Un-Billable Hour: Business Management Strategies for the Busy Lawyer Around the Community Table

Marketing and sales are keys to building your business. But where do they meet? It takes two to tango, and “Intake” is the junction. Good intake is always worth the effort. Guest Bo Royal is co-founder of Pareto Legal and has worked with several Fortune 1,000 companies and scores of law firms. He specializes in helping small and medium sized law firms build their business and strengthen their intake process. Data tracking and quality matters. Follow the trail, understand how the marketing funnel is working and where to get prospects in the door and sign that retainer. Intake is about nurturing inbound leads – the results of your advertising and marketing – and turning them into clients. Intake can make or break all of your marketing and sales efforts. Don’t build a “leaky bucket.” You worked hard, and spent a lot, to develop leads. This is an important episode that can help you go that last mile from generating interest to capturing revenue. Track the “journey” of every prospect. It’s not luck, it’s a process. Mentioned in this Episode: Pareto Legal Pareto PPC LinkedIn Lawmatics Needles legal software Hubspot Clio Grow Google Analytics for beginners Join The Un-Billable Hour Community Table

In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table: AI is all the rage in the public media, but how are lawyers using it in real life? For starters, it can help you with written communications. Tone down an angry brief or client communication. Write advertising or blog communications. Even create Excel formulas. (But remember, it’s a tool, not a replacement for your skills!). How do you convey the value of a paid consultation? Help clients understand what they get by paying for a professional consultation. Sometimes it starts with an explanation that every case is different, and only a paid consultation can explore all available options before hiring an attorney. Tell prospects what they can expect from you and your conversation is more than a sales call. Marketing is important. And it’s expensive. How do you know when you’re getting the right ROI? It takes some math. Do you know how much you’re spending and how many paying clients are a direct result? Plus, the risks and rewards of posting your firm’s phone number prominently. Sometimes putting your number out there generates spam and time-wasting calls when a simple online scheduling tool could be more efficient. What’s right for you? Mentioned in this Episode: ChatGPT 4 Paxton AI for legal profession “Michael Cohen Says He Unwittingly Sent AI-Generated Fake Legal Cases To His Attorney,” NPR Microsoft Excel “PPC For Lawyers: It's About Cost Per Client, NOT Cost-Per-Click,” Lunch Hour Legal Marketing on Legal Talk Network “Getting Started With Local Services Ads,” Google Calendly Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind?

Business and professional growth are at the core of your business. This episode is about growth. Growing your business intentionally. Are you working “for your business” or “in your business?” Guest and growth guru Rick Watson helps business owners – like you – go beyond daily tasks to focus on real growth. Watson started his consulting dynasty with a dream and twenty bucks in his pocket. He’s now the successful owner of several businesses, including a half billion-dollar registered investment advisory, and he’s the founder the National Referral Network. He walks the walk and provides solid insights. Learn to think like an entrepreneur, not a practitioner. Don’t set artificial limits on your business. This is a deep dive, and it may force you to think. It’s about culture, goals, hiring, and about directing your firm and your future with purpose. If you’re on a treadmill running daily operations and chasing leads, you may be letting your business and your opportunities slip away. Separate good growth from bad growth, cut the mundane tasks, and energize your firm today. Mentioned in this Episode: Video, “The Growth Minded Accountant: A Firm Worth Building With Rick Watson” Book, “A Firm Worth Building: Running a Better Professional Business,” By Rick Watson Join The Un-Billable Hour Community Table

In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table: We start with an attorney who wants to balance hiring and firm growth. What happens when you hire “too much” team for the work or have “too much work” for the team? It’s a delicate dance. Start with a business plan and control the one thing you can, the number of cases you accept. It’s OK to say no to a new potential client. (Plus, find out what Christopher calls a “bull$#!* plan”). What happens when you haven’t explored new ways to market and you fall behind? No use crying over spilt milk, but honestly, get on it. You start from where you are. Understand what you’re doing, what’s working, and what’s failing. A swift kick in the pants may get you motivated. And how do you help a long-standing employee establish some metrics, mainly a minimum billable hour requirement? Be straightforward, but it’s a balancing act. Sometimes you gotta be cruel to be kind (in the right measure). Mentioned in this Episode: Empirical360 BlueShark Digital Marketing What are LSAs? (Local Service Ads) Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind?

