from dawn to dusk

Douglas j. Wood
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Featuring lawyers from across the globe to discuss how they built and/or left their law practices. From waiting tables being a basis for a law career to being a good salesman, join Doug and his high powered guests to get the inside story on being a successful lawyer.

  1. FEB 15

    From Wall Street to Small Claims Court: A Conversation with Bill McInerney

    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.

    46 min

  2. FEB 2

    Team Work and Proactive Problem Solving: A Conversation with Noah Hanft

    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.

    40 min

  3. 12/22/2025

    Be the Best and Build a Law Practice By Word-of-Mouth: A Conversation with Larry Weinstein

    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.

    42 min

  4. 12/12/2025

    Leadership, Management, and Knowing When to Step Down: A Conversation with Alexander "Sandy" Thomas

    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 followed his next passion.

    49 min

  5. 12/01/2025

    One of the First Female Criminal Defense Attorneys in NH: A Conversation with Cathy Green

    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.

    34 min
  6. From Dawn to Dusk + - "Navigating Law Firm Culture" with Doug Wood

    11/21/2025

    From Dawn to Dusk + - "Navigating Law Firm Culture" with Doug Wood

    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.

    48 min

  7. 11/14/2025

    Core Business + Strategic Specialization = Strong Formula for Law Firm Entrepreneurs: A Conversation with Roberto Arochi

    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.

    39 min

  8. 10/28/2025

    Finding a Mentor - A Key to Success: A Conversation with Roger Parker

    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.

    1 hr
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About

Featuring lawyers from across the globe to discuss how they built and/or left their law practices. From waiting tables being a basis for a law career to being a good salesman, join Doug and his high powered guests to get the inside story on being a successful lawyer.

Information

  • Creator
    Douglas j. Wood
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    16
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025
  • Show Website
    from dawn to dusk