Josh White, civil litigator focused on construction and business law and shareholder with Haley & Olson in Waco, joins us on today's show! Josh talks about the importance of in-person justice, being proactive, and preparing well for an interview.

His firm/practice

Construction law
Board certified
very difficult exam
hefty application process
good references
what % of your practice do you devote to construction (so lots of reviewing time sheets!)
Mostly litigation
Reviews/drafts contracts
Loves the construction law section in the Texas Bar
mentors
collegiality
conference
High-growth area
Also does business litigation
closely held company shareholder disputes
trade secret cases
Will also do some civil rights defense
The firm also does
banking
county/city government representation (Charlie Olson heads this up)
The Haley is after Judge Haley and the Olson is after Lyndon Olson, Sr., who was responsible for the one person / one vote case.
Waco/McLennan County Bar
collegial
not too big to where you don't know all the people
can fit the bar conference into a reasonable space
Several of his classmates ended up in Waco
Great location to practice in, as well as to get to the other cities in Texas; accessibility to all

COVID UPDATE (as of March 24, 2021)

COVID got real at last year's construction law conference
first elbow bump
Texas Supreme Court Emergency Orders
gave lots of discretion to judges, who could modify serious deadlines
As a profession we are problem solvers, so that was called upon during COVID
He is in charge of his firm's technology, so it presented a special challenge for him to get everyone, most especially the staff, able to access everything remote
Vendors did a great job working with him
Remote work/lawyering functions just fine in a lot of ways
But it's still hard on camaraderie when you have to be remote or in the office but with closed doors
Things that are here to stay:
Zoom meetings and minor hearings (especially those that just require the judge)
Especially true as the courts dig out of a backlog of cases
Zoom mediations though not as effective
Zoom depositions as an option
Optimistic about in-person jury trials with the proper precautions
Important
The rule of law and justice system is set up the way it is for a reason
Courthouses sit in the middle of town and have/are symbols
Judge and jury are elevated
Judge wears a robe
These are just traditions; they are supposed to impress upon us the things that hold society together
Cat case - paper from the client's house had a distinct smell; how do you do that by Zoom?
Tasting/smelling/perception
But Zoom is not the same
Can't look people in the eye
Can't process non-verbal communication the same way
8k resolution is nothing compared to what we enjoy every day in real life with our normal/natural side
The law is resilient and creative; and we are a problem solving profession

Advice for lawyers in practice

Good attitude
Willingness to work / pitch in
Affirmatively go around and look for work
Be proactive and take ownership of your career
Stay hungry/curious/passionate
If you aren't able to do that, you need to make a change

Advice for lawyers in the job hunt

He has handled the summer clerk program for years and can speak to this
If a candidate's questions indicate they have done their homework, that's a great start
Don't go in talking about practice areas the firm doesn't do
Show a willingness to be a go-to person for awhile even if it isn't the thing you want to do most
Combine a short-term/realistic understanding of the role with your long-term career goals

Rapid Fire Questions

Name one trait/characteristic you most want to see in an associate: work ethic/self-assurance
What habit has been key to your success: Mentorship
Favorite app/productivity tool: Things (Mac App); Evernote; Timeline3D (BDocs)
Favorite pen: Energel Liquid Gel Ink; Uniball Signo (good for signatures); Matthew Budderick's Topography for Lawyers
Favorite social distancing activity: Virtual Concerts (Andrea Bocelli)
Favorite legal movie: The Verdict

Thanks again to Josh White for joining us on today's show!