Law Firm Money Matters

If you've ever thought "I need to grow my revenue to fix my cash flow problem," this conversation is going to stop you in your tracks.

In this episode of the Law Firm Money Matters Podcast, Chelsea Williams sits down with Matthew Kerbis, founder of Practi.ai and host of the Law Subscribed podcast, to unpack why the way you're billing clients might be the actual thing keeping your firm financially stuck. Matthew built an entire platform around a simple idea: law firms should stop trading time for money and start building recurring, predictable revenue instead.

If you're tired of feeling like your revenue and your cash flow don't match up, or you've written off subscription billing as something that "won't work for my practice area," this episode is for you.

What You'll Learn:

• Understand why clients are paying for value, not for your time
• See how AI can turn a 10-hour task into a 15-minute task, without lowering your standards
• Learn why subscription billing works in every practice area, even contingency fee cases
• Discover why advertising your pricing online may actually help AI tools recommend your firm
• Understand the difference between a flat fee model and a true subscription model
• Learn why pre-selling hours is an ethical no-go, even inside a subscription structure
• See a real walkthrough of how a law firm sets up subscription tiers inside Practi.ai

Matthew Kerbis is the founder of Practi.ai, a subscription billing platform built for law firms, and host of the Law Subscribed podcast, where he's interviewed over 100 attorneys about moving away from the billable hour. He built Practi after running his own subscription-based law practice and wishing a tool like it already existed. Free resource: his NotebookLM tool at notebook.practi.ai lets any law firm owner ask questions and explore subscription structures for their specific practice area, at no cost.

MATTHEW'S LINKS:
Subscription Attorney Website
Practi.ai Website
Free Tool (NotebookLM)
Law Subscribed Podcast
LinkedIn

LAW FIRM MONEY MATTERS LINKS:

Video Podcast
Socials
Core Solutions Group, Inc. Website

What does it actually look like when a law firm owner has to go home and ask her dad for money just to make payroll?

In this episode of Law Firm Money Matters, Chelsea Williams sits down with Simone Fulmer-Gaus, law firm owner and author of The Set-Up, to unpack the financial breaking point that forced her to rebuild her firm from the ground up, and the framework that took it from survival mode to 20 times its original revenue.

If you've ever felt like your firm runs you more than you run it, this conversation was made for you.

What You'll Learn:
 • Why most profitability problems are actually leadership problems in disguise
 • How to spot the yellow flags before your firm hits a financial breaking point
 • Why contingency fee firms need Profit First more than anyone, not less
 • The difference between delegating and abdicating your role in your firm's finances
 • How the five pillars, people, pipeline, process, product, and profitability, work together
 • Why investing in your team makes owners four times more profitable
 • How to separate your identity from your business so it can outlast you

Simone Fulmer Gaus is co-founder of Fulmer Sill, a nationally recognized law firm based in Oklahoma City, focusing on personal injury, bad faith, and mass torts. After seventeen years in practice, Simone was done with burnout and business as usual. She believed there had to be a better way to run a law firm-one that didn't cost your soul to succeed. So, in 2014, she started her own firm to find out if it was possible. That journey led to The Set-Up™, a new model for running a law firm with more focus, more heart, and a lot less noise. In the nearly twelve years since, her firm's revenue has grown more than twenty times over, proving that you can thrive without sacrificing yourself or your team.

Simone's Links:
Her book, The Set-Up or on Amazon
Website
Instagram
LinkedIn

LAW FIRM MONEY MATTERS LINKS:

Video Podcast
Socials
Core Solutions Group, Inc. Website

Work-life balance isn't the real lesson here. Knowing yourself is.

In this episode, Chelsea Williams sits down with Susan Filan, former prosecutor, MSNBC Senior Legal Analyst, and now a keynote speaker known as The Wake-Up Call Speaker, to talk about what happens when the identity you spent decades building gets stripped away in an instant.

After being struck by a car and forced into a year of surgeries and recovery, Susan faced something harder than the physical healing: the realization that her entire sense of self had been built on external achievement. What followed was a complete reinvention, not just of her career, but of how she defines success, worth, and enjoyment.

If your firm feels successful on paper but you still feel disconnected, exhausted, or unsure why the achievement isn't landing the way you thought it would, this conversation will bring clarity.

