When Alex Wilson was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2016, she faced the same uncertainty that confronts many people receiving life-changing medical news.

What happened next surprised even her.

Rather than pulling back, Alex adopted a simple philosophy: why wait?

In this episode, Alex joins Neal Goldstein to discuss her journey from private practice to senior in-house leadership, living with relapsing-remitting MS, and the mindset shift that changed how she approaches both work and life.

They discuss disability disclosure in the legal profession, resilience, support networks, accessibility, perfectionism, networking, and the realities of building a legal career while managing an invisible condition.

Alex also shares practical insights from her work on the Law Society Council representing disabled solicitors across England and Wales, including the progress being made and the challenges that remain.

A thoughtful conversation about uncertainty, authenticity, and making the most of the time we have.

Follow and subscribe to That One Lawyer Podcast for more conversations with remarkable people behind the legal profession.

Nick Altopiedi grew up watching his father build a successful personal injury practice, but his own path to law was anything but direct.

Before becoming a lawyer, Nick played college baseball, worked in finance at JP Morgan Chase, bartended in New York City, and attended law school at night while working full time during the day.

In this conversation with Neal Goldstein, Nick shares how those experiences shaped the lawyer he is becoming today. They discuss building an identity inside a family legacy, earning trust with clients, the value of face-to-face relationships, and the realities of practicing personal injury and medical malpractice law

The episode explores work ethic, mentorship, trial advocacy, and what it means to develop your own voice while learning from those who came before you.

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Watch The Conversation : https://www.youtube.com/@ThatOneLawyerPod

Contact Nick Altopiedi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-altopiedi-esq-3b3ba1149/ OR https://www.pilawyer.com/

Michelle Stern never wanted clients.

She went to law school intending to work in advocacy and nonprofit leadership, not traditional legal practice. That path eventually led her to the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers, where she has spent more than two decades building one of the largest trial lawyer organizations in the state.

Today the Academy serves more than 6,000 members, but Michelle believes one of the biggest challenges facing lawyers has very little to do with law.

It's loneliness.

In this episode, Neal Goldstein and Michelle discuss how COVID changed the profession, why younger lawyers are struggling to build meaningful professional relationships, and what happens when convenience replaces connection.

They talk about mentorship, networking, referrals, client communication, soft skills, lawyer development, and the importance of building a community instead of simply building a practice.

Michelle also shares the story behind the Academy's growth, her thoughts on the future of legal education, and the advice she gives lawyers who want to stand out in a crowded profession.

This is a conversation about legal careers, professional identity, and the relationships that shape both.

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NEW YORK STATE ACADEMY OF TRIAL LAWYERS