Reboot Your Law Practice: Recent Episodes
Scott Limmer and Oscar Michelen
Scott Limmer and Oscar Michelen, lawyers who watched their once thriving solo (Scott) and small firm (Oscar) law practices lose direction, discuss how based on the principals of being authentic, giving value and building business relationships & networking they were able to analyze, reboot, and grow their law practices and offer practical advice on how you can grow your solo or small law practice too. Join them each week to discuss topics such as legal marketing, personal & professional growth, networking, technology and helping mold and grow your personal self and your online persona.
On this week's episode Oscar and Scott welcome Conrad Saam from Mockingbird Marketing. They discuss the importance of a website to your legal practice, what to look for in a website vendor and what every website should contain. Most importantly, hear the story of how "Zippy the Chicken" was invited to become a "Lawyer of Distinction.
This Episode, Oscar and Scott discuss the potential timelines for law practices to financially recover from this crisis. They discuss short term and long term possibilities along with other informative information about how to run your practice during this crisis.
On this episode, Oscar & Scott discuss the probability that the Covid Pandemic will have serious effects on the practice of law until a vaccine is distributed and even beyond. They discuss mindset and how to get yourself and your practice in a position to succeed in this unprecedented situation.
A few weeks into the Covid-19 Pandemic, Oscar and Scott talk about how they are handling their practices and the planning they are doing for the future.
After over a year absence, Oscar and Scott "Reboot" the podcast to discuss some of the issues they are facing as a result of the Covid-19 Pandemic. They discuss the changes in their practices and give advice on how to position your practice over the next few months.
This episode Oscar and Scott discuss the impact of technology on how the solo and small practice are looked at by consumers. The ability to hold yourself out as an expert in many types of law is increasingly difficult. Client's want someone who specializes in their specific issue and if your website advertises that you are an "expert" in 7 types of law then the client may well move on to someone else. They discuss how to use your website and other online media to best try and attract the client that is looking for your services
As your practice grows and you enable more moving parts, sometimes these parts break down and you have to deal with a quick painful situation or a long painful situation. This week Scott discusses the stress of creating a new website for his practice while Oscar discusses an associate who left and the options for replacing him.
Oscar and Scott discuss Text-a-lawyer. Is it a service that can help those that can’t otherwise afford legal advice or is it an ethical mess that distorts attorney client privilege.
When Oscar and Scott started the podcast they were truly “Rebooting” their law practices. Now over three years later they discuss the next level planning and ideas that they are initiating for their practices. They touch on speaking in front of groups, evaluating if a networking group is right for you and getting involved in thier local bar associations.
As we know, your website is one of the most important tools you have to give prospective clients information about your firm. Scott gives a status update on the revamp of his website. He discusses the steps his design firm is taking to make the new site a success.
In this episode Scott and Oscar talk about making sure you are not getting bogged down by handling small matters that do not properly compensate you for your time. Getting properly paid for your time is the key to a successful law practice. Handling small cases or charging really low fees or agreeing to just “write a letter” for a client for $200.00 may bring some cash flow into your business but your time would be far better spent in working on your practice and on your higher paying clients.
It’s important to have a sterling reputation in the legal community to develop your practice, and that will come if you consistently do good work. But it’s more important to be more concerned about your reputation and “brand” in the client community. Does your website and other marketing material speak to your target clients? Have you planned on how you will reach the type of clients you want? You need to step back and think about who you want as clients and how you will reach them. Then make a plan to put yourself in front of those clients and make sure you are geared towards connecting with them in your marketing and networking.
In this episode, the hosts discuss a variety of issues in their practice that irritate them (adversaries who don’t use email for example) and, building off the last episode, some new ideas they are implementing in 2018 (writing things down on paper) and some things they are not (getting an app for their law office).
Planning and strategic thinking are important certainly. But at some point, you have to just pull the trigger. Scott and Oscar talk about how as 2018 gets going, this should be the year listeners Do Something! Whether its starting a blog, increase or decrease staffing, networking more, whatever it is. Let 2018 be the year that you take at least one concrete step to implement a change in your practice that will increase business. The hosts discuss some of the steps they are taking this year to improve their practices.
As we delve into the New Year, there are things we should be taking off our Practice Management “To Do” lists in 2018. Scott discusses how this year he is completely revamping and re-tooling his website. A high quality, effective website is a main tool in any solo or small firm’s arsenal. Too often, once we put one up, we don’t look at it again for a decade or more. The hosts discuss why it needs to be refreshed every few years to accommodate changes in technology and changes in the way you practice: How does your website look on the new iPhone? How long does it take to go through the main points you want clients to look at? What areas of practice do you want to feature? Old websites look stale and uninviting. Make sure this year you get yours up to date and coordinated to your practice.
Scott and Oscar have talked about the value of networking in many past episodes. This week they discuss why committing to networking should be on your 2018 New Year’s Resolution list. Whether it’s joining a BNI Networking Group in your area or signing up to become more involved in your local Chamber of Commerce, getting actively involved in some form of steady and consistent networking is essential to practice growth. The hosts also provide tips as to how to get the most out of the networking that you do.
In advance of a presentation they are making to the Nassau County Bar Association, the hosts talk about ways to get your name out in social media and the community. Publishing articles; making presentations; blogging; and yes, even doing a podcast are all ways to put yourself out in the universe and the marketplace. Scott and Oscar talk specifics and give do’s and don’ts about the right way to do this so that you provide value to those who receive it which will turn into business.
Scott talks about his recent attendance at a conference sponsored by the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System where the subject was the future of law schools and the legal system. While there were some positive moments where there were discussions about making law school more client-centered; using apps to increase access to justice; and teaching leadership in law school. However, there was a lot of talk about meeting the needs of the unrepresented without any solutions that would help lawyers make that financially worthwhile. Oscar brought up that President Obama’s Student Loan Forgiveness Program has led many new attorneys to get involved in public service; a similar idea geared towards helping the under-represented could work to bridging this gap. The podcast hosts point out that until law schools and those in academia take note of the many lawyers that are not making a living, a credible solution to filling the gap will not be found.
Scott Limmer continues the discussion of the CLIO Cloud Conference. A large part of what was discussed involved time and data management. For ex.: at CLIO a speaker pointed out that out of an 8 hour workday only 1.9 of that time is collected upon. How can we increase the amount of time that actually puts money in the bank? What can the data we have on our clients tell us – where they are coming from, how much are they paying, how much are we collecting, etc. The bottom line is that solos and small firms need to expand their horizons and look beyond traditional sources for information to help develop your practice. Step 1 could very well be attending a conference on law practice management.
Fresh off his trip to New Orleans, podcast host Scott Limmer discusses attending the CLIO Cloud Conference while there. The conference focused on practice management for lawyers, highlighting of course, CLIO software products. But the hosts discuss the need for lawyers to engage in these conferences to learn about what’s out there for use in their offices and just to connect with similarly situated attorneys. As usual, Scott and Oscar also discuss what practice management and time management tools and strategies worked – and didn’t work – for them.
We’re all busy and we all have different demands on our time. But for attorneys trying to reboot or develop their practices going to a practice development conference can be key. You can learn about new technologies; meet people in a similar position as you; meet folks who have been where you are and have grown their practices. Let’s face it, law school may teach us the law but it does not teach us the practice of law. The podcast hosts discuss how these conferences can be crucial to building your business and talk about what they have learned from them and applied to their practices.
This podcast discusses something many of us take for granted – our phones. But let’s face it, this is how our clients come to us; yes they may email us first or message us from a website, but they will always want to call in and speak to someone live. Scott and Oscar talk about what systems they use to not just answer and return calls, but to mine the data and information they can get from the calls being made.
We are all inundated by pop-ups and email messages from various sources telling us how to grow our practices using technology and social media. What’s real and what’s just hucksterism? This podcast focuses on what has worked and not worked for the hosts and what core messages we can take from those ads that are telling us what basic areas we need to focus on to expand our client base and income. Scott and Oscar discuss specific steps they have taken and how they have tailored their social media to attract more of the clients they want. The bottom line is that you need to spend time and energy thinking about using tech and not just follow every carrot placed in front of you
The podcast hosts talk about their woes in dealing with client communication. Some clients who after spending a lot of time with you, don’t retain you; others who don’t want to hear the information you are giving them; and still others who simply want to take up all of your time talking about things that are perhaps important to them but which don’t relate to the case at hand or advance their cause. Solo and small firms have to make sure to balance giving your clients enough time and opportunity to communicate with the other time demands facing your firm.
This episode discusses whether listeners should offer a free consultation to prospective clients or charge for them. Host Oscar Michelen recently started charging for initial consultations while Host Scott Limmer offers free consultations. The hosts engage in a spirited back and forth discussion as to why they chose each particular method and why works for them. Listeners can gain insight from the talk as to which method would work best for their practice.
Oscar gets the discussion going this week talking about what he learned from a review of old files from his prior firm that had been in storage in his house for the past seven years. In talking about it with Scott, he discusses what he should have been able to see about his practice and its marketing efforts had he paid attention. That leads to the hosts talking about the need to be mindful and to analyze what you are doing in your marketing efforts. Don’t just keep trying new things without putting in the effort of looking at what you have done before and what worked and didn’t. When starting a new marketing effort, don’t do it unless have you thought about:
- Who am I trying to reach? Leads? Referral partners? Paying clients? All of the above?
- Will this plan reach them?
- Will this content be meaningful to them?
- How much will it cost and I can I carry it if it is unsuccessful?
- How long do I need to run the campaign for me to be satisfied that I have given it the full time that it needs?
There are many sources of information available to you to help you grow your practice: books, magazine articles, blogs, podcasts like this one. The hosts talk about sources they use to get thoughtful advice on business development. The material does not have to be law-firm related, in fact its better that your first foray into reading to improve your practice not be law-related. Books on entrepreneurship, money management and organizational methods are the most helpful at first to get you in the right mind set. Apply thought to your re-boot and look for advice that’s out there waiting for you to find it.
This week’s episode finds our podcast hosts both comfortably rested from Anguilla vacations and once again pondering what “The Next Big Thing” is for law practices. Scott and Oscar talk about how the Hollywood industry and Las Vegas both rose out of nothing, filling a void no one saw that was there to be seen. While in some sense LegalZoom and Avvo have done that for the practice of law, there really hasn’t been a “Sea change” in the way law is practiced; these examples tell us however that such an event may be right around the corner. Will you be ready? Will you even recognize it? More importantly, perhaps its best to focus on what the big change to your practice maybe that is right there for you to find if you just take the time to look.
Clichés become clichés for a reason – they’re true. This week’s podcast analyzes the old cliché about “stepping out of your comfort box.” When you just do what you have always done and what you know best, you don’t get the chance to find out what you are truly capable of. Take a chance, try something new, something you are perhaps nervous or outright frightened to try related to your practice – attend a new networking group, take on a public speaking opportunity, start a new blog. Even if you fail, the odds are high you will learn something useful about yourself and your practice.
What’s a young lawyer to do? Every client says they want experience but if you have just started your practice how do get those clients? What about if you are trying a new practice area but don’t have any successes in that area to tout? This week’s episode discusses ways you can build your practice while you develop the experience clients want. Focus on other areas – customer service, connectivity, price point. What’s important is that you be authentic and let the client know what value you can provide in place of experience. It takes time to get experience but there are things you can communicate to clients and provide to clients that are just as important as a long resume.
