Terence “Terry” Cushing has built a career shaped by discipline, curiosity, and steady progress. Born in Schenectady, New York and raised in Exton, Pennsylvania, he grew up in a household that valued learning and structure. His father worked as a chemical engineer and later in environmental consulting, while his mother focused on raising Terry and his brother. From an early age, Terry learned the importance of balance. Sports played a central role in his life. He played football and later joined a ski club, travelling across the Northeast and developing a lifelong love of movement and challenge.
Terry studied International Affairs at George Washington University, graduating in 1996. The degree sharpened his interest in systems, rules, and how decisions ripple outward. He went on to earn his law degree from Pennsylvania State University in 2003 and passed the Arizona bar that same year. He later became licensed in Nevada and Texas.
He began his career as a federal law clerk to Judge Earl H. Carroll in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. The experience grounded him in precision and clarity. Terry then spent nearly twenty years in private practice, working on product liability, commercial litigation, medical malpractice, and personal injury matters. He earned partnership roles at Jennings Strouss and later at Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, where he led teams and built a substantial client base.
Today, Terry serves as Senior Corporate Counsel at Republic Services. His work reflects a belief in preparation, calm judgement, and long-term thinking. Outside of work, he enjoys travelling, weightlifting, languages, and staying curious about the world.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
I start early. I usually review priorities before emails take over. I block time for thinking, not just reacting. Productivity comes from deciding what matters before the day decides for you.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I write them down. Then I pressure-test them by asking where they could fail. If an idea survives that, I share it early and refine it with others.
What’s one trend that excites you?
Plain language. Legal and business communication is slowly becoming clearer. That shift reduces friction and misunderstanding.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
Weightlifting. It keeps my energy steady and clears my head. Progress there mirrors progress at work.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Slow down. You don’t need to prove everything at once. Consistency compounds.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?
More meetings don’t improve alignment. Fewer, better-prepared conversations do.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Document decisions. Memory fades. Writing does not.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
I step away briefly. A walk or a short workout resets my thinking faster than pushing through.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
Seeing issues from the judge’s perspective. My clerkship taught me that outcomes often hinge on clarity, not volume.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
Early on, I tried to handle too much alone. Delegating earlier would have improved outcomes. Trust builds better results.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
Create internal “pre-mortems.” Ask what could fail before projects begin.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
Outlook calendar. I treat time like a budget and plan it deliberately.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
Books on history. They remind me that most problems are not new.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
Documentaries. They reward patience and attention to detail.
Key learnings
- Clear thinking and early preparation prevent most avoidable problems.
- Discipline outside of work supports clarity within it.
- Writing things down improves judgement and accountability.
- Long-term progress comes from consistency, not urgency.
- Simplicity in communication reduces friction and risk.