In this episode of Great Practice, Great Life, host Steve Riley sits down with plaintiff's attorney Chris Earley to explore what truly limits law firm growth and why it is often not marketing, systems, or strategy.

Chris shares how unresolved anger, past trauma, and limiting beliefs created an invisible ceiling in his firm, keeping him reactive, overextended, and stuck despite doing all the right things. Through therapy, deep self reflection, and writing his memoir Scaling the Wall, Chris did the inner work that transformed how he leads, practices law, and lives his life.

That personal healing unlocked powerful results including calmer leadership, easier delegation, a stronger team culture, authentic client attraction, and sustainable law firm growth driven by impact rather than money chasing.

If you are a solo or small firm owner who feels stuck despite your efforts, this candid conversation offers perspective, mindset shifts, and practical insight into how doing the inner work first makes outer law firm growth possible and lasting.

In this episode, you will hear:

• How unresolved personal trauma and limiting beliefs can quietly cap firm growth
• Removing the "lid" on success through self-awareness, healing, and inner work
• Writing a book as a catalyst for clarity, credibility, and professional momentum
• Shifting from anger and reactivity to calm, centered leadership
• Aligning personal values with marketing, client selection, and firm culture
• Building visibility and trust through consistent, authentic habits rather than hard selling
• Why chasing impact instead of money leads to stronger relationships and better results

Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐

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

Supporting Resources:

Chris Earley https://www.chrisearley.com/your-team/christopher-earley/

Earley Law Group https://www.chrisearley.com/

Book: Scaling the Wall: One Man's Journey of Healing Childhood Trauma to Find Fulfillment and Success https://www.amazon.com/Scaling-Wall-Journey-Childhood-Fullfillment/dp/B0DQWFM2DY

Episode 123: Breaking Free from Bitterness: The Transformative Power of Gratitude with Brother Curtis https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/transformative-power-of-gratitude/

Episode 137: Grow or Die: John Morgan's Relentless Strategy for Law Firm Expansion – Part 1 https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/grow-or-die-john-morgan/

Episode 128: Referral Marketing Secrets to Scale Your Law Firm with Craig Goldenfarb https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/referral-marketing-secrets/

The Path to a Great Practice & Great Life Workshop https://atticusadvantage.com/workshops/the-path-to-a-great-practice-great-life/ (Code PODCAST500 for $500 off)

Newsletter https://atticusadvantage.com/newsletter-signup/

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

Curious about growing your own law practice? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

This episode continues our two-part series on the law firm merger decision. In Part 1, Steve and Daniel explored how to determine whether merging is the right move. In Part 2, the focus turns to execution and what actually makes a law firm merger succeed.

On this episode of Great Practice, Great Life, Steve Riley is joined by Molly Sasso, Christie Guerrero, Jay Henderlite, and Atticus Practice Advisor Daniel Struna for a candid breakdown of a successful law firm merger in action. Using their Jacksonville-based family law firm as a case study, they walk through the deliberate process that transformed two practices into a unified 25-person firm led by three board-certified partners.

The conversation centers on the execution details most law firm mergers overlook. The group explains how a year-long pre-announcement period, guided by structured conversations and predetermined questions, created clarity and trust before anything became official. They share how they navigated a retiring partner's evolving exit timeline, designed C-suite leadership roles aligned with each partner's strengths, and built compensation structures that properly credited non-billable leadership work. They also address power dynamics early, including how two long-standing partners intentionally integrated a third without creating an outsider dynamic.

Operationally, the episode highlights the systems and behaviors that supported the merger long term, including their "don't make me care" empowerment philosophy, processing emotional reactions with a practice advisor before taking action, and using multiple partner retreats to resolve compensation, workload, and decision-making expectations transparently. A recurring theme is that the preparation required for a law firm merger often strengthens a firm even if the deal never closes.

This episode is essential listening for firm owners considering a law firm merger or scaling with intention. It shows that successful mergers are not about speed or chemistry alone, but about alignment, structure, and doing the work before problems arise.

