Happy Lawyer

New attorneys (maybe you?) are leaving firms (or daydreaming about it) in droves. Why? It's not because you're not making enough money. Or that you've got a high billable hour requirement. It' because of a lack of good mentorship. Last week, I talked to the senior attorneys responsible for this and taught them how to think like mentor so they could effectively start being a mentor. This week, I'm talking to the suffering new recruits who are struggling to work for people who don't teach, communicate, or offer a modicum of support. Your self-esteem has tanked, you're numbing with food/pot/alcohol/netflix, you're not showing up as the kick-ass-lawyer version of yourself that you know you can be, and you're scolling Linkedin seething with jealousy while you "like" your classmates' posts about their enviable jobs. "How the hell did I get here?" you might be asking yourself. Wait, before you jump ship, LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE. I'm taking you through what to do if you're mentors suck or don't exist, how to stay in a job that isn't exactly your fave,  and how to make sure your next job situation is way way better.  This is a must-listen for new lawyers but also for anyone struggling in a bad-mentor-situation. And if you want to get some coaching on this, book a free session with me at www.renatamusial.com/freecoaching. _____ Happy Lawyer is a weekly podcast that will help you finally feel as good as your resume looks.  Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and follow me on Instagram and LinkedIn!

Sweet comp packages, cushy offices with a view, catered lunches, fancy at-home work set ups? That's all nice but do you want to know what new attorneys really want? How to retain them and keep them really happy? Mentorship.  If you're a senior level attorney in charge of freshly minted attorneys or even just have them working at your firm, this is a MUST LISTEN episode.  And, if you want to get some free coaching, book a session with me www.renatamusial.com/freecoaching ------ Happy Lawyer is a weekly podcast that will help you finally feel as good as your resume looks.  Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and follow me on Instagram and LinkedIn!  

For the first time since 2005, I let my law license lapse. “I'm not going to practice anymore, why am I spending all of this money each year?” I thought. Five months later I was scrambling to pay late fees and catch up on CLE credit, rewriting my resume, and scouring LinkedIn for unicorn jobs. What the hell happened? Did I seriously go back to practicing law? In this episode, I'm sharing my story of going back to work as a lawyer again (like last week!) and how I not only searched for a new job but made an entire practice-area pivot into family law. I also cover: (1) how to find what you want when you have no clue what you want and (2) how to know that the decision you've made is the "RIGHT” decision. If you liked what you heard, can you do me a favor and LEAVE A REVIEW? It helps Apple and these fancy podcast players tell other lawyers about this. Plus, it tells me that you want me to keep recording

Switching gears this week, I'm talking about a topic that is likely causing you a whole lot of stress: the mental load. What's that? It's all of the effort involved in managing your work, relationships, a family, and your household. It's  basically every little detail of every little (and not-so-little) damn thing you have to juggle in your head, throughout the day, everyday, to keep up with your responsibilities and all of the decisions associated with them. Today, we're talking about the mental load and how women can off load some of it onto their partner in a way that doesn't involve (that much) nagging or yelling and instead feels more fair. I recorded this episode for another podcast earlier this year, but it's really good and will be helpful for you in juggling your own work/life balance. Especially if you're struggling with little kids at home. I'm also sharing with you my favorite book on the topic, Fair Play by Eve Rodsky. If you don't have the book AND the Fair Play cards, order them immediately and schedule a date with your partner immediately. I'm even going to teach you how to them on board with helping more so you can nag less.  ________ Subscribe to Happy Lawyer wherever you listen to podcasts and follow me on Instagram and LinkedIn!

