BE THAT LAWYER

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Eddie Dabdoub discuss:

• Falling in love with your practice area but remembering it is a business.
• Transitioning from general law practice to a niche law practice.
• Getting buy-in from your team for the law firm growth.
• Taking care of your team to stop the turnover.

Key Takeaways:

• There is a barrier of entry for those transitioning from a PI practice to a Disability Insurance practice.
• If you structure your practice like a well oiled machine, even less lucrative niches will pay off financially.
• Build a core team that allows your firm to grow together. Even when you’re in different rolls, you want the core team to all be focused on the same business goals.
• Your firm does not need to be built like everyone else’s. You are different, build your firm to reflect what is important to you.

"My big advice is, if you want to scale a law firm, breakaway from the traditional model of assigning assistants and paralegals to attorneys. Instead, create different departments (even if they’re tiny), train your folks to be experts in that department, and have cases go through those departments as the lifecycle of the case carries it through the firm." —  Eddie Dabdoub

Read more from Steve at Above the Law: AboveTheLaw.com/tag/Steve-Fretzin/

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Ready to go from good to GOAT? Attend PIMCOM the inaugural personal injury mastermind conference Sept 15-17, 2024. Use promo code BeThatLawyer to get $200.00 off at https://www.pimcon.org/

Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/

Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/

Episode References:

• Rules of the Road: A Plaintiff Lawyer’s Guide to Proving Liability by Rick Friedman - https://www.amazon.com/Rules-Plaintiff-Lawyers-Proving-Liability/dp/1934833177

About Eddie Dabdoub: Edward Dabdoub is a nationally-known disability insurance lawyer. He is the founder of Dabdoub Law Firm, a firm that specializes in disability and life insurance claims for claimants.

Born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, he is one of five attorneys in his immediate family. Since becoming a lawyer, he has focused his law practice on representing people in this niche practice area and has grown his law firm from less than a handful of employees to a nationwide practice.

With Eddie at the helm, Dabdoub Law Firm has litigated and won significant disability and life insurance cases in federal courts. Some notable victories include a win against the NFL Disability Plan for a former pro-football player who was denied disability benefits and recent victory for a liver transplant surgeon who could no longer perform transplant surgeries after sustaining a career-ending injury.

Eddie has participated as a guest speaker at law conferences both on local and national stages, discussing disability insurance, life insurance, and ERISA for legal organizations such as the American Association for Justice and the Florida Association for Justice.

Eddie is a double-Canes, having obtained an undergraduate degree in Economics and a juris doctor degree at the University of Miami. Before law school, he obtained a Masters in Business Administration from Florida International University.

Connect with Eddie Dabdoub:

Website: https://www.longtermdisability.net/

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edwarddabdoub

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dabdoub-disability-insurance-erisa-law-firm/

Twitter: https://x.com/disabilitylaws

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dabdoublawfirm

Connect with Steve Fretzin:

LinkedIn: Steve Fretzin

Twitter: @stevefretzin

Instagram: @fretzinsteve

Facebook: Fretzin, Inc.

Website: Fretzin.com

Email: [email protected]

Book: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!

YouTube: Steve Fretzin

Call Steve directly at 847-602-6911

Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Mark Silverman discuss:

• Building client relationships from the start of your career.
• Bringing your full, authentic self to your client relationships. 
• Being forward with those you’ve served when asking for referrals. 
• The art of bringing in new work from current clients. 

Key Takeaways:

• Even when you’re crazy busy, it is key to reach out to a client or post on LinkedIn or send a text to connect with those in your network. 
• Everybody wins in referrals when there is a transferral of trust. 
• Be honest about where you can add value and where, perhaps, you aren’t the best fit for your clients.
• Find what works for you and stay consistent with it. You are running a business and want to maintain that forward momentum. 

