Lawyer Forward

In this episode, Mike talks about race, both in America generally and the legal system specifically. He uses the story of Italian internment in World War II to explore the idea of "otherness." Out of preferences and perceptions, as well as a history of identifying white culture with professionalism, the legal industry has created a context that's hostile to African Americans. Resolving that distance will only come after first owning our ugly history.

Episode Resources

• Connect with Mike Whelan 
• [email protected] 
• https://www.lawyerforward.com/
• White Lawyering by Russell G Pearce: https://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=4073&context=flr 
• Why the US Needs Black Lawyers: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/11/why-the-us-needs-black-lawyers 
• Police killings can be captured in data. The terror police create cannot. https://www.vox.com/21292688/police-killings-data 
• Thomas Schelling, Micromotives and Macrobehavior: https://www.amazon.com/Micromotives-Macrobehavior-Thomas-C-Schelling/dp/0393329461/ 

Do lawyers get worse at their job as they age? There's not a lot of good data about this in the legal space (the benefits of self-regulation), but we can learn from studies of doctors and cab drivers. Lawyers will need to change the way we practice if we want to preserve our minds and deliver for clients.

Episode Resources

• Connect with Mike Whelan
• [email protected]
• Study of hospitalist doctors: https://hbr.org/2017/05/do-doctors-get-worse-as-they-get-older
• London bus driver study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17024677/
• Freakonomics episode with Anders Ericsson: https://freakonomics.com/podcast/peak/
• Lawyer Forward: https://www.lawyerforward.com/
• The Lawyer Forward Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/596484970450737
• Overwhelm: Advice for Law Firms Under Pressure: https://pwc.to/2AGDsAN

Do lawyers get worse at their job as they age? There's not a lot of good data about this in the legal space (the benefits of self-regulation), but we can learn from studies of doctors and cab drivers. Lawyers will need to change the way we practice if we want to preserve our minds and deliver for clients.

Episode Resources

• Connect with Mike Whelan 
• [email protected] 
• Study of hospitalist doctors: https://hbr.org/2017/05/do-doctors-get-worse-as-they-get-older 
• London bus driver study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17024677/ 
• Freakonomics episode with Anders Ericsson: https://freakonomics.com/podcast/peak/ 
• Lawyer Forward: https://www.lawyerforward.com/  
• The Lawyer Forward Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/596484970450737 
• Overwhelm: Advice for Law Firms Under Pressure: https://pwc.to/2AGDsAN  

Why would Clarence Darrow—a lawyer famous for representing the little guy—take a case that meant defending a wealthy, racist murderer? What did he risk?

In this episode, Mike talks about racism, power, and moral flexibility in lawyering.

There is a cost to losing the values that drove us to law, and Clarence Darrow paid it.

• Connect with Mike Whelan:
• [email protected]
• https://www.lawyerforward.com/
• The Lawyer Forward Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/596484970450737/
• The Island Murder (a PBS documentary about the Thalia Massie Affair): https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/island-murder/
• Honor Killing: Race, Rape, and Clarence Darrow's Spectacular Last Case: https://www.amazon.com/Honor-Killing-Clarence-Darrows-Spectacular/dp/0143036637/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3PIUSCSCM424Q&dchild=1&keywords=honor+killing&qid=1591632317&sprefix=honor+killing%2Caps%2C162&sr=8-2

Why would Clarence Darrow—a lawyer famous for representing the little guy—take a case that meant defending a wealthy, racist murderer? What did he risk?

In this episode, Mike talks about racism, power, and moral flexibility in lawyering.

There is a cost to losing the values that drove us to law, and Clarence Darrow paid it.

• Connect with Mike Whelan: 
• [email protected] 
• https://www.lawyerforward.com/
• The Lawyer Forward Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/596484970450737/ 
• The Island Murder (a PBS documentary about the Thalia Massie Affair): https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/island-murder/ 
• Honor Killing: Race, Rape, and Clarence Darrow's Spectacular Last Case: https://www.amazon.com/Honor-Killing-Clarence-Darrows-Spectacular/dp/0143036637/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3PIUSCSCM424Q&dchild=1&keywords=honor+killing&qid=1591632317&sprefix=honor+killing%2Caps%2C162&sr=8-2 

Lawyers feel especially lonely right now, but studies show we always have. A big reason for that is our misunderstanding of silos. They're the bad guy of every business book, but small social silos can bring about amazing innovations. The key is to design and connect them correctly. Learn more in this episode.

Episode Resources

• Connect with Mike Whelan
• [email protected]
• https://www.lawyerforward.com/
• Friend of a Friend by David Burkus: https://www.amazon.com/Friend-Understanding-Hidden-Networks-Transform/dp/0544971264/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3V92YH2J05DV8&dchild=1&keywords=friend+of+a+friend+david+burkus&qid=1590765093&sprefix=friend+of+a+friend%2Caps%2C158&sr=8-1
• How Many Friends Does One Person Need? by Robin Dunbar: https://www.amazon.com/Friends-Person-Dunbars-Number-Evolutionary/dp/0571253431/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=robin+dunbar&qid=1590765103&sr=8-1
• Lawyer Forward: Finding Your Place in the Future of Law: https://www.amazon.com/Mike-Whelan-Jr/dp/1707096767/ref=sr_1_1?crid=MB3OWJRW4Q5&dchild=1&keywords=lawyer+forward&qid=1590765147&sprefix=lawyer+forward%2Caps%2C225&sr=8-1
• Lawyer Forward Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/596484970450737/
• For questions or comments: (abovethelaw.com/lawyerforward)

Lawyers feel especially lonely right now, but studies show we always have. A big reason for that is our misunderstanding of silos. They're the bad guy of every business book, but small social silos can bring about amazing innovations. The key is to design and connect them correctly. Learn more in this episode.

Episode Resources

• Connect with Mike Whelan 
• [email protected] 
• https://www.lawyerforward.com/
• Friend of a Friend by David Burkus: https://www.amazon.com/Friend-Understanding-Hidden-Networks-Transform/dp/0544971264/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3V92YH2J05DV8&dchild=1&keywords=friend+of+a+friend+david+burkus&qid=1590765093&sprefix=friend+of+a+friend%2Caps%2C158&sr=8-1  
• How Many Friends Does One Person Need? by Robin Dunbar: https://www.amazon.com/Friends-Person-Dunbars-Number-Evolutionary/dp/0571253431/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=robin+dunbar&qid=1590765103&sr=8-1  
• Lawyer Forward: Finding Your Place in the Future of Law: https://www.amazon.com/Mike-Whelan-Jr/dp/1707096767/ref=sr_1_1?crid=MB3OWJRW4Q5&dchild=1&keywords=lawyer+forward&qid=1590765147&sprefix=lawyer+forward%2Caps%2C225&sr=8-1
• Lawyer Forward Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/596484970450737/
• For questions or comments:  (abovethelaw.com/lawyerforward)

Mike Whelan, author of Lawyer Forward: Finding Your Place in the Future of Law, explains the idea behind his new podcast. It's designed to help you rethink and redesign your law firm.

There's a lot of talk about the harmful culture of law practice, but Mike aims to do something about it. In weekly episodes, he'll use the power of story to uncover important principles to build on. As you take question your assumptions and build differently, you will change the culture.

Mike Whelan, author of Lawyer Forward: Finding Your Place in the Future of Law, explains the idea behind his new podcast. It's designed to help you rethink and redesign your law firm.

There's a lot of talk about the harmful culture of law practice, but Mike aims to do something about it. In weekly episodes, he'll use the power of story to uncover important principles to build on. As you take question your assumptions and build differently, you will change the culture.