E11 The Fifth Court - West Cork solicitor Flor McCarthy

Presenters Peter Leonard BL and Mark Tottenham BL begin Episode 11, as usual, by looking at 3 interesting cases from the Decisis.ie casebook. All these cases are essential listening for practitioners as well as students of law.

"These are the problems of success!"

The headline interview is with Clonakilty, West Cork based solicitor Flor McCarthy https://www.linkedin.com/in/flormccarthy/ who has held a number of roles in the Law Society. This innovative solicitor is also behind the Solicitors' Growth Organisation that he developed. His love of technology was spurred by the movies of his childhood, particularly those starring Matthew Broderick that he Flor modelled some career choices on. His top tip to legal students is never to do a university course just because it might look good on the CV. He did a Masters in Commercial Law in UCD, hated it and has never used any of the knowledge gleaned since.

He got an apprenticeship with well-know Dublin firm PF O'Reilly which started his legal career. He was with that firm for five years, so why did he go home to the family firm in Clonakilty? The answer seems to be why not, and what better place to get the work/life balance that you want. Flor is very blunt about the business bubble bursting, along with the general economy, in 2008. He took time during the downturn to head to the US, see how lawyers were marketing themselves there, and then decided on a 'digital first' strategy to establish a national medical negligence practice. Very, very insightful and progressive. Key takeaway, 'To build a specialist practice, get on the phone!'

His Solicitors' Growth Organisation Zoom meetings are attracting upwards of a 1,000 practitioners. Collegiality is at its core. He says that administration and regulation is biggest burden for smaller practitioners.

And what book or movie does he recommend to aspiring lawyers, His movie, Paul Newman, The Verdict (available on Google Play) and his book choice is The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday

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