What You'll Learn:

• Why wake-up calls come in five escalating stages, from a whisper to a sledgehammer
• How to recognize the signals your body is already sending you
• Why achievement culture, not ambition itself, is often the real villain
• How to create your own pause before life forces one on you
• Why "show me your calendar and your bank account" reveals your true priorities
• What it actually looks like to rebuild an identity from the inside out
• How to reconnect ambition with what you actually love, instead of what you're proving

Susan Filan is a former prosecutor and MSNBC Senior Legal Analyst turned keynote speaker and private advisor focused on transformation under pressure. Over a legal career spanning more than three decades, Susan prosecuted cold-case homicides and handled complex criminal and family law matters involving high personal, emotional, and legal stakes. Her work required clarity in chaos, sound judgment under pressure, and the ability to navigate human crisis without losing perspective. Today, Susan brings those same skills to the stage. Known as The Wake-Up Call Speaker and The Architect of Reinvention, she speaks to high achievers about navigating disruption, redefining success, and rebuilding from the inside out. Her work blends legal rigor, neuroscience, and lived experience to help audiences move from crisis to clarity and from external achievement to internal authority. Susan’s talks challenge audiences to examine the beliefs, identities, and patterns that no longer serve them — and to consciously design what comes next. She speaks with uncommon candor, grounded intelligence, and deep respect for the complexity of real human change. Susan is also developing a talk show, To Your Health: Conversations About Healing, exploring the intersection of science, intellect, and the human capacity for healing beyond medicine.

SUSAN'S LINKS:
Website
LinkedIn

LAW FIRM MONEY MATTERS LINKS:

Video Podcast
Socials
Core Solutions Group, Inc. Website

Marketing is not your biggest problem. Not knowing your numbers is.

In Part 2 of this conversation, Chelsea Williams sits down with Philip Fairley of Attorney Fuel to break down what’s actually working in law firm marketing right now — and why most firms are wasting money because they’re tracking impressions instead of client acquisition cost.

Haven't watched Part 1? Watch it here.

From LSAs and SEO to video strategies and client acquisition KPIs, this episode is a no-fluff look at how to build marketing that drives clients — not just leads.

If your firm feels stuck, burned out, or uncertain about what to invest in next, this conversation will bring clarity.

What You’ll Learn:

1. Why “more leads” is usually not the problem
2. How to calculate your true client acquisition cost
3. Why some firms are paying $1,800 per client
4. What makes LSAs work (and fail)
5. Why SEO is no longer a beginner strategy
6. The difference between tracking leads vs. tracking revenue
7. How video ads are outperforming PPC in many markets
8. What makes a strong law firm marketing offer
9. Why your intake team must know what a phone call costs
10. How to future-proof your marketing with data

Philip Fairley is the Founder and CEO of Attorney Fuel, the leading intake software and system that gives law firms clear data and nurtures every lead automatically. With 19+ years in legal, Philip has worked with over 23,000 law firms and is known for turning intake into a true sales engine through automation, smarter data, and monthly consulting. Philip holds degrees from Wheaton College, Keller Graduate School of Management, and Northwestern University, is a recognized expert on intake, lead conversion, legal tech and marketing. He is married with three children and enjoys the Arizona desert life, mountain biking, and coaching youth sports.

Philip's Links:

Website - www.attorneyfuel.com

Schedule Your Demo - www.attorneyfuel.com/demo

LAW FIRM MONEY MATTERS LINKS:

Video Podcast
Socials
Core Solutions Group, Inc. Website

Most law firm owners don’t realize they’re building a business that could one day be sold - or that failing to plan for it can quietly destroy value. 

In this episode, Chelsea Williams sits down with Tom Lanfestey to unpack what actually makes a law firm sellable, why systems matter more than hustle, and how exit planning impacts cash flow, profitability, and growth long before a sale ever happens.

Whether you plan to sell your firm, grow through acquisition, or simply want more freedom, this conversation will fundamentally change how you think about your law firm.

What You’ll Learn

1. Why every law firm is a business asset (not just an income source)
2. The mindset shift law firm owners must make to build real value
3. Why most lawyers underestimate what their firm is worth
4. The three core drivers of law firm valuation
5. Why systems—not personalities—create sellable firms
6. How financial clarity directly impacts exit options
7. When law firms should consider growth by acquisition
8. Why more revenue without systems creates chaos
9. How succession planning protects legacy and value
10. The biggest mistakes law firm owners make when thinking about exits

Tom is the Founder and CEO of The Law Practice Exchange, where he helps lawyers navigate succession planning, exit strategies, and strategic growth through law firm acquisitions. As a practicing attorney and CPA, Tom launched LPE in 2013 to address the challenges attorneys face when transitioning or selling their practices.

Under Tom’s leadership, The Law Practice Exchange has become a trusted marketplace and advisory team for thousands of law firm buyers and sellers, achieving over $300M in total deal volume. He is a frequent speaker on law firm valuation, mergers and acquisitions, and lawyer transition planning, and serves as an advisor to legal and financial industry partners.

