We were lucky to catch up with Alan Barinholtz recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Alan, so happy to have you with us today and there is so much we want to ask you about. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others developed certain skills or qualities that we are struggling with can be helpful. Along those lines, we’d love to hear from you about how you developed your ability to take risk?
When you realize that with risk can come great rewards, it helps. Before law school I worked for two years as a salesperson. When I started I was given the option of working at a flat salary or commission. I chose the latter, and never looked back earning more than double what the salary would have been. Once I started practicing law, I worked on a contingency so that if I didn’t produce, my earnings would be diminished. Realizing the reward potential versus the risk made it a no brainer for me.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I got a BFA in theatre 50 yrs ago, and after doing some acting and standup for a couple of years and working in sales I decided to go to law school. I’ve been practicing for over 43 years, and would do a little improv when my actor/writer sons would come into town for the holidays. 2 years ago, by chance, I had an opportunity to audition for a tv show while visiting my kids in LA. I was semiretired, and figured what the hell. Long story short, I got cast in a show that since has received multiple award nominations. I was fortunate to play the judge in Jury Duty, and now live in LA and get to see my grandkids weekly. Life is good
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?
My strength has always been in my ability to communicate with people. That made me a successful trial attorney. The need to actually speak face to face as opposed to texting or email is essential. I’ve been fortunate to have a sense of humor to be able to not only laugh at myself but in situations in life.
Curiosity and a willingness to learn new things has not only been essential in my success, but more so in enjoying life
Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?
As an attorney, someone who is not attempting to micromanage their case. I’m happy to answer questions, but unless they have the same experience as I do, I’m in charge. As an actor, (and all my life) I’ve learned not to be a jerk. If you’re capable, and pleasant to work with you’ll have greater success
