Harvey was a character. He wore only Pointer brand overalls, had less than a high school education and lived in a double-wide mobile home near the railroad with a wonderful wife and two good children — and he was an exceptional businessman, accumulating a small fortune. He owned grain sidings along railroads around eastern North Carolina where he bought low and sold high. As a beginning solo lawyer, I would see him at farm auctions, standing at the back of the crowd, and when the auctioneer called out, “Bids all in?” he would wave with a limp finger and proceed to bid in the property. He was a legend.
https://www.ncbarblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/JWN-headshot-4931-0494-2747-v1-scaled-e1782419744727.png802806Businesshttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngBusiness2026-06-30 10:31:032026-06-30 10:31:25Reflections From Retirement: On the Importance of Mentoring
Lawyers are trained to anticipate problems, manage conflicts, meet deadlines and shoulder responsibility for matters that can significantly affect the lives and businesses of others. Over time, the pressure associated with those responsibilities can quietly become normalized. Attorneys begin to accept stress as “just part of the game.” While stress may be unavoidable in the practice of law, unmanaged stress should not be.
Long hours, adversarial environments, constant accessibility and the pressure to perform can create a lifestyle that gradually drains energy, creativity, patience and perspective. The challenge is not eliminating stress. That is impossible. The challenge is learning how we can manage it before it begins managing us.
The good news is that the legal profession has become increasingly aware of the importance of an attorney’s well-being, mental health and professional vitality. North Carolina’s BarCARES is a good example of an organized effort to address the challenges.
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00Businesshttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngBusiness2026-06-09 09:52:202026-06-09 09:52:20Recharging the Lawyer’s Mind: Practical Stress Management for a Sustainable Career
At some point, every lawyer faces a difficult reality: careers evolve, and, eventually, they transition.
For many attorneys, this is not an easy subject to discuss. Lawyers spend decades building reputations, relationships and professional identities closely tied to their practices. Stepping away from that role — even gradually — can feel deeply personal.
https://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.png00Businesshttps://ncbarblogprod.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Blog-Header-1-1030x530.pngBusiness2026-06-02 09:05:492026-06-04 09:31:19Transitioning a Practice With Intention
Reflections From Retirement: On the Importance of Mentoring
Featured PostsBy
James W. Narron
Harvey was a character. He wore only Pointer brand overalls, had less than a high school education and lived in a double-wide mobile home near the railroad with a wonderful wife and two good children — and he was an exceptional businessman, accumulating a small fortune. He owned grain sidings along railroads around eastern North Carolina where he bought low and sold high. As a beginning solo lawyer, I would see him at farm auctions, standing at the back of the crowd, and when the auctioneer called out, “Bids all in?” he would wave with a limp finger and proceed to bid in the property. He was a legend.
Read more
Recharging the Lawyer’s Mind: Practical Stress Management for a Sustainable Career
Featured PostsLawyers are trained to anticipate problems, manage conflicts, meet deadlines and shoulder responsibility for matters that can significantly affect the lives and businesses of others. Over time, the pressure associated with those responsibilities can quietly become normalized. Attorneys begin to accept stress as “just part of the game.” While stress may be unavoidable in the practice of law, unmanaged stress should not be.
Long hours, adversarial environments, constant accessibility and the pressure to perform can create a lifestyle that gradually drains energy, creativity, patience and perspective. The challenge is not eliminating stress. That is impossible. The challenge is learning how we can manage it before it begins managing us.
The good news is that the legal profession has become increasingly aware of the importance of an attorney’s well-being, mental health and professional vitality. North Carolina’s BarCARES is a good example of an organized effort to address the challenges.
Read more
Transitioning a Practice With Intention
Featured PostsEditor’s note: This is the second blog post in a two-part series written by Douglas Wood. The first post is on how to build your practice with intention.
At some point, every lawyer faces a difficult reality: careers evolve, and, eventually, they transition.
For many attorneys, this is not an easy subject to discuss. Lawyers spend decades building reputations, relationships and professional identities closely tied to their practices. Stepping away from that role — even gradually — can feel deeply personal.
Read more