We often are asked what a normal day looks like for our lawyers. Normal is something most of us don’t know much about, but in this new column – HOURS – we unpack the daily routines of our teammates.
5:00: Wake up! I have been an early riser for as long as I can remember. I used to think that meant there was something wrong with me, but I’ve grown comfortable listening to my circadian rhythm which usually tells me to sleep and get up early.
5:00 — 7:00: Among my favorite times of the day. It’s quiet, often dark, and the best time for me to work on things that require deep thinking and focus (after a brief meditation). Developing new strategies for growth or editing legal work is usually what I am doing at this time. And because the kids are sleeping, this is the only time of day when I am sitting in total silence, sans music. But let’s be honest: none of this happens before a tall cup of Tony’s Coffee.
7:00 — 8:30: I have two kids, Rafael (9) and Roman (4). They both go to the same school, and so we spend this time like millions of other parents around the world: getting them dressed, fed, and ready for school. My wife Carolina and I drive them every day. It’s a pretty joyful 12 minute ride where we fulfill various song requests. Rafa oscillates between Lizzo, Dolly Parton, and Travis Scott, and Roman almost always has to hear “Karma Chameleon” at least once before drop-off.
8:30 — 10:00: I use this time to exercise outdoors. I live on Miami Beach and do my best to take full advantage of its greatest assets: the ocean and its outdoors. Twice a week I do yoga with my wife and our favorite instructor in my backyard, which has a very tropical jungle vibe. Two or three times a week I will go for a long run along the ocean on South Beach or across the Venetian Causeway, which reminds me of the Mediterranean coast. Gorgeous. For someone who grew up in the Midwest, I never grow tired of the ocean. It’s meditative and healing and gives me the confidence to think creatively for the rest of the day.
10:00 — 12:00: Sonos is in full swing (Lester Young, Buena Vista Social Club, Ella Fitzgerald, Bill Evans, William Onyeabor Django Reinhardt, Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson) and I use this time on internal meetings, catching up on email, news and social media to see what my clients and potential clients are paying attention to today.
12:00 — 5:00: Most days, this is my time with clients and potential clients. Calls, Zooms, WebEx, Teams, you name it. Maybe I am discussing a litigation strategy or deal structure with a client. Maybe I am providing a potential client with some background on our firm’s expertise. Sometimes I’ll be in a deposition or lengthy calls geared towards closing a transaction. Back-to-back video chats can be exhausting, but it’s also more efficient than jumping on a plane for an in person meeting. Both work under different circumstances. More jazz.
5:00 — 6:00: The kids are home from school and I’m catching up on emails from the past few hours. My brain is foggy at this point in the day, so nothing creative is happening. I’m in full execution mode before I shift gears for the evening.
6:00 — 8:00: Family, reunited after a long day! We’re having dinner, listening to Motown, The Beatles, Taylor Swift, or anything else we can agree on (which is actually a lot these days). We get Roman ready for bed and watch an episode of The Office together. We talk about our days and cannot believe how much has happened! Blessed.
8:00 — 10:00: Rafa is in his room watching the NBA or reading a book. Carolina and I usually spend this time on whatever we’re watching – maybe “Billions” or a documentary like “No Direction Home” or whatever else looks interesting. Sometimes it’s listening to a true crime podcast or a movie. Sometimes it’s responding to a time sensitive email!
10:00: I might catch a few minutes of The Tweedy Show @stuffinourhouse or some other podcast or a book before escaping into dreamland.