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Unbundled Attorney Mastermind

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Jun 2, 2022 • 1h 23min

From $20k to $200k a Month in 12 Months: A Step-by-Step Guide for Rapidly Scaling Up a Law Practice

**Episode 61: From $20k to $200k a Month in 12 Months: A Step-by-Step Guide for Rapidly Scaling Up a Law Practice”In this episode, we interview Brandon Potter and Robert Foster who are Unbundled Attorneys in Knoxville and Greenville, TN. During our interview, Brandon and Robert share how they were able to successfully scale up their law practice revenue from $20k a month to over $200k a month in a single year. During this period, they opened two new offices, hired 5+ new lawyers, added 2 new administrative staff, and have recently opened their third office in Nashville, TN. This is a step-by-step, in-depth walk-through for how lawyers can take their practice from where it’s at to the next level and beyond.  Click here to watch the video version of this podcast interview on our YouTube ChannelIn this episode, you’ll learn:The four key components that enable their team to effectively enroll clients virtually without having to meet clients in personThe value from thinking of a law practice like a factory, and setting up systems to process “raw materials” through your firm in the most efficient way possibleWho is the first and most important hire that firms should make when they are scaling up their practice?Importance of creating roles and responsibilities (“lanes”) for each team member in the firm, and why they should stay focused on their key rolesWhy having systems in place to process, manage, and track all payments, plus knowing the critical role firm finances play in sustaining the growth of your firmWhy do Brandon or a partner in the firm continue to call and convert each of their Unbundled leads, and why they do NOT delegate this responsibility to anyone elseWho are the three most important people a firm needs to have in place when scaling up from a solo practitioner to a small firm?How to generate a consistent source of qualified attorneys to bring into your firmThe most important considerations when making hiring decisions for associate attorneysThe value of hiring team members who have complementary skills and personality types to share different types of tasks and responsibilitiesHow gaining access to financing and capital investment resources significantly increases the speed that your firm can scale and growHow to structure payment plans to ensure your clients consistently make their payments, and what are the payment processing systems that make this possibleHow Brandon and Robert can provide services to 80% of their clients who would otherwise be unable to afford a lawyerThe value of taking time to implement a document automation system that creates legal documents in a faster and more efficient mannerHow to cultivate a great company culture that motivates each of your team members to sincerely want to be a key part of your firmAnd much more …Resources Mentioned:LawPay (49:00)Lawyaw (1:00:00)LawClerk (1:03:30)If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to iTunes, subscribe to the show, and leave us a review. We love hearing from our listeners and look forward to reading your feedback!For more information about Unbundled Attorney and how our exclusive, unbundled leads can help grow your practice, visit: https://www.unbundledattorney.com
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Feb 2, 2022 • 1h 44min

Family and Criminal Lawyers: How to Triple New Client Retention and Boost Your Profits Overnight

**Episode 61: Family and Criminal Lawyers: How to Triple New Client Retention and Law Firm Profits Overnight”In this episode we interview Aaron Harshman and Rachelle Ponist. They are a married couple and Unbundled Attorneys who work out of Indianapolis, and each of them run their own criminal and family law practices respectively. During our interview, we discuss how they structure affordable service options in their practice areas, and how their model can help you substantially improve client retention and overall profitability for your firm. They provide examples of limited scope services they provide for family law, and how their clients and practices benefit. Aaron breaks down a creative payment approach in criminal representation that enables him to triple client retention and bank increased revenues and profits for his firm. Click here to watch the video version of this podcast interview on our YouTube ChannelIn this episode, you’ll learn:Critical differences between family law and criminal clients, and how to adapt your consultation and enrollment approach for each practice areaPhone vs. Zoom vs. In-Person meetings, and which approach works best for each practice areaExamples of limited scope services you can provide for family law clientsA step-by-step walkthrough of the best practices for enrolling family law clients on the phone and in-person consultationThe advantages of enrolling family law clients initially for a limited scope service only, and then allowing those relationships to evolve over timeThe value of implementing document automation software to increase your efficiency and profitability, especially for flat-rate servicesHow to provide affordable criminal representation outside of providing limited scope service options (40:00)How payment processors like Lawpay provide automated recurring billing features to enable lawyers to offer more flexible payment terms (45:05-49:50)Creative payment structures for criminal law that differentiate your firm and substantially improve your client retention ratesBest practices for an initial consultation in criminal cases that maximize client conversion, and why these strategies differ from family law (56:54)The importance of understanding the urgency and critical nature of criminal case issues, and how this informs the way to approach those consultationsHow to determine how much to charge as an initial deposit, and how to structure payment plansThe financial benefits of how creative payment options improve client conversion and increase revenues and profitability for the firmThe gap in the marketplace between high-net-worth individuals, and those who qualify for legal aid, and the financial opportunity this represents for lawyers who can profitably deliver legal services to the middle majority sector of the marketplaceResources Mentioned:LawyawPodcast Interview with Amy Porter, former CEO of LawPayClio GrowIf you enjoy this podcast, please head over to iTunes, subscribe to the show, and leave us a review. We love hearing from our listeners and look forward to reading your feedback!For more information about Unbundled Attorney and how our exclusive, unbundled leads can help grow your practice, visit: https://www.unbundledattorney.com
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Apr 17, 2021 • 1h 11min

