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Counsel to Counsel - Career Advice for Lawyers

Stephen Seckler: attorney career, marketing and leadership coach

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Counsel to Counsel is a periodic podcast produced by Stephen Seckler of Seckler Attorney Coaching (www.counseltocounsel.com). It addresses important career, marketing, and leadership issues facing attorneys. The target audience is associates, counsel and partners at law firms of all sizes; but the podcast also addresses issues that are relevant to in-house counsel, law students or any lawyer who is looking for career insights inside or outside of the law. Counsel to Counsel is aimed at indiv ...
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Law Firm Excellence

Michael Bell, Founder of LawFirmExcellence.com, targeting the managing partner & fans of Legal Talk Network, ALA, ABA Law Practice Management Section, LexisNexis, Westlaw, Thomson Reuters, Ed Poll, Bar Association, Alexis Neely, Jim Hart, John Skiba

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Law firm leaders share their stories and experts share tips that will empower you to grow your firm.
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In this solo episode, attorney Stephen Seckler reflects on the importance of building small, consistent habits—both for professional success and personal wellbeing. Drawing on his own efforts to reduce news and screen time, improve sleep hygiene, and maintain dental health, Stephen underscores how selfcare routines can create calm and clarity in st…
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Many lawyers find themselves questioning whether the traditional practice of law is the right long-term fit. In this episode, host Stephen Seckler speaks with Kim Fine and Neil Handwerker, co-founders of ex judicata, a platform designed to help lawyers explore and transition to non-legal careers. Kim Fine brings a wealth of experience as a legal in…
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In this special solo episode of Counsel to Counsel, I take a break from my usual interview format to share something personal: the audio version of Chapter One of my new book, Think Like a Lawyer, Act Like an Entrepreneur, just published by the American Bar Association. This book is a field guide for lawyers who are skeptical about marketing and al…
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In this episode of Counsel to Counsel, Steve speaks with legal tech executive and former practicing attorney Ben Chiriboga, founding team member of Nexl, a legal CRM platform built specifically for law firms. Ben shares how Nexl is transforming how lawyers manage client relationships and streamline business development—and offers a candid look at h…
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In this episode, Steve speaks with the administrative team at the NALP Foundation, a nonprofit research organization focused on the advancement of the legal profession. They explore recent data on associate hiring, attrition, and retention—highlighting what lawyers can learn from these trends to shape more satisfying careers. 💡 Topics Covered: Why …
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In this episode, I take another break from interviewing guests to share some quick thoughts on how to use job boards effectively in your job search. While I spend a lot of time encouraging clients to make networking the central focus of their career exploration, job postings still have value—if used strategically. I share practical tips on how to l…
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In this episode, Steve Seckler speaks with Jonathan White, a Boston-based trusts and estates attorney and a self-described AI enthusiast. Jonathan shares practical insights into how he is using artificial intelligence tools to streamline his law practice and enhance client service. He also reflects on his career transitions—from litigation to insur…
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In this episode, I’m taking a break from interviewing guests to share some exciting news—my new book, Think Like a Lawyer, Act Like an Entrepreneur, is being published by the American Bar Association in late March! If you’ve ever struggled with marketing yourself or felt uncomfortable with business development, this book is for you. As lawyers, we’…
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In this episode, business coach Dominic Grew returns to discuss how solo and small firm lawyers can strategically grow their practices without overextending themselves. Dominic shares practical insights on leveraging time, outsourcing non-billable tasks, and using fractional resources before committing to full-time hires. Key Topics: When to consid…
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In this episode, host Stephen Seckler welcomes back Gary Johnson, president of J2 Marketing Consultants, for a dynamic session of role-playing client intakes. They explore how lawyers can turn initial business conversations into productive relationships. Gary, an expert in coaching attorneys on growing their practices, shares practical techniques f…
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In this episode, host Stephen Seckler sits down with Carrie Flynn, a fractional CMO and growth marketing consultant, to explore the evolving landscape of marketing for lawyers and law firms. Carrie brings over eight years of experience helping professional service businesses scale their revenue and impact through tailored digital and traditional ma…
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In this episode of Counsel to Counsel, host Stephen Seckler is joined by Susanne Aronowitz, a senior consultant with Beard Strategies and a Professional Certified Coach, to discuss career transitions and job satisfaction for lawyers. Susanne shares her journey from employment attorney to career coach, offering insights drawn from her 25 years of ex…
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In this episode of the Counsel to Counsel podcast, host Stephen Seckler engages with Nancy Capistran, founder of Capistran Leadership and a Vistage chair, to delve into the transformative impact of peer advisory groups and executive coaching. Nancy, an internationally certified executive coach and crisis advisor, is renowned for her commitment to E…
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Starting your own law practice is a bold and rewarding move, but it comes with its share of challenges. In this episode of Counsel to Counsel, host Stephen Seckler sits down with Chris Earley, a Massachusetts-based personal injury attorney and business coach, to discuss lessons from his journey building the Earley Law Group from scratch. Chris shar…
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In this episode of Counsel to Counsel, host Stephen Seckler shares insights from his recent experiences volunteering during the 2024 election. Drawing lessons from the power of listening in political campaigns, Steve explores how lawyers can apply the same principles to business development. He emphasizes that active listening and understanding cli…
