A Day In The Life Of An Attorney At Fisher Phillips
For Ryan, an attorney at Fisher Phillips, a typical day involves a lot of research and writing done in front of a computer, with the ultimate goal being "winning," which on the defense side often means resolving cases favorably for clients, sometimes at the original low value of the case. Every case is different and requires problem-solving skills and providing "good risk analysis" so that clients can make informed decisions.
Legal Research, Litigation Strategy, Risk Analysis, Problem Solving, Negotiation
Advizer Information
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Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
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Ryan Harrison, Sr.
Attorney
Fisher Phillips
UC Davis
CSUS - MS Criminal Justice; UC Law SF - Juris Doctor
Anthropology, Sociology
Law
Legal
Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. The role involves a lot of researching and writing, not constant court appearances.
2. Winning isn't always about winning at trial; successful resolution at a lower value is also considered a win.
3. The job requires problem-solving and providing good risk analysis to clients to facilitate well-informed decisions.
Transcript
Q3: Day in the Life
My days are different, but usually I'm sitting in front of the computer. It's not like TV, where I'm in court every day arguing in front of a judge.
Trials don't happen tomorrow; they are set out a year or two in advance, and sometimes the date gets pushed out even further. So, a lot of it is researching and writing.
I'll tell you straight up, growing up, I was an athlete. Although I got good grades, I hated writing and research. I didn't like reading.
But the thing is, I like winning. So, it's a means to an end, right? The majority of my work is winning, specifically in trials and litigation.
On the defense side, winning might not be winning at trial. If I value a case at $30,000 and they're asking for $3 million, and we can get it resolved at $30,000, I count that as a win. This is usually the outcome because I'm a good attorney.
That is what my life is like, and those are my responsibilities. The thing is, every situation is different. Every case is different, so it's a moving target.
You've got to be able to solve problems and provide good risk analysis for your clients so they can make well-informed decisions.
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