Do you find yourself wasting time between meetings? In this episode, Tyson shares a time management technique called "attacking the open space" that he learned from his friend Jason Selk & Tom Bartow . Lawyers are very busy people who usually never have any time. With juggling client meetings, research for cases and court prep, there are many tips to use to maximize the time you have. Tyson shares the technique “attacking the open space” which means using the leftover time you have in your calendar to complete a task on your to-do list. For example, if you have a 60 minute client call and you finish early with 15 minutes left to spare, use that time to tackle a quick task.“Attacking that time” allows attorneys to get a lot of things done. The amount of time could vary from 2 minutes to 30 minutes, depending on how busy a schedule is. Tackle that time by responding to an email from a client, setting up a meeting to follow up with a partner or conducting some quick research for a case.It is all about maximizing your productivity!Take a listen.1:19 How to identify and utilize the open spaces in your calendar2:25 The technique of attacking the open space in your calendar4:13 Understanding how different salary ranges view time in varying units🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube here.

Do you need virtual support for your law firm? In this podcast episode, Daniel Maxwell, an attorney with Amicus Settlement Planners, discusses the benefits of hiring and training virtual assistants (VAs) for law firms. Daniel talks about how hiring internationally located individuals as VAs can help businesses grow and prosper. Many people have fears with hiring VAs, especially ones that live halfway across the world. Daniel says business owners need to move from problem centric thinking to solution focused thinking in order to get over these fears. Thinking about how a VA will help your company instead of what potential issues exist will lead to success. What makes outsourcing work to VAs in other countries beneficial is that people can be working at different times of the day. Daniel shares how he will provide a list of tasks to his VAs before he goes to bed and they are complete when he wakes up.For many business owners, the question can be where to find the best VAs. Daniel shares the three ways to find VAs: hiring direct, using a freelance marketplace or using a VA staffing firm. It is important to not get stuck in this step. Choose a route to find a VA and follow through. If one method does not work to your liking, try a different one later on. Daniel stresses the importance of hiring a VA for one task. Not all VAs will be able to do everything and that is totally fine. For example, if you need help with invoicing, hire a VA solely for invoicing so they can focus and master that skill. If there are other tasks that they can do down the line, allow them to branch out.Something to add to your recruitment process is having potential VAs complete a test task. This task should be similar to the work that person would be doing if they were to come on board with your firm. This will narrow down potential hires and sift out those who are not the right fit. It is also important to have a good standard operation procedure (SOP) for VAs to follow so everything is done in the way it needs to. Some examples include access to software or templates to complete work or a video demo on how to complete a task. This all helps VAs become familiar with how you run your firm and decreases the chance of a VA not knowing what to do.Communicating with your VAs regularly is important. Pick a standard channel, whether it be email, Slack or Asana. Communicating new tasks is also crucial to ensure the VA understands how things work. When you are providing a new task, record a video demonstration so the VA can refer back to it.Listen in to learn more on hiring VAs!1:20 Daniel addresses the fears and concerns that may be holding law firms back6:07 The different options for finding and hiring virtual assistants9:09 Tips on filtering and hiring virtual assistants10:14 The importance of having standard operating procedures (SOPs)14:07 The benefits of investing in virtual assistants🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube here.Connect with Daniel:Website TwitterFacebook Linkedin Youtube

