Living Law Alternatively

Last week I blew some minds.

I was presenting at the American Bankruptcy Institute Conference in KC on the topic of virtual practice.

For the last 3.5 years, I’ve experimented often with how to align my legal practice with the life I want to live. One way I’ve done this is to work 4-days a week, stop using my smartphone, and meet clients only virtually (just to name a few). What this has gotten me is a better relationship with my family, reduced anxiety (because I now make time to see a therapist), and overall better enjoyment with life.

Here are 5 key takeaways that I’ve learned on this journey:

1. Get clarity on your personal values and what you care about most. Sit down and write it out.

2. Be flexible/adaptable. What worked for the first 3 months may not work for the next 3 months. Don’t be afraid to change course or to iterate.

3. Remove/eliminate distractions. Stop doing things that do not align with your values/life’s intentions. It is okay to say “no”. Be ruthless.

4. You do you. As attorneys and legal professionals, we spend a lot of time comparing and making decisions about our lives based upon what others think or are doing. Break free from that and lean into what makes you the best you.

5. Don’t do it alone. The greatest catalyst for me has been to meet, learn from, and interact with other attorneys who have decided that they want to practice law in a different/refreshing way. As they say, it takes a village.

Change is good. And it is even better to do it together.