Law And More

The Recovery Industry - Lisa Smith Is Doing Well

Like any needed service, recovery has become an industry.

As such, it provides increasing professional opportunity for those who can put together the right positioning and packaging. 

Among those is Lisa Smith, feathered recently in a Law.com podcast. Earlier, Abovethelaw covered her downward trajectory and climb back up. In the successful book "Girl Walks Out of Bar," Smith tells her story. So had Susan Cheever and Pete Hamill.

Smith's struggle with booze took place when she was an employee in BigLaw, both practicing law and in a job developing new business. Currently she is a self-employed consultant. 

Smith, Cheever, and Hamill are hardly alone in getting being taken over by alcohol. According the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, about 14.1 million of those 18 years of age or older find themselves in that pickle. 

The question is: Does telling your story, as they have, help others who haven't yet had that "moment of clarity" that booze is interfering in one or more parts of their lives? 

Yes, 12-step recovery program Alcoholics Anonymous has institutionalized speaker meetings. At them the recovered share how it was, what they did about that, and how it is now. Yet, at best, AA's success rate is between 8% and 12%. So, no, all those stories aren't creating and sustaining a life without booze.

In my own little life, I have the hunch that sharing my own story, both in formal recovery settings and with those who are slipping into alcohol addiction, hasn't helped anyone.

It probably hasn't helped me either, not in any way. What I realized is this: That story isn't significant to me. I drank and ran into problems. I stopped drinking and ran into new kinds of problems. Both I and, it seems, science are clueless why some recover and maintain sobriety and many more don't. 

Of course, given the devastation alcoholism inflicts on the workplace, the family, and the individual, there is a desperate outreach for what might short circuit the syndrome. That triggers mythologies about what is helpful. Yet, when those illusions are foisted on those in the midst of alcoholism and the recommendations don't succeed, there could be the frustration that accelerates the progress of the disease. 

When it comes to trying to be helpful to another human being who is suffering with alcoholism, it might be wise to take on the mindset and behavior of The Good Parent: Be there, be gentle, be short on advice. Usually retelling all the stories about alcoholism in the family or in one's own life isn't useful. 

Takeaway: This long holiday season give the gift of not sharing your own recovery story or the story of those who managed to climb out of the bottle. Just show you care in an overall way. Download the film "Tender Mercies."

Smart global ghostwriting, with social networking know-know. Emergencies welcome. Complimentary consultation (pressure-free) janegenova374@gmail.com.

 

Gordon Caplan - The Curse of Genius

A five-judge panel on a New York appeals court ruled to suspend Gordon Caplan's license to practice law. That will be in effect until a later hearing. They determined he was guilty of serious crime. Here are more details from the New York Post.

That new development in the downward trajectory of the career of a former co-chair of law firm Willkie Farr would reach Caplan in the Loretto, Pennsylvania correctional institution which he entered last Tuesday. There he will spend a month. When he is released he will do 250 hours of community service and pay a $50,000 fine. 

A Greek Chorus might chant: Smart man, stupid decisions.

The Chorus might have made the same observation of the thought processes which propelled former McKinsey head Rajat Gupta to his ruin. He figured that getting into the loop on the insider trading game would facilitate his career transition to launching a hedge fund. 

Some might label this a "tragic flaw." Others might perceive it as all too common fallout of superior intelligence. The book "The Curse of the High IQ" documents that. Author Aaron Clarey presents persuasive evidence that prospective parents shouldn't ask the universe to bring them a genius. 

Elite law and graduate business schools might develop an elective on how geniuses can prevent career catastrophe.

Smart global ghostwriting, with social networking know-know. Emergencies welcome. Complimentary consultation (pressure-free) janegenova374@gmail.com.

 

The Next Downturn - If You're Over-50 & Career Goes to the Dogs

The pet-service enterprise Wag is well-organized. 

For example, it makes it easy for clients - that is, pet parents - and its contract employees to facilitate the common service of the dog walk. A lock box is attached to the door. 

As Recode reports, though, Wag, as it typical of many startups, aimed to grow too quickly. That got it into trouble and now sources say it is in talks to sell itself. Interestingly, just like fast-growth failure WeWork, Wag is backed by SoftBank. You bet, the SoftBank brand is taking a beating.

