Athletes At Law

Athletes At Law

By Todd BurnhamBusinessEntrepreneurshipEducationSelf-Improvement
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Athletes At Law episodes

  • EP07: How High Performers Turn Setbacks Into Growth
    Every setback comes with two stories: the first emotional draft and the truth about what actually happened. High performers learn to move from reaction to responsibility - and from responsibility to the adjustment that helps them get better.

    In Episode 7 of Athletes at Law, Todd Burnham and Phil McCarthy explore self-assessment as a performance skill. They discuss why ego and emotion can distort our first read of a setback, how athletes learn to own their contribution, why feedback matters in the courtroom and at work, and how communicating a clear adjustment builds trust with teammates, clients, and leaders.

    Whether you're an athlete, attorney, founder, manager, or professional trying to improve under pressure, this episode offers a practical framework for turning mistakes into useful information, breaking repeated patterns, and becoming someone others can rely on to respond, adjust, and move forward.

    Hosted by:
    Todd Burnham - Founder, Burnham Law
    Phil McCarthy - Founder, North Star AdvisorySubscribe for new Athletes at Law episodes and practical lessons from sports, leadership, law, and
    22 min
  • EP06: Focused Energy Is Intentional
    Energy alone does not make a team better. The difference is where that energy goes. Focused energy turns enthusiasm into intentional action, better decisions, and a stronger environment for everyone around you.

    In Episode 6 of Athletes at Law, Todd Burnham and Phil McCarthy explore what focused energy looks like on the field, inside a law firm, and in leadership. They discuss the difference between goofy energy and high-performance focus, why enthusiasm fuels team wins, how positive energy helps people adapt to change and adversity, and why leaders set the tone through the way they respond when things get difficult.

    Whether you lead a law firm, coach athletes, manage a team, or are working to become a higher-value teammate, this episode shows how focused energy becomes a real performance skill - one that strengthens trust, improves collaboration, reduces friction, and helps build the kind of environment people want to play in.

    Hosted by:
    Todd Burnham - Founder, Burnham Law
    Phil McCarthy - Founder, North Star AdvisorySubscribe for new Athletes at Law episodes and practical lessons from sports, leadership, law, and business.
    13 min
  • EP05: Seeking Alignment
    Alignment is what turns talented individuals into a team that can move with speed, trust, and purpose. On the field, you can see it when a rowing crew stays on beat, an offense recognizes the same call, or a quick correction gets everyone back into the play.

    In Episode 5 of Athletes at Law, Todd Burnham and Phil McCarthy explore how alignment is created, how it breaks down, and how teams can restore it quickly. They discuss shared game plans, clear roles, specific feedback, accepting coaching without defensiveness, client and legal-team alignment, and the importance of recognizing the people who consistently do their part.

    Whether you are leading a law firm, serving clients, managing a team, or trying to become a more dependable teammate, this episode shows why alignment reduces friction, improves communication, accelerates execution, strengthens culture, and creates momentum.

    Hosted by:
    Todd Burnham - Founder, Burnham Law
    Phil McCarthy - Founder, North Star AdvisorySubscribe for new Athletes at Law episodes and practical lessons from sports, leadership, law, and business.In This Episode
    • Why specific feedback is one of the fastest ways to restore alignment
    • What alignment looks like in rowing, music, lacrosse, and high-performing teams
    • How shared game plans, preparation, and repetition help people move in sync
    • Why clients, legal teams, and firms need a shared strategy and clear expectations
    • How to receive feedback without deflecting, shifting blame, or becoming defensive
    • Why alignment creates speed, better communication, less friction, and better outcomes
    • The difference between players who hear something once and apply it repeatedly
    • How clear roles, recognition, and acknowledgement strengthen team culture
    9 min
  • EP04: What Makes a Great Coach
    Great coaching is not about lowering the bar or offering constant praise. It is about communicating a clear standard, earning trust, and helping people rise to what they are capable of achieving.

    In Episode 4 of Athletes at Law, Todd Burnham and Phil McCarthy explore what makes a coach, leader, or mentor truly effective. They discuss specific feedback, high standards, team buy-in, emotional intelligence, role clarity, and the ability to adapt leadership to the needs of different players and professionals.

    Whether you're coaching athletes, leading a law firm, managing a team, mentoring young professionals, or learning how to be led more effectively, this episode offers a practical framework for building trust, improving performance, and creating a stronger culture.

