Maximum Lawyer

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREAre you a law firm owner who is struggling with trusting others? In this podcast episode, Jim and Tyson discuss the reluctance of law firm owners to delegate and rely on others' expertise. Many law firm owners struggle with wanting to take on every task that exists within a firm. But, the reality is lawyers, like many other professionals, are experts in law and not experts in all areas needed for the success of a firm. Jim and Tyson share a few reasons why law firm owners choose to not delegate tasks to others. One reason is owners starting their career handling all aspects like bookkeeping, intake and scheduling and not being comfortable with letting that go. Another reason is not having the time to recruit or having a bad experience with too many other professionals. Jim and Tyson provide some solutions law firm owners can take to give some of the responsibility back to others so they can get back to doing what they do best. It is important to practice delegating tasks to other people. Think about one area that is taking up too much of your time and search for a tool, company or an individual who can come on board and take it over. Spend more time perfecting your craft as a lawyer and let go of those tasks that can be done by others. It is all about optimizing your time!Listen in to learn more.Jim’s Hack: Check out the podcast Tetragrammaton, which is about startup culture.Tyson’s Hack: Watch the Rick Rubin interview with Andrew Huberman where they discuss how to keep the body still while keeping the mind active.2:22 The challenges law firm owners face in delegating tasks4:17 The reasons why law firm owners may avoid hiring experts14:41 Proposed solutions to address the issueTune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here.

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREIs your firm struggling when it comes to communication? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer Podcast, Tyson delves into the practice of time blocking for efficient firm communication. Many people who work in law firms deal with constant communication. Whether it be through slack, emails or text messages, there are multiple routes that are used to communicate. Staying connected is great, but the non-stop messages can be a problem for productivity. Tyson provides a few tips for using time blocking to help with communication. One tip is for law firms to block time for office hours. If you have one hour a day dedicated to office hours, this allows for staff to drop in and ask whatever questions they need instead of sending constant messages throughout the day.Time blocking can be used for focused work as well and can be adjusted to fit how you work best. If you find you're more focused in the morning, block a chunk of time from 9am-12pm. That way you can reserve the afternoon for meetings or other tasks. Some people work better in smaller blocks in which blocking a few one hour blocks throughout the day is better. It is important to communicate and enforce time blocking to your team so your firm can be more efficient.Listen in to learn more!2:15 Designated three sets of office hours to manage communication5:11 Providing flexibility through designated office hours9:27 Scheduling structured meetings for detailed discussions 10:11 The benefits of time blocking for focused work timeTune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here. Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Are you in need of some tools to upgrade the way you work? In this podcast episode, Becca Eberhart, CEO at Maximum Lawyer, shares tips on simplifying common tasks using digital tools.In this day and age, there are dozens of tools to use to make working better and more efficient. Becca shares 3 tips on how to use digital tools to your advantage. One tip is to use the website Unroll.me, which is a tool to tackle getting rid of spam and help unsubscribe from unwanted emails. This tool allows for you to take control of what comes into your email account. The second tip is to use Moonpig.com, which is a website that will help out with sending cards to people. For example, if you have a busy life and lose track of important dates, put that date into Moonpig, personalize the card and it will be delivered to whoever needs it. The last tip Becca provides is to use a free Amazon price tracker called Camel, Camel, Camel. We live in a time where the cost for everything is high, so this tool allows you to receive price drop alerts for your favourite items. This will allow you to decide when it is time to buy a product.Listen in to learn more about these great tools!1:25 A tool to manage email subscriptions2:30 A website for scheduling and personalizing cards for special occasions4:41 A free Amazon price tracker to monitor price history and set price drop alerts Tune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here.Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREIn this episode of the Maximum Lawyer Podcast, Jim and Tyson talk with personal injury attorney Kevin Cheney about his Colorado law firm's evolution. They delve into the firm's staffing changes, Kevin's shifting role, and their unique bonus system. The addition of Kevin's brother to oversee business operations is a highlight, along with their approach to identifying and rectifying process weaknesses. Kevin emphasizes the importance of industry knowledge for decision-making and the need for new hires to immerse themselves in the firm's culture. The episode also touches on the nuances of legal business management, the life of a litigator, and the concept of radical responsibility.01:02 The transition of his role within the firm14:21 Identifying inefficiencies in the firm's processes and suggests improvements19:31 A patient approach to transitioning roles and building a lasting firm21:03 Understanding operations and identifying weaknessesJim’s Hack: Read the the book ”Limitless”, by Jim Kwik, and follow him for great free advice.Kevin’s Tip: Read the book “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck”, by Mark Manson, and embrace this idea of radical responsibility, which basically just means internally telling yourself that you are responsible for how you feel and everything that happens to you. I think it's great for business, but also personal life of just really understanding that you're in control of how you feel. And so if you don't like how you're feeling, you have the power to change it.Tyson’s Tip: Read the book, “33 Strategies of War”, by Robert Greene. It gives you little tips on how to manage day to day life, like going into a difficult situation and how to address that.Tune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here.Connect with Kevin:WebsiteFacebookInstagram

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREAre you a leader within a law firm who wants to empower their staff? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer Podcast, Tyson explores the concept of high-velocity decision-making within law firms. Tyson shares what the concept of high-velocity decision making is and why it is so important to have within a law firm. This concept, by Steve Bezos, is about empowering staff at the lowest levels to make decisions. Most times, these decisions are big and can have an impact on a company. This is more so if companies have staff who are front facing and deal with clients or customers on a daily basis. Empowering staff to make their own decisions can come with the risk of mistakes, but as law firm owners, it is important to communicate with staff that mistakes are part of the process. Tyson shares that allowing staff to make decisions will allow for things to be done faster instead of waiting for the go ahead from those in higher positions with more power.Empowering staff to make decisions will also allow for people to become more confident in themselves and their ability. Without this mentality, staff will become fearful to make the smallest decision or even make the smallest mistake at the risk of being fired. As law firm owners, having trust in your teams to make their own decisions, especially ones that affect their clients is key to a great work environment and makes you a good leader and decision maker.Take a listen.00:24 The importance of empowering team members 2:07 Encouraging a mindset that allows for mistakes6:36 The crucial role of giving team members permission to make mistakes7:29 Encouraging the nurturing of a mindset that allows for quick decision-makingTune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here. Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Are you a lawyer who is interested in being a part of a community? In this podcast episode, Becca Eberhart, CEO of Maximum Lawyer, details the guild mastermind events, emphasizing their exclusivity for guild members and the advantages of attending. Becca shares details of what the Guild Mastermind event is. The Guild Mastermind are quarterly, in person events hosted in different cities around the United States. They take place over the course of a day and a half, with presentations and sessions. One of the key highlights is the hot seat session, which involves all members getting a turn presenting a current challenge to the group and then receiving feedback from the coaches and other members. Guild members are lawyers at different stages in their careers from different areas of the country. This brings a unique perspective to these events as other lawyers can learn from each other and network.Listen in to learn more about the Guild Mastermind!00:24 Welcome to the Guild!1:11 Details about the quarterly in-person events3:25 The advantages of networking with ambitious law firm owners 4:34 Comparison of guild coaching and mastermind membership levels Tune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here. Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREAre you a firm owner who is struggling with layoffs? In this episode, Jim and Tyson discuss the difficult layoffs as well as the tough reality of letting people go due to a downturn in business.Jim and Tyson delve into the reasons why layoffs occur. Jim identifies the issue with spreading yourself too thin, in which too many responsibilities are given to too many people, when it doesn't have to be that way. Consolidating where necessary is a good way to keep responsibilities simple and not lead to paying for more employees when less are needed. Layoffs can also occur when a firm owner is thinking too far into the future instead of thinking about what is needed in the moment. For example, many firms experience fast growth. With fast growth comes more clients and therefore more lawyers or support staff. But, firms also experience downturns in work and if this is not documented and that fluctuation is not talked about, it can lead to issues with paying for staff.Listen in to learn more!7:04 Analyzing the factors contributing to the need for layoffs18:42 Discussing the consideration of shifting employees to different roles19:10 Discussion on the considerations and movements within the firmJim's Hack: We aren’t creating enough content! Create more content for marketing your firm. People are not going to get tired of you! Do more! Tyson's Tip: You can work harder and it’s not going to hurt you. Tune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here.

