Spartan Lawyer Winter 2018

LOOK FOR BALANCE.

BRYAN NEWLAND, ’07

PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN, BAY MILLS INDIAN COMMUNITY
EASTERN UPPER PENINSULA, MICHIGAN

The work ebbs and flows. When it ebbs, don’t get insecure about not being busy right now, and take advantage of those time periods because there will be times when there’s a deluge of work and you’re working 12 to 16-hour days. Don’t stack up your work when it’s low.

As a child in rural northern Michigan, Bryan witnessed the direct impact of law and policy on his own family. He became a lawyer to support other Native people who have faced adversity because of a flawed government system, and brought his legal skills back home to help his community. Bryan describes being an attorney as the ultimate public service job, and he loves that. “I say with sincerity that the part of the law that brings me the most joy is working my butt off to help other people,” he said.

Working in the legal field for over a decade, Bryan knows the importance of finding something away from the office that offers balance and fulfillment. When he’s felt burnout, he attributes the experience to not being honest with himself about how much he could accomplish at one time. “As I’ve gotten older, I’ve gotten better about exercising discretion about how much work to take on,” he said.

Bryan is an avid nature photographer – an interest with family ties. “My great-grandfather, my grandfather, and all of his brothers, and some of my other relatives did landscape painting,” he said. “They’re kind of locally-renowned up here in northern Michigan. I was never much for painting, but photography allows me to get out in nature, participate in the family legacy, and do something that has a little Zen to it.”

A born and raised Michigander, not only does he appreciate the natural beauty of the Great Lakes state, he’s also a lifelong fan of its sports teams. “When the Spartans and the Lions have good records – now that makes me happy.”