IAM677- Attorney Focuses on Criminal and Traffic Defense and Practices

Jean Humbrecht is an attorney in Manassas, Virginia. She focuses her practice exclusively on criminal and traffic defense and practices in both state and federal court. She received her LL.M. (Master of Law) in Litigation from The George Washington University Law School. Ms. Humbrecht has had her own practice since 2014.

• CEO Hack: Hustling- making lists for the day, getting up early, and working out every day
• CEO Nugget: (1) Reach out to the right people (2) Know what to delegate and when to delegate it (3) Invest time and money in your business
• CEO Defined: Flexibility, being in control, having a vision and making that vision happen, believing there's no limit to what you can achieve, and being willing to work hard to achieve your goals

Website: http://www.humbrechtlaw.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HumbrechtLaw/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/humbrecht-law-criminal-and-traffic-defense/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HumbrechtLaw
@ManassasCriminalLawyer

Link to the book on Amazon

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Transcription

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Intro 0:02

Do you want to learn effective ways to build relationships, generate sales, and grow your business from successful entrepreneurs, startups, and CEOs without listening to a long, long, long interview? If so, you've come to the right place. Gresham Harkless values your time and is ready to share with you precisely the information you're in search of. This is the I AM CEO Podcast.

Gresham Harkless 0:29

Hello. Hello. Hello, this is Gresh from the I am CEO podcast and I have a very special guest on the show today at Jean Humbrecht of Humbrecht Law. Jean, It's awesome to have you on a show.

Jean Humbrecht 0:39

Thank you. Glad to be here today.

Gresham Harkless 0:40

Yes, super excited to have you on. Before we jump in, I wanted to read a little bit more about Jean so you can hear about all the awesome things that she's doing. AndJean Humbrecht is an attorney in Manassas, Virginia. She focuses her practice exclusively on criminal and traffic defense and practices in both state and federal court. She received her LL.M. in Litigation from The George Washington University Law School. Ms. Humbrecht has had her own practice since 2014. She is also the author of the book More Than A Find the True Costs of Speeding in Virginia. Jane, are you ready to speak to the I AM CEO community?

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Jean Humbrecht 1:13

I'm ready when you are.

Gresham Harkless 1:14

Awesome, let's make it happen. So to kick everything off, I guess I wanted to hear and rewind the clock a little bit more back, I guess, maybe 2014, to hear about your story. And what led you to get started with your business?

Jean Humbrecht 1:25

Well, actually, what makes me different probably from a lot of CEOs is this is something that I never envisioned my whole life. I didn't think I would own my own company. But now that I do, I would never look back. I have always wanted to be a criminal defense attorney. When I graduated from law school and took the bar exam, I was offered a job with the federal government, which of course I had to take because it was good money and health benefits. But while I was doing that full-time, I also went to, as you mentioned, the George Washington University Law School part-time to get my Master's in litigation.

And litigation is just trial work. So when I finished that in 2014, that's when I left my job with the government. I started with a small firm in Northern Virginia. And then shortly after that, I went off on my own basically to have more autonomy and control over the cases and types of cases that I took. I dabbled in a little bit of different areas of law but then focused exclusively on criminal and traffic defense. And now that's all I do. And I practice throughout Northern Virginia.

Gresham Harkless 2:29

Nice, I appreciate that. And I think that being able to kind of, I guess, make that transition into becoming a CEO and an entrepreneur is definitely something that is very exciting. And great to hear that you wouldn't turn back and you wouldn't change anything. That way. So I know, we touched on a little bit when I read your bio, and you did as well, too. Could you take us through a little bit more about like how you're working with your clients in the services that you're providing?

Jean Humbrecht 2:56

Right. So what I do is defend clients in court, but most of the work is actually done before the court. So what does that mean? We plan for the worst but prepare for the best. So worst case scenario, you know, if you have to go to trial and lose, that's what most people think criminal defense is and what they see on TV. That's all that they show because they don't show the other cases that resolve in different ways. Obviously, it's very scary to be charged with a criminal offense or even a traffic offense. So what I do is I calmly walk people through the process, I tell them based on you know, what their charge is, what their criminal history is, or lack thereof, what they're likely to face. And based on what their situation is, and what their job is, some people cannot have certain offenses on their record at all. And everybody's situation is different.

So what I do is talk to my clients to find out exactly what it is that they can or cannot have. Because it's not the same for everybody. Some people could lose their jobs if they go to jail, or some people could lose their jobs if they lose their driver's license, but not necessarily if they go to jail. So it's different for everybody. So I would tell them based on their charge, on their history on what their life situation is, what's likely to happen, and what we can do to make sure that they get the best outcome possible.