Scale Up Your Law Practice: Hire Great People, Automate Workflows, and Efficiently Deliver Limited Scope Services

In this episode we interview Robert Buchanan, an Unbundled Attorney in Chicago, IL we have worked with for over 5 years. During the interview we discuss how Robert has been able to successfully scale up the capacity of his firm. From attracting exceptional team members, to developing streamlined systems and automations, Robert covers the steps he has followed and the tools he has implemented to significantly increase the efficiency of his firm. We also discuss how providing limited scope services has tripled the hiring rate of his new prospective clients, and has substantially improved the quality of his client relationships as well as the overall profitability of his firm.Click here watch the video version of this podcast interview on our YouTube ChannelIn this episode, you’ll learn:How having a newborn child has shifted Robert’s perspective and provided additional motivation to increase the capacity and success of his firmHow Robert has been able to attract and retain exceptional contract lawyers and associatesTips for attracting new team members, both through your network and in the marketplaceThe specific processes Robert has put into place to automate and streamline his workflowsThe legal technology tools Robert uses that enable a tremendous amount of automation in his firmHow implementing limited scope services has dramatically improved his client conversion rateA detailed breakdown of the limited scope services he offers and how he offers them during his initial consultationsAnd much more …If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to iTunes, subscribe to the show, and leave us a review. We love hearing from our listeners and look forward to reading your feedback!For more information about Unbundled Attorney and how our exclusive, unbundled leads can help grow your practice, visit: https://www.unbundledattorney.com 
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Nov 10, 2020 • 1h 2min

How to Automate Client Intake and Legal Document Preparation with Tucker Cottingham, CEO of Lawyaw

Episode 60: How to Automate Client Intake and Legal Document Preparation with Tucker Cottingham, CEO of Lawyaw Modern legal technology is rapidly changing the way legal services are delivered, enabling lawyers to deliver services faster and more efficiently than ever before. One of the most valuable areas to leverage technology is for client intake and document preparation, especially for lawyers that provide unbundled services. Lawyaw’s document automation platform combines the latest client intake and document preparation technology in one powerful application. Tucker Cottingham, CEO of Lawyaw joins our show and shares the Lawyaw founding story, and discusses how Lawyaw substantially reduces the amount of time it takes to complete clients’ intake and draft legal documents, which significantly improves the profitability of your law practice. He also provides a live demo of Lawyaw so you can learn about the key features of the platform. To take advantage of the special offer that Tucker and his team put together for listeners of this show, visit https://www.unbundledlawyer.com/lawyaw. Click here watch the video version of this podcast interview In this episode, you’ll learn: Tucker’s background as a lawyer, the challenges his firm had preparing documents, and what made him decide to launch the Lawyaw platform How eliminating repetitive tasks enables lawyers to focus more time on strengthening client relationships and the high value aspects of building their firm How Lawyaw automates your document preparation without requiring the use of generic forms and templates How improving the efficiency of document preparation can substantially increase the profitability of unbundled and flat-rate services The value of Lawyaw’s integration with Clio, and how their platform differs from the document automation that Clio offers The practice areas that benefit most from using Lawyaw Examples of how automating document preparation can double the effective hourly rate of unbundled services The importance of making it as simple as possible for your clients to complete intake forms online using their smartphones A live demo of Lawyaw’s core features and how the platform works How to use Lawyaw to create custom intake forms for clients to complete online that auto-populate their data directly into your legal forms and documents How to request a customized demo with Lawyaw’s team, and take advantage of the special offer for listeners of this podcast And much more … Resources Mentioned in This Episode If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to iTunes, subscribe to the show, and leave us a review. We love hearing from our listeners and look forward to reading your feedback! For more information about Unbundled Attorney and how our exclusive, unbundled leads can help grow your practice, visit: https://www.unbundledattorney.com
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Apr 23, 2020 • 1h 21min