This week’s episode revolves around the need for expanding your network in order to get more referrals and a steadier stream of business. The hosts discuss how it may not be clear for some time that your networking events are paying off. Don’t expect that the first meeting you attend will produce results or that even every attempt you make at meeting new people will generate income. It takes time to develop trust and to have the people you meet think of you when an opportunity arises. That requires you to (a) stick to it and be authentic when doing it and (b) expand your networking efforts to have more than just one source of referrals.
While Oscar is enjoying a well deserved vacation with his wife, Scott goes solo hitting on a number of topics. We first discuss the outreach for “Master Your Law Practice” the networking group we are starting on June 29th. We then discuss how important it is to understand the needs of your clients and how your attitudes affect their decision to hire you. We finish up with a discussion about URL’s
Oscar and Scott discuss the networking group they are launching for Long Island attorneys. The 1st meeting of “Master Your Law Practice” will take place on June 29th at Seasons 52 in Garden City. Oscar and Scott discuss the beginnings of this idea and how it has grown into a different kind of legal networking group. They both are looking forward to sharing their experiences with other attorneys.
We have all gotten used to relying on our favorite tech aides – apps, calendaring programs, phone systems, etc. But what happens to our practices when they fail? In this episode Scott and Oscar talk about recent tech issues they have faced and how they addressed. They offer some insight and solutions to make sure that when a snafu happens your practice can rebound quickly. Two key points: (a) Find a good IT consultant that is available to help guide you when this happens and protect you from reoccurrence and (b) Back up regularly on a hard server and to the cloud to make sure that if your systems go down, you don’t lose too much work. We’re big advocates of legal tech but you need to have safety net in place because on occasion disaster strikes.
This week Scott and Oscar discuss how the same issues that cause Solo and Small Practices to fail are the same issues that affect Big Law. The top three things affecting Big Law being, below average performance, internal dynamics (no leadership, incompatible goals and lack of planning) and external dynamics (competitive pressure related to firms client base, not having access to new clients. The same issues that are of tantamount importance to solo and small firms
Oscar was invited to Otisville Correctional Institute by the Tribeca Film Festival to be a speaker at the screening of Gideon’s Army, which follows a number of public defenders and their interaction with their clients. Before the movie the inmates had extremely harsh opinions about the attorneys that represented them. After they watched the movie their opinions softened a bit and had a better understanding of the mindset of their defense attorneys. What everyone should take from this is that what representing a client means. That you are advocating, supporting and speaking on behalf of this person. And the most important thing for the client is communication. Letting them know the ins and out of their case. Not based on what you think but based on what your client needs.
Scott and Oscar continue their discussion about Scott’s presentation and attendance at Avvo’s annual Lawyernomics conference in Las Vegas. The talk focuses on SEO and recognizing where your practice is at - brand new practices don’t have the same needs and opportunities as mature growing practices. The focus must be on what can best improve your practice. Not everything will work for everybody. The hosts discuss the value of attending professional conferences to keep learning about what’s out there and new ways to develop a consistently successful practice.
One of the nice things about having “Rebooted” our practices and having started this podcast is the opportunity to share what we have learned with other attorneys. Avvo was nice enough to invite us to speak at their Lawyernomics conference in Las Vegas. Scott discusses some of what he learned including how all marketing should be done purposefully, how PR work has been folded into social media and your web presence and how Avvo believes the future of successful practices will rely on data driven metrics.
This week Scott and Oscar discuss how giving presentations can be an important part of your practice. Not only do they show that you are engaged in topics that effect your clients and show your authority but are also a good way to network meet other attorneys. Although you may not be able to picture yourself speaking in front of others and may be absolutely terrified by the prospect, it is like any other skill. At first you may be nervous and unsure of yourself but like anything else the more experience you get the more comfortable you will be. And the more comfortable you are the more confidence you will have. And always remember that when you give a presentation that the goal is to inform and enlighten, not to sell.
Not only do you have an obligation as an attorney to keep track of the changes in your area of law but you should determine if any changes can be a business opportunity for your practice. Scott discusses new changes in New York criminal law one that he believes may be an excellent opportunity to expand his practice and one that may have a detrimental effect. If you see an opportunity, you should have the mindset to create a niche practice from this new opportunity. And don't just wait for the clients to find you. Create new webpages, write about the topic and let you networking partners know you are handling cases in this new area.
This week Oscar and Scott discuss how some clients may be more trouble than they are worth Even though the money a client is paying you might be attractive at first, the amount of work, stress and frustration the case and client may bring may not be worth taking the case If you get caught up in a situation like this, you can’t complain about it being the fault of the client. It is the lawyers decision to take on the client and you must hold yourself responsible for the quality of the clients that are hiring you It reverts back to what we have always discussed. You are not just practicing law. You are running a legal business and must treat it as such.
This week Scott and Oscar talk about their experiences with the networking site LinkedIn. While both of the podcast hosts agree that all solos and small firm practitioners should have a Linked In profile, Oscar is the bigger fan of the site. That stems from his practice being largely a commercial litigation practice and Linked In being a social networking tool mostly for business and professional people. The hosts talk about how to get the most out of it by being active on it, and using it to find potential referral partners. It’s just another tool to help get your practice and name out there to the community but you want to make sure you are maximizing its effect if you are going to have profile on
This week, we continued our interview with Michelle and Anthony DiPaolo, discussing their decision to hire an office manager. We’ve often talked on the podcast about how to determine when the right time is to take on that first employee. The DiPaolos explain how their practice was ready for the hire and how bringing on an office manager has helped them grow their practice. They offer great insight for listeners on what benefits they derive from having someone else deal with much of the administrative strain on the practice, including billing, client relations and scheduling. We conclude the talk with a discussion of how they have now brought on a second person – a young lawyer to help with the work overflow. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank Anthony and Michelle for allowing us and our listeners to peek into their practice and for the many relatable and practical pieces of advice they offered.
This week Reboot Your Law Practice invites married law partners Michelle and Anthony DiPaolo to talk about how they balance their law practice with their home life. While most of us are not married to our law partners (though it sometimes feels that way) listeners can gain lots of insight into work/life balance and law firm organization and structure by checking out this episode. The DiPaolos talk about things that effect all of us – when your work interferes with your home life; planning family time; and dealing with stress. This honest discussion from experienced practitioners is a view into small firm life applicable to all lawyers.
Wouldn’t it be great if we won every motion, every trial, and every case? Or if we went through our entire legal career without ever making a mistake? Sure, but that’s just not realistic. If you make an error on a case or if you just did not get the outcome your client expected how do you deal with it? The podcast hosts not only discuss your need to be honest and direct with your client to meet your ethical obligations, but they also talk about how coming clean with your client will relieve your stress about the case. Having a good history of communication with the client; keeping them informed about the case; and managing their expectations from the outset and along the way will make it easier to handle these crises when they arise. Deliver the news in person or over the phone as soon as you can and plan on what you are going to say – write it out if necessary, that often makes it easier. The main point is that quick and direct communication of what happened is critical.
Every lawyer and firm has come across a difficult client. But in a small firm or solo practice, lawyers don’t have the luxury of blowing off and ignoring difficult clients. You need to have a conversation with the client about the parameters of the relationship. It helps to give the client something to do- tasks - to help the case along – have them track down relevant facts or create timelines. Keep the client informed about the timing of the case and the court docket. Reach out to them when there are gaps in progress to let them know that there is nothing to be done right now. Managing client expectations and keeping the lines of communication open are the best ways to keep a difficult client happy. The hosts discuss a variety of ways to help deal with these clients so that you can keep them in your practice.
Scott and Oscar discuss some recent encounters with lawyers that make for good examples of Dos and Don’ts to rebuilding your practice. On the “Do” side – Scott references a lawyer who used social activism to help develop business leads and eventually a successful law practice. On the Don’t side, Oscar discusses a lawyer who was lamenting that his practice was dying and he had no idea where business was going to come from; meanwhile, Oscar had afterwards met a mutual friend of theirs who was a great source for legal work that the “lamenter” never approached because he just didn’t think it would lead to anything. Back on the “Do” side, the host discuss making use of your down time perhaps by writing articles and getting published in the many legal blogs, magazines, etc that are always looking for content. On the Don’t side, - don’t put your practice in someone else’s hands by going for cheap marketing and advertising ploys. The point is that the main “Don’t” is “Don’t just sit there” and the main “Do” is “Do something!”
In response to a listener’s question about how to balance your time between legal work and administrative tasks, the host discuss how they strive to find time to do all that is necessary to practice law and run a law practice – two very different things. While discussing the various methods that they use, Scott and Oscar focus on three important points: · Organization and Planning are Key · Put a System in Place That You Will Actually Use · Don’t Procrastinate and Get Things Done This may mean on occasion extending your day (or night) well past your normal working routine, but there is no simple answer here. If you only focus on doing the legal work or get so caught up in office tasks that you stop being a good lawyer attending to clients, then you will not achieve success in your practice.
In today’s world, with all its access to instant information, you must be careful how you tout yourself online. Scott and Oscar discuss a variety of real life cases where lawyers got into serious trouble for overstating their experience or outright lying about their credentials online. If you have no heavy experience to boast of, then build up your accessibility, talk about your commitment to clients, back it up by offering effective and immediate communication. Say something that differentiates yourself and that is valid. Whatever promises or boasts you make online you need to be able to back them up or they can come back and bite you.
As the podcast hosts celebrate the milestone of their 100th Episode they do not rest on their laurels. Rather, they talk about the need to constantly re-check your website, online profile and other marketing material. It can be very comforting to just sit in a cocoon and think all is well and business is just down. It takes courage and fortitude to routinely and regularly analyze what you are doing about growing your practice. Don’t put aside what seems like monumental tasks once you have determined that they are necessary to your practice’s survival. If you can’t tackle them all at once, break them down into segments that you can accomplish over time. But most importantly, never stop thinking about growing your practice.
After Scott is knocked out for the count by a bad cold, the hosts discuss ways that a solo practitioner can get some back up in the case of an emergency. You must have something in place for contingencies, vacations, sick days or double-booked court dates you can’t attend. Per diem lawyers, office shares, joining websites and listservs that provide that coverage are ways you can build a safety net for yourself and your practice.
We recognize that we push networking a lot – an awful lot. But we bring it up again because it is vital to growing a practice. We have given lots of suggestions about ways to “Get yourself out there” and we do not expect that anyone can do all of them. But in this episode, we talk about ways to explore opportunities for networking in places or in groups that you are already spending your time – Little League, Volunteer Firehouse, Place of Worship. All of these could be a chance to talk about your business and find referral partners. So keep an open mind and look around you for a way to help you network your practice in your community
Rome wasn’t built in a day and the same will be true for your practice. The hosts discuss how they started this podcast after their individual “Reboots” have blossomed and after many ups and downs. Listeners are encouraged to remember that it may take a while for the fruits of their efforts to be noticeable. You may have to adapt, modify, re-tool or even start over completely along the way. It’s hard to keep your chin up while you wait for it to happen, but don’t sit idly by during that period. Keep at improving as many elements of your practice as you can and you will then be ready and in a better place once business starts to come in.
