Stress Free JD

On this episode of the Stress-Free JD Podcast, I talk with Olivia Ash, a law graduate from Indiana who currently works educates employers about benefits regulations, including wellness program management.  On the side, she runs Liv Balanced, LLC.  In our interview, we talk about Olivia’s research on lawyer and law student wellness, how she has overcome adversity including a divorce during law school, chronic illness, and a bar exam failure by staying positive and maintaining healthy hobbies and habits. www.livbalanced.net

Arizona attorney Matt Schmidt shares his experience on the podcast including his experience struggling to get over the hump a few years into practice realizing that there are no more long breaks and transitions in the real world.  We talk about law school, balance, and Matt’s thoughts on how to maintain a balanced lifestyle as an attorney.  Matt is extremely well-read and passionate about mindfulness and well-being in the profession. Matt shares about how his “why” drives him in all areas of his life, where he focuses on family and helping his community.  Matt also shares lots of other insights on how to maintain balance the profession.

The power of telling people around you about your goals and developing your identity as the person you want to be.

Shannon Montgomery is a Solo Practitioner running a virtual law firm servicing social media influencers after finding success by combining her passion for fitness with her law degree.

• Her dream job as a sports agent didn’t work out, so she spent a few years as an associate all while knowing it was not what she wanted to do
  
• She shares her struggle to find her place in the law by working in a couple of firms that weren’t a great fit and found a need in the market for her niche practice area.
  
• There is some great insight about how she built her business without mentors, how she set up her business and an inside look at the day to day of a work-from-home solopreneuer
  
• We also talk about the importance of health and fitness and lessons learned from overdoing it, tips for time management, and not feeling pressured to fit into the stereotypical lawyer role when there are so many different ways to practice and be happy in the law.

Follow Shannon on IG: @liftinglawyer

@montgomerylawpllc

www.montgomerypllc.com

In this episode, we talk about Creativity as Self Care.  We start by redefining self-care.  We talk about getting rid of time scarcity excuses.  I’ll give you some research and information about the benefits of hobbies and how having a creative hobby makes you a better attorney.  This episode will conclude with tips for finding something creative to do and will provide examples from my life and from other attorneys know.   Listen to the end for a  link to download a FREE WORKSHEET to help discover a new creative hobby.

The Stress-Free JD Podcast is created by Amanda Bynum, an attorney, a law professor, and an advocate for taking care of yourself.

This is a place to share stories in hopes that we can help end the stigma surrounding talking out our struggles, and help change the culture  in order to promote more balance and well-being.

In this episode, Professor Susan Salmon shares her story as a big-law commercial litigation attorney turned Professor. She found a great fit in the profession.  In the episode, she talks about enjoying her life as an attorney but quickly realizing that the expectations--all-nighters and 24/7 on-call expectations were just unsustainable for the long-term.

She shares how she learned early-on that healthy lifestyle habits are crucial to success. Now, she finds well-being through purpose, supportive colleagues, collaboration activity, and hobbies.

Amanda and Susie talk about how the profession needs significant changes if we want to improve the problem with lawyer well-being.

There is also some great discussion about leaving the law and JD Advantage careers.

Thanks so much for listening to this podcast.  If you liked the episode, it would be great if you leave a review where ever you listen to podcasts.  It would also be great if you could help me get the word out by sharing the episode with anyone in the legal profession.  Finally, if you have ideas for topics on the show, or have thoughts on well-being that you would like to share, please reach out, I’d love to have you.  I’ve got some great episodes coming up, so join me for ideas about how to thrive rather than survive in the profession. stressfreejd@gmail.com

Amanda Bynum introduces why she started the Stress Free JD Podcast and what to expect in future episodes.