How Lawyers Can Retain a High Number of New Paying Clients During Any Economic Environment

Episode 59: How Lawyers Can Retain a High Number of New Paying Clients During Any Economic EnvironmentWe are excited to welcome back Anthony Saunders who is an Unbundled family law attorney from Salt Lake City. Anthony has worked with us for over 7 years and has consistently been the highest converting lawyer in our network. His previous podcast interview (Episode 40) is the most often shared and recommended episode in the history of the show.His client-acquisition strategy begins with this “leading” with limited scope services. Implementing this same approach has fundamentally shifted the way hundreds of lawyers now practice law, and plays a major role in the growth and success of their firms.Today, Anthony gives a comprehensive breakdown of how this approach enables him to consistently enroll 50-80% of his Unbundled leads as paying clients. He describes how he handles the initial phone consultation, and how he eliminates in-office and virtual appointment no-shows. Anthony also shares specific unbundled service options he offers and how he determines what to charge.So grab a pen and paper and be ready to take copious notes so that you can take what Anthony shares during this interview and implement it into your practice right away.Click here watch the video version of this podcast interview on our YouTube ChannelTo read a complete transcript of this interview, click hereIn this episode, you’ll learn:How tracking your lead conversion numbers and case volume throughout the year will help project what your staffing and attorney support needs will be in the futureThe numbers and metrics Anthony’s firm tracks, and the method he employs to track themAnthony’s exact process for contacting and consulting Unbundled leads that enables him to convert 50-80% into paying clientsWhy Anthony reviews each lead’s case file prior to calling themThe value of evaluating specific elements of a case that the client needs help with first, and providing services that are initially limited to those elements onlyHow Anthony limits phone consultations to 5 minutes, and why this has positively impacted his in-office and virtual-consulting attendanceExamples that show how Anthony breaks his cases into specific billable segments and how he determines the flat rate to charge for each segmentHow Anthony reduced the number of no-shows for his in-office and virtual-consults by 50%The benefits of booking new leads for your office and virtual-consults within 48 hours or ideally the same dayWhy it is better to use the active voice instead of the passive voice during your initial consultations, plus examples that illustrate whyWhy Anthony does not ever give leads a price quote over the phone during the initial 5-10 minute phone consultationA live role-play between Dave and Anthony showing how Anthony responds to clients who insist on knowing the cost of services during the initial phone consultationThe importance of having clients complete intake questionnaires, and why questionnaires should be customized to each client’s caseWhy Anthony provide every new client limited scope services first, instead of full representationWhat Anthony’s “reserve” unbundled service is, and when he offers it to clientsWhy your unbundled services clients become zealous referral ambassadors for your firmA detailed explanation of how Anthony breaks down divorce cases, and a review of the specific unbundled services he offers at each phase in a divorce caseHow providing unbundled services impacts your longevity and success as a practitionerAnd much more …If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to iTunes, subscribe to the show, and leave us a review. We love hearing from our listeners and look forward to reading your feedback!For more information about Unbundled Attorney and how our exclusive, unbundled leads can help grow your practice, visit: https://www.unbundledattorney.com
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Jun 23, 2019 • 1h 25min