Steven Funari from Law Office Suites wrote a recent article that discussed 7 important things that solo practitioners should do. Steven recognizes how overwhelming it can be to be a small or solo attorney and gives this tips to help attorneys with time management, become lean, grow professionally and personally and just be able to deal with the every day stress of running your own practice. We chime in with our opinions about each of the activities. You can check out Steven’s website at http://lawfirmsuites.com/
When Scott discovers that one of his main phone number somehow stopped working, it leads to a discussion about the need to continually check and update your social media. When you have a small or solo firm it can take very little to derail a month of revenue if something is wrong with your social media or marketing presence. Vigilance is everything. Periodically check your webpage, your phone system and your marketing to make sure things are working. Also, check to see whether the information you are putting out there about yourself and your firm are stale. Finally, a website you put up two years ago will look old-fashioned and send a message to your client that you are dated and out of step with current tools and technology.
Lisa Solomon discusses how attorneys can use nowcounsenletwork.com. Specifically how to initiate contact and get a quote, how billing works and the parameters of the attorney/freelancer agreement. We then discuss how working with an experienced freelance lawyer can help you provide the service that your clients are accustomed to while gaining back time for yourself to build your practice. We also discuss how she vets the attorneys who do work for nowcounsenletwork.com and how an attorney can become a freelancer.
Lawyers who become busy have traditionally had only one option. Hire an associate. But due to technology and shifts in the marketplace, hiring a freelance lawyer is now easier than ever. This week, Scott talks to Lisa Solomon from Now Counsel Network who discusses how hiring a freelancer can help solo and small firms, increase profits, lessen stress and grow their practices. Lisa can be reached at http://nowcounselnetwork.com and @nowcounselnet
Lawyers likely get inundated with ads for client management or practice management software that make numerous promises that will revolutionize your practice. Look past the promises and investigate the validity of the claims made. You need to find the proper program that is streamlined to your needs. Some programs specialize in email drip campaigns; some help you with intake forms; others help you set up an intake system right from your website. It’s not one size fits all and you can spend a lot of money on programs and systems that will give you things you don’t need and won’t fulfill the needs for your practice. The host discuss experiences with these systems and some of the issues they have come across.
Getting properly paid for your time is essential to a successful practice but also one of the most difficult goals to obtain. How do you set the right price? How do you get clients to commit to paying right at the initial consultation? Oscar and Scott discuss what has worked in the past for their practices and provide some concrete tips in dealing with getting retained by prospective clients. You have to be comfortable in quoting fees and finding that right figure for each matter that makes sense to you and your practice. Accessing mentors and referral partners for advice and suggestions about fee ranges will help give you confidence that you are in the right ballpark. The hosts remind listeners that the core themes of authenticity and value still matter the most in that initial consultation.
In this episode, the hosts discuss how they use texting and visual voicemail to help maintain client communication. In today’s world, clients expect a much higher level of connectivity and communication with their lawyer. Scott and Oscar chat about how they decided to give clients their cell phone numbers to ease communication and make themselves more productive and how they manage client expectations about contact and responding to inquiries. That leads to a discussion on how using tech to increase client intake. Without a doubt, maintaining a good flow of communication with clients is central to a growing practice.
The show often discusses the importance of networking and following up with potential clients and referral partners. The hosts remind listeners, however, that not everything you do will work and almost none of it will work right away. You never know which of your efforts will bear fruit and, in some cases, it may take some time before it generates any business. That’s why it’s important to have a balanced approach to building your business. Different things will come to fruition at different times and some things won’t ever produce results. That’s also why it’s important to keep a good flow of communication and contact with your best sources of business to keep your practice on the top of their mind. The hosts discuss the importance of balancing your time between doing the work and getting the work to allow you plant as many seeds as you can and hopefully reap a harvest.
Regardless of how you feel about the results of the 2016 Presidential election, we can learn a lot about marketing our small or solo firms from this election. When President-elect Trump launched his campaign, there were 17 other GOP candidates. He distinguished himself and rose to the top by first analyzing “Who are my voters.” Just like we talk about lawyers trying to reboot – your first step is analyzing “Who are my clients?” “Where will my business come from?” Focusing and targeting your message is clear and no one did that better than Donald Trump. The other factor is being true to yourself – be authentic. If you were to ask his voters to list three adjectives about Trump the word “authentic” would be one of them on all their lists. If you would ask Clinton voters – as much as they like her – that word would not top the list. Finally, he gave voters concrete promises of what he would deliver that resonated with his target voter. That equates with our mantra of offering value to your prospective clients. While many pundits will be analyzing this election for years to come, lawyers looking to develop or reboot their practices would do well to learn the lessons of the 2016 electoral season
Scott and Oscar were asked to present about podcasting at this year’s Above the Law’s Academy For Private Practice. The hosts talk about their presentation and also discuss their takeaway from the conference. ATL presented many highly-informed and qualified speakers who talked about the place for lawyers in the gig economy; what legal tech works best for small and solo practitioners; and the rapidly changing face of legal practice in the new millennium. All lawyers need to assess their practices and see how it has been and can be affected in the new legal landscape. The host talk about specific things they learned and appreciated from the conference and how listeners can apply some if these tools to their business.
The hosts talk about Scott’s decision to stop focusing on Special Education Law, one area of his growing practice that he felt tended to “muddle the message” of the rest of his practice. It was not an easy decision as Special Ed Law was an integral part of Scott’s Reboot plan. Nevertheless, as the hosts point out, you should look at the overall picture and message you are sending to potential clients. Also, it’s hard to give up something you have committed to but sometimes it’s necessary to make sure you continue to grow and develop. Part of Rebooting is making the hard choices about what works and doesn’t work for your practice.
As the popular book “The E-Myth” teaches us, you must be the craftsman, manager and the entrepreneur and none of those positions can be neglected. However, you must also be careful that paying too much attention to one role can be very impactful on the practice overall. The problem most often arises when the things you put into place force you to put more time into the craftsman phase of your legal practice. You have to consider what can be out-sourced or delegated to others. Delegation of course requires you to then shift time to the manager side of the practice. The other answer is to find ways to organize your time carefully and realizing that your growing practice may have to encroach on what you had previously scheduled as “free time.” Legal technology can be helpful in finding this balance as there are numerous programs for practice management that can save you time and money. You have to always be mindful and vigilant of how these three parts of your practice are being handled to make sure that your law practice is operating properly.
In advance of their presentation at the Above the Law Academy for Private Practice event in Philadelphia on October 28, 2016, the hosts discuss some elements of podcasting and how they use it to help their professional growth. They provide some pointers for listeners thinking about launching their own podcasts including doing some research on what’s out there, lining up a few guests, and thinking several shows ahead. Having a podcast is a good way to add value to your website or blog, put yourself out there as a thought leader on a subject area and have content available for prospective clients to find and listen to and get to know who you are.
Scott and Oscar remind listeners of how things can go viral very quickly on Social Media. They recount examples of how lawyers have gotten in trouble or mocked over social media posts and social media campaigns. Be mindful of who are your friends on platforms like Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and remember that they will see what you are posting. The hosts also discuss how taking certain stands on issues of law could come back to haunt and could hurt your ability to get clients in that area. The caution extends to how lawyers present themselves when they get a high-profile or media-worthy cases. You can’t be too careful – what you say and how you look will be floating in cyberspace for a long time and may be the first thing people see about you when they do a search for you or for a lawyer in general.
While there are many positives about having a solo practice there is one glaring negative. There is no other person that understands or cares about your practice the way you do. The hosts discuss why they think it is imperative for solos to seek out other like minded solos and to build a support system of other attorneys who you can rely on to help you with feedback.
We hear from lots of lawyers and law students asking us about what are the first things you have to do to start a practice. Many think its picking out office space, designing business cards, and choosing letterhead. While those steps need to be taken eventually, Scott and Oscar say that Step One is to have a vision plan about what kind of law you want to practice, where is the work going to come from? Remember that you will likely not have a lot of income in the first three to six months, so what is your budget for that time period and how are you going to cover it? Step Two is to educate yourself about the area of law you want to practice and the marketplace for it. Meet other lawyers who do that kind of work; ask if you can shadow them; join Bar association sub-committees on the topic to make connections and just try and grasp what you can about that particular subject area. Step Three is to make sure you are committed to being organized and ready to handle the work that comes in. The hardest part of a solo or small practice is finding the right balance of spending time getting the work and spending time doing the work. In the beginning especially, the hours and demands are harsh and the money might be lean. You have to make sure you are in a position to get through that initial phase and do great legal work for the clients as well.
Oscar and Scott begin this weeks podcast discussing the importance of referral partners being aware of and in agreement with how the referral fee is going to be handled. They then discuss treating that source as more than just an outlet for cases. They advise you to think of any referral relationship you have and take the opportunity to take this person out to lunch and discuss your relationship.
When dealing with clients and referral sources, one aspect that will always lead to a negative impression is either not being respectful of or wasting that persons time. While you may thing taking a quick phone call during is a meeting is “no big deal” it can most definitely leave a bad impression on the client. Likewise you need to have a understanding of the kinds of cases your referral partners are looking for as well as the job they are expecting from you. You don’t want to waste the time of someone you are trying to do business with.
Scott and Oscar continue their discussion about New York Matrimonial Lawyer Jolene Louis's ebook, “Things I Wish I Knew About Social Media Marketing before Going Solo.” They dive a little deeper and discuss; - Using Instagram to attract clients - Using Facebook ads to providing information - Using periscope to expand upon a blog post or tour of you office - Importance of managing online reviews Ultimately everything you put out into the social media world should show your value, authority and authenticity.
New York Matrimonial lawyer Joleena Louis wrote an ebook entitled ""Things I Wish I Knew About Social Media Marketing Before Going Solo."" Oscar and Scott discuss some of the advice she outlines such as; - Using social media to advertise - Not advertising to your followers - Keep social media professional - you are your business - Understanding the balance between staying professional vs. your personal opinion - Does having a large amount of followers automatically give you authenticity - Why Blog?
A recent NY times article about Howard Stern discussed how he used a life coach to change the focus of his show and kind of “reboot” his format to make him more open to a larger audience. Jumping off that as a talking point Scott and Oscar discuss how they used David Allen’s time management book “Getting Things Done” to help organize their practices. Whether you use “GTD” or a life coach or any other system, the important thing is to plan your practice. You have to make choices daily as to what action you are going to take; how much time do you have to do it; how much energy do you have to do it; and what are the priorities. You have to find a way to get yourself motivated to change the course of your practice and sometimes having a third party getting involved can provide that motivation. The practice of law does not let you sit idly by: you have to take charge of the various tasks required by the practice and the opportunities available to grow the practice. Do whatever it is that you think will help you get there and stick with it.
Coming off last week’s discussion about work-life balance, the hosts talk about finding “joy” or “enjoyment” in the practice of law. One of the principles that Reboot Your Law Practice has focused on is trying to find a niche area of practice that you love or which greatly interests you, and targeting your reboot in that area. The hosts discuss an article written by Linda K. Robertson for Slaw, an online magazine which was entitled “Practicing Law with Joy.” Ms. Robertson notes that the top five criteria for happiness at work (not just for lawyers but for workers generally) are autonomy, respect, the belief that your work is important, opportunities for growth and appreciation. Money does not appear in the top criteria. Scott and Oscar then discuss how to focus your efforts into those five categories and you will find that the money will come. Not only that, but if you move your practice into an area that you are deeply interested in and love to do, the benefits to your personal motivation and – yes “Joy” will be enormous. Through personal anecdotes and examples, the hosts offer ways to think about your practice and move in a joyful and meaningful direction.