In this episode, you will hear:

• Real-world case study on merging two family law practices into one scalable firm
• Defining executive leadership roles to speed decisions and reduce friction
• Timeline and strategy from early merger talks to public launch
• Leading two teams through cultural and operational integration
• Aligning partner compensation to reward leadership beyond billable hours
• Building a firm culture that empowers staff while maintaining accountability
• Why having a practice advisor was critical to merger success

Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐

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

Supporting Resources:

• Sasso Guerrero & Henderlite https://familylawyerjax.com/
• Molly Sasso https://familylawyerjax.com/attorneys/about-mollysasso/
• Christie Guerrero https://familylawyerjax.com/attorneys/about-christie-guerrero/
• Jay Henderlite https://familylawyerjax.com/attorneys/jay-henderlite/
• Split Happens Podcast https://familylawyerjax.com/category/split-happens/

• Daniel Struna, Practice Advisor & Attorney: https://atticusadvantage.com/team/daniel-struna/
• Episode 168: Should We Merge? Part 1: The 3 Biggest Mistakes with Daniel Struna https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/should-we-merge-part-1
• Workbook: Should We Merge? https://atticusadvantage.com/worksheets/should-we-merge/
• Workshop: The Path to a Great Practice & Great Life https://atticusadvantage.com/workshops/the-path-to-a-great-practice-great-life/
• My Great Life Focus https://mygreatlifefocus.com/
• Team Leader Certification Program (Code TLC500 for $500 off) https://atticusadvantage.com/law-firm-team-leader-certification/

• Sasso Guerrero & Henderlite Social Accounts:

  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SGHLaw
  • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sghfamlaw/
  • YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sgh_law

Curious about growing your own law firm or getting support on how to do a succesful merger? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership, law firm pricing and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice.

You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

In this episode of Great Practice, Great Life, Steve Riley is joined by Atticus Practice Advisor Daniel Struna for a candid conversation about one of the most consequential decisions a law firm owner can make: whether to merge law practices.

Drawing on years of experience advising law firm owners, along with Steve's own history with failed mergers, they identify exactly where law firm consolidations go wrong. The problem is rarely legal talent or goodwill. Too often, lawyers merge based on mutual respect or personal chemistry without pressure-testing whether their visions and financial realities actually align.

Steve and Daniel walk through the fault lines that undermine mergers early. They explore what happens when partners skip hard conversations about the future of the firm and personal life goals, and why avoiding early financial clarity around compensation structure, origination, and profit splits can lead to frustration later. They also draw a clear distinction between a true merger and what many firms mistakenly create instead: roommates sharing space while everything else remains separate.

This episode is the first in a two-part series designed to help lawyers slow down and think like owners. Whether you are actively considering a merger or simply curious about future growth options, this conversation will help you ask better questions and spot warning signs earlier.

Next week, tune in for Part 2, where Steve and Daniel sit down with the partners of a successful family law merger to unpack what worked, what they aligned on early, and the practical decisions that helped them build the new firm together.

In this episode, you will hear:

• Why most law firm mergers fail due to business misalignment, not legal skill
• The difference between a true merger and simply sharing office space
• The danger of merging based on personal rapport instead of strategic fit
• Aligning long-term practice vision with personal life goals before merging
• Critical money conversations that must happen early, including compensation and investment
• Common red flags that signal a merger should not move forward
• How the merger evaluation process can strengthen your firm even if you don't merge

Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐

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

Supporting Resources:

• Daniel Struna, Practice Advisor & Attorney
• Workbook: Should We Merge?
• Workshop: The Path to a Great Practice & Great Life
• Limited-time offer! My Great Life Focus: Get a one-year supply (4 quarterly focusers) for $99.90 (50% off). Valid through January 31, 2026. https://mygreatlifefocus.com
• Should We Merge? Part 2: A Merger Case Study with Sasso, Guerrero & Henderlite

Curious about growing your own law firm or getting support on how to do a succesful law firm merger? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership, law firm pricing and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice.

