From Adversity to Advocacy

“Why do you need to be the one to write this book?”

That’s the question Tyson Mutrux asked me when I reached out about writing the foreword.

And to be clear—for anyone who doesn’t know Tyson—he asked it with genuine curiosity and support.
Not to be an asshat.

Thankfully, I have an easy answer.

Why This Book Exists

I’ve wanted to write a book for a long time—and I’m finally getting it across the finish line.

That’s true… but it’s not deep enough.

Here’s the real reason:

In my three years as a prosecutor, followed by three to four years as a criminal defense attorney, I lost more colleagues to suicide, stroke, heart attack, or walking away from the profession entirely than I saw retire.

Let that sink in.

I’m not going to pretend I was right on the edge of that cliff myself.
And I’m certainly not arrogant enough to believe I can save everyone headed toward it.

But I do know this:

I can make a difference for some people.

And honestly—that’s more than enough.

If My Mistakes Can Help, Then They Were Worth Sharing

Maybe it’s because some of the things I did were so obviously stupid that you think,
“Well… if he came back from that, maybe I can too.”

Maybe it’s because you learn from my mistakes and avoid digging that kind of hole for yourself.

Or maybe it’s something entirely different—something I say that helps you become a happier, healthier lawyer.

If any of that happens?
That’s a win.

The Messages That Actually Matter

Don’t get me wrong—I love the emails from clients saying they had their biggest month ever.

(Or, because my clients share my weird sense of humor, their worst tax bill ever.)

But the emails that truly stop me in my tracks?

They sound like this:

• “I took my first family vacation in five years.”
• “I took a full weekend off for the first time all year.”
• “I got to see my kid’s first baseball game in person.”

Those are the ones that make my day.

Law Is Adversarial. Life Doesn’t Have to Be.

There are only two genuinely adversarial professions: sports and law.

During surgery, another doctor doesn’t run into the operating room and try to sabotage the procedure.

But in law? Adversarial is the job.

That makes it even more important that we:

• Treat each other better
• Treat ourselves better
• Put what we truly need first

Because when we do, we’re better for the people we care about—and better for our clients.

You Can Do This

And seriously—you can do this.

I genuinely believe everyone is capable of:

• Being happy
• Building a firm they’re proud of
• Creating a life that actually feels good to live

But belief alone isn’t enough.

You have to do it.

That’s what I hope my social media, this newsletter, and this book help people do.

Next week, we’ll switch gears and break down ads—getting very specific about how to pay for eyeballs.

For now, I’m wishing all my Florida friends safety and a speedy recovery from the hurricane.

Stay safe.
Stay happy.
And stay in touch.