Production and technology are inextricably intertwined. That doesn’t mean online tech replaces the human touch. It means today’s tech tools can help you better serve clients. But you still need to ask, anticipate, listen, and deliver. Guest Joey Seeber – an experienced litigator and the founder of the legal tech consulting and implementation company Level Legal – explores how tech and humans work together. The legal world has become a digital jungle. Virtually everything is digitized. But untangling the bits and bytes and preparing them for courtroom presentation takes know-how and careful thought. There is no longer simply “acceptance” of technology; instead, technical competence is expected. The trick is finding the perfect point where tech meets the human touch, allowing lawyers to best serve clients and to meet needs and understand things that go unsaid. From eDiscovery to AI, the tools are out there. But the human application of those tools makes the real difference. How well do you understand your role as a human in a high-tech world? What makes you stand out? Hear some great tips about using the right tech while bringing your own special touch to surprise and delight your clients. Mentioned in this Episode: Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy Clio Cloud Conference ABA Techshow Legalweek 2024 Join The Un-Billable Hour Community Table

In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table: It’s a new year. The “Dos and Don’ts of New Year’s Resolutions.” It’s OK to set goals, heck, it’s great. But be reasonable, mindful even. There is no “magical thinking” that everything will change if you wish it. Review your past, understand yourself, share your vision. And if you need an unbiased opinion, ask someone. The dreaded sales slump isn’t cause for panic. If something has changed, your conversions fall off a cliff, take a deep breath and a logical approach. Don’t dash around like a squirrel in the road. You’ll find the flaw and correct it. Building your team isn’t easy, but if you take an open approach, you can do it. Interviewing a prospective team member is a marketing process – from both sides. You want to learn as much as you can about each other. If you have to spend some time and money getting it right, there’s nothing wrong with that. Mentioned in this Episode: The Atlantic, “You Can’t Simply Decide To Be A Different Person” by Amanda Mull Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind?

Technology has quickly become a topic that touches everything in the legal world. You can’t escape it. While learning to embrace the latest in legal tech is vital to the success of your firm, it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. We’re talking on this episode about how today’s emerging tech trends impact every aspect of your law firm – from client acquisition, to producing results, to generating profit – with guest Colin Levy, an author, speaker, and leader in the world of legal tech. But just buying a tech package won’t deliver value. Incorporating today’s new tech tools, understanding how they work, and truly understanding them (and then actually using them) is what drives value. Take the time to understand what you need, what problems you’re solving, then seek out the tech that actually gets you to your destination. Things are changing, and the rate of acceleration is accelerating, and we’re just getting started. Imagine AI drives the pace of change even faster. Before our eyes, technology is redefining what it means to be a lawyer. Mentioned in this Episode: Malbek “Handbook of Legal Tech,” by Colin Levy https://www.amazon.com/Legal-Tech-Ecosystem-Innovation-Advancement/dp/B0CKCZTLWW Clio Cloud Conference ABA Techshow Legalweek 2024 Join The Un-Billable Hour Community Table

In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table: Building an effective landing page is critical to making the most of your pay-per-click marketing dollars. Getting “clicks” is one thing, but then what? Hear how to craft a landing page that drives visitors to the next step: hiring you. Go beyond “call now.” Show why you’re the lawyer for the job. What makes you different? Referrals can be a big part of building your business, but getting them takes careful marketing and effective business relationships. It’s a two-way street. Be a friend to have a friend. It comes down to communication: if done well, it can be your cheapest marketing tool Building your business strategically helps you manage cash flow. If your practice area is too broad, you may be spreading your time across too many channels. And that can lead to cash shortfalls throughout the year. Understand what your business is really about and focus on that. You’re thinking of breaking away from a firm and starting your own practice? Hear some real-world advice from lawyers who have been there, done that. Mentioned in this Episode: Seth Godin, “The Mythical Head Of Marketing” Seth Godin’s blog Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind?

How to choose the legal tech that’s right for your firm, and how to reject the rest, without getting overwhelmed. What’s denying yourself and what’s overindulging? It can be overwhelming. Guest Jared Correia helps law firms understand available technology and separate what’s helpful from what’s simply bright and shiny. Correia looks at software from several angles: Intake, e-signature, customer relationship management, and performance monitoring. All are important, but how do they fit together? Ask yourself what you like about the software you have, and what do you hate, then what do you want, and finally what do you need. Most firms probably don’t need all the hardware they have in the office, including the servers and data storage. The cloud – data management by firms that specialize in secure data management – is the future. Learn the secrets of the “Core Four” of software: Productivity; Accounting; Case Management Software; and Customer Relationship Management. Hear how these bedrock systems are the foundation of any successful firm. Wait … what about what about AI? Mentioned in this Episode: Legal Toolkit podcast On The Road podcast “Twitter In One Hour For Lawyers” By Jared Correia Clio Cloud Conference ABA Techshow Filevine Join The Un-Billable Hour Community Table

In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table: A firm owner needs a computer policy for employees both in-office and working from home. What policies should she have for damage to the firm’s computers and client security? There’s insurance for physical damage. More important is protecting client data if a laptop is stolen or hacked. How can you protect client confidentiality, both for staff in the office and working from home? Is a contract IT team the answer? How do you split tasks between two admins? Hear how you can divide tasks to match each employee’s area of excellence. Carving out niches so each employee delivers maximum value creates a foundation for growth. You’ve hired a new employee, but they aren’t catching on. How much time do you allow before you know it’s not working, and you need to let them go? There is a reasonable period to expect results. It’s OK to be patient and retrain as needed, but don’t carry dead weight. Mentioned in this Episode: Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind? Previous appearance on the Community Table “Community Table: Using Vacations to Strengthen Company Culture”