Do you need help in building toughness within yourself? In this podcast episode, Jim and Tyson interview mental toughness expert Steve Magness. They discuss the misconceptions about resilience and how to build true toughness. True ResilienceSteve talks about the thing people get wrong about resilience. Many people think resilience means putting your head down, grinding through anything and not letting emotions get in your way. But, resilience really is navigating discomfort and uncertainty and figuring out ways to decide what is best for you. Navigating new territory is scary and many people get anxious or scared if they don't know what to do. Steve shares that if you do something repetitively in which you are putting yourself in uncomfortable situations, your brain will adjust. It's all about looking for easy ways into that space.True ToughnessLike resilience, many people get true toughness wrong. Toughness is about developing inner strength in order to choose doing something that is difficult. Whether it be lifting weights or running a marathon, there is an inner strength that is needed in order to decide if you are going to do it. There are ways to foster toughness within people and Steve speaks to law firm owners on how best to do it. One thing is giving staff a sense of autonomy, in which people feel they can actively contribute to their teams. Another thing is competency, in which staff have a path to grow and learn.Staff ConnectionsIt is so important to make and keep connections, especially while working virtually. It is easy to feel isolated when working from home and working with people who you never see face to face. Steve provides some insight on how to maintain these relationships. Before virtual work became the norm, there were water cooler talks and coffee breaks where people would get together and get to know one another on a personal level. Since most of that has gone away, Steve emphasizes the importance of finding ways to bring those in between moments back. One way is to spend 5-10 minutes at the beginning of meetings to share updates on what is going on in your life. Maybe ask a colleague how their vacation went or what they got up to on the weekend.Take a listen to learn more!1:30 Steve Magnus discusses the misconceptions about resilience.3:13 How controlled stressors can help build mental toughness and resilience.14:39 How leaders can foster internal confidence and toughness.21:37 Tips on how to foster connection and belonging in the virtual workplace.Jim's Hack: If there is something that you're struggling with, look at the people who have succeeded at doing that thing and do what they do. Steve’s Tip: Get outside for a couple minutes, even if it is to just look at something natural. Getting outside has a restorative ability to your cognition. It will help get rid of some of that fatigue and help you perform better.Tysons Tip: Think about how you work and where you're working. Think about reconfiguring things to a way that makes more sense for how you operate and it may help you work more efficiently.Links mentionedBook: Do Hard Things: Why We Get Resilience Wrong and the Surprising Science of Real Toughness by Steve Magness🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube here.

Have you ever accidentally closed a browser tab and did not know how to recover it? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer Podcast, Tyson shares a helpful tech tip on how to reopen closed browser tabs.Tyson shares how to recover browser windows for both PC and Mac users. For PC users, the method to recover browser windows is clicking Ctrl, shift and T. In order to restore multiple windows, press the same keys over and over and the tabs will reopen in reverse order of when they closed. If you want to use your mouse instead, go to the browser, right click and select “reopen closed tabs”.For Mac users, the way to recover tabs is pretty similar. It is Command, shift and T. It is important to be mindful that not all Mac computers have the same right click option that PC computers do. If you do not have it set up, use the right click option that your laptop has already (this could be through using the touchpad).Listen in to learn how to save time with this tip!00:24 The common issue of accidentally closing a browser tab1:16 Two methods to reopen a closed browser tab🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube here. https://youtu.be/nhBM7gqSm_w

Is your law firm struggling with how to effectively communicate with clients? In this episode, Tyson discusses the importance of client communication in a law firm. He shares tips on how to better communicate and action items firms can take.Front End CommunicationTyson talks about the importance of front end communication. This involves communicating everything to your clients at the beginning so they don't call back multiple times with questions. Make sure to intentionally plan out what to communicate and when. There may be some information clients will need at different points of the client journey. Tyson uses the example of their own ten day onboarding email sequence, where over the course of 10 days, clients are provided with different types of information.Client SatisfactionKeeping clients in the loop is crucial to ensure they are satisfied throughout their time working with you. Track your firm’s responsiveness so you know how well the team is communicating with clients and how often. Tyson uses their own firm’s example, where the team does a client check in every 6 weeks. These calls involve communicating what is going on with a case, how the client is feeling and if they feel they are being represented appropriately. Make sure to build those calls into the calendar so they are not missed.Ultimately, effective client communication is key to ensure your client knows what is happening and they are always kept in the loop. It is crucial if you want to get referrals as news about good service travels fast!Take a listen.1:11 Tips on how to up front load communication3:47 Importance of tracking team responsiveness and communication scores9:00 Tips for improving client communication10:06 The significance of effective client communication for referrals🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube here.

