Cortney Shegerian is an attorney at Shegerian & Associates in Los Angeles County, California. Her focus includes all aspects of legal case management, with a particular emphasis on law and motion, trial preparation, and mediation. Cortney fights for the rights of her clients, who include victims of workplace harassment, sexual harassment, those with disabilities, and those with personal injuries both inside and outside the workplace. Cortney also oversees the firm’s marketing efforts and helps come up with unique and innovative ways to keep Shegerian& Associates one of the most well-known employment and injury law firms in California.Where did the idea for Shegerian & Associates come from?
My uncle, Carney Shegerian, founded Shegerian & Associates in 2000. He managed to grow the firm from one employee to over 20 employees. I joined the firm in 2013, initially helping grow the firm through various marketing opportunities, and after graduating law school in 2013 became an associate attorney with the firm. Since joining the firm, we have continued to grow the size of the firm both in terms of employees as well as a number of cases handled each year.
What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?
My typical day is spent speaking with clients, witnesses and opposing counsel. My goal is to make sure that each of my cases is pushed forward in some way every day in order to put my clients in the best position possible.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I work hard with my team and staff to explain my vision, I get input from those around me and we constantly check in to see if we are successfully implementing the concept.
What’s one trend that really excites you?
One trend that really excites me is when we win a verdict against a company, sometimes that company actually changes its practices in how they deal with their employees, which makes me feel like I am making a difference. We see all types of injustice against employees in the workplace, and in recent years, we have finally started to see more and more legal regulation in place and serious penalties for those who mistreat their employees.
What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
I am constantly trying to think of ways to change my business model to make it more efficient. Both in the business world as well as the legal world, productivity and success are a moving target, and it’s important to constantly change and adapt to the world around you.
What was the worst job you ever had and what did you learn from it?
For me, the worst job I ever had was an outside sales job. I learned I wasn’t particularly good at making small talk-I am someone who gets right to the point and the heart of an issue.
If you were to start again, what would you do differently?
If I were to start again, I would spend more time getting to know the people that I am working with and building stronger human connections along the way. I think that is essential to building a strong team.
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
I recommend spending certain days focusing on the macro concept and other days focusing on the micro. You have to have time to shut out and focus on the interworking of your business to make it great but you also need time to focus on the general concept and how to push it forward and evolve. Those require different skills and are both essential to success.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business? Please explain how.
Listen to those around you – Sometimes they see things that you don’t. So often I think I have the magic answer to a problem and one of my colleagues has a far better and simpler idea. All too often you are too close to things to see what you need to see.
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
In 2014, I had a case go to trial, and the jury returned with a verdict for the defense. I was devastated at losing one of my first trials, but I quickly learned that in the legal world and especially with jury trials, anything can happen. I feel like I grew from this humbling experience and I do everything I can to portray as clear of a picture as possible about my clients’ case to juries.
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
With my uncle and dad, we recently started a new legal website called GotFired.com. It’s a website that acts as a directory of employment attorneys across the entire US and provides helpful tips and information for individuals about employment matters. My business idea that I’m willing to give away to readers is that regardless of your industry, the internet makes it extremely easy for anyone to start up a website, blog, directory, or some other type of website about an area they are passionate about. Don’t think twice, jump in and give it a go!
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
The best 100 I have spent recently was buying Sencha Green Tea Shots-they give me energy throughout the day and help me think clearly.
What software and web services do you use? What do you love about them?
I use Abacus and Lexis Nexis on a regular basis. Abacus is perfect for keeping all of my cases organized so I can figure out what the status is for each case at any given time. Lexis Nexis is powerful for research and finding the authority that I need to support my client’s position in each case.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
I recommend the book Trial By Human by Nicholas Rowley, is a book about bringing the human element to trial, being real in the Courtroom and connecting with jurors in ways that most trial attorneys do not do.
What people have influenced your thinking and might be of interest to others?
My uncle Carney Shegerian and my dad John Shegerian have been a tremendous influence to my thinking. Carney is one of the most successful and most humble attorneys in California and arguably in the entire US, and my dad is a successful entrepreneur who is always coming up with great ideas and business models. They can both be followed on Twitter, @shegerianlawinc and @johnshegerian, and they are always sharing great ideas and information in the legal and business world.
