Lawyers Who Learn
Education & Explainer
About
Lawyers Who Learn, explores how attorneys’ engagement in lifelong learning fuels their growth. Join us to uncover these journeys and gain insights for your legal career.
Episodes
- #126 How a Bottle of Wine Started a Big Law Litigator's Career Pivot
Host David Schnurman speaks with Kyle Robisch, founding partner of Latitude Legal's Tampa office, about how a strengths assessment revealed his talent for connecting with people, leading him to pivot from Big Law litigation to legal talent…
- #125 From Yale Law to Legal Tech Startup: A Philosopher's Bet on Someday
Sam Davidoff, former litigator and founder of Align, talks about his journey from law to legal tech entrepreneurship. He discusses the challenges of legal tech sales, institutional inertia, and the importance of continuous learning.
- #124 How a Wake-Up Call at age 43 Sparked 25 Years of Reinvention
In this episode, Barry Seidel shares his experience of transforming his legal practice and life after a heart attack at age 43. He discusses pivoting from personal injury to probate and estate administration, managing stress, and the impor…
- #123 The Power of Mastering One Niche: Built by Saying No
In this episode, Michelle Itkowitz explains how she built her law practice by focusing on landlord-tenant law in New York City. She discusses her approach to client selection and how she provides value through detailed analysis.
- #122 Why Teaching What You Learn is the Ultimate Law Practice Growth Engine
Patrick McCormick, an international tax expert, shares his journey on how teaching complex legal concepts helped him build his reputation and grow his law practice. He discusses his strategies for specialization, continuous learning, and t…
- #121 From Bollywood to AI: Reinventing Legal Leadership
Pralika Jain shares her journey from Bollywood to leading legal at an AI data company. She discusses her career pivots, navigating challenges at Twitter during its acquisition, and her approach to legal leadership, emphasizing curiosity an…
- #120 How a Health Crisis Turned a Corporate Partner Into a Lawyer Coach
After a breast cancer diagnosis at 38, former corporate lawyer Heather Moulder reevaluated her life and career, eventually becoming a lawyer coach. She now helps attorneys with mindset and business development, viewing burnout as a signal…
- #119 The Recruiter Who Talks Rainmakers Out of Switching Firms
Jennifer Gillman, founder of Gillman Strategic Group and author of The Happy Rainmaker, explains her unique recruiting approach focused on ensuring lawyers don't make moves that increase stress and decrease control, prioritizing long-term…
- #118 Building the Lifelong Learning Vision That's Transforming Legal Education
Lucie Allen discusses BARBRI's transformation into a lifelong legal learning platform, including strategic acquisitions and adapting to AI. She also shares insights on professional growth challenges for women in the legal industry.
- #117 From Law Firm Attorney to Building a High-Stakes Translation Business
Sarah Dray discusses her career shift from a law firm attorney to founding a successful translation business and a seven-figure e-commerce company. She also reflects on navigating entrepreneurship in Israel and her new mission to support w…
- #116 The Navy JAG Who Teaches Lawyers to take a low-key approach in Court
Navy JAG Brendan Horgan explains his courtroom philosophy: matter-of-fact credibility surpasses theatrical passion. He applies this principle to his employment law practice, advocating for a low-key approach that focuses on finding leverag…
- #115 Billing Less to Supercharge Profits: Escaping the Expert Trap in Law Firms
Host David Schnurman talks with Dan Warburton about his journey helping law firms increase profits by billing less and empowering teams. Warburton shares how overcoming personal limiting beliefs and focusing on leadership training enabled…
- #114 The Long Way to Innovation: Reinventing a Legal Career
Joe Green shares his experience building an AI and innovation program at Gunderson Dettmer, emphasizing firm value and client-driven change. He details his career reinvention, starting from a transactional associate to his current roles, a…
- #113 The Pizza Philosophy - The Role of Productive Friction in an Efficient World
This episode features Lauren Hakala discussing her transition from corporate law to a talent management role at Reed Smith. She introduces the 'near pizza' concept, emphasizing the importance of productive friction and human connection in…
- #112 "Let Them Say No": Building Business Development on Weak Ties
Host David Schnurman talks with Jason Levin about his book "Let Them Say No," which explores building business development through social science principles like weak ties and dormant connections. Levin shares his career journey, from an e…
- #111 Cold Calls, Courage, and the Big Law Pivot That Changed Everything
In Lawyers Who Learn #111, Megan Senese shares her journey from Big Law business development to co-founding Stage, a firm offering personalized marketing and business development support for attorneys. She discusses actionable frameworks,…
