Starting your own law practice is a bold and rewarding move, but it comes with its share of challenges. In this episode of Counsel to Counsel, host Stephen Seckler sits down with Chris Earley, a Massachusetts-based personal injury attorney and business coach, to discuss lessons from his journey building the Earley Law Group from scratch. Chris shares insights from his ABA article, "Five Mistakes to Avoid When Starting Your Law Practice," and offers actionable advice for attorneys looking to...

In this episode of Counsel to Counsel, host Stephen Seckler shares insights from his recent experiences volunteering during the 2024 election. Drawing lessons from the power of listening in political campaigns, Steve explores how lawyers can apply the same principles to business development. He emphasizes that active listening and understanding client concerns are key to building trust and turning relationships into business opportunities. Steve breaks down practical strategies for lawyers: ...

In this episode Steve Seckler speaks with Judith Kurnick, an executive transition coach who specializes in guiding late-career lawyers, executives, and business owners as they navigate career transitions. Judith delves into the “longevity revolution,” the idea that professionals in their 60s can expect to live and thrive for another 25-30 years.    She shares strategies for overcoming challenges like ageism, health concerns, financial planning, and maintaining relevance while transitioning...

In this episode of Counsel to Counsel, host Stephen Seckler welcomes Dena Lefkowitz, a professional coach and former practicing attorney who helps lawyers navigate the complexities of career development, marketing, and finding professional fulfillment. Dena practiced law for over 20 years before transitioning to coaching and has authored the book Winning in Your Own Court, published by the American Bar Association. The book has garnered notable recognition, including the Nautilus Silver...

In this episode of Counsel to Counsel, I am joined by Jeffrey Soilson, Esq. and Ashleigh Louis, Ph.D., founders of Quantum ADR, an innovative co-mediation practice. Quantum ADR takes an interdisciplinary approach to conflict resolution by combining Jeff's 25 years of family law expertise with Ashleigh's deep understanding of psychology. Together, they offer a unique "two-coach" model that addresses both the legal and emotional aspects of disputes, creating a more holistic process for their...

In this episode of Counsel to Counsel, host Steve Seckler interviews Naïs Mouret, a global leadership advisor and certified emotional intelligence consultant. Naïs shares insights on the critical role of emotional intelligence (EI) and physical well-being in the legal profession. Drawing on her experience working at the United Nations and her extensive background in leadership consulting, she highlights how empathy, resilience, and mindfulness are essential tools for both professional success...

  In this episode of the Counsel to Counsel podcast, host Stephen Seckler is joined by Jordana Confino, a certified professional coach and founder of JC Coaching & Consulting. Together, they explore the pervasive issue of perfectionism within the legal profession, discussing how it often leads to anxiety, burnout, and career stagnation. Jordana shares her personal journey from practicing law while grappling with perfectionism to discovering the transformative power of positive...

In this episode Stephen Seckler speaks with Lana Manganiello, author of the new book Careers in Business Law: Forging Your Path to Success (American Bar Association 2024). Lana shares insights from her extensive experience working with AmLaw 200 firms on business strategy, attorney development, and implementing innovative growth initiatives. They discuss the evolving landscape of business law, the importance of aligning career choices with personal values, and how thought leadership can be a...

In this episode of Counsel to Counsel, I'm taking a summer pause from interviewing to catch up on some projects.  I share with you my thoughts on using time blocking as a way to get to the things that are important but not urgent.     Related Episodes Episode 123-Setting Your 2024 Goals and Creating Your “To Don't" List with Jennifer Forester and Wendy Merrill Episode 57- Billable Work v. Investment Hours (Dr. Sarah Reiff-Hekking on Time Management)      

Law is a conservative profession where change happens slowly. Law firms generally lag far behind accounting firms in creating new models. But since the explosion of the internet in the late 1990s, that rate of change has begun to accelerate. And with the rapid proliferation of ChatGPT and other AI tools, law will surely undergo a lot more change in the next five years. In this episode, we dive into the innovative legal model of Aliant with Managing Partner Jacob Stein. Aliant is a global...

Attorney well-being continues to be a hot topic in the legal community.  While the most severe effects of the pandemic are now behind us, mental health continues to be a significant issue in our profession. But there is a lot being done to address these challenges. To provide some context, several years ago, the Report of the Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being, issued by the American Bar Association, Conference of Chief Judges, and other legal organizations, called well-being an essential...

As the baby boomer generation of lawyers approaches retirement, many firms are facing the looming challenge of ensuring a seamless transition for their clients. This process is not just about maintaining business continuity but also about safeguarding the firm's legacy and client relationships. Unfortunately, many firms are not adequately addressing these issues, which can lead to significant disruptions. In this episode, I speak with a consultant who is working with law firms to change...

