from dawn to dusk

"This is my son Steven. He's going to be a lawyer someday," was the introduction Steve Harper grew accustomed to whenever his Dad met someone new. Although his father wasn't a lawyer, Harper took his encouragement to heart, built a substantial practice, and became a leading litigator.  Early on, however, one of his mentors gave him the chance to enter a courtroom just eighteen months into his first job. That experience taught Harper that a secret to success is delegating to capable younger lawyers, trusting them, and refusing to let the practice of law consume his life. The rest is history. In this episode, hear how Harper balanced red-eye flights with coaching 25 kids' sports teams, building a thriving practice, and eventually navigating a smooth transition out of the firm and into pursuing new interests.

Retired Rear Admiral John D. Hutson once thought he might pursue life as an Episcopal priest, until he was called to the law and to serving his country. After joining the Navy and earning his law degree, he rose through the ranks to become Judge Advocate General. Throughout his military career, he visited at least 50 naval offices around the globe to get to know his staff personally—a management style he called "leadership by walking around." From the Navy to academia to endorsing presidential candidates, Hutson's influence has been far-reaching, always with a mission to make the world a better place. In this episode, hear Hutson tell his story, from serving as the Navy's top lawyer to his retirement in Florida.  

Amy LaBelle was assistant general counsel at Fidelity in Boston when a hand-painted sign on a Nova Scotia roadside changed everything. Following it to a "teeny-tiny winery" sparked an epiphany; 4,083 days later, she opened her first winery. The transition from attorney to entrepreneur was a marathon of balancing a full-time legal career, motherhood, and family life—all while fermenting her first batches in a fourth-floor walk-up. In this episode, LaBelle shares her journey of leaving a secure legal career to forge a unique path toward her dream.

David Miraldi followed in his father's footsteps and joined the family law practice. They specialized in personal injury litigation, initially from the insurance side, and then representing plaintiffs.  But at 59, Miraldi had a life event that made him reevaluate what he wanted to do with his future. Without much hesitation, he left the law for a dusty basement full of police files on the hunt for an old case of his father's.  He wrote a book about it and won an international book-of-the-year award, and three books later, he sat down to share his story with us. In this episode find out how Miraldi made an easy transition from the law and what he says are important things to consider before other lawyers do the same.

Mark Shaiken wanted to be a writer or a sports photographer when he grew up.  When he was in college, he told his father, and the response was less than promising.  Not knowing how he would make a living over the long term, Shaiken took jobs as a highway line painter, a septic tank fixer, and a fork lift driver.  He also took the law school entrance exam, and through a series of fortunate events, he became a corporate bankruptcy attorney.   For decades he grew a successful practice, but he wasn't ready to give up his other career dreams.  Eventually deciding "it was now or never", Shaiken took the plunge and left the law for writing.  In this episode, Shaiken talks candidly about how he approached his career through the "back end", and how he left a structured, traditional office, and no longer tethered, created a new life as an award-winning writer.

Bill McInerney built his career the hard way at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, leading by example, earning loyalty, and doing whatever it took to get the deal done. Sometimes that meant sleeping on the office couch. Then, after nearly four decades riding the waves of New York real estate, he walked away at 65 — burned out and thinking he might simply "do nothing."  But that's not what happened.  In this episode, Bill shares what it really takes to build a practice — and what he discovered when he finally stepped away.  

Noah Hanft was attracted to the legal profession because he wanted to help people.  His career started at legal aid and after a brief stint in a law firm, he joined a five person legal department at Mastercard.  He then spent three decades helping to build Mastercard, and, as General Counsel he led the way through a complex and hugely successful IPO. His secret to success is something many lawyers miss. In this episode, find out what Noah believes worked for him and what lawyers need to remind themselves to practice.  

Larry Weinstein says being the best at what he does made it possible to build his law practice, largely through word-of-mouth.   His clients trusted him, and they followed Larry from one firm to another.  He left his mark on big law including firms like Proskauer Rose and Davis Polk.  In 2022, he left Proskauer and started an arbitration business that he was told it would take years to build. But he left the naysayers in the dust when his strong work ethic and client focus helped him grow quickly.  Find out how Larry rose to the top and how he pivoted to a new business and entrepreneurship.

Alexander "Sandy" Thomas began his career as a Federal District Court clerk and as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Virginia.  He then entered the private sector and practiced with his father.  When his father's firm merged into Reed Smith, Sandy's career took off.  He became the Global Managing Partner where he oversaw the growth of the firm to 31 offices across 10 countries.  But, Sandy's story isn't just about reaching the top, it's about what comes after. In this episode, Sandy offers a  candid perspective on the difference between leadership and management, knowing when to step aside, and how he followed his next passion. 

Cathy Green led the way for women criminal defense litigators in New Hampshire, by being among the first. As she says, because she was an anomaly, it was easier to stand out, get media attention, and receive referral clients. But, she was also a great lawyer who got results. And she had an unusual way of approaching her criminal cases– she liked to have fun. In fact, Green decided early on that if she was going to practice law, it was going to be enjoyable, even when faced with clients accused of heinous crimes. This outlook served her well and her vast career spans over fifty years. In this episode meet the woman judges used to call brother, who leaves a legacy that paved the way for women and who brought transformative changes to the legal landscape in New Hampshire.

