“Alpine Skiing Makes Me a Better Lawyer”

In Law360’s ongoing series dedicated to how attorneys’ extracurricular activities enhance their professional development, Marshall Gerstein attorney Isaku Begert reflects on his lifelong connection to alpine skiing and how it has shaped his approach to preparation, decision-making, and resilience in legal practice.

“Skiing was my earliest introduction to the idea that effort and reward are inseparable,” Isaku writes in Law360. “Long before I understood what a legal career required, skiing taught me to commit fully, adapt quickly, and remain composed in moments that require both courage and judgment.” 

Over time, those lessons have translated directly into his work as an attorney, particularly in high-stakes and fast-moving environments.

“Strong advocacy rarely begins with inspiration; it begins with preparation,” he explains. “Whether drafting a dispositive motion, preparing for a deposition, or developing a litigation strategy, outcomes depend on groundwork that is often invisible to others. Skiing reinforces that discipline. Skipping preparation might not cause immediate failure, but it significantly increases risk. A poorly tuned edge or an overlooked weather warning can turn a manageable run into a dangerous one.”

Read Isaku’s article in Law360.