Are you looking for a way to automate your intake system? Do you use various tools within your firm? In this podcast episode, Kelsey Bratcher from Hired Gun Solutions shares a presentation on automation intake and the evolution of the process.The intake process began with a simple piece of paper. When someone called a firm, a receptionist or administrator would write their name and number down on a piece of paper. This would then get passed to the attorney. In the legal field today, there are many tools and softwares that are used to automate the intake process, making it more efficient and faster. The ideal intake system will get a client on board in one call, without having to bother with scheduling an appointment.You want a level of consistency in the intake process. The same questions should be asked, the same information collected and the handoff of information should be right after everything is collected. This will ensure every client is treated the same and nothing is left out for the attorneys. Kelsey emphasizes the need to have a centralized system. If a firm is tracking calls and messages, scheduling meetings and has a marketing channel, all of this needs to be in one place or within one software.Take a listen!1:05 Kelsey Bratcher shares the fundamentals of the ultimate intake system3:46 The need for consistency in how calls are handled6:38 Centralizing information in one place8:43 The importance of staying organized in the intake process9:36 Easy and real-time access to reports and metrics🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube here.Connect with Kelsey:Website Facebook 

Are you an attorney who wants to get into the social media space? In this podcast episode, Jim and Tyson discuss the importance of creating engaging and entertaining content for law firm videos and social media. Creating social media content is a difficult skill to master. It takes time and effort to not only understand how certain apps work but also what type of content is going to reel people in. Social media can be used to attract clients, especially those of a younger demographic. Tyson and Jim explore the idea of creating entertaining videos and if it will lead to more viewers and clients. One thing to consider is creating TikTok content that is a mix of fun and legal advice. The fun aspect allows viewers to get to know you as a person and then the legal advice will showcase the expertise.Tyson and Jim talk about how viewers do not like the “ask” in social media content. The point of social media is to attract people to view your content and subscribe. The last thing people want is to have to go the extra mile for a creator all the time if they are asking their audience to do something. Sprinkling in the “selling” is a good way to get your message across. Giving away your best tips and advice will get people to listen. It is a risk because nobody wants to give everything away for nothing in return, but Tyson and Jim promise it is the best way to get the views without throwing things in people’s faces.When creating content on apps like Tiktok, it is important to include all the necessary information without taking too much time. Make sure to address the question, provide a solution and have a call to action. It is really important to ensure videos are kept short. No one is going to listen to a video if it is too long because you lose the viewer if you do not get the point.To be successful on social media, it is important to understand the rhythm of the platform. What are people talking about? What are the trends to know and follow? Get to know your audience and understand what they want to see and what questions they need answered. As attorneys, find out what legal advice people want to know. Is it about immigration, privacy, criminal or copyright? From here, you can create content in a way that will help you attain more clients.Take a listen!2:09 The significance of creating engaging and interesting videos5:42 Balance entertaining content with informative legal content10:04 Giving away valuable content to attract clients18:35 The need for law firm videos and social media content to be short19:56 Advice on how to make TikTok videos interesting by following trendsJim’s Hack: Read the book $100M Leads: How to Get Strangers to Want to Buy Your Stuff Alex Hormozi Tyson’s Tip: Get your personal life organized through a Kanban board. Tyson suggests having columns for buckets such as “new task”, “doing” and “done” and using sticky notes to fill the board.🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube here.

