The Agile Attorney Podcast

Discover the exciting features of Clio Matter Stages and how they incorporate Kanban principles into legal workflow management. Engage with the advantages and potential limitations of this tool as unveiled at the Clio Cloud Conference. Learn essential techniques like queue columns and work-in-progress limits that can enhance your legal practice's efficiency. Plus, find out how implementing explicit Agile policies can transform your firm's operations for the better.

I’m a massive fan of Bottleneck Theory. This is the idea that you can make massive improvements to your legal workflows by finding and focusing on just one part of your overall system: the bottleneck. In this episode, I’m super excited to bring you an interview with The Bottleneck Guy himself, Clarke Ching.Tune in this week to explore where the bottlenecks might be in your legal practice, and discover how to address these constraints. We discuss how small iterative adjustments can create big changes in how work flows through your practice, and you’ll learn the value of preserving your capacity, so you don’t end up being a bottleneck in your own practice.For full show notes, transcript, and more information, visit: https://www.agileattorney.com/39Start your Agile transformation today and check out free resources, including my Law Firm Policy Template, to help you and your team develop a more Agile legal practice: https://www.agileattorney.com/start

Struggling with giving effective feedback? Discover why the criticism sandwich approach falls flat and learn about the importance of direct, actionable communication. Explore how setting clear quality standards can enhance team performance. The discussion addresses generational challenges, particularly regarding young lawyers, advocating for better training and support rather than blame. It parallels legal team management to youth sports coaching, revealing innovative methods for fostering growth and development within your team.

Explore the dynamic nature of legal work and its impact on workflow management. Discover the SIPOC method to analyze and streamline processes effectively. Learn how to identify bottlenecks and enhance efficiency by breaking down workflow components. Find out how to keep work flowing smoothly through your practice.

Join Ben Hudson, a Calgary lawyer specializing in various legal fields, and Melissa Shanahan, host of the Law Firm Owner podcast, as they tackle the complexities of legal workflow. They discuss how to shift from resource efficiency to flow efficiency, revealing that sometimes doing less can actually create more capacity. Ben shares insights on data-driven hiring and improving client perceptions. The duo also dives into the transformative power of the Kanban methodology and practical strategies to overcome common bottlenecks in legal practices.

Have you ever felt like certain tasks in your law practice are taking longer than they should? What if I told you that sometimes the key to efficiency is slowing down and working together? This is where a concept from the software development world called "paired programming" can help you create better outcomes in your legal practice.Tune in this week to discover how to accelerate your law firm’s efficiency using the concept of paired programming. From co-working on complex briefs to training new team members, you’ll learn how working together in real-time can reduce miscommunication, accelerate feedback loops, and ultimately lead to a better work product for your clients.For full show notes, transcript, and more information, visit: https://www.agileattorney.com/35Start your Agile transformation today and check out free resources, including my Law Firm Policy Template, to help you and your team develop a more Agile legal practice: https://www.agileattorney.com/start

One common anti-pattern I run into in working with lawyers and law practices is people who are constantly looking for little efficiencies to try to improve particular parts of their practice or their legal workflow. But sometimes, finding those short-term efficiencies, even if they work in the short term, can actually cut against the long-term productivity or the overall flow of work through your practice.Tune in this week to discover where you might be sacrificing long-term flow in pursuit of short-term efficiency. I discuss how engaging your clients in the legal process improves long-term efficiency, and you’ll learn how to start balancing the immediate demands of your legal work with long-term efficiency in your practice.For full show notes, transcript, and more information, visit: https://www.agileattorney.com/34Start your Agile transformation today and check out free resources, including my Law Firm Policy Template, to help you and your team develop a more Agile legal practice: https://www.agileattorney.com/start

As professionals, it's easy to jump to conclusions about what clients need based on our experience and the patterns we see emerging. But in making these assumptions, are we missing a critical opportunity to truly connect with them by not taking the time to understand their individual motivations and worries?Tune in this week as I explore why giving clients space to articulate their "why" is so important for delivering great service and keeping them engaged throughout the process. I discuss how to make your client intake meetings more effective, write a compelling professional bio that resonates with your ideal clients, and ultimately build a more sustainable, profitable practice by staying connected to your own "why."For full show notes, transcript, and more information, visit: https://www.agileattorney.com/33Start your Agile transformation today and check out free resources, including my Law Firm Policy Template, to help you and your team develop a more Agile legal practice: https://www.agileattorney.com/start

As law practice owners, we can gain valuable insights by looking outside of the legal industry. Today, I'm excited to bring you an interview with Michael Clarke. Michael is the co-owner of the financial advisory firm Protection Point Advisors and co-author of the book A Firm Worth Building: Running a Better Professional Business.Tune in this week to explore the differences between having a law practice and running your law practice like a successful business. Michael gives us his perspective on legal services as someone outside of the legal industry. Michael discusses what he's looking for when he hires lawyers for his own business needs, and shares what he considers when referring his clients out for legal help.For full show notes, transcript, and more information, visit: https://www.agileattorney.com/32Start your Agile transformation today and check out free resources, including my Law Firm Policy Template, to help you and your team develop a more Agile legal practice: https://www.agileattorney.com/start

Are you a struggling solo attorney trying to get more clients in the door? Before you turn to an expensive technology solution, it's important to take a step back and fully understand the nature of the problem you're trying to solve in your law practice. I'm all for utilizing tech, but it's dangerous to imbue technology with too many magical properties. So, what can you do instead to come up with better, more sustainable solutions to your business problems?While investing in the right technology can certainly help streamline your practice, it's not a magic bullet. If you’re struggling to get clients in the door, the key is to first get clear on your business strategy and really understand your target market. Tune in this week to discover valuable tips for focusing on your core strengths, niching down, and how to best serve the marketplace effectively.For full show notes, transcript, and more information, visit: https://www.agileattorney.com/31Start your Agile transformation today and check out free resources, including my Law Firm Policy Template, to help you and your team develop a more Agile legal practice: https://www.agileattorney.com/start