Zack Anstett on reconsidering success in private practice

In this episode of This Legal Life, Ben Chiriboga speaks with employment lawyer Zack Anstett about how a life-altering medical diagnosis reshaped his perspective on success, ambition, and balance in private practice. Zack shares what it’s like to continue practicing law while navigating serious health challenges, and how that experience changed his relationship with billable hours, titles, and long-term career expectations. The conversation offers an honest look at resilience, flexibility, and the often-overlooked human realities behind legal careers.

About Zack

Zack Anstett defends Southeast-based employers when the workplace becomes a legal battlefield. On the defense side, Zack has defended hundreds of employment cases in state and federal courts and before investigative agencies such as the EEOC and the Department of Labor. He understands how plaintiff attorneys build their cases because he has spent years strategically dismantling them.

On the prevention side, Zack’s litigation experience gives him a clear view of where companies tend to make mistakes that lead to lawsuits. He helps employers make difficult personnel decisions, develop practical HR policies, and draft employment agreements designed to reduce risk and keep disputes out of court.

Outside of work, Zack enjoys learning Farsi, cooking with his Persian mother-in-law, and losing at pickleball to his five-year-old daughter while his three-year-old son and one-year-old daughter cheer from the sidelines with their mom.

Connect with Zack on LinkedIn