Nick Pappas’ Post

They say, hindsight is always 20/20. Exactly 365 days ago, I had entered what was going to be the most challenging year of my professional life. After giving 25 years of my prime to Corporate law, I was at crossroads. Was I earning well? More than I could have imagined. Was I good at my job? Years of peer testimonials and ever expanding roles across global markets proved that. Was I happy with my job? Hell, NO. But you are not supposed to feel like that, especially when you've already given more than two decades to the “job”. You are supposed to nip that feeling in the bud and continue with the way and in the manner you have been giving your best to. But that feeling never goes away. Especially when you know deep down that your best is yet to come. Never had I felt the urgency of the "Now or Never" moment more than in 2023. The moment I decided to pivot, little did I know that my entire supporting ecosystem was just waiting to cheer me on. Sometimes the biggest hurdle to your progress turns out to be none other than you. Pivoting after two decades of my professional work as In-House Counsel saw me turning my dream of having my own legal practice into reality, and Vidhikrit Legal was born. In 2024, I am looking to accomplish much more and take the law firm Vidhikrit Legal to new heights. My focus would be on building relationships and fostering collaborations. I wish and hope that you all enjoy the best that life has to offer in the new year, and the years to come. Here's to slaying newer and bigger challenges! #career #work #newyear #lawyer

3 things I did that made leaving law 𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙮 ✌🏼 Leaving my career as a lawyer changed my life in the best way💛, but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't challenging. Here are 3 things that made taking the leap easier 👇🏽 𝟭. 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳. You may not know exactly what you want to do next, but you should know what matters most to you 💕(values, lifestyle, purpose) and why leaving a 6-figure career is the right and most aligned move for you. 𝟮. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆. Not everyone in your life will understand or agree with your decision, and they don't have to! Surround yourself with those you can lean on ❤️ when things get tough (because they will). It's important to have people who have your back and will support your crazy ideas! 🎉 𝟯. 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻. Jumping without a plan can be dysregulating to your nervous system, which will cause unnecessary stress and anxiety🙈. As tempted as you may be to give your notice today, your future-self will thank you if you do so with a plan for what's next 📝 If you're ready to 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐢𝐯𝐨𝐭 and want the support of someone who has been in your shoes 👠 👉🏼 𝘿𝙈 𝙢𝙚 '𝙋𝙄𝙑𝙊𝙏' 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙙𝙪𝙡𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙛𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 👈🏼 Just imagine 💭 what your life will look like a year from now, after your successfully leave law to do work you frickin' love! 💛 #careerpivot #pivotplan #leavinglaw

Independent contracting, law school, moving away from home, starting over - all of it is tough. But today, that hard work and perseverance paid off. As the saying goes, it just takes one opportunity to launch your career. And today, that opportunity finally came. Never give up on yourself and keep pushing forward. Your hard work will pay off. #nevergiveup #perseverance #careerlaunch #NAILEDIT

Young Lawyers- As you move through your career, keep this distinction in mind: being busy and being productive are not the same thing. It is easy to conflate them. And in fact, early in your career, you are often given a variety of tasks and then rewarded for being able to do more and more of them....... So, it would be easy to assume that the path to success is paved by he who does the most. But there will come a point of diminishing returns. To go to the next level, you have find your focus, your energy and your talent in this work. Then you have to be relentless in stopping the forces that will try to take you away from it. #younglawyers #productivity #busy #law #lawyers

Independent contracting, law school, moving away from home, starting over - all of it is tough. But today, that hard work and perseverance paid off. As the saying goes, it just takes one opportunity to launch your career. And today, that opportunity finally came. Never give up on yourself and keep pushing forward. Your hard work will pay off. #nevergiveup #perseverance #careerlaunch #NAILEDIT

