Adventures In Legal Tech

I talked with an expert in law firm financial management about some of the top-level financial documentation every lawyer should be looking at on a regular basis. Episode Highlights 08:37 - The conversation touches on the different Girl Scout cookies and how availability is dependent on the bakeries that councils have relationships with. 19:18 - Joyce's explanation of what a Profit and Loss statement is, emphasizing its importance and how it should be reviewed regularly to track trends. 24:48 - Discussion about how a Cash Flow Analysis document is future-looking and necessary for understanding business health. 27:27 - Importance of looking into Accounts Receivable, especially the alarming amount that law firms often have outstanding. 30:56 - The conversation shifts to discussing the necessity of financial trends analysis to set accurate goals and expectations. 37:32 - Differences between the roles of bookkeepers, accountants, and CFOs are clearly outlined, explaining what each professional does and how their roles relate to each other. 46:14 - Importance of dashboards for visual data management and how lawyers should focus on high-level financial management, instead of getting lost in complex accounting activities. Episode Resources Connect with Jared Correia jared@redcavelegal.com https://redcavelegal.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredcorreia https://twitter.com/RedCaveLegal www.linkedin.com/in/jaredcorreia/ Connect with Joyce Brafford https://www.profitsolv.com/ https://www.cosmolex.com/ 

I spoke with a law firm management expert about how to hire new employees in a challenging environment. Episode Highlights 05:10 Why it’s very hard to find lawyers and law assistants 11:28 Insights on managing remote workers and the benefits of a globally distributed team 16:17 Firing staff members and the importance of having documented reasons 18:50 Keeping a min 30-day probationary period with ideal being 90-days 19:20 Advice to let go of unsuccessful candidates during the probationary period without any sunk cost fallacy 19:56 Why hiring a recruiter could be beneficial for law firms 21:40 Three red flags for candidates 26:17 Three things every law firm manager should know before hiring 29:19 Personal story shared about a job interview experience where the interviewee’s pants split which exemplified the importance of empathy in interview situations.   Episode Resources Connect with Jared Correia jared@redcavelegal.com   https://redcavelegal.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredcorreia https://twitter.com/RedCaveLegal www.linkedin.com/in/jaredcorreia/ Connect with Joyce Brafford https://www.profitsolv.com/ https://www.rocketmatter.com/  

I spoke with a tech advisor about everything there is to know about building websites. Episode Highlights 02:11 Bruce’s choice for the winning team in the ongoing tournament 03:16 What the Tab3 is about 05:27 Developing and selling websites 07:13 The cost structure of building out websites 09:07 Website content, SEO, and how to meet client expectations via a law firm's website 13:24 The process of launching a website 16:56 Navigation and how important website responsiveness is   20:05 The importance of being the first firm to respond to a client in winning their service 20:45 How the payment processing on website works 21:36 Preference of clients to pay online creating credibility for the firm Episode Resources Connect with Jared Correia jared@redcavelegal.com https://redcavelegal.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredcorreia https://twitter.com/RedCaveLegal www.linkedin.com/in/jaredcorreia/ Connect with Bruce Policky https://info.tabs3.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/bruce-policky-648b34131 

I talked to an elder law attorney about how leverages tech with his clients, and when he doesn't. Episode Highlights 03:59 Transition to discussing elder law practice and Jamie's move from Haroutunian Law Office to Priority Law 07:42 Separating the younger group from the more senior staff 09:54 Their process of assessing clients 12:07 Push to automation as an important part of incorporating AI 16:45 The challenges of getting millennial staff to meet senior clients midway in terms of technology use 18:53 Managing scheduling and payments with elder law clients 21:34 How they manage payments, acknowledging that a majority of their elder clients still prefer paying by check 23:01 What it’s like having consultations with different kinds of clients 24:20 The visualization tools they use during meetings 25:42 How older generations tend to be more respectful of appointments and traditional consulting methods compared to younger generations   Episode Resources Connect with Jared Correia jared@redcavelegal.com https://redcavelegal.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredcorreia https://twitter.com/RedCaveLegal www.linkedin.com/in/jaredcorreia/ Connect with Jamie Haroutunian james@hlawoffice.com https://prioritylaw.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-haroutunian-1331ba6 

Jennifer Sherman from Caret Legal discusses legal tech trends in the mid-market, including automation for lawyers, upskilling staff, and transitioning to true partnerships. The importance of using technology to avoid burnout and enhance productivity is highlighted, along with the impact on a firm's reputation and client-first approach.

