Empowering and growing your team is a cornerstone of building a successful law practice, yet many attorneys overlook it.

On this episode of Great Practice, Great Life, we explore how to transition from delegating tasks to enabling your team members to make strategic decisions and think critically. Steve welcomes Patti Paz, a seasoned paralegal and team leader, who shares her expertise on the four stages of empowerment from the Atticus curriculum. Patti provides actionable steps to enhance your team's effectiveness and confidence.

We also discuss Patti's journey from a paralegal in an estate planning practice to a team leader despite initial resistance and skepticism. Patti reveals the differences between an office manager and a team leader, emphasizing the strategic leadership and empowerment the latter role requires. With insights from the Team Leader Certification Program she co-created, Patti offers new team leaders the tools and strategies they need to succeed, sharing lessons from her experiences and common mistakes lawyers make in treating their team members.

Steve and Patti outline the four levels of empowerment and trust within a team structure, detailing how attorneys can accelerate their team's development through dedicated training and structured time management. By exploring each stage—from gathering facts to achieving a self-managing team—we highlight the lawyer's evolving role in managing a team and ultimately managing managers. Finally, Steve and Patti focus on maintaining a united leadership front, the value of the Team Leader Program, and appreciation for Patti's exceptional coaching skills and contributions to the Atticus community.

Discover how to invest in your team's growth and create a thriving, empowered law practice. Sign up for the Team Leader Certification Program and enter the code TLC500 for a discount.

In this episode, you will hear:

• The importance of empowering and growing your legal team for practice transformation
• Transitioning from task delegation to strategic decision-making
• An overview of the four stages of empowerment from the Atticus curriculum
• Distinguishing between an office manager and a strategic team leader
• Patti Paz's journey from skepticism to leadership in law practices
• Some practical steps for enhancing team effectiveness and confidence
• The key role of dedicated training and structured time management
• Benefits of the Team Leader Program and its impact on law firms
• Common mistakes lawyers make that disempower their teams
• Empowerment levels: From task training to self-managing units
• Strategies for attorneys to evolve from managing tasks to managing managers

Follow and Review:

We’d love for you to follow us if you haven’t yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We’d love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

If there’s a topic you would like us to cover on an upcoming episode, please email us at [email protected].

Supporting Resources:

Patti Paz: Practice Advisor, Paralegal and Certified Team Leader: atticusadvantage.com/team/patti-paz/ 

Team Leader Certification: atticusadvantage.com/law-firm-team-leader-certification/ 

Get $500 off your Team Leader Certification Program! Use promo code: TLC500

Guidelines for Levels of Trust and Empowerment Diagram: atticusadvantage.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/guidelines-for-levels-of-trust-and-empowerment.pdf 

010: Is it Possible for Non-Lawyers to do Initial Meetings? with Patti Paz: atticusadvantage.com/podcast/train-your-team-members-for-client-intake/ 

019: What is a Team Leader? Do I Need One? with Patti Paz: atticusadvantage.com/podcast/what-is-a-team-leader-and-do-i-need-one-with-patti-paz/ 

Episode Credits

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.