Lawyerist Podcast

Lawyerist Lab member and estate planning lawyer Rachel Allums knows that the client experience isn’t “one size fits all.”  In this episode, Rachel Allums talks with Zack about her deliberate and thoughtful approach to client experience. Learn how she creates a personalized experience for every client by considering their age, family dynamics, comfort with technology, and more.  Rachel delves into how she integrates both digital tools and traditional methods for efficiency and offers valuable advice on creating educational videos, seeking mentorship, and navigating the path to a successful estate planning business. Links from the episode:  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! Thanks to Posh Virtual Receptionists, Postali & LawPay for sponsoring this episode.  

In this episode, delve into the crucial topic of active violence preparedness with Brink Fidler, owner and founder of Defend Systems, a prominent life safety and security consulting firm in Nashville, TN. Stephanie and Brink talk about why every firm owner should have open discussions and plan for frightening events, and how they can empower their team with knowledge and tools to respond effectively.  They also address the relevance of active violence preparedness in office environments and how to adopt a “warrior mindset” when faced with danger. The emotional and traumatic aspects of active violence events are not overlooked, as Stephanie and Brink touch on the need for mental health support and proper coping mechanisms. Links from the episode:   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! Thanks to Posh Virtual Receptionists, Postali, & LawPay for sponsoring this episode.  

Stephanie and Joey Coleman, author of Never Lose an Employee Again: The Simple Path to Remarkable Retention, explore the crucial role the employee experience plays in creating a happy and engaged team.  Learn the steps team leaders can take to create a place where everyone LOVES their job. They delve into the power of creating memorable experiences throughout the employee journey—starting with the hiring process and through an employee’s first 100 days, which plays a vital role in long-term commitment and loyalty.  This episode is packed with lots of practical tips to give you ideas to start implementing immediately. Listen to the end to learn one easy thing you can do today to show your appreciation to your team.   Links from the episode:  Never Lose an Employee Again by Joey Coleman 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! Thanks to Posh Virtual Receptionists, Postali, & LawPay for sponsoring this episode. 

The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited doubled-down on our Healthy Firm model. But what, exactly, is it? Join us for another stop on our podcast book tour. This week we dive into building, enabling, and integrating Healthy Systems in a law firm. Lawyerist Labster Matt Loker sits down with Sara to discuss using systems and automation to deliver a consistent service to clients. They dive into how task management is crucial to consistent communication—from finding the right CRM, to rebuilding their systems and automating tasks, to regular system maintenance. Learn how Matt used healthy systems to save time, improve client experience, and create a seamless client journey.  Links from the episode: https://lawyerist.com/resources/lawyerist-store/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! Thanks to Posh Virtual Receptionists, Postali & LawPay for sponsoring this episode. 

Zack sits down with Ed Walters, Chief Strategy Officer of vLex and founder of Fastcase, to discuss AI's role in legal research. Delve into why it’s important to demystify AI and debunk misconceptions about "robot lawyers." Learn about using AI in discovery, the importance of choosing the right tools, and the limitations of language models like ChatGPT.  And explore how the industry is working to create dependable tools that can be verified by legal professionals, while maintaining human judgment in the legal process. Links from the episode: Law Review Article  Data-Driven Law: Data Analytics and the New Legal Services (Data Analytics Applications)

Professors Andrew Garcia and James Matthews discuss Suffolk University Law School’s Accelerator to Practice program. Designed to prepare students for small and solo practice, students partnered with small law firm owners in the Lawyerist Lab coaching program. Using tenets learned in Lawyerist’s book The Small Firm Roadmap, students interviewed the owners, analyzed their firms, and presented a case study complete with recommendations for improvements.Links from the episode: 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!Thanks to Posh Virtual Receptionists, Clio, & LawPay for sponsoring this episode.

In this episode, Stephanie talks with diversity scholar Dr. Terrell Strayhorn about the concept of belonging, emphasizing its significance beyond buzzwords like diversity, equity, and inclusivity (DEI). They highlight the positive outcomes of belonging, including increased job satisfaction and productivity and explore obstacles to fostering belonging. Dr. Strayhorn offers strategies for cultivating a sense of belonging in large organizations. The conversation extends to the ongoing need for addressing challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community in leadership and workplaces. Rewarding behaviors that foster belonging, such as recognizing selflessness and facilitating social connections, is also discussed. They discuss the concept of belonging and its importance, highlighting that it goes beyond buzzwords like diversity, equity, and inclusivity. positive outcomes of belonging, such as higher job satisfaction and productivity in the workplace. They explore the obstacles to creating a sense of belonging in the workplace, highlighting individual, group, and structural factors. Dr. Strayhorn suggests strategies for making large organizations feel smaller and promoting a sense of belonging among employees. discusses the importance of continuing conversations about the challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community in leadership, the workplace, and job opportunities even beyond the month of June. The discussion also touches on the idea of rewarding behaviors that promote belonging, such as recognizing selfless actions, welcoming newcomers, and facilitating social connections. Links from the episode: 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!Thanks to Posh Virtual Receptionists, Clio, & LawPay for sponsoring this episode.

In this episode, Zack explores the vital role sleep plays in overall health and well-being with Alex Colkit, Founder and CEO of AC Holistic Wellness. They discuss the connection between sleep and mental health, suggest reminders of sleep importance, and emphasize the significance of a consistent sleep schedule. You’ll learn tips to help form healthy sleep habits and how prioritizing rest can lead to better decision-making and emotional stability. Sleep is the cornerstone of good health and can positively impact one's daily choices and well-being. Lack of sleep and poor mental health are interconnected, and good sleep contributes to better decision-making and emotional stability. Zack asks for tips on forming sleep habits and kicking himself into prioritizing sleep without much thought. Alex suggests finding tricks or touch points to remind oneself of the importance of sleep and the negative consequences of sleep deprivation. Stick to a regular sleep schedule, including wake-up and bedtime, to synchronize with the body's circadian rhythm. Links from the episode: 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!Thanks to Posh Virtual Receptionists, Clio, & LawPay for sponsoring this episode.

Zack talks with Joe Hodge from American Printing House for the Blind, about building websites and systems for the visually impaired. They discuss why accessibility plugins may not be the panacea they claim to be and why good accessibility practices are beneficial to all users.Links from the episode: https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/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!Thanks to Posh Virtual Receptionists, Clio, & LawPay for sponsoring this episode.

The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited doubled-down on our Healthy Firm model. But what, exactly, is it? Join us for another stop on our podcast book tour. This week we’re diving into recruiting, building, and retaining Healthy Teams.Stephanie talks with Aaron Elinoff, Labster and managing partner of Novo Legal Group, about how he guided his team to define who they are and how a breakthrough at a team retreat helped identify his firm’s vision and goals. Learn the steps he took to get his team aligned, moving in the same direction, and keep momentum.Links from the episode: 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!Thanks to Posh Virtual Receptionists, Clio, & LawPay for sponsoring this episode.