Having a small firm or solo practice means that you have to take extra steps to make sure you have proper work life balance. However, in such practices, your options are limited when an emergency or a critical new matter comes up during a planned vacation or break. Scott talks about how a new matter arose during his vacation that required him to leave his family to travel back to NY to handle the matter. The hosts discuss the importance of understanding that some situations cannot be controlled for and your personal life needs to adjust to the realities of the practice. Running your own law practice is not for the faint of heart – it will challenge your time, energy and persona life. That being said, it is important to schedule vacation and time off in order not to resent your practice and in order to avoid burn-out. The key is to be organized and try your best to free up your schedule at least twice a year for some time off. If the practice intrudes upon that time, then re-schedule and
When practicing law you often interact with other attorneys who are drawing from the same client pool that you are, which may lead to awkward interactions. Scott and Oscar discuss dealing with that issue with each other and other office sharing and networking situations between attorneys. The hosts feel that it is human nature to be territorial but feel there are more positives in working together then pushing other attorneys away. They recommend always go into situations like this with your eyes open and try to ward off issues before they begin.
Scott and Oscar continue their discussion about lawyers having to adjust to the new paradigm. Oscar mentions a friend who needed to refer a family member to a lawyer and who was flabbergasted that their family member had chosen lawyer they found over the internet. It raised a discussion about how lawyers need to be aware that some folks still frown upon using the Web to locate counsel. So we need to make sure our websites are professional and explain why we may be the right choice regardless of how our clients found us. The hosts also discuss personal experiences with networking and “talking about themselves” in different situations. While we highly recommend you follow the advice on our previous episodes about how to set up a great website and how to take advantage of networking opportunities, listeners need to remember that some people will not be open to this new method of building a law practice. The hosts provide some tips on how to best use your web presence and your networking opportunities to build real relationships with people who will become clients or referral partners.
The most important piece of advise that Oscar and Scott can give to an attorney or firm creating their legal website is to be intimately involved in the process. You can not just pay “a website guy” and let them create what they think your website should look like. No one but you knows what is valuable to your potential clients, the answers they are looking for, the tone that needs to be taken. Scott detailed the process of creating the website for his Student Defense practice area. He discussed his role as the project manager and the work that went into finding the developer, writer, SEO guy, etc. The hosts discuss the importance of spending the time vetting your website vendors to construct a solid trustworthy team that will help you create and maintain your website.
Things have been changing in the field of law for some time now but lawyers seem to be stuck in the past. As a group, lawyers tend to be conservative and slow to change. But if you are trying to survive and thrive in this new paradigm, you need to adapt your practice to the changing ways and the new competition. Scott and Oscar talk about how to make sure you are aware of what the issues are and how your practice needs to change and adapt. Clients today have certain expectations before they even meet you through their research on the internet and place high value on the information they find on the internet. What does the internet say about your practice area? What does the internet say about you? These are two questions you need to make sure point to why you would be a good choice for their legal needs. And more importantly, clients will also want to see from your web presence that you are up to date technologically-wise. Make sure you remain authentic to your story but at the same time project a current, modern look and feel that will make clients feel comfortable choosing you to be their lawyer.
These days everybody’s got something to say about everything. And social media gives the whole world a platform to show off their knowledge and their stupidity. Scott and Oscar tell some cautionary tales about when they or their clients got caught up in online comments and statements that they regretted. The hosts also talk about the need to think before you text or email as these digital messages are permanent and can be taken out of context. Here are three rules to remember before engaging in digital or online communication: - Rule 1: Don’t Say Anything: The first and foremost rule is to think twice – no make that three times- before posting anything or commenting on a matter you are dealing with. It may be hard to resist the temptation but try you must. More importantly, the client definitely must be instructed not to comment online about a pending matter. - Rule 2: Edit Yourself: Before emailing or posting, go over what you are saying carefully. Not just to avoid being berated by the grammar police but to really think about what you are saying and to make sure you can’t just stick to applying to Rule 1. - Rule 3: Online is Forever: Remember that this fantastic tidbit you absolutely must post (See Rule 1) will never go away. If it needs other prior statements to be properly taken in context then make that clear in the comment itself. How would this statement look on its own if admitted into evidence say at a grievance proceeding or in your adversary’s
This week the hosts discuss what to do what you don’t have a lot of legal work to do. Scott explains how College Discipline and Special Education have became a large part of his practice over the past year and because the summer is pretty much dead for these areas of practice, he lays out how he plans to use this extra time. The hosts suggest you see the opportunity in the down time. Reflect on your practice and plan moving forward. Create a business plan. Implement systems. They also suggest actions such as; - writing an article - have a networking lunch once a week - get involved with your local bar association The hosts suggest that you look at specific aspects or systems in your practice that you want to change and consider them failures. Truly reboot by taking the time to tear them down, and then build them back up with your vision and knowledge.
In response to a listener email from a law student who asked “Would the podcast hosts go to law school if they could do it all over again?,” Scott and Oscar give the proverbial lawyer’s answer “It Depends.” They discuss their answer to that question in detail and also talk about the state of the current marketplace for lawyers. The hosts point out that they would definitely go to law school again at the same price and with the same student loan debt they did when they went, but would have to think hard about taking on $250K in debt to go now. They discuss that due to the current market (better but still not great) folks should only go to law school if they can (a) get into a top tier school or (b) get into a middle level tier school with little or no debt. The easy answer to the question posed is that they both would not go again if they could only get into a lower tier school and receive no tuition assistance or scholarships. If listeners find themselves in the latter situation, the hosts discuss that they need to put everything aside to graduate near the very top 1% while simultaneously networking to have valuable internships and connections during your law school career. In conclusion, the host recommend NOT going to law school if you are doing it as a “default” or want to “hope for the best” thinking maybe the market will turn around. While both Scott and Oscar enjoy their practices in today’s world, the field of law is a much different place and law students need to know that extra effort, planning and energy is required to be successful upon graduation.
It’s the hardest thing about the practice of law as a solo or in a small firm – getting properly compensated for your time. But it’s also the secret to having a quality practice that you don’t resent. In this episode, Oscar and Scott discuss some of the reasons why clients balk at paying and what lawyers can do to make sure that the bills you send out come back with checks. While it once again boils down to maintaining the two core principles at the heart of what we always talk about – authenticity and value – the hosts offer some concrete tips and suggestions to keep your balance sheet on the upside. • Set expectations early - about fees, billing and communication • Have a properly drafted, clear retainer agreement • Communicate regularly about fees and about the matter they’ve entrusted to you • Provide detailed and easy-to-read bills • Don’t allow yourself to fall too far behind
This episode focuses on what law schools do to manipulate their rankings and appear more worthy to incoming law students. Scott and Oscar talk about schools who pay for high rankings in “Best of” lists that may appear on internet searches but have no true substance behind them. Some lower tier schools are not allowing their students at the bottom of the class to even take the Bar exam to hopefully inflate their Bar passing rates as well. The hosts point out that many of these tools, trick and tips are also used by legal marketers to try and convince lawyers to engage in their marketing systems. Law students and lawyers alike should take care to look behind the phony statistics and promises (which are usually easily identified) and do your homework. In both legal education and the practice of law there are few shortcuts. Nice shiny objects that may look good at the start soon wear off and leave you out in the cold. Make sure what you are doing and investing in has value and is genuine.
Oscar opens the show telling a story about how he happened to run into a long-lost relative while traveling in Chile. He came across his relative because he was engaging some local folks in conversation and one thing led to another. The hosts talk about lawyers need to keep their eyes and ears open for opportunity. You make your own luck – by having an open mind and always having a business-oriented perspective, opportunities will come your way. Take the chance- reach out to people, set up meetings, have lunch, coffee, - run ideas by them, ask them about their business, run things by each other you never know where it will go. We are so often in contact with people who can help us in our practice but we walk past them every day because we won’t take that first step. The main point is that you can’t wait for opportunity to knock on your door, you have to have the initiative and take a chance to go and get it yourself.
This week we discuss the need to focus your marketing dollars and strategy carefully. The hosts get into the nitty-gritty about how Pay Per Click and Facebook Ads and other common legal marketing tools work – and don’t work. By talking about their experiences, both good and bad, Scott and Oscar give out useful tips and strategies for making the most out of whatever marketing plan you decide upon. Like everything else, careful planning initially is key. Think about who you want to target and what words or phrases are those targets most likely to be responsive to. Also make sure your ad is effective and not annoying s you don’t wat to turn people off. Finally, the hosts also talk about the need to regularly monitor your marketing plan to make sure your time and money isn’t being misspent on things that do not provide results.
Scott starts off this podcast talking about a lawyer he met at a conference who afterward sent him a book her mother wrote about Atlantic City (which is where the lawyer practices). The book was accompanied by a small note and the lawyer’s business card. That story began a discussion about the importance of following up and following through on connections you make as you meet potential clients and referral partners. Even something as simple as sending out holiday cards should be done with thought and focus on who you want to reach out to and perhaps adding a personal note in at least some of the cards. Talking about holiday cards led the podcast hosts to discuss how all tasks you undertake to market your practice and grow your business needs to be focused and targeted. Before starting this podcast, the hosts set out to determine the costs (financial and time-wise) associated with the endeavor. Scattershot marketing or advertising without focus and follow up will just having money flowing out the door with no return.
The podcast was contacted with two inquiries – one from a law student who was curious about how to start a practice right out of law school and one from an attorney who wanted to form her own practice as a legal writing specialist. The admitted attorney has a non-legal job that pays the bills but wants to be able to make ends meet (and more) by doing what she sees as her strength – writing for other lawyers. The hosts advise that in some ways, it is very different than most other re-boots. She can only market to other lawyers. So she has to decide how to market herself – How will she describe herself on LinkedIn? On her website? The main thing is to come up with an interesting way to explain her value to her target audience – lawyers who don’t want to write. She will also have to assess her competition – lots of outsourcing companies, including many of them overseas – do what she does and at a much lower rate. So she has to have an answer ready for that question when it comes. Maybe the answer will come from folks that have already hired her – she should survey them to assess why they hired her and what they liked and disliked about her. She needs to develop a full business plan as well to think about her marketing and her approach to getting new business. The main thing she needs to recall is that starting a sustainable solo practice is not a one-step or simple process. Some necessary steps:
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Examine the marketplace and your competition
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Talk to people who have used you or similar services to tinker your message
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Make sure your online presence is adapted to the information you discover in the first two steps
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Once that’s done, start reaching out to your target audience at different networking events and opportunities
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Be patient and consistent. Remember Rome wasn’t built in a day and the same goes for a law practice
No matter how long ago you graduated, you can get help from your Law School Career Services Office. They can help you with emails, cover letters. updating your resume and understanding networking. This week is Part 2 of our interview with Elizabeth Dambriunas, the Associate Director of Alumni Advising at the Office of Career Planning at New York Law School. Elizabeth talks to Oscar and Scott touch on the following;
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Attorneys need to have an understanding of the legal market
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Attorney’s can’t put all their hopes on their 1st job. Learn and grow as an attorney and make decisions any gain experience for where you want to go next.
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Blind applications are most likely a waste of time
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Must be able to present in a positive way during interviews (and have some intelligent questions for the interviewer)
This week we welcome back Elizabeth Dambriunas, the Associate Director of Alumni Advising at the Office of Career Planning at New York Law School. Elizabeth talks to Oscar and Scott about the following topics;
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the changes in the job market for new law school graduates
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the best steps that a law student, who has a specific career path in mind, should take while in law school to help their chances of practicing in that area.
