Legal Grounds | Conversations on Life, Leadership & Law

There’s been plenty of stories recently about how toxic the tech environment has become - whether it’s about politics, gender, or self-image.  Now, I’m not a huge ‘social media’ guy and I would be the first to admit I don’t understand the nuances of how this whole game is played. That being said, something needs to change and I’m thankful that people like my guest today for being at the tip of the...

I’d like to think I have gained a better grasp of patience the longer I’ve been doing this whole lawyer thing, but some days I fail in this regard - just ask my wife.  Now one of the things I’ve noticed that tells me, “Mike, maybe you need to get in a better headspace,” is when someone is telling me a story and I just want them to get to the point.  In those moments, I try (and sometimes fail) to...

In my line of work, you get to meet a lot of interesting people who are experts in their fields. And despite the old trope about doctors and lawyers not getting along, many of these brilliant folks are from the medical field.  Now I never could have been a doctor. One, I don’t think I’m patient enough. Two, I’m not a huge fan of needles.  So when you meet a doctor who has dedicated themselves to u...

If you’ve bothered to even scan the headlines in the past couple of years, you’ve had to have come across at least one or two stories about the toxic effects of social media.  And it’s not just about how it polarizes us, though that’s bad enough, it's that there have been so many articles about how destabilizing it is on our individual realities.  As recently as a couple of weeks ago, The Wal...

It’s been almost 20 years since my wife and I founded The Bassett Firm, and though it may sound a little corny, there isn’t a single day I walk into our offices, see that logo on the door, and don’t feel a tiny sense of, “Holy crap, this is real.” Now imagine that feeling, but instead of your last name printed on one side of a glass door, it’s looming over you in giant, literally billboard-sized l...

There’s a lot that the pandemic continues to teach me, even as we move along in this slow journey towards something close to normal.  But my guest today probably summed it up best when he says, “a lot of people are used to being watched, very few of them feel seen.” While the context is centered around those who suffer inside of gang communities, I think Fr. Greg Boyle - perhaps unwittingly - is d...

I’ve had more than 50+ guests on Legal Grounds up to this point, and almost all of them can point to a moment when something in life “hit them like a ton of bricks,” or came crashing in like a “train off the tracks” and changed their path. My guest this week, however, is not speaking metaphorically when she says life hit her like a loaded pickup truck.  Because it did.  Literally.  In 2008, Jennif...

There are plenty of people in the world who have an over-inflated sense of importance. Chances are, at least a couple of people popped into your head reading that sentence.  But the mentality of, “often mistaken, but never in doubt,” can - to a point - be a useful way to approach the world. To test your assumptions with confidence, and, when proven wrong, adjust course.  My guest this week is one...

You know those days when you’re just in the suck?  When the only thing that reminds you that it might be OK, is that there are others that have had it a lot worse than you, and they made it? Well, kind listeners, today’s episode might be exactly what you need if it’s been one of those days.  Claire Ashman is an author and four-time TED Talk speaker , and she is also the survivor of not ONE but TWO...

There may be no “I” in Team, but there’s a big ol’ fat “I” right in the middle of Agile, and Lord knows I’m constantly a work-in-progress when it comes to flexibility.  And what’s always made me chuckle is that when I really look back at my career, heck, even my life, I can clearly recognize that old adage: “Change is the only constant.” It’s both the blessing and curse that comes with being a lif...

Sometimes I feel like I could be accused of using “Legal Grounds” as a cover to talk about anything BUT the law…  That’s why this episode was such a reminder of how I love hashing out the details of trial experiences with other attorneys who step into the batter’s box on both sides of the aisle.  Far from comfortable and highly R-rated, this conversation was one that felt like a release I didn’t k...

Not a lot of people will admit this, but I’m glad - if not reluctant - to share that I am a recovering perfectionist.  Surprising as it may seem, the legal profession is built around technicalities and even the most minor slip-up can set you, or worse, a client, back. Whether that’s reputation, money, or a combination of both.  So screwing up feels not just like professional failure, it’s personal...

Tell me if this kind of moment sounds familiar: You’re at a bar and you’re meeting a new professional contact.  You’ve learned a little bit about the person and you like what they do; you like their vibe.  The conversation starts light. What do you think about _____?  How have you seen ______ play out?   Then at a certain moment, something clicks, and the conversation takes a turn towards somethin...

