Weight, Weight, I’ll Tell You: How I Lost 140 Pounds and Kept It Off

By Russell Rawlings

My recent contribution to Long Leaf Law about losing weight and keeping it off left one reader hungry for more:

“I just thought it could be very valuable to dig into the specifics of how you lost weight and kept it off over the long term. I presume that you have come to enjoy and value your lifestyle, and some concrete examples of what you did and the mindset that you brought to it might inspire others.”

Such kind and insightful words merit a thoughtful response. Over the years, others who have heard my story about losing 140 pounds during my senior year of college have also asked how I lost the weight and how I’ve managed to keep it off.

Read more

Pro Bono Works: Disaster Legal Services Restored Victims’ ‘Faith In Humanity’

By Russell Rawlings

Early last October, Hurricane Matthew swept across eastern North Carolina, leaving death and destruction in its path. In this state alone 26 people lost their lives in storm-related deaths. Damage estimates topped $1.6 billion.

Forty-five North Carolina counties qualified for federal assistance, including Robeson County, where the Lumber River crested at 24 feet, eclipsing the previous record by 3.5 feet.

The North Carolina Bar Association, led by its Young Lawyers Division, worked with Legal Aid of North Carolina, the American Bar Association and FEMA to provide free legal assistance to hurricane victims through the Disaster Legal Services hotline.

This is one victim’s story, as conveyed through a family member. For purposes of privacy, neither the victim nor the attorney is identified by name.

Read more

Please Describe Your Level Of Satisfaction

How much fun do you have?

How much time do you spend doing what you want to do?

How is your life measuring up against your expectations?

We’d like to know how you’re doing, so please take a few minutes to complete the online State of the Profession Survey from the N.C. Chief Justice’s Commission on Professionalism. The survey password was mailed to all licensed North Carolina attorneys on April 5. Email [email protected] if you need help.

Survey results will help guide the commission and the N.C. Bar Association’s Lawyer Effectiveness & Quality of Life Committee in better understanding and addressing the challenges facing our profession today.

For those who have completed the survey, thank you very much for your participation.