Growing up, I had two goals. I wanted to become a professional athlete, ideally the first female pitcher for the Detroit Tigers, and I wanted to become a lawyer.
I became a trial lawyer and have practiced for more than 20 years. I never made it to the Tigers or any professional league, but I did build another long-term commitment. For more than two decades, I have played beach volleyball, often on three to five teams a week.
I take my work as an attorney seriously, and I take volleyball seriously, too. My teams count on me to show up, compete and communicate. Over time, I have come to see that the game sharpens many of the same instincts I rely on in litigation.
Teams win cases
No trial lawyer succeeds alone. Every case depends on a team that can communicate clearly, manage pressure and trust one another when the stakes rise.
Beach volleyball demands the same thing. Players have to call the ball, set the defense and know where their partner will be before the point unfolds. A missed call can cost a point or cause an injury. Strong teams communicate constantly, and they trust one another to do the work.
That part of the game has shaped me as a lawyer. Over the years, I have played with all kinds of teammates, and each new team has required me to adjust.
I have had to learn how other people communicate, what they need in tense moments and how to build chemistry quickly.
Litigation works the same way. Every matter brings a different mix of lawyers, clients, staff and co-counsel. Volleyball has made me better at reading people, adapting my style and building trust quickly.
Losses teach discipline
Litigators are competitive. We prepare to win, and we should. Still, no lawyer wins every argument, every hearing or every case.
Volleyball keeps that reality in plain view. Some nights your team plays well and still loses because a call goes against you, a pass misses its mark or the other side simply plays better.
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The game teaches you to absorb the loss, keep your composure and come back ready for the next point.
That lesson carries into the courtroom. Legal losses have real consequences, and they hurt more than losing a volleyball match, but the response matters just as much. You accept the setback, learn from it and keep moving. The next hearing is still coming. The next case still needs your full effort.
Reputation carries
Litigation is adversarial, but professionalism still matters. Clients are often better served when lawyers can work productively with opposing counsel.
Beach volleyball has reinforced that for me. Over the years, many players on opposing teams have become friends. That only happens when people know you are reliable, prepared and respectful.
If you act badly, show up late or leave others in a bind, people remember.
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The same holds true in law practice. Opposing counsel notices who can be trusted to keep their word, meet deadlines and handle conflict without creating unnecessary drama.
That credibility can lead to better outcomes for clients and stronger professional relationships over time. In a profession where you often see the same people again, your reputation has a long shelf life.
Stress needs an outlet
Litigation can wear people down. The deadlines pile up. The disputes are constant. Some days bring unreasonable demands from opposing counsel. Some days bring hard hearings and sharper criticism than anyone enjoys hearing.
Volleyball gives me a place to put all of that. There are evenings when I leave a work call, head straight to the court and still have a mental checklist running through my head.
Then the game starts, and the noise falls away. I am thinking about the next serve, the next dig and the next point.
That hour matters. I walk off the sand clearer, calmer and more ready for the next day. The game does not erase the pressure of practicing law, but it helps me manage it in a healthier way.
Relationships compound
When I started playing volleyball, I had no idea how many lasting relationships it would bring into my life. Some of the people I play with have been part of that circle for decades.
Those friendships have mattered personally and professionally. Trust built over years on the court has led to referrals, client relationships and opportunities for others in my firm as well.
That was never the reason I started playing, but it has become one more way the sport has enriched my career.
For me, beach volleyball has become far more than a hobby. It keeps me connected to a community, gives me space away from the demands of practice and sharpens skills that serve me every week.
Everyone needs something that pulls them outside the demands of work and brings them back with more energy and perspective. For me, that place is on the sand.
Amy Drushal is a shareholder at Trenam and co-leads the firm’s Litigation and Dispute Resolution Group. She represents clients in complex business, real estate, employment, bankruptcy and creditors’ rights matters.
My main edit note: this is now publishable with one more polish pass for cadence. The biggest gains left are headline strength, subhead polish and smoothing a few clipped sentence runs.
This article was written by Amy Drushal, a shareholder at Trenam and co-leader of the firm’s Litigation and Dispute Resolution Group. To learn more about Amy, click here.
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