Are you a new lawyer and need help getting your name out there? In this podcast episode, Jim and Tyson introduce Vaidas Cikotas and Steve Williams from RizeUp Media, a digital marketing agency specializing in law firm marketing. They all discuss how attorneys can establish an online presence and set the foundations for their business.First Thing to SetupWorking as a new defense lawyer involves a lot of marketing to get those first few clients. People need to be able to find you as a lawyer. One thing that is important to set up is Google My Business. This allows someone to add and edit business info and allows you to know how people find your business. This makes sure all information is up to date so you do not lose a single customer.Make ConnectionsNetworking is an important aspect of any business. In the legal field, networking with fellow attorneys is crucial to not only making connections but letting others know you are in business. If a fellow attorney cannot take on a case, they may refer a client to you. Being new in the business is all about making connections. Creating an online presence is another way to get your name and business out there. In relation to the legal field, commenting on various cases that are making headlines is a great way for people to understand your perspective. Social media like Twitter or Facebook is a great tool for this. The more online presence you have, the easier it will be for people to find you when they search on Google.Consistent Online PresenceVaidas and Steve talk about how a lot of great law firms exist but because they don't have a solid and consistent online presence, people are not aware of their work. They emphasize the need to keep an up to date website with the correct contact information, staff directory and biographies and the cases that attorneys have worked on. Think about this: If you need someone to landscape your backyard and the companies you are searching up do not have pictures of their landscaping work, you are not going to hire them. The same thing goes for law firms! Law firms and lawyers alike need to show their successes to get clients. Jim’s Hack: Don’t give your cell phone number to your clients when they are your clients, but give it to them after so they can refer you cases. Vaidas's Tip: Understand what you are spending for marketing and ask for help. Steve’s Tip: Give your clients your office phone number of your firm when they sign up.Tyson’s Tip: Use Zoho voice!  Episode Highlights:2:15 The initial steps attorneys should take to establish their online presence5:59 Importance of creating content to build presence on social media14:13 Exploring the long-term benefits of organic search results19:22 The significance of having a good online reputation🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube here.Connect with RizeUp Media:Website Facebook LinkedIn InstagramTwitter 

Are you in the market for a new AI tool to help make your life easier? In this episode, Tyson Mutrux introduces in his new tech segment where he shares an AI tool called Harpa.ai. This tool is a side window to your browser and does a wide variety of things. The tool can answer questions that you ask it, provide a summary and even rewrite what you are looking at on the page. Harpa.ai can integrate with other websites or apps. For example, it can provide summaries of Youtube videos with timestamps and can read the PDF you are working on.It is a great tool for writing as well. Whether you are writing a paper, website or a blog, the tool can mimic a specific writing style that you like. It also helps audit websites. If you have a website and you want it analyzed because you want to change some things, Harpa.ai will give you keyword reports, a strategy and meta descriptions. Take a listen to learn more about the various ways to use Harpa.ai!1:16 Introducing Harpa.ai2:21 The numerous features and capabilities of Harpa.ai🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube here. 

Are you looking for a new hobby to add to your routine? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer Podcast, Tyson talks about cold plunging and the various benefits of it.There is a lot of buzz around cold plunges. It is gaining a lot of traction and professional athletes are beginning to include it in their routines. Cold plunges do have a ton of benefits including improving your mood, strengthening your immune system, helping with inflammation and minimizing stress. Cold plunges can provide energy all day so you don't have to rely on coffee.Tyson talks about the different ways you can create a cold plunge, which includes his very own creation of turning a chest freezer into a cold plunge tank. Adding a temperature controller onto a tank is important because it will freeze the water to a certain degree and then turn off. When starting to implement cold plunges into your daily routine, it is important to start with small increments of time. Do not just jump in and stay in the tank for 30 or 40 minutes. Start slow with 5 minutes and gradually increase the time as you continue to use it.Listen in to learn more about cold plunges!2:07 Explanation of how to convert a chest freezer into a cold plunge tank6:20 The various benefits of cold plunging9:05 Starting with shorter durations9:51 Tyson advises listeners to consult with their doctors before trying cold plunges🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube here.

