Justin Paperny

In 2009, I had served more than 21 years of my sentence, and anticipated serving an additional four to six years before I would conclude my obligation to the Bureau of Prisons. For Carole and me, the prospect of those remaining years felt close enough to start envisioning our life together. As I prepared for the next chapter, I focused on the career I wanted to build after my release. I worked on a manuscript I called White Collar, a project rooted in my experiences and the lessons I had learned while incarcerated.

The idea behind White Collar originated from my interactions with so many business people who had come to prison. I saw an opportunity. I wanted to help business leaders understand how decisions they made in the course of business could lead to government investigations or criminal prosecutions. I sought to capture the stories of business leaders and use those stories as part of a curriculum I would create. The curriculum would become the foundation for a corporate training business that would teach others how to avoid entanglements with government investigators or prosecutors. Each interaction with a new person brought valuable insights that enriched my work.

It was through this process that I met Justin Paperny. Justin had earned a degree from USC and built a promising career as a stockbroker. Like many people convicted of business-related crimes, he never imagined he would find himself in prison. A federal judge sentenced Justin to serve an 18-month term, and he arrived at a federal prison camp shortly after his sentencing. I met him within days of his arrival, and we quickly became friends.

Justin’s perspective mirrored that of many non-criminogenic people who enter the system. He saw himself as his family and colleagues saw him. He believed his circumstances were an aberration, a mistake the system would somehow correct. Yet, as our conversations deepened, Justin began to understand the reality of his predicament. The system didn’t give any concern to the challenges he was going through. In the eyes of stakeholders, he had broken the law. The stakeholders wanted finality. Once the judge imposed a sentence, the machinery of the system moved forward with little regard for personal perceptions.

As our friendship grew, so did our discussions about the future. I shared my vision of building a business to help others navigate the complexities of the criminal justice system. Since my release was still years away, we began talking about a partnership. Together, we envisioned creating a boutique consulting service. It would serve lawyers and professionals who faced the shock of a criminal charge. The firm would help them develop adjustment strategies and prepare for the challenges ahead.

These conversations were the foundation of what would eventually become White Collar Advice, a business that Justin launched after he completed his sentence. We collaborated to build a body of work that could support individuals and also serve a broader purpose. Revenues from Justin’s consulting services provided the initial funding to support the nonprofit work Carole and I wanted building. This symbiotic relationship allowed us to focus on systemic reforms—macro-level changes to create merit-based opportunities for people to earn freedom—while Justin worked directly with individuals on a micro level. His business could also create income streams for other formerly incarcerated people.

Besides building a business that would contribute to our vision, he also built a network of supporters to amplify our prospects for success. Two key figures in this journey were Brad Fullmer, a retired MLB player, and Julio Marcial, a program director at the California Wellness Foundation. Their support contributed to the growth of our nonprofit and our efforts to bring reforms that would benefit all people, regardless of their ability to pay.

By the time Justin completed his sentence in 2010, he had the groundwork for a successful business. His expertise in marketing and relationship-building propelled White Collar Advice to national prominence. Justin leveraged social media and media relationships to spread his message and help thousands of people. Through it all, he remained a reliable and trustworthy friend. Carole and I were both grateful for his partnership. His professionalism and dedication played a significant role in my smoother transition back into society.

Justin’s journey exemplifies the power of resilience, adaptability, and purposeful collaboration. His success not only supports individuals but also provides the resources to advocate for systemic change. I am proud to call him a friend and business partner, and I’m grateful for the example he sets. I would call him the number one ambassador of our message, passing along the lessons that leaders such as Socrates, Viktor Frankl, and Nelson Mandela taught me.

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