Gresham Harkless 4:24

Yeah, I definitely appreciate, that customized approach because as you said, I think so many times we forget a lot of times I think in business and life a lot of times that the human aspect of it and understand as you said it could be a situation where your driver's license can be a huge impact and going to jail can be a huge impact and understanding like the I guess the dominoes that will fall as a result of that but you're so right and then and then to like one point wanted to go to law school, and I took the LSAT and all of that and I learned as you kind of touched on earlier that is not is going into court and just arguing cases like there's a lot of behind the scenes and other ways that can result in certain resolutions that sometimes you're not aware of. So I appreciate you for kind of painting that picture because I think sometimes we see law and order, or we read a John Grisham book, and we think that's all about the fall kind of is.

Jean Humbrecht 5:16

Exactly, yeah.

Gresham Harkless 5:18

Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. So I wanted to ask you now for what I call your secret sauce, and it could be for yourself or for your business. But what do you feel kind of sets you apart and makes you unique?

Jean Humbrecht 5:28

Well, what makes me unique and sets me apart is I'm doing what I love to do. I've always wanted to be a criminal defense attorney. Since I was five years old, I don't remember why there are no lawyers in my family, I just did. I love what I do. I love public speaking, I like being in court. That kind of stuff is very nerve-racking for some people. I also, as you mentioned earlier, received my master's in litigation at GW. And that's basically trial work. So that program really prepared me, for what I'm doing now. And throughout my career, I've handled hundreds of cases. So I got a lot of experience in a very short amount of time. So going back to what we said before based on my experience, that's how I can tell you what your charges and what county it is, and all those different factors, what's likely to happen, and the best way to prepare for that. So just my experience and doing what I love to do.

Gresham Harkless 6:24

Yeah, I think when you're able to kind of work in your zone of genius, so to speak, and you're able to, obviously work in your passions as well when all that kind of marries together comes together really makes everything phenomenal. I think you can love and appreciate, you know, the passion that you have and see that in the work that you do. Because when you're passionate about it from a very young age, it really shows out in everything you're doing.

Jean Humbrecht 6:46

Yeah, that's true.

Gresham Harkless 6:48

Awesome. Awesome. Awesome. So I wanted to switch gears a little bit. And I want to ask you for what I call a CEO hack. So this could be like an apple book or habit that you have. But what's something that makes you more effective and efficient?

Jean Humbrecht 7:00

I would say hustling, and within hustling, a couple of different things. I get up early every day, and I work out every day. And that was a hard habit to get into. But it pays off because by working out early, you get energy. And by the end of the day, you're tired. Sometimes that's four o'clock in the afternoon for me and I don't want to go to the gym when I come home. So it just prepares my mindset for the day. And I have energy and I know that it's done. And that's just been helpful. So I get up, and I have my coffee, which I need. I check emails I prepare for the day for a little while I work out. And I also make a lot of lists. Because I have a lot of stuff going on in my head and if I don't write it down. So that's basically what I do getting up early, making lists for the day, and working out. And that's that's really been a huge help helping my productivity.

Gresham Harkless 7:55

Yeah, absolutely. It's so funny you say that because I find even on the flip side, when I don't know sometimes I like to do movement before I get started. Because I feel like that creates that that energy that gets the day going. But I think I find when I don't do that at the beginning of the day, sometimes the day gets away from me. And so I'm like, why is the day going like this? And a lot of times it's because I didn't do those things at the very beginning of the day to set myself up for success.

Jean Humbrecht 8:20

Yeah, exactly. Because if you're used to a routine, and then you're thrown out of the routine, it kind of throws your whole day out of whack. Yeah,

Gresham Harkless 8:26

Absolutely.

Jean Humbrecht 8:28

Out of that routine.

Gresham Harkless 8:29

Exactly. And I love what you're talking about as far as the list because I think obviously is entrepreneurs and business owners and whatever, that type of business we have, there are so many things that we have to keep track of and take hold of. So to be able to know that it's on a list to be able to put it in a place and make sure that we can be kind of present in our best selves and so many other aspects is kind of, I think, an underrated hack, just because it creates that energy and that focus that we need to have throughout the day.

Jean Humbrecht 9:01

Exactly.

Gresham Harkless 9:02

Awesome. So I wanted to ask you now for what I call a CEO nugget. So that could be like a word of wisdom or a piece of advice. Or if you can happen to a time machine, what might you tell your younger business self?

Jean Humbrecht 9:13

I would say invest time and money in your business. And that sounds very simple. But it's actually not and a lot it's hard for people to do. And what I mean is most people when they start don't have money. But what I suggest that people do and what I would tell my younger business self is to reach out to the right people to find out what you should be spending your money on. Because there are a lot of things that you can do yourself in the beginning and then maybe eventually hand over to somebody else. And there might be things that you shouldn't spend money on because it's not the same for everybody.

It depends on your industry and your business. So reaching out to the right people joining organizations does cost money, but that's something I would tell somebody to do local Chambers of Commerce Merce professional associations because, within those groups, you'll meet people that could either help you directly with any issues you're having or lead you to the right people who can. And another aspect of that is knowing when to delegate and what to delegate, because you will get to the point where you have money, or at least sufficient money, but not enough time. So you're gonna get to a point where you need to start reaching out to other people to handle the things that you used to do yourself, because as a CEO, and business owner, you know, we all do everything ourselves in the beginning.

