A Personal Story About Giving

I grew up in good living conditions, in suburban Denver. But my parents grew up in poor conditions in rural Ireland. And my grandparents grew up in very, very poor conditions in rural Ireland. My great-grandfather was beaten to death by the British army during the Irish revolution on Christmas Eve in 1921. This left … Read More

Starting Up and Escaping a Life of Quiet Desperation

Henry David Thoreau once famously said that, “most men lead lives of quiet desperation.” That statement is likely more true today than it was in the 1840s, when he said it. With increased specialization, many adults sleepwalk through their professional years, operating on a level of minimum consciousness, never fully engaged or alive. They’re just … Read More

Win-Win Lawyering

Many think of the best lawyers as the Johnny Cochrane-Alan Dershowitz types. These are the guys who gained their reputations for in-your-face, no-hold-barred advocacy on behalf of their clients. Having a lawyer like this is important when you’re facing a murder charge. But in most other circumstances, you may want to consider a different advocate. … Read More

Culture and Clientele

Recently read a post by Seth Godin about choosing your clientele that resonated with me. I’m defining pandering as using your perception of your customer’s wishes as an excuse to do work you’re not proud of. The public radio station that puts on empty, sensationalist coverage of the current crisis-of-the-year is chasing others down the … Read More

Law and Probability, Part III

When someone tells you they have “x years of experience,” they have performed a significant number of trials in their professional career. More trials means more certainty. And any professional who learns from mistakes will, presumably, improve over time. But as we have seen with George Will and Dick Morris, lots of experienced, well-respected, and … Read More