In this episode, Neal Goldstein sits down with trial lawyer and author Chris Earley for an honest conversation about what it means to be real in the legal profession. Chris talks openly about authenticity, vulnerability, and why lawyers do better when they stop performing and start connecting.

Chris shares how he built a practice rooted in clarity, communication, and trust. He talks about the parts of law school that do not prepare lawyers for the real world and the practical skills he had to learn on his own. Neal and Chris explore why clients respond to real conversations and how authenticity creates stronger relationships, better results, and more referrals.

This episode is a reminder that being human is one of the most important skills a lawyer can have. Chris's perspective is grounded in experience, humility, and the belief that law is a people centered profession. If you are a young lawyer, first gen lawyer, or anyone who wants to grow in a meaningful way, this conversation will resonate.

Watch full video episode HERE

Quotes from Chris:
"Clients do not need you to be perfect. They need you to be honest."
"Authenticity builds trust faster than any script ever will."
"When you show people who you are, they feel safer telling you who they are."

This episode is different. No guest and no script. Just Neal speaking honestly about the last few weeks and the moments that forced him to slow down and look at his life with clarity.

He talks about the people who shaped him when he was drifting, the social worker who helped redirect his path, the professors who believed in him, and the clients who gave him a career he never imagined. He reflects on losing family, finding strength through struggle, and the quiet lessons that build the kind of perspective lawyers rarely slow down to acknowledge.

This is not a holiday message, although gratitude naturally shows up here. It is a conversation about resilience, grounding yourself when life hits hard, and remembering why you do this work in the first place. If you are a young lawyer or a lawyer feeling the weight of your career, this episode will remind you that you are not alone and that the relationships around you matter more than anything else.

As Neal says, we are remembered for how we make people feel. Everything else falls away.

"I didn't feel like I had a purpose. I didn't feel rooted. But once I asked myself, 'What do you actually want to do?' everything changed."
– Felicia Williams

On this episode of That One Lawyer™ Podcast, Neal Goldstein sits down with Felicia Williams, attorney, advocate, and first-generation law graduate, for a raw and powerful conversation about identity, confidence, and finding your purpose as a lawyer.

If you're a young lawyer, a first-gen law student, or someone who never saw yourself represented in this profession, this conversation is going to hit you right in the chest.

Felicia opens up about the reality of being a Black woman in law — the pressure, the expectations, the isolation, and the quiet moments where confidence is tested. But she also shares how she found her footing, how she built her voice, and why she believes representation isn't a burden… it's an honor.

Neal and Felicia dive into the topics that law school never taught you, including:

• What it really feels like entering the profession with no blueprint or family roadmap
• How Black women experience pressure to "get everything right" just to be seen as equal
• Why confidence is built through purpose, not perfection
• How to develop a personal identity as a lawyer instead of fitting someone else's mold
• Why representation matters more than ever — and how it shapes client trust
• How Felicia found her voice in a profession that wasn't built with her in mind
• Why younger lawyers struggle with belonging, and how to find community
• The mindset shift that helped her turn self-doubt into real clarity and confidence

This is not another legal résumé conversation. It's a human conversation about what it takes to become a lawyer when you're the first in your family, when you didn't grow up around attorneys, and when you're navigating identity in a system that wasn't designed for you.

Felicia reminds us that:

• You don't need to know everything to succeed
• You don't have to sound like everyone else
• You can create impact simply by being who you are
• And you can build a career that serves people who look like you, come from your community, and trust you because you understand them at a deeper level

For young lawyers, diverse lawyers, or anyone trying to build confidence in this field, Felicia's story is the roadmap you wish you had on day one.

Why this episode matters
Most podcasts talk about law like it's all tactics and business. This one talks about being human. Felicia shows that you can build a successful career not by being the loudest voice, but by being the most grounded and authentic one.

If you've ever felt like you didn't belong in law, this episode proves you do.