GUEST'S LINKS:

Website – https://www.lawpracticeexchange.com

Firm Value Estimator – https://thelawpracticeexchange.com/estimate-form/

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-law-practice-exchange/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/lawpracticeexchange

Books Mentioned in Episode:

Built to Sell - https://a.co/d/cKlHaNt

Traction - https://a.co/d/8SyUH64

Profit First - https://a.co/d/eMwL0Ne

Good to Great - https://a.co/d/4dyO6fj

E-Myth Revisited - https://a.co/d/5DR6ftE

Atomic Habits - https://a.co/d/5w5FXcc

LAW FIRM MONEY MATTERS LINKS:

Video Podcast
Socials
Core Solutions Group, Inc. Website

Most law firms don’t avoid subpoenas because they aren’t important. They avoid them because they’re detailed, time-consuming, and frustrating.

In this episode of Law Firm Money Matters, Chelsea Williams sits down with Becky Sampson, founder of Only Subpoenas, to unpack why 1 in 3 subpoenas get rejected and how that impacts your case timeline, team efficiency, and ultimately your cash flow.

This isn’t just about paperwork.

It’s about momentum, delegation, and using your highest and best time as a law firm owner.

What You’ll Learn:

1. Why subpoenas are underutilized in litigation
2. The real reason attorneys resist issuing them
3. How rejected subpoenas waste paralegal hours
4. Why discovery delays kill case momentum
5. How subpoenas create leverage for settlement
6. The operational math behind delegation
7. Why flat-fee outsourcing reduces risk
8. The guarantee model that changes the game
9. How subpoenas improve case turnover and cash flow
10. Practice areas beyond divorce where this applies

After 21 hearings, 21 subpoenas, and 3.5 years in Hawaii Family Court—facing five attorneys and representing herself for most of it—she won. Not just a win… a fair, equitable outcome for both parties, with her heart still intact. That’s why they call her “Becky Brockovich.” Now she helps attorneys get the information that wins cases—through fast, effective, 100% compliant subpoenas (or you don’t pay), with a specialty in foreign subpoenas—so their clients can reach fair, defensible settlements without the chaos.

BECKY'S LINKS:

Subpoenas Website - www.OnlySubpoenas.com

Becky's Website - www.BeckySampson.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/beckysampson11/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/divorcingstrongbeckysampson/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckysampson/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@DivorcingStrong

LAW FIRM MONEY MATTERS LINKS:

Video Podcast
Socials
Core Solutions Group, Inc. Website

Most law firms don’t have a marketing problem. They have a conversion problem.

In this episode of Law Firm Money Matters, Chelsea Williams sits down with Philip Fairley, founder of Attorney Fuel, to break down the real reason law firms struggle with profitability: poor intake systems, unclear KPIs, and untracked leads.

If you’re spending money on marketing but don’t know your consult set rate, show rate, or retained later percentage — this episode will shift how you see your numbers forever.

This conversation is about becoming a CEO, not just a practicing attorney.

What You’ll Learn:

1. The 5 intake KPIs every law firm must track
2. Why “we convert almost everyone” is usually wrong
3. How poor intake destroys cash flow
4. The difference between leads vs. qualified leads
5. Why law firms fire marketing agencies too quickly
6. How to stop outspending bad sales
7. Why older attorneys are at risk if they resist tech
8. How younger firms are acquiring firms for $0
9. Why clean data is leadership
10. The accountability shift that turns lawyers into CEOs

Philip Fairley is the Founder and CEO of Attorney Fuel, the leading intake software and system that gives law firms clear data and nurtures every lead automatically. With 19+ years in legal, Philip has worked with over 23,000 law firms and is known for turning intake into a true sales engine through automation, smarter data, and monthly consulting. Philip holds degrees from Wheaton College, Keller Graduate School of Management, and Northwestern University, is a recognized expert on intake, lead conversion, legal tech and marketing. He is married with three children and enjoys the Arizona desert life, mountain biking, and coaching youth sports.

Philip's Links:

Website

Schedule Your Demo

LAW FIRM MONEY MATTERS LINKS:

Video Podcast
Socials
Core Solutions Group, Inc. Website

What looks like “freedom” on social media is usually the result of systems, boundaries, and intentional financial decisions. In this episode, Chelsea Williams sits down with Mel LaGrone to unpack her journey from cop to prosecutor to law firm owner and how she built a mission-driven practice without burning herself out. This conversation goes deep into money mindset, resilience, and what it really takes to build a law firm that supports your life instead of consuming it.

