Deposition… It's an art! Whether you’re a criminal defense lawyer, entertainment lawyer, or any lawyer in between, it’s vital to constantly hone your deposition skills.

Today on Hot Docket, you’ll learn the art of deposition from Joseph Gates, Owner and Trial Lawyer at Gates Law Firm, PLLC in Little Rock, Arkansas. Joseph specializes in Personal Injury, Car Wreck, Trucking/18 Wheeler Collisions, Products Liability, and Traumatic Brain Injury cases.

He’s here to share the best ways to improve your depo skills, common deposition mistakes you should avoid, the pros and cons of Zoom depos, tips for getting referrals, and more!

Then… Today’s game is Fact or Fiction! Is it illegal to mispronounce Arkansas? Tune in to find out (or else)!

In this episode of Hot Docket, Bobby, Andrew, and Joseph discuss:

• What’s unique about the Arkansas legal market?
• How to get better at deposition as a trial lawyer
• Common deposition mistakes you should avoid
• Joseph’s #1 key to success as a trial attorney
• How deposition differs case to case
• Pros and cons of Zoom depositions
• How product liability cases are a catalyst for change
• Effective strategies for networking and getting more referrals as a trial attorney

Key Actionable Takeaways for Law Firms:

• Trying and failing is one of the best ways to improve your deposition skills. Collaborating with others and learning new techniques will also help you get better at depositions.
• You need a plan for your deposition before you walk in the door.
• While being good at your job is the best way to get a referral, joining groups and associations for attorneys and getting involved in your community will help you build new relationships and gain new clients.
• Deposition through Zoom may be appropriate for less catastrophic cases, especially if the defendant/plaintiff lives out of state, but for more catastrophic cases, it’s wiser to be in the room for the deposition.

Important Links and Resources:

• Website - https://www.gateslawpllc.com
• Social - IG: @mginjuryfirm FB: /GatesLawPLLC LinkedIn: /in/joseph-gates-gateslawpllc
• Tools/Resources - 
  • Advanced Depositions Strategy and Practice by Phillip Miller & Paul  Scoptur
  • American Association for Justice
  • Arkansas Trial Lawyers
  • Listen to Ep 2 with Eric Baum

If you have guest ideas or questions you would like our hosts to cover, please email [email protected].

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Personal injury law is a highly saturated market in Florida and with some of the biggest firms in the world headquartered in the sunshine state, you need solid strategies to beat your competition.

Today on Hot Docket, you’ll hear from Eric Mausner, Founding Partner & Personal Injury Lawyer at Mausner Graham Injury Law PLLC.

With offices in Florida and New York, Eric knows firsthand how different the legal process is in Florida compared to other states. It’s faster, weirder, and less friendly to plaintiffs…thus, it requires a different approach to personal injury law.

So, how does Eric’s small personal injury firm find success in a state dominated by megafirms? Tune in now to find out!

In this episode of Hot Docket, Bobby, Andrew, and Eric discuss:

- Eric’s transition from prosecutor to personal injury specialist

- How to succeed as a smaller law firm in a market dominated by large firms

- Strategies for differentiating your law firm from the megafirm competitors

- Technology and automated processes you can integrate into your law firm

- For PI clients: How to select a personal injury firm that will take your claim to trial

- How many cases is too many for a PI attorney?

- Personal Injury in Florida: Are Florida lawyers too risky?

- Is Florida the least plaintiff-friendly state?

- The most challenging thing about Florida’s legal process.

Key Actionable Takeaways for Law Firms:

- Case management software can help you stay organized and connected with your clients so you can be more efficient and better serve your clients.

- An automated case management system will also help with medical management and onboarding more clients/cases.

- Florida is very litigious and cases go to trial fast, especially in personal injury. If you’re bringing a case to Florida from out of state, be ready to litigate!

- The average PI case duration in Florida is 12-18 months compared to 2-3 years in other states.

Important Links and Resources:

- Website - https://mginjuryfirm.com

- Social - IG: @mginjuryfirm FB: /MGInjuryFirm YT: @mausnergrahampersonalinjurylaw TT: @mginjuryfirm LinkedIn: /in/eric-j-mausner-8b07584

- Call MG Injury Firm: 305-344-HURT

- Tools/Resources - Listen to Ep 9 with The Hometown Lawyer, Josh Hodges

If you have guest ideas or questions you would like our hosts to cover, please email [email protected].