During my High School and Undergraduate days, I had the opportunity to manage an American/German fusion restaurant...  It was a Wienerschnitzel on Mesa Drive in El Paso.  And while I learned to balance work, school, and play, one thing I don’t think I could have done was run my OWN business.  My guest today not only had the drive to make that time-investment, he would go on to sell that business y...

So under the headline of “not surprising,” I feel comfortable admitting that I am NOT an artist by any stretch of the imagination.   If you needed a portrait, you’d get a stick figure.  I f you needed a melody, you’d get me tapping on the steering wheel out of rhythm.  And God forbid you needed me to sing….   That’s why this week’s interview was both incredibly exciting and COMPLETELY different fr...

Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth. A lot of people know this Mike Tyson quote, but it’s not just a boxing rule. It’s a life rule.  And trust me - it’s not a question of IF life will punch you, it’s WHEN.  My guest today can speak to both the physical and metaphorical aspects of this wisdom.  Charlie Brenneman was a Junior High Spanish teacher before he decided to step out on...

If it’s not obvious to listeners yet, I believe there’s a huge difference between LEADING people, and simply telling them what to do. But what’s perhaps more difficult to communicate is the need for leaders to CREATE other leaders.  And when you find yourself in a position at the top, it can be easy to make excuses for why you’re too busy to mentor those coming up behind you.  Trust me.  Still, th...

While it’s a bit belated, I wanted to share with you some thoughts I’ve had while reflecting on this Father’s Day.  I’m certainly not tooting my own horn, but I’ve tried to balance the earnestness and honesty with humor and touch of sentimentality.  In this episode I explore the very different, but very powerful relationship I had with my adopted father, Herbie – aka, The Old Man.  In this day and...

I’ve made my fair selection of “questionable” decisions over the course of my life. Opening my own law firm. Having two kids 18 months apart.  Agreeing to a foot race with a fellow attorney at a company picknick. This list could go on and on . . .  But after almost 4 decades, I’ve come to realize that it’s the simple things that make the most complex impacts.  Enter: my latest guest – Sunny McGaw...

I don’t take photos of my food…often.  Still, I’d like to consider myself a foodie, at least in the most basic sense. And over the course of this pandemic, I’ve even picked up cooking AND every meal I’ve made has been survivable!  My wife and I have become more conscious of food choices over what I’ll say is the past decade. But even then, I’m still learning about the effects of my diet – not only...

A fair warning, this episode is a little on the heavy side of the spectrum.  This past Monday was Memorial Day, one of the several Holidays this country sets aside for those American’s who answered the call to serve.  As a former service member and child who was raised in a military family, the Holiday has always felt more solemn than celebratory. The Monday’s off are a nice reprieve, but the tone...

A lot of times, I think there is a disposition to see the law as “concrete”. That there’s an expectation of “set” rules. But of course, every lawyer knows that the law is constantly evolving – both in terms of precedent and profession.   For this week’s episode, I want to focus on a change I’ve been fortunate enough to witness during my time practicing law: the rise of strong female attorneys.  Th...

This time last year, Legal Grounds was still just a thought sitting on one of the many back-burners in my head. In fact, at that point we still didn’t even have a name for the show.  But there were two things I knew for certain: 1.     I wanted the show to feel like having a conversation over a cup of coffee. & 2.     I wanted to talk to people from every walk of life & every profession im...

There are very few Holidays that are universally celebrated across countries & continents.  Mother’s Day is one of them – as it should be.   As this Sunday approaches, I wanted to share with listeners what I’ll call an ‘autobiographical exploration’ of just what it means to be a mom; or at least, what I’ve been fortunate enough to witness time & again.  Don’t worry, it’s a light-hearted ep...

Sometimes it takes an “well duh…” statement to snap yourself back into reality.   To give you an idea of what I’m talking about, just picture how in the movies they’ll often ask the protagonist things like, “ what year is it? ” or “ who is the President? ” to reorient them. As viewers these answers are typically ones we view as obvious & somewhat comical in their simplicity. But at the same ti...