Lawyerist Podcast

In this episode with John Ruhlin, we talk about the overall theory of gift giving, including when to give and how much, the ethics of giving, what makes a good gift for your clients, and lastly, what makes a shitty gift.

In this episode with Nicole Morris, we talk about the Ti:GER program, what it is, how it works, and how it helps law students after graduation. Nicole shares the vision that the Ti:GER program is designed to help prepare students for and the unique skills the program gives law students that other lawyers might not have.

In this episode with Stephanie Everett, we talk about a few ways you can create micro-experiences for your clients. We cover retainers, graphics and video, and drafting briefs all as ways you can offer your unique value proposition and personal touch to win with your clients.

In this episode with Megan Zavieh, we check in on The Playbook as well talk about her content marketing strategies, including her own podcast is going. Megan shares advice for lawyers thinking about starting podcasts, and a few tips about what has worked in her marketing plan and what hasn’t.

In this episode with Jan Glassman, we talk about her law firm business model, her flexible service options, and what challenges she has faced growing a law firm focused on social impact and innovation.

In this episode with Rebecca Sandefur, we talk about why people rarely turn to lawyers or courts for assistance with their problems, how to properly educate civilians on obtaining legal help, and what role small and solo firm lawyers play in the solution.

In this episode with Bob Ambrogi, we talk about the state of legal blogging and podcasting in 2019 and whether or not blogging and podcasting can still be influential. Bob also shares advice for new legal bloggers and podcasters.

In this episode with Jason Fried, we talk about what it means to be a calm company, how to think about remote work and accountability, and how less can be more when it comes to productivity.

In this episode with David Colarusso, we talk about Suffolk University Law School’s Legal Innovation and Technology Lab, what it is and what it hopes to achieve, as well as a concept known as “Chesterton’s fence” and how you can better use risk assessment tools in your firm.

In this episode with Chris Voss, we talk about compromise and deadlines, listening and empathy as a martial art, and a few tips and tricks on negation from Chris’s book, Never Split the Difference.

In this episode with Mark Britton, we talk about how he started Avvo, his vision for the company, and how it changed over the years. Mark also shares his thoughts on rating lawyers and how he would advise the next startup hoping to rate lawyers.

In this episode with Allison Shields, we pick up where left off in Episode #22, talking about productivity mindset, delegation, and how better organization sets lawyers up for success.

In this episode with ABA president Robert Carlson, we talk about what it means to lead a large and multifaceted legal organization in a time of technology change and innovation. We also cover the ABA’s new membership dues structure, what it hopes to achieve, and what a much-diminished ABA membership would mean for the practice of law. Lastly, we talk to Bob about some hot-button ethics issues like non-lawyer ownership and advertising regulations. You’ll also get a glimpse of Robert’s plans after his term as ABA president is over.

In this episode with Kim and Kate, we talk about B Corporations, including what they are, what problem Kim and Kate were trying to solve that they couldn’t with a regular corporation, and what they now know about B Corps that they wish they had known when they first started their law firm.

In this episode with Zach Pousman, we talk about the design process and how it relates to law practice in-depth. Zach walks us through Helpfully’s innovation process step-by-step, including how to pinpoint a client or customer’s needs and how to test whether or not your solution meets that need.

In this episode with Ed Walters, we talk about his book "Data Driven Law", and why law firms should care more about data. We also talk with Ed about some of the bad or pointless uses of data, and how to use your data efficiently.

In this episode with Rachel Rodgers, we talk about how she started an alternative law practice, what it means to build a business focused on serving women and women of color, and why she transitioned into full-time coaching. In line with her own podcast Million Dollar Badass, Rachel also shares advice on how to scale a $100,000 business to a $1 million business.

In this episode with Mike Lissner, we talk about the pending PACER lawsuit, monopolies in law, and what the Free Law Project is. We also talk with Mike about why open access to law matters to innovation and access to justice as well as a few ways that courts can help.

In this episode with Lainey Feingold, we talk about online accessibility requirements and what lawyers should know about them. We also talk with Lainey about structured negotiation as an alternative to litigation, and how to get companies to actually talk to you in business law.

In this episode with Alice Armitage, we talk about what today’s landscape looks like when law schools teach technology and innovation, and what role they have in solving the access to justice gap. Alice shares a vision of what “practice-ready” and “think like a lawyer” mean today, and what they could mean in the future.

In this episode with John Israel, we talk about how investing time in showing gratitude to people can wield a long term return in both personal and business relationships. John breaks down what the “Mr. Thank You Project” is, and shares why acknowledging the people around you is so important.

In this episode with Stephen Dillard, we talk about the how, traditionally, judges have mostly been inaccessible to the public and how quite a few judges are now going against the grain and taking residence on Twitter. We also talk about Judge Dillard's thoughts about the role of courts in closing the access to justice gap, and what courts are doing to be more proactive.

In this episode with Cat Moon, we talk about how to achieve basic design competence, some lessons Cat has learned about innovation and design, and what role law schools can or should have in solving problems like access to justice.