You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

In this episode of Great Practice, Great Life, Steve Riley brings back financial behaviorist and pricing strategist Jacquette Timmons to tackle the question that makes even experienced attorneys hesitate: "What should I charge?"

When your firm is busy, but margins feel thin, pricing often isn't "wrong," it's inconsistent because the logic underneath it is unclear. You're working hard, saying yes to work, and staying booked, but the income doesn't match the effort.

Jacquette challenges the common advice to "charge what you're worth" and explains why tying fees to your identity creates stress, guilt, and second-guessing. Instead, she reframes pricing as a business decision: you are not your offer, and your fees should reflect the value and outcomes your services create not your personal worth.

She also introduces a practical way to diagnose what's really happening in your firm: treat your services like an offer portfolio. When you look at each service as an asset, you can see which offers truly function as profit centers, which drain time and energy, and whether your marketing dollars are pushing the work that's least profitable.

If you want law firm pricing that supports profit, future capacity and a sustainable life, this episode offers a clear, human-centered reset.

In this episode, you will hear:

• Why "charge what you're worth" undermines pricing confidence

• Separating personal identity from business offers

• Viewing services as a portfolio instead of a menu

• Average revenue per case vs actual profit per case

• How pricing decisions shape marketing spend and client mix

• The financial, personal, and emotional layers of every pricing conversation

Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐

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

Supporting Resources:

• Jacquette Timmons
• Episode 157: Money by Design, Not by Default with Jacquette Timmons
• Jacquette's Podcast: More Than Money with Jacquette Timmons
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Atticus Newsletter
• Limited-time offer! My Great Life Focus: Get a one-year supply (4 quarterly focusers) for $99.90 (50% off). Valid through January 31, 2026. https://mygreatlifefocus.com

Curious about growing your own practice without burning out? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership, law firm pricing and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice.

You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

You can have the best intentions in the world, but without focus, they won't turn into results. In Part 2 of this two-part series, Steve Riley helps lawyers move from insight to execution by designing a practical structure for 2026.

Instead of piling on resolutions, Steve makes a counterintuitive case for choosing just two goals: one Great Life goal and one Great Practice goal. Nothing more. He explains why this kind of restraint isn't limiting, it's liberating, and why it dramatically increases the odds of real change.

The episode builds on the driving framework introduced in Part 1. Your written goals are the map. Your attention is the steering wheel. Your working memory is the windshield. And your weekly structure is the lane that keeps you moving forward. Steve revisits the four "dangerous Ds" that derail high performers and shows why most lawyers aren't failing at discipline, they're failing at design.

Steve then shares practical steering strategies for staying in your lane, including turning big annual goals into small, protected focus blocks, using simple "if-then" plans to recover quickly when distractions hit, and scheduling weekly reflection so you don't live the same year on repeat.

Along the way, he shares memorable stories and hard-earned lessons, including why chasing every opportunity is like a dog trying to catch ten squirrels, and how many firm owners end up losing by winning when success comes at the cost of health, family, or energy. The episode also connects these ideas to the My Great Life Focus, designed as a weekly lane specifically for lawyers who want progress without burnout.

If you've ever wondered why good years keep repeating instead of building momentum, this episode offers a clear, disciplined path forward and a practical way to design a year that actually moves the needle.

In this episode, you will hear:

• Why great goals fail without focus, structure, and execution
• The four dangerous Ds that quietly derail progress
• Why choosing fewer goals leads to better results
• How to design a personal lane that protects attention and energy
• Turning big annual goals into weekly focus blocks
• Simple steering strategies to stay on track without burning out

Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐

Supporting Resources:

• Steve Riley
• Ep. 165: 4 Ways Your Goals Get Hijacked and How to Stop It – Part 1
• Study: Learning by Thinking: How Reflection Aids Performance
• Worksheet: 2025 Rearview Mirror Check worksheet
• Worksheet: 2026 Steering Protocol
• Limited-time offer! My Great Life Focus: Get a one-year supply (4 quarterly focusers) for $99.90 (50% off). Valid through January 31, 2026. https://mygreatlifefocus.com

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

Curious about growing your own practice without burning out? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice.