Does your firm need better Wi-Fi? Do you struggle to have good connectivity during meetings? This episode features Tyson who discusses tech tips to improve Wi-Fi speeds for law practices. Regardless of the type of industry you are in, reliable Wi-Fi is a necessity, especially in this day and age. It is one of the only ways we are able to stay connected and know what is happening around us. Tyson talks about the need to understand what you are paying for. He suggests people google an “internet speed test” to check how fast the internet is and to test it all around the office. If the speed and the price don't match, it means it is time to make some changes.Tyson provides some tips to use to solve connectivity and speed issues. One tip is to simply reboot your router, which involves unplugging the router for 30 seconds, pressing the power button and plugging it back in. This can reset your internet and bring it back to a good speed. Another tip is upgrading your router. Older routers are not able to keep up with the newer demands of Wi-Fi and can really slow everything down. Disconnecting multiple devices is something that can also speed up your Wi-Fi. Most times, people have their phones, laptops and TVs connected to the Wi-Fi which can really slow it down. Encourage people in the office to disconnect devices that they do not need.Where your router is located in the office can really determine how strong the connection and speed is. If your Wi-Fi is slow, consider moving the router to a more central position. This could be a boardroom or office in the middle of the space. What this does is clear the path and not allow the connection to hit walls or barriers.Take a listen!00:24 How Wi-Fi speeds affect law practices2:33 How to test your internet speeds using Google's internet speed test4:29 Tips for improving Wi-Fi speeds🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube here.

Do you need some help in changing habits to reduce stress? In this episode, Tyson discusses the importance of stress reduction and shares practical tips for managing stress in the legal profession and as a business owner.Tyson talks about the various ways to reduce stress as well as some things he has implemented. One of his tips to reducing stress is the method of box breathing. Box breathing involves inhaling for 4 seconds, holding your breath for 4 seconds, exhaling for 4 seconds and then holding your breath once more for 4 seconds. What this does is help center yourself and reach a state of calm.Another tip is to turn off notifications. People are on their phones way too much and get distracted by all the apps. It can cause a lot of stress and many people can become addicted. Tyson suggests doing this as it allows you to control the flood of information that gets to you. You can control the amount and when you absorb it.One final tip is to schedule your workouts. Realistically, if you do not schedule it, it's not going to happen. Scheduling it allows you to proactively plan and stay accountable to yourself. If you decide one day you are not in the mood to workout, schedule that time frame for a walk around the neighborhood or around the office.Take a listen to learn more tips on how to reduce stress!2:04 The technique of box breathing for stress reduction4:47 Have you turned off notifications to reduce stress?5:35 The importance of scheduling workouts🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube here.

Are you a practicing attorney who struggles with closing a deal? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer podcast, Russ, a salesperson with a law degree, presents the five most important factors to closing a sale. He talks about the skills and qualities an attorney needs to close a sale with a client.Building Trust People will buy a product or become a client because of trust. Trust is essential in gaining the support and rapport of a client. Trust comes from credibility as well, in that you are good at what you do and you have the evidence to show for it. Now the question becomes: “How do you begin to build that relationship with a client?”5 Steps for Closing a SaleRuss talks about the five steps for closing a sale and how it can pertain to attorneys.The first step is engagement. As lawyers, engaging with the client at the beginning is easy because the client calls you for help. As long as you are quick with getting their needs met, you have them. Once this step is done, you need to focus on discovering the client. Get to know them and their needs. Spend time understanding their real needs and the needs they don't even know about. Walk the client through the process of how their needs will be both met and encourage them to take your recommendations. This leads to the third and most important step, which is building value. Clients are going to buy what you're selling, only if you convince them you or a product has value. To build value, communicate with them when you will be in touch, when you are available and all the information the client will need.As attorneys, gaining the trust of the client comes from passion. You need to be passionate about them and their story. Working in the legal field comes with countless stories about people who have gone through turmoil, trauma and heartache. Clients need to have attorneys that are just as passionate as they are to solve the issue. This passion is important in showing clients that you care and are with them until the end. It will stem from the discovery stage, where you ask questions to get a better understanding of what the client needs and why they came to your firm.Most of the time, potential clients don't know what they want because they are stressed out from their legal situation. As an attorney, you need to get them to commit to something. After showing them your value, have them commit to a phone call from you, a follow up call from your assistant, or signing the agreement. You need to give them a choice to make a decision. This is where you close the deal and retain the client.Take a listen to learn more!1:19 The importance of trust, credibility, and rapport in closing a sale3:28 Engaging the client10:04 The importance of building value.19:30 The strategy of providing the client with a choice🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube here.Connect with Russ:Website