But, Wag's troubles shouldn't stand in the way of older folks looking for work trying out walking dogs. In my former Youngstown, Ohio neighborhood, several over-50 Wag dog walkers told me that the gig helped them connect the dot about how to start earning some serious money. 

According to them, Wag bills the client about $14. They get around $9, plus a tip. Since pet parents want their four-leggers treated well they are likely to also tip well.

One 56-year-old teacher who anticipated she would be forced out (she was) found dog walking in the evening and weekends showed her how much growth there was in the pet niche. She began developing a portfolio of articles published in third-party media about pet issues. When she is ready she will launch her own pet-care brand. 

The rub on that, of course, is that it requires supreme belief in one's ability to go from point A to Point B, then Point C in struggling to make a living when aging. Here, free to click open, is my book which can get that mindset started Download Outwitting ageism

The reality is the more than one-half of the over-50 will be forced out of their jobs. If they land on their feet and are able to get another job, only one out 10 will make comparable money.

In 2003, after my business collapsed, I did a holiday gig job in Sephora as a security guard. That led to a full-time job in loss prevention, including health benefits, with then Allied Barton Protective Services. Soon enough I regained the confidence to launch another enterprise. Actually that turned into two: both communications and career coaching. 

Takeaway: Working at a paid something, anything, brings more and better paid work.

Coaching, lecturing, and writing/ghostwriting thought leadership content on aging.

 

For individual coaching – sliding scale fees. Complimentary initial consultation. The displaced over-50 get back to work. Please contact Jane Genova janegenova374@gmail.com.

Displaced Older Lawyers, Legal Staff - 4 Ways to Stop Shooting Yourself in the Foot

"I look younger than I am."

"On my resume I lopped all work but the last seven years. Same thing on the cover letters."

"My LinkedIn Profile receives lots of visitors."

That's what those over-45 whom I coach tell me. But they are seeking career counseling sessions from me because they can't get comparable jobs after being laid off, can only land low-paid jobs, or have had no offers for even gig hustles.

They have plenty of company in their unawareness how age bias happens in 2019. And, yes, it can kick in as young as 40-something. 

That blind spot usually is associated with the internet. They have no idea how the internet has put the kibosh on their ability to remain employed in a way that they can make ends meet. The reality, of course, is that more than half those over-50 will be forced out and only one of 10 of them will be hired at jobs which are in the same compensation ballpark.

Here are the four ways the internet has become an obstacle in the search for work for older professionals:

•  Plastered all over the internet is one's age. All employers have to do is key in the name of the applicant. Up will pop various items, some of which contain the exact age. Those age items are up-to-date. 
•  Lack of participation in social networks can make the applicant seem not only part of the has-been gens. It can create the perception of being out of touch. More applications require a listing of social networks.
•  Wrong tone and content on social networks. The applicant can come across as ancient. 
•  Small number of followers, likes, shares, and comments on social networks and social media. If the position involves the ability to engage, then that kind of data can send a red flag the applicant is clueless about getting, holding, and scaling attention. 

The good news is that there are also four ways to transcend these obstacles:

• Be open. Employers are searching for not the perfect fit to the posted job description. Instead they need a hire who can get done what has to get done. Pick up what that is. Then show how you can accomplish that better than other applicants. Here, free to download, is my book on exiting comfort zones. 
•  Embrace the career truism that nothing gets you a job like a job. Here, free to click open, is my guide on how to start over in the search for work Download Outwitting ageism. One unemployed former in-house lawyer restarted his career with a loss-prevention gig in retail. Eventually he wound up in the corporate office overseeing that function. 
•  Develop tenacity. The most successful sales professionals truly believe that every "no" brings them closer to a "yes." That's because they analyze every aspect of what they did or didn't do on that sales call. Based on their findings, they do course correction on their MO.
•  Don't tell your "sad story." We are our stories. One former administrative assistant I coached kept ranting how she was terminated, probably because of age. I told her to stop that. Her new narrative was that she was excited about pursuing a career shift. Within three weeks she accepted an offer as the dispatcher for a large trucking company. 

