Meet Eric Proos

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Eric Proos a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Eric, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?

Short answer is my dad. I was raised in the Midwest, metro-Detroit to be specific. After a family tragedy, my dad was left a single parent with two kids. I saw him work all day, then spend his evenings at mine or my sister’s sporting or school events, and then help us with our homework and make sure we were performing well in school. Watching his dedication and commitment shaped my understanding of what a true work ethic looks like.

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?

My path to the legal world was born out of a deeply personal turning point. When I was young, my family was the victim of a workplace shooting in Royal Oak, Michigan, and I tragically lost my mother. In the wake of that loss, we reached out to several law firms for help, but we were turned away time and again. We were told our case was “too difficult” or simply “unwinnable.”

That stayed with me. It sparked a drive to understand the “how” and “why” behind legalities, but more importantly, it gave me a heart for the people and projects that others might overlook.
Doing Law Differently

After law school, I found my niche in the world of business and commercial real estate. I realized that a lot of entrepreneurs and real estate professionals faced the same things my family did, being pushed aside by the traditional legal world because their needs didn’t fit into a tidy, standard box.
After eight years of running my own firm, EJP Law, I decided it was time to evolve. I teamed up with my partner, Jeff Monahan, to launch Next Era Legal, PLLC. We essentially sat down and looked at all the things we didn’t like about the “old school” way of practicing law and decided to do the exact opposite.

A Focus on Partnership

At Next Era Legal, we act as fractional general counsel for our clients. This means we get to be “in the room” with business owners and real estate pros, helping them navigate their growth and day-to-day challenges without the stiff, formal barriers of a traditional firm.

What I find most exciting is that we’ve built a space where we can take on those complex deals that other firms might shy away from. We’re not just looking at files; we’re looking at the people and the vision behind the business. We’ve built this firm to be agile and ready for the future, hence the name “Next Era.”

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?

Looking back, my growth from a lawyer to a business owner was mainly driven by three qualities.

1. The Courage to Ask “Elementary” Questions: In the professional world, there’s often a pressure to have all the answers immediately. However, I’ve found that the best solutions come from truly understanding the root of the problem. If you don’t fully grasp an issue, the solution you present won’t be appropriate. I’ve made it a habit to ask questions, no matter how elementary they may seem. It’s the only way to ensure you aren’t just fixing a symptom, but actually solving the problem.

2. The Power of Silence: Being comfortable with silence has become a vital tool in my work. Whether I’m negotiating a complex transaction or presenting a new strategy, I’ve learned to present the offer and then simply sit back. You have to let the idea breathe without rushing in to justify it. It can be uncomfortable at first, but silence is often where the most important breakthroughs happen.

3. Relentless Curiosity: “Always be learning” is one of our four core values at Next Era Legal. For us, this goes beyond just keeping up with the law; it means diving into the business side, the financial side, or even unrelated personal interests. The more curious we are about the world, the better the “data set” we have to help our clients. A well-rounded perspective is what allows us to see opportunities others miss.

Advice for the Path Ahead: Be the Strategist, Not Just the Critic

If I could pass on one piece of advice that changed everything for me, it’s this: Don’t just restate the problem.

Early in my career, a mentor told me, “You cannot just present a problem with a legal analysis. That’s fine for an internal memo, but a client is looking to you for advice, guidance, and strategy.” It’s easy to point out why something is difficult or legally complex, but your real value lies in finding the path through it. For those just starting out, I encourage you to take off the “analytical blinders” and look at every challenge through the lens of a strategist. Your clients don’t need a list of obstacles; they need a partner who can help them navigate the way forward.

What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?

There are two things that come to mind. As I mentioned, my sister and I are the products of a single parent. Our dad did an amazing job raising us, but two things stand out the most. When my mother passed, there was a financial aspect to it, and my father made sure to invest in my sister and me. We basically had our undergraduate paid for through his financial strategy and guidance. This allowed me to not be burdened with the cost of my pre-graduate work.

The second thing he did, which at the time I hated, was have me read during my summer breaks. I played sports as a kid; name a sport and I likely played it. The summers were my time to play endlessly, but my dad had a different idea. Our grandma would watch us on the summer days and I had to read a chapter of a book, any book, a day with my grandma. As a kid, I hated it, every second I was reading, I wasn’t playing and it killed me. Right now, I’m reading about a book a week and love the time I get to read.

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