Welcome to the McGirr Law blog! I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with an incredibly compelling guest for the very first episode of the Texas Lawyer Podcast: Lisa Hoing. Lisa is a seasoned criminal defense and family law attorney practicing here in Central Texas, but her journey to the bar is one of the most fascinating I’ve encountered. She transitioned from the film industry, where she worked as a hair and makeup artist, to teaching, and eventually to battling some of the toughest cases in the state.

Her story is not just a fantastic anecdote; it’s packed with crucial takeaways for anyone contemplating a career in law, navigating a major career change, or just curious about what truly motivates a litigator.

Here’s what you can learn from Lisa Hoing’s journey:

The Path Isn’t Always Straight

Before law, Lisa had a full-ride acting scholarship, a double major in theater and biology, and worked for the Utah Film Commission doing hair and makeup for commercials and movies. She then became a teacher, but ultimately, she reached a point where she felt, in her own words, that “you couldn’t pay me enough money to do that anymore.”

Her pivot to law wasn’t a lifelong dream but a series of unexpected events. She shared that two things happened: first, she had a truly horrible landlord who forced an illegal lockout, and after suing him through an attorney, she found she “had a good time doing that.” Second, her dad gave her the push she needed: “My dad said to me, ‘Well, I think you should be a lawyer. I’ve always wanted to be a lawyer. You should be a lawyer, and then I can live vicariously through you.'” She decided, “Well, it’s nowhere but up, so what the heck? Let’s give it a try.”

The lesson here is simple: it’s okay for your path to be non-linear. Sometimes, the catalyst for a major career move is dissatisfaction or a seemingly small legal conflict that sparks a new direction.

Law School is a Grind, But Strategy Beats Genius

As a non-traditional student, Lisa faced immediate challenges. She confessed her study habits “were not nowhere near what the study habits the kids who were just leaving school had.” More fundamentally, she had to change how she processed the world.

“In education, we are taught to see things very holistically and very globally… But in law, it is quite the opposite. It’s very logical, very fact-based,” she explained. This struggle led to a difficult moment: she was placed on academic probation at the end of her first year.

Law school, she notes, operates as an “academic hazing” designed to weed out those who can’t handle serious issues. To pull herself out of the bottom of the class, she developed an ingenious strategy. She checked the posted grades and signed up for all the classes that had the highest average scores, consciously working to raise her GPA. This methodical approach worked well, proving that hard work, self-awareness, and a winning strategy can get you through even the toughest academic challenges.

Prosecutor vs. Defense Attorney: Two Distinct Duties

After graduating, Lisa started her career as a criminal prosecutor in a small county attorney’s office in Nebraska before moving to the Texas Attorney General’s Office, where she prosecuted severe crimes against children. She explained her conscious decision to pursue criminal law, knowing there was a “direct inverse correlation to how much you get paid and how much fun you have.” She chose the challenge over the “opening and closing bank accounts” type of law.

When she eventually transitioned to criminal defense, she thought it would just be “arguing the other side of the coin,” but found she was “100% wrong.” The difference is in the duty:

• The Prosecutor’s Duty: To “conduct justice.” If the prosecutor suspects that a witness is not credible or that justice is not being served, they have a duty to dismiss the case or resolve it justly.
• The Defense Attorney’s Duty: Is “zealous advocacy” and “solid allegiance and for my client.” Lisa stated plainly, “My job is not justice.”

The adversarial system relies on these two distinct powers coming together, which she believes usually allows the truth to surface somewhere in the middle.

Litigation is a Sport, but the Law is a “Jealous Mistress”

As a litigator, Lisa is often in the courtroom. She quickly realized, given her background, that the courtroom “is a stage,” and that “good lawyers are storytellers.” Like trying to condense a 23-hour audiobook into a two-and-a-half-hour movie, we have to be excellent storytellers, condensing years of history—especially in family law—to present the important themes to the decision-maker.

Lisa shared that she is highly competitive and admitted she went into law school to have a good time because “I enjoy the gamesmanship and I enjoy the sport—and it absolutely is a sport.”

This competitiveness, however, comes with a cost. When I asked her for one piece of advice for aspiring attorneys, her answer was startlingly honest: “Don’t do it. If you can do something else and be happy, do something else.” She echoes the famous phrase from a retired colleague: “The law is a jealous mistress.” The work demands perfectionism and, for her, often means working until 2 or 3 in the morning prepping for a hearing or trial, noting that “it really consumes your life.” While it’s hard work, she concludes that you must “do something that you enjoy.”

Final Thoughts on the Courtroom Uniform

In a fascinating final point, Lisa reflected on courtroom dress, noting the massive difference between men (always in a jacket and tie) and women. She shared an old rule from law school: “For jury trial, we were told to always wear a skirt, preferably below the knees, because you never know who will be on your jury panel, and some individuals find pants are not respectable on a woman. I think we’re way past that now.”

She offered great advice for young female attorneys watching shows like Ally McBeal, saying, “There is a direct inverse correlation between how high an attorney’s heel is and how much experience she has in the courtroom.” High heels simply don’t work when you are standing for eight hours or at the courthouse until after midnight for a trial. Ultimately, being a litigator is “about perception by the court and the jurors, and you better think about those things.”

Watch the full, compelling interview with Lisa Hoing on the Texas Lawyer Podcast YouTube channel.

Lisa’s story is a powerful reminder that professional success often requires pivots, grit, and a deep understanding of your own motivations. To hear her full discussion, including her experiences trying federal appeals and her perspective on why judges should always wear their robes, check out the complete interview.

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The Texas Lawyer Podcast is built on this very principle: pulling back the curtain on the legal process to humanize the law and provide real value to our listeners in the Central Texas community. Going forward, you can expect relaxed, insightful, “coffee-shop style” conversations with prominent local attorneys, where we review their unconventional paths, their biggest professional challenges, and the stories—not just the statutes—that define their practice. Join us as we continue to explore the dedication, complexity, and competitive spirit required to practice law in the Lone Star State.