In a series of additional podcasts, From Dawn to Dusk +, Doug shares some of his own strategies with live audiences.  In a recent visit to Wake Forest University, he discusses how important  business strategies are to growing your law practice.  First step is learn how to reprogram your brain, and how to do the same for potential clients, so they will not only like you, they will want to hire you. Also, in this episode, you will hear about how every lawyer reaches a "use-by-date" or a time to move on from their firm or business.  Learn how to plan for your next act so you can leave on your terms.  

Roberto Arochi has been practicing law in Mexico for forty-five years. After the first fourteen, he struck out on his own with a couple of associates and an admin to build the firm Arochi and Linder to nearly 200 employees, based in Mexico and in Spain. For Arochi, the secret sauce to success was hiring talent that filled in four core practice areas, and then specializing based on the strengths of the attorneys he had on board. He recognized the importance of differentiating the firm in the market, without straying from its foundation. Setting up a practice in Spain was a big change, working in a culture that shared a language, but not the same work style. In this episode, we learn how Arochi built strength in his business and how he has a firm of employees that eagerly come to work in the office five days a week.

Finding a mentor, or a natural role model, that to me is a key part of being successful.  Start to identify what makes them successful and ask yourself, what can I do to mirror that and use it to move forward in my career." Roger Parker has had an exciting career as a litigator and global manager at Reed Smith, one of the largest law firms in the world with offices in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.  When managing billable hours and teams of attorneys became less important in his life, he made a plan to move on.  In this episode he explains how relationships, hiring well-rounded people, and soccer all contributed to his success.

My mother always told me: "If you don't share what you've learned, you'll never be able to move on and grow." That simple lesson became a guiding principle for Carla Michelotti, former Executive Vice President and Chief Legal, Government & Corporate Affairs Officer at Leo Burnett Worldwide, one of the most iconic advertising agencies on the planet.  In this episode of From Dawn to Dusk, Carla shares how teaching others and letting go became keys to her extraordinary success—and to a graceful transition in later years.  Discover how this pioneering trailblazer for women in corporate law broke barriers, took bold risks, and earned a surprising nickname along the way—find out why they called her "Fred" — all in Episode 8 of From Dawn to Dusk.

When John Langan first joined Barclay Damon, the firm was staring down a crisis with no promise it would survive. Instead of walking away, Langan rolled up his sleeves, rallied with his peers, and pursued a bold business development strategy other firms wouldn't touch. The results speak for themselves. Today, Barclay Damon thrives with offices in Syracuse, Manhattan, and Washington, D.C., powered by a culture of belonging where every employee matters. In this episode of From Dawn to Dusk, hear how Langan took a crisis and forged a legacy—and why he's more enthusiastic than ever about the firm's future.

What drives two successful lawyers to walk away from prestigious careers for a life in the arts? In this episode, I sit down with Joseph Lewczak, once a partner at New York's Davis+Gilbert, and Anne DiGiovanni, who left her role on Hulu's corporate legal team—all to pursue their creative passions as musicians, producers, and stage performers.   We explore what led them to take the leap, the fears and freedoms of reinvention, and what they've learned about fulfillment, identity, and starting over—mid-career and beyond. (Hint: It's not just about the money.)   Their stories are candid, funny, and inspiring—a must for anyone wondering what comes after "success."

Sherry Young is a founder, shareholder and past President of the law firm of Rath, Young and Pignatelli where she remains chair of the firm's Environmental Practice Group. She and her partners built their company to become one of the top law firms in Concord, NH.  Sherry says the key to stepping down from executive management was finding and training her replacement. In this episode learn more about her story of successfully navigating dawn to dusk.

Duncan Grehan built a law practice and firm in Dublin, Ireland, beginning in 1984.  He has since sold his interest in Duncan Grehan & Partners, and in his interview, he brings insight into both the Dawn and Dusk phases of an attorney's journey.  Listen in to find out about some of the unique aspects of practicing law in Ireland, and learn about how Grehan's "Always put your client's first" rule has been a key part of his success.  

Jeffrey A. Greenbaum has been the managing partner of Frankfurt Kurnit since 2010. He's been with his firm for nearly thirty years, and in part this has been the key to his success. Building community and not feeling the need to compete with other lawyers for the big clients, has given him the ability to do his career, his way. Listen to find out how he did it.

I sat down with entertainment lawyer Robert (Bob) Darwell who reflects on how his early experience as a waiter shaped his approach to law. Known for representing top studio executives and media clients around the world, Darwell attributes much of his success to a simple but consistent principle: service.  

I recently interviewed A. Scott Bolden, a partner with Reed Smith, a global law firm. He is not only a successful and influential lawyer but also a television commentator who has appeared on virtually every channel, including CNN, CNBC, Fox, and ABC. In our talk, Scott was candid about how he built his incredible career and generously offered valuable advice to lawyers