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In this episode Steve Seckler speaks with Judith Kurnick, an executive transition coach who specializes in guiding late-career lawyers, executives, and business owners as they navigate career transitions. Judith delves into the “longevity revolution,” the idea that professionals in their 60s can expect to live and thrive for another 25-30 years. Sh…
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In this episode of Counsel to Counsel, host Stephen Seckler welcomes Dena Lefkowitz, a professional coach and former practicing attorney who helps lawyers navigate the complexities of career development, marketing, and finding professional fulfillment. Dena practiced law for over 20 years before transitioning to coaching and has authored the book W…
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In this episode of Counsel to Counsel, I am joined by Jeffrey Soilson, Esq. and Ashleigh Louis, Ph.D., founders of Quantum ADR, an innovative co-mediation practice. Quantum ADR takes an interdisciplinary approach to conflict resolution by combining Jeff's 25 years of family law expertise with Ashleigh's deep understanding of psychology. Together, t…
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In this episode of Counsel to Counsel, host Steve Seckler interviews Naïs Mouret, a global leadership advisor and certified emotional intelligence consultant. Naïs shares insights on the critical role of emotional intelligence (EI) and physical well-being in the legal profession. Drawing on her experience working at the United Nations and her exten…
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In this episode of the Counsel to Counsel podcast, host Stephen Seckler is joined by Jordana Confino, a certified professional coach and founder of JC Coaching & Consulting. Together, they explore the pervasive issue of perfectionism within the legal profession, discussing how it often leads to anxiety, burnout, and career stagnation. Jordana share…
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In this episode Stephen Seckler speaks with Lana Manganiello, author of the new book Careers in Business Law: Forging Your Path to Success (American Bar Association 2024). Lana shares insights from her extensive experience working with AmLaw 200 firms on business strategy, attorney development, and implementing innovative growth initiatives. They d…
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In this episode of Counsel to Counsel, I'm taking a summer pause from interviewing to catch up on some projects. I share with you my thoughts on using time blocking as a way to get to the things that are important but not urgent. Related Episodes Episode 123-Setting Your 2024 Goals and Creating Your “To Don't" List with Jennifer Forester and Wendy …
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Law is a conservative profession where change happens slowly. Law firms generally lag far behind accounting firms in creating new models. But since the explosion of the internet in the late 1990s, that rate of change has begun to accelerate. And with the rapid proliferation of ChatGPT and other AI tools, law will surely undergo a lot more change in…
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Attorney well-being continues to be a hot topic in the legal community. While the most severe effects of the pandemic are now behind us, mental health continues to be a significant issue in our profession. But there is a lot being done to address these challenges. To provide some context, several years ago, the Report of the Task Force on Lawyer We…
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As the baby boomer generation of lawyers approaches retirement, many firms are facing the looming challenge of ensuring a seamless transition for their clients. This process is not just about maintaining business continuity but also about safeguarding the firm's legacy and client relationships. Unfortunately, many firms are not adequately addressin…
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For many lawyers in private practice, going in-house is the ultimate goal. For transactional lawyers and for some specialties like employment law, the path to a corporate role is more obvious. For litigators, less so. Most companies outsource a lot of their litigation because the need tends to fluctuate. But litigators can bring valuable skills to …
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I was beginning to think that live conferences were in my rear view mirror...until I attended the Annual Education Conference of the National Association for Law Placement. It was my first live conference in over four years. And I was like a kid in a candy shop. While I've made a point of going to an occasional live event, especially in the last tw…
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We’ve talked a lot on this show about sales and marketing and how selling legal services is different than selling a product. That’s good news for those of us in the legal industry because many of us don’t like the thought of being a salesperson. Selling legal services is about relationships building. The challenge, however, is that clients general…
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I've had a number of guests on this show speaking about leadership. A large part of this is that I'm very interested in the subject. But I also feel that this is a skill set that is often neglected in the legal profession. As lawyers, we learn a lot about our craft in law school and even more once we are in practice. As professionals, we are taught…
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The practice of law has evolved a lot in the three decades since I graduated from law school. Technology has replace many monotonous functions and computers have replaced paper. The internet has revolutionized how legal research is done and how law firms market themselves. It has enabled remote work and interaction in a way that was unimaginable in…
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For a long time, I’ve been meaning to invite a judge onto Counsel to Counsel to talk about judicial careers. Going on the bench is a logical next step for many litigators and I wanted to speak to a judge who could offer some practical wisdom on the subject. When I met Paul Wilson at an ABA conference in late 2022, I realized right away that I had a…
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In the legal press and even in popular media, larger law firms tend to get a most of the attention. In truth, a high percentage of lawyers in the United States practice in firms that are under 20 attorneys. And many of those are solo practitioners or very small firms that have broken away from larger firms. While I know that there are many lawyers …