What You’ll Learn 
1. How Mel transitioned from law enforcement to law firm ownership
2. What running a mission-driven law firm actually requires financially
3. Why “no one is coming to save you” is a powerful ownership mindset
4. The difference between survival income and your true “want level”
5. How money stories formed in childhood show up in law firm decisions
6. Why systems—not hustle—create freedom for law firm owners
7. When to say yes (and no) to pro bono work without hurting the business
8. Why outside advisors matter as much as your internal team
9. How mindset coaching impacts revenue ceilings
20. What law firm owners must unlearn to scale sustainably

Mel LaGrone is an award-winning immigration and criminal defense attorney and the founder of LaGrone Law. With offices in Lawrenceville, GA and St. Thomas, USVI, Mel is known for being a fierce advocate for people and a firm believer in real people helping real people. She brings deep insight and unwavering commitment to every case, always protecting the rights and future of her clients. Mel has been featured on Court TV, served as a speaker for the American Association of Lawyers, and hosts Beyond the Border, a radio show dedicated to breaking down all things immigration.

GUEST'S LINKS:
LaGrone Law Website – https://www.lagronelaw.com/
Mel Cyrise Website – https://www.melcyrise.com/
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/melaney-lagrone/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/LaGroneLaw
Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/@lagrone_law

LAW FIRM MONEY MATTERS LINKS:

Video Podcast
Socials
Core Solutions Group, Inc. Website

Law firm tech isn’t broken by accident - it’s broken by imitation, poor strategy, and bolting tools together without intention. In this episode, Chelsea Williams sits down with Jay McAllister to unpack the hard truths about law firm technology, AI adoption, and why more tools don’t automatically mean better results. 

This is a deep, practical conversation about systems, constraints, and how law firm owners can stop creating “Frankenstein” businesses that drain time, money, and energy.

What You’ll Learn

1. Why law firms struggle with tech even after “upgrading”
2. The biggest mistakes firms make when adopting AI
3. Why copying other firms’ tech stacks backfires
4. How to identify the real constraint in your law firm systems
5. The difference between efficiency and complexity
6. Where AI actually delivers ROI in law firms
7. Why billing models matter more in an AI-driven world
8. How poor systems quietly destroy realization and profit
9. When automation helps — and when it hurts
10. How intentional tech strategy supports sustainable growth

As someone who has always had an unconventional interest in studying technology and business, approaching both with the healthy skepticism of someone who demands real results, Jay found his tribe within the legal profession. Whether he’s racing on the track or soaring through the skies, that same affinity for high performance fuels his work. He continuously explores new ways law firms can leverage technology and AI, sharing his learnings in real-time at legal tech conferences across the U.S., including Clio Con and through a growing content library of over 1,000 videos on LinkedIn and YouTube. As founder of Paragon Tech, Jay empowers law firm owners to harness technology that delivers greater value to their clients with less effort.

GUEST'S LINKS:

Website – https://paragontechit.com/law-firm-tools/

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/legaltechexpert/

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo7-PTYl-HY2ZGrMCQ-C3gQ,

LAW FIRM MONEY MATTERS LINKS:

Video Podcast
Socials
Core Solutions Group, Inc. Website

Running a law firm shouldn’t feel like waking up at 3:00 AM in a cold sweat wondering if payroll will clear. In this episode, Chelsea Williams sits down with Alexis Litle to unpack what really happens when law firm owners avoid their numbers—and how clarity creates control, even when things feel chaotic.

Alexis shares her journey from prosecutor to founder of one of Colorado’s fastest-growing criminal defense firms, the mindset shifts required to scale, and why facing the data you’re afraid of is the key to building a sustainable, profitable law firm.

What You’ll Learn:

1. Why avoiding your financials doesn’t reduce stress—it compounds it
2. How law firm owners unknowingly exhaust themselves with “3:00 AM thoughts”
3. The mindset shift from practicing law to running a law business
4. How metrics become a roadmap for growth (not a judgment)
5. When investing in your team makes sense—and when it becomes costly
6. The real cost of holding onto the wrong people too long
7. Why control matters more than perfection in law firm finances
8. How automation, systems, and clean data support sustainable scaling
9. What law firm owners can learn from their own client behavior

Alexis Austin is a legal entrepreneur, two-time law firm owner, and founder of LexAxiom, a legal-tech company delivering real operational intelligence to law firms. As CEO of Right Law Group, she scaled a flat-fee criminal defense firm from launch to multi-seven-figures using automation and data-driven systems now running more than 1,200 workflows. Through 360 Strategic Success, she has guided over 100 firms in rebuilding intake, sales, and operations with analytics rather than guesswork. A former prosecutor turned innovator, she focuses on transforming how firms measure, decide, and grow by building scalable systems that make lawyers stronger operators.

GUEST'S LINKS:

Website – https://www.rightlawgroup.com/

New Tech Company - https://lexaxiom.com/law-firm-money-matters

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexis-austin-litle/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/alexisaustinlitle

LAW FIRM MONEY MATTERS LINKS:

Video Podcast
Socials
Core Solutions Group, Inc. Website