"The worst thing you can do, and what will tank your relationship and career quickly, is to sell something that you have no business doing." —  Mark Silverman

Read more from Steve at Above the Law: AboveTheLaw.com/tag/Steve-Fretzin/

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Ready to go from good to GOAT? Attend PIMCOM the inaugural personal injury mastermind conference Sept 15-17, 2024. Use promo code BeThatLawyer to get $200.00 off at https://www.pimcon.org/

Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/

Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/

Episode References: 

• Matt Campobasso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrc1921/
• Sales Free Selling Audiobook: https://www.amazon.com/Sales-Free-Selling-Death-Sales-Methodology/dp/B0D9HWPX6W

About Mark Silverman: Mark serves as Locke Lord’s CMBS Special Servicer Team Leader. When borrowers and guarantors fail to meet their obligations, financial institutions, commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) special servicers and other companies look to Mark to enforce those commitments, in or out of the courtroom. Mark frames and resolves issues involving creditors’ rights, loan workouts, bankruptcy and loan enforcement. He advises large, midsized, and small banks; financial institutions; and financial technology companies across the country, as well as the nation’s largest CMBS special servicers.

Connect with Mark Silverman:  

Website: https://www.lockelord.com/professionals/s/silverman-mark-a

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marksilverman3/ : 

Connect with Steve Fretzin:

LinkedIn: Steve Fretzin

Twitter: @stevefretzin

Instagram: @fretzinsteve

Facebook: Fretzin, Inc.

Website: Fretzin.com

Email: [email protected]

Book: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!

YouTube: Steve Fretzin

Call Steve directly at 847-602-6911

Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Ray Koenig discuss:

• Developing a successful practice while remaining authentic to yourself. 
• Integrating your charitable and civic pursuits into your successful private practice. 
• Picking your extracurricular organizations intentionally and meaningfully. 
• Benefiting from bar association participation and leadership. 

Key Takeaways:

• Try things you’re afraid of - they’re never as bad as you think they will be.
• You don’t always need to tell people what type of lawyer you are - for the general public you can build yourself up as a trusted advisor who solves problems. 
• Being part of organizations is not enough - you should be building relationships and participating actively in those organizations. 
• It’s not all about you. Be authentic, but also spotlight other people’s successes too. 

"Pick a board, pick an organization, that's doing the things that you're really interested in, but at the same time, has kind of the audience - the donors, the board members - that are people that you want to get to know for professional reasons as well." —  Ray Koenig

Take the BE THAT LAWYER challenge at Fretzin.com/BTLChallenge!

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Ready to go from good to GOAT? Attend PIMCOM, the inaugural personal injury mastermind conference Sept 15-17, 2024. Use promo code BeThatLawyer to get $200.00 off at https://www.pimcon.org/

Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/

Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/

Rankings: https://rankings.io/

Episode References: 

• Roy Sexton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/royesexton/
• @theBar Podcast: https://www.chicagobar.org/CBA/YLS_Law_Students/_theBar_Podcast.aspx

About Ray Koenig: Ray Koenig represents individuals, families, financial and medical institutions, charities and governmental agencies in probate, trust, and guardianship controversies, including complex matters which require practical solutions. 

Ray continually provides quality, responsive, and efficient representation to his clients. Ray is dedicated to the needs of his clients, whether that requires aggressive advocacy in a courtroom, skilled negotiations to prevent or conclude litigation, or effective counseling to avoid future trust and estate controversies. 

Ray seeks ways to resolve difficult issues in the most effective manner possible. His success has resulted in appointments by judges as Guardian Ad Litem and defense counsel by judges in complicated guardianship matters, and as Special Administrator in problematic probate matters. 

Ray has decades of experience in a variety of aspects of controversies involving trusts, probate, guardianships and related fiduciary issues including will and trust contests, will and trust construction and reformation actions, citations to recover, breach of fiduciary duty claims, charitable disputes, and guardianship litigation. 

His years of practice have also resulted in his retention as an expert witness in matters involving guardianship and probate issues. His depth of knowledge has been informed by and led to many speaking engagements and publications. 

Ray serves as Co-Chair of the firm’s global Litigation practice, and as an elected member of the firm’s Executive Committee. Ray proudly served as Managing Member of the firm’s Chicago office from 2011 to 2023.

Connect with Ray Koenig:  

Website: https://www.clarkhill.com/people/ray-j-koenig-iii/

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raykoenig/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clark-hill-law/

Connect with Steve Fretzin:

LinkedIn: Steve Fretzin

Twitter: @stevefretzin

Instagram: @fretzinsteve

Facebook: Fretzin, Inc.

