In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Jay Paul Deratany discuss:
- Doing things in your work and life that make a difference.
- Making smart decisions to achieve your ambitions.
- Creating time to yourself in the midst of your busy life.
- Lessons learned in starting your own practice.
Key Takeaways:
- Go into everything you do with the mindset of service, not just a mindset of serving yourself.
- Making mistakes is going to happen, but we need to learn from those things and continue to track what is working as you go forward.
- Having a team brings different perspectives to your firm.
- Don’t give up, choose your passion, and be passionate about your work.
“We take a team approach to our cases…Usually a client understands it because they want a team, and a team brings about a better result. I couldn’t have had the verdicts I’ve had unless I had the team I have.” — Jay Paul Deratany
Connect with Jay Paul Deratany:
Website: https://lawinjury.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaypaulderatany
Twitter: https://twitter.com/deratany
First Star: https://www.firststar.org/
Foster Boy: http://fosterboy.com/
CASA: https://nationalcasagal.org/
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Connect with Steve Fretzin:
LinkedIn: Steve Fretzin
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Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie
Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You’re the expert. Your podcast will prove it.
FULL TRANSCRIPT
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
lawyer, cases, life, people, called, foster, practice, trial lawyer, tougher, hear, client, passion, balance, writing, steve, delegate, jay, paul, starting, point
SPEAKERS
Jay Paul-Deratany, Narrator, Steve Fretzin, Jordan Ostroff
Jay Paul-Deratany [00:00]
We take a team approach to our cases. So I bring in my team, I say, Hey, this is my paralegal data has been with me for 20 years. And you might not always get me on the phone right away, but she can convey the message. And we’ll get back to you might hear from me by text you might hear from me by email at midnight. But you also might be hear from my partner, Mike or our associate Thomas. And usually a client understands it because they want a team and a team brings about a better result.
Narrator [00:33]
You’re listening to be that lawyer, life changing strategies and resources for drilling a successful law practice. Each episode, your host, author and lawyer coach, Steve Fretzin, will take a deeper dive, helping you grow your law practice in less time with greater results. Now, here’s your host, Steve Fretzin.
Steve Fretzin [00:55]
Cave, everybody, welcome to be that lawyer, I hope you’re having a lovely day, we are in an absolute white out here in Chicago, we’re getting as much snow as we’ve seen all season. And if you’re living somewhere nice and warm, you can go suck an egg. That’s alright. You know, looks it’s all about, you know, getting accustomed to your environment. And I think both my my guest today, Jay Paul and I, we lean into the winters here in Chicago. And we do it in different ways. But I’m going to introduce him in a moment. I want to take a moment to just thank my sponsors Moneypenny who does an amazing job at helping me with my website to have an interactive experience. If you want to have an interactive experience with my website, go on, chat with money, Penny will get you whatever you need. If you need videos, books, resources, you want to meet with me to talk about your law, practice happy to do that. And then also they do the phone answering. So if you’re just not doing your intake properly, or you’re finding that you’re paying someone too much, talk to money, Penny, they’re the gang. And then, of course, legalese. Who does an amazing job with my marketing my newsletter, fact, I’m going back and forth with them this morning on my newsletter so that we can get out the right imagery, the right messaging, get the right people and track it and see who’s actually clicking stuff. So really good stuff, legalese marketing. And Jay Paul was so kind to send me a really great quote, I’m going to read it, and then we’re going to talk about and then I’m gonna introduce this amazing guest I have today. And this is from Clarence Darrow, I think as a lawyer, if you don’t know who that is, you’re in trouble. It is, I am pleading for the future. I’m pleading for a time when hatred and cruelty will not control the hearts of men, when we can learn by reason, judgment, and understanding and faith that all life is worth saving, and that mercy is the highest attribute of man. Wow, that’s pretty intense. That’s a that’s a heavy subject for us right off the bat, Jay. But I think that’s that’s it’s brilliantly said, and maybe not as brilliantly read. But it’s, what does that mean to you? What does that why that quote?