    Hosted by:
    Todd Burnham - Founder, Burnham Law
    Phil McCarthy - Founder, North Star AdvisorySubscribe for new Athletes at Law episodes and practical lessons from sports, leadership, law, and business.In This Episode
    • Why great coaches maintain the standard instead of lowering the bar
    • How specific feedback helps players understand what truly affects performance
    • The importance of buy-in, trust, respect, and shared team culture
    • Why great teams do not worry about who receives the credit
    • How effective leaders adapt their message to different players and learning styles
    • What sports can teach law firms and service businesses about role clarity
    • Why constant all-hands-on-deck urgency creates chaos instead of leadership
    • How intentional players can improve the coaching relationship and their own performance
    12 min
  • EP03: The Way of Excellence
    What separates people who are excellent from people who are occasionally great? And why is excellence less about talent — and more about the way you do everything?

    In this episode of Athletes at Law, Todd Burnham and Phil McCarthy explore excellence as a practice, not a peak. Drawing on their years as Hobart lacrosse teammates and their careers building companies, they dig into the difference between chasing outcomes and holding standards, why excellence shows up in the smallest reps first, and how the habits built on a field become the operating system for a career, a team, and a family.

    Whether you’re an athlete, a founder, a parent, or someone raising your own bar, this conversation is about building a way of doing things that holds up when nobody’s watching.

    In this episode:
    • Why excellence is a way of operating — not a moment, a title, or a trophy
    • Standards vs. goals: what to hold onto when outcomes are out of your control
    • How excellence shows up in the smallest reps before it shows up on the scoreboard
    • The difference between being driven and being disciplined
    • What great teammates and great colleagues have in common
    • Why culture is just excellence made contagious
    • How to raise your standard without burning out
    • Excellence at home: what your kids learn from how you do small things
    • The role of failure in refining the way you work
    • Practical ways to audit your own standards this week
    15 min
  • EP02 - Why We Play
    Why do we compete? Why do we keep showing up when things get hard? And how does the mindset we develop through sports shape the way we lead in business and in life?

    In this episode of Athletes at Law, Todd Burnham and Phil McCarthy explore the deeper reasons behind competition, motivation, and personal growth. Using lessons from athletics, they discuss how defining your own rewards, embracing the process, and building meaningful habits can help you become a stronger leader, teammate, parent, and professional.

    Whether you're an athlete, entrepreneur, executive, or simply someone striving to improve every day, this conversation offers practical ways to connect your daily actions to a greater purpose.

    In this episode:
    •  Why understanding why you play changes everything
    • The connection between habits, rewards, and long-term success
    • Competing against your former self instead of others
    • How motivation evolves from childhood through adulthood 
    • Why leaders must intentionally build rewarding environments
    • The importance of defining your own version of success
    • Using sports to discover your strengths and purpose
    • Building excellent teams through shared rewards
    • Short-term vs. long-term motivation
    • Practical ways to create sustainable high performance
    14 min
  • EP01: How To Pick a Sport
    How do you pick the right sport — for your kid, or for yourself? And why does the way you choose shape everything that comes after the choice?

    In this episode of Athletes at Law, Todd Burnham and Phil McCarthy break down the first decision every athlete makes — the one nobody coaches. Drawing on their years as Hobart lacrosse teammates and their careers building companies, they explore what actually belongs in the decision: temperament over trophies, coaching over prestige, and the difference between a kid who’s signed up and a kid who’s bought in.

    Whether you’re a parent navigating youth sports, an athlete choosing your lane, or an adult wondering if it’s too late to start, this conversation gives you a framework that works on the field — and far beyond it.

    In this episode:
    • Why the reason a kid comes back tomorrow matters more than the sport they pick
    • The scouting report hiding in plain sight: what your kid returns to without being asked
    • Matching environment to temperament — team vs. individual, contact vs. finesse
    • Why great coaching beats a prestigious program every time
    • The case against early specialization — and when an athlete earns their way into it
    • How motivation shifts when the choice is truly the athlete’s own
    • Picking a sport as an adult: community, sustainability, and who it trains you to be
    • What choosing a sport and choosing a career have in common
    • Building buy-in instead of sign-ups — at home and at work
    • Practical questions to ask before the first practice
    21 min

About Athletes At Law

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You stopped playing. You never stopped competing. A business podcast for former athletes, hosted by Todd Burnham & Phil McCarthy.