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When I graduated from law school in the late 1980s, there was no internet, no email, and fax machines were widely in use. I used a Dictaphone to generate correspondence and had an assistant to transcribe the tapes. While working remotely was possible because of the telephone, going into an office was the norm. In the intervening years, the rate of …
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We talk a lot on this program about finding ways to build a more satisfying legal career. While many attorneys are drawn to the profession because they care about justice, they like the idea of becoming a trusted advisor, or they just enjoy the intellectual rigor of being an attorney, status and money are important too. But if you are like me, one …
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In this episode, I speak with my first “threepeat” guest, Lauren Rikleen. This is Lauren’s third appearance on Counsel to Counsel. She was actually one of my first guests when I launched the show in 2018. In that episode, we spoke about success strategies for women and the work she has done on that issue. In the Spring of 2022,I invited Lauren back…
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December is a great time to take stock, hit the reset button, and do some planning. With 2024 around the corner, I’ve been speaking with my clients about setting goals for the new year. I’m not talking about making New Year’s resolutions. It's important to understand that resolutions and goals are not the same. Resolutions often lack specificity an…
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As attorneys, we share many qualities that make us effective in representing our clients. Our skepticism, aversion to risk, sense of urgency, competitiveness, and pessimism, can all be good for out clients. But when it comes to building a practice, advancing our careers, or taking on leadership roles, we are more effective when we remove our lawyer…
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It is axiomatic that if you want to have a successful legal career, you need to learn your craft. Most areas of legal practice require highly refined analytical abilities coupled with good judgment. For the most part, the first developmental task of any new lawyer is to learn how to practice law. But if you want to advance in your career, you need …
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Artificial Intelligence continues to be a big unknown in the legal space. It holds tremendous promise for streamlining the delivery of legal services and is already being deployed to expedite discovery, to help draft contracts, to assist with client intake, and to streamline many other functions that once required a lot more human labor. AI is now …
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In the past year, I’ve done a number of interviews with lawyers who have transitioned from the traditional practice of law into other corporate or consulting roles. In this episode, I speak with Shawn Hoyt about how to transition into an operations role in a corporate environment. Shawn is someone who has thought a lot about managing his own career…
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Achieving partnership was once the goal of most law firm associates. The rules were relatively simple. Work hard, do a good job, and after several years, get rewarded by being elevated. Today the law firms are more complex. Many associates entering the practice of law do not aspire to become partners, at least not at the first firm they join. And a…
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Job interviews can cause a lot of stress. Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate that this is true whether you are the candidate or the interviewer. The stakes can feel high. Both sides are trying to assess whether they are right for each other. The candidate may be imagining that they are interviewing for their dream job. They may be worried abou…
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The Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Reader Rankings Awards are out, and I’m pleased to report that once again, I did very well. This year I came in first for Lawyer Outplacement and for Business Development Coach. I also came in second for Executive Coaching. So the subject of awards is top of mind for me this week. I’m happy to be in the winner’s cir…
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It has been over a year since I finally left the legal recruiting business to focus exclusively on coaching. Since the market has changed a lot since early 2022, I thought this would be a good time to invite someone who is still in the business to talk about the state of legal hiring. I also thought this would be a good time to revisit the topic of…
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In the last two episodes of Counsel to Counsel, I spoke with a lawyer who left corporate practice for management consulting and a trial lawyer who has built a trial consulting business but continues to try cases. In this episode, I speak with a corporate lawyer who cut his teeth at international law firms, went in-house, moved into a business role,…
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In Episode 112 of Counsel to Counsel, I spoke with David Lesser, a corporate lawyer who transitioned into management consulting and quit his day job as a corporate lawyer. In this episode, I speak with a litigator who has transitioned into jury and trial consulting while keeping his day job as a litigator. Marc Diller is the managing partner of Dil…
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When lawyers approach me to speak about their careers, one question they often ask is “what else can I do with my law degree”. The answer to that question is of course complex. As lawyers, we are trained to spot legal issues, evaluate risk, document deals, and litigate disputes. Most employers are not actively recruiting lawyers to do anything othe…
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Relationship building is the key to growing your practice. But who should you be focusing on when it comes to relationship building? In this episode, Steve Seckler explains how the acronym C.H.I.L.L. can help you to make smart choices in finding the "right" professional relationships to cultivate. Additional Resources Episode 100-Word of Mouth Mark…
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Like most lawyers, I went to law school because I wanted to enter an honorable profession. I wanted to have a career where the emphasis is on intellect and not on business. Not long after graduation, I realized that law IS a business and if you want to be successful, being a great lawyer is not enough. You need to learn how to run your practice eff…
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This episode was recorded during Well-Being Week in Law 2023. In Massachusetts and around the country, there are a lot of programs being offered to get lawyers thinking about the many mental health challenges that are widespread in the legal community. This particular week was designated to align with Mental Health Awareness Month which is May, and…
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