Jay Paul-Deratany [02:52]
Well, first of all, Steve, thanks for having me on. It’s really a pleasure. I’ve heard all about you. So it’s great to be on your show. I think what that means, you know, this is, I believe, when Clarence Darrow was doing his Leopold and Loeb summation, which was to try to save two teenagers who had committed horrific acts of violence in the community was calling for the death sentence. Absolutely. And without getting into the politics of the death sentence or anything of that nature. It’s just I think it applies to modern society. I think we’re so divided, we’re so far apart in so many ways that we need to come back and put the hate on the shelf, and start finding our common interest again, because as Americans, we have way more in common than we do, opposing each other. And the only way we’re all going to get ahead is by putting the hay putting the racial divides, putting the anger, putting all that to the side and start working on the problems together from different perspectives and viewpoints. And I think that’s Clarence DeRose. Great point there. Yeah.
Steve Fretzin [03:56]
Well, you know, the timing of it is, you know, I guess it’s almost timeless, because the things that were happening, you know, 30 years ago, are happening now. And everything that we’re seeing is, is how we’re being divided. And to your point. I mean, if we can’t figure out a way to get together, you know, I don’t know where we’re headed, but it’s got to happen for us to for us to to keep our not only sanity, but also just to keep our way of life. Absolutely. Apison. Jay, Paul, thank you so much for being on the show. Let me just give a quick intro here, Jay Paul, and I’m going to screw up your last name Madura Tani,
[04:29]
Dara, Danny,
Steve Fretzin [04:31]
Danny, God, I knew I was going to do pretty good. All right, well, my name is Fretzin. And people screw that up all the time. In fact, there’s a little trick on LinkedIn where you can record your name the proper pronunciation so that people can click a button on LinkedIn and see how your how your name is pronounced but anyway, that’s that’s just a little LinkedIn tip there for everybody. But do do me a solid in my audience and give a little background because you have one of the most fascinating backgrounds of any guest I’ve had on the show and I’d love for you to share not only how you got into Law, but how you’ve sort of like, because you’ve developed not only your law practice, but also some side projects that are pretty amazing.
Jay Paul-Deratany [05:07]
Well, you know, it’s, I’m kind of at this nice balance in my life. And I’ve been a lawyer for 30 some years. And I practice as a trial lawyer, mostly for plaintiffs. And in medical malpractice, auto accidents. And I do a lot of child abuse cases. But my second passion has always been writing and acting. And I love I love I love going to theater, I love watching movies, I’ve got a huge screen, that’s my big thing. And I somewhere in my 40s, about 10 years ago, or so I went back to school, for my MFA in writing. And I got it from the University of California. And my professor at the time, a great guy named John Shambo, who worked with a great Michael Douglas, for a time period. I turned something in and he looked at me and he said, you know, this isn’t good. And, and I wasn’t used to that. And he said, Well, why don’t you write what you know? And I said, Okay, so I wrote about my work. Basically, I wrote a film at that time called foster boy, which is out now, as you might know, on Amazon, Amazon Prime and BT. And it’s about the work I did. And it’s the combination of three of the cases I’ve handled, put into one. And it involves a lawyer who’s reticent to take these cases, but then becomes convinced. And so it was kind of, I’m now at a position where I’m combining my writing and my law and my advocacy for kids. And I really like the position I’m in in life. Yeah,
Steve Fretzin [06:37]
what’s wonderful. And again, I think part of what makes the life experience, you know, what it is, is that we don’t just sit back and just let the days happen over and over again, that we look at our passions, we look at what’s going to make our lives unique, and special, and what we’re going to leave behind to and I think books, movies, things that we can produce and leave behind. I think we’re not going to be here forever. I mean, I’d love to say we are but we’re not. So you know, how are we going to leave the place better than we left it? And number two is what can we leave behind? That can be appreciated by our children, grandchildren? Maybe it’s educational, you know, maybe it’s something that’s just going to, it’s going to have a point that that is for it’s leaving people better than then again, we found them.