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How do you dominate a small market with grassroots campaigns? What’s the secret to expanding your local law firm into new towns and markets? And how the heck does a law firm implement a 4-day work week?

Today, you’ll get all the insider insights from the incredible Josh Hodges, a Personal Injury Attorney & Partner at Kruger & Hodges Attorneys at Law in Ohio. Josh has had quite the journey practicing personal injury law throughout Southwest Ohio, starting in his hometown of Hamilton. Since then, he’s expanded into new markets, flooded our socials with captivating marketing, and even implemented a 4-day work week in his offices.

So, what are his secrets to small town success? Tune in to find out and stay tuned as we top off today’s conversation with a classic game of Two Truths and a Lie!

In this episode of Hot Docket, Bobby, Andrew, and Josh discuss:

- How to make your law firm successful in a small town.

- What it’s like to start a law firm in your hometown.

- Key strategies for expanding your law firm into a new town or market.

- Advantages and disadvantages of having a smaller local law firm.

- Why and how Josh implemented a 4-day work week in his law offices.

- Effective social media strategies for small law firms.

Key Actionable Takeaways for Law Firms:

- Consistently get involved in your community and build a rapport with the people in your small town/market. Make sure they know that you care about them more than big city law firms do.

- Expanding into new communities requires careful consideration of population, competition, and community dynamics.

- It takes a while to build trust with the community in a new market, but once you do, word spreads fast (good AND bad) and you’ll soon become their go-to law firm.

- Implementing a four-day work week can be a successful strategy for employee retention and satisfaction. If you want to implement a 4-day work week in your law office, structure and accountability are the keys to preventing your staff from taking advantage of the flexibility.

- Engaging with the local community through social media and community involvement can help build brand awareness and trust.

- When it comes to marketing/advertising your local law firm on social media, dare to be different and collaborate with your community and team members. Be personable, educational, and engaging!

Important Links and Resources:

- Website - https://thehometownlawyers.com

- Social - IG: @krugerhodges FB: /KrugerHodges YT: @TheHometownLawyer TT: @TheHometownLawyer LinkedIn: /in/joshua-hodges-hplaw

If you have guest ideas or questions you would like our hosts to cover, please email 

[email protected].

Tune in to The Hot Docket Podcast with Bobby Steinbach and Andrew Nasrinpay on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Audible, Radio Public and more!

Are you a lawyer that could benefit from starting a podcast? Podcasting may be one of the hottest methods of marketing and entertainment in 2024, but should you start one? And if so, how? This episode will give you the answers.

Today on Hot Docket, we’re chatting with Benny Gold, Founder and Host of The Lawyer Stories Podcast, a community-driven podcast that features lawyers and law students’ stories about their personal challenges, inspirations, and motivations before and during their legal careers.

As an OG podcaster in the legal space, Benny’s here to talk about all things podcasting for lawyers: who should do it, how to do it, and of course, what NOT to do. Taking inspiration from Humans of New York, he talks about leveraging social media to build a following and the benefits of podcasting for lawyers, such as building relationships and personal branding.

Stay tuned to hear Benny crush a game of Good Question, Bad Question, where they evaluate different podcast prompts (that we may or may not have used in the past).

In this episode of Hot Docket, Bobby, Andrew, and Benny discuss:

• Why Benny started a podcast as a practicing lawyer
• Why lawyers should consider starting a podcast
• The process and challenges of starting a podcast with no experience
• Advice for new podcasters on how to create and grow a successful podcast
• Best tools and software for podcast production.
• Tips for building an authentic following on social media to promote your podcast and law firm
• Reasons you shouldn’t start a podcast

Key Actionable Takeaways for Law Firms:

• Starting a podcast as a lawyer can be a very valuable way to build meaningful relationships and strong personal branding.
• Consistency and having systems in place are KEY to successful podcasting.
• Leveraging social media can help grow your following and create engagement.
• Building a community through podcasting can humanize attorneys and create connections beyond resumes and accolades.
• Podcasts should focus on positive and professional content, avoiding negativity or trashing others.
• If you’re not up for the commitment and the work associated with producing a podcast, or if podcasting doesn’t sound fun to you, it’s probably not a good idea to start a podcast.

To get in touch with Benny, connect with him on LinkedIn.

Check out The Lawyer Stories Podcast: https://thelawyerstories.com/podcast

If you have guest ideas or questions you would like our hosts to cover, please email [email protected].

