220: Addiction, Recovery, and the Law with Eric Fong
Eric Fong is no stranger to adversity. A renowned trial lawyer with over 25 years of experience and hundreds of high stakes civil and criminal cases under his belt, he's seen the worst life can throw at people. But the struggles were often not only in the courtrooms but also in his own life as he grappled with addiction for years. Today, however, he stands on the other side of the struggle as a beacon of hope for those who find themselves in similar hardships.
From Lawyer to Addiction, and Back
Eric's fascination with law sparked the beginning of his professional journey. As he hustled in the courtrooms, arguing and defending, he fell into the clutches of addiction that affected both his professional and personal life. Eric shared that he was so engrossed in addiction that he became a recluse and stopped accepting cases. The result was catastrophic – his addiction destroyed his practice, created turmoil in his personal life, and cost him his family.
Despite several attempts at pledging sobriety, Eric always found himself relapsing. However, after realizing his behavior was rapidly spiraling out of control, he took the first decisive step towards sobriety. Eric turned to various forms of therapy, sought help, and found the 12 Steps Program to be particularly beneficial. It's been more than five years since then, and Eric now stands on the sober side of life, rebuilding not just his career but his entire existence.
The Turnaround: Empathy and Compassion for Law
Eric's personal journey of overcoming addiction and rejuvenating his life and career gave him an unexpected advantage – increased empathy and compassion for his cases and clients. His difficult past has allowed him to understand other people's struggles in a way that few in his profession are able to. This empathy translates into a stronger commitment towards his clients and a more understanding approach, making him a better lawyer.
The Pitfalls of the Wrong Paths
Eric's story draws attention to the current state of the criminal justice system, which he describes as a flawed social experiment. He believes that punishment doesn't inherently create change, and it is rather supporting, teaching, and rehabilitating individuals that truly make a difference.
The mass incarceration problem, Eric argues, is partly a result of systemic injustice that favors the few who can afford high-quality legal help. Balancing the scales of justice and giving equal legal representation to all, in his view, is a pressing challenge.
The Path to Happiness: Mastering Adversity
When it comes to happiness, Eric stresses the importance of confronting one's unhappiness. The pathway to happiness is rooted in understanding and acknowledging whatever is making us unhappy, he says. We must confront our fears, the things that cause us shame or embarrassment, those aspects that prevent us from achieving happiness.
Eric Fong's life delivers a powerful message. Overcoming addiction, rejuvenating a derailed career, and becoming a voice for justice reform – Eric's journey illustrates the innate human potential for transformation and resilience. His belief in redemption, rehabilitation, and the power of empathy offers hope and a beacon for those finding their own path out of adversity.
It serves as a reminder that happiness doesn't come easy, it requires conquering difficult times, and it is in overcoming adversity that one can truly find the source of happiness – a source that Eric Fong found on his journey and shares with people he represents today. After all, happiness happens when we least expect it, especially when we embrace and overcome our struggles.
In the episode, we get into:
4:20 What does happiness mean to you
05:49 Life as a Greek Tragedy
10:26 Should most offenders have the opportunity to rehabilitate?
15:57 The need for creative thinking in leaders and the problem with having older leaders
21:33 Eric's story with addiction
25:12 The moment he decided enough was enough
29:45 How his experiences have affected his work as a lawyer
31:21 Keeping empathy for the people he works with
33:22 Looking critically at the law
36:45 One way you take care of your mental, physical, emotional, spiritual health
38:58 How to create a little more happiness in your day, every day, starting today
About Eric Fong
Connect with Eric
With 25+ years of experience, Eric is one of the top trial lawyers in the country, with 100+ high-stakes civil and criminal cases argued to verdict, both before juries and courts of appeals.
His path to success has, however, not been without challenges. After his wife decided to leave him and take the kids, Eric struggled for years with a severe alcohol and marijuana addiction, despite his success in the courtroom. He became a recluse and stopped accepting cases as a result of his addiction, which took a toll on his personal life and destroyed his practice.
On realizing that he was becoming very paranoid, reckless and was going to die, Eric sought help. He tried various therapies, worked with a guru, visited ashrams, and more to quit his addiction. He found the 12 steps program to be the most effective, and as a result, he has been sober for 5+ years and has gotten his promising career back on track.
Eric recently obtained a $91M judgment, the largest compensatory damages verdict in WA, for his client in a personal injury lawsuit.
Eric has also received many awards, including being named a Top 5% Super Lawyer and Top 100 Trial Lawyer in America for 13 consecutive years, and taught at the prestigious Trial Lawyers College for 17 years.
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