Jay Paul-Deratany [07:18]
I think that’s a great point. I think that, you know, at the end of the day, you know, when our lives are all wrapped up, where we’re getting towards that retirement point, it’s a good reflective point where we say, who are we, you know, what have we done? And, you know, money’s good. I’m not against earning money and earning a good living. And, yeah, but there’s only so much anybody can have and do and, and you get a certain point in that I’m not bragging but how many shoes can you wear at one time? How many, you know, your first pair, I remember getting my first suit, it was just I was so excited about then a second, a third, I got, you know, by your eighth or ninth suit, and you’re not really accomplishing much for yourself anymore. Yeah. Materialism has its limits. And when you can look back at your life and say, Hey, I made a difference in a child’s life or I took a plaintiff’s case. And although they were injured or disfigured, or something, we we made a difference in making their life a little bit better or easier as time goes by. Yeah, I think that’s what, that’s what motivates me at this point. And that’s what I think, even becoming a trial lawyer, if I can, I think you’ve got to go into it with the mindset that you want to be of service, not just serving yourself.
Steve Fretzin [08:29]
So to get to the point where you have the balance, and you have the ability to take on a passion project or multiple passion projects. But you have to have a certain level of business, and you have to have a certain level of of growth to see that. I mean, if you’re just in the weeds all day, it’s very hard to accomplish what we want to accomplish in our careers in our lives. So take us back to how you built your law practice and became a great trial lawyer and won some massive verdicts. I was looking you up and all the big verdicts you had. And I know my audience would love to hear that piece of the story.
Jay Paul-Deratany [09:07]
Well, you know, I started in the late 80s. And at that time, I went to work for legal aid. I thought I wanted to be a legal aid lawyer, but probably thankfully, President Reagan at the time, but a hiring freeze legal aid lawyers and I was only making eight bucks an hour. So I decided to go into practice. First, I worked for a firm for a couple years. And then I decided to hang up my own shingle, which in law world means literally go out on your own. And it’s tough because you’ve got to be both a businessman and also an advocate for your clients. And but first and foremost, you have to work on behalf of your client. And I took every little case it could be imaginable. I even took the cases where you know, for what we would say ladies of the street that were caught and I went to criminal court and some of the men of the street and went to criminal court and I’ll never forget one Young lady said to me, Well, what do you charge per hour? And I said, $200 an hour? And she said, Me too. Oh, no, we don’t do that.
Steve Fretzin [10:09]
That’s not that’s not an even trade in your book right now not even.
Jay Paul-Deratany [10:15]
So I started out with little small cases and go into court. And then I handle my first auto accident, and another one, another one. And then about 1520 years ago, and then I handle quite a few medical malpractice cases, as well. But then 1520 years ago, a case came into my office involving abused children. And I wasn’t even sure how I was going to handle it. And they were abused in the foster care world. And I thought, what what is even the cause of action lawyers will know what I mean by that. What do you File this under? Is it negligent? Is it willful and wanton? You know, what’s the theory. And I did a lot of work and research on it took that first case at trial, we won a pretty sizable settlement. And then I took another one, and then I start writing articles about it. And now I’ve taken children’s cases across the country. And you know, the first 10 years of the practice, though, is I would tell any young lawyer, starting out, it’s tough, it’s tough, you might have to take those small cases, you have to invest in your business, and not take a profit, sometimes you have to work hard, and maybe your client wants to settle a case for much lower than you thought. But you’ve got to, you know, do what your client wants. And maybe you’re gonna eat some ramen noodles, and some macaroni and cheese in the beginning. But all I can say is that the road has been worth it for me now. And it’s been a great road.