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actions that could be taken by an attorney who would like to move practice areas such as pro bono opportunities or blogging
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when submitting anything to a prospective employer it must be perfect
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remember that networking isn’t asking for a job, its asking for advice and info
Maybe you are “in-between” jobs right now. Maybe you graduate law school and can’t find work. Maybe you are stuck in a dead-end job and not practicing the kind of law you would like to practice. Well, maybe you can do something about it besides just sending out resumes and cover letters. This episode looks at ways you can make the most of this “down time” you may be experiencing. The hosts suggest a variety of ways that you can enhance the possibility of you getting that job you want or practicing the kind of law you want to practice. A few of the suggestions:
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Look for per diem or contact work through such websites as Upwork.com
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Find an interesting case in the newspaper in the area of law you want to explore and watch the trial
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Write a law-related article for your local newspaper or your blog if you have one
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Go through your Bar Association or Law School to look for a mentor in the field you want to pursue
The point of the program is that doing one, or some or even all of these things doesn’t guarantee that you will get the job you are looking for, but it will increase your odds and it will help you gain insight into the field and become a better candidate. You have to take the initiative to find avenues to get you where you want to go.
We’ve talked about what happens when your solo practice starts to grow and you need to add your first associate. In this podcast, the hosts talk about managing the delegation of work. The first step is in analyzing the work you need to be done and how to best handle its distribution. Then you need to get organized to make sure the work you distribute is done on time and in the manner you want it done. A good calendaring program and organization system is critical. When it comes to legal matters, it’s important that the associates have training, oversight and are keeping track of their time. Delegation applies not only to actual legal work but to other parts of your practice that you can pass off to others – employees, interns, third parties – in order to free up your time. If you are a solo and are not delegating legal work to others, then your practice will never grow as you only have so many hours in a day. Your clients will understand that you are delegating minor parts of your practice in order to concentrate on the more important, challenging parts of your practice. But that’s only the case if you plan for it:
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Train the associates in the way you want matters handled
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At the beginning, go over each task to make sure the associate understands the full scope of the task
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Bring the associate into client meetings so the client becomes comfortable with someone else occasionally handling the matter
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Call the client well in advance if you are not going to be at an appearance or meeting and go over what is expected to happen
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Use the extra time for practice development and for concentrating on more lucrative and complicated legal matters
Podcast Host Scott shared his experience from a yoga retreat that he went on with his wife this past weekend. He was struck by the genuineness and authenticity of the instructors and how applicable it was to the practice of law. The hosts reflect on how their earlier episodes focused on work-life balance and the need to find time to contemplate your attitude and your law practice. One’s attitude totally affects how one views their work. Scott said the main theme of the weekend that he took away was the need to connect to yourself and others. The hosts talk about how people are reared to kind of belittle or not value connection when in fact making connections is the first step to a relationship with clients and referral partners. “Listening” as opposed to “talking at” people is one important step in building your practice. Another take-away from the weekend was that each yoga instructor had their own individualized website that participants could review. That made it easier to get some detailed information about the instructor’s philosophy and approach. Oscar and Scott then talked about how that same method can work for lawyers in developing their own websites to make them more client-centric and more individualized to your practice and clientele. It’s important to remember that we can learn a lot about how to improve our practices by looking for guidance and insight outside the area of law.
Namaste.
Since the early days of TV, there have been many lawyer-themed shows. From “Perry Mason” to “L.A. Law” to “Boston Legal” to today’s “Grinder.” But rarely has a show focused on a character like Saul Goodman in AMC’s “Better Call Saul” a spinoff of “Breaking Bad.” In it, Bob Odenkirk plays a small time criminal defense solo practitioner who goes into and then out of Big Law while trying to get his own practice going. In this podcast, Scott and Oscar talk about many of the issues the show raises about lawyering itself. The various episodes highlight the good and bad differences between solo/small firm life and Big Law; legal marketing; realistic ethical dilemmas; and hustling for clients. In the podcast, the hosts encourage listeners to watch the show and to take away from it some very important messages to building a law practice. None as important as being authentic to who you are and to providing value to your clients
Scott and Oscar discuss the future of legal education as we see the advent of online law schools. The discussion revolves around an article calling for more online law schools to address the imbalance between the debt caused by law schools and the reality of the job market. The hosts also discuss lawsuits brought against law schools by law students who can’t get jobs and blame the inflated job placement numbers posted by law schools that entice them to enroll. The show then focuses on how the important thing to take away from all of this is that the traditional law school model has to change. Law students need to know that there may not be high-paying jobs for them when they graduate and law schools need to prepare them for developing a practice, managing expectations, and how to actually practice law in the real world.
If you have been practicing law for a few years, chances are you have gotten emails or mailers encouraging you to become a member of a number of sites that will promote your name and give you leads for legal work. The two biggest purveyors of this pre-packaged marketing are FindLaw and Avvo but there are a myriad of others. The hosts discuss their personal experiences with some of these companies and the benefits and downsides of joining them. Scott and Oscar all discuss companies that - for a small fee- will declare you one of the “10 Best Lawyers” in your area. A lawyer can take advantage of some of these promotional materials and it’s up to each lawyer to decide what use to make of them. But the hosts remind listeners that in the end, you can do a lot of your own promotion and marketing by spending a little more time on developing your practice and network.
Scott and Oscar continue their discussion with Sage Presence founders Peter Machalek and Dean Hyers by delving into presentations. Presentations are a vital way to meet potential clients and referral partners. The guys at Sage suggest a number of ways to make yourself comfortable to do these: First of all, pick a topic that you are very knowledgable about and in which you can develop valuable information to provide to your audience. Then try to populate the session with people who know you and former clients. Remember that you need to provide value to the group so leave time for a question and answer period. Then practice your presentation several time to gain confidence – and practice making eye contact and speaking clearly in scenarios where you interact with others. Pete and Dean conclude by talking about the value of coaching and how coaches can help lawyers develop the skills necessary to connect with new clients. Dean and Tom can be found at Sagepresence.com where you will find tips and strategies as well as a few short videos that explain what they do and how they can help.
This week Oscar and Scott talk to Dean Hyers and Pete Machalek from Sage Presence. Sage Presence coaches professional service firms on how to market themselves by focusing on their message and their communication skills. They discuss a wide range of topics including;
- having to move away from the stereotyped version of a “salesman”
- how being in introvert can be an advantage when networking,
- the potential benefits of giving the “right” value
- building your business on giving presentations
You can check out Sage Presence on the web at
http://sagepresence.com/
Scott and Oscar continue their chat with Tom Bolt of the ABA’s Law Practice Division. The focus turns to specific thing that law students, new lawyers and lawyers in transition can do to help develop a practice in this new economy. The hosts discuss with Tom the role technology plays to both support and place stress upon new, developing practices. Tom’s position offers him unique insight into what is happening in the legal marketplace across the country. He concludes the discussion talking about the Law Practice Division’s four core focus areas: marketing, management, technology and finance. We would like to let our listeners know that the ABA website offers publications, professional development tools and networking opportunities that provide valuable guidance on those four topics. You can learn more about the ABA’s Law Practice Division by visiting their webpage at:
http://www.americanbar.org/groups/law_practice.html
This week Oscar and Scott speak to Tom Bolt, the Chair of the Law Practice Division of the American Bar Association. Tom discusses the the mission of his committee and how they can be helpful to attorneys in the four core areas of marketing, management, technology and finance. We touch upon the “uberization" of law and how to have a client centered practice.
We also discuss the issues surrounding the recently passed resolution 105 by the ABA which is meant to guide states in their regulation of nontraditional legal services.
Scott and Oscar have long advised listeners that law firms and solo lawyers can learn a lot about business development by listening to experts outside the legal field. In this episode they discuss The Achievement Habit by Bernard Roth. The author talks about the need for people to go after what they want and realize that they are in control of their own lives and businesses. The book admonishes its readers to “Stop Wishing, Start Doing and Take Command of Your Life.”
The hosts talk about how to implement the advice Roth gives in his book to a law practice. The attitude in which you take something on is as important as deciding what to take on. The hosts talk about how they had to adjust their attitudes to give their law practices the boost they needed to be successful. The first step is self-contemplation and analysis to determine what kind of person you are and what kind of lawyer you wanted to be. While we are all lawyers we are all not the same lawyer and you need to apply yourself in the manner that best suits your personality and style.
This week Oscar and Scott talk about two different aspects of “Access to Justice”. First, they discuss Access to Justice in Law Schools. While giving law students much needed real life legal experience, the hosts wonder if serving this population will actually allow a student to make a living after graduation.
They also discuss a Law Firm that is marketing to this underserved population by offering free documents and information on their site and a unique pricing plan for clients.
The hosts discuss these different initiatives and believe this kind of out of the box thinking is needed for the future of law but are still a work in progress.
The key to a successful networking opportunity is being able to create a conversation that holds the interest of the others at the event. Scott and Oscar relate stories they were recently involved in around meeting lawyers and law students at events that offered great opportunities to make connections and maybe even develop some business. They offer suggestions and some “do’s and don’ts,” to help guide the listener through these opportunities. Step 1 is to be engaged – listen to what the other person has to say and build off of that; Step 2 is to personalize your story to match the event’s focus or at least the focus of the conversation you are having; and Step 3 is to be yourself and recognize that the others at the event are likely there for the same reason as you are – to meet people, make connections and try to get business in the future.
A Facebook legal marketing ad sparks a conversation about why you cannot abdicate the responsibility for your law firm marketing. Many legal marketers will try to tell you that some lawyers are simply just not meant to be entrepreneurs and therefore they must rely on professional marketers to build their practices. The podcast hosts discuss that it can sound very enticing to not have to worry about this aspect of your business and let someone else worry about driving business to your practice. But it can be dangerous placing all of the marketing decisions and content in a third party’s hands. Scott and Oscar go through examples of disasters that can happen when you relinquish that control. They finish the podcast by discussing suggesting listeners take a look at some authentic and genuine legal websites and compare them to those that have canned content and are merely the by-products of some third party’s vision of that lawyer’s website. Nothing replaces authenticity and value as the foundations of a marketing strategy and don’t let anyone talk you into any form of marketing that does not express your personal vision and touch.
Scott and Oscar discuss how a solo or small firm practitioner has an obligation to protect the practice’s electronically stored information and digital media – including the firm’s website material and of course client data. The hosts discuss examples of how the both have dealt with cyber-attacks; hacks; and “ransomware” that have hit their practices in recent months. It’s important in today’s digital world to make sure that you stay current on the current risks that exist and the software and knowledge that can help fix your system if you get hit or even better avoid them in the first place.
Time management is the biggest issue for solo or small practice lawyers. We have to be lawyers, mangers, paralegals, accountants, marketing experts, all at the same time. The podcast host talk about using the new “gig’ or “share” economy to help take some of the load off of you so that you can spend more time on job #1 – developing and growing your practice. In today’s economy more people are looking for this type of work and there are plenty of sites where lawyers can find the extra help they need on a case-by-case or project-by-project. The host talk about the thought processes involved in deciding what can be outsourced and what must be done by your personally. Scott and Oscar talk about some of the tasks they have outsourced:
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Developing graphics for the firm’s website
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Routine court appearances
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Crafting design of cards and brochures
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Transcription of the podcast
Remember the goal of this is to allow you spend more time in practice development!