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREAre you a law firm owner who is thinking about hiring a new staff member? In this podcast episode, Tyson shares insights on the critical role of hiring in a law firm. Whether you are hiring attorneys, virtual assistants or office staff, it is so important to hire the right people for a law firm. Bad hires can really disrupt the energy and success of a law firm. Tyson delves into what causes bad hires and how to avoid hiring the wrong person. A bad hire can stem from a variety of reasons. It can be from rushing into the process, ignoring red flags on resumes or during the interview process as well as the values of both sides being different. When you face a bad hire, Tyson shares that it is good to have a pipeline of candidates that you can go back to and consider if needed.Tyson shares how assessing cultural fit is an important thing to look for in a candidate. Think about what your team values, the personalities that exist and how the team works best. Make sure to consider that when interviewing candidates. Another thing to do to avoid a bad hire is to not rush the process. Rushing the process can lead to the wrong person being hired because you have too many other things going on and just need someone. Tyson emphasizes the importance of creating a good, well thought out hiring process to avoid this.Listen in to learn more about how to avoid a bad hire!00:23 Discussion on the significance of hiring the right people for a law firm1:09 Exploration of the various reasons behind bad hires 4:38 Emphasizing the significance of assessing cultural fit in the hiring processTune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here. Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Are you struggling with making decisions in the new year after the holidays? In this podcast episode, Becca Eberhart, CEO at Maximum Lawyer, tackles the issue of decision fatigue and its toll on business owners. The end of the year is a time where many people have decision fatigue. Decision fatigue is when there is a decline in the quality of decisions after making too many decisions in a row. Becca delves into what causes this, especially during the holidays. This season is full of holiday parties, shopping, cooking, and events. Making decisions can become overwhelming when there are so many to make for different people and different things.Becca shares how decision fatigue can affect the growth of a business. Running a business and being a leader means making a lot of decisions. Whether it be how to market your company, if you need to hire staff to help with the growth or what vendors to work with, decision fatigue can lead to feelings of overwhelm. This is more so if you want to be innovative and different in how you run your business. Becca provides some tips to use in order to avoid decision fatigue. One tip is to plan out and schedule your day according to the decisions that need to be made. For example, if you are thinking about working with some new vendors, schedule chats with those vendors in the morning. From this, you might be more inclined to be more alert and can make a decision on who to work with after all meetings are complete. Another tip Becca provides is to really think if a decision needs to be made at that moment. If not, tell yourself to come back to it at a later date so you can relieve some of that stress.Listen in to learn more tips on decision fatigue from Becca!00:24 The impact of decision fatigue during December2:20 The impact of decision fatigue on business growth4:38 Strategies to manage decision fatigue Tune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here. Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREAre you a law firm owner who is looking to integrate more technology in your firm? In this podcast episode, Jim and Tyson discuss legal tech with Colin Levy, a lawyer and legal tech expert as they explore the role of artificial intelligence in law.Colin provides his thoughts on practical tools that law firms can use to become more efficient. One of these tools is Clio. which is a practice management software that is accessible, easy to set up and is great when it comes to the learning curve. This means it is easy to teach first timers. Other tools like Joseph and Brighter (which are code and no code tools) are a bit more advanced and allow users to set up workflows for their teams. Time is money, so these tools are great to get things moving quickly!Colin shares how many law firms are resistant to using technology and AI because of the misconception that it is expensive and time consuming. The biggest fear many lawyers have is using technology that will give them incorrect information and make their job harder. Most choose to stay within their comfort zone and use tools or methods of working that are not that efficient. AI and technology can help any business grow and innovate the way things are done.Jim, Tyson and Colin talk through the ideal tech package that firms need if they are just starting out. Clio is great for administrative tasks like invoicing and billing, which is such a crucial part of any business and a good, reliable tool is needed to ensure things are kept in order. Having a tool to streamline intake forms or feedback forms is important so they are collected, received and actioned out to whoever needs to work on it. Another tool is some sort of project management tool that shows workflows, what needs to be focused on or what needs attention.Listen in to learn more from Colin!6:10 Accessible tools like Clio16:01 The fear of technology in the legal field18:16 Recommended tools for new law firmsJim's Hack: Read the book called “Extremely Online” by Taylor Lorenz, which talks about the history of different social media channels.Colin’s Tip: Take time for yourself as the world moves very quickly. Take a few minutes to relax and listen to what your body is telling you.Tyson's Tip: Experiment with building GPT’s through OpenAI.Tune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here.Connect with Colin:Website LinkedInX

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREAre you a business owner who needs to hire a vendor? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer Podcast, Tyson discusses what to do when you are ready to hire vendors for your business.Choosing the right vendor can really make or break a business. It is important to think about a few different things when considering a vendor. Tyson shares how it is important to ask the right questions. One of these questions is to ask about a trial period, so you can test and see if the vendor is the right fit and meets all of your business needs. Another question is to ask if their product or service works with the systems of your business. This will allow you to find out if the vendor is compatible and has everything your business needs. Questions like this will ensure you are not wasting money on a vendor that is not a right fit. If you plan on working with a vendor for a long time, it is crucial that you are covering all of your bases and getting all your questions and concerns addressed.Researching a vendor is another important thing to consider before signing a contract. Ask the vendor for their annual reports or data to show their results. Reach out to individuals or other companies who have worked with them and who have provided good and bad reviews. This will give you a first hand account of how the vendor has worked with other companies. If you are hiring vendors for copywriting or research, find out if you can get samples of their work as part of the research to see if they are telling the truth when it comes to how good they claim to be.Take a listen.00:24 Ask the right questions when interviewing vendors4:00 The importance of insisting on a trial period5:52 The significance of doing thorough research for potential vendors7:55 Importance of ensuring that vendors have experience in the specific nicheTune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here. Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Are you someone who has a goal for the New Year but unsure if you will achieve it? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer Podcast, CEO Becca Eberhart discusses the importance of keeping promises to oneself for personal growth and goal achievement. A new year means new goals and achievements. For many people, they are confident that they will achieve their New Year's resolution. For others, they make that promise and then let things fall behind. Becca shares how important it is to not break promises to yourself. In order to see change or growth, the key is to make commitments that are possible in order to get to your goal. For example, if you have a goal to lose 10 pounds in 3 months, make a commitment to go to the gym 1 hour a day or meal prep for work days. The follow through is the only thing that will keep that promise. If you struggle to keep promises to yourself, Becca shares a few ways to change this. One way is to change your mindset to respecting yourself the way you do others. Most times, people will not let a friend down so don't do it to yourself.Following through with promises is more realistic if it is documented. It is so easy to just say in your head that you will lose 10 pounds or eat healthier. Write the promise down on a sticky note or in your notes app on your phone. This is a good way to hold yourself accountable and turn the promise from a thought into something tangible. Holding yourself accountable also shows in being realistic in your goals and what you can actually achieve. Don't set too big a goal if you truly know you can't deliver!Take a listen to learn more!00:24 Becca discusses the significance of keeping promises to oneself2:24 Becca offers advice on how to make changes3:25 Becca explains the importance of writing down promisesTune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here. Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREAre you a law firm owner who needs help with managing finances? In this podcast episode, Jim and Tyson converse with Jessica, a CPA from Silver Peaks Accounting Service, who specializes in accounting for law firms. They discuss common accounting mistakes that law firms make.As a CPA who works with attorneys, Jessica shares things that lawyers should not be doing when it comes to keeping their books straight and finances in order. One thing is not having accurate trust accounts. It is so important to ensure accounting firms specialize in law firms because if not, the numbers will not be accurate. Getting monthly reports will allow for law firms to stay on top of what is happening and ensure their numbers match. Another thing that many people fall behind on is creating a system to keep and log receipts for expenses. It can be as simple as taking a photo of a receipt and sending it to an assistant or adding it to a folder on your phone. Find a system that works for you!Jim, Tyson and Jessica discuss what law firm owners need to do when it comes to profit. Jessica emphasizes the importance of ensuring expenses are not higher than the profit a firm is bringing in. To find this out, law firm owners can look at their profit margin percentage over time. Understanding this will also help decide if a firm can afford to bring in more employees to help the profit margin increase. The profit margin will also show if it is time to cut expenses. With that said, it is important to have a good balance when it comes to focusing on the profit margin. Jessica shares an example of a client who was so focused on cutting expenses for their firm, that the firm made less profit that year because the focus was not on making money.Finding a tax professional that shares the same goals and morals as you is key to having great finances. Think about the kind of business owner you are. Are you conservative, aggressive or frugal? It is best to find a tax professional that shares those same ideals. The worst thing a law firm owner can do is find an aggressive tax professional when the firm is looking to save money. The business relationship will not last long if both sides don't agree.Take a listen to learn more financial tips from Jessica!2:57 The common trust account issues that law firm owners have7:57 Practical tips for managing expenses and receipts10:15 The importance of profit margin and tracking financial metrics11:40 Exploration of being overly focused on cutting expenses13:07 The concern of adding employees and the need to develop a planJim's Hack: Write down on a notepad what he wants to change about the direction of his firm. Spending 15 minutes everyday has brought more insight to bring change.Jessica’s Tip: Keep things simple. Do what works for you and what will bring you happiness and success.Tyson's Tip: Watch this Youtube video where Chris Williamson interviews Alex Hermosa. There are some great and valuable insights given. Tune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here. Connect with Jessica:Website Instagram Facebook Page Facebook Personal Linkedin TikTok