- #110 From Stage Rejection to Lawyer Development
Tony Gerdes, Director of Professional Development at Groom Law Group, shares his philosophy on attorney growth, emphasizing the need for initiative and continuous learning. His approach is shaped by a diverse background in theater, account…
- #109 The Attorney Who Resisted Coaches, Books, and Telling Her Own Story — Until All Three Changed Her
Michele Richman discusses her transformation in leadership development, initially resisting self-improvement books but later embracing coaching and authors like Dale Carnegie and Brene Brown. This led her to create programs at Lawline and…
- #108 From Japanese Robots to Three Legal Tech Exits
Steven Harber
- #107 The PD Leader Who Brings Humanity to Legal Leadership
Matthew Galando shares his unconventional path to leading professional development at K&L Gates, focusing on compassionate leadership and a growth mindset. He draws parallels between his music career and legal professional development, hig…
- #106 - The Lawyer Who Went Back to School to Learn How to Be an Entrepreneur
Chris Keefer, a successful lawyer, shares his mid-career reinvention journey from litigation to entrepreneurship. He founded The Legal Wellness Kit, an innovative solution for businesses seeking legal guidance, and now works in a dual role…
- #105 - The Marketing Executive Who Left $500M Brands for Law School after 30
Stacey transitioned from a successful marketing executive managing major brands to attending law school in her thirties. She founded Kalamaras Law Office and Trademarkabilities, a trademark training academy, driven by a realization that sh…
- #42 Reinventing Legal Learning: Lessons from SkillBurst’s Founder
Steve Gluckman, CEO of Lawline, shares his entrepreneurial journey in legal e-learning, founding SkillBurst Interactive and its eventual sale to Barbri. He details the challenges of market timing for innovation and reflects on the emotiona…
- #104 - The Accountant Who Found Her Calling in Lawyers' Biggest Blind Spot
Amy Woods, an accountant, shares her journey of specializing in IOLTA audits for law firms after initial failures. She founded IOLTA Consulting to help attorneys navigate trust account regulations, highlighting common mistakes and her busi…
- #103 The Law Librarian Redesigning Legal Education From the Inside
Kenton Brice argues law schools lack incentive to change due to U.S. News rankings, ABA accreditation, and student loans. He explores reimagining legal education at the University of Oklahoma College of Law, emphasizing design thinking, AI…
- #102 The Three-Day Offsite That's Redefining Associate Training
This episode discusses White & Case's Momentum program, a 3-day immersive training initiative for associates, designed and taught by the firm's own partners and senior associates. Host David Schnurman also explores Jennifer Rakstad's caree…
- #101 ADHD: The Hidden Disability Driving Lawyers to Burnout
Host David Schnurman talks with Sarah Ennor about her experience with ADHD in the legal profession. Ennor shares her journey from corporate law challenges to diagnosis and how she now helps law firms create supportive environments for atto…
- #100 The Lawyer Who Reimagined Success Through Career Transition
Yeve Chitiga discusses her career transition from a corporate lawyer to a career coach for high-achievers, driven by a desire for meaningful, human-scale impact. The conversation highlights her journey, shaped by her upbringing and motherh…
- #99 - The 900 Day Gap Between Quitting BigLaw and Success
Noah Waisberg shares his story of leaving a BigLaw firm without a plan, facing years of failure with his AI technology, financial stress, and a newborn, before achieving success through bootstrapping, raising $50 million, and a unique comp…
- #98 - The Attorney Who Wrote Her Own Dream Job Description
Miriam Benor created her role as Director of Attorney Coaching at Pillsbury by pitching a new position focused on attorney development. She employs a coaching philosophy that encourages reframing challenges and adapting oneself or the envi…
- #97 The Only Woman in the Room: From Engineering to AI Startup Founder
Virginia Driver transitioned from a 36-year career as a patent attorney to founding AttainIP, an AI-powered platform designed to revolutionize patent filings. The episode explores her unconventional path into law, her experiences in a male…
- #96 She's Never Tasted Coffee But Energizes 400 Attorneys Across America
Nichole Velasquez, never having tasted coffee, energizes attorneys through emotional intelligence training at LCLD. She discusses how firms value relationship-building and personal development over purely legal training, drawing on her own…
- #95 Broadcasting on TikTok: How One Attorney Conquered Imposter Syndrome
Jennifer Nelson Flynn shares her unexpected transition to TikTok creator on "Lawyers Who Learn," moving from anonymous learning to creating content about skincare and long COVID. Her experience on the platform has boosted her confidence as…
- #94 Mastering Visibility: The Career Skill Nobody Teaches Lawyers