Throughout his career in “big law” and fintech, guest Abdi Shayesteh struggled with the legal profession’s lack of formal training. “It was sink or swim” with every new challenge, he says. There had to be another way to help associates become better lawyers. Law school may not fully prepare graduates to practice law, and the old apprenticeship model – learning on the job – has fallen apart as new lawyers are expected to produce billable hours from the start, and clients expect to pay for results, not teaching new lawyers. After practicing law for years, Shayesteh founded AltaClaro, an online platform built to train law school graduates how to actually practice law by applying practical skills training in a structured, online environment. Attorneys deserve better, and so do clients. Hear how AltaClaro’s approach combines experiential learning techniques to help attorneys build skills and confidence in a low-risk environment. Lawyers learn, do, and review at their own pace with practice documents, contracts, and clients. Then they go through each exercise with a live, experienced, vetted professional. New attorneys get the skills they need, and firms get the fully trained associates they want. Mentioned in this Episode: Clio Cloud Conference Join The Un-Billable Hour Community Table

In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table: We start with an attorney who wants to create a fair referral compensation policy for his associate, a “grinder” who does everything asked. Recently, through a contact, the associate started bringing in new business. How does a firm set up a referral fee schedule? What’s fair to the associate and the firm? How to create effective, inviting “meet the attorney” videos as a relationship-building step with potential clients. What to include? What topics? How personal? Where do you post them on your website, or do you control when a potential client sees these? When it’s time for a managing attorney or a director of operations, start by understanding the duties of each position and the experiences needed. One position requires a background in law; the other needs experience running a business (that includes facilities management, finance, and the overall operation of your office). Mentioned in This Episode: Robert’s previous appearance on the Community Table “Community Table: Using Vacations to Strengthen Company Culture” WizeHire Legal Recruiting LinkedIn Talent Solutions Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind?

When it comes to law firm marketing, what is “niching?” Guest Chris Dreyer founded and leads the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) marketing firm Rankings.io. In a thoughtful, in-depth interview, Dreyer shares how to make your law firm stand out in a crowded field when you stop trying to be everything to everyone. Be memorable. Share what makes you special. SEO is often portrayed as sorcery, but it’s not. It’s math, it’s work, and it’s attention to detail. Learn about the “Four C’s” of online marketing and what makes your firm stand out when a potential client types a need into a search engine: Content, Capital, Collaboration, and Code. Dreyer explains what makes websites work, what makes content special, and how putting yourself out there as an expert in a specific area drives referrals and attracts attention. A focus on SEO doesn’t work overnight. It’s a long-term play, but the benefits build on themselves and stock a client pipeline that can grow your firm as your reputation and visibility compound your efforts. Trying to “game the system” doesn’t work. There’s no substitution for sincerity, authenticity, and hard work. Hear how you can get started and stay focused (and some common mistakes you can avoid) from an industry expert with a history of helping firms find new clients. Mentioned in this Episode: "Niching Up: The Narrower The Market, The Bigger The Prize," by Chris Dreyer. SurferSEO HARO, Help A Reporter Out Fivrr Upwork "How To Get Rich: (Without Getting Lucky)," by Naval Ravikant. Malcolm Gladwell John Morgan Explains Morgan & Morgan’s Marketing Strategy, YouTube. Join The Un-Billable Hour Community Table: Eventbrite.

In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table: We present an extended conversation with guest consultants Robert Leitner and Philip Fairley as they guide a lawyer ready to grow her personal injury and Social Security law firm and discuss how to hire the right people for a developing case load. Does she need another legal assistant, or a medical records clerk, or an intake professional? With some practices – such as the “work now, collect later” world of PI and Social Security – it’s possible to “grow broke” by pouring too much capital into the business while waiting for payment. These are complicated issues as one attorney struggles to do everything from adding new cases and practicing law to marketing, growing, and even managing human resources. Some staffers add to overhead, and some are virtual ATMs building your firm’s revenue. Learn how customer relation management tools convert leads into clients. Efficiency could unlock the cash flow you need to build your practice and add attorneys or support staff. Plus, the importance of a truly targeted marketing platform. Mentioned in this Episode: Zillametrics Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind?