You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

Most lawyers don't struggle with setting goals. They struggle with protecting them.

As a new year begins, many high performers find themselves frustrated, tired, and wondering why carefully written plans never quite survive real life. In Part 1 of this two-part series, Steve lays the groundwork for designing a stronger 2026 by first assessing what really happened in 2025. Before you set new goals, you need a structure that can actually protect them.

Using a simple driving metaphor, Steve breaks goal execution into four core elements: your map, your steering, your windshield, and your lane. Together, they explain how distractions, interruptions, and cognitive overload quietly pull lawyers off track, often without them realizing it until months later.

This episode is a strategy session, not a pep talk. It invites you to take a rearview mirror look at how you actually operated in 2025 so you can build a more resilient plan for 2026 that will not get hijacked the same way.

Next week, tune in for Part 2, where Steve helps you set your 2026 goals and build the lane to protect them.

In this episode, you will hear:

• Goal setting versus goal protecting and why most plans fail
• The difference between writing goals and actually doing them
• Map, steering, windshield, and lane as focus fundamentals
• How cognitive overload quietly derails execution
• The four "Ds" that hijack attention during the year
• Why 2025 wasn't a failure but was a teacher

Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐

Supporting Resources:

• Steve Riley: atticusadvantage.com/team/steve-riley
• Download: 2025 Rearview Mirror Check worksheet
• Limited-time offer! My Great Life Focus: Get a one-year supply (4 quarterly focusers) for $99.90 (50% off) . Valid through January 31, 2026. https://mygreatlifefocus.com
• Distracting adults during task makes them behave like children (Wan and Sloutsky study): news.osu.edu/distracting-adults-during-task-makes-them-behave-like-children
• Ep. 166: 2026 Goal Setting for Lawyers Part 2: Design Your Lane and Stay Focused

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

Curious about growing your own practice without burning out? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice.

You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

As 2025 wraps up, Steve revisits five standout moments from some of our most impactful Great Life conversations this year. Like Part 1, this episode is built as a highlight reel, with short clips pulled from full-length interviews, but this time the focus is on building a great life so your great practice can grow quicker and easier.

The goal is simple: give you the best ideas from 2025 in one place, so you can reconnect with what matters, protect your energy, and approach the new year with more clarity and intention.

You'll hear:

• Lea Anne Groover on gaining clarity and focus through simple daily structure, movement, and intentional prioritization
• Dr. Deborah Day on why sleep, exercise, and nutrition are non-negotiables for sustained performance under pressure
• Brother Curtis on navigating anxiety by bringing it into the light with perspective, trust, and support
• Matthew Emerzian on the mattering mindset and finding purpose, meaning, and significance in everyday work
• Blinn Bates on planning real breaks through intentional absence and why "forced exile" strengthens both life and business

As you listen, treat this like a personal reset session. Steve tees up five questions to keep in mind:

• What tiny daily habit can restore clarity and focus?
• What routine keeps you in a healthy peak state during intense weeks?
• How do you stop running on anxiety and choose a sustainable performance state?
• How do you keep meaning, what "great life" means to you, front and center at work and at home?
• How can you design your firm so you can truly step away?

If a clip makes you think, "I needed to hear that," check the show notes and jump into the full episode for the complete conversation.