I talked to a digital marketing agency owner, who gave me the real story about shady behavior from legal marketers that you should watch out for. Episode Highlights 06:01 The issue of getting locked into technologies without ownership or control over data 09:02 Defining what a viable lead is and how a good process integrates several systems 16:24 What law firms should do if you’re forwarding leads to them 18:30 The implication of reselling leads, emphasizing that those are assets of the law firms not the vendors 19:12 Bidding on the law firm's brand in a pay-per-click campaign 21:18 The economics of branded and non-branded queries, raising concern over agencies conflating these two different concepts 29:13 The issue of sharing data with competitors, even indirectly, through digital marketing agencies that work with similarly situated firms in the same locality Episode Resources Connect with Jared Correia jared@redcavelegal.com https://redcavelegal.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredcorreia   https://twitter.com/RedCaveLegal www.linkedin.com/in/jaredcorreia/ Connect with Conrad Saam conrad@mockingbirdmarketing.com https://mockingbird.marketing/ https://legaltalknetwork.com/podcasts/lunch-hour-legal-marketing/  

I talked with a data management consultant about how to leverage law firm intake management technology, while keeping clean data sets. Episode Highlights 03:49 The importance of good and reliable data for lawyers, its role in law practice, and common mistakes around data management 04:32 How law firms are dealing with data handling 12:20 CRM and Enterprise Relationship Management and the need for automation in contact capture 17:04 The involvement of AI 19:24 Successful data management in a top law firm, utilizing multiple data stewards 21:34 Various types of data and their roles maintained by data stewards 23:40 The difficulties in getting law firms to utilize technology effectively Episode Resources Connect with Jared Correia jared@redcavelegal.com https://redcavelegal.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredcorreia https://twitter.com/RedCaveLegal www.linkedin.com/in/jaredcorreia/ Connect with Chris Fritsch https://clientsfirstconsulting.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisfritsch 

The podcast delves into building a technology forward law firm with insights on client journeys, instantaneous responses, integrating software, automating case management, and optimizing marketing. The speakers discuss enhancing intake processes, data capture, metrics, and analyzing data for business success.

I spoke with a small law firm owner about how she uses technology to maintain a positive work-life balance, for her and her staff. Episode Highlights 05:29 Erin’s journey of becoming a lawyer and starting her own law-practice for flexibility 09:18 What it’s like setting up a law practice twice 14:25 Technology used in Erin's practice and her sharing her experiences starting with basic Microsoft technology and eventually upgrading and becoming more robust over time 16:25  Adopting drafting software for her legal practice and her concerns about the security of her clients' information 16:43 How she started to use drafting software 18:26 Her struggles with bookkeeping and accounting for her firm 21:24 The benefits of Lawmatics including document sharing, client intake data, and delivering more affordable legal services 22:20 Staff flexibility in her firm and how she wants her team to maintain a work-life balance 25:06 How she maintains running her business, volunteering in community activities, and having a family 28:28 Using her Apple watch to manage and monitor her stress levels 29:51 The challenges and frustrations that can come with using technology in her practice   Episode Resources Connect with Jared Correia jared@redcavelegal.com https://redcavelegal.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredcorreia https://twitter.com/RedCaveLegal www.linkedin.com/in/jaredcorreia/ Connect with Erin McBee www.lawofficeoferinmcbee.com https://www.facebook.com/McBeeLaw/ 

I talked with a public relations expert about how lawyers should prepare for, engage at and follow up after a conference. Episode Highlights 02:16 The premise of Janet’s company and how it works with attorneys on their public profiles and relations 04:27 Some of Janet’s favorite conferences to attend to 06:38 Steps to get ready when attending a conference 10:30 Tips for engaging with speakers 13:53 What happens once you’re at the conference? 16:41 The importance of business cards and making the most use of them 21:36 Janet’s bonus tip: BYON 25:21 The importance of publishing views and articles Episode Resources Connect with Jared Correia jared@redcavelegal.com https://redcavelegal.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaredcorreia https://twitter.com/RedCaveLegal www.linkedin.com/in/jaredcorreia/ Connect with Janet Falk janet@janetlfalk.com https://janetlfalk.com/ https://www.womenownedlaw.org/