In this episode with Ben Balter, we talk about what GitHub is, why GitHub isn’t for lawyers, and some rules for communication and knowledge management that we can all take away from GitHub’s model. During the show, we mentioned Greg Siskind's website. Check it out here. Be sure to read the inspiration for this podcast on rules for communication at GitHub here.

In this week's episode, we talk with Ashley Cox about what you need to do to prepare to hire, how to find the best applicants for your firm, and how to set up a new employee or independent contractor for success. Be sure to download this complementary worksheet on how to uncover your company's core values.

In this episode with Stephanie Everett, we talk about some of the questions small firm lawyers should ask themselves. When you are struggling with your law firm—struggling with money, struggling with time, struggling to focus—it’s helpful to take a step back and ask yourself some hard questions. This episode covers a few of those hard questions, and answers about how you can get back on track.

In this episode with Natalie Worsfold, we talk about her law firm’s approach to law practice, and why more firms aren't following suit. We start by asking Natalie what problem Counter Tax was trying to solve, then explore how they solved it, what their solution does now, and the plans they have to evolve and grow their solution.

In this episode with Jennifer Longtin, we talk about her criminal defense practice, including her business model and client portfolio, why implementing low cost options for clients doesn’t mean you will be less profitable, and how to have reasonable conversations about money with clients.

In this episode with Mike Michalowicz, we talk about some of the main concepts from a few of his books, including the idea of “entrepreneurial poverty” and why most average companies lose.

In this episode with Sherry Walling, we talk about the typical sources of stress and unhappiness for an entrepreneur, and how to be objective about these levels. We also redefine work-life balance and talk about whether or not happiness should be an end goal.

In this episode with Will Hornsby, we talk about whether or not ethics rules are standing in the way of innovation.

In this episode, we talk with deaf-blind civil rights lawyer and accessibility advocate Haben Girma about accessible justice and how designing courts, law firms, and the attorney-client relationship for people with disabilities can increase access to justice for everyone.

In this episode with Greg Crabtree, we talk about the four keys to profitable law firm. This includes how to figure out what a small-firm owner or partner’s salary should be, how to increase productivity in a service business, when to take distributions, and how to think about tax breaks.

In our 200th episode with George Psiharis, we talk about the state of small law, as well as Clio's 2018 Legal Industry Trends Report. Check out our special post here in honor of our 200th podcast episode.

In this episode, we talk with Mary Juetten about what it means to be data-driven, how to collect data efficiently, and what to do with it once you've got it.

In this episode with Michel Falcon, we talk about what a people-first culture looks like, including how to recognize why customers do business with you and how to resolve customer complaints. We talk about how to “own the dinner table” through micro customer experiences, and genuine customer appreciation.

In this episode with Tracey Ivanyshyn, we talk about what makes employees happy, and how happy employees lead to happier clients.

In this episode with Erik Pelton, we talk about his trademark law practice, including some in-depth conversations about his client onboarding and marketing systems and his communication philosophy.

In this episode with Rick Horowitz, we talk about why lawyers are better at knowing the law than communicating the law. Rick shares a few tips and structural ideas for how to become better at legal writing and how to be strategic while doing so.

In this episode with Lee Holcomb, we talk about her career path, her new book Lawyer Lifestyle, and how, with technology, women lawyers can find a voice and position in a challenging and constantly changing legal market.

In this episode, we talk with John Strohmeyer about his time working at The Four Seasons Hotel, and how he is using his experience working there to shape the culture and model of his law firm.

In this episode with Annie Duke, we talk about the cognitive science behind decision making, how poker is similar to the decision-making process in business, and some of the decision-making traps we fall into.

In this episode with powerlifting badass Shannon Montgomery, we talk about the differences between building a business around a brand versus building a brand around your business. We also talk about social media influencing and how to create a niche doing something you love.

In this week’s episode, we talk with Nic Kusmich about how to advertise on Facebook. Nic walks us through his 4-step process for creating successful Facebook ads, and he also talks about how to give value to your clients and customers every step of the way.

In this episode with Nathana Sharma, we talk about what blockchain is, what it does, why it is so interesting, and what it has to do with the legal industry.

In this episode, we talk with Jim Sheils about why family sometimes falls to the wayside as a working professional, and how to balance success at work with success at home. We also talk about a few ideas you can implement in your family and work life to help keep balance between the two. Jim Sheils is dedicated to fixing the epidemic of entrepreneurs/busy working professionals with broken homes, by teaching parents how to reconnect with their spouse and children, and hold that connection forever.

In this week’s episode with Stephanie Everett, we talk about what a mastermind group is and some of the benefits of both joining and creating one. We talk about how to implement a mastermind in your business and how to decide who should be in it.

In this episode with Jordan Harbinger, we talk about how Jordan went from being a pick-up artist to being a thought leader on social dynamics. We also talk with Jordan about networking best practices, including how to approach networking events and maintain those relationships.

In this week's episode, Sam talks with Jordan Furlong about the difference between owning a law firm and working for one, and why that may be the single biggest explanation for why some law firms can't seem to get out of their own way.

In this week’s episode with Amy Morin, we talk about what it means to be mentally strong and the steps it takes to get there. Some key points we cover are finding independence and resilience, practicing optimism, and learning how to think, feel, and behave as someone who is mentally strong.