Podcast
Matt Smith
Avoid These Mistakes When Seeking a Better ...
Financial Planning, Podcast
Matt Smith
Avoid the Golden Handcuffs of Debt with LJ Jones

In this episode of the Sidebar with a CFP®: Pierce the Veil on BigLaw Life, Career, and Money, Matt Smith speaks with fellow Texas Longhorn, LJ Jones. LJ, a CPA and a CFP, is principal and founder of Developing Financial LLC, where he services young lawyers, helping them make the right financial decisions so they can focus on their careers and the life they want to live.

Matt Smith
The Intersection of Law & Finance: Insights ...

In this inaugural episode of the Sidebar with a CFP®: Pierce the Veil on BigLaw Life, Career, and Money, Matt Smith speaks with Hadeel Abouhasira, an attorney at Holland & Knight. Hadeel specializes in U.S. business immigration law, guiding multinational corporations across industries like manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, and technology through the intricate maze of immigration compliance, strategy, and workforce mobility.

The Intersection of Law & Finance: Insights from Hadeel Abouhasira

Podcast

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Shaping a Mediation & Arbitration Career with Elaine Block

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Sidebar with a CFP®: Pierce the Veil on BigLaw Life, Career, and Money with Matt Smith, Episode 08

In this episode of the Sidebar with a CFP®: Pierce the Veil on BigLaw Life, Career, and Money, Matt Smith speaks with Elaine Block, a Law Business Owner specialized in mediation and arbitration of civil lawsuits with 20 years of experience as a mediator and 32 years of experience as a lawyer.

Elaine began her mediation career in 1991, having been an active litigator in both personal injury and commercial disputes since 1978. She became a full time mediator/arbitrator in 1996 and has mediated or arbitrated over 6,000 disputes. Her persistence, ability to grasp and analyze complex legal matters, and dedication to helping the parties formulate a deal have made her one of the most active mediators in the Houston area.

Tune in to the episode to hear about:

  • Elaine’s love for law school and her giving back through a donation that named the Elaine Block Active Study Room (a study space with exercise equipment)

  • Career path: Baker Botts trial practice with strong mentoring; notes later challenges women faced as law became more business-driven

  • How Elaine transitioned fully to mediation

  • The current mediation practice, largely Zoom-based, with occasional in-person mediations using a pay-per-day center

  • Work-life reflections: Elaine believes prioritizing career over family was a mistake, describes adopting a newborn through an adoption consultant/agency process

Learn more about Elaine Block:

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About “Sidebar with a CFP®: Pierce the Veil on BigLaw Life, Career, and Money”:

You bill in 6-minute increments. Let’s get you some of that time back. “Sidebar with a CFP®” is your space for candid conversations about life inside BigLaw—the real stuff they don’t teach in law school or show in recruiter brochures.

Hosted by Matt Smith, CFP® and founder of Concert Financial Planning, this show pulls back the curtain on what it actually feels like to climb the ranks, navigate transitions, and make big decisions in a high-stakes career.

You’ll hear from Partners, Associates, and experts across law and finance—each sharing stories, surprises, and strategies for building a life (and career) that works for you.

This isn’t a money podcast. It’s a life-in-BigLaw podcast—with a CFP® in the host chair.

Watch or listen to more episodes of Sidebar with a CFP®: Pierce the Veil on BigLaw Life, Career, and Money:

Connect and learn more from your host, Matt Smith and Concert Financial Planning:

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Tax Planning for Big Law Attorneys During Tax Season with Brian Leben

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Sidebar with a CFP®: Pierce the Veil on BigLaw Life, Career, and Money with Matt Smith, Episode 7

In this episode of the Sidebar with a CFP®: Pierce the Veil on BigLaw Life, Career, and Money, Matt Smith speaks with tax advisor Brian Leben, partner of Lulloff, Leben & Taylor, LLC, a tax advisory firm.