The podcast hosts discuss how using presentations to groups have helped develop their practice. For those lawyers who try cases, speaking in front of groups may be second nature but trying a case and talking to a group about the law are very different things. You need to have a different mindset – come at it from a point of not just delivering information but for development of business. The hosts talk about how to get opportunities to appear before various trade and legal groups as well as public libraries all of which are dying to get speakers -so why not you? Once you get the gig, make sure your content is accurate and helpful.
Practice your presentation and time it to see how long it actually takes you because you want to use up the time properly. You need to prepare so that your confidence level is high when you make the presentation. Don’t forget that you want to come across as a confident expert in the area you are discussing. So much like trial, preparation and practice is key. Giving presentations is a nice way to get your name out there and get before an audience of potential clients and potential referral partners.
This episode focuses attention on a topic the hosts have talked about before – developing a client-centered practice. By recalling things that have happened in their practices, Oscar and Scott discuss steps they have implemented to make sure they are always mindful of their clients’ needs and expectations. As lawyers, it can be easy to fall into the habit of believing that you know best how to handle the attorney-client relationship. But the hosts remind listeners that from the outset, it is the clients’ goals that matter most. For example, the first step is making sure that from the first meeting, you and the client are on the same page as to the level of communication the client wants and what you will commit to. From then on, it is up to you to maintain that promise and build the kind of relationship that will bring you more business.
The use of Social Media can be a great asset to your practice but you need to be aware of the pitfalls. This week join Oscar and Scott as they talk about how negative online client comments can affect your practice. They discuss how to combat negative or untrue comments. It some situations engaging the opposing party may be recommended, in some situations, creating new content will be what is needed. The hosts have previously (and will continue) to discuss having a more client centered practice and they believe that doing so will minimize negative reviews and maximize positive reviews.
The podcast hosts were both influenced in their businesses by Seth Godin’s book Tribes: We Need You to Lead. In his book and in Ted talks on the subject Seth Godin discusses that a tribe is “any group of people, large or small, who are connected to one another, a leader, and an idea.” This podcast talks about how Seth’s ideas can be applied to building your law practice by thinking of yourself as the leader of a tribe that will follow you by writing and talking about certain topics from a consistent, strong viewpoint. Scott and Oscar break down the steps a lawyer can take to try and become a leading voice in particular legal niche and by doing so, enhance their practice.
Development of a niche practice has been a key focus of Reboot your Law Practice since its inception. Podcast host Scott Limmer talks about his attempts to develop a practice in Cannabis Law. At a recent trip to a Cannabis Convention in Las Vegas, Scott realized it was time to pull the plug on trying to start that niche area and move on to something else and devote more time to his current practice areas.
The hosts talk about what Scott learned in the process and why it’s important to know when to walk away from something that isn’t working. The hosts also discuss how even a failed endeavor can reap rewards for the growth and development of yourself as a lawyer and of your practice.
This week Oscar and Scott discuss how to decide how much to put into your marketing budget. While industry surveys report that law firms average between 1.5-3% of gross revenue for marketing, Oscar and Scott discus how the numbers can be deceptive. Firstly, the surveys usually involve big law firms so the numbers will not be applicable to solo or small firm practitioners.
Before deciding how much to spend, you have to decide who your target audience is and where can you reach them. Spending money on marketing without a precise game plan as to what kind of business you seek to attract is just throwing money out the window. The hosts also discuss that you should take parts of your current budget that you may not consider to be marketing but which should be used to develop your practice so that the numbers involved are applicable to a marketing budget. For example:
• Bar association dues
• CLE classes
• Tickets to certain fundraisers
• And of course – your website costs
All of these items should be keyed toward developing business and are proper items to include in your marketing budget.
Oscar & Scott talk about the importance of remaining authentic to yourself and your practice in all of your social media outlets. Starting with your website, don’t pretend to be something you’re not or make promises you can’t keep. Your site is usually the first thing that will pop up when prospective clients search your name on the Internet. The hosts talk about some issues they discovered in lawyers’ websites and online communications that must be avoided at all costs. Examples include using a picture of someone other than yourself and giving wrong information on a substantive law issue.
Remember that the Internet is forever and a poor social media presence can be devastating to recruiting business and referrals. Listening to this podcast will help you avoid some common and dangerous pitfalls.
This week we talk about tried and true big business ideas that you can use for your solo or small practice. Scott read a few business books and he and Oscar talk about how to apply the methods he learned about to your practice.
They discuss the following books
The E Myth by Michael Gerber
http://www.amazon.com/The-E-Myth-Revisited-Small-Businesses/dp/0887307280
The E-Myth discusses the differing, oftentimes conflicting, roles of a business owner as he must take on the duties of the entrepreneur, technician and manager of their small business. Scott and Oscar agree that you must wear many hats as a business owner and you must put time and effort into ll aspects of your practice.
Traction by Gino Wickman
http://www.amazon.com/Traction-Get-Grip-Your-Business/dp/1936661837/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
What Scott took away from Traction is that the key to growing your business is to plan. Create a Vision statement. Identify Core processes. Create Measurable priorities.
Zero to One by Peter Theil
http://www.amazon.com/Zero-One-Notes-Startups-Future/dp/0804139296/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
There were two points in in Zero to One that resonated with Scott. The author wrote about the need to run your business like a franchise. Create systems so that your business could run without you. The author also discussed how secrets fuel businesses. Oscar and Scott discussed determining the secrets you know and translating it into value you can give to a client.
In this episode the podcast hosts talk about developing and transitioning into a new practice area. Scott has Oscar take listeners through how he made a transition into a new practice area when his main practice field –criminal defense - began to decrease. Oscar explains why the need arose and how he adapted and developed as he transitioned. The podcast hosts apply lessons learned from this experience into tools listeners can use and apply to their own practices.
Podcast Host Scott Limmer recently attended Above the Law’s Academy of Private Practice Conference and reports on some valuable insight and information he obtained at the conference. First and foremost, Scott mentions that lawyers have to get comfortable with the current and coming tech boom affecting lawyers and their practice. This has been a running theme on the show and the ATL APP conference just further solidified the need for practitioners to get up to speed – not just with tech for the office and staff but tech such as branded portals that put up clients’ needs and seek legal help for them through these special websites, like Upwork. Lawyers need to think about their practice areas as these sites proliferate and do things like wills; corporate start-ups; and document production. While these things will give people more access to legal services at a low cost – it will financially impact solo and small firms. Some tips to rise above the coming cyber-law-practice model:
- Focus on areas where personal interaction is still needed and highly valued
- Make sure you are marketing your expertise and giving confidence to prospective clients
- Take advantage of your skills and experience to add value to clients who may be thinking about going cyber for their legal needs
- Automate your documents and templates – following the Lean Law suggestions from prior podcasts – to make yourself competitive
The hosts continue talking about Getting Lean by discussing how Lean Law relates to your client management and development. Ken Grady, Lean Law Evangelist at SeyfarthShaw, discusses different pricing models for legal services and the price sensitivity that is creeping into the legal profession. Part of the way that we can provide quality of service at a lower fee is by getting Lean in our practice so that what used to take you 2 hours now takes you 30 minutes. That allows you to:
• Use the extra 90 minutes to do something else that is profitable
• Pass the savings onto the client which keeps them happy
• Be more flexible in how you charge clients
The Good News that Ken is helping us spread is that “Getting Lean” only requires basic tools: paper, pencil, post it notes, and some tape. It’s not a resource heavy activity. The basic method is to map out the sequence of things you do to fulfill a particular process – say preparing a complaint. Then create a checklist of those things to see which can be eliminated or consolidated. It also allows you to streamline the process by not having to cycle through the preliminary steps that are common to each complaint. This methodology Ken says can be applied to every process in your law firm to make you more efficient and more profitable.
Ken’s evangelism on this topic extends to law schools arguing that law students should be trained in Lean Law before they graduate so that they can bring these practices into small firms. Surprisingly, Ken does say that solo or small firms should be cautious about investing in expensive and fancy software as the rate of return on that investment is slow and prohibitive to a small firm. In our discussion Ken recommends what software and programs solos and small firms should make parts of their practice to make them more Lean.
In concluding our two part discussion with Ken Grady he tells our listeners to focus on spending time on the things in your practice that make you money and bring satisfaction to your clients. We can begin to do that by cutting out those inefficiencies and redundancies that bog down the various processes we all engage in.
This week Reboot Your Law Practice hosts Ken Grady – “The Lean Law Evangelist” in the first of two part episode discussing how you make your practice “lean” so that it can withstand economic downturns and be less of a monetary roller coaster.
Ken is in charge of the Lean Law Practice at Seyfarth Shaw which helps the national, multi-faceted practice assist its clients in making their businesses leaner. Ken’s prior experience helped form his Lean Law Practice in that after being a partner in a BigLaw firm, he moved in-house to be corporate counsel for various Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 corporations. It was at these corporate positions that Ken first began to encounter “Lean Thinking” in the business world. He then joined Seyfarth Shaw where he serves as the consultant to their Lean Law Practice.
“Lean Thinking” is a business process improvement brought over to the states by Toyota in the 1980s that focuses on efficiency; cost control; and quality improvement. About 10 years ago, Seyfarth Shaw developed it for the practice of law. These methodologies when applied to legal services helps the firm better serve its clients and helps the firm develop best practices for things like conflict analysis; document production; and time management.
The focus is on an approach to make some things about your practice standard and organized so that you spend more time doing those things that are directly applicable to clients and which make money. The idea is to eliminate as many wasteful activities as possible to streamline the work you perform. While some software that is available in the market place can help you to do that, Ken advises that much of this can be done without buying expensive software.
Ken reminds us that lawyers are not quick to change. The systems we use now are basically the same systems we used in the 1900s when most of law was practiced by solo practitioners or two lawyer firms. Relying on those antiquated systems now – without focusing on efficiency and time management will make it much harder to compete in the current marketplace.
Next week Ken will finish his discussion with Oscar and Scott by talking about some specific things small firms and solo practitioners can do to get “Lean.”
This week Oscar and Scott discuss how solo and small practices can decide on when its time to bring on a new associate. Hiring another lawyer is a big commitment and not just because of the additional salary. It means you have to evaluate your space, your malpractice coverage and your time.
There are some steps you can take before hiring a lawyer to make sure you are ready:
- Will a non-lawyer addition help? Can you start by just adding a part-time paralegal or secretary to help with some of the administrative or lower level tasks that are taking up your time?
- Is the current workload something that will be a steady presence or is just a temporary influx of business that can be alleviated by farming some of the work out?
- Would my workload be eased by hiring per diem or project lawyers as independent contractors to help me with the work
- Maybe even writing to a law school for some part-pay part intern basis
These steps will allow you to see if you are truly ready to hire a new associate and will let you operate on a “test-run” basis. Remember the goal of bringing on staff is to free up your time from tasks that are not profitable and to allow you grow your business. With that in mind, small firms and solos should also look for candidates that can understand the basics of the legal business and look for ways to develop their own business. Bringing on new staff especially a new lawyer is a huge commitment and it should always be done with an eye towards helping your business grow.
Join Oscar and Scott this week as they discuss the process Scott went through to add the niche practice area of College Disciplinary Law to his legal practice.