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREAre you a law firm owner who needs more financial tips to grow your firm? In this final episode of a five-part series, Jim and Tyson discuss financial strategies for law firms. Jim shares how it is a great financial hack to diversify revenue streams so you are able to get cases from different areas. There are probably dozens of cases that would never enter the door if you did not seek them out in different sectors. This will allow for a wide variety of cases and clients that could be beneficial for your firm. Another way to diversity is something called “white labeling”. This is when you offer something to a client in partnership with another law firm. This could be offering your client a package from another firm, where you get a percentage of what is sold.Tyson shares a tip of cutting costs where it makes sense. Review all of your expenses, which includes subscriptions and softwares and really iron down what you are actually using for your firm. If you know something is not useful, cancel that subscription so more money goes into your pocket.Listen in to learn more!1:16 The importance of exploring new sources of income4:08 Tips to save money and increase profitability6:00 Emphasizing the importance of having a work-life balanceTune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here. Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREDo you know how many softwares and subscriptions your firm is using? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer Podcast, Jim and Tyson discuss the importance of implementing systems in law firms. This is part four of a five part series where Jim and Tyson help firms launch in 2024.Jim and Tyson delve into the best ways to systemize firms. A lot of firms spend money on softwares and subscriptions to help with workflows and organization. But, some firms are spending too much on duplication or systems that are no longer helping the firm succeed. A great tip is to do an inventory of all the softwares that your firm uses and think about what can be removed. Another thing to do is keep track of renewal dates. Maybe there is a software that has a renewal date on January 1 and you realize you no longer need it. Go ahead and cancel that to save your firm money in the New Year.Tyson shares the importance of coming up with a process for system checks. There can be times where something goes wrong that you are not aware of. Are your birthday texts being sent to clients? Are your monthly newsletters going out? Make it a habit (maybe once a month) to go in and check systems to make sure they are functioning properly. Take a listen!00:45 Discussion on the importance of systems2:05 Advice on reviewing and assessing software subscriptions and monthly expenses3:22 Ensuring that all systems and processes in the law firm are functioning properly Tune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here. Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREAre you a firm owner who is struggling with solving operational issues for the firm? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer Podcast, Jim and Tyson discuss strategies for law firm success through defining operational clarity and efficiency. This is part three of a five part series discussing how firms can have a successful launch in 2024.Jim shares that he would spend his hour going over the organizational charts of the firm to see what the 5 most important things for each role are. It is important to meet with each person and get an understanding of how they are doing and if their roles or responsibilities have changed since they began. This will provide more clarity on what that role consists of. Law firms are always changing and the way people did things a year prior or the responsibilities staff have will change as time goes on. It is important to ensure this is being reviewed each year.Tyson shares the need to think about a strategy when you choose to grow a law firm. Growing a firm is expensive, especially if you want to create a new team. For example, a team or a pod can consist of a case manager, an attorney and a litigation assistant. That is a team of 3 people with 3 salaries, which can be expensive if you want to grow. Think about how to expand in order to get that new team without hiring everyone all at once. Also think about who should be hired first and where to leverage across other areas until you are ready to hire the second and third person. Tyson also delves into looking at processes and where to trim the fat. Looking at areas where too much is going on and where workflows can be improved is another way to get clarity and efficiency for a firm.Listen in to learn more!1:00 The importance of assessing each person in the firm to see how they're doing4:05 Focusing on evaluating processes and optimizing workflowsTune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here. Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREDo you need to reevaluate your firm’s intake process? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer Podcast, Jim and Tyson discuss ways to improve the intake process, which is part of a series aimed at preparing law firms for the upcoming year.The intake process is a very important part of the client-lawyer relationship. This is when a client is first coming on board and it is used to see if a lawyer will take on a case. Jim shares how lawyers should spend time looking at their firm’s process and focus on analyzing how fast or slow it takes for a client to sign up with the firm. Speeding the process up will ultimately lead to more money.Another part of the intake process is focusing on the sales aspect of it. Make a list of the common objections and questions that you receive in your intake process and then address them as you are marketing your firm to potential clients. An example is while on the phone speaking with someone who would like to take some time to review a contract, have the intake person ask if there is anything that needs to be addressed on the spot. This cuts out the need for someone to call back asking for more clarity. As firm owners, you have a wealth of knowledge that your intake staff might not have. So writing down responses to those commonly asked questions for your staff to have as a script is a great way to ensure more clients are coming through the door.Listen in to learn how to improve your firm’s intake process!00:56 Discussion on evaluating the firm's intake process2:47 Exploration of common objections during the intake process5:08 Importance of providing information about the firm's background to enhance credibilityTune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here. Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREAre you a law firm owner who is hoping to better market your firm? In this podcast episode, Jim and Tyson introduce a five-part series aimed at preparing law firms for 2024, with the first episode focusing on marketing strategies. Marketing is all about convincing people to buy what you are selling. For law firms, it is about getting your name out there and telling people why they should hire you if they are in need. Tyson and Jim share how it is important to understand what your competition is doing in order to assess what is being talked about already and what marketing strategies other people are doing. This way it can be used to inform your strategies. If you are trying to improve your marketing for the new year, spend an hour doing this work and make some goals. Think about how your firm is different and what else you can offer.Auditing your firm’s website is another thing that can help with marketing. Tyson and Jim share how many companies who have not audited their websites have numbers and addresses that are out of date. This is so important because if this information is not reviewed or updated frequently, people will not be able to find you and not become clients to the firm. Auditing can be done on your own or through hiring an SEO person. It is a key aspect of marketing so people know who and where you are.Take a listen!00:00 Assessing marketing strategies for law firms8:12 How to evaluate market positioning as an expert9:22 The importance of auditing your websiteTune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here. Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREIn this episode of the Maximum Lawyer Podcast, Tyson Mutrux recommends the book "Make Your Bed" by Admiral William H. McRaven. He discusses key principles from the book, such as starting the day with a simple task and being your best in your darkest moments. Tyson emphasizes the importance of staying optimistic and working as a team. He share that the book as a beneficial read for individuals and teams, especially in the context of running a law firm. Tyson concludes by encouraging consistent action to achieve goals.02:23 Starting the day with a completed task04:01 Life isn't always fair, and sometimes you have to accept setbacks 05:45 Even in the worst circumstances, it's important to stay optimisticBook: “Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life...And Maybe the World” by Admiral William H. McRavenSpeech: If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed. by Admiral William H. McRavenTune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here. Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Are you a law firm owner who is hoping to branch out and learn new ways of working? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer Podcast, Becca Eberhardt, CEO at Maximum Lawyer, encourages law firms to seek inspiration and strategies from outside their industry. Becca shares how she has seen a narrow focus to only learn and grow within one’s own industry, which is happening across many organizations including law firms. It is important to understand how other areas are succeeding so it can be applied to your own industry. In the case of law firms, not exploring the business advice or strategies of other industries can have a negative impact. Becca expresses that if all attorneys or firms do everything the same way, clients will look at them like commodities rather than individual people who bring different things to the table.Looking at other industries for inspiration can really benefit a law firm. It can lead to learning unique and innovative ways to practice. Maybe there is a new recruitment technique happening within the HR space that could really help a law firm do better when it comes to recruiting lawyers. Exploring outside of an industry can also help increase efficiency and improve client services. Looking at industries such as retail, hospitality and sales is great because they do this every day and are experts.Take a listen to learn more!00:24 The tendency to stay narrowly focused within one's own industry1:21 How being focused on one's own industry can lead to tunnel vision5:18 Examples of businesses that are innovatingTune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here. Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREAre you a law firm owner or attorney that needs help in reflecting for the new year? In the final Maximum Lawyer Podcast episode of the year, Jim and Tyson reflect on 2023 and share recommendations for the upcoming year.Jim and Tyson share their thoughts on what attorneys should think about as they enter the new year. In relation to financial management, Jim emphasizes the importance of spending money that is just sitting there. This money could go towards the employees, such as bonuses for the holiday season or gifts to show appreciation. Other ways to spend that extra money is to invest in more office equipment, especially if a firm is expecting to hire in the new year. Jim suggests spending money on paying vendors up front for monthly subscriptions or softwares, as many companies provide discounts to firms that do.Jim and Tyson also delve into the benefits of reflecting on the past year as well as what to look forward to for the upcoming year. The time between Christmas and New Year’s is the best time for this reflection. Jim suggests that listeners get a pen and paper and write about the great things that happened this year and what you want to see for yourself in the upcoming year. As law firm owners, Jim and Tyson see this as a great way to really envision what a practice will look like and what needs to be done to ensure a firm reaches the next milestone.Law firms are always busy and usually have dozens of cases occurring at the same time. Tyson suggests getting rid of cases you don’t want anymore as a way to lighten the workload for staff. It is important to look at those files that can be resolved by the end of the year and get them done. Any cases that can’t be resolved need to be off the roster. Don't be afraid to fire clients or employees to make things easier for the firm.Listen in to learn more tips for the new year!1:11 The importance of reflecting on the past year5:46 Improving financial aspects of an organization6:45 Reflecting on the year10:51 Getting rid of cases that are no longer desired or valuableJim's Hack: Read the book “Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet” by: Taylor Lorenz. The book goes into the history of social media and understanding the different platforms that exist currently. Tyson's Tip: Clean your office. Cleaning your office and organizing your shelves is a great way to declutter for the New Year, that way 2024 will be the best year yet.

