We were lucky to catch up with Laura Chiyono Rosenthal recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Laura Chiyono, so happy to have you on the platform with us today and excited to chat about your lessons and insights. Our ability to make good decisions can massively impact our lives, careers and relationships and so it would be very helpful to hear about how you built your decision-making skills.
When I started practicing law, I would check in with my best friend and tell him about an issue I was facing. He’d say to me, “Is this really the hill you want to die on today?” Sounds morbid, but most decisions we make on a day to day basis are not life or death. Most of the time, when we fight with someone else about what is right or wrong, it’s not about the issue. It’s because we want to be right. I’d rather make good decisions based on facts and evidence than my own selfish need to win at all costs.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
My mission statement as an attorney this year is to provide compassionate, creative, and assertive advocacy to injured workers. As part of that mission, I serve on several committees and boards, and participate in educational panels and discussions to enhance my brand. I seek opportunities to mentor and support law students and newer lawyers, especially women from underserved populations.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
1. Written work. I have strong writing skills, honed from an early age by my mother, who was a teacher for decades and never let me off the hook when it came to doing my homework and editing my own writing. I often tell my law students that their written work is often how they are first perceived in the field, by judges and other attorneys. Most of the time, our written work as lawyers is how we most effectively advocate. 2. Compassion and empathy. Empathy is an important quality for an attorney. It’s easy to look at clients as “files” and not as people but that precludes effective advocacy. Clients are human beings, with their own unique stories. Compassionately listening to and understanding their stories allows me to be a better counselor-at-law.
3. Listening instead of talking. The most effective communication skill I’ve learned, from mediation courses, educational seminars, and reading, is that silence is often a superpower. Sitting quietly and listening is important to understanding other people as well as ensuring you get all the information you need. I have a tendency to get excited and interrupt people so this is a skill I work on every day.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
It’s very easy to feel overwhelmed practicing law, and I often do. When I get that rising panicked feeling in my chest, I literally stop what I am doing and take four deep breaths. Sounds simplistic, but often when I’m overwhelmed, I forget to breathe. If that doesn’t help, I will get up and take a walk outside, around the block. I also keep a LOT of photographs of my sons in my office. Reminding myself that I’ve got that other very important job as their mom is a great reality check. The overwhelm will likely never go away but at least I can stop it rather than allow it to subsume my effectiveness.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.servinginjuredworkers.com
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-rosenthal-48ba4b1b/
