Jeff Domen joins us on today's show! Jeff is a shareholder and family lawyer at GoransonBain Ausley in Plano. Jeff talks about being a creative problem solver, differentiating yourself in an interview, and the importance of finding a mentor.




His firm/practice:

Family law boutique
Three offices in Plano, Dallas, and Austin
28 lawyers and staff
Always looking for creative options to resolve conflict; if it can be done without litigation...great! If not, we'll go to the courthouse. Important to be able to do both.
Family law deals with a wide variety of legal issues
real estate/property
contract
probate
business
Loves working with individuals in a one-on-one relationship and help them through difficult circumstances
Clientele has bene changing and wanting more for less
days of lavish law firms with big/expensive offices and spaces are going to be a thing of the past
People are used to getting information fast, and they want that from their lawyer
Competition with family law court forms, Legal Zoom(s), etc.: need to be able to address it
COVID was an accelerator of the flex/remote work

COVID Update (April 21, 2021)

Most people are caught up with doing most things by Zoom
And now some courts are starting up to open up
Opportunity to still get in front of a judge and have conflicts addressed with less cost and time
No Plano jury trials still so we don't yet know what that will look like
He was very comfortable in the courtroom, so moving it all online with tech was difficult
needs to have an associate/paralegal/clerk with him so they could handle the docs and evidence in the technology
This is an opportunity for you to add value to places where you're going to go and work; be the expert on the tech!

Advice for lawyers in practice

First boss told him about a great associate: come to the law firm hat in hand willing to do whatever it takes. Willing to do a great job and to help make the law firm/partner money.
Don't display a chip on the shoulder or sense of entitlement
Don't try and be anybody other than who you are, because whoever you are, you are going to do that better than everybody else
This will also help you in business development
He is active in his church and involved with his kids' schools
More business development
You can sometimes help with your work/life balance by finding things you can bring your spouse/significant other to
This also can help with the business development because your spouses can connect with people that maybe you can't!
Grabbing a friend to go to an event is almost always better than going alone; so many benefits
If you aren't getting your hours because you aren't busy, go ask the partner for work
Break down your hourly goals for the month/year into daily goals

Advice for lawyers seeking a new job

Lawyers/partners hate the hiring process; feels like a time suck
Be different from everyone else
Walk into an interview like you own the place (not cocky), in the sense that the partner can be confident they can hand a case to you and it will get taken care of
He has never had someone come up to the firm and ask to drop off a resume in person and say hi for two minutes. That would be something. Guaranteed interview.
Shows they really want to do this.
Motivated
Do what it takes to get the job done.
He can tell when a cover letter is a form letter; do a specific one!

Final thoughts

Get a mentor. Doesn't have to be at your firm, but it needs to be someone you trust.
There's a balance between asking questions and asking GOOD questions
Set up a time with your mentor each week/month to ask these questions
Do research yourself before asking questions

Rapid fire questions

Name one trait/characteristic you most want to see in an associate: hard working
What habit has been key to your success:
Favorite app/legal software: Centerbase
Favorite pen: Arteza / blue felt tip
Favorite social distancing activity: Hunting
Favorite legal movie: I Am Sam

Thanks again to Jeff Domen for joining us on today's show!