But you have to recognize that time because there is going to be a time when you need to relinquish control and figure out what it is that you can delegate that other people can do, and what it is that you should be doing. Because there are only there are some things that only you can do as a business owner, but there are other things that other people certainly could do. And you're gonna have to pay money for it. And that was a very hard decision for me to make. And it sounds like it's a, it's a good problem to have. But it's difficult deciding to pay those people. But when you get to the point where you feel like, that's what you need to do, then you need to take the risk and do that.

Gresham Harkless 11:13

Yeah, absolutely. And I appreciate you for so eloquently stating that I remember we did when we connected initially, we talked a little bit about this, and how important it is kind of at the very beginning, a lot of times you'll have more time and less money. And as that starts that should transition and that paradigm starts to shift, I guess you could say, you start to have more money in less time. But you have to make sure that you're using that money in the correct ways and making sure you're leaning on the expertise of others. And those people that have walked that walk or have that perspective, so that you can try to increase the likelihood of making those correct decisions about where to delegate that time and those resources.

Jean Humbrecht 11:48

Exactly. Because if you get to the point that you can't adequately handle the work, then eventually that money is not still going to be there.

Gresham Harkless 11:55

Yeah, absolutely sad to say that, but that is definitely what happens. And so I wanted to ask you now my absolute favorite question, which is the definition of what it means to be a CEO, and we're hoping to have different, quote-unquote, CEOs on the show. So Jean, what does being a CEO mean to you?

Jean Humbrecht 12:11

To me, being a CEO means having a vision and making that vision happen. Believing that there is no limit to what you want to achieve, being willing to work hard to achieve your goals. And there's only so much you can train. So that's something that it would be in a person that I think makes you a CEO, and a CEO, you do have flexibility, you have control over your time and control over your life, because it's your business, and you can do what you want. You can work as much as you want, or as little as you want. But most CEOs I would wager are always working. And always hustling, like I mentioned earlier, and always looking for something more

Gresham Harkless 12:51

Absolutely. And I think just as you said, as well, too, is with your passion and being able to love what you're doing. I think a lot of CEOs and entrepreneurs are doing a lot of extra work, so to speak because they're very passionate about what it is that they do. And that just kind of showcases in their products and services, and their podcasts, interviews and so many different ways that they're doing it. And I think that when you hear that, it's just a tremendous reminder of how grateful we should be for these opportunities, but also how important it is for us to kind of work in our passions and our gifts to be able to make the world overall a better place.

Jean Humbrecht 13:25

Exactly. I think when people are happy with what they're doing, they're going to do a better job of it.

Gresham Harkless 13:31

Yeah, I would definitely echo that as well, too. And Jean, truly appreciate that perspective. And I appreciate your time even more. What I wanted to do was passionate Mike, so to speak, just to see if there's anything additional, you can let our readers and listeners know. And then of course, how best they can get ahold of you get a copy of the book and find out about all the awesome things you're working on.

Jean Humbrecht 13:48

I would just leave everybody with a final thought that you should surround yourself with like-minded people and goal-oriented people. I think a couple of people on your previous podcasts noted because I listened to them. You don't want to be the smartest person in the room. You want to surround yourself with successful people and keep striving and reaching for more. Because people will hire other people that they know like and trust. So you want to develop that trust with people and that goes for hiring and referring.

But in terms of getting in touch with me, you can go to my website,www.humbrechtlaw.com,facebook.com/HumbrechtLaw/ and HumbrechtLaw on Twitter, HumbrechtLaw on LinkedIn and Instagram. It's ManassasCriminalLawyer. And also in the show notes. There will be a link to my YouTube channel. I'm going to be updating that regularly with videos. And also the book is available on Amazon and the link to that will be in the show notes as well.

Gresham Harkless 14:46

Absolutely. Thank you so much, Jean. As Jean mentioned, we will have that information in the show notes so that everybody can follow up with you. Click through and find out about all the awesome things you're doing but I definitely appreciate that reminder is important that we remind ourselves that success is a team sport. work and the people that we have around us will help us to reach the altitude that we want to reach. And if we don't, and aren't the smartest people in the room, sometimes that can be to our detriment. So, I appreciate that reminder and I hope you have a phenomenal rest of the day.

Outro 15:13

Thank you for listening to the I AM CEO Podcast powered by Blue 16 Media. Tune in next time and visit us at iamceo.co I AM CEO is not just a phrase, it's a community. Be sure to follow us on social media and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes Google Play and everywhere you listen to podcasts, SUBSCRIBE, and leave us a five-star rating grab CEO gear at www.ceogear.co. This has been the I AM CEO Podcast with Gresham Harkless. Thank you for listening.

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