Monday Mentors with Austin Litigator Steve Skarnulis
Steve Skarnulis of the Austin law firm Cain & Skarnulis is our guest today. Steve talks about committing to learn the business and industry language of a case, why job-hopping can concern future employers, and what 15 years in the restaurant business taught him.
- Steve / The firm/ the practice
- 13th year and up to 14 lawyers (grown at a comfortable/organic pace)
- Began purely business litigation, and recently added a transactional practice with a new real estate partner
- Gone to an automated document management/discovery system which has allowed them to handle matters that as a small firm they might not have been able to handle otherwise
- some lawyers adapt quicker than others, but the younger lawyers have really stepped up
- He was in the restaurant business for 15 years, owning some of them for 10 years
- Lawyers think they have it tough, but the restaurant hours are insane and not at all in your control...the trial never ends in the restaurant business!
- Gave him the discipline to focus when the work/hours get tough
- Also a business sense that helps with financials, etc.
- Advice to lawyers
- Commit to diving into the experts work on the financials so you can know the business piece of the case
- Learn the language of the business/industry
- Closeology in oil/gas example from TJ Turner
- Be a decent human being along side being a tough lawyer; treat opposing side with respect
- Daniel gives Kobe Bryant example
- Plaintiff lawyer with private plane who picked up defense counsel on the way out to El Paso for depo/hearing
- Learn to communicate as a normal person with plain language; check out Chad Baruch books/articles/briefs.
- Always be willing to take on something new / be eager
- When hiring lawyers into their firm
- Red flag on resume - someone who can't stick with something for a reasonable period of time (several short stints at places give cause for concern)
- performed reasonably well in law school and/or breadth of experience
- solid writing sample matters
- looking for those who are eager and hungry; likable and able to get along with
- candidates should have done their homework and then have questions in the interview about the type of work they could expect to be involved with; shows you care about the firm
- Austin legal practice
- The construction boom continues, which equals lawsuits and litigation
- New courthouse is going up
- May be a few judges turnover in the 2020 election
- Broadway Show Recommendations: Dear Evan Hansen; Come From Away
- Rapid Fire Questions
- Important trait for associates: grit
- Key habit: calendaring everything
- Favorite app/tool: Centerbase
- Favorite Legal Movie: To Kill A Mockingbird
Bonus COVID-19 Segment
- Immediately went remote/online
- Virtual depos can work, but not for all
- Work has been steady
- Grateful to be able to continue working, and believes its important to support those who can't work
- Expecting a busy second half of the year
- Lots of outreach to clients and giving free advice on employment and economic stimulus program
- Oil/Gas businesses have been hit extra hard, and likely will result in large numbers of bankruptcies
- Opposing counsel very understanding and people are working together
- Courts doing all they can to move cases forward, but there are limits to that
- Austin Bar communicating well
- Advice for lawyers
- Work cases all the way up for trial (timelines, jury charges, etc.); take advantage of the additional time
- Write short articles
- Favorite social distancing activity - wine walk: take a walk around the neighborhood with wine in plastic wine glasses and talk with neighbors at a safe distance