Steve Fretzin [11:37]
And I think whether you’re starting your own practice, or you’re in a mid market, large firm, doesn’t really small firm doesn’t really matter. It’s really you Inc, you, you know, you incorporate it, it’s your business under the umbrella that is one that you made, or one that was made for you. But I think that’s what this show is all about. It’s helping people to understand that that’s really where the balance, the freedom that control comes from. And my father is great. And my father is a retired lawyer, and he would love this show. And he’d love this quote that you gave at the beginning. And he’s a big advocate, you know, he did everything he took on everything. But it was it was all about, you know, son, you got to have your own show. You don’t want to end up working for someone else your whole life and not controlling your destiny. And I it really cemented my mindset that sales was the way for me to do it one way. And second was that I was definitely going to own my business. At some point, it was just a matter of what. And I didn’t realize at all that I’d be doing what I’m doing now. I mean, I’m not a lawyer, and I never thought I’d work with lawyers. So it is really nice. It’s it’s Well, I worked with
Jay Paul-Deratany [12:36]
rate setting your own hours, oh, probably Yeah. You probably make yourself work harder, you’re tougher on yourself than other people would be tougher on you. But I think that there’s an incredible, wonderful thing about starting your own practice or being your own person I again, that that, you know, there’s some great law firms out there. And it’s, and I will say it’s a lot tougher nowadays, than it was when I started my practice. But I mean, there’s a great feeling and getting up in the morning, go into your office at the time that you if you want to show up at 10 or nine or seven, you’re but you’re you’re doing your own thing, you’re turning on the lights, you’re paying your bills, and and it’s a great growth experience.
Steve Fretzin [13:16]
Well, I will but I’m gonna come in a point counterpoint on that. I think it’s it’s always tough to start a law practice and starting in the 80s and 90s. You know, there was there’s benefits there because maybe there was a lot more business and opportunity. And you know, you could you could grab it today, the competition is so much higher. Now, the other side of it, though, Jay Paul, is the idea that everything is is virtual, it’s automated. You can you can get, you know, a lot of the stuff that you had to do with hiring and having office space and stuff. And then in the cost and overhead library library, right. So now now it’s all digital, and so to say, Hey, I’m leaving this law firm, and I’m gonna go out on my own. There’s so much automation, so many people that can help consult in that, that I think that it’s there’s pros and cons from, from the timing standpoint as well.
Jay Paul-Deratany [14:02]
I think that’s true. I think it’s probably more expensive than it used to be. You know, I could start I think my first office was 700 bucks a month. Okay, okay. And brands are a little bit higher Nast event. And there’s so many expenses to start your own firm. But I do think you know, if you have I would suggest a lot of young lawyers, if you have a friend who’s a good lawyer, and you gotta make sure you put the fact that they’re a good lawyer ahead of the fact that the friends then get together with that person. You share the expenses, you work on cases together. Two mindsets are better than one. Yep. You know, I mean, I’m very thankful for my law partner, my cousin and we’ve got a whole team of lawyers now. So it’s, it is tougher. I think it is tougher. It is easier with technology and all of that and more support system, but I do think it’s tougher nowadays. Okay, it’s well worth it. Yeah,
Steve Fretzin [14:53]
I think you’ll look we all we all have, you know, ambitions. It’s about it’s about muscling through and it’s about making small Our decisions and not making the same mistakes over and over again, right? I mean, that’s really the key.
Jay Paul-Deratany [15:04]
That’s right. And but you know, sometimes you will make mistakes, I sort of
Steve Fretzin [15:08]
steaks are fine. I just I just, that’s it. That’s it’s all it’s all about, you know, falling on your face and saying, look, there’s a sheet ice right there, maybe I’m gonna walk around and next time, right. And that could be the people that you’re meeting, it could be the practice area that you’re trying. It could be whatever, just just, you know, make sure that you continue to track and sort of figure out like, what’s working and what’s not, don’t just go blindly year after year, without really looking back at the game tapes, if
Jay Paul-Deratany [15:33]
you will. Yeah, I think that’s true. Very true.
Jordan Ostroff [15:37]
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[15:59]
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Steve Fretzin [16:27]
so let’s take it a little further with how you have achieved sort of balance. I mean, you’re you’re able to go and do passion projects, because you You’ve not only built a firm, but you’ve been in a position to sort of what delegate the work and get the support in place. Talk to that a little bit because it didn’t happen overnight.