Coaching, lecturing, and writing/ghostwriting thought leadership content on aging.

 

For individual coaching – sliding scale fees. Complimentary initial consultation. The displaced over-50 get back to work. Please contact Jane Genova janegenova374@gmail.com.

 

Lawyers, Law Students, Law Firm Staff - Has Halloween Got You Thinking about Career Shift to Paranormal?

The ghostly holiday of Halloween has evolved into the social event in America.

It's family-free, theatrical, and encourages excess consumption of no-nos like candy and booze.

In the U.S. it generates about $9 billion annually, documents the National Retail Federation Annual Survey.

So, no slouches when it comes to a good story, media outlets, such as the New York Post, look for the unique angle on Halloween.

One is spiritualism. 

The narrow definition of "spiritualism" is the one the Post focuses on. That's essentially about communication with dead people, that is, reaching those who have passed over. Usually that time travel is facilitated by a medium. 

Yes, that goes on. The Post cites the spiritualist community of Lily Dale, in upstate New York, near Fred0nia and an hour from Buffalo.

There are other groups in other locations with special expertise in spiritualism. They range from Angelica of the Angels in Salem, Massachusetts to Tamara in Tucson, Arizona. 

Most spiritualism organizations currently broadly define their mission as including reaching out to live human beings with insight, comfort, and guidance. The particular expertise ranges from telepathy to clairvoyance. The methods are all over the place, be they tarot cards, crystals, or intuition.

Spiritualism centers also conduct training sessions. In them, spiritualists learn to enhance their skills. Non-spiritualists can unleash their inner gifts to transition to this career path. Many spiritualists believe this capability is inherent in every human being. Conventional society tends to push to keep it dormant there. 

The craft can be done full-time, part-time, or as a side hustle. The flexibility makes it ideal to try out for lawyers, law students, and law firm staff.

That shift can be lucrative for the experienced spiritualist who has branding down cold.

For example, at high-profile Angelica of the Angels, here is the price menu:

•  Walk-in or phone reading - 15 minutes for $30, 20 minutes for $40
•  Walk-in or phone reading with founder Rev. Barbara - 15 for $40 (yes, she is also a medium)
•  House parties - check for pricing.

More usual is a dollar a minute which late spiritualist Marianne Kremer at the Jersey Shore billed at. Psychic Interactive charges $19 for 15 minutes (there is no tipping).

Given that spiritualism deals with non-empirical phenomena, it's expected that it's misunderstood.

To begin with, it's not spirituality.

Centers for spirituality, such as various schools of Buddhism, essentially have as their mission a kind of cognitive therapy. That is, there is a taming of the mental processes or "monkey mind." The regular practice can result in peace of mind. Without intrusive thoughts, it's easier to concentrate. Therefore, there could be more success in professional and personal life.

In addition, evangelical religious groups such as the Baptists hold as a tenet the existence of God. That entity is an absolute. Yes, that resembles the ideology of the Roman Catholic Church which positions and packages the pope as infallible and directly in touch with God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

Spiritualism doesn't require a belief in God. In that way, it resembles Secular Humanism. A branch of that movement in the U.S. is Secular Humanists of Western Lake Erie. (Those in the Midwest can reach it at contact_us@humanistswle.org.)

Also, 12-step program Alcoholics Anonymous, often mislabeled as a religion, has embedded a higher power. That can be interpreted loosely. However, getting sober and remaining that way is thought to be correlated with surrender of the will to that higher power.

As confidence is shaken in the algorithms of artificial intelligence, more seeking insight might turn to spiritualism.

Of course, as in all fields, there are frauds.

It is necessary to receive a referral from those who are "regulars" in spiritualism. They can be reached through trusted brandname psychics, neighborhood digital networks, yoga studios, and even some spirituality centers. Most offer phone services and take credit cards. Tips are usually appreciated.

Smart global ghostwriting, with social networking know-know. Emergencies welcome. Complimentary consultation (pressure-free) janegenova374@gmail.com.

North Carolina Judge Dead of Drug Overdose

Tragedy again comes to the legal sector.