Do you need help improving your law firm's client journey? Are you finding it hard to get clients? In this episode, Matt Spiegel, the co-founder and CEO of Lawmatics, discusses the importance of providing excellent customer service in the legal industry and improving the client journey.It is evident that lawyers are not CEOs. They don't run businesses. But, Matt emphasizes the need for law firm owners to run their practice like a business. Law firm owners need to go out and find clients to grow their firm just like a CEO would go out and make connections to grow their success. Part of growing your business and law firm ensures the client is always happy because a happy client equals a happy practice. Matt delves into the ways to prioritize the happiness of a client.1 | Client Begins The client journey begins the moment a client reaches out to your firm via email or phone. This is part of the “client intake phase”. This phase is crucial to getting a client because they are reaching out to multiple firms at once. You need to ensure staff are engaging right away so they don't lose the client. Immediate engagement shows the client exactly how you will respond to them throughout the process. It shows that those in the firm care and are ready to provide the client with what they need, even if it's just basic legal information.2 | Active ClientThe “active matter phase” is the communication throughout the length of a client's case. Like phase one, communication is key to getting and retaining a client. It is important to provide the client information throughout the journey. Make it a habit to market to them. Send them information like newsletters that include things that are external to your firm. It is a good idea to set up a client portal, where individuals can go into a system and get updates on their case. If email communication is too much (and it can be in this industry), a client portal is a great way to input all necessary information and the client can retrieve it on the other end. 3 | Former Client The “former client phase” is a neglected but important phase in the client journey. 75% of clients come from referrals. Even when a client’s case is complete, the relationship between the attorney and client needs to continue. There are many ways to maintain a good relationship with a former client. Send a birthday and holiday email every year or add them to a mailing list for networking events. What this does is let the client know the firm has their best interests in mind even after the working relationship ends.Matt speaks about only doing things in your law firm that you can measure. You need to be able to back up your success with KPIs and numbers. Think about the conversion rates of initial screening calls that lead to actual clients. This will measure how successful the intake process is for your firm. Cost per lead and cost per client is another metric to consider to ensure the amount it takes to bring a client on board and how much you are making from that client makes sense.Take a listen!6:57 Immediate engagement and rapid response to create a positive first impression8:45 Focusing on maintaining the relationship with a former client8:58 Providing excellent customer service from the very first contact with a client9:53 Delighting clients through effective communication during the active matter phase17:29 The importance of automation🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube here.Connect with Matt:Website InstagramFacebookLinkedin

Are you curious about using AI in your law firm? In this podcast episode, Jim and Tyson interview Manny Griffiths, the CEO and co-founder of Hona (formerly known as Milestones), a legal tech company that uses AI to change the client management experience.Hona was created as a way for client's going through the legal system to keep up to date on the progress of their cases. Manny shares about Hona as a “Domino's pizza tracker” type of system, where clients can know every aspect of their case and know where their cases are in the legal process. This stemmed from a personal story of being out of the loop in a case for months at a time, with no answers from his lawyer. Hona really works to improve the client experience and ensures those going through the legal process always know the status of their case. What makes Hona such a great product is that it includes every aspect of the client-lawyer interaction. The app includes basic communication, data collection (ie. basic personal information), billing and an AI chatbot that provides additional information on a case. Manny speaks to the fact that AI is drastically changing the way lawyers do their work. Though there are some that are hesitant to adopt it in their own firms, those that are wanting to elevate their firms are using it. Manny talks about how other people are becoming eager to learn about Hona and provides demos on how the app was created and how it is used. This shows the popularity of AI within the legal field. With the adoption of AI, the legal field is moving in a direction that many thought it would not go down. Simply put, the firms who are smart and take advantage of AI will prosper and the firms who are rejecting it will eventually go out of business. Listen in to learn more!Jim’s Hack: Respond to your YouTube comments and see more engagement!Manny’s Tip: Pay college football players or college athletes to do a small commercial or snippet and then send it to your alumni that are a fan of that team. Great, fun marketing! Tyson’s Tip: Use the Amazon smart plug to make life a little easier!2:53 The motivation behind starting Milestones10:06 The vision for Hona as a bridge between law firms and clients11:18 Discussion of how clients can use the AI chatbot in Hona19:03 Insights on the growing trend of niche AI startups in the legal tech space21:28 Discussion on advancements in technology and legal knowledge🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube here.Connect with Manny:Website Twitter InstagramLinkedin  