Jay Paul-Deratany [16:46]
But it did happen. No, it didn’t happen overnight. In fact, it I think it takes some time to build P, you know, I’ve learned I’ve gotten a couple partners, I’ve gone through some lawyers that have worked for me, I can be honest and tell you I’m not easy to work for I demand a lot and, and demand a lot of myself, as I said, I think that developing friendships with other lawyers and working in finding that right lawyer that can be your partner might not necessarily be your best friend or something. But I think that helps i for me, building to a point where I can delegate now. And I’m not one that normally delegates but you know, I, I want to be able to preserve my time and my energies to work on the top cases, and then consult on the smaller cases in the office, and still have that time. And I would say this for any professional lawyer, not lawyer because you’ve got to have that time for yourself, whether going for a run, or in my case, I like to work out and run but I also love writing. And so having an hour or two away from my family, my son and and away from the practice and having a couple hours in the can here and there. So I could do my writing is what helps me heal from some of the cases because we handle some pretty horrific injury cases. And it’s hard to see that, and also allows me to explore my other self. And I think that makes you a better lawyer or a better manager, wherever you are in life. I think that that’s it’s helpful balance is important. And you’re you’re right to bring up that term. Because if we don’t have balance in our lives, and you think you’re just gonna be a lawyer from 7am till 7pm, and then get up and do it again, every day Monday through Saturday, that you’re you’re gonna find yourself not in good relationships, not happy, you’ve got to balance out, you got to have something for yourself.
Steve Fretzin [18:40]
And have you figured out the secret sauce on, you know, you’re the name that someone wants on their case, or you’re the name that they’re calling, and then you’ve got to sort of turn it over to a team or you’ve got to turn it over to a lieutenant. That’s where a lot of a lot of managing partners and in big, big time lawyers struggle. And I’ve got clients like that, that struggle with, you know, hey, I want you you’re the you’re the one on the name on the door, you’re the one that has the big has the big verdicts, I want you as my lawyer, when in reality, you know, you know most of it can be delegated. It’s just a matter of how you manage that expectation.
Jay Paul-Deratany [19:15]
I think as a lawyer, I always I think the most important thing you can do is have that take some time in your new client meeting. And by that I mean take a good hour or maybe two and explain to them the whole process from filing all because some folks will come in and think you file a lawsuit and you can resolve it in a month or two. But explaining from A to Z, what happens, and then also telling that client, we take a team approach to our cases. So I bring in my team, I say hey, this is my paralegal. Dieter has been with me for 20 years. And you might not always get me on the phone right away but she can convey the message and we’ll get back to you might hear from me by text you might hear from me by email at midnight. But you also might be hear from my partner Mike or our associate Thomas. So in usually a client understands it because they want a team and a team brings about a better result I couldn’t have had the verdicts I’ve had unless I had the team I am. i It wasn’t just me. I see you have Michael Jordan behind you. Yeah, he’s a brilliant player. Right. But if he didn’t have the bowls that he had, I don’t think number 20 320-223-2030. Boy, I’ll be ashamed. It’s been a while. Right. Yeah, it has been a while, but I don’t think number 23 could have done it if it was just 23. Right. Right. Right. It
Steve Fretzin [20:34]
takes it takes it takes a takes a village, as they say. And I think the the lawyers that that can set those expectations early on with the prospective client that you know, the team approach or or bringing in your lieutenant, if you will, and I get this advice, you know, Not off the top of my head, this advice is coming from the attorneys that I know that are doing 20 $30 million, that can’t get to those kinds of numbers, or even to get to two or 3 million for some lawyers, they can’t get to those numbers without having someone in their corner, a team or an individual that can help them to to take all that weight off of them because they want to keep getting out there producing. They’re the producer for the firm. And if you’re bogged down and doing all the work and taking every call that comes in from that client, how are you going to how are you going to keep the motor running.
Jay Paul-Deratany [21:23]
And not even just that, Steve, but just being in a trial. A jury, I heard one juror say this, I mean, I like to have a balance with men and women, I like to have a balance with different folks, even differently different from the spectrum of folks from LGBT lawyers to even African American Hispanic lawyers, all the different folks, because they want to hear different perspectives. And if I have a team of lawyer, lawyers based on diversity based upon inclusion, and they don’t want to just hear from if they just hear my tone of voice for two weeks in a row, it starts getting, you know, tiring for them. And also, I’m exhausted. And also when I sit back at the trial counsel table, and I hear my co counsel, and she’s brought a different perspective to it, then, you know, I’m writing notes for my closing argument. So I think any lawyer who thinks that they can do a big case, on their own, I think is fooling themselves. I don’t think that you shouldn’t put your ego ahead of your ability to get the best result. And the best result is by putting together the best team.