Tune in to the episode to hear about:

  • Tax planning considerations for big law attorneys during tax season

  • Avoiding steep underpayment penalties

  • Common gaps among high earners, including not maximizing pre-tax 401(k) and HSA contributions

  • Backdoor and “mega” backdoor Roth strategies, allowing after-tax contributions and in-service rollovers

  • A caution to popular social-media tax strategies (heavy vehicle deductions, conservation easements, intangible drilling costs, and the Augusta rule) are often inapplicable, complex, or not worth the hassle

  • Practical opportunities including properly applying composite/PTE state tax payments

Learn more about Brian Leben:

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About “Sidebar with a CFP®: Pierce the Veil on BigLaw Life, Career, and Money”:

You bill in 6-minute increments. Let’s get you some of that time back. “Sidebar with a CFP®” is your space for candid conversations about life inside BigLaw—the real stuff they don’t teach in law school or show in recruiter brochures.

Hosted by Matt Smith, CFP® and founder of Concert Financial Planning, this show pulls back the curtain on what it actually feels like to climb the ranks, navigate transitions, and make big decisions in a high-stakes career.

You’ll hear from Partners, Associates, and experts across law and finance—each sharing stories, surprises, and strategies for building a life (and career) that works for you.

This isn’t a money podcast. It’s a life-in-BigLaw podcast—with a CFP® in the host chair.

Watch or listen to more episodes of Sidebar with a CFP®: Pierce the Veil on BigLaw Life, Career, and Money:

Connect and learn more from your host, Matt Smith and Concert Financial Planning:

Building Wealth Through Real Estate Investment with Luke Sanders

Sidebar with a CFP®: Pierce the Veil on BigLaw Life, Career, and Money with Matt Smith, Episode 6

In this episode of the Sidebar with a CFP®: Pierce the Veil on BigLaw Life, Career, and Money, Matt Smith, speaks with Luke Sanders, owner of River City Screen Printing and Embroidery in San Marcos, Texas, which was founded by his parents in 1978 and grown to 85+ employees across multiple buildings.

Tune in to the episode to hear about:

  • How Luke first built wealth through acquiring and expanding commercial real estate for his operating business, including buying adjacent buildings and leasing one to a pawn shop tenant

  • Entering short-term rentals in 2019, including a large river house in New Braunfels/Green and multiple Fredericksburg properties

  • How COVID initially created cancellation risk but later produced a major demand surge (e.g., $80,000 revenue in one month) followed by market oversaturation

  • Regulatory and licensing uncertainty (city council efforts to restrict or sunset short-term rental permits)

  • Commercial loan structures with five-year rate resets that can turn cash flow negative

  • Reliance on local market knowledge and specialized realtors

  • Frequent maintenance/replacement costs from guest wear-and-tear

  • Using property management companies (typically 20–30% of revenue) to avoid 24/7 operational issues

  • Rising insurance costs (e.g., from $3,000 to $15,000 annually)

  • FEMA floodway rezoning that can eliminate short-term rental use

  • Why short-term rentals are risky for anyone depending on slim monthly margins

  • Why Luke’s best, least stressful results have been in commercial buildings with stable tenants

Learn more about Luke Sanders:

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About “Sidebar with a CFP®: Pierce the Veil on BigLaw Life, Career, and Money”:

You bill in 6-minute increments. Let’s get you some of that time back. “Sidebar with a CFP®” is your space for candid conversations about life inside BigLaw—the real stuff they don’t teach in law school or show in recruiter brochures.

Hosted by Matt Smith, CFP® and founder of Concert Financial Planning, this show pulls back the curtain on what it actually feels like to climb the ranks, navigate transitions, and make big decisions in a high-stakes career.

You’ll hear from Partners, Associates, and experts across law and finance—each sharing stories, surprises, and strategies for building a life (and career) that works for you.

This isn’t a money podcast. It’s a life-in-BigLaw podcast—with a CFP® in the host chair.