Let’s talk about production and winning cases. It’s not only about acquiring new clients, but also acquiring new clients that can deliver results. A potential breakthrough using Artificial Intelligence, AI. How do we frame, understand, and implement the best of AI’s capabilities? Lawyers need to tread lightly, even as AI is becoming increasingly important in the field of law. Data is often “dirty,” unstructured, not built to serve. A properly “trained” AI program organizes these fields into useful information. Guests Evyatar Ben Artzi and Gila Hayat are co-founders of Darrow.AI. Darrow's AI-powered Justice Intelligence Platform scans real world data to detect harmful events, determine the number of potential victims, predict the legislative outcome, and assess the financial value of a case to help firms locate and organize potentially important cases. No more chasing your tail or casting the widest net possible. Across the law, from financial misconduct to environmental protection to pharmaceuticals, there is data out there that creates patterns if you know where and how to look. Properly managing raw data may allow firms to find new clients and tell better stories more efficiently. Producing results starts before a case even walks through the door. Mentioned in this Episode: Join The Un-Billable Hour Community Table Darrow.ai Darrow blog

In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table: Our first topic is how to use vacations – including your own breaks – to affirm company culture. How do you get away without fully abandoning ship and leaving your team to fend for itself? You encourage team members to take vacations to renew and regroup, but what about you as the leader of the firm? Company culture starts at the top. Prevent your email and calendar from running your life and set your own priorities. Don’t let your email own you, and certainly don’t let your team run your life. You run your life. You run your firm. (It’s harder than that sounds When is it appropriate to let an employee know the relationship isn’t working and it’s time to part ways? And, what’s an appropriate severance package Plus, let’s talk about how to grade support staff. Set expectations and reasonable goals so staffers know what’s expected and you know what to expect. Mentioned in this Episode: “Come Up For Air,” by Nick Sonnenberg “We Have Met The Enemy And He Is Us,” Pogo by Walt Kelly Join the next Community Table live! What’s on your mind?

Is your marketing missing a key component, say, a way to reach Spanish speaking audiences? Many attorneys miss a large segment of their community that wants legal services, if only they would reach out. Guest Hugo Gomez founded and leads Abogados Now, a digital marketing company that helps connect attorneys in the U.S. with the Spanish-speaking communities around them. This is about more than hiring a translator, this is about understanding different cultures and reaching out to them. Go beyond adding a “Google Translate” button to your website. What works in English often doesn’t work in another language. Even in Spanish the language and nuances vary from country to country, community to community. Think it doesn’t matter? The Spanish speaking market is the fastest growing segment in the U.S., and nearly 1 in 5 people in the country have connections to Spanish speaking communities. The numbers don’t lie. It’s a massive market. But it’s not easy, and it takes experts who understand the cultures. Reaching out, effectively, to the Spanish speaking markets in your area can be your competitive edge. Learn the steps you can take to establish an entirely new arm to your marketing and the services you provide and the people you help. Learn about adding a layer of authenticity, understanding, and honest representation. What works, where do you present yourself, and how do you reach these markets? Mentioned in this Episode: Law360, “Abogados Now Founder On Reaching Spanish Speakers” Join The Un-Billable Hour Community Table

In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table: Our first question turned into a collaborative discussion around the Community Table with input from several other lawyers. How does a longtime attorney with her own firm finally shake things up, turn operations over to someone else, and focus on strategy and the practice of law? It’s hard to let go of control, even with a consultant pitching in. How do you market when money is tight, cash flow is low, and you need more dollars in the door? Start by knowing your practice. What’s the underlying issue, what kind of ship are you leading? From there you can spot opportunities and focus on revenue and marketing. Thinking of making a pivot or expanding from your current area of practice to boost revenue? Consider what you enjoy doing and think about what areas of the law generate consistent, timely cash flow. Mentioned in this Episode: Gino Wickman, “Traction” Michael Morse, “Fireproof” Previously on the Un-Billable Hour, guest Michael Morse, “Your Firm? You Can’t Do It All (And You Shouldn’t Try)” ABA Techshow SMB Team The Rainmaker Institute WealthCounsel estate planning software L. David Marquet, “Turn This Ship Around: A True Story of Turning Followers Into Leaders” L. David Marquet, video, guest “Texas Business Radio” Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind?

Marketing, acquiring new business, and growing your firm are all important. But ultimately, any law firm has to produce results to scale, and that comes down to who you hire and how you manage, develop, and collaborate with your team. Guest Luis Scott is the owner and managing partner of Bader | Scott Injury Lawyers. In addition to running a firm responsible for millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements, Scott devotes time to consulting with other firms to help them grow their own revenue. Based in Atlanta, Scott understands a competitive market for client acquisition, but also for employee acquisition. How do you find, hire, and retain the best team? Hear how Scott and his firm identified and hired employees, then turned the best into leaders, freeing senior partners to focus on strategy. The bigger a firm grows, the more important a strategic, mindful approach becomes. How big do you want to grow? Three million in revenue? Eight million? Bigger? Scott explains how he structures a firm and positions leaders and employees for success. Founders of any firm are only one person. After a threshold, there’s nothing more they can do by themselves. That’s where it’s vital to develop leaders who can oversee individual parts of the business, everything from litigation to HR to marketing. If you lead a law firm of any size, consider this episode your own, personal consulting session that will help you organize and focus your efforts on growing your revenue and expanding your reach. (Plus, you’ll learn “The Five Ps” of law firm management.) Mentioned in this Episode: Un-Billable Hour Community Table Figure Firm Consulting The Guts and Glory Show “The King of Growth,” by Luis Scott “It Has to Hurt,” by Luis Scott

