The Free Lawyer

Marco Brown, esteemed Utah family lawyer and owner of his own thriving firm, joins The Free Lawyer today to share his thoughts about how to practice law the right way, and to achieve financial freedom at the same time. In a very short time, Marco has overcome incredible hurdles and built a profitable law firm of 11 attorneys and more coming. We discuss: -How to handle family law cases in a respectful way, seeking solutions through mediation and putting the children first -The importance of treating other attorneys the right way, and showing courtesies with other counsel -The benefits of living life in a way that seeks to make others better -The keys to building a successful firm, including rainmaking, selling and closing Are you interested in learning the keys to building your own firm? Have a listen! Marco grew up in a small village in Alaska called Cold Bay (population 85). He never did manage to graduate from high school, getting his GED before moving on to college, and eventually graduating with honors from law school. In 2010, Marco and his wife, Demaree, moved to Utah and Marco started Brown Family Law, with no clients and no network, on the floor of their condo. They were $160,000 in student loan debt at the time. Since then, Marco has been awarded Utah family law attorney of the year, as voted on by his peers in the Utah Bar Association. Brown Family Law has grown and helped over 4000 through divorce and family law situations in Utah, and its expanding beyond Utah to help people in other states. In his free time, Marco spends most of his time with his wife and three kids. He also loves to cook and travel, usually to Italy. For exercise, he does what he enjoys: walking and lifting heavy things and puts them down.

You have been practicing law successfully, handling files, winning cases, working tirelessly and billing many hours. But, now you hear you are expected to engage in business development. “What does that mean? How do I do it? Where do I find the time? I was never taught anything about this in law school!" As we progress from young associates to successful majority partners, we learn that we are expected to develop business for the practice. Yet, we need training in business development. We never learned about it in law school. We have so little time. Why is this important, and how can we make it happen? In this episode, I discuss the importance of business development for lawyers and provide ten practical steps for developing a successful business development plan. Building a book of clients not only makes lawyers more valuable to their firm but also gives them the freedom to move to another firm or start their own practice. However, many lawyers face common obstacles when it comes to business development. To overcome these obstacles, I provide steps such as establishing oneself as a thought leader, focusing on exceptional client service, and leveraging technology to streamline business development efforts. These are 10 steps to follow: 1. Develop your niche. 2. Identify your target market. 3. Build your network. 4. Choose the path that suits you. 5. Establish yourself as an expert in your field. 6. Focus on exceptional client service. 7. Market effectively. 8. Be proactive. 9. Leverage Technology. 10. Measure your results. Want to learn more about how to start developing your business? Please feel free to reach out to me at ⁠⁠⁠https://calendly.com/garymiles-successcoach/one-one-discovery-call⁠⁠⁠. Let’s chat!!. 

Susanne Mariga, CPA, Fractional CFO, author and entrepreneur, joins The Free Lawyer today to show us how to best maximize profit in our law practice. Doesn't it often seem like we work so hard, trying to produce fees and generate new files, and yet have a hard time creating profit? Susanne shows us how to create that income we deserve by putting our profit first. She shares her wisdom on: -The Profit First system and how it can work in your law practice -How to keep your expenses in line with industry targets -How to intentionally create the profit we want and eliminate unnecessary expenses -Important tax tips for lawyers and entrepreneurs -Key tips for maximizing profits in your law practice -Crucial cash management tips Don't we all want to make more profit? Susanne shows us how! You will enjoy listening to her. Susanne Mariga is a CPA and Fractional CFO specializing in high net worth strategies for 7 and 8 figure entrepreneurs using the Profit First System. Susanne is the CEO of The Mariga Group which is a Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business, the 2021 Profit First Professional Firm Of The Year, and a recipient of the 2011 Houston Minority Supplier Development E-10 Award. Susanne has been featured in the Houston Business Journal, MBE Magazine, and in a variety of other media outlets. She is the author of Kirkus reviewed and Publisher’s Weekly’s Editor’s Pick, Profit First For Minority Business Enterprises which was written in collaboration with Mike Michalowicz, under the Profit First brand. She is the host of the Profit Talk Podcast. Before founding her own firm, Susanne worked at Arthur Andersen LLP, as well as one of the Big 4 firms, KPMG. Combining her industry knowledge with her own experience of growing a small business has allowed Susanne to help her clients design unique, profit-first based business plans that ensure success and long-term financial stability.

