Hosted by Douglas Wood, From Dawn to Dusk is a by-lawyers, for-lawyers podcast built around one idea: most attorneys plan meticulously for clients — but far too few plan for building their own book of business and transitioning it when the time comes. In candid conversations, accomplished lawyers unpack their “Dawn” — how they developed business, earned trust, and built durable practices — and their “Dusk” — how they handed off clients, navigated succession, and chose what came next. Each episode contains invaluable information for anyone practicing law today. Whether you are in a firm, corporation, or your own business, you need to know how these men and women became successful attorneys and left on their own terms.
Bill McInerney built his career the hard way at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, leading by example, earning loyalty, and doing whatever it took to get the deal done. Sometimes that meant sleeping on the office couch. Then, after nearly four decades riding the waves of New York real estate, he walked away at 65 — burned out and thinking he might simply “do nothing.” But that’s not what happened. In this episode, Bill shares what it really takes to build a practice — and what he discovered when he finally stepped away.
In a series of additional podcasts, From Dawn to Dusk +, Doug shares some of his own strategies with live audiences. In a recent visit to Wake Forest University, he discusses how important business strategies are to growing your law practice. First step is learn how to reprogram your brain, and how to do the same for potential clients, so they will not only like you, they will want to hire you. Also, in this episode, you will hear about how every lawyer reaches a “use-by-date” or a time to move on from their firm or business. Learn how to plan for your next act so you can leave on your terms.
I recently interviewed A. Scott Bolden, a partner with Reed Smith, a global law firm. He is not only a successful and influential lawyer but also a television commentator who has appeared on virtually every channel, including CNN, CNBC, Fox, and ABC. In our talk, Scott was candid about how he built his incredible career and generously offered valuable advice to lawyers.
I sat down with entertainment lawyer Robert (Bob) Darwell who reflects on how his early experience as a waiter shaped his approach to law. Known for representing top studio executives and media clients around the world, Darwell attributes much of his success to a simple but consistent principle: service.
Jeffrey A. Greenbaum has been the managing partner of Frankfurt Kurnit since 2010. He’s been with his firm for nearly thirty years, and in part this has been the key to his success. Building community and not feeling the need to compete with other lawyers for the big clients, has given him the ability to do his career, his way. Listen to find out how he did it.
Grehan built a law practice and firm in Dublin, Ireland, beginning in 1984. Today his role in Duncan Grehan & Partners is Consultant. In this podcast interview, he brings insight into both the Dawn and Dusk phases of an attorney’s journey. Listen in to find out about some of the unique aspects of practicing law in Ireland. Discover how Mr. Grehan’s “Always put your client’s interests first” rule has been a key part of his success.
Sherry Young is a founder, shareholder and past President of the law firm of Rath, Young and Pignatelli where she remains chair of the firm’s Environmental Practice Group. She and her partners built their company to become one of the top law firms in Concord, NH. Sherry says the key to stepping down from executive management was finding and training her replacement. Learn more about her story of successfully navigating dawn to dusk in this episode.
What drives two successful lawyers to walk away from prestigious careers for a life in the arts?
In this episode, I sit down with Joseph Lewczak, once a partner at New York’s Davis+Gilbert, and Anne DiGiovanni, who left her role on Hulu’s corporate legal team—all to pursue their creative passions as musicians, producers, and stage performers.
When John Langan first joined Barclay Damon, the firm was staring down a crisis with no promise it would survive. Instead of walking away, Langan rolled up his sleeves, rallied with his peers, and pursued a bold business development strategy other firms wouldn’t touch. The results speak for themselves. Today, Barclay Damon thrives with offices in Syracuse, Manhattan, and Washington, D.C., powered by a culture of belonging where every employee matters. In this episode of From Dawn to Dusk, hear how Langan took a crisis and forged a legacy—and why he’s more enthusiastic than ever about the firm’s future.
My mother always told me: “If you don’t share what you’ve learned, you’ll never be able to move on and grow.”
That simple lesson became a guiding principle for Carla Michelotti, former Executive Vice President and Chief Legal, Government & Corporate Affairs Officer at Leo Burnett Worldwide, one of the most iconic advertising agencies on the planet. In this episode of From Dawn to Dusk, Carla shares how teaching others and letting go became keys to her extraordinary success—and to a graceful transition in later years. Discover how this pioneering trailblazer for women in corporate law broke barriers, took bold risks, and earned a surprising nickname along the way—find out why they called her “Fred” — all in Episode 8 of From Dawn to Dusk.
“Finding a mentor, or a natural role model, that to me is a key part of being successful. Start to identify what makes them successful and ask yourself, what can I do to mirror that and use it to move forward in my career.”
Roger Parker has had an exciting career as a litigator and global manager at Reed Smith, one of the largest law firms in the world with offices in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. When managing billable hours and teams of attorneys became less important in his life, he made a plan to move on. In this episode he explains how relationships, hiring well-rounded people, and soccer all contributed to his success.
Roberto Arochi has been practicing law in Mexico for forty-five years. After the first fourteen, he struck out on his own with a couple of associates and an admin to build the firm Arochi and Linder to nearly 200 employees, based in Mexico and in Spain.
For Arochi, the secret sauce to success was hiring talent that filled in four core practice areas, and then specializing based on the strengths of the attorneys he had on board. He recognized the importance of differentiating the firm in the market, without straying from its foundation. Setting up a practice in Spain was a big change, working in a culture that shared a language, but not the same work style. In this episode, we learn how Arochi built strength in his business and how he has a firm of employees that eagerly come to work in the office five days a week.
Cathy Green led the way for women criminal defense litigators in New Hampshire, by being among the first. As she says, because she was an anomaly, it was easier to stand out, get media attention, and receive referral clients. But, she was also a great lawyer who got results. And she had an unusual way of approaching her criminal cases– she liked to have fun. In fact, Green decided early on that if she was going to practice law, it was going to be enjoyable, even when faced with clients accused of heinous crimes. This outlook served her well and her vast career spans over fifty years. In this episode, meet the woman judges used to call brother, who leaves a legacy that paved the way for women and who brought transformative changes to the legal landscape in New Hampshire.
Alexander “Sandy” Thomas began his career as a Federal District Court clerk and as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Virginia. He then entered the private sector and practiced with his father. When his father’s firm merged into Reed Smith, Sandy’s career took off. He became the Global Managing Partner where he oversaw the growth of the firm to 31 offices across 10 countries. But, Sandy’s story isn’t just about reaching the top, it’s about what comes after.
In this episode, Sandy offers a candid perspective on the difference between leadership and management, knowing when to step aside, and how he next followed his passion.
Larry Weinstein says being the best at what he does made it possible to build his law practice, largely through word-of-mouth. His clients trusted him, and they followed Larry from one firm to another. He left his mark on big law including firms like Proskauer Rose and Davis Polk. In 2022, he left Proskauer and started an arbitration business that he was told it would take years to build. But he left the naysayers in the dust when his strong work ethic and client focus helped him grow quickly. Find out how Larry rose to the top and how he pivoted to a new business and entrepreneurship.
Noah Hanft was attracted to the legal profession because he wanted to help people. His career started at legal aid and after a brief stint in a law firm, he joined a five person legal department at Mastercard. He then spent three decades helping to build Mastercard, and, as General Counsel he led the way through a complex and hugely successful IPO. His secret to success is something many lawyers miss. In this episode, find out what Noah believes worked for him and what lawyers need to remind themselves to practice.