Why do lawyers become so narrow-minded when it comes to their careers? Is it because they have such an inspiring future with lots of options? Think about it: - you study hard for many years - work hard to get into a prestigious law firm - work harder to keep up with the workload without breaking - switch firms and work hard again to prove yourself and become a senior - work even harder to build the business case to become a partner - work hard forever to keep the title and everyone happy Hope for the best - sacrifice everything else! Alternatives:  - go on your own, or start a firm - go in house - academia  - enter the state legal system (i.e. prosecutor, judge) Am I missing something - other than the irony? :) — So lawyers think their only options are: 1 - hard work forever 2 - go ‘down’ the ladder 3 - start from 0 Isn’t it fascinating how people who are hardworking, ambitious and can ‘learn or improvise anything’ become so inflexible when it comes to their work future? That’s what I notice when I talk anyone in the legal profession in my network. Everyone is unhappy, tired and disillusioned. Yet they quickly shut down anything else. “It’s the same everywhere.” “I don’t know what else I can do.” “I can’t afford to start from 0.” So I ask them: “Do you want to keep fighting for your limitations, and hopefully survive the endless grind? Or do you want to use that energy to explore how you can create a better future?” It’s sad to see so many smart and diligent people lose hope for their future. And, no, I’m not saying you should quit law. Or make a lateral move. I’m saying you need to think outside the box and explore before you make a definitive judgment that keeps you miserable and stuck. How? In my next posts (click the 🔔 on my profile to see them) Did I miss any alternative career paths? What have you seen others do? . . . #lawyerlife #lawfirmlife #legalprofessionals #lawyerslife #legalcareer

Lawyer = Job or Lawyer = Career? It’s not either/or, I believe. For my lawyer friends, do you have a job or career? What’s the difference or does it even matter? Funny thing is, when I decided to go to lawschool it was, in part, so I wouldn’t be punching a time clock. Well, if you bill by the hour, like or not, you track time. I track my time. My view then was, punching a time clock equated to having a job, not a career. Now, I believe the clock has nothing to do with it. So what do I think implicates a career v. A job? 1) a person who has found a career, cares less about time than work product. 2) if you have a career, you own your mistakes and revel in your successes. 3) a person in a career, doesn’t worry so much about the segregation of personal life v. Work. Rather, those who have a career integrate their profession into who they are and consider work as part of life, not a distraction from it. 4) if you have a career, you own your business even if you work for someone else. 5) if you have a job, you can’t wait for Friday, as if, Monday through Thursday don’t matter.

Dear law students: Once you have the vaguest idea of the field of law you want to get into for your upcoming professional career, attend industry centered masterminds as early as possible. I’m sure most organizers will actually comp you or give you a deep discount if you tell them you’re a law student. I’m sure if you’re already working at firm, they might sponsor you as well. I would if it was part of a bigger plan. Real world example: I attended a law firm management conference last year in Atlanta for plaintiff personal injury lawyers. In front of me sat a 3L, he was from Atlanta and was attending the same conference. He could only pay for one day. I told him who to talk to to get the next day comped. Done. I started talking with him, gave him my paid dinner pass to network with attorneys that evening, as I made alternate plans, and we exchanged numbers and contact info. Told him to call me any time. If he was interested in NY practice I would have interviewed him on the spot and likely hired him just because what he was doing was so unique and telling of his drive. Moves like this will be one of your biggest career accelerators. Do them. Be willing to do what others don’t, to achieve things others won’t. #careersuccess #domore

This week has seen another decent sized law firm fail, showing how even an employed job is not necessarily secure. It's never a good time to face a job search but almost a month before Christmas has to be one of the worst. If you are in this horrible situation or just need help and guidance about a possible career move, we are always happy to talk. Self-employment is not for everyone but it often works for people who might not have initially thought it would. #career #choices #law #redundancy

Embarking on a legal career is an exciting journey filled with opportunities for growth and impact. As someone deeply passionate about the law profession, I've crafted a comprehensive career map to guide aspiring lawyers through the intricacies of this dynamic field. Join me as we explore the pathways, milestones, and strategies to navigate your way to success in the legal world. #LegalCareer #CareerMapping #Lawyers"