Have you ever thought about developing your brand? How might it help you grow your practice? Do you ever wonder if it is worth it to you as an attorney to brand yourself? Personal branding has become increasingly important in a world overflowing with attorneys and an atmosphere of intense competition. How can you stand out in a crowded field? How can people grow to trust you as a professional? Personal branding is the answer. In this episode of The Free Lawyer, I will explain what it means to have a personal brand and the benefits to us as attorneys to develop our brand. I will review common objections often expressed about branding and some common mistakes that we make.  Finally, I will provide 10 tangible tools for you to start creating your brand: 1. Identify what makes you unique and valuable. 2. Know your audience, their pain points and concerns. 3. Be consistent, 4. Develop a unique and memorable tagline 5. Create a powerful online presence. 6. Publish content that educates and informs. 7. Network and collaborate 8. Use visual branding 9. Ask for referral and recommendations. 10. Get feedback. Want to learn more about how to set yourself apart and find the success you crave? Please feel free to reach out to me at ⁠⁠https://calendly.com/garymiles-successcoach/one-one-discovery-call⁠⁠. Let’s chat!!. 

HR Huntsman joins The Free Law today. HR is an organizational strategist, executive coach, published author, and accomplished speaker. HR is passionate about helping leaders get the time freedom and financial freedom they desire. He coaches lawyers and law firm managers to get unstuck and grow their practice. We discuss the following: -Law firms face a talent problem, recruiting lawyers who are the right fit, and then retaining them. -Law firms struggle from the silo effect, with lawyers working separately from each other and inadequate inter-department communication and collaboration -Law firms should strive for more teamwork and collaboration and less competition -Hiring decisions should not be based so much on class rank and more on whether the individual is compatible with the firm's culture -Leadership development is critical for lawyers. The essence of leadership is humility and vulnerability, authenticity, asking good questions, and effective listening. HR's Insights are so valuable. HR’s genius is his ability to see an organization's cultural and strategic sides. HR has helped transform dozens of companies by assisting them to scale their size and strengthen their teams. HR is also a published author and an accomplished speaker, having given roughly 3000 talks worldwide to approximately 400k people. You can reach him here: Email hr@yourleadersedge.com Website yourleadersedge.com LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/hr-huntsman Vimeo link https://vimeo.com/yourleadersedge Getting Started link https://getstarted.yourleadersedge.com His “Why” Video https://youtu.be/yN3TZQeAO8c Would you like to learn more about my mentoring program? You can find out more about my program here: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.garymiles.net/coaching⁠⁠⁠​ Would you like to have a courtesy call to chat about where you are, what is holding you back, and how to break through? You can schedule it here: ⁠⁠⁠https://calendly.com/garymiles-successcoach/one-one-discovery-call⁠⁠

Do you ever think about spending time networking? Are you uncomfortable talking with strangers? Do you feel you do not have enough time to network? Is your practice strong enough that you do not need to invest time and energy in networking? In my career, I have struggled with all those questions. I often wondered if I could network well or if it was worth it. But I have learned that one of the most critical aspects of our growth, both individually and professionally, is having an organized, dedicated networking program. Networking develops career possibilities, grows our practices, and develops important professional connections. In this Episode, I will explain why networking is so important, review the most common objections, and discuss how we can still network well even if we are introverted or lack time. I will also discuss the most common characteristics of a good network and lay out tangible steps to help you be a better networker. Do you want to network better? Have a listen! Please feel free to reach out to me at ⁠https://calendly.com/garymiles-successcoach/one-one-discovery-call⁠. Let’s chat!!. 

Heather Moulder joins the Free Lawyer today. Heather is a former Big Law partner turned lawyer leadership and business coach, and host of the Life & Law Podcast. After more than 18 years in private practice and a battle with breast cancer, she traded in her $2.5MM practice to help lawyers confidently build the practice they actually want while ditching stress, overthinking and perfectionism. Heather uses her one-of-a-kind, 4-part framework (Rewire-Reconnect-Redefine-Realign) to help her clients increase focus, energy and impact so they can accomplish their big goals in both law and life. This practical framework has been known to help her clients more than double (even triple) revenues while reenergizing professionally. When not helping her clients achieve more doing less, you’ll either find Heather cooking a never-guess-it’s-gluten-free meal from scratch or cheering on her 2 baseball-obsessed (only slightly mischievous) boys in the searing hot Texas sun. Would you like to learn more about my mentoring program? You can find out more about my program here: ⁠⁠https://www.garymiles.net/coaching⁠⁠​ Would you like to have a courtesy call to chat about where you are, what is holding you back, and how to break through? You can schedule it here: ⁠⁠https://calendly.com/garymiles-successcoach/one-one-discovery-call⁠