Shopify defines branding as “the process of creating a distinct identity for a business in the mind of your target audience and consumers.” WTF does this have to do with your career as an attorney? A whole lot. But branding is so much more than a professional website, great photos, and nicely written promotional materials. If you even have that. Branding is something that is happening whether you want it to or not. It's what people say about you when you're not in the room. It's how they remember you and how they refer to you when telling someone about your work. People are already talking about you (or worse, not talking about you) so you might as well control that narrative. In this episode, I'm taking you through (1) why it's imperative for lawyers to be thinking about their own brand and (2) how to develop yours (or make changes to one that just isn't working for your anymore). WANT SOME HELP BUILDING YOUR BRAND? Join me in The Rainmaker's Bootcamp kicking off in November. www.renatamusial.com/makeitrain  

Earlier this year, at age 41, I was diagnosed with ADHD, and oh what a curious and relieving and wild ride it has been. In this episode, I'm taking you through my personal experience, why marriage counseling led me to get tested for ADHD, what symptoms I had been experiencing (without knowing what I was experiencing),  and what the diagnosis means to me now.  ----- Thanks for listening to Happy Lawyer, a weekly podcast that helps you feel as good as your resume looks.  If you're interested in joining The Rainmaker's Bootcamp mentioned in today's episode, grab your spot here. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and follow me on Instagram and LinkedIn!  

Finally, time to take action! In the last installment of this series on Becoming a Rainmaker, I'm helping you create your "WHO List." This "living" document will serve as a log of who know you and who you want to know. Start by building in a few minutes of time each week (15 min on a Friday, for example) to check in with this list, update it, add to it, make plans, it will start to become an easy way for you to level up your rainmaking game. I recommend using a Google Doc or Evernote or something that can be accessed via your mobile device and computer for those spur of the moment meetings, connects, or notes you may want to make!) Download the worksheet I talk about in the episode here. Download a copy of the WHO list template here. ____ And if you haven't already, please consider leaving a REVIEW for Happy Lawyer! 

Maybe those "girl bosses" weren't all wrong? I mean, part of becoming a boss is actually thinking like one, but slathering the title all over your desk and stationary isn't what I mean.  Part 2 of my series on becoming a rainmaker is all about how THINKING like a rainmaker will help you feel like a rainmaker and ultimately take action like one.  ------- Want to be coached on becoming a rainmaker? Book a free consult with Renata today! Subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and follow me on Instagram and LinkedIn!

Why isn't businesa development a class in law school? Because it sure as hell is a part of what can make you a successful lawyer. Not just on paper, either. Bringing in your own clients helps you create exacty the kind of career you want to have: one with ideal clients, interesting subject matters, and let's not kid ourselves, more money. But the time to start thinking about business development isn't when you're on the partner-track, years into your career. It's something you want to start thinking about early and often.  In this three-part-series, I'm teaching you how to become a rainmaker. Why is business development so important (other than what it does for your firm), how does it help you build the career of your dreams, and how can you make it a lot less intimidating and a lot less "work?" __________ Happy Lawyer is a weekly podcast that will help you finally feel as good as your resume looks.  Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and follow me on Instagram and LinkedIn!   

One of my least favorite parts of being a lawyer was all the A-holes I had to deal with. From opposing counsel to the partners I worked for, coworkers to my own sister, even (sorry, sister), why was everyone such a jerk al the time? I felt like a huge magnet for stressful people. Now, while we can agree that relationships are a two-way street, it's not only behavior that we have to consider.  In this episode, I'm teaching you all about how the thoughts you have about a person are impacting your relationship and how (yep, another!) perspective shift can immediately help you DITCH all of the difficult people in your life, once and for all. _________ Will you help me reach lawyers like you that might also like this podcast? I would love for you to share it with them!  And I'd love to hear your thoughts about this episode on Instagram or LinkedIn!

Almost every action that we take is an attempt to either avoid feeling bad OR try to feel good. Think about that for a second. We're doing, doing, doing, all day long and then go home to do, do, do some more. Are you tired yet? It's time to quit that shit and in this episode, I'm going to tell you why all of this action-taking is actually getting you nowhere and actually making you feel worse. You'll learn how to shift your perspective by asking the most important question: what am I thinking?  ______ Thanks for listening! Do me a favor, please and LEAVE A REVIEW!  Also, let's hang out on Instagram and LinkedIn!