Listen to find out how Scott determined if this was a viable practice area. Here are some of the considerations you must evaluate when looking to add a practice area to your law practice;
- Is there a need/market for the niche?
- Is this practice area an authentic extension of my practice and of myself?
- Can I provide value for clients?
- How will you get clients in this area?
- Do you have the time you have to put in?
- Do you have a passion for this area?
- Do you have the skills or is there a steep learning curve?
- Can you distinguish yourself in this new area?
We will check in with Scott from time to time to see how the practice is progressing and discuss the challenges he faces.
This week Sam Glover from Lawyerist.com joins us. Sam is the founder of Lawyerist.com which provides daily online content about the practice of law, touching upon subjects such as practice management, tech and marketing.
Sam is a strong advocate of attorneys being technologically competent. He joins Oscar and Scott and they discuss the necessity of attorneys having an understanding of such varied topics as;
- How to communicate securely with clients
- How to safely use public wifi
- An attorneys obligation to advise clients as to the security of their communications
- how lay a foundation to admit social media into evidence
- the duty to google
- how to use Word and Dropbox
- how files are encrypted
They also discuss how you can add value to the attorney client relationship by advising clients how to keep their data and communications safe.
Please visit Sam at Lawyerist.com
Download Sam’s checklist of the knowledge and skills that make up the basic technological competence for lawyers at https://lawyerist.com/downloads/basic-tech-competence/
It’s painfully obvious to state that the modern lawyer trying to grow his practice needs a great website. So why do we devote a whole podcast to the subject? Because it’s no longer enough to get a domain name and throw up a basic template law firm website. You have to tailor your site to the demographic and client base you are trying to get as clients.
Oscar & Scott talk about the thought process and planning you need to get into before you even start talking about the actual design of the site. The hosts discuss Search Engine Optimization and how SEO has changed over the past few years. The podcast provides specific advice and ideas on how to make your website appealing to your potential client base. Essential website areas discussed during the show are:
- What should be on the home page
- Photos
- A Thought-Out Tag Line
- Blog
- Contact Information
Episode 26 - Mentoring and Coaching
What does it mean to have a mentor? Most people think of an elderly person who provides sage advice and guidance to a young protégé. And while that certainly is one aspect of mentoring, in this podcast the hosts discuss that he benefits that all lawyers – young or old; experienced or fresh out of law school – can obtain from a mentor. Scott and Oscar talk about their own personal experiences mentoring lawyers and also discuss how they found the people they rely on to bounce ideas off of or to simply help vent their frustration. The hosts discuss how to find a mentor and approach them about filling that role. For lawyers trying to reboot their practice having a person they trust and can count on to help them through the process is an invaluable tool.
Best places to find a mentor/coach:
(A) Your social circle of lawyers or business people you know, admire and trust;
(B) Bar association;
(C) Law school;
(D) Family
Leaving a firm to start your own practice is a scary proposition. In this episode Oscar and Scott give vital steps you should take that will lead to a successful practice.
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You must start planning far in advance by thinking about the makeup of your practice (type of practice, type of clients, type of law) and looking at the viability of each possibility.
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Will you be able to bring in enough business to support your practice?
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Start setting up your support system of mentors and get a feel for what solo and small practice life is like.
They also talk about how right now might actually be the best time to start a new practice.
In this episode, Scott & Oscar discuss how to distinguish yourself and your practice. They discuss the similarities between marketing and selling salsa and marketing and selling your self and your legal services. Suggestions include; evaluating what you like about the services and professionals you use, understanding the goals and expectations of the individual clients, and truly listening and understanding what the clients need from their perspective.
While clients ultimately want results, they also want service. You need to listen to clients, understand their issues and treat them as you would want to be treated. You must communicate with your clients, educate them and always keep them informed.
In this episode, Oscar and Scott welcome writer Cathy Reisenwitz. Cathy who writes on a number of law-related topics for Capterra Legal Software Blog, Above the Law and other sites recently wrote an article for Lawyerist entitled “The Legal industry is About to Get Ubered Hard.”
The hosts discuss Cathy’s article with her and what it means for lawyers unwilling to adapt to technological changes in the practice. Cathy explains that, like cab drivers, lawyers have been protected by legislation and regulation limiting who can practice law. This lack of competitive pressure has kept law nearly unchanged over the last hundred years. However, technological innovation makes it cost effective to offer new ways to serve the market, motivating entrepreneurs to go around protectionist legislation.
Lawyers who fail to recognize this major change in how lawyers and consumers interact – or even how consumers are interacting with business in general- are doomed to having their practices fail on the vine. Scott and Oscar discuss how prior podcasts have encouraged lawyers to look carefully at their social media; their use of technology; and changing consumer expectations about lawyers are affecting their practice. Cathy and the host talk about some specific steps lawyers can take to adapt to the current technology and marketplace.
You can find Cathy on Twitter at @CapterraLegal
and you can read her legal blog at http://blog.capterra.com/author/creisenwitz/
The hosts discuss how small and solo firms need to focus on being organized in order to be successful. As lawyers, we all take deadlines very seriously – appearance dates, statutes of limitation, etc. So we should treat the business goals and “to do “ list” items we set for ourselves as importantly as we treat important dates in our legal matters.
Scott and Oscar talk about what works for them and which strategies they employed that helped them get organized and stay focused on business development. It can be hard for those of us who are not keen on technology to learn new methods of law firm management, but the podcast discusses why it’s essential and offers tips on getting it
done.
Prior podcasts have discussed the importance of your online presence. Well, your website is the axis around which all of your online presence revolves. Finding the right web site developer is critical to the success of your website. Join us as we discusses what to look for in a website developer, what pitfalls to avoid and what should the contract between you and the developer involve.
We discuss why you may not want to choose a company that “specializes” in law firm website development. You must look to find the right fit, as you will need to have a website person who is responsive and willing to let you manage the content and look of the site. We also touch on topics such as SEO, Google analytics, and other areas that you will need to familiarize yourself with as you enter the digital marketplace
The hosts discuss developing good client relationships with Matthew Chan. Matt is a client of Oscar’s and he has had the opportunity to see litigation and lawyering from a variety of positions – as a pro se plaintiff and defendant, to a business owner who has had to hire lawyers for litigation and even from the perspective of a litigant before the Georgia Supreme Court, the State’s highest court. Seeing law at all these levels has provided Matt with insight into what clients and litigants like and don’t like about lawyers and lawyering.
Matt describes that ultimately what clients want is someone who is a real problem solver and that can explain the issues and the possibilities. The vast majority of clients want something done sooner rather than later and want to feel that their lawyer is on the same page and not looking to just pad the bill.
Some Don’ts for Lawyers from Matt’s perspective as a client:
• Don’t bill lots of hours for research – clients hired you because you know the law, billing for research should be reserved for specific issues that may come up, but clients don’t want to pay for your continuing education
• Don’t nickel and dime clients – Do you really need to bill for every email or five minute phone call?
• Consider giving a free consultation because many clients won’t go to a lawyer if they are charging a significant consultation fee.
Things Matt looks for in an attorney when he is shopping for legal services:
• Relevant experience – while many newer businesses or younger clients may need to go to a young lawyer based on price, clients want to go to the most-experienced lawyer they can afford. Experience gives clients confidence and reassurance
• More and more he looks to a lawyer’s online presence and “tech savviness” as that gives him confidence that the lawyer is up to current standards
• Lawyers with people skills – clients who need lawyers are in serious stress and a lawyer’s bedside manner and how they relate and respond to you is critical in the relationship.
• Good communication and regular feedback is key as well. Ask a client how he prefers to communicate and how often are they expecting to hear from your lawyer.
The hosts talk with Matt about the need for lawyers to be flexible to a client’s needs and expectations as well and discuss that early on in their relationship. Discuss these issues and goals with clients so everyone can be on the same page. The podcast provides objectives and goals for any solo or small firm that can help them develop better client relationships so that they can grow their practice from a client-centric perspective.
The hosts discuss a recent Above The Law article about getting clients. The author of the article discusses how she thought about the steps she took when she selected a professional to hire. She applied what she did in those situations and what was important to her in developing her practice.
The first step most folks do in selecting a professional is seek suggestions from their referral network. They then will check the person’s credentials, give them a call and examine their responsiveness.
These are steps that your clients will be taking when selecting a lawyer so you need to examine how you would be judge by this criteria.
The authors also discuss keeping your name and services on top of your client’s mind by using newsletters, blogs, and emails. It’s not easy - it takes planning, patience, attention to detail and consistency but keeping contact with your clients and keeping a strong online presence is a necessary step in rebooting your law practice.
This week we welcome Stephen Furnari of lawfirmsuites.com. Stephen Furnari is a self-employed corporate attorney and the founder of Law Firm Suites. Law Firm Suites is a professionally managed shared law office space for solo attorneys and small law firms based in New York City. Through Law Firm Suites, Stephen has helped dozens of attorneys launch and grow successful law practices. He is the author of several eBooks, including “7 Deadly Mistakes that Prevent Law Practice Success” and “An Insider’s Guide to Renting the Perfect Law Office”. Stephen has been featured in the ABA Journal,Entrepreneur, New York Daily News and Crain’s New York. He can be connected with on Twitter (@stephenfurnari) or Google+.
Stephen explained that his business model is not merely the rental of or sub-rental of office space to lawyers. Plenty of lawyers rent out part of their suites to other lawyers. His business requires tenants to agree to a collegiate atmosphere that encourages cross-referrals. The model is to form a cooperative environment where lawyers form different practice groups can work together, share costs and refer each other business outside their own practice areas.
The hosts discuss with Stephen how his business model fits perfectly into the Reboot philosophy that the best way to develop a self-sustaining, fulfilling practice is through networking and creating a reliable referral program. The podcast discusses the details of Stephen’s company and how young or struggling lawyers can benefit form participating in a positive, collaborative environment.
Stephen has set up a special offer for our listeners. Go to www.lawfirmsuites.com/lawreboot to get a free copy of his guide: The Ultimate Guide to Maximizing Referrals in a Shared Law Office Space
Episode 17 Developing a Niche Practice – Part 2
The hosts continue their discussion of how to add a niche practice of law to your business. They remind listeners that it may take time to grow, it will not happen overnight. Scott and Oscar give some specific details of how to start such a practice. It starts with setting goals and creating a business plan. Selecting the right area is key and it may take more than one attempt to find the right niche. It’s best to look at areas that you already have a potential to get business in that area. Some pointers:
• Start by deciding the large practice group – Family Law, Criminal Defense
• Look for narrow topics within those larger areas –private adoption for example in Family Law or Forfeiture Proceedings in Criminal Law
• Research the field and see what it is that clients will be looking for; analyze the market place to see if that niche is already glutted with lawyers. Are their associations you can join that will expose you to businesses and entities that may need the services you a relooking to provide?
• Develop social media around the niche area including a separate web page entirely or at least a strong section on your current website devoted to the niche area. Write an article or two in that field before you start marketing yourself.
• Continue networking but focus on establishing yourself as the go-to lawyer in that niche area.
Remember that the whole point is to differentiate yourself from other lawyers and to have clients who are looking for lawyers in that niche area find you and hire you. Patience is key, take time to decide on the right area, put the social media in place directed at that area before you start marketing and networking and then go out and channel your networking efforts in trying to attract business in your chosen niche area.