Designing the Law Firm of Your Dreams: How to “Lead" with Unbundled Services, Run a Virtual Practice from Anywhere, and Provide Affordable Access to Justice

Episode 58: Designing the Law Firm of Your Dreams: How to “Lead" with Unbundled Services, Run a Virtual Practice from Anywhere, and Provide Affordable Access to Justice The San Diego, CA Unbundled Attorney we interview today thought she had found her dream job working for a corporate law firm, but soon discovered it was nothing close to what she had imagined. Fortunately, she had the courage and ambition to leave that firm and build her own practice that would both support her ideal lifestyle, and make a significant difference in the lives of the clients she serves. That commitment set her on a path to design a technology-enabled, virtual practice that allows her to operate from anywhere. Imagine heading down to the beach or park, cracking open your laptop and enrolling new clients over the phone while soaking up the sun. This is the kind of location freedom that she has engineered into her practice, and you can too. During our interview, she shares the systems and technology that make her virtual practice possible. We also discover how she enrolls 99% of her clients for unbundled legal services initially, instead of requiring full representation. This is known in our community as “leading with unbundled”, and she shares how this fundamental shift in approach has transformed her practice. Click here watch the video version of this podcast interview on our YouTube Channel To read a complete transcript of this interview, click here In this episode, you’ll learn: Her background working in a high-end corporate law firm, which she once thought would be her dream job, and why she left the firm to start her own practice The value of engineering a practice around your ideal lifestyle, rather than settling for a lifestyle because of the demands of your practice The importance of taking time to create a clear vision for what your ideal practice looks like, and how that vision shapes each decision you make and enables you to build the firm you truly desire from that point on Why she decided to build a virtual law firm and the specific systems and technology she and her husband employ that enable her to run her practice from anywhere The benefit of keeping up to date with the latest apps and technology available to lawyers, and the valuable tools that she has implemented in her practice How she is able to enroll over 90% of her clients for unbundled legal services directly over the phone and examples of the typical unbundled services she provides Why offering unbundled legal services is a great option for attorneys who would like to build either a partial or fully virtual law practice How providing unbundled services as a flat fee eliminates the need to “micro-bill” your clients, improves the quality of the relationship with your clients, and can significantly increase your profitability A detailed breakdown of the factors you need to consider when determining what flat fee to charge your clients for unbundled services How she sells unbundling to her clients, including the three main categories of her unbundled services and how she tailors them to fit her clients’ legal needs and financial budget The power of explaining to clients the specific ways you help them handle parts of their case on their own to save money, and why this approach can significantly increase the number of clients who retain your services Some examples of the types of tasks she empowers clients to handle themselves, and some creative ways she helps them to reduce costs The types of clients and cases that are not a typical fit for unbundled legal services and may require full representation A walk-through of how she approaches the initial consultation so that 90+% of the clients that enroll do so right over the phone without having to come into the office Why she is so passionate about providing unbundled legal services, and her commitment to giving thousands of unrepresented people in this country access to justice that they desperately need and deserve And much more … Resources Mentioned in This Episode Unbundling Resource Center Docusign Lawyaw If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to iTunes, subscribe to the show, and leave us a review. We love hearing from our listeners and look forward to reading your feedback! For more information about Unbundled Attorney and how our exclusive, unbundled leads can help grow your practice, visit: https://www.unbundledattorney.com
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Mar 14, 2019 • 1h 34min

Streamlining Your Family Law Practice: How to Leverage Legal Technology to Serve Your Clients More Efficiently and Profitably