In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table: Interview questions to ask that help you understand an applicant’s true motivations. Questions that dig a little deeper. And how to accept those answers at face value. Ever had a terrible experience hiring someone? There are tools to help you avoid mistakes, but you have to learn how to use them. But there are no silver bullets. Go boldly, but tread lightly. Dealing with a new hire who won’t complete required training? Can you really require someone to learn, and if they won’t, is that grounds to terminate the relationship? This question quickly drifts into some interesting territory. And finally, how long can you keep a new attorney at your firm before they need to start returning a profit to the firm? Maybe while they learn the ropes, you can at least have them do something that delivers value. (You can only wait so long). Mentioned in this Episode: Malcolm Gladwell, Revisionist History page Malcolm Gladwell, “Hamlet Was Wrong” Using DiSC For Hiring Kolbe The Predictive Index Myers-Briggs personality test Jay Henderson, Real Talent Hiring Real Talent Hiring Wizehire Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind?

In this episode, we’ll talk “big picture.” Are you ready to scale up, build your client base, and be more successful? Guest Sam Mollaei is passionate about creating scalable law firms and helping others understand and implement his blueprint for going big while disrupting the traditional law firm model. He challenges firms to embrace automation, innovation, offshoring, and move beyond the old fashioned face-to-face, brick and mortar route. Mollaei employs the latest tools to beat the high cost of paid search, create efficient client intake processes, overcome SEO snags, find new ways around labor inefficiencies, and accelerate business development. And he’s just getting started as developments in artificial intelligence such as ChatGPT continue to evolve the business of law. Hear how Mollaei teaches firms to ride the wave instead of chasing it. Changes are coming fast, and everything is on the table. There’s a lot to learn, but adapting to this new environment is not an option, it’s the future. Be a part of it or be left behind. Mentioned in this Episode: Google Ads Seamless food delivery “Virtual Law Firm Secrets” ebook Un-Billable Hour Community Table

In this episode’s discussion around the Community Table: Getting from “yes” to “signing the check.” How to accelerate and bullet-proof your sales cycle. Getting the client to go from agreeing to hire you to actually turning over that retainer. Vaccinating the recruiter. Preparing a third-party recruiter with responses to a prospective employee’s objections. How do you arm a recruiter for a prospect’s “Yeah, but I heard they …” Stalking a specific type of client? Go where they are. If you’re the best in a niche field, where do you find the clients who need you, and how is that different from asking for referrals? And, Facebook vs. LinkedIn, your marketing dollars. Mentioned in this Episode: Previous appearance of Erik and Elliot Alicea on The Un-Billable Hour, “Marketing is Metrics: The Cost Of New Business Acquisition” Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind?

OK, you got the lead. The phone rang. But what happens next? How do you turn that lead into a client (and then retain that client for life)? Guest Philip Fairley is the founder of The Rainmaker Institute, a legal marketing firm dedicated to generating leads, and then turning leads into clients through a data-driven approach. You’re more than an attorney, you’re a business owner. Run that business. Develop repeatable processes for turning each call into a client. It’s not about more leads, it’s about more clients. Let’s Talk Trends: It’s about video. Think multiple platforms, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, email embeds. Every environment serves different needs. It’s not about more leads, it’s what you do with the leads. Answer your phone, return messages, be human. Do you have a “Director of First Impressions?” When on the phone, go beyond setting an appointment. Listen. Automation, specialization, and drilling down into what you do and how you communicate with potential clients builds your business. Tell clients what makes your firm – what makes you – special.

In this episode’s discussion around the Community Table: Why did your quarterly revenue plummet? Before you panic, look for anomalies like production capacity, weird payment timing, and changes in Google search algorithms. Fix what’s broken, but be rational. (What’s “Demand-Based Marketing?”) Stop personally handling every little issue and designate tasks across your team. How to set boundaries and ween staff off your direct involvement in routine matters. Trust and empower your team. How to use daily meetings – “huddles,” “scrums,” and “standups” – to facilitate peer management, teamwork, accountability, and productivity. Mentioned in this episode: Google Business Profile Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind?