Steve Fretzin [22:30]
Yeah, I think that’s it. And I think any anyone that wants to win an athletic event, or when cooking competition or anything, you know, it’s it’s the coaches, it’s the partners, it’s the advisors, it’s the people that you’re delegating to. And then however on all Elda that comes together without it again, you’re you’re just on an island.
Jay Paul-Deratany [22:48]
Right? We need Phil Collins to make Michael Jordan, there is what Phil Jackson, Phil Jackson, oh
Steve Fretzin [22:54]
my god. So let’s just talk music on
Jay Paul-Deratany [22:57]
my mind.
Steve Fretzin [22:58]
Yeah, I love Phil Collins. He’s terrific. I think he’s touring. But he has to, he has to sit down when he sings now I think as he’s, he’s gotta be he’s 80 Plus, oh, God, that’s close or close. We’re getting aged out laughing like, you know, we’re gonna work on your on your bowls, trivia numbers and names and all that, that’ll be our second interview. I’ll give you some homework, Jay Paul, we’ll come back, we’ll do it again. Test your knowledge. So in kind of wrapping things up, then if there was, I don’t know, a couple of tips that you would give to either young lawyers or aspiring solos, or just lawyers that want to grow a book and are feeling like they’re in the muck and mire daily, what are a couple things that you would say,
Jay Paul-Deratany [23:40]
one, if you’re starting your own practice, don’t give up. And if we had more time, I tell you, I went broke twice, or almost broke twice, and lines of credit and so forth. So don’t give up and you’re going to you’re going to handle those small cases, and you’re going to build your practice, and so forth. Second, whatever field you choose, be passionate about it and choose your passion. So I love in my view, I loved working with plaintiffs. I like working with people who have been injured because I you know, maybe I can’t bring them back there child or something, but hopefully give them a sense of balance and hope that something that a jury has found in their favor. So that’s my passion. But if your passion is business litigation, then do it. If your passion is IP, by all means, do it, do your passion, don’t do something that is not your passion. And three back to the thing that we you and I were talking about Steve balance, you know, have that balance in your life. You know, life is about the journey, not what’s at the end, not about the money, not about retirement. You’ve got to be able to enjoy your friends, your family, your glass of wine, your laughs and your passions, like writing or acting or whatever it is you want to do in life, because you know, and finally, there’s a fourth if you want to be a trial lawyer A very specific thing, take an improv class. It teaches you a lot about working on your feet. And it also gives you a different perspective. So those bits of advice I’d give any young lawyer starting out,
Steve Fretzin [25:14]
that’s really great. And yeah, I agree and your ability to, to ask questions and think on your feet and respond. I mean, that’s all part of what lawyers need, whether they’re in a trial or they’re just engaging in a networking meeting with somebody, right? I mean, it’s all improv. And some people do it better than others. Right. You so why not practice and, and take a class? Yeah, yeah. Really good stuff.
[25:37]
I think it’s great. So So
Steve Fretzin [25:40]
then just outside of, because we talked about balance, but but, you know, what, what are you really enjoying right now? What’s sort of your passion that you’re that that, you know, 2022? What, what are you thinking about? Like, that’s going to make you really happy?
Jay Paul-Deratany [25:54]
Well, I’ve got a couple of writing projects, and I’m working, you know, our executive producer for foster boy, the movie was Shaquille O’Neal. Now, there, I know, at least one basketball player. Well,
Steve Fretzin [26:05]
what number is he?
Jay Paul-Deratany [26:11]
Well, it depends.