Do you ever think about how you want your friends and family to remember you when you are no longer with them? How would you feel? How would you behave differently? Too often, we just churn through life, nose to the grindstone, trying to be productive and successful, perhaps accumulating financial rewards. But sometimes, we are not yet living our life how we want to be remembered.  In today's episode, I will briefly discuss the inspirational bestseller Everyday Legacy; and review the problems that arise when we do not live our life the way we want to be remembered. I will also explain some of the ways we might want to be remembered and analyze the benefits to us if we start creating our legacy today. Finally, I will give you tangible tips on how to create the life of your dreams and leave a powerful impact on those around you.  If you have not read it yet, I encourage you to read Everyday Legacy by Codi Shewan. You can listen to Codi explain his work in this episode of The Free Lawyer: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/OutWiqe1Uyb I now have a passion for helping and serving others as I have. If I can ever be of any support to you in any way, please let me know. I would love to connect with you and discuss any challenges you are facing privately and confidentially. Please feel free to reach out to me at ⁠https://calendly.com/garymiles-successcoach/one-one-discovery-call⁠. Let’s chat!!. 

This is a blockbuster important episode. Mike Kasdan joins The Free Lawyer today to share his insights about maintaining our wellness and mental health while being a successful lawyer. Mike has journeyed through a bout with severe depression and now shares his story publicly to inform the legal community about how to practice law in a healthy and fulfilling way. These are some of the important topics we discussed: -How depression manifests itself and how to overcome it -Why and how law firms can help create a healthier legal profession -The benefit of community to obtain the support we all need and deserve -How to best handle the stress of our profession -How we can benefit by sharing our struggles with others -The importance of knowing we are never alone and there is always an answer -How to achieve true personal freedom by being genuine and true to ourselves Mike is a graduate of the Univ. of Pennsylvania, and received his J.D. from NYU School of Law, where he now teaches as an Adjunct Professor. He has worked in law firms of all sizes, for over 20 years. Mike is presently a partner in the IP Group at Wiggin and Dana LLP in their New York City office and has served on their diversity and pro bono committees.   For the last ten years, Mike has also been in leadership at The Good Men Project, where he has served numerous roles on both the editorial and business side, including editing and running its mental health section, and now serves as Director of Special Projects (and Sr. Sports Editor).  He has written articles, appeared on television, radio, and podcasts, developed videos and social media campaigns (#NotWeakJustHuman, #WeRageForLove), and created and led training and workshop groups focused on mental health for over a decade.    Most recently, Mike has married his interests in mental health advocacy and the legal industry under the umbrella of Lawyering While Human, which he founded in 2022. In this regard, he also serves on the Communications Committee of The Institute for Well-Being In Law. His own personal experience with depression, while working as a practicing lawyer, has given him some unique insights, and he is happy to have this opportunity to share his perspective and what he has learned with others in the field. Would you like to learn more about my mentoring program? You can find out more about my program here: ⁠⁠https://www.garymiles.net/coaching⁠⁠​ Would you like to have a courtesy call to chat about where you are, what is holding you back, and how to break through? You can schedule it here: ⁠⁠https://calendly.com/garymiles-successcoach/one-one-discovery-call⁠

Have you ever felt confused or lost? Are you not sure where you want to get to? Or are you trying to figure out how to get there? Have you felt frustrated and wondering why? Have you felt stressed? Would it be good to ask for support but are unsure who to ask or how to ask? Those feelings are not at all unusual. Most of us have felt that way at times. We know we need help and guidance but are afraid to ask for it. In this week’s newsletter, I will share my varied experiences with mentorship. I explain how we sometimes let fear, self-consciousness and ego get in our way of asking for the support we need and deserve. We will delve into the gifts we receive from obtaining the guidance we deserve: 1. Deeper relationships. 2. Greater success. 3. More resilience. 4. Development of a growth mindset. 5. Improved emotional stability. 6. Inspiration to others. We should never let our fear stop us from seeking the support we need. Good coaching can set us in a new direction and help us handle the obstacles we face.  I now have a passion for helping and serving others as I have. If I can ever be of any support to you in any way, please let me know. I would love to connect with you and discuss any challenges you are facing privately and confidentially. Please feel free to reach out to me at https://calendly.com/garymiles-successcoach/one-one-discovery-call. Let’s chat!!.