Tune in to The Hot Docket Podcast with Bobby Steinbach and Andrew Nasrinpay on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Audible, Radio Public and more!

While small law firms may not be able to compete with the marketing budget of a large law firm, there are quite a few advantages you have as a small law firm!

If you’re a small law firm with a mighty marketing strategy, you can pull in more cases than you know what to do with. Tune in to learn more about how to differentiate your small firm from the competition and scale your capacity to serve your community.

Today, we’re chatting with William Franchi, Founder and Managing Attorney at Franchi Injury Law, about the advantages and challenges of being a trial lawyer at a small law firm. With only three attorneys practicing at Franchi Injury Law, including himself, William has a unique perspective of diversifying your marketing channels, building unbreakable referral relationships, and knowing when it’s the right time to branch out into new areas of law.

Stay tuned to the end as we put William in the spotlight to answer some fun, yet slightly cringey riddles!

In this episode of Hot Docket, Bobby, Andrew, and William discuss:

• Why William became a trial attorney after a devastating injury in college sports.
• The difficulties of practicing personal injury law as a small law firm
• Why he decided to branch out into multiple service areas after resisting it for six years
• How to differentiate your small law firm’s brand from your competition (with podcasts, books, etc.)
• Scaling your capacity to serve more clients when you bring in more cases than usual
• Strategies for building referral relationships with other firms/attorneys

Key Actionable Takeaways for Law Firms:

• Closely evaluate whether certain marketing channels will make sense based on your marketing budget. Typically, TV, radio, and billboards need to hit enough reach and frequency to justify the spend. 
• Consider smaller marketing channels/campaigns if you have a small budget to work with.
• Since lead generation can fluctuate from month to month, diversifying your marketing channels will strengthen your overall marketing strategy so you don’t have to rely on one channel to bring in all your cases.
• The better reputation you have as an attorney, the more referrals you will get, especially as a new or small law firm. Work on building up your reputation and referral relationships will be easier to build.

To get in touch with William, connect with him on LinkedIn or visit his website: https://franchilaw.com.

Follow William Franchi on Instagram (@thelawfathertampa) and TikTok (@thelawfather) for daily how-to videos.

Check out The Lawfather Podcast.

If you have guest ideas or questions you would like our hosts to cover, please email [email protected].

Tune in to The Hot Docket Podcast with Bobby Steinbach and Andrew Nasrinpay on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Audible, Radio Public and more!

Are you a small law firm with a limited marketing budget wondering how to compete with larger firms? It’s time to learn some scrappy marketing strategies from the one and only, Ben Glass!

Small firms may be the backbone of the legal industry, but not all marketing strategies will work for a small firm. Of course it depends on what your area of practice is, but being a small law firm requires a unique and strategic approach to marketing.

Today, we’re grateful to be speaking with Ben Glass, Founder, CEO, and Trial Lawyer at BenGlassLaw and Great Legal Marketing, as well as author, podcast host, mentor, and coach. Ben is a true expert when it comes to marketing and business growth for small law firms, so you’re in for a treat with this discussion.

If you’re ready to take your small law firm to new heights and beat the competition, listen in, take notes, and stay tuned until the end for our “Foul or No Foul” rapid fire round!

In this episode of Hot Docket, Bobby, Andrew, and Ben discuss:

• The biggest mistake small law firms make in running and marketing their business
• How do you incorporate the feedback loop of attribution into marketing?
• Ben’s legal marketing guides & tips for writing a book
• Aligning your marketing techniques with your area(s) of law
• The benefits of expanding into multiple law practice areas
• Common reasons why law firms lose referral sources & How to avoid them
• When and why small law firms should say “no” to certain clients/cases

Key Actionable Takeaways for Law Firms:

• Small firms can rely on referrals, SEO, and proximity to clients to stay competitive.
• Create and enforce a company culture that always asks leads/clients: “How did you find out about our law firm?”
• Learn when and how to say “no” to cases that might make you money, but that cost you a ton of time and grief. This will eventually frame you as an expert in your area(s) of practice.

To get in touch with Ben, email him at [email protected] or visit his website: https://benglasslaw.com.

Check out Ben Glass’s books on Amazon here.

Get Ben’s personal notes from the Great Legal Marketing Summit for FREE here.

If you have guest ideas or questions you would like our hosts to cover, please email [email protected].

Tune in to The Hot Docket Podcast with Bobby Steinbach and Andrew Nasrinpay on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Audible, Radio Public and more!

