Episode 130-Emotional Intelligence and EQ i-2.0 With Susan Schwartz
Counsel to Counsel - Career Advice for Lawyers
Release Date: 04/11/2024
Episode 154- The Latest Research from the NALP Foundation and What it Means for Your Career
Counsel to Counsel - Career Advice for Lawyers
In this episode, Steve speaks with the administrative team at the NALP Foundation, a nonprofit research organization focused on the advancement of the legal profession. They explore recent data on associate hiring, attrition, and retention—highlighting what lawyers can learn from these trends to shape more satisfying careers. 💡 Topics Covered: Why lawyers are leaving law firms—and why some are choosing to stay The top factors driving associate retention (hint: it’s not just about money) What the research says about generational differences and shifting career expectations How...
info_outline
Episode 153- The Role of Job Boards in Career Exploration
Counsel to Counsel - Career Advice for Lawyers
In this episode, I take another break from interviewing guests to share some quick thoughts on how to use job boards effectively in your job search. While I spend a lot of time encouraging clients to make networking the central focus of their career exploration, job postings still have value—if used strategically. I share practical tips on how to leverage listings for market research, generate new ideas, and customize your applications to stand out.
info_outline
Episode 152: Practical Applications for AI in Your Law Practice with Jonathan White
Counsel to Counsel - Career Advice for Lawyers
In this episode, Steve Seckler speaks with , a Boston-based trusts and estates attorney and a self-described AI enthusiast. Jonathan shares practical insights into how he is using artificial intelligence tools to streamline his law practice and enhance client service. He also reflects on his career transitions—from litigation to insurance defense, to real estate, and finally to trusts and estates—and how his current involvement with Atticus is helping him and other lawyers build more fulfilling and profitable practices. 🎧 Topics Covered: Jonathan’s career path: from civil...
info_outline
Episode 151-Why I Wrote Think Like a Lawyer, Act Like an Entrepreneur
Counsel to Counsel - Career Advice for Lawyers
In this episode, I’m taking a break from interviewing guests to share some exciting news—my new book, Think Like a Lawyer, Act Like an Entrepreneur, is being published by the American Bar Association in late March! If you’ve ever struggled with marketing yourself or felt uncomfortable with business development, this book is for you. As lawyers, we’re trained to be analytical and risk-averse—great for legal work, but not always helpful when it comes to growing a practice. In the book, I share practical strategies to help you shift your mindset, build relationships, and integrate...
info_outline
Episode 150-Growing Your Law Firm with Dominic Grew
Counsel to Counsel - Career Advice for Lawyers
In this episode, business coach returns to discuss how solo and small firm lawyers can strategically grow their practices without overextending themselves. Dominic shares practical insights on leveraging time, outsourcing non-billable tasks, and using fractional resources before committing to full-time hires. Key Topics: When to consider hiring support staff or associates The benefits of fractional hires and outsourcing tasks like bookkeeping and IT Avoiding common mistakes when expanding a law practice How to balance delegation while maintaining quality Real-world scenarios: Hiring a first...
info_outline
Episode 149—Turning Business Conversations into Business—a Role-Play with Gary Johnson
Counsel to Counsel - Career Advice for Lawyers
In this episode, host Stephen Seckler welcomes back Gary Johnson, president of , for a dynamic session of role-playing client intakes. They explore how lawyers can turn initial business conversations into productive relationships. Gary, an expert in coaching attorneys on growing their practices, shares practical techniques for understanding client needs, building trust, and addressing objections. Role-play scenarios include consultations with a restaurant owner expanding his business, a divorcing client navigating complex emotions and custody issues, and parents of a special needs child...
info_outline
Episode 148-Strategic Marketing for Law Firms with Carrie Flynn
Counsel to Counsel - Career Advice for Lawyers
In this episode, host Stephen Seckler sits down with , a fractional CMO and growth marketing consultant, to explore the evolving landscape of marketing for lawyers and law firms. Carrie brings over eight years of experience helping professional service businesses scale their revenue and impact through tailored digital and traditional marketing strategies. Together, they unpack the essential elements of building a robust marketing plan that balances relationship-building with digital tools. Key Topics Discussed: Marketing Fundamentals for Law Firms: How to identify your ideal...
info_outline
Episode 147-Your Legal Career: If It’s Broke, Fix It or Move On?
Counsel to Counsel - Career Advice for Lawyers
In this episode of Counsel to Counsel, host Stephen Seckler is joined by , a senior consultant with Beard Strategies and a Professional Certified Coach, to discuss career transitions and job satisfaction for lawyers. Susanne shares her journey from employment attorney to career coach, offering insights drawn from her 25 years of experience. Together, they explore how lawyers can address career dissatisfaction, identify whether issues are fixable within their current role, and recognize when it’s time to move on. Susanne also provides actionable advice on navigating involuntary job loss,...
info_outline
Episode 146-Nancy Capistran on Using Peer Advisory Groups and Individual Coaching to Build Leadership Skills
Counsel to Counsel - Career Advice for Lawyers
In this episode of the Counsel to Counsel podcast, host Stephen Seckler engages with Nancy Capistran, founder of and a chair, to delve into the transformative impact of peer advisory groups and executive coaching. Nancy, an internationally certified executive coach and crisis advisor, is renowned for her commitment to Expanding Human Excellence®. She is also the author of the best-selling book Open Your Eyes and LEAD: Hardship and Wisdom Shape the Best Leaders in Life, which offers insights into overcoming challenges to achieve exceptional results. In this conversation, Nancy shares...
info_outline
Episode 145-“Earley” Mistakes to Avoid When Starting Your Own Law Practice
Counsel to Counsel - Career Advice for Lawyers
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 , 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 take the leap into entrepreneurship. Chris recounts the early days of his practice, launching in 2005 with no...
info_outline 
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 situation so that our clients can protect themselves from legal exposure and comply with the law. We work to get our clients the best possible outcome whether it is in a litigation matter or in a corporate or real estate deal. We help our clients to achieve their personal or business objectives in a way that avoids legal risk or accomplishes their legal objectives.
But the same skills that we cultivate in practicing law can interfere with our ability to be an effective leader.
Whether you are a managing partner, a practice group leader, running your own law firm, serving as a general counsel, or managing other members of the legal team as an assistant general counsel, you need a different skill set to be successful.
In particular, emotional intelligence is one skill that you need to cultivate in order to be successful in a leadership role.
In this episode, Susan Schwartz provides great insights on that subject.
Susan Schwartz is a leadership coach and management consultant. She equips technical experts and teams with the skills they need to become excellent leaders. Her tagline is : Transforming expert professionals into emotionally intelligent leaders.
Additional Resources