For many lawyers in private practice, going in-house is the ultimate goal. For transactional lawyers and for some specialties like employment law, the path to a corporate role is more obvious. For litigators, less so.  Most companies outsource a lot of their litigation because the need tends to fluctuate. But litigators can bring valuable skills to a corporate environment. And there are many examples of litigators who have gone on to have successful in-house careers. In this episode I...

I was beginning to think that live conferences were in my rear view mirror...until I attended the Annual Education Conference of the National Association for Law Placement.  It was my first live conference in over four years.  And I was like a kid in a candy shop. While I've made a point of going to an occasional live event, especially in the last two years (including speaking at live events), I had pretty much give up on conferences. Attending the NALP conference changed that for me.  The...

We’ve talked a lot on this show about sales and marketing and how selling legal services is different than selling a product.  That’s good news for those of us in the legal industry because many of us don’t like the thought of being a salesperson. Selling legal services is about relationships building. The challenge, however, is that clients generally don’t need your services all the time. You don’t know when a client, potential client, or referral source will have a need or hear of a...

I've had a number of guests on this show speaking about leadership. A large part of this is that I'm very interested in the subject. But I also feel that this is a skill set that is often neglected in the legal profession. As lawyers, we learn a lot about our craft in law school and even more once we are in practice.  As professionals, we are taught to analyze the law and help our clients to identify legal risks. Our job is to be skeptical and to apply dispassionate reasoning to the...

The practice of law has evolved a lot in the three decades since I graduated from law school. Technology has replace many monotonous functions and computers have replaced paper.  The internet has revolutionized how legal research is done and how law firms market themselves.  It has enabled remote work and interaction in a way that was unimaginable in the 1980s. At the same time, there are some fundamental things that have not changed.  The practice of law is still a service business that...

For a long time, I’ve been meaning to invite a judge onto Counsel to Counsel to talk about judicial careers.  Going on the bench is a logical next step for many litigators and I wanted to speak to a judge who could offer some practical wisdom on the subject. When I met Paul Wilson at an ABA conference in late 2022, I realized right away that I had a great prospect.  At the time, Paul was still sitting on the bench, so we decided to wait until he reached mandatory retirement. Paul is in...

In the legal press and even in popular media, larger law firms tend to get a most of the attention.  In truth, a high percentage of lawyers in the United States practice in firms that are under 20 attorneys.  And many of those are solo practitioners or very small firms that have broken away from larger firms. While I know that there are many lawyers who are satisfied with practicing in a large or mid-sized firm, as technology has continued to improve over the last two decades, I have seen...

When I graduated from law school in the late 1980s, there was no internet, no email, and fax machines were widely in use.  I used a Dictaphone to generate correspondence and had an assistant to transcribe the tapes.  While working remotely was possible because of the telephone, going into an office was the norm. In the intervening years, the rate of technological change has been truly astounding.  And while the internet, email, and social media have continued that evolution, in my opinion,...

We talk a lot on this program about finding ways to build a more satisfying legal career.  While many attorneys are drawn to the profession because they care about justice, they like the idea of becoming a trusted advisor, or they just enjoy the intellectual rigor of being an attorney, status and money are important too.  But if you are like me, one of the reasons you chose law school rather than business school is because math is not your jam. If you are a lawyer who has been practicing...

In this episode, I speak with my first “threepeat” guest, Lauren Rikleen.  This is Lauren’s third appearance on Counsel to Counsel. She was actually one of my first guests when I launched the show in 2018.  In that episode, we spoke about success strategies for women and the work she has done on that issue.    In the Spring of 2022,I invited Lauren back to talk more about her legal career including working in the field of environmental law as it was just taking off. We also spoke about...

December is a great time to take stock, hit the reset button, and do some planning.   With 2024 around the corner, I’ve been speaking with my clients about setting goals for the new year.    I’m not talking about making New Year’s resolutions.  It's important to understand that resolutions and goals are not the same. Resolutions often lack specificity and a plan of action, making them easy to abandon. On the other hand, setting clear, well-defined goals lays a foundation for measurable...

As attorneys, we share many qualities that make us effective in representing our clients.  Our skepticism, aversion to risk, sense of urgency, competitiveness, and pessimism, can all be good for out clients. But when it comes to building a practice, advancing our careers, or taking on leadership roles, we are more effective when we remove our lawyering hats. As it turns out, these qualities can also have a pernicious effect on our mental health. In this episode of Counsel to Counsel, I...