Website: Fretzin.com

Email: [email protected]

Book: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!

YouTube: Steve Fretzin

Call Steve directly at 847-602-6911

Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Randa Predergast discuss:

• Committing to your processes no matter how busy or slow your firm is. 
• Why many lawyers struggle with billing and accounts receivable. 
• Perceived value in your costs with your clients and setting expectations around billing with them. 
• Handling difficult AR and collections with clients. 

Key Takeaways:

• Lack of processes, lack of time, and thinking emotionally about your costs are three of the biggest issues around lawyers receiving their proper payments. 
• Lawyers make exceptions more than any other professional industry leading to higher levels of AR. You are not being exceptional when you make exceptions.
• You can have your clients on ACH and autopay as long as it is kept securely. This will nearly eliminate your AR. 
• Book keeping and collections should not be done by the attorney. They are delegatable to other professionals.

"We want to remove the attorney from this process as much as possible. I only like to bring them in on making decisions about stopping work because of non-payment. So all the tasks up until that point should really go to a legal assistant, admin, billing clerk, or something of that sort, not even a paralegal." —  Randa Predergast

Take the BE THAT LAWYER challenge at Fretzin.com/BTLChallenge!

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Ready to go from good to GOAT? Attend PIMCOM, the inaugural personal injury mastermind conference Sept 15-17, 2024. Use promo code BeThatLawyer to get $200.00 off at https://www.pimcon.org/

Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/

Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/

Rankings: https://rankings.io/

Episode References: 

• The Go-Giver by Bob Burg & John David Mann: https://thegogiver.com/

About Randa Predergast: Providing expert services in law firm and case processes (including implementation and training), paralegal support, and billing clerk services on a 1099 basis.

Connect with Randa Predergast:  

Website: https://mrsjunelegal.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mrs-june-legal-llc/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/attorneywhisperer/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@attorneywhisperer

Connect with Steve Fretzin:

LinkedIn: Steve Fretzin

Twitter: @stevefretzin

Instagram: @fretzinsteve

Facebook: Fretzin, Inc.

Website: Fretzin.com

Email: [email protected]

Book: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!

YouTube: Steve Fretzin

Call Steve directly at 847-602-6911

Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Phil Fornaro discuss:

• Following the flow of everything in the industry. 
• Understanding who your community is leveraging them. 
• Core mistakes people make when networking. 
• Building trust and providing value to clients in legal services.

Key Takeaways:

• People are interested in talking about what they do, but if you’re not listening, you can’t figure out what their problem is, and you can’t help them. 
• Being a giver is great, but making it reciprocal with networking partners is even better. 
• Giving your card at an event is like 1/10 for making something out of it. Making a connection and writing down information on their card with a follow-up later increases that drastically. 
• The key to conversion is to provide a solution. 

"Client development and business development have resulted in my best and most fulfilling relationships." —  Phil Fornaro

Take the BE THAT LAWYER challenge at Fretzin.com/BTLChallenge!

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Ready to go from good to GOAT? Attend PIMCOM, the inaugural personal injury mastermind conference Sept 15-17, 2024. Use promo code BeThatLawyer to get $200.00 off at https://www.pimcon.org/

Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/

Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/

Rankings: https://rankings.io/

Episode References: 

• Phil Fulton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philipfulton/
• Doug Sandler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doug-sandler
• Ken Levinson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenlevinsonatty/
• Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell: https://www.buybackyourtime.com/

About Phil Fornaro: Philip M. Fornaro, a seasoned legal professional with 29 years of experience, serves as the Managing Attorney at Fornaro Law. His commitment extends beyond the practice of law; it's about delivering comprehensive solutions, fostering structure, and forging meaningful connections. Philip's ultimate aim is to enhance and optimize every situation, ensuring that everyone involved experiences profound satisfaction throughout the entire process and embraces the end result.

Connect with Phil Fornaro:  

Website: https://www.fornarolaw.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fornarolaw/

Light Bulb Moments Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/light-bulb-moments-its-all-about-the-energy/id1748362429

Connect with Steve Fretzin:

LinkedIn: Steve Fretzin

Twitter: @stevefretzin

Instagram: @fretzinsteve

Facebook: Fretzin, Inc.

