We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Chris Allen (Baldwin Hills Lawyer) a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Chris Allen, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
Finding your purpose can be tough, especially when you are young. I think finding your purpose starts when you’re first navigating life, trying to figure out what you’re passionate about. Finding my purpose took time. As a child, I had a tendency to get into trouble sometimes because I was rebellious. At that age, I would also tend to travel in the opposite direction compared to the rest of my peers. I was also very opinionated, maintained a desire to look out for others, was vocal and not afraid to say what was on my mind. As I matured and recognized these characteristics about myself, I found my purpose in being an advocate for others, for those who experienced unfair treatment and are unable to speak up for themselves.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
The firm (C.F. Allen Law, PC) focuses primarily on personal injury, contracts and entertainment law. Occasionally, we will take on other matters outside of our practice areas so long as we believe we can provide competent representation, can add value to the client, their matter and it aligns with the mission of our firm. Our mission is to protect the less fortunate, the marginalized, the disenfranchised and to be a strong advocate for those who have been treated unfairly. Our practice is purpose driven. It is not uncommon for us to decline representation in certain instances if it does not align with our firm’s purpose and mission. Money and the potential value of a case is not the only consideration that drives us in the practice of law.
Our brand also has a lifestyle, apparel business known as “Baldwin Hills Lawyer.” This idea came about as I was trying to figure out a lane and identity for the law firm. I wanted it to be different and not viewed as some traditional white shoe firm. I’m originally from an area in Los Angeles, California called Baldwin Hills. I didn’t know any lawyers from the area or any lawyers that claimed to represent it so I thought “why not be the first?” I thought it would be different and interesting to add an apparel brand that was reflective of some of the activities and clothing items I and my friends enjoy. The purpose of the brand is to be truly authentic, reflective of our identity while being our unapologetic self.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1.) Resilience, 2.) Dedication and 3.) Discipline. I think developing and establishing these three qualities during your life will allow you to accomplish anything that you set your mind to. It takes time to develop but once you have these qualities in place, I believe they are foundations for any future success.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
I think it’s important to implement some form of physical exercise to your routine in order to work off any stress that you may have. Engage in some outside activities or hobbies. I think in our profession as lawyers, many of us tend to adopt it as an identity rather than a skilled trade. Find other activities that you enjoy outside of work. Some of mine include playing basketball, running outdoors, playing golf, traveling, listening to music and music production.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.baldwinhillslawyer.com
- Instagram: @baldwinhillslawyer
- Other: https://www.baldwinhillslawyer.com/category/all-products
Image Credits
@ziglorphotos
