Lawyerist Podcast

Jill Kluesner is a consultant and educator specializing in mental health literacy for law firms, while Soumya Palreddy is a licensed psychologist and national trainer focused on mental health in professional settings. They discuss how Mental Health First Aid empowers lawyers to spot signs of burnout and stress, providing practical tools for healthier team dynamics. The conversation promotes reducing stigma, improving communication, and highlighting the importance of mental health training as a core skill for legal leaders.

Join Karin Conroy, a legal marketing consultant and founder of Conroy Creative Counsel, as she explores the intersection of AI and law firm marketing. Karin emphasizes that lawyers shouldn't fear AI, but leverage it strategically—using an 'Iron Man' approach rather than a 'Terminator' one. She highlights the importance of maintaining marketing fundamentals, clever SEO adaptations in the AI era, and the need for authenticity in client interactions. Discover how to refine your marketing funnel and tailor messages to both clients and referral sources for optimal engagement.

In this conversation, Bernadette Harris, a business strategist and finance coach specializing in law firms, delves into transforming practices from survival mode to strategic growth. She highlights crucial KPIs that signal when a firm's team can generate revenue independently. Bernadette explains the importance of building systems and measuring team leverage, emphasizing the significance of succession planning. Her insights into creating a sellable firm focus on systematic operations and transferring client origination responsibilities to enhance continuity and value.

Merisa Bowers, Loss Prevention and Outreach Counsel at the Ohio Bar Liability Insurance Company, dives into the ethical dilemmas posed by artificial intelligence in legal practice. She discusses how deepfakes complicate verification processes and the potential risks from unregulated chatbots creating unintended attorney-client relationships. Merisa emphasizes the importance of maintaining client confidentiality and transparency when using AI tools. She also offers practical strategies for lawyers to safeguard ethics while embracing evolving technologies.

Drew Bloom, an AI practitioner from Affinity Consulting Group, discusses the transformative potential of agentic AI in law firms. He highlights how these systems can autonomously handle tasks like redlining contracts and conducting deep research, significantly enhancing workflow efficiency. Bloom outlines the importance of structured data and good integrations for maximizing AI benefits, while also recommending practical ways for firms to start experimenting with AI connectors. As agentic features evolve, firms need to prepare now to stay ahead in legal tech.

Jake Soffer, CEO of FirmPilot, is a visionary in artificial intelligence and machine learning, helping law firms revolutionize their marketing strategies. He explains how AI can enhance SEO, moving beyond traditional methods to embrace AEO (AI Engine Optimization). Jake emphasizes creating concise, answer-first content to appeal to AI algorithms. He shares insights on conducting effective AI experiments and the importance of adapting fundamental marketing principles. This conversation unveils smart, data-driven tactics for law firms looking to thrive in a changing landscape.

Amy Woods, founder of IOLTA Consulting, shares her expertise on managing trust accounts effectively. She outlines the common pitfalls lawyers face with IOLTA accounts and the importance of timely setup and three-way reconciliation. Woods explains the risks of outstanding checks, defines escheatment, and clarifies how to handle unclaimed funds. She emphasizes that QuickBooks alone isn't sufficient and suggests combining it with legal case-management reports. Her insights aim to help lawyers safeguard client funds and avoid serious compliance issues.

Tangi Chow, a representative from Paxton.ai, discusses the future of legal AI, focusing on how their tools streamline document ingestion and legal workflows. Nelson Dellis, a six-time USA Memory Champion, shares techniques like memory palaces and storytelling, emphasizing their usefulness for lawyers in high-pressure situations. Both guests highlight the importance of training the brain not just for memory enhancement but also to reduce stress and improve overall mental health, making it essential in today's fast-paced legal environment.

Sam Harden, an innovation strategist at Affinity Consulting with a wealth of experience in civil justice technology, joins to transform how law firms perceive AI. He emphasizes that AI isn't just about efficiency or cutting costs; it's a key player for growth and innovation. By adopting tools like generative AI and the intriguing concept of 'vibe coding,' firms can create new services and enhance client experiences. This shift can lead to exploring new markets and developing sustainable business models in the evolving legal landscape.

In episode 576, learn how to lead with empathy, build trust, and create space for growth by embracing both mentorship and sponsorship. Stephanie Everett talks with Michael Cohen, partner at Duane Morris and leadership coach, about what it really takes to inspire and support a team.  Mike shares his journey from employment litigator to building a training and coaching practice focused on culture, mental health, and leadership. He explains why sponsorship goes further than mentorship, how to adapt your style to truly know your people, and why allowing room for failure is essential to innovation.  Drawing on stories from coaching his daughters’ softball team and lessons inspired by The West Wing, Mike highlights how intentional check-ins, vulnerability, and empathy can transform leaders into authentic allies. You’ll leave with practical strategies to foster stronger workplace cultures, empower people to advocate for themselves, and lead with greater humanity in challenging times.  Listen to our other episodes on leadership & growth.  #572 – Practical Courage Skills Every Lawyer Needs, with Jim Detert Apple | Spotify | LTN  #527 – Casting Your Vision and Leading Your Firm, with Kevin DeShazo Apple | Spotify | LTN  #499 – Conquering Self-Doubt, with Tim Atler Apple | Spotify | LTN  #491 – Crafting Your Purpose-Driven Leadership Vision, with Leticia DeSuze Apple | Spotify | LTN  If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you.  Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com.  Chapters/Timestamps:  00:00 – Growth, AI & Leadership at Lawyerist  06:01 – Small Team vs. Large Team Leadership  08:10 – Meet Michael Cohen  12:05 – From Litigator to Leadership Coach  22:02 – Lessons from Coaching & Embracing Failure  34:46 – West Wing Parable & Final Takeaways