Ever wonder what a day in the life of a marketing director at a personal injury law firm is like? Are you a marketing director looking for budgeting advice or productivity hacks? Or perhaps you’re a lawyer wondering how to make your marketing director’s job easier… Well, you’re about to learn it all!

As you know, digital marketing directors who work in law firms have very important responsibilities. They coordinate and collaborate with a wide range of people and agencies and have to constantly stay organized, efficient, and ahead of market trends. They also have to create content that’s not going to get them into trouble with the bar…

Today, we’re joined by the great Dan Brian, Director of Digital Marketing at Riddle & Brantley, a personal injury law firm. Dan's 20 years of marketing experience makes him the perfect guest to talk about what a day in the life looks like as a Digital Marketing Director at a law firm.

Stay tuned to the end for our “Sleazy or Not Sleazy” rapid fire round. You won’t want to miss Dan’s answers!

In this episode of Hot Docket, Bobby, Andrew, and Dan discuss:

• What does a digital marketing director do at a personal injury law firm?
• The responsibilities of an in-house marketing director at a law firm.
• Top project management tools and AI tools Dan can’t live without.
• When to hire a marketing contractor, marketing agency, and a full-time in-house marketer.
• Advice for attorneys to make the marketing director’s job easier.
• How to budget your marketing to prevent reallocation and make huge returns.
• The story behind Marketing for Justice, Dan’s membership group for law firm digital marketers.
• Advice for Legal Marketers: What Dan wishes he knew before getting into legal marketing.

Key Actionable Takeaways for Law Firms:

• Utilize the power of AI to increase your productivity and simplify content creation processes. Just make sure you fact check your content!
• Dan emphasizes that if you become too obsessed with data and numbers, you may miss an opportunity to truly experiment with your marketing and try something radically different (and maybe more powerful).
• A marketing effort that worked yesterday or a year ago won’t always work today. You often have to beat the market and be the first to come up with an idea for it to be wildly successful.
• Set aside part of your marketing budget to allocate for experimentation campaigns that have an unknown ROI, but will certainly give you the valuable experience and information to succeed next time.
• As a marketing professional in the law industry, you must be familiar with the bar rules in your state, or you could get in trouble. 

To get in touch with Dan, email him at [email protected]

If you have guest ideas or questions you would like our hosts to cover, please email [email protected].

Tune in to The Hot Docket Podcast with Bobby Steinbach and Andrew Nasrinpay on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Audible, Radio Public and more!

Lawyers are business owners, law firms are businesses, and having multiple businesses can be a great thing for lawyers… but it takes strategy, passion, and proper training to successfully grow and achieve synergy between them.

As society and business rapidly evolves, law firms are facing challenges in getting and managing referrals, prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion, and keeping up with trauma-informed best practices.

Today, we’re happy to be joined by Micha Star Liberty, Founder of Liberty Law, a law firm litigating serious injury, civil rights, sexual abuse, consumer, and employment matters. Micha is also the Founder and CEO of Lionhearted Leader and Founder of The Soaring Center, which are consulting and personal development organizations dedicated to providing trauma-informed training and building strong teams and leaders.

Micha’s commitment to fighting for justice, as well as educating people on how to best work with traumatized individuals, all while running multiple synergetic businesses, is extremely inspiring. Tune in to learn all about it!

In this episode of Hot Docket, Bobby, Andrew, and Micha discuss:

- Micha’s unique strategies for law firm marketing and referrals

- How to get referrals from one business to another, even if they’re very different businesses

- Tips and strategies for managing attorney referrals as your law firm grows

- Equity & Inclusion: The central theme/topic that unites Micha’s businesses

- Why Micha became a trial lawyer

- Best practices for advertising sensitive subjects, like sex trafficking claims, on social media

- Why your law firm needs to have trauma-informed training

Key Actionable Takeaways for Law Firms:

- To get referrals, understand the power of The Drip Method of marketing: getting to know people, building a relationship with them, doing favors for them, and being top of mind for them

- Managing referrals requires tracking, documenting, keeping the attorney who referred you informed about the case, and following the referral rules your state has

- Understand the importance of trauma-informed training and knowing people’s triggers, especially when litigating sensitive cases, like sexual abuse

- Diverse teams perform better and bring in more profit. Create trauma-informed policies and procedures to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion in your business. Make sure you track the numbers!