Website: Fretzin.com

Email: [email protected]

Book: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!

YouTube: Steve Fretzin

Call Steve directly at 847-602-6911

Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and MerriLyn Gibbs discuss:

• Staying focused on your goals.
• How Assistants 4 Hire works differently from a recruiting firm to help your law firm succeed.
• The art of delegation.
• Business lessons from the game of golf.
• How you show up every day will determine the results you get.

Key Takeaways:

• Delegation starts slow - you don’t have to delegate and forget, you can start with smaller tasks and check the work before the trust is built and you can truly let go of those tasks.
• If you’re looking for easy lead generation, start with your existing clients - reach out to them first, that’s where the low-hanging fruit is.
• Recognize the value in the bad shots - it’s not about how good your good shots are, it’s how quickly you can recover from the mistakes.
• Making mistakes is important. The key is not to keep making the same mistakes over and over.

"There's so much more learning in the errant shots. And that is what makes you a better golfer. Because the next time you see that, it's easier and easier and easier. And it's really fun when you pull off those impossible shots." —  MerriLyn Gibbs

Take the BE THAT LAWYER challenge at Fretzin.com/BTLChallenge!

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Ready to go from good to GOAT? Attend PIMCOM, the inaugural personal injury mastermind conference Sept 15-17, 2024. Use promo code BeThatLawyer to get $200.00 off at https://www.pimcon.org/

Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/

Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/

Episode References: 

• You Are a Badass at Making Money: Master the Mindset of Wealth by Jen Sincero

About MerriLyn Gibbs: MerriLyn’s passion is simple: she is driven to help her fellow business owners thrive by empowering them to focus on what they love. As founder and owner of Assistants 4 Hire, MerriLyn has plenty of experience with managing her team and assessing the needs of her clients - but it doesn’t stop there! She also offers business seminars and productivity coaching for those not in need of outside assistance. Her know-how and unrelenting attention to detail make MerriLyn a pro at setting others up for success.

Connect with MerriLyn Gibbs:  

Website: https://www.assistants4hire.net/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/merrilyn-gibbs-50283642/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/assistants-4-hire/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/merrilyn.gibbs

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Assistants4hire

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/assistants4hire/

Connect with Steve Fretzin:

LinkedIn: Steve Fretzin

Twitter: @stevefretzin

Instagram: @fretzinsteve

Facebook: Fretzin, Inc.

Website: Fretzin.com

Email: [email protected]

Book: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!

YouTube: Steve Fretzin

Call Steve directly at 847-602-6911

Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Nathan Ohler discuss:

• Moving past the status quo to something different.
• Saving yourself pain and frustration by crowdsourcing your problems with peer advisory groups.
• Topics that come up frequently in lawyer peer advisor groups.
• Top benefits of peer advisor groups for the members.

Key Takeaways:

• In peer groups, you can realize that your firm’s problems are not unique to you and those problems are solvable.
• Goals and tactical plans are related but are not the same thing. You need to have a tactical plan in place to achieve your goals. It is 2% about the goal and 98% about the tactics and habits.
• Finding and retaining talent now, both young attorneys and support staff, is different than it was in the past.
• There are many different ways that peer groups or masterminds - not every type will work for every person, but there is a benefit in actively participating in these groups.

"It is just linking back to these problems, and getting solutions to them. Hearing what is working from my peers who are living something similar to what I'm living. And I want to hear a diversity of solutions. So then I can go internalize which of those I want to test out. That environment of being able to hear not just one example, but maybe 10 is really powerful." —  Nathan Ohler

Take the BE THAT LAWYER challenge at Fretzin.com/BTLChallenge!

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Ready to go from good to GOAT? Attend PIMCOM, the inaugural personal injury mastermind conference Sept 15-17, 2024. Use promo code BeThatLawyer to get $200.00 off at https://www.pimcon.org/

Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/

Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/

Episode References: 

• Atomic Habits by James Clear
• Getting Things Done by David Allen
• ProVisors: https://provisors.com/
• Sleep: Redefine Your Rest, for Success in Work, Sport and Life by Nick Littlehales

About Nathan Ohler: Nathan Ohler is the President/COO of Nuooly, an exclusive Community for experienced independent/small firm professionals, such as attorneys and accountants. With prior experience on Wall Street and as an executive of multi-billion dollar businesses, he now focuses on enabling Nuooly member success by facilitating peer connections and providing business assistance.