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREAre you a new lawyer who is in the early stages of starting their own law firm? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer Podcast, Tyson provides advice for those considering starting their own law firm in 2024. Owning a law firm means that a lawyer becomes more than just a legal expert, but becomes a business owner and entrepreneur who is responsible for more than just arguing cases. A new firm owner becomes a leader and employer who will be wearing many hats. Tyson emphasizes the need to niche down when opening a firm. It is important to specialize in one form of law. Is it personal injury, tax, entertainment or criminal? It is key to know what kind of law you will practice that way clients looking for that one thing will come to you.Tyson delves into the topic of having an online presence as a lawyer and firm owner. These days, people are going straight to Google to find the closest lawyer to them that specializes in what they need. If you do not have an online presence, you will not make money. Start with a website and add all the important information there. Then create an Instagram or Facebook page to get your name out there to those that use the platform. It is all about having the most reach so multiple people (and potential clients) will be able to find you. Starting a new law firm means you need to make connections so other lawyers get to know you and will refer clients to you. It is important to reach out to those in your space and schedule weekly or monthly chats with them so you don't lose that connection and you are always top of mind. It can pay off in the end and guarantee you more money if other lawyers know your name and the work you do.Listen in to learn more!00:23 Tyson provides advice for anyone thinking about starting their own law firm in 20242:20 The importance of choosing a specific niche for your law firm4:08 The significance of building an online reputation and focusing on one social channel Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Are you someone who is thinking of starting a podcast? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer Podcast, Becca, CEO at Maximum Lawyer shares her insights on starting a podcast and covers the various aspects needed to get things off the ground.Podcasts are quickly becoming a popular platform for people to talk about different things and share their thoughts, especially since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Starting a podcast is a fairly easy thing to do but there are a few key things to consider in order to do it the right way. One thing is deciding how you will record your audio. Using the voice recorder on your phone, the microphone on your computer or even an external microphone makes recording a podcast versatile. It allows people to record audio from anywhere, whether it be at home, in the office or from the car. Many podcasters begin with a simple setup and overtime will upgrade as their audience and fan base increases.Becca provides some options for editing podcasts. There are many softwares like Audacity and GarageBand that can be used to edit. AI driven softwares have also been released which edits podcasts for you, making the process faster. Another way to edit is to outsource and hire someone who can use their skills to take editing off your plate so you can focus on recording. Starting a podcast also includes choosing a podcast host, which is where you will upload all of your recordings. Whether it is Transistor, SimpleCast or Anchor, it is important to use this tool to submit your podcast episodes into the directories for Apple Podcasts or Spotify so listeners can access it.Take a listen to learn how to start your podcast!00:24 How to start a podcast1:21 Options for recording audio5:51 The different podcast hosting platforms Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREAre you a lawyer who is struggling with keeping your head above water? In this podcast episode, Jim and Tyson interview Maria Parker, a training and development consultant specializing in trauma-informed practice. Maria shares her journey from mental health nursing to psychotherapy, her work with legal professionals, and her approach to addressing mental health issues. There is no doubt that legal professionals deal with stress, trauma and burnout. It is a part of the job that some handle well and others don’t at all. Lawyers work with people who are going through tough times and deal with situations that are not light in nature, Maria talks about the psychotherapy approach she brings to addressing this aspect of the job. Many lawyers deal with trauma and the profession is the perfect way to get away from it. Working a job that is always busy and on the go allows for your brain cognitively to leave your body or leave that trauma and focus on other people’s needs. Lawyers are always thinking about the client, the case, prepping for the trial and the list goes on. It is the perfect way to not think about anything that is upsetting you personally.Maria talks about the importance of having a safe space for people to talk about their trauma and stressors. A lot of people will not tell anyone about their troubles because they may feel that person will judge them or misunderstand them. Once there is a safe space, whether that be in a friend’s home or therapist’s office, people feel validated in their thoughts and experiences. From this point, things can really change for someone who is going through a hard time. There is an issue with just diagnosing someone and prescribing medication so they can deal with the pain and go on with life. Maria believes it is crucial to get the diagnosis and acknowledge it, but then parking it and getting to what is underneath. This means getting to the root of the trauma and working backwards to know what has led someone to where they are now.Tyson, Jim and Maria talk about how common anxiety is among lawyers. Because of the stressful nature of the legal field, many lawyers struggle with anxiety and all that comes with it. There is a struggle to say yes to everything because of the competition that exists within firms. Many lawyers don't get much rest because they are up at all hours working on cases or researching for their trials. There is also an emotionless nature that comes with law where lawyers have to be serious and stone cold to remain professional, which really adds to someone feeling anxious. Listen in to learn more from Maria Parker!1:57 Maria shares the gap she saw in addressing stress and trauma in the legal profession11:11 The significance of creating a safe space for individuals in therapy20:43 The increasing prevalence of anxiety among lawyers23:15 How anxiety serves as a protective mechanismJim's Hack: Check out the book “Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon”, by Michael Lewis. Which talks about Sam Bankman-Fried and the rise and fall of crypto. The book provides some good lessons on paying attention to the rules and about the importance of following procedures. Maria Tip: Check out the book “No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model” by Dr. Richard Schwartz which is all about family systems.Tyson's Tip: Check out the new feature in Canva called Magic Studio, in which you tell it what you want and it will create it for you using AI. https://www.canva.com/Connect with Maria:Linkedin

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREAre you looking for ways to begin the New Year the right way? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer podcast, Tyson shares three tips for lawyers to start 2024 on a positive note. It is common for people to have New Year’s resolutions. Whether it be creating a good workout routine, eating healthier or saving more money, it is a great way to hold yourself accountable and begin working on a goal. Tyson shares a few things lawyers can do to elevate their practice. The first thing is to develop a new routine that is unique. This could be spending 5 minutes every morning meditating, ending the night with writing in a gratitude journal or taking nature walks during your lunch break. It is all about creating a healthy habit.The second tip is to learn a new skill that is unrelated to law, which helps decompress and move yourself away from thinking about work all the time. Whether it be pottery, painting or coding, these new skills can help with stimulating your brain and sparking creativity in a different way. The third tip is to plan a day for a random act of kindness. This is a great way to give back to someone and pay it forward. Random acts of kindness are really about spreading positivity to others and it can have an impact in a way you will never imagine.Take a listen!1:08 Start a unique routine before the new year2:05 Pick up something completely unrelated to your law practice3:51 Dedicate a day to performing random acts of kindnessTune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here. Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Are you a business owner who struggles with perfection? In this episode, Becca Eberhart, CEO at Maximum Lawyer, discusses the challenges of the all-or-nothing mentality in entrepreneurship. The all-or-nothing mentality can be a double edged sword for a lot of people. On one hand, it can lead to bold moves but on the other, it can lead to inaction. Becca uses this to talk about effective business planning. If you wait for everything to be perfect when doing a project or planning for next year’s budget, there can be missed opportunities. It is important to have a clear plan but be open to changes as a business evolves and grows.Engaging in an all-or-nothing mindset can lead to missing out on some things. One thing is missed opportunities. For example, if you were to only focus on the highest priced hiring coach for your business, you could overlook other individuals who bring something to the table that you didn't think you would need. The highest price tag doesn't always mean quality. Another thing is paralysis by analysis. If you are focused on making the perfect choice, you could become indecisive and inactive because you are waiting for the right thing to come along. Inflexibility is another issue as sticking to one thing or staying on one path can lead to a business becoming stagnant and unfit for growth.If you choose to avoid an all-or-nothing mindset, there are some things that can go well. First is reduced stress as a business owner. With a flexible way of doing business, you can avoid the need for perfection and do things that work for you. Another thing is the ability to innovate. Being open to new ideas and creativity will lead to a business that is always evolving and trying new things. With this, people will see a business that is changing as their consumers do.Learn about how to avoid the all-or-nothing approach with Becca!1:20 Exploring the mindset of hiring coaches2:38 The drawbacks of fixating on making the perfect choice and becoming indecisive3:57 The benefits of avoiding an all-or-nothing mindset Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREAre you a lawyer who is struggling with marketing their business or themselves? In this episode, Jim and Tyson welcome guest Dave Dee, a professional magician turned marketing and sales expert. He provides some advice on how lawyers can become better salespeople and improve their marketing strategies.Dave talks about the importance of knowing how to be a master salesperson just as much as knowing your craft. Being good at what you do is not a competitive advantage until the client is working with you. This means you need to reel the client in with marketing in order to get them on board and actually begin using your skills in law. Dave suggests lawyers really take the time to learn about effective marketing strategies to get clients and make money.Jim, Tyson and Dave discuss the common mistakes lawyers make when it comes to marketing themselves. One mistake is simply doing generic marketing that everyone else in the industry is doing. A lot of lawyers will have the same Facebook ads with the same slogan, fonts and messaging. Dave says that this similar marketing among lawyers makes them look like a commodity. What this does is make the public see all lawyers as operating the same which means they will go with the lawyer charging less money for services. Another issue Dave talks about is not attracting the right prospects. It is important as a lawyer to not focus on getting the most leads but getting the most qualified leads. Dave also notes that lawyers are not only selling their services but themselves, which is why public speaking is crucial to becoming successful in the legal field.Dave talks through how to deliver a great presentation. It is important to not over deliver information, which is what a lot of people (not just lawyers) do when speaking to an audience and potential clients. This does a few things. Over delivering can cause an audience to feel overwhelmed with information because there is a lot to process and so much jargon. It can also cause audiences to believe they can take on the task themselves since they have all the information. As a lawyer, you want to give enough information to where someone understands what you do and will come to you to figure out the rest. Having a Call to Action at the end of a presentation is really what gets people to decide if they want to reach out to you. It is an important piece of a presentation and can really make or break the outcome. A Call to Action can be a few things. It can be telling the audience to call and set up an appointment, directing people to fill out a form, downloading your report on what you do as a lawyer and collecting the audience’s contact information to send out a mass email.Storytelling is another important aspect of presenting to potential clients. A great way to do this is weave in real stories. As lawyers, there are a million and one stories for almost every scenario due to the different types of cases and people that walk in the door. Wherever there is a connection between a case and a concept or theme in a presentation, tell that story. This will keep people engaged and bring a sense of reality into an otherwise “boring” legal presentation. Take a listen to learn more about effective marketing!4:09 The importance of being a master marketer and salesperson9:35 Common mistakes lawyers make in their marketing15:34 Three pieces of information in a presentation24:45 The importance of having a Call to Action discussion30:31 The significance of storytelling in sales and marketingJim's Hack: Read Dan Kennedy's book, “The No BS Ruthless Management of People and Profits”, which provides those who are business owners and leaders with tips on not being so nice and soft.Dave’s Tip: Take the Take Charge of Your Life program by Jim Rohn, which really changed Dave’s perspective on life.Tyson's Tip: Use Cloud Prompter, which is a teleprompter and Mac app for making videos.Connect with Dave:WebsiteFacebookLInkedIn