Host David Schnurman interviews Paula T. Edgar on Lawyers Who Learn about visibility as a crucial career skill for legal professionals. Paula emphasizes intentional networking, strategic presence, and authentic self-representation for long…
- #93 - The Kodak Moment Coming for Big Law
Bjarne Tellmann, formerly a General Counsel, shares his transition from traditional law practice to focusing on AI's impact, teaching, and advising. He explains how dominant law firms might face disruption, comparing their situation to Kod…
- #92 - From Stoic Philosophy to AI Strategy: Building a Modern Law Practice
Kellam T. Parks shares his journey from practicing law to entrepreneurship, emphasizing Stoic philosophy in managing his firm and coaching others. He details cybersecurity threats, AI implementation for efficiency, and strategic planning f…
- #91 - How Operation Peter Pan from Cuba Shaped an Attorney
David Schnurman interviews Alexander Almazan about his journey from law firm burnout to building a thriving practice. Almazan discusses how his father's experience with Operation Peter Pan influenced his work ethic and how he now integrate…
- #90 - Building a 150-Lawyer Global Firm from Members Clubs
JJ Powell shares his unconventional approach to building a 150-lawyer global firm, Lawyers Who Learn, utilizing exclusive members clubs and embracing AI. He also candidly discusses overcoming burnout and personal challenges, highlighting t…
- #89 - The Seven-Month Silent Retreat That Created a New Career Path
Jon Krop transitioned from a legal career to founding Flourish Legal Wellbeing after a transformative seven-month silent retreat. The episode discusses his experiences with ADHD, anxiety, mindfulness, and the evolving landscape of wellness…
- #88 - Tracking Fortune 100 Clients: The Art of Legal Intelligence
Rachel Shields Williams, Director of Client Intelligence at Sidley Austin, explains her role in transforming relationship data into strategic intelligence to track Fortune 100 clients. She discusses her career evolution, the need for story…
- #87 - The Attorney Who Treats ADHD as a Competitive Advantage
Host David Schnurman talks with Julie Remer about her experience as an attorney with undiagnosed ADHD, and how she now helps neurodivergent lawyers turn perceived weaknesses into advantages through her company, Amicus Coaching. The episode…
- #86 - The Dietitian Teaching Lawyers to Fuel Performance, Not Just Bodies
Registered dietitian Amy Goodson shares her journey from communications and dance to sports nutrition, explaining how she helps lawyers optimize performance through practical, science-backed nutrition advice. She highlights the "compound e…
- #85 - The Two-Workout System: Training Body and Mind in Legal Practice
In this episode of Lawyers Who Learn, Jonathan Schutrum explains how he applies philosophy and cognitive expansion to enhance his legal practice. He discusses using podcasts, language learning, and even music like Wagner as cross-training…
- #84 - The Managing Partner Who Traded $48 Million Verdicts for Yoga Mats
Karen Munoz, a former managing partner at a personal injury firm, shares her journey of transformation from handling high-stakes cases to becoming a trauma-informed wellness coach. After finding solace in yoga and recovery, she pursued a m…
- #83 The "Cheat Code" to Upskilling 100,000 Lawyers on AI
Colin Lachance discusses his entrepreneurial journey, founding LawQi to upskill 100,000 lawyers on AI fundamentals. The platform uses an interactive sandbox and AI assistant, challenging traditional legal education with a mission-driven fo…
- #82 The Integration Work Lawyers Need Before AI’s Disruption
Clarissa Dominguez shares her journey of leaving BigLaw to study neuroscience coaching after traditional therapy failed her. She now helps lawyers integrate emotional wellbeing and spiritual grounding into their practice, arguing it’s cruc…
- #81 Laugh, Build, Run! - Discussing Workflows, Legal Tech Craziness and Ironman Triathlons
Michael Grupp, founder of legal tech company Bryter, shares his journey from Big Law to entrepreneurship, discussing workflow automation, AI's transformative potential in the legal field, and insights gained from endurance sports and team-…
- #80 If You Don't Talk About Yourself, No One Else Will: Breaking Free from Professional Silence
Host David Schnurman talks with Marc W. Halpert about overcoming professional silence, particularly among lawyers. Halpert explains his framework for authentic visibility on LinkedIn, helping high-achievers showcase their value without agg…
- #79 Six Months Without Pay Led to a Multi-Million Dollar Exit
Richart Ruddie discusses his entrepreneurial journey, including working six months without pay and using SEO expertise to build a successful reputation management company. He now leads Captain Compliance, a data privacy software firm, high…
- #78 The Professional Development Director with a 1,700+ Day Practice
In this episode of Lawyers Who Learn, Johnna Story, Director of Professional Development and Wellbeing at Finnegan, shares her three-decade journey in evolving the legal profession. She details her approach to attorney development, her 1,7…