Connect with Nathan Ohler:  

Website: https://www.nuooly.com/

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-ohler/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nuooly/

Connect with Steve Fretzin:

LinkedIn: Steve Fretzin

Twitter: @stevefretzin

Instagram: @fretzinsteve

Facebook: Fretzin, Inc.

Website: Fretzin.com

Email: [email protected]

Book: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!

YouTube: Steve Fretzin

Call Steve directly at 847-602-6911

Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Karl Seelbach discuss:

• The way you do one thing is the one way you do everything.
• Building out and being consistent with expectations through SOPs and accountability charts.
• Setting aside time specifically to work on your business, not just in it.
• Hiring a coach to remove your blinders.

Key Takeaways:

• Focus on the solutions - if something goes wrong, look at why and see how it can be fixed.
• Everyone and every firm is a work in progress. The little things that are sometimes forgotten are the things that need the most attention because they will make the biggest results.
• You don’t have to be the one to wear every hat. You don’t have to execute on every idea. Delegate what you can’t (or don’t want to) do.
• Attorneys are responsible for the work they file with the court. If you utilize AI the same way you would utilize a paralegal or law assistant, you can let the tech work for you.

"You can't just keep doing the same thing, it's not going to change, and you're going to burn out and end up in a bad spot. You have to hit the brakes and say, ‘Okay, look, I've got to figure out how to solve this.’" —  Karl Seelbach

Take the BE THAT LAWYER challenge at Fretzin.com/BTLChallenge!

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Ready to go from good to GOAT? Attend PIMCOM, the inaugural personal injury mastermind conference Sept 15-17, 2024. Use promo code BeThatLawyer to get $200.00 off at https://www.pimcon.org/

 Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/

Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/

Episode References: 

• Traction: https://www.eosworldwide.com/traction-book
• eMyth: https://www.emyth.com/
• Who Not How: https://whonothow.com/
• ChatGPT Enterprise: https://openai.com/chatgpt/enterprise/
• Casetext: https://casetext.com/
• Lexis+ AI: https://www.lexisnexis.com/en-us/products/lexis-plus-ai.page
• Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara: https://www.amazon.com/Unreasonable-Hospitality-Remarkable-Giving-People/dp/0593418573
• Mention Steve’s name and get $500 off your first deposition or upload at Skribe: https://skribe.ai/

About Karl Seelbach: Karl Seelbach is a LegalTech founder and seasoned litigation attorney with over 17 years of experience in the courtroom, representing clients in personal injury, business, and employment litigation. He is a skilled advocate and a tenacious fighter who handles cases with precision and an eye toward trial from day one. His adversaries describe him as "skilled" and "whip-smart." But Karl's legal expertise doesn't stop there - he's also the founder of Skribe.ai, a software platform for capturing testimony that's changing the game for attorneys and their clients. 

Prior to launching his own law firm in 2015, Karl worked as a litigation partner at one of Texas' largest law firms, Winstead PC, where he was mentored by some of the state's top litigators, including former appellate judges and veteran trial lawyers. Karl received his law degree from South Texas College of Law in Houston and his undergraduate degree from Stephen F. Austin State University. In his free time, Karl enjoys spending time with his wife and daughters in Dripping Springs, Texas as a #GirlDad who proudly cheers on his kids in volleyball, basketball, and more! 

Connect with Karl Seelbach:  

Website: https://skribe.ai/

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kwseelbach/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/skribe-ai/

Twitter: https://x.com/KarlSeelbach

Connect with Steve Fretzin:

LinkedIn: Steve Fretzin

Twitter: @stevefretzin

Instagram: @fretzinsteve

Facebook: Fretzin, Inc.

Website: Fretzin.com

Email: [email protected]

Book: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!

YouTube: Steve Fretzin

Call Steve directly at 847-602-6911

Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Chelsea Williams discuss:

• Why personal finance is so key to living a healthy, balanced life. 
• The formulas for success at your firm and as an individual.
• The most common mistakes lawyers make around money. 
• Tips for taking control of your money today. 
• How to stay on top of your finances. 

