W. Mark Lanier: Justice, Faith, and a Higher Calling | The Firm Report

(upbeat music) - Welcome to the firm report. - Thank you for joining us for another episode of the firm report. It's quite an honor today. We have Mark Leneer. Thank you for joining us. - This is a great joy to get to be here. - I truly appreciate it. And I've done a lot of research on you. And your life's work is, I would say, humanity. - Oh, you're very kind. Thank you so much. I feel like we've got a responsibility to live our lives in a way that is good for the world and good for those around us. And so I try hard, but like everybody else, I fail miserably too. - Hey, I mean, sometimes we're our own worst critic, but as an outsider looking in, I have a great appreciation for the passion you put into your work. And I'd say in between successes, it seems you have progressively become a student of how you could improve. I'm constantly trying to learn. I have a sponge personality. And so I want to learn how to be a better lawyer. I want to learn how to be a better husband. I want to learn how to be a better leader. I want to learn how to be a better Christian. I want to learn how to be a better citizen. I want to learn how to be, I mean, give it to me. I want to learn it and I want to try and do better. My goal is never to peak. You know, I don't want to say, "Yeah, I remember when I was good at that." You know, I want to always get better. - So learning is your pursuit. - I mean, you and I did not plan this, but I mean, I'm walking around. This is the latest book I'm reading. Jay Heinrichs, thank you for arguing what Aristotle Lincoln and Homer Simpson can teach us about the art of persuasion. You won't find me without a book, without something I'm trying to learn and read. - That's awesome. And does it go beyond that? Are you learning from other mediums or primarily books? - Oh no, I learned from other mediums. So I'm trying to learn Korean right now. And one of the ways I'm learning Korean, well, I do have a Korean tutor, but in addition to my Korean tutor, I watch Korean drama on TV. And so I watch K-drama. So I'm going to say, oh, you know, it's a way to reinforce. - Yeah, definitely. - You learn from podcasts, you know, when I'm jogging. I can listen to a podcast. Pick up a ton of good things that way. - Oh, podcasts or I would say, I was, you know, when I speak to peers, I'm telling them podcasts, I believe, are becoming one of the greatest mediums speakers. - Without a doubt. There's, I would say, you know, people talk about things that they might not talk about otherwise. - Yeah, and there's something about the interaction of you and I just sitting down face to face, uninterrupted, focused on a subject that allows us to explore that subject in ways that we might not, if we were at a dinner party, getting interrupted in passing on the street. It's a wonderful venue. - Definitely. And, you know, so your life's work, I would say, you know, you've had success and beyond imagination, you know, beyond imagination. But as you continue to move forward and focus on, I would say improvements for humanity, just your life's work of improving just how we all live and, you know, allowing, I would say citizens of the U.S. to have like their, their justice of like, you know, rights and abilities to engage and enjoy everything. Can you just share a bit about, I would say, you know, you speak about your faith and just like, some of your studies and. - Well, I do have an undergraduate degree in Hebrew and Greek. So I read the Bible, the Hebrew scriptures in Hebrew and translate, well, and the New Testament Greek scriptures in Greek and translate, well, I love that. I'm active in teaching. I'm active in posting on the internet to thoughts that are hope to encourage and guide people each day. And I love, that's my passion. It's all part of, we live in a world that's really mixed up and crazy and with polar opposites on so many different issues. And I'm one of these people who says, there's gotta be a way to be a peacemaker to still stand up for what's right, to help those who are underprivileged, the widows and the orphans and those hurting in this world. But yet, to help those that are successful, be more successful, because as they're more successful, as long as their success doesn't come from stomping on others, then they can use that success to help others. And so it's a wonderful opportunity we have in this country and in this world, to be genuine citizens of humanity, not simply citizens of our own little kingdom. That's amazing. Mr. One, at Exelts, we're focused on driving results. If you had to get it down to one thing as to driving results, whether it's in your business, your personal life, I know we talked about learning, but I mean, what is it? What is the secret? I think the secret for me goes back. Now, you have a Jewish faith heritage. You'll remember the Shema, Yisrael, I don't know, I don't know Ahmad, remember that the Lord your God is one God, but it says, and you'll worship the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind. And then the Hebrew law also says to love your neighbor as yourself. Those two things are foundational for the American judicial system, that we are to try to seek a higher level of justice than we can do as humans alone, and that we're to take care of those people around us who need help. That's foundational, not just though to our legal system, it's not just to our faith. It's also foundational to what it's like to live as a human being. Let's try and live, find the genuine truth behind your faith, try to find a higher calling than just yourself, and try to treat other people the way you'd like to be treated. And if I've found success, I think that it's those drives that may have given it. - Thank you, thank you for your time and everything you've shared today. Mr. Leneer, it's been just honor. - Thanks man. - Thank you so much. - The firm of work brought to you by Exults, A full service digital marketing agency helping law firms reach new heights.