Episode 57: Streamlining Your Family Law Practice: How to Leverage Legal Technology to Serve Your Clients More Efficiently and Profitably In the two years since launching his practice in 2016 Bryan Crone has dedicated himself to building a highly efficient and optimized practice. He’s an ambitious guy who is driven to have a significant impact on many people’s lives by engineering his firm to be able to serve a high volume of clients. What makes Bryan truly unique is his investment in learning and implementing legal technology into his practice. He has also been dedicated to learning how to effectively provide unbundled services, which he believes is a key part of bringing his vision to fruition. Bryan’s firm is now on a growth path to double revenues every year, and there are no signs of slowing down. Most importantly, he has put the systems, technology, and team in place that will enable his firm to continue to scale. Today, Bryan joins the show to share the specific systems and technology that enables him to serve a high number of family law clients efficiently and profitably. We identify the exact tools and services he uses, and how they impact daily workflows. We also discuss the creative ways he provides flat rate unbundled services and share some real-life examples of how he delivers them to clients. Click here watch the video version of this podcast interview on our YouTube Channel To read a complete transcript of this interview, click here In this episode, you’ll learn: An overview of three main ways you can grow your firm, and how to implement all three How Bryan’s approach to calling his family law leads evolved during the first few months, and the process he now follows to book in-office consultations in 20 minutes or less The importance of having a streamlined and efficient intake process, especially when you are responding to a high number of prospective clients Some clear guidance on how and when to bring on an associate lawyer, including what tasks and cases to delegate and which to manage yourself Valuable lessons Bryan learned from CEO’s and mentors he worked with in previous positions and how these lessons inform the way he runs his practice today The importance of having all your software tools integrated together, and how to effectively implement these tools in your practice The importance of taking time to run the numbers and assign average monetary values to each case type so you can identify the areas where you have the greatest opportunities to grow revenue The value of delivering unbundled legal services as a flat rate, and how building efficient systems to deliver flat rate services can make them the most profitable part of your practice A complete breakdown of cloud-based practice management software systems he researched and how he settled on the platforms he now uses How to engineer your intake system to auto-populate forms and documents you will need for your clients, and how this saves countless hours of administrative time and substantially increases profit margins The value of breaking cases down into “bite-sized” chunks by billing one segment at a time Bryan’s thoughts on how unbundling positively impacts the affordability of legal services, and helps lawyers build a more profitable practice Examples of the gratitude his clients express for providing services to them when they otherwise couldn’t afford it, and the fulfillment he feels from making a difference in people’s lives in meaningful ways Bryan’s revenue numbers during his first two years of practice, and conservative projections for growth through 2020 The overwhelming number of clients that Unbundled Attorney is capturing and the opportunity this offers attorneys to build their practices, plus a direct invitation from our CEO for lawyers to become part of this movement And much more … Resources Mentioned in This Episode Lexicata/ClioGrow Clio Lawmatics Smokeball Practice Panther Dropbox Google Drive If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to iTunes, subscribe to the show, and leave us a review. We love hearing from our listeners and look forward to reading your feedback! For more information about Unbundled Attorney and how our exclusive, unbundled leads can help grow your practice, visit: https://www.unbundledattorney.com
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Jan 13, 2019 • 48min

The Pioneer of Credit Card Payment Processing for the Legal Industry: How LawPay is Transforming the Way Lawyers Get Paid and Practice Law, with Founder and CEO Amy Porter