Key Takeaways:

• Watch out for lifestyle creep. It doesn’t matter how much you make if you keep spending more than you bring in. 
• Track your money. Having a personal budget is not restricting, it is setting a financial boundary. 
• There are only two ways to change how much money you spend: you can trim the fat (even if it is just a rogue subscription) or through negotiating your expenses. 
• It is the small things that bite into your spending. The biggest takers are Amazon, software, and subscriptions. 

"It doesn’t just stop at the money story, we have to hold all of our numbers accountable." —  Chelsea Williams

Take the BE THAT LAWYER challenge at Fretzin.com/BTLChallenge!

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/

Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/

Episode References: 

• Rocket Money: https://www.rocketmoney.com/
• Profit First by Mike Michalowicz: https://mikemichalowicz.com/profit-first/
• Justin Krane: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinkrane/
• Mindvalley: https://podcast.mindvalley.com/

About Chelsea Williams: Chelsea has invested ten years of expertise into understanding law firm finance in order to create a framework that any law firm owner can follow to achieve time and money freedom. She's uncovered the common mistakes and struggles law firm owners face that keep them from profitability. Her company partners with law firms to establish a solid financial foundation and works with them to build the framework that gets them to a place of financial clarity, direction, and freedom.

Connect with Chelsea Williams:  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_money_whisper/

Website: https://www.yourcoresolution.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelseamwilliams-themoneywhisperer/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/core-solutions-group-inc/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chelsea.zeschke

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourcoresolution

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/core_solutions_group/

Connect with Steve Fretzin:

LinkedIn: Steve Fretzin

Twitter: @stevefretzin

Instagram: @fretzinsteve

Facebook: Fretzin, Inc.

Website: Fretzin.com

Email: [email protected]

Book: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!

YouTube: Steve Fretzin

Call Steve directly at 847-602-6911

Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Dennis Kennedy discuss:

• The intersection of the legal system and technology. 
• Utilizing technology in ways that enhance the customer experience.
• Recognizing where you can free up time to do higher-level legal work. 
• Why every lawyer should have a good, well-utilized CRM. 

Key Takeaways:

• Using technology for things like scheduling meetings, paying invoices, receiving payments, and other things not specific to the legal field is a great place to start if you’re unsure of where to begin. 
• There are technology applications that can make your life easier and free up time to do the creative legal work that you want to do. 
• Legal students and younger lawyers are used to using more technology and when they start working, at many law firms, it feels like taking a step back in their use of technology. 
• Don’t let the fear of the unknown around technology stop you from leaning into and using it. 

"Figure out some problem that you have - something or some way you'd like to make your life easier that you think a technology might be to help you - then decide that you're not going to learn all of the technology, you're just going to learn one thing." —  Dennis Kennedy

Take the BE THAT LAWYER challenge at Fretzin.com/BTLChallenge!

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/

Lawmatics: https://www.lawmatics.com/bethatlawyer/

Episode References: 

• Chuki Obiyo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chukiobiyo/
• Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI by Ethan Mollick - https://www.amazon.com/Co-Intelligence-Living-Working-Ethan-Mollick/dp/059371671X

About Dennis Kennedy: Dennis Kennedy is the Director of the Center for Law, Technology & Innovation at Michigan State University and a widely-known expert on law and technology. He teaches AI and the Law and other technology and innovation classes at MSU, and also teaches a legal technology literacy class at the University of Michigan Law School. Dennis has co-hosted The KennedyMighell Report podcast since 2006, wrote the book Successful Innovation Outcomes in Law and many other publications, and, before joining MSU, retired as Senior Counsel at Mastercard, where he focused on technology law.

Connect with Dennis Kennedy:  

Website: https://www.denniskennedy.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennismkennedy

Blog: https://denniskennedy.blog/

Podcast: https://legaltalknetwork.com/podcasts/kennedy-mighell-report/

Connect with Steve Fretzin:

LinkedIn: Steve Fretzin

Twitter: @stevefretzin

Instagram: @fretzinsteve

Facebook: Fretzin, Inc.

Website: Fretzin.com

Email: [email protected]

Book: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!

YouTube: Steve Fretzin

Call Steve directly at 847-602-6911

Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.