In this episode’s discussion around the Community Table: How to say no to some cases (without losing clients). It’s great to “niche down” to your expertise, but never say no. Say, “I know someone who can help.” Be both – the lawyer and the referral source. When it’s time to grow into a new market, everything starts with location. Do the research, know the territory, and establish the “look” that meets client expectations. Considering a new location? Clients will come to you, but your team is equally important. Your office location matters as much as your expertise, both for clients and team members. Mentioned in this episode: Author Bob Burg

Let’s talk about marketing (because we know you love to, the numbers don’t lie). But let’s talk about how podcasting fits into your law firm’s marketing mix. Guest Robert Ingalls calls himself a “recovering attorney.” While he had a law degree and his own firm, Ingalls wasn’t happy and wanted to do something else. He landed on creating his own legal-oriented podcast … and something clicked. If he found value in creating a podcasts, so might other attorneys. His company, LawPods, podcasting for lawyers, was born. Ingalls knows you may be a great lawyer but don’t know anything about podcasting. With his experience, both in the field of law and in content production, he helps lawyers sound good, stay focused, and create a podcast people want to listen to again and again. Ingalls polishes and presents the best you. How do you start? Find out on this episode of the Un-Billable Hour. Resources from This Episode: Spotlight Branding Samsung Q2U mic Audio-Technica ATR2100 mic Garageband Audacity

Guest Sandrene “Sandy” Ryan is the senior director of recruiting at Level Legal. She’s built a unique process that focuses on quality and creating “the right match” over putting bodies into slots. Culture fit can be more important than a specific skill. You can teach a skill, but you can’t make the wrong person fit your own culture. Production is the lynchpin of your firm. Acquiring new clients and ensuring profit are the bookends, but we must produce. To do that, we need to recruit. Finding the right people for your firm, whether it’s a contract hire or a full-time position is, at its heart, marketing. What’s your story? Do you know how to make your firm attractive to new hires. Do you understand what candidates are selling. It’s a two-way street. Learn how to create a process that makes candidates sign on with you, and also do their best work for you. A quick match can be more of a time waster than a longer, thoughtful process. You may be surprised at how the COVID pandemic’s shift to remote working created a wider pool of candidates. If someone doesn’t have to be in your office, you’ve got more to choose from. But it comes with new challenges as well. Nothing stays the same.

This episode’s discussion around the Community Table: Sometimes when it comes to your brand and marketing, doing everything is doing nothing. What is it you want to be known for? On the fence about hiring support staff? Do the math. Would more staff create more business, better reviews, and happier clients? The next step could be more profit. Gamification – cash rewards for individual and team goals (even promotions) – can energize your team. Retain your best players. And what about offshoring some tasks? Mentioned in This Episode: Calendly Accuity

This episode’s discussion around the Community Table: Is hiring a temp I’ve already worked with previously a mistake? “It’s not personal,” it’s personnel. I need a body, even if s/he won’t stay with me. Is this reasonable? Sometimes, a contractor (even one you already know and know won’t stay with you) is the answer. Mr. Right vs. Mr. Right Now. How do you test the “seriousness” of a job candidate? Are you dealing with a real job candidate or just a person out fishing and wasting your time? Or is this 007 work from a competitor checking you out? Should I be overlapping an exiting employee with their replacement? Trying to squeeze out a bad employee while simultaneously onboarding a good employee – can this be done? And will keeping a less-than-perfect employee onboard, while offboarding and bringing in a new person, help?

Today's guests, Erik and Elliot, will be joining Christopher on our upcoming Community Table live Q&A on February 16, 2023 to discuss all things marketing. Sign up here (it's free) to join us so you can get your questions answered! ----- Acquisition, from cold lead to paying client, is the important stuff. Marketing is one of three pillars of a successful firm: finding and signing new clients. Guests Erik and Elliot Alicea, co-founders of Empirical360 legal marketing, have a passionate focus on law firm marketing built on ROI, return on investment. Get real bang for your marketing buck. Automation may not be your best bet when it comes to generating cold leads. The process differs from referrals, you need to be personal. People only look for a new lawyer when they are in trouble, so be compassionate, be human. Reach out. And by all means, answer the phone. Learn to measure the return on your marketing dollar. There should be accountability and measurable results. Know what it’s costing you to land every new client. How do you know if you got your money’s worth? And when you get a lead, hey, that’s not the end. Get the contract signed, that’s work. (Plus, if you had only ONE channel for marketing your firm, which would it be? Can you guess the answer?)

Let’s look at your law firm’s culture when it comes to tech. It’s bottom up and top down, a full circle. You can’t delegate this stuff to one department or one level. Don’t be afraid of change. Embrace efficiencies. Be better. It’s not easy, but you can do this. Guests Anthony Seale and Isabel Parker understand today’s tech better than most, and they never stop innovating. They’ve seen law firms that embrace technology and process management to improve not only the bottom line but also client satisfaction. Get better results and happier clients with tech. Listen to younger associates, ask what you don’t know. You are never too successful to get on this train. But where to start? In this episode: Resistance to today’s tech advancements is futile (and it’s costing you money). Listen to younger associates and tech experts. Make more money, make clients happier, and be better by incorporating the best of today’s newest technologies and efficiencies. Mentioned in This Episode: Open AI ChatGPT “Firms of the Future: Overcoming the Barriers to Legaltech Adoption”