In North Carolina, Chief Judge in Guilford County District Court Tom Jarrell had died of a drug overdose. As Abovethelaw.com reports, the autopsy documented the cause of death had been intoxication from fentanyl and heroin. During a welfare check he had been found unresponsive.

Among his accomplishments had been setting up a DWI court. 

Substance abuse, be it of prescription/illegal drugs, booze, or food, is not restricted to extreme-stress lines of work such as in the legal sector.

Attend any open 12-step meeting or sit in on an open rap session in a rehab center and what's obvious is that just about anyone can wind up in that pickle. 

Recently at a support group in Northwestern Ohio, a Mr. Fit-in-Everywhere who was home for dinner every night like Jim Anderson from "Father Knows Best" told his story.

The saga, which began with his second job, included having his eight-grader son deliver CPR when he almost died. That same son would later himself die of a fentanyl overdose. Another would lose a good job because of a marijuana habit. 

My career skill - ghostwriting - came easily to me. Yet, I became eligible for, as the code goes, "being a Friend of Bill." 

Reflection: Science knows so little about addiction. Let's stop pretending anyone does.

Smart global ghostwriting, with social networking know-know. Emergencies welcome. Complimentary consultation (pressure-free) janegenova374@gmail.com.

Okay, We Can Now Rule Out Returning to Jones Day for Megyn Kelly

Let's cut to the chase.

With 4.06 million tuning into her first interview since parting way with NBC, Megyn Kelly is well on her way to a comeback. Here are more details from Mediaite. 

That interview happened on Fox with Tucker Carlson.

So, those starting to connect the dots on Kelly's Next see a possible return of Kelly to Fox. She can parachute in for the analysis of the dynamics of the 2020 Election.

But Fox is only one option.

The Hollywood Reporter noted that Shari Redstone has also been talking with Kelly. If the merger of Viacom and CBS goes through Redstone could launch a conservative channel to compete with Fox. It would create new kind of value in conservative broadcasting by adding streaming.

These developments put the kibosh on any fantasy that Kelly could bounce back to her original career path. That had been practicing law at BigLaw firm Jones Day. In her book "Settle for More," she recalls the too-long hours. On the way driving to the firm she would daydream about breaking her arm and not having to do "it" (being a law associate) for a few weeks.

America is the nation of many chances. This blog wishes Kelly the best in her third shot at finding a sustainable fit in a job. 

Smart global ghostwriting, with social networking know-know. Emergencies welcome. Complimentary consultation (pressure-free) janegenova374@gmail.com.

Elijah Cummings Leaves Much Unfinished Work on House Oversight and Reform Committee

It's one of the signature stories associated with Elijah Cummings. As AP recounts at his death, in grade school the counselor essentially told him that he would never amount to anything. That included his dream of becoming a lawyer.

That fired his determination.

As the world knows, Cummings went way beyond that. He had been able to master the complex game of power. At his death he had headed the House Oversight and Reform Committee. In addition, he made the needs of the poor his political business. U.S. Donald Trump has referred to those constituents as residing in a "roach-infested mess."

Cummings' Committee was one of those involved in the presidential impeachment inquiry. He leaves behind, of course, much unfinished work. His passing puts the burden on others to take up the cause of preserving what has been best about America. 

 

Gordon Caplan - Will He Walk the Path of Nixon Administration "Evil Genius" Lawyer Chuck Colson?

In Law.com, Ropes & Grey attorney Joshua Levy, who represented Gordon Caplan, says this: It's too soon for him to consider what could be The Next. 

The primary reason for that is it wasn't until last Thursday that Caplan found out his sentence for ponying up $75k to modify his daughter's responses on ACT. It was only then that he found out that he would only have to serve a month in jail.

Given the number of professionals who went to bat for him for a light sentence, he will probably have plenty of help in putting together his future. Also, many are rooting for his having a strong comeback.

After all, Caplan didn't come across as a bad man.

Essentially, to the court he portrayed himself as a family man under a lot of pressure. Who cannot identify with that?

Overall there was tension at home.

He was being hounded by those services claiming to catapult youth into elite universities.

And, of course, he wanted to help his child receive a good start in a highly competitive world.

And, those of us who attend some version of the Baptist Church have empathy for his misguided decision to turn to fraud.

