I reconnected with an early mentor recently when an old piece of business brought us back together again. At the time we worked together, I appreciated his guidance—he showed me how to improve my writing, cross-examine an expert witness, pick juries and so much more. In hindsight, my gratitude has deepened. Like an invisible hand, he continued to guide me through situations that occurred long after we ceased working together. With great mentors, you can access their advice in many instances without even asking because their philosophies and logic are so deeply embedded.

The night before our first jury trial together, I asked him if he had any advice on what I should wear and he said “your wedding ring.” I laughed, thinking it was a joke. Although he deadpanned it, it was not a joke. The point, he said, is to give the jury as little to wonder about you as possible and to appear settled, stable and reliable. He wore his wedding ring too. These are the kinds of lessons we tend not to learn in school, but are important to success.