Meet Lori B. Duff

 

We were lucky to catch up with Lori B. Duff recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Lori B., thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.

I’m not sure I’m completely over it. But the older I get, the more I realize that we’re all just faking it. I’ve been in enough rooms with high powered folks to know that they’re all just muddling through. Generally speaking, the people with the most confidence are the ones that haven’t thought through all the things that could go wrong. It takes a lot of knowledge in order to know what you don’t know. The fact that you know enough to know that there are things out there you’re unaware of is proof that you’re thinking the right way.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

These days, I’m most focused on the next part of my life. I’ve raised my children to be successful adults. I’ve been the President of the Georgia Council of Municipal Court Judges and President of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. I’ve spent decades serving my community, my clients, and my family. It’s time to focus on what I want to do, which is tell my stories. I’m pivoting to a writing career, focusing now on the Fischer at Law series. Devil’s Defense, the first book, came out to critical acclaim in November 2024. The second book, Devil’s Hand, has a release date of October 7, 2025 and right now I’m working diligently to ensure a successful release. The third book, Devil’s Name, will be released in the spring of 2027, and it’s in the editing process. Being a lawyer/writer is a unique skill set, and I’m an in-demand speaker at both legal and writing conferences, which I really enjoy doing.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

1. The best way to get me to succeed is to tell me I can’t do something. If I feel like I have something to prove, I’ll be sure to prove it. I’m relentless that way, and I know for a fact it has served me well.
2. Fake it ’til you make it. I learned early on that bluster wins arguments most of the time. If you demonstrate confidence, even if you don’t feel it, you can convince your opponent that you know something they don’t, which will sometimes cow them, and sometimes make them defer to you.
3. Fifteen minutes early is on time. On time is late. Showing up really is the greater part of success. If something can go wrong, it will. Traffic will happen. Your computer will need an update. The power will go out. The best way to adjust for these things is to have everything done well ahead of time.

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?

Quiet, by Susan Cain has helped me understand that my introverted nature is a strength that I can work with instead of something I need to overcome. Growing up in a family of extroverts, I was always taught that I ‘needed’ to be more friendly and outgoing. Quiet taught me that my thoughtful nature and quiet, even-keeled approach to problem solving is a strength I can use to my advantage.

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