One of the greatest fears for aging attorneys is Alzheimer’s. We spend our entire lives using our mind to advance our careers. The thought of the erosion of our memories due to this disease is alarming. Luckily, neuroscience has shown that there are effective ways to battle the onset of Alzheimer’s at any age. Professor […]
The year that I passed the bar exam, the economy was tight and there was a glut of new lawyers. My wife and I were responsible for two teenagers in High School, and could not relocate without uprooting them. I hung out my shingle and took a contract attorney position to earn a small amount […]
Ah Unicorns…those mystical, magical, one-horned creatures that many of us searched for as kids. We thought that if we could catch one, we would be given magical powers. As adults, we know they do not exist and have given up chasing unicorns. Or have we? Many of us are not fully satisfied in our chosen […]
In addition to coaching, I am still a practicing trial lawyer. Every morning before a trial, I get extremely nervous. I worry about not putting enough work into the trial prep. I fret about what my witnesses will say on the stand. I cringe about voir dire. Whatever negative thoughts there are, they will go […]
The other day I was watching our landscapers trim a large bush that had overgrown the fence. What would have taken me 3 hours to complete with my clippers, took them just 10 minutes. That is when it hit me…Productivity depends on having the right tools for the job! CREATING A BUSINESS A client had […]
An inexpensive way for lawyers to improve their courtroom skills is to take an acting or improv class. In college, I took an acting class to fulfill arts credit. I learned to be an effective actor, you must be able to get in touch with both your emotions and the emotions of your character. This […]
Without Toastmasters, I would not be the trial lawyer that I am today. Toastmasters International helps people become better public speakers. The organization also offers a very effective leadership training program. Ralph Smedley started Toastmasters in 1924 in the basement of a California YMCA. I am a second generation Toastmaster and have been involved in a […]
I have been working with a personal trainer the last four weeks in an effort to become a better swimmer. My trainer and I started with the basics including determining how my breathing technique was. It came as no surprise to me that it was terrible. My trainer also examined my kicks, which were […]
When I was a new attorney, I met a financial planner at a party. He was telling me about Self Employed Pensions (SEP) and how I really should start one. I remember thinking to myself , “buddy, I’m more worried about paying off my student loans then having you sell me a SEP.” How I […]
