Podcast Episode 5: Maintaining Authenticity in the Legal Profession

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today, we’re talking about a very important topic – how to stay true to yourself and live with integrity as a law student and as a lawyer.

Our friend Linda Alvarez gave a great talk on this topic at the most recent Catapult conference, and we’re going to be pulling heavily from her ideas here. For those of you who don’t know her, Linda is an innovative attorney who helps her clients create contracts that align with their values, through a process she calls “discovering agreement.” She’s been named an ABA Legal Rebel, and you can find out more about her on her website DiscoveringAgreement.com.

One of the first things Linda mentioned was that it was very interesting that we even think to ask these sort of questions.

For example:

• How do I create an authentic life in the context of my work as a lawyer? 
• How can I create a legal career that doesn’t create too much dissonance between my nature and my work?

Why are lawyers even asking these questions?!? Alison went to architecture school, and architects definitely aren’t spending a ton of time worrying that architecture will ruin their lives!

Today’s conversation is wide-ranging, and includes stories of how we both screwed up and went off track in law school.

Some of the topics discussed include:

• Is this all law school’s fault?
• Has the legal profession lost a sense of community?
• What’s integrity? How does it relate to power?
• Can knowing your core values can make tough decisions easier?
• The value of making a personal mission statement
• Are lawyers allowed to have feelings? And what happens if you pretend you don’t have any?
• What are you saying Yes to? Is it really what you want?
• What fundamental questions should you be asking yourself in law school, or as a new lawyer?

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Resources:

• Linda Alvarez
• Relationship advice for lawyers from Mark Perlmutter
• Lawyer-turned-therapist Will Meyerhofer

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Thanks for listening!