Scott and Oscar talk about legal bogs and how to develop one for your practice. In today’s marketplace, a legal blog provides content to your website and also allows clients to see how you write and take positions on areas of law. The hosts provide talking points for you blog and give advice on how to create a worthwhile legal blog that will be looked at favorably by clients, prospective clients and other lawyers. Quick tips include:
(1) Make sure the articles express your voice and viewpoint. Bland generic, boilerplate articles will not generate the interest or attention you will want.
(2) Set time aside to blog at least once a week. Old stale articles will make you look like the blog is an afterthought.
(3) Keep SEO in mind. Have a web designer and SEO specialist give you pointers on how to make your blog more searchable and drive it to the top of search engine requests for the key words that focus on your practice.
One thing lawyers in small or solo practices can do to help revitalize their current practices is look to developing a practice in a niche area of law. Scott and Oscar discuss specific lawyers who have developed such practices in a variety of legal fields – steroid law; bicycle accidents and representing pet owners. They also discuss how adding niche areas to their own practices helped increase their cash flow and provide a steadier revenue stream. The hosts provide pointers on how to develop such a practice and how adding a niche area of law cannot only enrich your business but also provide an area of law that interest you and keeps you focused on practice development.
Keith Lee is a practicing lawyer and columnist for Above The Law who started his own legal blog Associate’s Mind when he was still in law school.
Keith graduated law school in 2010 right when the legal industry imploded. He knew that he needed to find a way to differentiate himself from the pack. When he had interned for a law firm during school. He had helped that firm set up and launch their own blog. He saw that it helped generate business and interest in the firm.
But what could he blog about having just graduated law school? Keith knew he would lack the authenticity needed to be successful if he started to blog about a specific area of law but he also knew that a successful blog had to have a viewpoint. So he started blogging about what it meant to be a young associate in the current legal marketplace:
· How would he generate business?
· How would he form a relationship with a valuable mentor?
· How would he learn the ins and outs of actually practicing law
Because of the unique voice and viewpoint in Associate’s Mind, he secured a book deal with the ABA; became a popular speaker at law school’s and law firms; and was soon in demand to consult lawyers about what it meant to be in the trenches.
Keith also recognized that his blog filled a void in information for young associates because they were not getting any of that information in law school. The hosts discuss with Keith their experiences in dealing with young associates both in their firms and as adversaries. They see the lack of awareness of the “business-side” of law and discuss how the blame for that failing falls onto law schools allowing professors without real-life experience to often be the main voices that law students hear.
Law schools need to become cognizant that not all law schools are the same and not all law schools are the same. They need to adjust for where they sit in the law school pecking order – they all teach to Big Law even though their students have no chance to get those jobs. The law school model should be adjusted for Tier III and Tier IV law schools to cater to their regional needs. Sixty Percent of all lawyers practice in firms of 10 lawyers or less. Law school curriculums need to be focused on producing law students who graduate with a focus on small firm or solo firm life.
Keith discusses specific points of how young lawyers can distinguish themselves in the marketplace:
· Make sure you think about who you are applying to; tailor your cover letter and resume for the specific needs of the job you are looking to get;
· Specificity is key – do some research about the job and target your communications to the firm based upon what you learn about them before you apply;
· Find a good mentor but realize mentors are not cheerleaders – their entire purpose should be to cultivate your professional growth. You need to be ready to give your time and energy in order to get back the advice and assistance you need. Keith call this building up “Trust Equity” You should look for more than one mentor and they should not all be lawyers.
· Also realize that you may fail initially from time to time and need to learn from those errors. No one comes out of law school ready to be an awesome lawyer.
Keith’s advice is helpful and applicable for all lawyers, not just young lawyers or recent graduates. We encourage all of our listeners to follow Keith Lee on twitter at @associatesmind and read his blog AssociatesMind.com
Scott and Oscar talk about the current state of the legal market and various solutions offered by websites and pundits. But all the solutions reflect that this is not the same legal system and marketplace from 10 years ago. Many young lawyers are finding that they are being offered very low salaries and question whether they should take the job – is it the right thing to do?
The hosts recommend biting the bullet and taking the job but also discuss that finding a way to generate your own business is still the best safeguard against a volatile marketplace. While the current law school glut is diminishing due to lower law school attendance, the hosts discuss that the effects of less lawyers entering in the marketplace is still years away. Therefore, it is incumbent on folks to do what they have to do to generate business.
Even if young lawyers have to take an associate salary that is very low, the hosts recommend taking that position and using it as a springboard to developing your own book of business. Taking that job might make you more open to other arrangements – work for space, for example to learn a new area of law.
The focus should not be on the salary at the beginning – it should be on learning an area of law that you can be productive in and develop business. Don’t just take any job, if you are at a low salary that opens you up to many more possibilities so have a plan –
• Think about what kind of law you want to practice
• Try to find a solo or small firm that does that work that can use your assistance
• Think about a financial arrangement that you can strike with that firm to get your start in that field of law
• Develop your own website using what’s best about your authentic self – doing anything else like using stock photos will not lead to business
• Don’t worry about your pride, no one needs to know how much you are earning, and it can be as steppingstone as its better to be in the game at some level than not at all.
• Recognize that you may have to try different ways to develop your practice and they may not work right away – be patient
This episode talks about steps solo or small firm practitioners can take to help build a steady stream of referrals. The hosts discuss the benefits of a referral-based practice which provides a base of clients who come to your practice already having been pre-screened and eager to be helped. The positive expectation of a referral client increases the likelihood that you will be retained by them.
Keys to building a referral client base are similar to building a valuable network:
· Always keep referrals on top of your networking and referral partners’ minds by mentioning it during networking opportunities
· Provide value to your referral partners by keeping them in the loop about the case and thanking them promptly for the referral even if it does not pan out to a new client
· Remind potential clients that since your business is referral-based it is important that you do a good job on their case so that the potential client will become a referring client.
· Give referrals back to lawyers who refer you clients or if you can’t do that then find other ways to give value and make it a two-way street – take them out to lunch, send them an article related to their practice, tickets to a ballgame.
While it can be time-consuming to devote so much time to building a referral-based practice, it is vital if you want to have a consistent flow of business and is well worth the time you put into it.
Elizabeth discusses the changing legal market place for recent law school grads and those out 10-15 years. Her position offers one-on-one counseling to assist alumni in reaching their career goals. Targeting the job search is important but networking remains the most powerful tool to make that connection that can build your practice.
Elizabeth describes that while this a tough legal marketplace it is improving over the past year or so. Her office provides help with the basic tools – drafting a professional resume, building social media, looking at your connections. Many older attorneys who are practicing 10-15 years or more have trouble adapting the job search or their practice to the current marketplace. Elizabeth points out that using technology is not an option: you need to get involved with LinkedIn; have a good website; use social media.
While all this technology is important, she reminds us that the basics are still important:
• clean resume;
• professional business card;
• focused cover letters;
• excellent writing samples
Beth discusses specific pointers on all of these important matters to increase the likelihood they will stand out from the pack.
Elizabeth discusses asking for an “Introductional Interview” – meeting someone who has the career path that you want. Research the person, learn about their practice then ask for a 15-20 minute meeting or even a phone call to ask questions about their practice, how they got there, and what steps you might take to get into that area.
She reminds listeners of the many resources available to begin networking and suggests starting with your law school and then move onto Bar Associations almost all of which also have a small law firm resource center.
The podcast concludes with a reminder that it is essential that you find a way to get into a frame of mind to make networking a priority:
• volunteer to work an event at your law school;
• arrange a meeting with an alumni advisor;
• join a Bar Association committee.
New York City Bar Association Small Firm Center:
http://www.nycbar.org/small-law-firm-center/small-law-firm-center-overview
New York State Bar Solo and Small Firm Resource Center
http://www.nysba.org/CustomTemplates/SectionLanding.aspx?id=34151
American Bar Association Solo and Small Firm Assistance
http://www.americanbar.org/groups/leadership/office_of_the_president/legal_access_jobs_corps/lajc_resource_center/bar_committees.html
In this episode, Scott and Oscar talk about why lawyers need to keep a positive outlook and a high energy level particularly when meeting clients for the first time. Personal insights from Scott and Oscar along with specific pointers are discussed for how to develop the right attitude to bring in business and develop your practice. Key Points include -
- Knowing you do good work and that you can provide value
- Planning for the initial client meeting
- Associate with positive like-thinking people
- Remember law is flexible - you can learn and develop a new practice area if your old one is not producing enough revenue
When networking or meeting someone new, Be Prepared
- Practice what you want to say during the initial call
- Learn about and prepare questions when meeting someone new.
- every aspect of your contact with another person is part of your “Brand”
This week Oscar and Scott discuss the true focus of networking and the following topics;
- preconceived notions about the "slick networker"
- How Building Relationships are the key to success
- Types of networking: General & Targeted
- How easy it is to get started
- Networking: Not a necessary evil, a necessary effort.
Scott and Oscar discuss some recent articles and emerging issues that reflect the change in the legal marketplace. They speak about the need to realize the changing landscape of the legal field in general and the marketing of legal services specifically. Lawyers seeking to develop their practice must adapt to the new expectations of consumers in the legal field.
This episode discusses how prior to getting involved in networking you have to make sure your online presence is fresh and up to date. Recognize that most clients, referral partners and others will look online to check you out. You must make sure that when they look - especially potential clients- they see the message you want them to see about your developing practice. The hosts discuss the key steps they took to change their online presence and how to implement a similar strategy for your practice.
EPISODE #1 - Intro to the series: In this episode, Oscar and Scott talk about their backgrounds, their law practices and what led them to develop this podcast. Both hosts discuss how their prior practices began floundering after long periods of success and how they had to retool and reboot their own businesses. Topics discussed this week include: - The current state of the legal marketplace - What solo and small firm lawyers need to start thinking about to succeed under current conditions.
EPISODE #2 – Be the CEO of Your Practice: This episode discusses how the first step in rebooting your law practice is taking stock in your current practice and realizing that you must take charge of every facet of your business.
Topics discussed this week include;
- The importance of making sound business decisions
- Examining your competitors to take stock of the marketplace
- How to analyze your practice areas and make sure that your social media presence is geared to those practice areas.
- The importance and need for a business plan
- How implementing a business plan properly can be the key to running a successful practice.
Oscar and Scott discuss how Authenticity is the first core element needed to help reboot your business. Using personal experiences, the two hosts discuss how their passion for particular fields of law helped to revive their practices.
Topics on this weeks show include:
- The need to look inward to assess what it is about the practice of law that initially interested you
- How your “authentic self” needs to be projected in client meetings and interactions and your social media.
- How being authentic in your practice also leads to being content in your practice.
Oscar and Scott discuss how Value is the second core element that you need to focus on to improve your law practice.
Topics discussed during this weeks episode include:
- How being authentic leads directly to providing value to your clients and your referral partners.
- How Scott came to realize the importance of authenticity and value and how he embraced them to reboot his law practice.
- The need to provide value not just to clients but to your networking group and other referral partners.
- How to consistently provide value to build up client and referral source loyalty.
This episode focuses on the importance of networking which both hosts feel is the lifeblood to developing a vibrant and successful practice. They discuss what networking is and how they became involved with it. The hosts talk about how it is vital to engage in networking to develop your practice and referral sources.
Some topics discussed during this episode:
- Preparing your “personal self” to network
- Putting the time in to develop the confidence to discuss yourself and your practice in a positive way in social and networking situations.
- Scott and Oscar provide examples of how they personally prepared themselves for networking