From the Kitchen Table to Representing the State of Michigan with Michele Fuller

Ever wonder how you can balance a demanding law career with parenthood, adapt to life’s challenges and still come out on top?

Want to take a deep dive into the world of law through the lens of an award-winning special needs planning attorney? Join Steve in this episode of Great Practice. Great Life.®, as he engages in a riveting conversation with nationally recognized attorney, author, and special needs planning expert Michele Fuller. 

Michele takes us through her journey from handling complex settlement cases to running a successful law firm and a thriving non-profit. We delve into the complexities of settlement planning, focusing on the impact of these settlements on government benefits and in-home support care. We also explore her role as a non-profit president, dedicated to educating professionals on special needs planning and trust administration. Michele’s testament to the power of self-belief, openness to coaching, and the necessity of flexible thinking will leave you inspired.

Not only do we dissect the legal world, but we also touch on the pressures of parenting while managing a demanding career. Michele talks candidly about raising two children with special needs, navigating through a divorce, and the importance of effective internal processes within a law firm. We conclude with Michele’s inspiring story of resilience, demonstrating the transformative power of embracing failure, investing in self-growth, and recognizing potential.

Get ready to discover a blend of courage, wisdom, and adaptability, all in one extraordinary narrative.



Inside This Episode

  • Michele Fuller, a nationally recognized attorney specializing in special needs planning and settlement planning, is, her professional journey, and how she finds satisfaction in her work
  • How she balances a demanding law career with raising two children with special needs, and the importance of efficient processes and savvy marketing
  • Michele’s personal experiences with failure, difficult decisions, and the rewards she reaped from them, and the significance of self-belief and flexibility in thinking
  • Settlement planning and how it can prevent bad outcomes for plaintiffs in cases of birth trauma or catastrophic injuries
  • How to protect a law firm’s interests when handling settlements and the complexities of settlement planning
  • Michele’s journey to becoming a nationally known attorney while balancing motherhood and a part-time law career and why having processes in place within her law firm was crucial
  • The pressures of practicing law and parenting, the dynamics and pressures that parents of both sexes face, and how they’ve changed over time
  • Michele’s growth through recognizing potential, embracing coaching, charging a fair fee for services, and building resiliency
  • The courage needed to make hard decisions, the importance of looking at the impact of those decisions in the long run, and the pressures of being a single mom raising kids and running a practice
  • Embracing failure and investing in future growth, the power of learning from failures, and the courage to try something new
  • Why you should be investing in yourself, find the courage to make hard decisions, and take risks and challenge yourself to unlock an extraordinary life

Supporting Resources

Steve Riley

Steve Riley

Shareholder, Practice Advisor, & Attorney Steve Riley has coached attorneys for more than 20 years. His one-on-one coaching focuses on a limited number of top producing attorneys committed to taking their practices to new levels of excellence, profit, and personal success. He also presents at group coaching workshops around the country for individual law firms, state bar associations, and other legal organizations. READ MY FULL BIO
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