Robert Tsai of Houston family law firm Walters Gilbreath (waltersgilbreath.com) joins us on the show. He talks about getting practical experience early, building a network, and a unique interview prep technique.




COVID-19 Update

In the beginning it was crazy because so many law firms weren't able to quickly move online, but they were prepared and ready to go
Dropbox/Google Drive/Slack already in place
Adapting to Zoom hearings
Gradually shifting from no hearings to Zoom hearings; still no jury trials or in-person hearings; trial dates reset/delayed
Take advantage of the time you would have been in court to meet with clients, prepare in more depth
More judges are deciding issues on submission only (no hearings) which can be a good thing, especially if it is a non-controversial or non-contested issue
Saves lawyer time and client money
Hopefully that sticks moving forward

His practice/firm

Family law litigation firm with Houston, Austin, and a new Dallas office
Litigation firm; if there is a position they can argue on behalf of their client they are going to do it
New/changing case law:
How you value business entities or a spouse/partner's interest in the business
Fraud on community and whether one spouse breaches duty to the other
Lots of practice areas can be implicated under family law (e.g. shareholder actions if there are multi-member LLCs)

Advice to lawyers

Before becoming a family law litigator, he did insurance litigation. This allowed him to take a case all the way through jury verdict and get great experience. Be willing to say yes to opportunities, make mistakes and learning, commit unbillable time
Go to as much CLE as you can; network with other lawyers in your field and learn from them
informal settlement talks go much smoother if there is a relationship with the other lawyer and a level of trust has been built
Don't be afraid to do something; don't be afraid to fail; it will build your confidence to try things, make mistakes, learn, and get better
his voice cracked on the record in his very first depo!
fake confidence until you have it; back it up by putting in the work
Attention to detail is critical
Don't be limited to the assigned task; think about the next step and how the task fits into the bigger picture of the case
Create a network so that you have possible sources of new clients/business when you get to that point
Other lawyers can be your best source of referrals
Keep in touch with your classmates from law school

When hiring lawyers

Practical experience is key, which is why it is so important for lawyers to jump in and get that practical experience as early as possible.
highlight this experience on resume
Research the firm ahead of time and think through how you might fit into the firm and its future
Check their lawyers out in the courtroom and watch them work! Will give you a taste of how they do things. Also could be fodder for questions in the interview

Rapid Fire Questions

Name one trait/characteristic you want to see in an associate: perseverance
What habit has been key to your success: task list
Favorite app/tool: Slack; create a channel for each case and a channel for law questions
Favorite social distancing activity: Zoom board games
Favorite legal movie: To Kill A Mockingbird

Thanks again to Robert Tsai for coming on the show!