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREIn this podcast episode, Tyson Mutrux discusses the book "Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity" by David Allen. He shares the book's key concepts of capturing, clarifying, organizing, reflecting, and engaging with tasks. Tyson shares the importance of moving tasks into an external system and breaking them down into actionable items. Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Are you looking for a way to enhance your hiring process? In this episode, Becca Eberhart, CEO at Maximum Lawyer discusses the transformative potential of video introductions in the hiring process. AI tools like ChatGPT are being used to craft resumes and cover letters. This means hiring managers are not able to really know if a candidate’s credentials and experience is true or accurate. Becca talks about how integrating video introductions into the recruitment process is a game changer to really get to know the candidate. You are able to hear and see them right off the bat and get to know their personality and style. Normal resumes and cover letters can be generic and it can be difficult to find the perfect candidate for a role. Video introductions act as a preliminary face to face conversation with the candidate. This can quickly cut say 30 resumes down to a select few.Becca walks through a few things to consider when deciding to use video introductions in the recruitment process. One thing is to establish clear guidelines and instructions for candidates to follow so they create a video that will get them noticed. It is a good idea to not tell them how to record the video or what tool to use. This can be a great way to see how resourceful the candidate is. Another thing is to set a time limit of how long the video needs to be. This will show if candidates understand how to be concise and focused. Since it is an introduction, keep videos short and to no longer than 1 minute. Listen in to understand how to streamline your selection process!00:23 Video introductions provide a more personal way to evaluate candidates1:18 Text-based resumes may not effectively differentiate candidates2:30 To incorporate video introductions, set clear guidelines for candidatesTune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here. Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREAre you someone who has had to step back into a previous role? In this episode, Jim and Tyson discuss the challenges and opportunities that arise when law firm owners have to step back into roles they had previously delegated. If you are a law firm owner or work in a management role within the legal field, there may come a time where you will have to step into a role that was once filled by someone you delegated. This means there are a lot of learning curves and adjustments needed in order to do things right. Sometimes, being pulled back into a role is unexpected and will shift priorities because a whole team of people need you to step in and take control.Tyson shares an example of stepping into a role when another attorney resigned. He learned about issues that existed in some cases that he never would have known if he didnt step into the role. This led to some new processes and protocols being put in place to deal with the issues. Jim says as law firm owners, they need to have a more active role in their team’s day to day operations.Jim shares the frustration of getting pulled back into a leadership role and not feeling okay with giving the reins to the new person. It can be hard to turn things over to a new leader after doing the work for a few months and ironing out all the kinks. Jim shares his experience with finally cleaning up the intake system for his firm and feeling himself holding back in giving the responsibility to the new manager. Sometimes there is this feeling of wanting to perfect something before you give it away. This can cause you to not get back into your former routine and focus on your main tasks. It is important to trust yourself and the person who has come into the role to take over and lead.Jim and Tyson talk about decision making and the need to make them quickly, especially if you want things to get done and cases to close at times that are appropriate. Whether the decision is right or wrong, it is important to make the decision so you are not lagging and wasting time. For example, if you need to replace a team member or hire because there is a need, do it now so that worry is dealt with.Take a listen to learn more!Jim’s Hack: If you don't have an assistant, you are the assistant. If you are doing all the lower level work and you are busy, you need to pass it down to other people. It is important to hire virtual assistants or other administrative staff to optimize yourself.Tyson’s Tip: Treat every hour working out or sleeping as being worth $10,000. That way, you are more likely to focus and prioritize doing it.3:11 Tyson and Jim share their personal experience of being pulled back into a leadership role11:00 The frustration and guilt experienced when being dragged back into tasks17:26 Highlighting the need to make decisions quickly

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREAre you an attorney who is looking to improve efficiency with your firm? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer Podcast, Tyson discusses the "90/10 Principle" for improving law firm efficiency and profitability.Tyson discusses the importance of the 90/10 principle. The principle involves clearing the 10% of cases that are either not profitable for the firm or attorneys don't want to focus on them to create a more lean practice. In order to identify these cases, you need to go through the caseload and pinpoint the bottom 10% by determining the case value. Looking at the financial side of things is a great way to determine this because you can determine how much money it costs to keep the case on the books. Figure out how much resources are going towards a case. If it is high, it might be time to cut ties with it. Also consider how much energy is being put towards a case. If the case is sucking a lot of energy and time from the firm, it can be put in that 10%. Once you determine the bottom 10%, look to identify the top 10% of cases for the firm. This is because once you shed the cases you don't want, all that energy will be put towards the top 10%. This could mean delegating your best attorneys to those 10% since they are high priority.Ensure this is a recurring process. For example, put time in your calendar once a quarter or once a year to re-evaluate the cases that the firm is handling. This could be changing the bottom 10% and top 10% every 4 or 12 months.Take a listen to find out how to ensure greater efficiency for your firm!00:24 Introducing the 90/10 principle, a variation of the Pareto principle2:25 The process of identifying the bottom 10% of cases3:20 Redirecting the effort from the bottom 10% of cases to the top 10%Tune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here. Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Do you need some tips in completing projects effectively? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer Podcast, Becca, the CEO of Maximum Lawyer shares essential strategies for executing projects effectively.No matter the project, it is important to have a clear vision, roadmap and approach to reach the outcome you want. Becca emphasizes the need to start a project with the end in mind. It really helps envision the success of the project. It is important to create an outline to ensure you stay on track. Outline the goal and write out a list of broad steps from the start of the project to the end. After this, it is important to define the due date. It needs to be one that is realistic and attainable. If you do not set a due date, the project will simply not get done because other things will take priority or take you away from working on it. When working on a project, it is crucial to ensure you put time in your calendar to get it done. Whether it's 30 minutes a day or a few hours a week, put that block in the calendar so you are accountable to work on it.Many projects are complex, with multiple people working on them and dozens of tasks to complete. Some tasks themselves are too big to just do and they need to be broken down into subtasks. This will take the overwhelming feeling away from yourself or your team when it comes to getting things done. Make sure to have a good project management system or tool to track all progress. Listen in to learn about the best way to get a project done!00:23 Importance of having a clear vision of the desired outcome before starting any project1:16 The significance of defining goals and due dates2:20 The strategy of breaking down broader project steps into smaller subtasksTune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here. Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREAre you an attorney who needs help with delivering presentations? In this podcast episode, Jim and Tyson host Val Madama, a legal presentation coach. Val shares her journey from practicing food and drug law to coaching lawyers on improving their presentation skills.Mastering presentations is a skill that takes practice. Val goes over a few common mistakes lawyers make when giving presentations. One mistake is assuming everyone needs the same things from the presentation when really everyone needs something different and will walk away with something different. This means the way you communicate to an audience should reflect this idea. Tailoring a presentation to each audience is key to keeping them engaged. If the presentation is about writing legal briefs, tailor your content to that. Another mistake is not presenting using plain language. Legal jargon only makes sense to lawyers. If you are giving a presentation to an audience who is not, ensure your slides and your language is clear and makes sense. Think about starting presentations off with a thesis or why you are there and what you are trying to “prove”.Val, Jim and Tyson talk about the importance of storytelling when presenting. A lot of people are more focused on making their slides look better or using eye-catching software to create their presentation. Others are more concerned with not stumbling and making sure their entire presentation is perfect. The reality is there will be stumbling or saying “um” or “like” and that is fine. As long as the presentation flows like you are telling a story, the presentation is a success.Ensuring there is enough time to practice for a presentation is really important to delivering it well. Val talks about developing muscle memory when practicing. The more you practice, the easier it is to remember and create that flow. One trick is to treat the presentation as if it were a conversation with colleagues or a normal Monday morning meeting discussing the week ahead. This also takes the “nervousness” out of presenting because it is being treated like any other conversation. Start rehearsing for presentations when you are 75% done creating it. This will allow you to flesh out any issues and go back and forth in how you will say things. This will shape your speech and also develop muscle memory. Though rehearsing is important, make sure to step away from the presentation to allow for the muscle memory to develop better. This will also not create a robotic speech to your presentation.Take a listen!Jim’s Hack: There is no substitute for meeting people face to face ( like your team!) Val’s Tip: For everyone's next presentation figure out what the action you want people to take, and then identify 1 to 2 benefits of that action, and let that be your whole thesis statement. Tyson Tip: Change the mindset with a quote by Guy Ritchie: Love the game because you're in it. Own the game, accept the rules and move into the rules. 3:00 Common mistakes lawyers make in presentations4:28 The importance of using plain language and avoiding legal jargon10:29 Prioritizing content, storytelling, and tailoring the presentation16:56 Regular practice and muscle memory in improving presentation skills19:39 The importance of taking a break from rehearsing to allow for passion to consolidate🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube here.Connect with Val:Website Linkedin