Steve Fretzin [26:12]
And I’ll share with you I don’t know any other like, yeah, you asked me to name for football players. I wouldn’t know like I’m, yeah, yeah, a lot of it. When I met Shaq,
Jay Paul-Deratany [26:20]
he’s so huge. And I told him right away, I said, Listen, I respect you so much, but not so much as an athlete. That’s terrific. But as an incredible businessman, and an incredible mind. He’s been brilliant to work with. And, and I think I can sort of spell this out, it might be early, but that’s okay. We’re working on a series based on foster boy called foster Inc, which takes the lives of several foster kids and follows them. And we’re pitching it. And hopefully, we’ll have some good news soon on that I’m hopeful. So that’s, that’s what’s in line for 22. And then also, I’m working on several foster care cases throughout the country, I have a trial in California and one in Ohio, and another one in Pennsylvania. That’s always there. And, but we’re hopeful that we’re making a difference, not just in the cases that we handle, but in the DCFS procedures that are throughout our country, so that we start taking better care of our children 40% of the kids, Steve, and you may not know this statistic, 40% of the kids that age out of foster care are dead, homeless, or imprisoned within three years, we’ve got to change that statistic. And that that is something that whether you’re a dam or Republican, Independent, whatever, all Americans should be able to come together and reform our system so that we can take better care of our kids.
Steve Fretzin [27:42]
So if people want to, whether it’s donate to a charity that is helpful, or get in touch with you to learn more anything, what are some of the digits that you can share? And we’ll, we’ll put those in the show notes too. But But are there some things you can share? Because people might be hearing this and going? Yeah, I agree. And I’d like to donate, I’d like to be a part of that. Well, you
Jay Paul-Deratany [28:01]
know, I one of the charities that I work with is called first star, and it helps bring kids who are older foster kids, and it helps bring them to a college campus. And it integrates them into the college for the summer. And you’d be surprised normally it’s 2% of foster kids that go on to any sort of higher education, our kids and I’ll say, our kids in the first star program, there’s a 90% graduation rate from high school and going on to college or trade school. So that’s something I’m particularly proud of, and that’s first star. And I think it’s first start org.com or first start.org, if I’m not mistaken. The other thing is, you know, email me I have a website called law injury.com. And, you know, I would give advice to anybody who’s seeking to become a foster parent, I became a foster parent, and I love it. And I have a, an incredible relationship with our son. And you know, and I keep, while I battle, the foster care cases and child abuse cases throughout the country, I’m feeling like, I’m also contributing. So there’s, there’s so many wonderful parents out there, either empty nesters or single parents or whatever that can give back. And there’s a whole lot of kids and I could at least help with the opportunities there. Yeah, I think that’s that’s some of the main things. And foster boy, the film is also got a website and I think it’s Foster boy.com. Or well, if you Google foster boy, you’ll find some different links. And you know, if you see the film, even at the end of the film, it has where you can go to participate or help out. There’s also a great program that helped in the court system, called Casa Court Appointed Special Advocates and that’s a little bit of train and you’re kind of a big brother, a child in the foster care system. And that’s something that I would recommend, Okay, anybody else wants to pursue this?
Steve Fretzin [29:56]
Well, you guys are listening to my guest Jay Paul today who is just the total package, right? I mean, I’m not going to go over it too much. But I’ve been, you know, law firm owner, very successful writer, you know, in creating movies and great content and also helping, you know, change the lives of children and the way things are done in the foster system. So, really just so appreciate what you’re doing. Appreciate you being on the show and sharing your wisdom and really being being willing to come on and talk to everybody. It’s, it’s a great pleasure. I’m glad I got to know you too. And I hope we can continue to talk because I’d love to. I’d love to continue to follow your story, your journey. Anytime, Steve. Thanks for having me. Yeah. And everybody listen up. It’s all about being that lawyer like Jay Paul, come on. Let’s go step it up. Don’t be lazy. Get on it. There’s things to do. It’s business to develop. There’s people to help. And it’s all about being that lawyer someone who’s competent organized in a skilled Rainmaker. Take care everybody be safe be well, we’ll talk again real soon.
Narrator [30:58]
Thanks for listening to be that lawyer. Life changing strategies and resources for growing a successful law practice. Visit Steve’s website fretzin.com. For additional information, and to stay up to date on the latest legal business development and marketing trends. For more information and important links about today’s episode, check out today’s show notes