Episode 56: The Pioneer of Credit Card Payment Processing for the Legal Industry: How LawPay is Transforming the Way Lawyers Get Paid and Practice Law, with Founder and CEO Amy Porter It’s easy to forget that when LawPay started in the mid-2000s, few lawyers were accepting credit cards, and for good reason. At that time there wasn’t any way to route credit card funds directly into a lawyer's trust account, which created serious ethical issues. There was also no simple, easy to use platform where lawyers could receive credit card payments online and clients could pay for their services with the click of a button. LawPay changed all of that, and nowadays it’s hard to find a law firm that doesn’t accept credit cards. Today, Founder and CEO Amy Porter joins our show to share the LawPay success story and how LawPay got started. Amy will update us on groundbreaking changes they have pioneered over the past decade that expands the way lawyers accept client payments. We also discuss how the LawPay platform has helped usher in a new era of virtual and digital lawyering, and has enabled lawyers to offer more creative and flexible payment options to make their services more accessible and affordable. Click here watch the video version of this podcast interview on our YouTube Channel To read a complete transcript of this interview, click here In this episode, you’ll learn: Amy’s background in the payment industry and how the idea for LawPay began Why lawyers, and the legal industry in general, were at first resistant to accepting payments via credit cards How LawPay was able to overcome ethical concerns by enabling attorneys to route credit card payments into an IOLTA account protected from chargebacks How LawPay forged relationships with local bar associations to build credibility and trust in their payment platform and acquire new clients The technology that underpins the LawPay platform, and how Amy attracted a development team that built a simple, easy to use payment interface between attorneys and clients The importance of making it as easy as possible for clients to enroll in your services and eliminate unnecessary points of friction The value of adding a pay link to your website, and sending electronic payment links via email How a client’s perception of the value of the services your firm provides changes over time, and why getting paid immediately after services are performed is so important How their relationship with Jack Newton, CEO of Clio, was formed, along with other practice management companies, and how it has impacts the way payment processing integrates into a lawyer’s day to day operations The value of the “one-click” payment experience and how it improves client conversion How the automated payments feature of LawPay has influenced more lawyers to offer payment plans, which has helped to improve the affordability of their legal services A breakdown of different types of creative and flexible payment options that LawPay enables attorneys to offer, and the impact this has on access to justice An exciting announcement about an innovative new feature LawPay has released that significantly improves the way lawyers accept payments And much more… Resources Mentioned in This Episode LawPay Clio If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to iTunes, subscribe to the show, and leave us a review. We love hearing from our listeners and look forward to reading your feedback! For more information about Unbundled Attorney and how our exclusive, unbundled leads can help grow your practice, visit: https://www.unbundledattorney.com
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Nov 28, 2018 • 1h 41min

How to Make $500-$750 Per Hour Providing Unbundled Legal Services

Episode 55: How to Make $500-$750 Per Hour Providing Unbundled Legal Services Dallas, TX attorney Clay Wilkinson’s journey in the practice of law started with a partnership in a law firm, then he became an associate with a large firm, and now he has a new role running his own solo practice. Along the way he has experienced what life is like as a lawyer in these different roles and learned the advantages and disadvantages in each position. Today Clay joins the show and shares the “why” behind each of his decisions, lessons learned, and what finally led to his success as a solo legal practitioner. We take a deep dive into how he has successfully developed unbundled services during his 5+ years as an Unbundled Attorney. Clay shares real-life experiences with clients that involved both uncontested and contested legal cases. He provides a detailed breakdown of how to deliver unbundled services for both kinds of clients, the rates for each, and systems he uses to establish his effective hourly rate at $500-$750 per hour. We also give an overview of the legal technology he integrates into his high-volume practice, and how he streamlines booking appointments and the delivery of his services. Click here watch the video version of this podcast interview on our YouTube Channel To read a complete transcript of this interview, click here In this episode, you’ll learn: Why there was a delay in release of our new podcast episodes and a summary of Unbundled Attorney’s podcast schedule going forward Clay’s philosophy of practicing law with integrity and in genuine service to others, and how this influences his decisions An overview of how Clay transitioned from being a partner with a new small law firm, to his position as an associate at a large firm, to finally running his own solo practice and what he learned from these experiences The importance of growing a practice gradually and not taking on too many clients in the early stages Why Clay decided to temporarily reduce the number of clients he was receiving from Unbundled Attorney and focus on remaining a solo practitioner instead of building a small law firm The many ways lawyers can grow and scale their practice, including hiring staff, the use of contract lawyers and associates, and how to decide what path is right for you Clay’s analysis of the benefits and costs from working for a law firm versus running your own practice based on his own experience in both roles How Clay kept a low overhead by working from home and using virtual office spaces when he left his job to begin a solo practice What made Clay decide to hire contract lawyers and why this was a win-win relationship for both him and the contract lawyers A comprehensive overview of unbundled service options Clay provides that enables him to tailor his services to his clients’ budgets Two real-life examples of clients with uncontested and contested legal issues that Clay helped with unbundled services Why Clay is able to make $500-$750 per hour delivering unbundled services with a flat rate instead of a billable hours model A walk-through that details how Clay delivers unbundled services from start to finish, including how he uses an outsourced virtual paralegal for document preparation Best practices that set boundaries with unbundled clients, and how to effectively craft limited scope retainer agreements The difference between vertical and horizontal unbundled services, and how they enable creative and flexible delivery of legal services for your clients Why providing unbundled services substantially reduces your firm’s accounts receivables How Clay uses Google Voice and Calendly to streamline appointment scheduling with prospective clients The potential impact of unbundling on the increase in pro se litigants filing in family court and why Clay has become passionate about working with Unbundled Attorney and being a part of this movement And much more… Resources Mentioned in This Episode Calendly Google Voice Forrest “Woody” Mosten - Unbundled Legal Services Training Forrest Mosten’s Unbundled Attorney Podcast Interview Clio LawPay Dropbox WhatsApp If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to iTunes, subscribe to the show, and leave us a review. We love hearing from our listeners and look forward to reading your feedback! For more information about Unbundled Attorney and how our exclusive, unbundled leads can help grow your practice, visit: https://www.unbundledattorney.com
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Jul 15, 2018 • 1h 9min