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREAre you looking for a new tech tool to help with making quick searches? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer Podcast, Tyson introduces a new app called Perplexity and how attorneys can use it to their advantage.Perplexity is an app that simplifies and accelerates searches made on the web. It works differently from a Google search engine that will spit out dozens of websites which forces you to go through every one until you find your answer. The app makes searching for information so much faster. Tyson uses an example of asking the app “How do I speed up a website?” From here, Perplexity organizes the sources. Some responses are to optimize images, use a content delivery network and evaluate the hosting provider. The app lists the sources and websites that the options came from. At this point, you are able to click the options Perplexity gives you which takes you to the website directly.Listen in to learn more about how the app will simplify legal research!1:09 Tyson shares the new app called Perplexity2:05 Features of Perplexity4:02 Testing Perplexity for legal researchTune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here. Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREAre you trying to find a way to become more tech savvy? In this podcast episode, Tyson discusses the capabilities and limitations of ChatGPT, an AI assistant. He demonstrates how it can answer questions, provide suggestions, and engage in dialogue.ChatGPT as a tool has become more advanced since its launch in 2022. The new function includes a conversational component that is very interesting. The tool can handle text based tasks, can generate emails and create drafts for legal blogs. Tyson talks about the voice feature of ChatGPT, which really makes interacting with the tool more like a dialogue. It is a great tool for summarizing and analyzing texts, but not particularly legal texts. Instead of sitting and reading through a text to figure out the important details, you can copy and paste it into the tool and it will provide you with the cliff notes. For the voice feature, you could just ask the tool a question and go back and forth to get the answer you need.ChatGPT can save searches, responses and conversations as well as create meeting minutes!Take a listen and learn how to stay ahead of the tech curve as an attorney.2:11 ChatGPT can handle text-based tasks easily.3:24 ChatGPT can analyze large chunks of text.5:31 ChatGPT suggests creating FAQs, using conversational language, and writing blog posts.Tune in to today’s episode and checkout the full show notes here. Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREAre you an attorney who needs some tips on what to avoid doing? In this live podcast episode, hosts Jim and Tyson discuss 99 things that lawyers should stop doing. Jim and Tyson go over a long list of things attorneys should not do and provide advice on what to do instead in order to become more successful in the legal field. One of these is to not schedule hour-long meetings. Truthfully, most meetings do not need to be a full hour. Go into meetings with a defined agenda and don't waste time talking about things that are irrelevant. Attorneys are known to work long hours with little sleep. Tyson and Jim really emphasize the need to get enough sleep to maintain good health and to be more productive. Set boundaries on when you need to finish your work in the office and transition over to doing things that help you unwind. That could be implementing a hard stop at 5pm and putting your phone on silent until the morning. Many people fall victim to saying yes to everything as a way to keep the peace and avoid conflict. As attorneys, you will be busy with a lot of moving pieces throughout your day. You will not have time to take on every case or please every client. Learn how to say no and get comfortable with the feeling.It is important to not compare yourself to others and focus on your own goals. The legal field is full of aspiring attorneys who want to be the best in the business and will try to compete against their fellow colleagues. This can really eat away at many people’s self esteem and progress. Tyson and Jim talk about the importance of focusing on your own goals and not letting other people’s progress affect your own.Mental health is an important thing to focus on. It is important to focus on both your personal mental health and that of your team. Think about the decisions you make as a leader that affect their work and personal lives. Make it a priority to have routine conversations with your team to understand how they are feeling and how to adjust expectations.Take a listen to learn more!1:39 Avoid wasting time on unscheduled phone calls and hour-long meetings3:13 Prioritize getting enough sleep to maintain good health and improve productivity8:23 Discussion of the importance of saying no18:13 Focusing on your own growth and improvement26:36 Importance of considering the mental health of both yourself and your team Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREMeet Aaron Levinson, a former prosecuting attorney who recently launched his own law firm. Aaron's journey from being a prosecutor to starting his own firm is a testament to his determination and resilience. Listen into this episode where Jim and Tyson dive deep into how and what Aaron did to start his own law firm. 01:06 Aaron’s transition from being a prosecutor to starting his own law practice07:22 Starting his own firm 09:53 Aaron discusses his plans and observations while still working as a prosecutor, and the steps he took to prepare for starting his own law firm11:12 Aaron talks about the different mindset required for being a prosecutor versus a criminal defense attorney and how he approached the moral quandaries of each role16:57 Aaron discusses the unexpected aspects of running his own law practice, including the supportive network of attorneys and the misconceptions he had about competition. He also shares his plans for future hiresJim’s Hack: When people show you who they really are, believe them the first time. As it relates to potential new clients.Aaron’s Tip: Say “Yes!” and be open minded and experience new opportunities.Tyson’s Tip: Use ChatGPT upgrade where it talks back to you in a conversationConnect with Aaron:Website

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREDo you want to increase the client experience when using websites? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer Podcast, Tyson discusses the importance of website load speed for law firms. Tyson talks about the reasons why load speed is crucial for law firms. One reason is client experience and the second is SEO (search engine optimization). You want to make sure your law firm's website is up to date and running smoothly so clients can access your company’s information quickly and without any issues. If a potential client is finding it difficult to locate you online or if your website is slow, they will give up and click on the next firm’s website. That is one way you lose potential clients, so it is important to focus on this and find quality servers.Tyson provides a few ways firms can maximize websites for the best results. One is to optimize images. There are many tools on the internet that you can use to reduce the bandwidth of images to which they are reduced but keep the same quality. This helps maintain that good client user experience. Another way is to utilize browser caching, which allows for elements to be stored on the user's (in law firm’s cases, potential clients) browser. This will allow for your information, like your site or images to load faster. Listen in to learn more on how to maximize the client experience!2:06 Tips on how to optimize images on your website to improve load speed3:22 How to minimizing HTTP requests can speed up your website5:08 The importance of hosting your website on a private server Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREDo you want to know the best method to set and achieve goals? In this episode, Tyson discusses the importance of setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals. Goals are only possible if they are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and have a deadline. Many people are not able to reach goals because they are too broad and with that comes impossible ideals in order to achieve it. Goals need to be realistic to you and your lifestyle. If you have a goal to make $1 million in 2 years, think about the actual possibility of that. Think about how much money you make now and what your profit margin needs to be as a business owner to get there. It might include adding or removing a few things to get to that goal.Tyson breaks down each aspect of SMART goals. The “S” is specific, which means narrowing down your goal to something simple. If someone asks you what your goal is, it should be clear and concise. “M” stands for measurable. A goal needs to be measured or tracked somehow. This could mean every week checking in on the numbers and seeing how things are going. “A” stands for achievable, in which a goal has to be realistic and in your capacity to achieve. If it is not, you need to figure out a way to make it possible. ”R” is relevant, which means the goal needs to align with your mission and what is within your vision. Finally, “T” stands for timebound, which is setting a deadline to finish your goal. Nothing will get done unless a deadline is set. This is not just the case for goals, but for projects. No project just starts and ends as there is work put in with timelines in place to make sure people are held accountable for the work. This applies for individual goals as well.Take a listen!00:24 The importance of setting SMART goals1:13 The struggle with setting specific goals2:56 The components of SMART goals Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREDo you want to learn more about how to create and maintain a successful business? In this episode, CPA Tim McKee delivers a presentation on "Metrics That Matter" at the 2022 Maximum Lawyer conference. Tim discusses the many ways to run a successful law firm.Tim shares how there are only 4 ways to grow a law firm: increase the value of each transaction or resolution, get clients to revisit, take on more cases and increase the value of those cases. Working in law firms, attorneys focus on identifying what the information is and how to go about obtaining it. Obtaining it comes from data systems such as spreadsheets, KPI systems, case management systems, etc.As law firm owners, communication is key to a successful business and a well functioning team. Tim talks about the importance of communicating to the team about performance, where things are going well and where things are lagging. Most times, teams don't perform well because there is a lack of clear communication on expectations. If this is the case, you need to ask yourself as an owner if you are providing your staff with the right tools to succeed and if they have had the right training to do it successfully.It is important to train staff in order to get the results you want for your business. No one walks into a job knowing everything there is to know. You also can’t expect new staff to know everything right off the bat without a proper onboarding plan. There needs to be something in place to ensure staff are showing up and performing, otherwise you get turnover and a bad workplace culture.Tim goes through a few key performance indicators (KPIs) that businesses and firms should consider to understand how well the firm is doing. One of these is diagnostic reporting. This involves categorizing cases which then are turned into numbers and percentages that can be analyzed. This could be closed cases with a fee, closed cases with no fee, cases that didn't make it to trial, cases with a physical injury, etc. The categories are endless, but what this does is take all of the information and pump out numbers that show the performance of the firm and how many cases are being handled each month or year.Listen in to learn more!1:59 Four methods for growing a law firm9:13 If there is low performance …13:20 Highlighting the need for training and coaching in order to achieve desired resultsConnect with Tim:Website Instagram Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Are you wanting to learn a few more law firm business tips? In this podcast episode, Jim and Tyson discuss what they have learned from each other about running a law firm. They talk about lessons learned and things both have implemented over their working relationship.Jim speaks to the things he has learned from Tyson. One thing is the importance of incremental improvement. Many people feel they need to create the perfect formula or system to get things done. The reality is that improving a little bit each day or slowly working towards a goal little by little will truly get you far. Another thing Jim has learned is to systematize aspects of a firm for maximum efficiency. It is important to identify and invest in systems that will take your firm to the next level and make it the best it can be. This comes with streamlining processes or working with different technologies to make the client intake system better.Jim continues with learning how to stop the “BS”, which is another thing that Tyson has inspired him to do. Many people struggle with doing what they know they need to do or do what they know is right. It could be fear of rejection or the fear of getting people mad. The reality is nothing will get done unless you do what needs to be done, regardless of who gets upset or if it fails.Tyson shares how Jim is able to address and embrace the pain he has endured. Jim shares how Tyson is able to address, own and control the painful experiences of the past. A lot of people are not able to do this as it takes a certain level of awareness and strength to use it to one’s advantage. But, to use it as fuel and motivation when working with clients is very rewarding and makes you a better lawyer. Tyson also shares that he has learned the importance of taking a stance and position on things from Jim. Many people struggle with taking a strong stance on something they believe in. Tyson talks about how Jim does this very well in his marketing strategies to convey his message to potential clients. Doing this is not about making sure everyone likes you but about showing those that need your help that you are behind them.Not caring about other people’s opinion is another thing that Tyson shares that he learned from Jim. This is another issue that people tend to do and it can cause people to minimize their growth and success. The truth is even if you don't believe it inside, saying it out loud can bring a sense of power to you that can then lead you to believing it. With this, it is important to surround yourself with people that matter and will support you through your career.Take a listen to learn a few things from Jim and Tyson.2:02 Focus on making small improvements each day 5:49 Embrace the pain in life8:15 Dedication to creating and implementing systems13:22 Exploration of the value of taking a position and not being afraid to be divisive🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube here. https://youtu.be/hRsONq-JJL8