This episode’s discussion around the Community Table: How to focus your practice. If you’re not known for something, you aren’t known for anything. The one thing all clients in every business want: A better life. How do your services make my life better? The steps you must take after firing an employee. It’s not just about the employee, it’s also about the clients. Mentioned in This Episode: Advertising on Nextdoor MeetUp TrustAndWill.com Helloprenup

In this episode: Law is intense, and you love your business. But are you trying to do everything? Trust the team you’ve hired. You can do too much, and you’re not that special. Make the best use of your time, don’t micromanage. It’s not sustainable and it’s not profitable. Learn about “calendar blocking,” building space for success. The habit you must learn. Guest Corine Rogers, a Clio systems and efficiency master, has a vital message: You can’t do everything, and you aren’t that important. Help your law firm build business operations systems, then trust your team. “Systems” are the repeatable ways you delegate tasks to others you trust. You selected your team, but do you let them do what you hired them to do? Do they believe that you believe in you? Get out of the way. Start with the tasks that you simply don’t like. Baby steps. Don’t fall victim to drowning in the mundane and the things that aren’t the best use of your time. You can’t create more hours in a day. So free yourself to do more of what you are best at and let others inside your business do the other tasks. In this important episode of The Un-Billable Hour, we hold up a mirror to help you see what you are doing to yourself if you can’t let your team shoulder some of the load. Plus, what doing your laundry can teach you about your business.

This episode’s discussion around the Community Table: How to Determine if a New Hire Is a Success in the First 90 Days How To Master the Process of Employee Contract Negotiations How To Improve Your Job Offer to a Potential Candidate

Let’s talk about practice management, tech, and production. How do you find and apply the right tech tools that help you deliver what you’ve promised to your clients? Acquiring new clients, moving cases through the process, reaching successful outputs, and applying the right business metrics that help you understand your business performance all require the right technologies. Did you know, even the simple habit of waiting until the end of the day to enter your billable time can cost you money? There’s a tech solution for virtually every aspect of your legal business. Tech is racing forward. The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way we work. Maybe you are being left behind. It’s more important than ever to understand what changed. Payments, marketing data, key points, cloud tech, it’s all a new game. Practice management and success today is about data, how you understand your value, your pricing, key performance indicators, and, ultimately, your profitability. From intake to case management to corporate success, tech is what’s driving the legal profession. Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it – Ferris Bueller

How To Decide A Timeline For Firing An Employee How To Craft A Good Job Package to Attract Better Quality Applicants How To Give An Employee An Ultimatum Before Firing Them

Acquisition, getting new clients “from contact to contract,” is vital to your success. So why are so many firms struggling at the most basic levels? Guest Adam Reiman, director of coaching and live events at Lawyer.com, explains. Signing a prospective client starts the instant you pick up the phone. Clients are won or lost in those critical first moments. If you’re waiting to respond to calls or putting people on hold, you may be bleeding contracts. Prospect interest drifts away in minutes, while the average law firm takes more than three days to return an initial call. Is that your firm? It’s not just getting prospects to call, it’s about converting them to clients. Reiman, says, “Treat your leads like Fabergé Eggs.” They are precious and fragile. Reiman, a leader in legal coaching and law firm development, helps firms efficiently manage leads and turn an inquiry into a signed, paying client. In this episode: The art of being “nice.” The caller is in a tough spot. Respond quickly and show empathy. The value of in person appointments and appointment reminders. Explaining why you’re the right lawyer. What makes you special. How much follow up contact is too much, and too little. The right time to explain your fee (and how to ask for the money). Bonus: Reiman urges firms to give him a call (602-828-4415) for a free “secret shopper” experience where he’ll call as a prospective client, then provide tips and areas for improvement.

This episode’s discussion around the Community Table: How can a law firm effectively use the non-attorney salesperson in a way that meets client expectations?

Every attorney knows to lock client secrets behind sophisticated cybersecurity. But as guest Rich Hale explains, the data that’s hiding in plain sight, “Dark Data,” is just as important to your client relationships and your reputation. After this important episode, you’ll want to look around your office. What do you see? Passwords taped to keyboards, thumb drives and scribbled notes left on desktops overnight, email exchanges that keep expanding as more people are looped in? Protecting that data both from thieves and ransomware attacks is every bit as crucial as your clients’ secret formula or business plans. As chief technology officer for the data security firm ActiveNav, Hale is surprised how many organizations are swimming in unsecured Dark Data. Just because you aren’t hearing about a security breach at a small law firm doesn’t mean it’s not happening daily. Learn to shine a light on your Dark Data. This may be one of the most eye-opening podcasts you listen to this year.

This episode’s discussion around the Community Table: What do I need to consider to bring the firm’s outsource bookkeeping in-house? How can I utilize job boards more effectively to find quality candidates? What is the best way to script internal messaging to my team about a firing?

