side of it. A part of the burnout...
Parallels between Being an NFL Agent and Practicing Law with Kevin Gold
Several weeks ago, I was listening to an episode of Freakonomics Radio about specialization, and particularly about the long snappers in professional and collegiate football. Pennsylvania lawyer and NFL agent for long snappers Kevin Gold was interviewed as a part of that episode, and I knew that I had to have him as a guest on Lawyerpreneur. On Episode 57 of Lawyerpreneur, Kevin Gold and I continue the recent trend on this show of discussing niche markets by talking about how he became an NFL agent for long snappers and how he has developed that alongside his law practice. We...
Expand Your Network and Your Reach with Todd Smith and Jody Sanders
In Episode 56 of Lawyerpreneur, M.C. Sungaila and I interview Todd Smith and Jody Sanders of the Texas Appellate Law Podcast. We talk about the launch of their podcast, the Connector (to borrow Malcolm Gladwell’s term) who brought them together, and the perseverance required to record and publish more than 100 episodes over the last two years. As much as I enjoy the What (What are you doing?) and How (How did it start and how it is going now?) of these interviews, the Why is far more meaningful to me. Todd Smith and Jody Sanders discuss why they started...