Are you trying to figure out what software to use in your business? In this episode, Tyson talks about the use of different software solutions within the legal industry and how to determine which software deserves to be used in your firm.Software is meant to be a solution, not add another layer of complexity in your firm. That is why it is important to really think about what software is going to help your firm achieve success. Think about what your firm really needs and what softwares will help with that. It is also important to think about usability. Most softwares are not user friendly and people can find it difficult to work with them when doing their day to day work. If it is too hard to navigate, move on to the next.1 | IntegrationIt is important that softwares integrates with each other. Think about Microsoft and the many applications that integrate. Outlook connects to Planner as well as Teams which includes the Tasks and Approvals function. These various applications all coincide with each other, making working with this software very popular. 2 | Non-NegotiablesTyson talks about a non-negotiable when it comes to software in the legal field. Software with very good security and compliance is not something to ignore. Those working in the legal field handle sensitive subjects and details all day long. The software used needs to meet security benchmarks for the industry to keep client information safe. This can really put your firm at risk if this is not considered.  Make sure to always include the stakeholders in your decision to use software. At the end of the day, those in the firm will be using it on a daily basis. So, make it a point to include them in the decision: ask for opinions, run a test demo and get feedback.Take a listen to learn about what to consider when looking at new software for your firm!00:24 The importance of considering different things when evaluating software2:28 Software needs to be able to easily integrate with existing tools3:24 The non-negotiable requirement for software🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube here.

The podcast discusses the qualities to look for in team members, including passion, energy, and the ability to execute tasks. It emphasizes the importance of having a positive and caring team, as well as the ability to make tough decisions and get things done.

Do you want to create a more successful law firm, where you are able to take home more money? In this episode of the Maximum Lawyer Podcast, speaker Brooke Lively shares her personal experience of firing her biggest client and the resulting financial struggles for her business. Starting from scratch and building a successful business is a hard thing to achieve. Brooke talks about using the rule of thirds strategy to make her company a profitable one. The strategy involves the following: allocating a third of your revenue to paying salaries, a third to overhead and a third to profit. 1 | SalariesWhen it comes to paying employees, it is best to design compensation packages that work for your firm. Accountability within a law firm is so important. It moves work through a firm and can be used to dictate pay. One way to hold people accountable is helping them to create goals. Discussing goals will help employees understand what they want to accomplish. As an owner of a law firm, it is important to dedicate time with each employee on a weekly basis to speak through goals so that everyone is on track. 2 | Overhead A lot of firms spend way too much money on marketing. Brooke speaks to how cutting the marketing budget is a great way to save money. One way to do this is to analyze the return on investment on all marketing channels for a firm each month. Whichever is the lowest that month is cut, which can save tens of thousands of dollars. Another way to save money is to review the monthly credit card bill to see what expenses have been neglected and therefore removed.3 | Profit As a firm owner, there are many things you can do for your profit. One thing is to monitor it every month, tracking the increase or decrease of profit. Another thing is to figure out your salary, distributions and personal finances monthly to make sure you are not only making what you deserve but are paying off your expenses.Listen in to learn how to make your law firm more profitable!2:58 The rule of thirds6:27 The importance of accountability in law firms.10:51 Your digital marketing budget11:35 Exploration of the expenses and benefits of coaching16:28 The importance of properly compensating law firm owners.🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube here.Connect with Brooke:Website Instagram FacebookLinkedin 