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREAre you looking for a unique way to market your law firm? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer Podcast, Tyson discusses the growing use of voice search assistants like Siri, Google Assistant, and Alexa, and its impact on marketing strategies.What makes voice search assistants so popular is the conversational piece that exists. It feels like you are having a conversation with someone. Tyson talks about how people are asking more detailed questions. For example, no one is just searching “personal injury law”. People are searching “Where is the closest personal injury lawyer to me” or “What is the best rated personal injury lawyer in my city”.For these voice search assistants to show your business when someone is searching, it is important to ensure your contact information is up to date. This is because if someone asks Siri or Alexa for the closest personal injury firm in their city, it will pump out all the ones within their range and the information that is already online. If your address is wrong or your phone number is not updated, these assistants will not provide potential clients with the right information. This truly puts you at a disadvantage. Optimize Google My Business to ensure potential clients are seeing you through voice assistants.Take a listen!00:24 The growing usage of voice search assistants like Siri and Google Assistant.3:20 The importance of optimizing for local search as voice searches are often local. Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Watch the YouTube version of this episode HEREAre you an attorney who needs a new elevator pitch? In this episode, host Tyson introduces the "What Why How" method, a strategy for articulating one's professional role and purpose that can elevate a law practice.This method can be used as an elevator pitch or if you are wanting to express what your firm does to clients. It is a 4 step process that is designed to articulate what you do, why it matters how it is done and who you serve. There are 4 questions to ask yourself: Why do I do it/Why is it helpful? How do I accomplish it? What is my niche/practice area? What kind of lawyer am I?This can be taken to another level by adding some storytelling to give the method some life. This allows for more relatability and passion. As a lawyer there are many stories of struggle and strife that clients go through to get their lives back in order. For personal injury lawyers like Tyson, many clients suffer financial loss and mental stress. Weaving in stories of clients who need help and expressing how you are going to help them are great ways to showcase what you do.Take a listen!1:03 The “what, why, how method”2:15 Method example 3:57 Adding storytelling to the method Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Are you thinking about focusing on email marketing for your firm? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer Podcast, Jim provides practical tips for effective email marketing within a law firm. In order to do email marketing, you need to be dedicated and committed. This is because email marketing usually entails sending planned mass emails to people depending on what is in your marketing plan. Sending sporadic, random emails to people will not be as effective, so it is important to sit down and plan how email marketing is going to look for your firm. Another aspect of email marketing is building a dedicated email list of people who are already subscribed or have connected with your firm.Jim outlines the difference between leading and lagging indicators. Leading indicators are what you can control and what you can do to get more subscribers or clients. For example, if you are wanting to dedicate your time to email marketing, focus on sending out dedicated content. Make a plan to send out 3 emails to your email list each week for a year. Lagging indicators are things that you can’t control. This can be losing subscribers or clients as you are dedicating yourself to sending out 3 emails a week.Planning content ahead is crucial to ensure you do not fall behind. It is important to plan for email launches weeks in advance to ensure everything in your email is covered. Writing an email the day it is to be launched is one of the worst things you can do when email marketing. Make a plan ahead of time!Jim also talks about the importance of having a call to action for those who are reading your emails. This provides people with things to do. An example can be inviting people to join a Facebook group or to sign up for an upcoming webinar. This connects those on your email list with other platforms and brings more subscribers or watchers to those platforms.Another important aspect of email marketing is using branded and unbranded emails. Branded emails will have your logo and name of your firm, while unbranded will not. There are reasons to use both which can make email marketing effective. It is good to use branded emails for the sporadic, blow horn emails. Unbranded emails are more effective as they are short, personal and usually ask for a reply. You can even respond to these replies using a template, especially if you are getting the same response from different people.List segmentation is another great aspect of email marketing. Using email providers like Mailchimp allow you to segment your emails based on a topic. For example, if you get a bunch of people asking about citizenship or the process of getting citizenship, you can segment your list to where you can send these people all types of information only on citizenship. As a lawyer, this will allow you to help solve a specific problem.Listen in to learn more on how to do effective email marketing.1:10 The importance of making a decision to do email marketing10:41 The significance of including a call to action at the bottom of an email11:37 The effectiveness of unbranded emails that are short and personal🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube here. Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Are you a lawyer who doesn't have LinkedIn? In this podcast episode, Jim and Tyson talk with Jason Cheung, a LinkedIn expert who assists lawyers in improving their online presence. They discuss the significance of LinkedIn for legal professionals.LinkedIn is one of the only platforms that provide exposure to corporate professionals. It provides people with the chance to know who is in their industry and can make that connection for professional development and career growth. Jason provides his approach to using LinkedIn. He uses a storytelling angle that can be beneficial for lawyers. He uses the example of describing a problem a client had and the processes he used to solve that problem. Potential clients want to see how you have helped others which will provide them with comfort that you will do the same. It will also provide partners or other firms with the chance to understand how you work.Jason shares how to convert LinkedIn posts to actual clients. He talks about the importance of including a call to action in posts. Most people do not want to just cold call a lawyer or email them, but if you add that little message at the end inviting people to reach out, it makes it easier on the client. Another way is to reply to comments from viewers and followers. Ask someone about the problem they're having, which might end up in your direct messages where there is a bit of a back and forth prior to having a client intake call.For lawyers who use LinkedIn, it is important to engage with people who like your posts. These individuals may not follow you, but there is a benefit in sending them a friend request to connect and adding a message of “Thanks for liking my post, I look forward to connecting”. This allows the individual to know that you are responsive and active and that they can have a chat down the line if they feel you can be of help.Listen in to learn more!Jim Hack: Use the 6 minute rule. This rule is when you find yourself done with a project and you have 6 minutes left, start on another project. If you have less than 6 minutes, use it to goof around on your phone.Jason’s Tip: Is to always make the assumption that people who don't know you would love to talk to you. 90% of the time people do want to engage. You have nothing to lose with this tactic and it is a great way to expand your network quickly.Tyson’s Tip: Call your parents more because they are getting older and time goes by quickly. The same goes with colleagues. Connect with your colleagues more and check in on them.5:32 Jason shares his approach to creating LinkedIn posts11:20 Tips on how to convert LinkedIn posts into actual clients21:35 Jason provides information about his LinkedIn marketing practiceConnect with Jason:WebsiteLink Me AI Jason’s Email: [email protected] 🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube here.