Your brain is not actually trying to kill you but her incessant need/desire/purpose to keep you alive is really messing with your flow. (When's the last time you ran into a bear or lion on your commute?) And that bad ass brain of yours is actually keeping you from doing/achieving/saying/being all the things you want to be doing/achieving/saying/being. Of course, we will never be able to totally shake the brain's primitive “wiring.” Not that we really want to. I sort of like that whole breathing-while-sleeping part). But what we don't need is our brain to keep us from taking risks at work, pushing ourselves outside of our comfort zones, making big plans for our life and career, etc.. In this episode, I'll be teaching you how to identify when your brain is being a huge bitch and what to do about it in those moments to remind yourself that it's nothing personal. ______ Happy Lawyer is a weekly podcast that will help you finally feel as good as your resume looks.  If you liked what you heard, can you do me a favor and LEAVE A REVIEW? It helps Apple and these fancy podcast players tell other lawyers about this. Plus, it tells me that you want me to keep recording

Are lawyers inherently unhappy? What is it about the profession that draws a particular kind of person to it? My theory is that some of the very reasons we love practicing law are also the things we dislike about it and things that make us not feel so great about ourselves. In this episode, I'm sharing all those reasons with you. Mentioned in this episode: Fair Play by Eve Rodsky Fair Play Card Deck by Eve Rodsky (MUST HAVE!) Unicorn Space by Eve Rodsky ______ Happy Lawyer is a weekly podcast that will help you finally feel as good as your resume looks.  If you liked what you heard, can you do me a favor and LEAVE A REVIEW? It helps Apple and these fancy podcast players tell other lawyers about this. Plus, it tells me that you want me to keep recording

I can't say that I'm that good of a story teller, except when it comes to selling myself a load of bullshit… about myself. All of a sudden I'm spinning Shakespearean sonnets about how incompetent I am as a mother and wife because I suck at laundry and planning birthday parties, how much of life I wasted going to law school only to have practiced for only a handful of years, and how pathetic my LinkedIn resume must look to the rest of the world. On an on and on, these stories are mostly the same with modified details. The thing is, these stories? They are just that. Made up fantasies that have very little factual basis. And yet I've spent a majority of my life living as though they were truth. This episode is all about the stories I've been telling myself, the stories you are telling yourself, and why we all just need to quit it with the damn stories, already. After listening, try today's "coaching assignment" by writing out the story you have been telling yourself about something in your life. Remember, a story is just a series of thoughts that you're making about something that's going on in your life. Why you can't lose weight. Why that job or relationship didn't work out. Why you are so overwhelmed and don't have time. Then, ask yourself this series of questions: "What am I thinking about this?" "What am I making that thought mean?" "How does that make me feel?"  "Is that thought helpful to me? Why am I choosing that?"  "Can I choose a thought that would serve me better? What might that be?" ______ Happy Lawyer is a weekly podcast that will help you finally feel as good as your resume looks.  If you liked what you heard, can you do me a favor and LEAVE A REVIEW? It helps Apple and these fancy podcast players tell other lawyers about this. Plus, it tells me that you want me to keep recording

What's that you say? You're not exactly that happy? Don't worry, all of that is about to change. Welcome to Happy Lawyer, a weekly podcast that's going to help you finally feel as good as your resume looks. In this first episode, I'm introduing myself (Renata) and telling you what you can expect from this podcast. Dry humor, some F-bombs, no-BS-conversation, and actionable tools to help you get over your own shit. You're a smart woman, you've just been handling so much on your own, that shit is old and tiring. Let me help unburden you a little bit. Help make things feel a little lighter. And a whole lot better.  This is a podcast for any woman in the legal profession, from those just getting started to those crushing it as partner (or at least wanting to do so).  Thanks for being here.

"Happy lawyer" is not an oxymoron, although I know that sometimes you might feel like a moron for having chosen this as a profession. You are TIRED of all the bs that apparently comes with climbing the ladder to success and you want out. Except, well, it's complicated. And, honestly, you don't really want out, but you do want it to feel a little easier, a little less heavy. You want to feel as good as your resume looks. You want to look forward to Monday as much as you do Friday. You want to lose your shit a little less at your kids when you come home and you want to actually enjoy the amazing things you've worked so hard to have in your life, with people you love. I'm Renata and I was a very unhappy lawyer. I am making it my mission to be the coach that I needed fifteen years ago. To help you harness power you already have in a way that feels so easy. Or at least it will, eventually. Happy Lawyer is a weekly podcast that will help you finally feel as good as your resume looks.  Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and follow me on Instagram and LinkedIn!