Do you need some help in hiring for your law firm? Are you unsure what roles you need filled? In this podcast episode, Jim and Tyson welcome Brett Trembly, CEO and co-founder of Get Staffed Up. He discusses his new book "24 Months to Freedom: How Modern Law Firms Use Smarter Staffing Solutions to Fast Track Their Way to Success." The book lists seven crucial positions to hire that every law firm needs.In order to have a successful law firm, you need the right people. You need to have an adequate amount of staff who are skilled in what they do. One of the most important roles to fill is that of an executive assistant. Without an executive assistant, many attorneys take on much more tasks in their day to day schedule. This ultimately takes away from what they need to do. An executive assistant wears many hats in a law firm. The role includes answering phones, preparing documents and bookkeeping. It is a multi-dimensional role that helps keep law firms running.Many attorneys have a fear of hiring and will stall in getting it done. Sometimes this comes down to money. Brett speaks to not needing tens of thousands of dollars in the bank to hire. As long as there is enough to pay someone for the first 2 weeks, that is when it is time to hire. Hiring someone is not going to cost you money, but it will make you money. It will allow an attorney to focus on the important work, bring in more clients and therefore bring in more money.Every successful law firm needs to have a full proof intake system, which includes a few different positions. ➡️ One is a receptionist, who will answer phones and take messages. A receptionist is usually the first person a potential client will interact with, so this individual needs to be very well rounded. Answering the phones in a swift and quick manner is crucial to ensuring that potential clients are provided with what they need. If a firm does not have a receptionist, there is much opportunity to lose out on new clients. ➡️Hiring an intake specialist is another position that is included in the intake process. This individual will know the process of the law firm in and out and will have some legal knowledge as well. They screen clients to ensure they are the right fit, refer clients to other firms when they are not and will set up  consultations for attorneys. These two positions not only add value to a firm but allow attorneys to focus on the core work.Brett provides a few tips to help firms hire the right people. One great tip is to give potential candidates practical tests to see if they can not only handle the job but show off their skills and experience. For example, if you are hiring for an intake specialist role, do a quick role play scenario of a client screening call. This way, the candidate can show you in real time how they would handle that situation and what skills they would use to complete a successful call. Take a listen to learn more about who to hire and how to hire for a law firm!6:30 Hiring an executive assistant10:14 The fear that law firms have when hiring11:27 The misconception of waiting to hire13:23 The importance of hiring a full-time dedicated receptionist20:23 Giving candidates a testJim's Hack: Have quarterly meetings with each team member to have conversations on a variety of things. This really shows the effort made to keep tabs on employees and discuss important aspects of one’s career, whether it be goals or growth. These conversations also help with understanding what is and isn't working for a firm from the eyes of an employee.Brett’s Tip: Force yourself to take time off with your family. If you find you are more stressed when you return to work, that means you have more things to work on to address either your stress or your ways of working.Tyson’s Tip: Have reference checks for hiring new people. They provide additional information that help get the right people in the right roles. It does add a little more time to the hiring process, but it is really worth it in the end.🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube here. Connect with Brett:Website Facebook  Company LinkedIn Linkedin  

Are you looking for a better way to maximize meeting notes? In this episode, Tyson introduces the new segment, Max Law Tech Tips. He shares a valuable tech tip on optimizing meeting notes using ChatGPT.Many have used ChatGPT for writing content, whether it be essays or resumes. But, it can really help with elevating meeting notes, especially within the legal field. Tyson shares his experience in using the platform, more so on how it provides the opportunity to create a visual timeline of cases. Pasting content into ChatGPT can provide deeper explanations, potential follow up questions and suggestions on next steps. It takes on the role of a legal assistant who gives you quick advice on what to do next. Test it out for yourself!Take a listen!00:24 Tysons journey to using Chat GPT1:12 The various capabilities of  Chat GPT🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube here.