The benefits of being a problem solver

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By Emily Kelchen | for Raise the Bar

Whether we like it or not, attorneys are trained to be the crisis managers, the clean-up crew and the problem solvers. Learning to embrace this reality has taken attorney James A. Lewis, V from a small practice to the executive management team for an Am Law 200 firm. Lewis has provided counsel to Fortune 500 companies, national non-profits and government entities. At Cole Schotz, Lewis is a sought-after advisor on a wide range of employment law issues. Raise the Bar grabbed a few minutes with him to talk about forging a career path that makes sense to you—even when doing so is a little bit uncomfortable.

You have made several big career moves to get where you are now. How do you know when the time is right to make a change?

Figuring out whether it is time to make a change comes down to quantifying how much you enjoy what you are doing, how well the things you are doing align with your own aptitudes and whether you have space to grow—personally and professionally. Every time I’ve made a career move it’s because I was conscious of these factors. 

Does that mean you are constantly seeking something bigger and better? 

In every role I've held professionally, the greatest opportunities came to me either through a mutual connection or someone mentioning what I do well in rooms where I was not present. I've found that the more that I focus on what I enjoy and what I know I’m good at, the more likely it is that opportunities to do the things I love will present themselves.

You seem to have a knack for setting yourself up to be someone people think of when an opportunity opens up. What’s the secret to becoming “that person?”

I'm not sure if there's a secret—but problem-solving goes a long way. In law school, everyone learns how to "issue spot." As I've matured in the practice, I've learned that finding the problem is relatively easy. It’s solving the problem that adds value. If you get in the habit of regularly solving problems—for your clients and for your colleagues—people will naturally seek you out.

Problem solvers will generally be gifted with bigger and more consequential problems to solve—sometimes that takes the form of high-value cases, other times it leads to promotions or leadership opportunities. For me, it’s an ability to work on projects that align with my professional goals and further my desired impact and legacy. A large part of what keeps me motivated is opening doors or holding space for others to achieve even if (or especially when) it feels like everything is working against them.

That’s a heavy lift.

My wife always tells me that we all have the same 24 hours as Beyoncé. So, I am very intentional about the value of time and how I spend it. The more I invest in learning and honing my skill set, the more my "stock" increases and the more I’m able to give back.

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Raise the Bar is curated and written by Emily Kelchen and edited by Bianca Prieto.