In this episode, you will hear:

• Five standout Great Life moments from 2025
• A tiny daily movement habit that supports clarity, energy, and focus
• The Top 3 daily focus method for reducing overwhelm and prioritizing what matters
• Trial-season self-care: sleep hygiene, nutrition, exercise, and why alcohol undermines recovery
• Anxiety as "fog," and how trusted support and better language can reduce its grip
• The mattering mindset, values, and meaning in stressful seasons
• "Forced exile" as a true time-off strategy and a systems test for a healthier firm and life
• Best of 2025: Attorney Success & Law Firm Growth Highlights

Follow and Review:

Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐

Supporting Resources:

• Part 1 Episode 163 – The Best of 2025: Great Practice (Top 5 Moments) https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/best-of-great-practice-top-5-moments-2025/

• Episode 141: Your Firm Gets Stronger When You Do with Lea Anne Groover: atticusadvantage.com/podcast/your-firm-gets-stronger-when-you-do
• Lea Anne Groover: groover.law/attorneys/lea-anne-groover
• Groover Law: groover.law
• Episode 85: Exercise: Is it a Waste of a Billable Hour? with Jonathan White: atticusadvantage.com/podcast/exercise-is-it-a-waste-of-a-billable-hour-with-jonathan-white
• Episode 99: Do Happy Lawyers Make More Money? with Kevin Snyder: atticusadvantage.com/podcast/do-happy-lawyers-make-more-money-with-kevin-snyder
• My Great Life Focus: mygreatlifefocus.com

• Episode 155: Handling Stress in Your Law Firm: Routines, Boundaries, Debriefs with Dr. Deborah Day: atticusadvantage.com/podcast/law-firm-stress
• Dr. Deborah Day: www.psychologicalaffiliates.com/deborahdaypsyd
• Psychological Affiliates: www.psychologicalaffiliates.com

• Episode 116: Breaking Free from Fear: Finding Clarity and Resilience in Your Life with Brother Curtis: atticusadvantage.com/podcast/breaking-free-from-fear-finding-clarity-and-resilience-in-your-life
• Brother Curtis Almquist, SSJE: www.ssje.org/br-curtis-almquist
• Society of Saint John the Evangelist, Massachusetts: www.ssje.org

• Episode 145: How the Every Monday Matters Mindset Can Reignite Your Law Practice with Matthew Emerzian: atticusadvantage.com/podcast/every-monday-matters-matthew-emerzian
• Matthew Emerzian: www.matthewemerzian.com
• Every Monday Matters: www.everymondaymatters.com

• Episode 134: What Surviving a Plane Crash Taught Me About Running a Law Firm with Blinn Bates: atticusadvantage.com/podcast/what-surviving-plane-crash-taught-me-about-running-law-firm
• Blinn Bates: woodsandbates.com/william-blinn-bates-jr
• Woods & Bates, P.C.: woodsandbates.com

• Workshop: The Path to a Great Practice and Great Life: atticusadvantage.com/workshops/the-path-to-a-great-practice-great-life (Get $500 off with code Podcast500)
• Sign up for the Atticus newsletter!

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

Curious about growing your own practice? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

As 2025 comes to a close, Steve revisits five standout moments from five of our most impactful Great Practice conversations this year. This episode is built as a highlight reel, with short clips pulled from full-length interviews that focused on the business side of running a law firm. The goal is simple: give you the best ideas from 2025 in one place, so you can spot the next upgrade your firm needs and put it into action.

As you listen, treat this like a working session. Steve tees up five areas to pay attention to, and each clip gives you a practical lens you can apply right away. When a segment makes you think, "That is exactly what we need," pick one idea to implement this week, then use the show notes to jump into the full episode for the complete conversation.

You'll hear:

• John Morgan on building a systems-first, 21st-century firm through automation and transparency, and what it looks like to scale without relying on individual heroics
• Chris Murphy on upgrading your case mix by choosing your lanes, setting intake criteria, and confidently saying no to the wrong work while referring it out the right way
• Lori Pulvermacher on turning hiring into real capacity with a 90-day onboarding plan that defines what "winning" looks like at 30, 60, and 90 days
• Barb Betts on asking for introductions instead of transactional referrals, and how to do it with language that feels natural and creates real permission
• Robert Rose on building repeat referrals with a scalable partner program, using simple relationship "rings" and value touches that keep you top of mind

If a specific moment hits home, check the show notes to jump into the full episode with that guest and take the next step from insight to implementation. Next week, we'll share Part 2: Best of 2025, Great Life.

