We were lucky to catch up with Michael Eisner recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Michael thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.

I am often asked about my namesake, the former CEO of Disney, and if I am related. For the record, I am not, but usually answer, “I am in the born lucky club, just not the born that lucky club.” In realty, I am in the “born that lucky club,” because my parents did so many things right that allowed me to succeed.

My dad was a successful business owner and life insurance broker for his entire work-life. He set a fantastic example of how to hold yourself accountable and instilled (and still does instill) a great work ethic. Both of my parents taught my sister and myself resiliency and perseverance which has allowed us both to overcome difficulties and challenges. The importance of a strong education and independent thinking was front and center as we grew up.

Mom and dad led with love and by setting the example of how we should live and care for others. When I was a teen, I remember my dad delivering a death benefit check to a widow who unexpectedly lost her husband. She hugged him and told him she wouldn’t know what to do or how to survive if it weren’t for the planning he helped them with. My dad told me that day, and it has stuck with me throughout my career, when you work for a living, don’t do something just because you can make money, but do it because you care and to make a difference by helping people. This is just one of many examples that inspire me to provide the best possible service and advice to my clients, and alway treat them like people, not just clients or numbers like so many others do. Because of this inspiration and because it shows that I follow my parents lead, the best compliment I’ve received from many clients is when they refer to me as “the is the non-lawyer, lawyer.”

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a lawyer. I think it stems from being the youngest and smallest kid in my schools. When I had to face bullies, I learned quickly that I could not win with brute strength, but could use my mind and words to diffuse situations and overcome the challenge. These experiences gave me a strong sense of justice, and I chose law to help others who were being treated poorly by others. In my first job out of law school, I worked on a case for a civil defense firm battling against a woman who had a delayed diagnosis of cervical cancer. I knew then, my role should not be preventing those who’ve been harmed from getting compensation. So when I left that job and conducted a job search, I chose the lowest pay of the three offers I received. I did so, because it would train me to represent those injured due to others’ mistakes, and help them to make things right.

After 25 years of working at firms specializing in plaintiff’s personal injury cases, I took the risk to form my own business and created The Law Offices of Michael L. Eisner. I continue to focus my practice in righting wrongs and helping those who’ve been injured. With my own practice, I now have the freedom of giving each client more time and personal attention than I could with the larger dockets of a bigger firm practice. My business line is my personal cell so each client has greater access to me.

I work very hard to help my clients understand their case, the process, and our mutual goals. Even when a case comes to an end, and clients finally get some semblance of closure, they often stay in contact with me. The difference I make for each of them, whether it be through a better than expected result or simply by better than expected service, is what I am most proud of. While I wish they never got hurt to begin with, I am incredibly pleased with being able to help them through their trauma, get them compensation and a sense of healing by holding those who hurt them accountable.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Most of my clients find me through two sources. One is by referral. I developed a reputation while working for my former employers, and received great mentorship when I was growing as a lawyer. Since forming my own business, the referral network has grown. I believe this is a direct result of providing better than expected service to each client. The formula for this growth is fairly simple: 1. be there for each client at the time and in the communication way that works best for them – listen to their needs; 2. set proper expectations for the clients on what it takes to build their case; 3. value your centers of influence and maintain personal connections with each.

This formula has resulted in people finding me organically through google. As of the writing of this article, every Google Business Review has been 5-stars, and most with a personal story of what I helped the client achieve. These positive reviews draw more attention to my business and help new clients decide to call me.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Time is money. Before I opened my own practice, there was the pressure of producing numbers that justify your existence in a business with large overhead. That creates a pressure to be more efficient so you could resolve volumes of cases. While I believe everyone should understand their worth, I also acquired the understanding that I am in a service industry, and worth can’t always come down to an hourly rate (whether real or imagined). Accordingly, when I opened my practice, I had to relearn this philosophy so I could spend more time with each client who wants it and provide a more hands-on approach to their cases. With this shift, I have developed closer relationships and built more trust with clients. This, in turn, leads to knowing more about the client and how their trauma impacted them, which leads to a better negotiating position and better outcomes. With this shift in mentality, now, more than ever, these personal relationships persist beyond the life of their claims.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://michaeleisnerlaw.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelEisnerLaw/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-eisner-a385bb15