Some people might think you can’t be both a serious lawyer and a serious athlete. I disagree. In fact, I think some of the skills a person must develop as an athlete can actually improve and enhance their abilities as a lawyer.
If you know me, really know me, you know that my health is important to me. I try to eat right, get enough sleep, and exercise regularly. Being the competitive person that I am (a good trait for a trial lawyer), going to the gym isn’t enough for me. I like to challenge myself by running marathons, competing in triathlons, and doing centuries (100 mile rides) on my bike. These activities make me happy. They help me stay balanced under the incredible stress of being a plaintiff’s trial lawyer, and improve my life.
I wasn’t always so healthy. Six months before I turned 40, I was overweight, stressed, had high blood pressure, high cholesterol, wasn’t sleeping well, and was on my way to a diabetes diagnosis. I knew I needed to do something to make a meaningful, positive change in my life. I started exercising and riding my bike. Then I started working with a dietician to learn how to eat properly for my body. I still battle my metabolism because, if I stray very little, I’ll be back on the downward spiral of weight gain and health problems. I have to walk the straight and narrow. Everyone is different, but my body doesn’t give me much room for error. That is why I’m so focused on my health and physical fitness.
Not all lawyers are created equal. Some lawyers are smarter than others. Some are more experienced. Some are more talented. And others have an extra spark, an extra drive that leads them to be effective advocates and warriors for their clients. Here is my response to the question of whether a serious athlete can not only be a serious lawyer, but a better lawyer:
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Healthy lawyers are better able to serve their clients.
I was surprised to see first-hand that becoming healthier and fitter actually made me a better lawyer. I no longer have difficulty sleeping. I don’t take lots of medicine. I breathe better, feel better, and have more mental energy and physical stamina to tackle tasks at the office. I know lawyers who don’t take care of themselves and are in poor health as a result. Their bodies hurt. They don’t feel good. They lack energy. They take lots of medicine and spend a lot of time at the doctor. As a result, I expect that there are times when they really aren’t at their best to serve their clients. The clients may not realize this, but in little ways, at the very least, their cases suffer.
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Lawyers who know how to balance their stress are better able to serve their clients.
Practicing law is a stressful business. The stress increases for lawyers like me who represent injured people, sue insurance companies and big corporations, and try their clients’ cases to skeptical juries. Although we can’t guarantee an outcome on any case, we always feel responsible and we always want to do our very best job for the client, regardless of the difficulties of the case. As a result, we internalize a lot of the stress and it eats at us. Many plaintiff’s lawyers feel stress on a daily basis – they spend too little time with their families, they don’t sleep well, they have no time to exercise, and they are grumpy. When you feel that way, you don’t do your best work or think critically, creatively, or clearly. I feel this stress too, but I try to balance it with a lot of physical activity. For me, sweating releases stress. When I’m out on a long bike ride, my mind clears and I breathe better. I love the feeling of accomplishment at the end of a long run. I enjoy the feel of my body gliding through the water when I swim. Sometimes, my best thinking on a case is done while I’m exercising. When I’m out of the office and moving my body, my brain frees up to think better, to analyze a case or a problem, and to think of creative solutions.
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Lawyers who know how to manage their time are better able to serve their clients.
I do a lot of legal malpractice work (ie..I sue lawyers who make mistakes that harm their clients). One of the common denominators of the people I sue is that they aren’t very good at managing their time. They aren’t well organized, don’t have good systems in place in their office, and they let important deadlines and details slip by. Sometimes those deadlines are so crucial that it results in the termination of their clients’ rights to obtain justice and recover for the losses they have suffered. As an athlete and a lawyer, I have to manage my time carefully. My clients and their cases always come first. This means that, in order to get my training and workouts in, I have to manage my time at the office. I have to plan my day to get the most out of every minute I’m there. I have to prioritize the things I need to do each day and constantly watch the deadlines on cases to make sure that I get things done on time.
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Lawyers who understand their clients are better able to serve their clients.
Some lawyers take all comers. You know them, the ones who advertise on TV or the sides of busses. They promise miracles and tell you about the money they got for other clients. The lawyer is happy to meet you for a consultation, but that may be the last time you actually see your lawyer because their paralegal and staff will be handling the rest of your case. These lawyers work in what we call “volume firms.” They often settle cases for less than they are worth because it is easier and because, when you have hundreds of cases, the net effect is pretty good. But, what about if you are the client and you only have one case? Your case matters to you and you want to get the best result you can from a lawyer who knows you and is paying attention to your case. When we started Nelson Boyd, we decided that we did not want to be a volume firm. That just isn’t our style. Instead, we only work on the cases we choose; for people we like and on causes that we feel passionate about. We work closely with our clients and really get to know them. As a result, we know what the case means to them, we understand about the losses they suffered and how this affects them. Many of our clients have been injured on bicycles or while running or walking. Because I’m a cyclist and a runner and I walk to work every day, I know about the dangers cyclists and pedestrians face each day. Because I understand them, I am better able to represent them.
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Lawyers who are passionate about something are better able to serve their clients.
When you hire a lawyer to represent you, you want them to be passionate about your case. You want them to care. You want them to give a damn. We’ve all encountered people who lack passion in their lives. It appears that nothing makes them happy or engages them, not their families, hobbies, friends, or work. I am passionate about a lot of things: my clients, justice, equality, health, and physical fitness. I am by no means the fastest, fittest, or best athlete, but I always give it my best. When I ride my bike up a hill during a triathlon, I give it my all. It may not be fun, but I am motivated by crossing the finish line and getting a medal. I am passionate about that. I am also passionate about my clients and their cases. When I am thinking critically about their cases, plotting strategy, and executing something that will change the course of their case, I get excited. I am passionate about winning their cases, getting the best results for them, obtaining justice, and leaving them in a better position than when they hired me. Don’t you want a passionate lawyer?
If you, or someone you know, has suffered an injury, had an insurance claim denied, or had a lawyer who made a mistake that harmed the case, contact Nelson Boyd, PLLC to see if we can help you. www.nelsonboydlaw.com – (206) 976-7601