If you’re interested in receiving trauma-informed training, leadership consulting, and more, check out all of Micha’s businesses and their services here.

If you have guest ideas or questions you would like our hosts to cover, please email  [email protected].

Tune in to The Hot Docket Podcast with Bobby Steinbach and Andrew Nasrinpay on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Audible, Radio Public and more!

Have you ever wondered how legal marketers navigate the complex world of advertising for niche legal cases like whistleblower and class action lawsuits?

With the evolving landscape of marketing and advertising, law firms are constantly challenged to educate and engage potential clients on complex legal matters in a relatable and understandable manner.

Today, we are delighted to welcome Q Miceli, the Director of Marketing and Communications at Tycko & Zavareei, a leading whistleblower and class action law firm, and co-lead of the Legal Marketing Association Next. Q's expertise in legal marketing makes them the perfect guest to shed light on navigating the challenges of advertising for unique legal cases.

Their unique journey showcases the intersection of personal experience and legal marketing expertise.

In this episode of Hot Docket, Bobby, Andrew, and Q Discuss:

• Q Miceli's journey into legal marketing during the pandemic
• The role of in-house marketing directors at law firms
• Educational vs. direct response sales marketing for unique legal cases
• Must-read resources for legal marketers, including books and tools
• Challenges and success stories in legal content marketing and advertising

Key Actionable Takeaways for Law Firms: 

• Understanding the importance of scoping marketing projects to enhance collaboration between attorneys and marketing teams
• Emphasizing consumer education in advertising for niche legal cases to bridge the gap between attorneys and potential clients
• Leveraging keyword research and content strategy to align marketing efforts with consumer inquiries

As legal marketing continues to evolve, Q Miceli's insights provide valuable strategies for law firms aiming to effectively navigate the advertising challenges associated with niche legal cases.

Check out Marcus Sheridan’s Book “They Ask, You Answer” on Amazon here. 

If you have guest ideas or questions you would like our hosts to cover please email 

[email protected]

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Have you ever considered how much time and money artificial intelligence could save your legal practice?

As the legal industry rapidly evolves, law firms are under increasing pressure to modernize and streamline their operations. Whether it's optimizing billable hours or embracing remote depositions, the influence of technology on the law is undeniable.

In this episode, we welcome Eric Baum, the enterprising founder of PARROT, a pioneering company reshaping the future of legal technology and court reporting. We've invited Eric to dive deep into how his platform is transforming these essential aspects of the legal profession.

 With a staggering $14 million raised and collaborations with multiple national insurance carriers, Eric's journey from a lawyer specializing in sex crimes and human trafficking to a tech entrepreneur highlights an impressive shift from legal practice to legal innovation.

In this episode of Hot Docket, Bobby, Andrew, and Eric Discuss:

• PARROT- “The modern court reporting service.”
• The transition from traditional transcript handling to modern, secure storage solutions.
• Eric Baum's insights on personalized sales tactics and the value of understanding client needs.
• The necessity of certified reporters in an age of technology-driven transcription services.
• Remote depositions and their growing acceptance within the legal realm.
• The creation narrative of PARROT following the Haiti earthquake's call for accessible justice.
• Strategies for building trust in legal tech and effective methods of legal community engagement.
• The importance of balance between work and personal life in the high-pressure legal sector.
• A light-hearted word association game revealing unexpected sides of our guest, Eric.

Key Actionable Takeaways for Law Firms: 

• Consider implementing AI-driven tools to increase billable hour accuracy and reduce overhead.
• Explore remote deposition platforms like PARROT to save on time and travel costs.
• Leverage inbound marketing and community referrals to foster trust and adoption of new technologies.
• Embrace the potential of legal tech to streamline operations and stay competitive.
  
   

This is a truly compelling discussion on the integration of AI and machine learning in legal work and the tangible benefits this poses for efficiency and accuracy.

Don't let the march of progress leave your firm behind—embrace change and watch your efficiency soar!
Make sure to check out PARROT here: https://www.parrot.us/. Or connect with Eric via [email protected].  

If you are interested in submitting a guest topic or have an idea of someone who should be on the show, send us an email via [email protected]

Get ready to join the conversation and gain valuable insights from the legal marketing industry with the Hot Docket Podcast. 

Tune in to hear from more the Hot Docket Docket podcast Hosted by Bobby Steinbach and Andrew Nasrinpay on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Audible, Radio Public and more!