For our second-to-last interview in the MerusCase Legal Profession Q&A series, we're speaking with Jeffrey Stern, MerusCase client and attorney at the Law Offices of Mallery & Stern, about what it's really like to be a lawyer: the good, the bad, and the not-so-pretty. Read on to hear what Jeff has to say about work-life balance, strategies for success, and what he would have changed about his law school experience. Have your own questions for Jeff? Feel free to share them in the comments below!
Q. What has been the most difficult part of being a lawyer? The most rewarding?
A. I represent employees injured workers in the workforce (i.e. workers’ compensation). I spend a lot of time listening and discussing the real life problems my clients experience as a result of their injuries including financial, medical and family problems. Hearing their stories and explaining the limitations of the law can be very challenging. Frequently, it is not only the injured employee that suffers, but also their family members. So experiencing those challenges can be very difficult. At the same time, my greatest reward is when I am able to assist someone in a life changing way that they would not have been able to do on their own. So the most difficult and rewarding parts of my job are dealing with my clients.
Q. What has been your biggest strategy for success as you’ve helped to grow your firm over the years?
A. Being honest and as straightforward as possible in my professional dealings both with clients and opposing counsel. When I sign up a new client, I spend a fair amount of time at that initial meeting explaining what the workers’ compensation does and does not include. This little extra time at the beginning saves a lot of time during the case as it reduces the number of questions clients have. At the sametime, I also try to empower my clients by educating them about the California Workers’ Compensation system and by doing that, our clients feel respected. I also continually educate my staff regarding changes in the law so that they can better understand how a particular case moves through the system and can further assist our clients.
Q. What steps do you take in order to make sure you’re staying current on changes in the legal industry?
A. I attend monthly lectures and attend at least 2 conventions every year on the law. I also play an active role in a statewide organization that educates attorneys on developments in the law.
Q. Has mentorship or networking played a role in your professional growth over the years, either personally or in terms of your business?
A. All of our clients are referrals from former clients or friends and family of former clients as we do not advertise. So I see every client interaction as a form of networking. I also regularly attend meetings with professionals in the same field and those social interactions help because if an attorney is unable to handle a case, they may refer it to you. There are also referrals that come from friends who are attorneys that practice in other areas of the law.
Q. What are the top 3 characteristics you look for in a recent graduate that you’d consider hiring at your firm?
A. Whether they look you in the eyes when you talk to them, their ability to communicate their own opinions clearly and their willingness to be an active listener.
Q. What advice would you give to undergraduates who are looking toward a career in law?
A. Try it out before you commit to it. Intern at a law firm even if it is not in an area of the law you are interested in. During college I worked at a small PI firm and before law school I worked as a paralegal in a large multi-national firm; both experiences helped me learn not only what I liked about being an attorney, but more importantly, what I did not like about those environments. Realizing what doesn’t work for you is as important as knowing what does work for you.
Q. Looking back, do you think you chose the right undergraduate degree for a career in law?
A. I don’t believe one’s undergraduate degree has much influence on one’s success in law. I majored in economics because I found it challenging and minored in anthropology because I found it fascinating; neither of which have much direct interplay with a legal career. I value the benefits of a liberal arts degree and believe that one should study that which both challenges and interests them rather than what they believe will benefit their legal career. There are many different areas of the law and many types of lawyers, so there is a place for all kinds of backgrounds and interests.
Q. Is there anything you would change about your time in law school?
A. I would have taken more courses that focused on problem solving and solution finding such as remedies, negotiations or arbitration/mediation because at the end of the day, that is what lawyers spend their time doing; trying to resolve your client’s issues. Law school helps develop analytical skills and, while a practicing attorney requires those skills, learning how to effectively resolve problems is what lawyers do.
Q. How do you go about trying to maintain work-life balance and ensure that you’re staying healthy in all aspects of your life?
A. It is very hard. My wife and I both work full time and it is not easy. My wife is a bankruptcy attorney and many times has a deadline that she must meet. Google Calendar is our most important tool in keeping our household schedule in order. If my daughters are awake when I get home at the end of the day, I do not work until after they are in bed. I also never work Saturdays as I am Sabbath observant - that automatic “work free day” is what keeps me sane (without it, I would probably work 7 days a week). Saturdays are spent with family and friends and is the primary time when I socialize outside of work. It is my most prized day and when I feel the most relaxed because I am entirely disassociated from work. We all experience times when work feels overwhelming and when that happens, I take some time for myself. That time can be anything from a quick walk around the block to leaving the office early. Personally, getting a sufficient amount of sleep is most important in being able to handle the challenges that I experience. So I am pretty strict on getting to bed at a reasonable hour seven nights a week. I also try to eat healthy and exercise but that doesn’t always happen.
Q. What’s the best way to figure out what type of law you want to practice?
A. Experience it for yourself. Also, people can change careers so if you start somewhere and it turns out to not be what you wanted, take that experience with you and find something else that meets your needs.
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