In this episode, you will hear:

• Five standout Great Practice moments from 2025
• Scaling with systems, not heroics
• Automation and transparency for consistency and leverage
• Niche discipline, intake criteria, and confidently saying no
• Hiring into capacity with a 30/60/90-day onboarding plan
• Asking for introductions and building referral momentum through relationships
• Building repeat referrals with a structured partner content program
• Best of 2025: Great Practice Moments on Law Firm Growth & Management

Follow and Review:

Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐

Supporting Resources:

• Part 2 – The Best of 2025: Great Life (Top 5 Moments) https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/best-of-great-life-top-5-moments-2025/

• Grow or Die: John Morgan's Relentless Strategy for Law Firm Expansion – Part 1: atticusadvantage.com/podcast/grow-or-die-john-morgan
• John Morgan: www.forthepeople.com/attorneys/john-morgan
• Morgan & Morgan: www.forthepeople.com
• Litify: www.litify.com
• Injury.com: www.injury.com

• The Client Upgrade System That Changes Everything with Chris Murphy: atticusadvantage.com/podcast/client-upgrade-system
• Chris Murphy: atticusadvantage.com/team/chris-murphy
• Scalli Murphy Law, P.C.: www.scallimurphy.com

• Onboarding as a Competitive Advantage: 7 Essential Tips for Law Firms with Lori Pulvermacher: atticusadvantage.com/podcast/strategic-onboarding-for-law-firms
• Lori Pulvermacher: atticusadvantage.com/team/lori-pulvermacher
• Download: New Hire Onboarding Guide for Law Firms: atticusadvantage.com/worksheets/new-hire-onboarding-guide

• Beyond Word of Mouth: Systemizing Referral Marketing with Barb Betts: atticusadvantage.com/podcast/beyond-word-of-mouth-systemizing-referral-marketing
• Barb Betts: www.barbbetts.com

• The Biggest Marketing Mistakes Lawyers Make and How to Fix Them with Robert Rose: atticusadvantage.com/podcast/marketing-mistakes-lawyers-make-with-robert-rose
• Seventh Bear: https://www.seventhbear.com/

• Reach Out To a Practice Advisor: atticusadvantage.com/contact-us

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

Curious about growing your own practice? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

In this episode of Great Practice, Great Life, Steve Riley welcomes back forensic psychologist Dr. Deborah Day for a direct, real-world look at the difficult people lawyers face every single day. High-conflict clients, drama-driven opposing counsel, partners who escalate everything, and even judges who seem to thrive on chaos are not outliers. As Dr. Day explains, roughly one in three people you interact with will behave as if they have a personality disorder, which is exactly why conflict feels endless in law practice.

Dr. Day breaks down how to spot these patterns quickly and respond without getting pulled into the emotional spiral. She shares specific moves that lower intensity in the moment, such as a steady voice, grounded body language, eye contact that anchors the room, and the simple phrases that stop hostility before it becomes a threat. She walks through practical ways to structure your office, your meetings, and your documentation so you're never caught off guard and your team stays protected.

The conversation also takes an honest look at lawyer mental health. Dr. Day explains how chronic exposure to conflict chips away at resilience, how to recognize when stress is sliding toward burnout, and how to check in with a colleague who seems overwhelmed without crossing professional lines. She offers a grounded, compassionate roadmap for staying centered in a profession where conflict is the default setting.

If you've ever left a meeting wondering how a routine conversation turned into a battle, or why certain clients consistently drain your energy, this episode gives you the clarity and tools to take your practice, your boundaries, and your well-being back under control.