Educating a New Generation of Solo Attorneys: The Exciting Future of Legal Incubators and a Practical Overview of the Business Model of Unbundling Legal Services

Episode 54: Educating a New Generation of Solo Attorneys: The Exciting Future of Legal Incubators and a Practical Overview of the Business Model of Unbundling Legal Services San Diego, CA attorney, Lee Vernon, is a product of a legal incubator provided by the Thomas Jefferson School of Law. The incubator provided mentoring from attorneys experienced in the practice of law, affordable office space, and the opportunity to collaborate with other attorneys. In addition, Lee was exposed to the concept of unbundled legal services and how it is used to help individuals unable to afford traditional retainer fees. Once Lee launched his solo practice and started working with Unbundled Attorney, he developed a complete business model built around delivering both full representation and unbundled legal services to his clients. Today Lee joins the show to explain why he made the decision to offer unbundled services. He gives an overview of the unbundled service options he provides, the price points for each, as well as the systems and processes he has developed to deliver them efficiently and profitably. Lee also discusses some of the major misconceptions about unbundled services, and why unbundling can positively impact the access to justice problem as these misconceptions are debunked and more lawyers across the country begin offering these service options in their practice. Click here watch the video version of this podcast interview on our YouTube Channel To read a complete transcript of this interview, click here In this episode, you’ll learn: What legal incubators are, and some of the ways they educate new attorneys and empower them to start their own practice right out of law school Common misconceptions about unbundled services that prevent more lawyers from offering these service options in their practice How working as a contract lawyer for another firm provides valuable experience to new attorneys How law schools can play a vital role in educating attorneys about unbundled services, and the positive impact this could have on access to justice How Lee handles the initial consultation, including how much time he spends on those calls, as well as valuable lessons he has learned over the past year calling his Unbundled leads Important considerations for deciding whether you should enroll clients over the phone or have them come into your office How unbundled services puts both the client and the attorney in control of how much legal services will be deliver How providing unbundled services has completely eliminated Lee’s accounts receivables The advantages of delivering unbundled services as a flat rate on a task by task basis, and how this can improve your overall profitability The value of being able to tell your clients “we can work with almost any budget” How to effectively provide hour-by-hour coaching, and why this can be a great starting option to offer your clients The processes Lee follows to offer limited appearances, including the form you can use in certain states to notify the court of your limited scope representation Why Lee uses practice management software, and how it has positively impacted his practice Practical tips for offering payment plans to clients for full representation, including how to find the balance between helping as many people as possible while still maintaining a highly profitable practice How to transition from providing full representation to limited scope services when clients can no longer afford to pay for full service And much more… Resources Mentioned in This Episode Unbundled Attorney YouTube Channel ABA Legal Incubator Directory Center for Solo Practitioners - Thomas Jefferson Law School Legal Incubator Program Google Duo Video Calling App MyCase LawPay If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to iTunes, subscribe to the show, and leave us a review. We love hearing from our listeners and look forward to reading your feedback! For more information about Unbundled Attorney and how our exclusive, unbundled leads can help grow your practice, visit: https://www.unbundledattorney.com

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