

Jim Coogan: Interacting with Non-Lawyers in a Way They Understand
In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Jim Coogan discuss:
- How Jim’s childhood interest in medicine lead to his career in personal injury law.
- Listen to what the questions really are.
- Engaging your audience when you speak.
- How AI is changing legal practice with communication clarity and efficiency.
Key Takeaways:
- In law school, there’s a mentality that you want to speak like a lawyer. Once you’re working with clients, however, they are not (typically) lawyers and will better respond to you translating the law to what they need to know and understand.
- No matter what area of law you are in, your area of law is going to be connected to other areas depending on your client and their situation.
- As you practice, you will get better at appreciating and connecting with the audience you are speaking to. But it does take practice and analysis of what you said previously.
- Your job is to interpret and build trust with your clients so they have a reason to believe what you’re saying as things get more complicated.
"It’s just a matter of gauging who's listening to you, and whether what you're saying is making a difference and whether it makes sense in the first place." — Jim Coogan
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Episode References:
- Cautionary Tales - Tim Harford Podcast: https://timharford.com/articles/cautionarytales/
About Jim Coogan: Jim Coogan has been representing injured people his whole legal career. He is a partner at the law firm Coogan Gallagher in Park Ridge, Illinois. He is the host of the "Coogan Knows the Law" podcast.
Connect with Jim Coogan:
Website: https://cgtrial.com/
Podcast: https://feeds.captivate.fm/coogan-knows-the-law/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jecoogan/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/coogan-gallagher/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/james_coogan_
Twitter: https://twitter.com/coogangallagher
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jim.coogan.1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coogangallagher/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jimcoogan.atty
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coogangallagher/
Connect with Steve Fretzin:
LinkedIn: Steve Fretzin
Twitter: @stevefretzin
Instagram: @fretzinsteve
Facebook: Fretzin, Inc.
Website: Fretzin.com
Email: Steve@Fretzin.com
Book: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!
YouTube: Steve Fretzin
Call Steve directly at 847-602-6911
Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie
Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.