In this episode, you will hear:

• The real 1-in-3 statistic inside the litigation world
• "Bad day" vs. enduring dysfunctional pattern — how to tell in one or two interactions
• Instant de-escalation tactics: tone, seating, Zoom setup, and "curious questions"
• Documentation strategies that protect your reputation
• The "do-not-work-with" list top professionals quietly keep
• Cluster B red flags every litigator recognizes instantly
• When and how to bring in a mental-health consultant without offending anyone
• Simple weekly habits that prevent burnout and keep you and your team resilient

Follow and Review:

Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐

Supporting Resources:

• Dr. Deborah Day: www.psychologicalaffiliates.com/deborahdaypsyd

• Psychological Affiliates: www.psychologicalaffiliates.com

• Episode 155: Handling Stress in Your Law Firm with Dr. Deborah Day: atticusadvantage.com/podcast/law-firm-stress

• Facebook: www.facebook.com/debdayma

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/debdayma

• X: x.com/deborahdayma

• Personality Disorders Study: www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/personality-disorders

• Family Law Group Program: atticusadvantage.com/coaching/family-law

• My Great Life Focus: mygreatlifefocus.com

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

Curious about growing your own practice? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

On this week's episode of Great Practice, Great Life, you're in for a ride. Steve Riley sits down with attorney Brad Wiewel, whose career took a wild turn in 1979 when a client's husband fired a bullet into Brad's car because Brad was fighting too hard in a divorce case involving a stripper. That single ka-pow moment launched Brad's 45-year obsession with what he calls Defensive Law; a proactive, slightly paranoid, and incredibly effective system for protecting yourself, your team, and your license when clients lie, forget, or turn on you.

This is hands down the most practical malpractice-prevention episode we've recorded, and it applies to every practice area: PI, family, estate planning, elder law, business—all of it.

Brad walks through the exact tools that have kept him grievance-free and malpractice-suit-free for more than four decades. You'll hear about the bulletproof fee agreements packed with bold disclaimers, including the now famous "we can fire you for personality conflicts" clause he makes clients read aloud. You'll learn why every third party, kids, financial advisors, new spouses, sign a non-representation letter the second they enter the room. He shares his library of 100+ one-page "Against My Advice" disclosures clients sign when they insist on risky decisions, the settlement confirmation letter every PI lawyer should require before accepting a dime, and how he turns high-risk fact patterns into written client admissions that stop surprises in court or in front of the bar.

And yes, he reveals his dead-simple signing ceremony protocol: hand clients the stack, leave the room for 15 minutes, come back to flawless signatures. No drama. No complaints. No gaps.

Brad doesn't deal in theory; he built one of the largest estate planning practices in Texas on these systems. He credits them for never having a single successful grievance or malpractice claim in 45 years. If you've ever lost sleep wondering, "Did I document that conversation well enough?" or heard a former client shout, "You never told me that!", this episode gives you the exact playbook to make those nightmares disappear.

Fair warning: After this conversation, you'll never look at a client the same way again. (You'll see every single one as a potential plaintiff, and you'll sleep like a baby because your files will finally be bulletproof.)

In this episode, you will hear:

• The wild "stripper and the bullet" story that birthed Defensive Law
• Why every client is a potential plaintiff (and how to sleep anyway)
• The 5 documents that have kept Brad 45 years grievance-free
• Fee-agreement clauses that kill most problems on day one
• The 60-second fix when kids or advisors sit in your meeting
• 100+ one-page "I'm doing this against your advice" disclosures
• The settlement letter every PI lawyer must get signed
• How to make clients admit the real facts — in writing
• The signing-room trick that makes clients happily sign everything
• An instant checklist to make your entire practice bulletproof

Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐

Supporting Resources:

• Brad Wiewel: www.texastrustlaw.com/learn-about-us/attorney-brad-wiewel
• Texas Trust Law, PLLC: www.texastrustlaw.com
• Atticus Workshops: atticusadvantage.com/workshops
• Atticus Newsletter
• The Path to A Great Practice Great Life Workshop: atticusadvantage.com/workshops/the-path-to-a-great-practice-great-life

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

Curious about growing your own practice? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.