Watch or listen to more episodes of Sidebar with a CFP®: Pierce the Veil on BigLaw Life, Career, and Money:

Connect and learn more from your host, Matt Smith and Concert Financial Planning:

The Financial Realities of Becoming an Equity Partner

Sidebar with a CFP®: Pierce the Veil on BigLaw Life, Career, and Money with Matt Smith, Episode 5

In this episode of the Sidebar with a CFP®: Pierce the Veil on BigLaw Life, Career, and Money, Matt Smith speaks about the challenges and changes associated with transitioning from associate to equity partner with an aim to prepare attorneys for the financial realities that come with that career transition.

Tune in to hear about:

  • Equity buy-in

  • Changes in compensation structure

  • Mandatory retirement savings

  • Increased benefit costs

  • Complex taxation requirements

  • Enhanced lending opportunities

  • The importance of advance planning

  • Understanding financial responsibilities

  • The necessity of working with specialized tax advisors

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About “Sidebar with a CFP®: Pierce the Veil on BigLaw Life, Career, and Money”:

You bill in 6-minute increments. Let’s get you some of that time back. “Sidebar with a CFP®” is your space for candid conversations about life inside BigLaw—the real stuff they don’t teach in law school or show in recruiter brochures.

Hosted by Matt Smith, CFP® and founder of Concert Financial Planning, this show pulls back the curtain on what it actually feels like to climb the ranks, navigate transitions, and make big decisions in a high-stakes career.

You’ll hear from Partners, Associates, and experts across law and finance—each sharing stories, surprises, and strategies for building a life (and career) that works for you.

This isn’t a money podcast. It’s a life-in-BigLaw podcast—with a CFP® in the host chair.

Watch or listen to more episodes of Sidebar with a CFP®: Pierce the Veil on BigLaw Life, Career, and Money:

Connect and learn more from your host, Matt Smith and Concert Financial Planning:

Avoid These Mistakes When Seeking a Better Position in Big Law with Alison Ketabchi

Sidebar with a CFP®: Pierce the Veil on BigLaw Life, Career, and Money with Matt Smith, Episode 3

In this episode of the Sidebar with a CFP®: Pierce the Veil on BigLaw Life, Career, and Money, Matt Smith, speaks with Alison Ketabchi, Director of Recruiting at Baker Botts, an international law firm, recognized as a leader in the energy, technology and life sciences sectors.

Tune in to the episode to hear about:

  • What it really takes to stand out and get hired in Big Law today

  • How the right (or wrong) headhunter can make or break your legal career

  • What’s changing in the law student recruiting process—and why it is now referred to as the “Wild West”

  • The biggest mistakes candidates make when navigating legal recruiting

  • How Baker Botts’ unique culture shapes the experience for new attorneys

Learn more about Alison Ketabchi:

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About “Sidebar with a CFP®: Pierce the Veil on BigLaw Life, Career, and Money”:

You bill in 6-minute increments. Let’s get you some of that time back. “Sidebar with a CFP®” is your space for candid conversations about life inside BigLaw—the real stuff they don’t teach in law school or show in recruiter brochures.

Hosted by Matt Smith, CFP® and founder of Concert Financial Planning, this show pulls back the curtain on what it actually feels like to climb the ranks, navigate transitions, and make big decisions in a high-stakes career.

You’ll hear from Partners, Associates, and experts across law and finance—each sharing stories, surprises, and strategies for building a life (and career) that works for you.

This isn’t a money podcast. It’s a life-in-BigLaw podcast—with a CFP® in the host chair.

Watch or listen to more episodes of Sidebar with a CFP®: Pierce the Veil on BigLaw Life, Career, and Money:

Connect and learn more from your host, Matt Smith and Concert Financial Planning:

,

Avoid the Golden Handcuffs of Debt with LJ Jones

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In this episode of the Sidebar with a CFP®: Pierce the Veil on BigLaw Life, Career, and Money, Matt Smith speaks with fellow Texas Longhorn, LJ Jones. LJ, a CPA and a CFP, is principal and founder of Developing Financial LLC, where he services young lawyers, helping them make the right financial decisions so they can focus on their careers and the life they want to live.