Feeling overwhelmed, like you’ve lost control of your life and your practice, like your job runs you instead of the other way around? You’re not alone and there are ways to overcome anxiety, doubt, and feeling overwhelmed. You can put you back in charge of you. Guest Monica Levi is a lawyer and former corporate HR executive who channels what she learned into leadership coaching for attorneys. This episode of the Un-Billable Hour is about you. Learn to listen to yourself, understand your worth, and go after what you want in life, whether that’s managing your own law practice, working within a corporate setting, or doing something entirely different. Lawyers especially feel the pressures of time management, productivity, and reacting and responding to everyone else’s needs. No wonder so many attorneys are struggling to find satisfaction. It’s hard to set boundaries and gain control of your time and goals. But you can do it. And if you’ve got questions and want to be part of the discussion, join us at The Community Table, a live round table Q&A with host Christopher Anderson and guests here!

This episode’s discussion around the Community Table: How can I minimize the damage of an upcoming employee resignation? How do I decide which size cases my firm should pursue? How do I handle two employees that need to be hired/transferred?

Marketing is about message, not volume. Before big advertising spends, figure out who you are and what you want to say. What makes you special? Look inside your firm and understand your culture and passions. You don’t have to dress, act, and talk like every other firm. And you can’t buy authenticity. Guests April and Tyler Roberts are co-founders of NOMOS Marketing. They dig into what makes a law firm unique, building on aspects that forge stronger connections with clients. Lean into what makes you unique. Too often, firms focus on the same, bland messaging. They don’t know what they stand for, so they follow the crowd. Instead, build a real brand. When people need an attorney, they are going through a scary period. Learn how making your firm more personal generates trust and helps clients envision the successful outcome only you can deliver. (Plus, the one thing any lawyer or law firm can do right now, today, to improve marketing results).

This episode’s discussion around the Community Table: How should I structure a bonus plan for my client intake specialist? How should I construct a pro hac vice agreement with an out-of-state law firm? How should I market my newly created educational course to my potential clients?

If there’s a key lesson in this episode, it’s “Don’t try to do it all.” Guest Mike Morse founded the largest personal injury law firm in Michigan. But it wasn’t always that way. He started out trying to do everything himself, from trials to correspondence to hiring assistants to finding office space. Nobody in law school teaches you how to run a law firm – law school doesn’t even admit a law firm is a business. You need to learn how to run your firm like a business. Morse did just that. Learn to delegate. Be a visionary. Be an entrepreneur. Build a brand, scale up, and succeed. If you’re already leading a firm, take the next step. Offload tasks to others who share your values and hold them accountable. Build your business by doing what you’re best at and assigning others to do the things you don’t love. For anyone running their own firm and wants to grow, this episode may be one of the most important podcasts of the year.

This episode’s discussion around the Community Table: How do I decide which candidate to hire for the office manager position? How do I attract quality candidates to my small firm when we’re competing against larger law firms? How do I hold people accountable in a way that doesn’t create a lot of extra work for me?

The COVID pandemic changed our understanding of remote work with new technologies and more efficient management. But does that remote employee need to be in your town, or even country? Guest Brett Trembly is cofounder of Get Staffed Up, a growing firm that provides talented, English-proficient, remote professional legal support staffers from around the world. Some 700 law firms around the U.S. profit from offshore legal support. Look beyond the limited – and highly competitive – talent pool in your region. Limit costs by working with staffers in countries with less expensive economies. Never considered offshoring? Now’s the time, as technologies and attitudes about remote work open new ways to expand your business, tackle new projects, and delegate support services so you can focus on results that matter.

This episode’s discussion around the Community Table: How do I promote an employee to a part-time position without upsetting the current full-time coworker? Did I make a mistake hiring a friend? How do I overcome my reluctance to hand over the drag-in duties to a new hire? Special thanks to our sponsors LawClerk, Alert Communications, LawYaw, and Scorpion.

Guest Joey Seeber prides himself on bringing out the best in his team in the courtroom, at his legal firm, and as an elected public official. He says finding the right person for the job starts with understanding yourself and your organization’s values. Seeber reflects on what went right and what went wrong when assembling teams. At his company, Level Legal, he focuses on culture and fit by identifying core values and living by them: “Give a damn. Get it done right. Show respect.” Everything starts with the interview, asking important questions that align with the organization’s values instead of checking boxes. What interview questions are you asking? Do they connect to your values? Before you seek a new team member, do you understand what makes your organization work? Hear how Seeber focuses on indicators of success and learned the difference between a “job description” and a “role description.” As he says, “look beyond the resume.” Special thanks to our sponsors LawClerk, Alert Communications, LawYaw, and Scorpion.

Host Christopher T. Anderson meets with lawyers from around the country to discuss issues they are currently facing in their practices. Featured on this episode: How do I format my invoices so they convey value? How can I better teach systems to my team? What should I do when a job candidate has a few red flags? What is the most efficient way to have my virtual assistant write out processes and procedures? Special thanks to our sponsors LawClerk, Alert Communications, LawYaw, and Scorpion.