It’s been a month, Eric. How’s life at FisherBroyles, LLP, the largest cloud-based law firm in the world?

Hey, thanks for asking!

In a word: Hella-good.

Unless that’s two words, in which case, I’ll go with awesome!!!

My partners are more amazing than I could have imagined!

Last month, in this post, I detailed four of the reasons that I joined FisherBroyles, LLP, one of which was that “FisherBroyles attracts some of the best lawyers from some of the best law firms.”

Because FisherBroyles is cloud-based and we don’t have associates, we have low overhead. That translates not only into lower rates for clients but more money into partners’ pockets. This win-win is disrupting the legal industry. Along with a transparent, objective compensation model, it attracts a lot of talented lawyers from “BigLaw” firms.

Just what kind of talent does FisherBroyles attract? Last week, we added a blockchain leader. No, we’re not starting a blockchain practice; been there, done that. We’re loading up our blockchain bench. Indeed, FisherBroyles is co-hosting “International Perspectives on Blockchain Technology & Cryptocurrencies” in London in a few weeks.

Whoa!

Now, some of you may be thinking, “I’m in HR, what do I care about blockchain?” (Well, you should. Prediction: blockchain and artificial intelligence will be near or at the top of your HR list within the next 12 months.)

But, what about some HR-compliance issues that may be costing you sleep right now.

Let’s start with immigration. This week, I learned that one of my partners was the Assistant Chief Counsel with the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), advising special agents during national security investigations, criminal immigration prosecutions, and worksite enforcement actions.

Then, we have employees benefits. When clients have ERISA issues, I can boast that two of my partners have nearly a half-century of experience between them. One spent years at national employment-law boutiques; the other at powerhouse law firms in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

And I haven’t even scratched the surface. My “traditional” employment law partners (we can’t all be blockchain experts and hail from the Department of Homeland Security) always have my six, and I have theirs. We’d better, considering that our client base is national and issues pop up daily across the country.

My clients are amazing too!

In case you haven’t figured it out, like most others, the legal industry is a relationship business. And, I have great relationships with my clients, most of whom were readers of this blog before they were clients.

So, when I came to FisherBroyles, I cut their billing rates.

All of them.

I can’t just talk the talk of going to a cloud-based firm with lower overhead and lower rates without walking the walk too.

And because we’re a full-service, national law firm, hopefully, there will be opportunities to introduce my clients to other attorneys in other practice areas at my firm. Like maybe the attorneys that service firm clients like Facebook and Tesla. Perhaps you’ve heard of them.

For now, however, I’m happy growing the relationships I have and look forward to making new ones soon.

Yes, the readers of this blog are amazing too!!!

Sorry to bury the lede.

The outpouring of support from readers of the blog has made my transition way less daunting and far more exciting than I would have imagined.

That not-having-a-safety-net thing (remember, I don’t get paid unless I make money for the firm) was (and still is) pretty scary stuff. However, your words of encouragement over the past 30 days have helped. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that some of you have become new clients.

“Hey Eric, since you’re at a national firm now, do you have someone in [Insert state] that can help with [insert employment law issue]?”

Fortunately, since making the move, businesses (and attorneys at other firms across the country with referral opportunities) have asked me that question. And, so far, the answer has always been yes.

And I like to think I know a thing or two about employment law myself. I’ve even been called a “triple threat.” From someone that I didn’t have to pay to say that.

(I’m putting it on my next batch of business cards, btw.)

Not that I need to remind any of you, but in addition to publishing this blog, I do practice employment law. And I like to think that I have some game. So, feel free to pick up the phone some time and give me a call to see what I can do to help.

(Even you, Millenials. The phone won’t bite.)

The 20-foot commute doesn’t take much getting used to.

Res ipsa loquitor.

And I am pleased to confirm that, so far, I have fulfilled the promises I made to myself:

No pajamas past 8 am
Shower every day
Minimum dress code: Starbucks attire (no yoga pants allowed…damn!)

More family time.

Even better than the 20-foot commute.

I loved my last job. But between the hours at the office, the commute, and the blog, with only so many hours in the day, I missed out on too much time with my wife and kids.

Now, I still have the blog. (I love my readers too. But, don’t let it go to your heads.) But the commute is the aforementioned 20 feet, and it doesn’t take me long to walk down the steps of my house. I also have no billable-hour requirement. So, that means more time with the family.

Unfortunately, I’ve been subjected to “Alexa, play Boomerang by JoJo Siwa” way more than I’d otherwise want.

(I never want it again, and I’m ready to napalm Alexa.)

But, fortunately, I have more time with my kids to refine their taste in music.

“Alexa, play some Nas extra-clean radio edits.”