491. Breaking the Stigma of Addiction in Legal with Brian Cuban [Encore Edition]

2026-08-25

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The same instincts that make a great lawyer can be the exact thing keeping them from asking for help. In this encore episode of The Game Changing Attorney Podcast, Michael Mogill sits down with Brian Cuban, an attorney, author, and long-term recovery advocate, for a raw account of the depression, eating disorder, and addiction that nearly ended his life, and the moment he finally chose to fight for it. Brian pulls back the curtain on what drives so many lawyers toward substance abuse in silence, and why the...

The same instincts that make a great lawyer can be the exact thing keeping them from asking for help.

In this encore episode of The Game Changing Attorney Podcast, Michael Mogill sits down with Brian Cuban, an attorney, author, and long-term recovery advocate, for a raw account of the depression, eating disorder, and addiction that nearly ended his life, and the moment he finally chose to fight for it. Brian pulls back the curtain on what drives so many lawyers toward substance abuse in silence, and why the legal profession's culture of strength makes it one of the hardest places to ask for help. This is a candid look at what recovery actually requires, and what it means to build a profession where struggling colleagues don't have to hide.

Here's what you'll learn:

Why lawyers face a higher risk of addiction, and why the profession makes it so hard to admit it
How to spot the early warning signs before they become a rock-bottom moment
What it takes to build a compassionate community that helps colleagues before they have to hit bottom

Brian walked back from the edge. His story is here for anyone who needs to know it's possible.

(00:00:00) Introduction
(00:04:05) A childhood shaped by shame
(00:14:55) Choosing law school to hide
(00:27:04) His brother steps in to help
(00:33:38) Trading tickets for cocaine
(00:41:23) His first 12-step meeting
(00:43:58) Writing The Addicted Lawyer
(00:47:23) Addiction's toll on lawyers
(00:53:43) Why compassion matters most
(01:00:00) Careers rebuild, lives can't

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Links & Resources:

Brian Cuban
The Addicted Lawyer: Tales of the Bar, Booze, Blow, and Redemption by Brian Cuban
Mark Cuban
Texas Lawyers Assistance Program (TLAP)
2016 ABA/Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation study on lawyer well-being
Karen Carpenter

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Learn what sustainable growth can look like for your firm at crispcoach.com.

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Past guests on The Game Changing Attorney Podcast include David Goggins, John Morgan, Alex Hormozi, Randi McGinn, Kim Scott, Chris Voss, Kevin O’Leary, Laura Wasser, John Maxwell, Mark Lanier, Robert Greene, and many more.

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