Five Litigation Lessons I Learned on the Water

Joseph Froetschel, founding partner of Phillips Froetschel, represents injured individuals in medical malpractice and personal injury cases. When he’s not working as an attorney and adjunct professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, Froetschel finds that using his vacation time to kayak during the summer taught him lessons that transfer into his trial lawyer life. 

‘You Can’t Control the Current, So Go With the Flow’

Froetschel cautions against forgetting to go with the flow both on the river, and in the law profession. 

“You can take refuge from the current in an eddy—the area where the current circulates behind a rock—but, again, only for so long,” Froetschel advises. “As trial lawyers, I think many of us romanticize the fight, the motions, arguments and the adversarial process. But are those efforts improving the case, or our client’s situation?”

Instead of focusing on the fight for the client, sometimes steering the negotiations through calmer waters will provide a resolution sooner for everyone. 

‘Plan Your Journey, but Focus on What Is Right in Front of You’

Litigation often follows a similar pace as whitewater rafting. “It doesn’t do any good to think about the river a mile downstream—or a mile back for that matter,” he advises. “Your focus needs to be on the rough water directly in front of you.” 

While it makes sense to plan the intended course and identify potential problems during different stages of litigation, but it also is important to focus on the rough waters right in front of you.

Are you interested in learning more tips about navigating your law career?  Read more in this law.com article.