A major belief of that religion is mankind's universal sinfulness.

Yes, that mindset is quite Shakespearean. According to that iconic dramatist, human beings are "cankered in the grain."

Last night at a bible service at Heritage Baptist Church in Toledo, Ohio, the pastor Daniel L. Ellis, Sr. debunked the notion that any person can reach a spiritual state of non-sinfulness. He also questioned the practice in the Roman Catholic Church of "canonizing" human beings as having been "saints" while they lived on planet earth.

Bluntly put, sinners can never be saints, at least not before they do the time travel to eternity. 

That doctrine of inherent sinfulness, derived from the King James Bible, frees the congregation from having to chase after perfectionism.

Unlike in some other religious and spiritual approaches, members can relax in their humanity. As I experienced the service last evening, no one was, as the saying goes, "tightly wound."

Of course, there are the embittered and the envious who have no compassion for Caplan. They fail to get it that he is Everyman. For Everyman (and Everywoman), there is always the danger of tumbling into the darkness.

It was when "evil genius" lawyer in the Nixon Administration Chuck Colson was stumbling in the darkness that he found his Next. It was to minister to the spiritual needs of convicts and their families. That began when he was in prison. When he died, the media didn't hail him as a saint. Instead, they praised his ability to transform his disgrace into a platform for doing good. 

Adversity can be a gift for Caplan. Of course, he can waste that gift.

Smart global ghostwriting, with social networking know-know. Emergencies welcome. Complimentary consultation (pressure-free) janegenova374@gmail.com.

Daniel, Manhattan Corporate Lawyer Earning $270K, Planning FIRE at Age 39

He eats rice and beans.

During winter he puts on layers so that he doesn't have to turn on the heat.

He sticks with one well-worn suit.

And, he lives in New Jersey to duck New York taxes.

That's how Daniel, 36, a Manhattan corporate lawyer earning $270k annually, is planning to do a FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) in three years.

Already he has socked away $400k. His story is featured in BusinessInsider.

Some who follow the FIRE movement might assess $400k as hardly enough to fund 40 or more years of early retirement. That's even if Daniel adds on a couple of hundred thousand in the next three years.

The skeptics are, in some ways, on the money. Media outlets have covered examples of FIREs which didn't pan out - at least not as expected.

Of course, there are the simple situations in which the funds ran out.

One woman found it was too complex to manage the rental property she used to fund early retirement. It was back to work. Incidentally, in general, the Federal Reserve documents, one-third of retirees return to working for income.

Or, the funds simply disappeared.

A crypto investor's computer had been hacked and her funds stolen. She had not used the "cold wallet" to protect her funds. You bet, she had to high-tail it back to the grind.

Then there are the divorces. In just about every instance, not just a FIRE arrangement, they siphon off major chunks of money. In a FIRE, usually both parties have to return to working.

There are also non-monetary reasons for backing off a FIRE. Classic is the loss of professional identity. To get to the point of being able to retire early, the entire focus was on building wealth. No attention was given to What Next. Emotionally the retiree is stranded.

Daniel could bump into any or all of these obstacles.

On the other hand, he might manage his FIRE to be a Forever.

Likely, he will have to maintain frugality or, as it is now called, "minimalism."

In addition, he will have to put together another identity. That could be through another career path. FIRE can mean leaving what has come to be experienced as the rat race and doing something more enjoyable and less stressful. Or, he can immerse himself in volunteer efforts. There is always the possibility of extreme pleasure. 

Lawyers toying with the FIRE option should know that such radical saving as Daniel is doing is not necessary.

Another path is through side hustles, while holding on to their lawyering work.

In Minneapolis, Minnesota, Kevin Ha, 32, manages to fit in 13 side hustles a month. As MarketWatch reports, they range from delivering food to walking dogs. No surprise, he has paid off his student loans. If he grows weary of lawyering he had opened himself to many other options, including a FIRE.

Overall, even those who went for a FIRE and had to circle back usually don't regret the experiment. They learned plenty about money as well as themselves. 

Smart global ghostwriting, with social networking know-know. Emergencies welcome. Complimentary consultation (pressure-free) janegenova374@gmail.com.