Are you looking for tips on how to use your phone more efficiently? In this episode, Tyson discusses various tips and tricks for iPhone users and shares advice on how to use different features.One feature Tyson talks about is text replacement, which allows you to set up shortcuts for phrases you use frequently. This is great for those that use their phones a lot, especially for work. The pathway to do this is Settings, then General and then Keyboard/Text. Another great feature that many people deal with is silencing unknown and spam callers. We all get those spam calls that just cause frustration. The pathway is Settings, then Phone and then Turn On Silence Callers.Tyson shares an interesting trick that allows people to create different ringtones and vibrations for different callers. The pathway is to go to the individual contact, then select edit ringtone. This can be done for each person. Another trick for all the headphone users is Siri announcing messages through your headphones. This is really handy if you work with headphones in and don't want to glance down at your phone every time a message comes through. The pathway is Siri and search Announce MessagesThere are ways to connect your phone with your computer to work better. There is a feature called handoff that allows you to start something on one device and finish it on another. For example, if you are typing an email on your phone but then you get distracted, you can use the feature to finish it on your laptop. You simply turn on the handoff feature in your settings. Listen in to learn more!1:13 Setting up shortcuts for frequently used phrases on iPhone2:04 Avoiding spam calls by enabling the "Silence Unknown Callers" setting in iPhone2:57 Using the back tap feature to execute different actions🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube here. Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Do you need a tip to help with organization while completing a project? In this episode, Tyson discusses the use of Kanban boards for task management and improving productivity. Kanban boards are a great way to improve productivity in your firm. Kanban boards are divided into columns, with each representing a stage in your workflow. It shows the start to finish of a project. It is a great way to visualize how your work is getting done. It is perfect for visual learners and working with a solid team. There are many variations of a Kanban board. They can be used in an app or even put up on a wall in your office for everyone to see and add to. A really great way to utilize a Kanban board is to have 4 columns: to do, in progress, review and complete. This way people can move sticky notes from one column to another, depending on where that task is along the cycle of a project.Kanban boards can also be used for your personal life. If you have a busy life, where personal and business tend to mesh together, you can build a physical one on your wall at home. Add all the different tasks you need to get done: walk the dog, cook dinner, help kids with homework, read a chapter of a book, workout. etc. The list is truly endless. This will allow you to visually see what you need to get done and when.Kanban boards provide a birds eye view of all ongoing tasks. You can easily see what is happening now and what will happen later on. It also helps to promote better work habits with your teams. Honestly, who doesn't want to have a giant board of sticky notes that everyone is moving around as things get done!Listen in to learn how to better communicate with your team and enhance productivity.2:08 Tyson explains the concept of a Kanban board.9:44 Tyson discusses different ways Kanban boards can be used.11:28 Kanban boards provide a bird's eye view of ongoing tasks.🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube here. Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn

Are you struggling with knowing how to build a business from the ground up? In this episode, Jessica Gonifas shares her insights on building a successful law firm. She provides some tips on how to gain the confidence needed to run a business. In order to run a business, you need to have a good understanding of your firm’s numbers and where your firm sits financially. Jessica shares some questions to ask when you get your books in order. Ask yourself: Where is the revenue coming from? So what are the types of cases you take and how much profit are making from these cases. Another question is where is your money going? How much is going towards salaries, softwares, training, etc. The last question is what is the firm’s profit margin? With this, it is important to partner with an accountant that understands law firms who can help determine this margin.When starting out as a new firm owner, it is important to understand what your personal and work goals are as well as the time you are willing to commit. For personal goals, consider how much money you want to take out of the firm and how much your family needs on an annual basis to keep afloat. In relation to work goals, understand what your purpose is at work. Are you reviewing technical work, doing technical work or going out and getting clients? The time you dedicate to your firm is so important because it will determine how much you make. Decide how many hours a week you want to work.Jessica emphasizes the importance of having a big picture goal. What do you want your firm to look like in 5 years? What steps will you take to get there? In doing this, think about what you need to do as an owner and what your staff need to do as they help you run the business. Think about all the things you want to accomplish (ie. a certain number of cases, a new intake system, a new tech tool for the firm, etc.) and outline exactly how to get there. It might be good to break them down into quarterly objectives, that way it is spread out over 4 periods and you can take time throughout the year to plan.Listen in to learn more!1:12 The importance of financial structure and asking key questions4:16 What about personal goals, work responsibilities and time commitment?8:16 The importance of setting big picture goals🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube here.Connect with Jessica:Website Facebook Page Facebook LinkedIn Instagram TikTok

Do you need help in maximizing productivity as a lawyer? In this podcast episode, Jim and Tyson talk to solopreneur Lauren Lester, who runs her own estate and family law firm, Lester Law. She shares her journey into law as a second career. Lauren shares a few tips attorneys can use to maximize productivity. For new attorneys, it is important to identify where inefficiencies lie in the repetitive tasks. Because you are doing things over and over, it makes sense to see what is not working or how to develop a system to do that thing better so it becomes easier and faster for you. For Lauren, she uses technology as leverage to make these tasks more efficient. For those that are too busy to develop systems, it might be best to focus on the one task that either takes the longest to do or is extremely important and build something around it.Another tip Lauren shares is how to manage a busy personal life with an equally busy business. It is really important to schedule time for yourself when you have a busy life. One thing to do is protect your time. For example, Lauren shares how a client really wanted to meet with her the following morning at 9am, but she already booked an hour 1 gym session. She responded back saying the earliest time available was 11am. Clients do not need to know your work schedule. Doing this will allow for a more structured day where you can fit in time for personal care.A lot of attorneys struggle with the billable hour, which is charging clients a fee by the hour. You will always hear people say “They charge by the hour” or “I pay $200 for a client call with my lawyer”. For attorneys, it is important to have value based pricing. In this profession, most have worked in the industry for a long time and have a lot of experience and expertise, but do not bill clients based on that. A shift in mindset towards billing based on the value you bring to a client is needed to succeed.In this day and age, there has been a shift in having a better work life balance. No one wants to work 80 hour weeks, feel burned out and not enjoy the money they make. Lauren provides advice on how older attorneys can work with the younger generation to learn this. The value of an employee is not the time they spend sitting at a desk, but hitting benchmarks in a time that works for them. For example, an employee may be able to accomplish a task in an hour as opposed to spending their whole work day doing it. That person should not be punished because they did their job quicker. As long as the objective for the business is being met, who cares how fast it took them to complete it. Take a listen to learn more!8:17 Tips for solo attorneys or attorneys starting out to maximize productivity10:49 Tips for managing personal and business life15:45 Discussion of the challenges attorneys face with the billable hour18:33 Advice on how law firm owners can work with the younger generationJim's Hack: Read or listen to $100M Leads: How to Get Strangers to Want to Buy Your Stuff Alex Hormozi https://amzn.to/4998nkvLauren’s Tip: Tech tool called Text Expander, which allows you to create little snippets of things you are constantly writing. Whether it be closing out an email with a signature phrase or acronyms that you need to spell out, the tool allows you to get emails out faster.Tyson Tip: Use Teleprompter when creating videos, which allows you to copy and paste text into it and then adjust the speed.🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube here.Connect with Lauren:WebsiteTikTok LinkedIn Instagram

Do you want to learn how to become a keyboard wizard? In this episode, Tyson shares an important tip lawyers can use in their practice, which involves using a keyboard. Lawyers are very busy people and usually don't have a lot of time. There are keyboard shortcuts that attorneys can use that will make work more efficient, especially if you do repetitive tasks. Some of these shortcuts include functions like: Copy: Control + C or Command + C to copy Paste: Control + V or Command + V to pasteDelete: On a Mac, you click Command + Delete OR on a PC, you click Command + Shift + Delete.Entire screen screenshot: Click Shift + Command + 3 for a Mac OR on a PC, you select the print screen button on the keyboardThere are some advanced functions that Tyson shares. If you want to quickly lock your screen, you press Command + Q for a PC. If you want to open your emoji keyboard on your screen, it's Control + Command + Space for Mac. For a PC, it is “Windows.Windows;” Another interesting function is looking up a definition. For a Mac, click Command + Control + D, all while hovering above the word you want to look up. For PC, it is Alt + Click.All of these shortcuts take practice to learn and master. Sooner or later, you will be able to use them to streamline your workflows.Listen in to learn how to master using your keyboard!1:10 Why keyboard shortcuts are important for efficiency4:49 Basic keyboard shortcuts for common actions10:11 How to quickly lock the screen on a Mac or PC using keyboard shortcuts11:03 How to quickly show the desktop on a Mac or PC🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube here. Resources:Join the Guild MembershipSubscribe to the Maximum Lawyer Youtube ChannelFollow us on InstagramJoin the Facebook GroupFollow the Facebook PageFollow us on LinkedIn