The Agile Attorney Podcast

John E. Grant

Episodes

Mentioned books

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Jun 6, 2024 • 27min

020. The “Really Check:” Fostering Accountability with Jess Birken & Meghan Heitkamp

In past episodes, I’ve talked in detail about individual practices and how the Kanban method has upleveled them, and today’s show provides living proof. That’s because I’m talking with two clients of mine, Jess Birkin and Megan Heitkamp, of the Birkin Law Office, about the start of their practice and how they’ve transformed their business with systematic improvements.Together we’ll discuss how these concepts and frameworks are wholly trainable and teachable, allowing you to bring full teams on board and then streamline processes even more effectively (think automated lead nurturing campaigns). Even better, this episode can serve as a case study that these systemizations can improve your practice too. For full show notes, transcript, and more information, visit: https://www.agileattorney.com/20Start your Agile transformation today and check out these free resources to help you and your team develop a more Agile legal practice: https://www.agileattorney.com/start
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May 30, 2024 • 25min

019. Fit for Purpose: Designing Legal Services To Meet Client Needs

Have you ever put a ton of time and attention into a piece of legal work only to realize that it's not quite hitting the mark for your client? Or maybe you've delivered a technically flawless document, but your client’s just sort of “meh” about the whole thing, like they just don't seem to be satisfied? Tune in this week to discover how the Fit for Purpose framework helps you deliver what your clients need, when they need it. You'll learn the three core components of evaluating whether your legal offerings are Fit for Purpose, how to come up with user models around common Fit-for-Purpose criteria, and how to design Fit for Purpose products and services that are 'just right' for your firm's context and resources.For full show notes, transcript, and more information, visit: https://www.agileattorney.com/19Start your Agile transformation today and check out these free resources to help you and your team develop a more Agile legal practice: https://www.agileattorney.com/start
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May 23, 2024 • 31min

018. Understanding "Jobs To Be Done" to Unlock Hidden Client Needs

Most lawyers think of their intake form as something that they need to send to the client so they can get the information they need to actually do the legal work their client requires. But what if we shifted the perspective and instead asked the question, "What is the job that my client is hiring my intake form to do?"Tune in this week to gain a deep understanding in "Jobs To Be Done" Theory and unlock hidden client needs in the process. You'll learn how to better understand the job that your client is hiring your product to accomplish, as well as get clarity around the scope of competition for your products and services, so you can innovate the products and services you offer in your law practice to better meet your clients' needs.For full show notes, transcript, and more information, visit: https://www.agileattorney.com/18Start your Agile transformation today and check out these free resources to help you and your team develop a more Agile legal practice: https://www.agileattorney.com/start
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May 16, 2024 • 20min

017. How Minimum Viable Products Can Improve Efficiency AND Quality

As you work to meet the high standards you set for yourself, it can become impossible to get tasks all the way through to done. However, in today's episode, I'm bringing you a framework that will help counterbalance your natural tendency to overbuild in the early stages of developing a process or product, so you can ultimately land on a higher-quality output than if you'd tried to build the perfect product from the outset: the minimum viable product or MVP.Tune in this week for some insight into the minimum viable product and the valuable role that minimum viable products can play in delivering quality in your law practice, especially when you're setting out to create something new and you aren't yet 100% sure what 'good quality' is going to look like.For full show notes, transcript, and more information, visit: https://www.agileattorney.com/17Start your Agile transformation today and check out these free resources to help you and your team develop a more Agile legal practice: https://www.agileattorney.com/start
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May 9, 2024 • 40min

016. Aligning Your Firm's People and Systems with Tim Lennon

You've heard me talk about the individual practices and concepts from the Kanban method, but today's episode is an exciting opportunity for you to learn from one of my teachers in this world of Agile, Kanban, and Lean: Tim Lennon. Tim shares his experiences using and teaching the core practices of the Kanban method (like making work visible, limiting work in progress, managing flow) and how those practices work together to create balanced systems that are primed to create better customer outcomes while also bringing internal balance in your delivery teams.For full show notes, transcript, and more information, visit: https://www.agileattorney.com/16
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May 2, 2024 • 29min

015. Mastering Effective Handoffs in Your Legal Practice

Explore how ineffective handoffs can cause delays and rework in legal practices. Learn about the three types of handoffs and discover practical strategies to enhance clarity and accountability. The podcast highlights the significance of streamlining communication among team members for better efficiency. Plus, find valuable resources to boost engagement within law firms, including a Law Firm Policy Template designed to clarify work expectations and strengthen team collaboration.
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Apr 25, 2024 • 23min

014. How to Prioritize Work Within Your Law Practice

Ever started your Monday already swamped with emails and tasks, all competing for your attention? Determining the best sequence to tackle these tasks is crucial for maximizing your effectiveness throughout the week and beyond.In today’s episode, I introduce a structured framework that enhances your ability to prioritize demands effectively, helping you manage your limited time and resources. You’ll also gain insights into common pitfalls to avoid when prioritizing projects and tasks in your law firm.For full show notes, transcript, and more information, visit: https://www.agileattorney.com/14
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Apr 18, 2024 • 23min

013. Taming Email Overwhelm

If you’re like a lot of attorneys, one of the more significant sources of overwhelm in your law practice comes from the sheer volume of emails and other communications you have to process in the course of your day. In today’s episode, I share my recommendations for designing a better communications policy for creating more effective, efficient communications that will ultimately reduce the administrative overhead of dealing with email, Slack, Teams, or other related tools. I also share how to get hold of a downloadable template for creating your own communication policy in your law practice, prefilled with recommendations from this episode. For full show notes, transcript, and more information, visit: https://www.agileattorney.com/13
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Apr 11, 2024 • 33min

012. Principles for Legal Design with Alexandra Devendra

One of the hardest things to recognize in a law practice is how the default way in which lawyers approach and deliver their work creates barriers to access for everyday people trying to reach that lawyer’s services. So, how do you identify it and what can you do about it? This week, Alexandra Devendra, founder of design-focused B Corp law firm Aligned Law and I discuss the design elements that help meet your clients’ human needs. We explore Alix’s passion for organizational design, development, and alternative ownership models, and Alix shares her tips and tricks for more intentional design in your law practice. For full show notes, transcript, and more information, visit: https://www.agileattorney.com/12
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11 snips
Apr 4, 2024 • 22min

011. The Definition of Done

How do you know that you’ve done enough to meet the standards you’ve set for your law practice? Today, I have two specific tools that work beautifully together and amount to a specific type of quality standard policy that you can implement within your law practice. Tune in this week as I share two important parts of the Agile Framework - Definition of Done and Definition of Ready. I’m discussing the role that checklists play in coming up with your Definition of Done and Definition of Ready, and you’ll learn how these tools help you ensure the flow of work and client-facing deliverables through your systems. For full show notes, transcript, and more information, visit: https://www.agileattorney.com/11

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