Attorney Craig Dobson, an expert on ethics and professional responsibility, joins Stephanie Everett to talk about the ethical and professional responsibility concerns lawyers face in a rapidly evolving legal landscape. They discuss how solo and small firm attorneys can stay compliant while leveraging new tools, the importance of confidentiality and competence, and the fundamental need to maintain diligence in your practice. Craig and Stephanie examine alternative fee structures beyond just hourly billing and provide guidance on ethical practices around lawyer pricing models. Craig also shares how he’s approaching billing in his own practice and why lawyers need to be proactive about understanding the risks. 

Read Craig’s article: Overview | Full Article 

Additionally, Zack talks with Curtis, from MyCase and LawPay about their new product, Smart Spend, the LawPay Visa® Business Card is issued by Emprise Bank, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A., Inc.

Listen to our other episodes about ethics and alternative billing practices:  

Have thoughts about today’s episode? Join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X! 

If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you. 

Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com. 

Chapters: 

00:00 Introduction  

00:18 Lawyerist Coaching 

05:22 Expense Tracking in MyCase  

10:01 Integrating Finance with Practice 

14:54 Immigration Law and the Current Administration 

17:53 Specialization and Maintaining Competence Across Multiple Areas 

22:39 Lawyer Pricing Models in an Era of Uncertainty 

Catherine Sanders Reach, Director of the Center for Practice Management at the North Carolina Bar Association, joins Zack Glaser to answer pressing questions about integrating AI into legal operations. Catherine explains how to identify breakdowns in workflows, choose purpose-built AI tools, and calculate the return on investment for tech solutions like Microsoft Copilot. She also shares practical advice on automating tasks like document templates, client intake, and email management while emphasizing the importance of documenting processes for efficiency. This episode is packed with actionable insights for lawyers looking to streamline their practice with AI.

Hear Catherine’s other appearance on Lawyerist Podcast: 

• #444: Streamlining Legal Operations for Success, with Catherine Sanders Reach: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

Listen to our other episodes about artificial intelligence:

Have thoughts about today’s episode? Join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X!

If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you.

Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com.

Chapters / Timestamps: 

0:00 Introduction

6:17 Meet Catherine Sanders Reach

7:19 How to Kickstart Generative AI Processes

10:53 Microsoft Copilot 

13:00 AI Tools Lawyers Should Consider Using

14:36 Agentic AI

20:14 Why You Need a Needs Assessment 

23:49 Evaluating Productivity

27:11 Let Go of Perfectionism 

28:44 Image Generation

31:46 Why You Need Policies and Systems

35:38 Dictation Tools

38:22 The AI Tool to Watch

What if law firms didn’t have to be owned by lawyers? In the UK, non-lawyer ownership has been shaking up the legal industry for over a decade, bringing in private equity, corporate structures, and even stock market listings. But has it led to innovation or just new ethical dilemmas? Corinne Staves, a UK legal expert, joins Lawyerist Podcast to reveal the surprising ways this shift has (and hasn’t) transformed the profession.  

Listen to our previous episodes about non-lawyer ownership: 

Have thoughts about today’s episode? Join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X! 

If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you. 

Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com. 

Chapters:  

(0:00) Introduction & ABA TECHSHOW Announcement 

(2:50) Meet Corinne Staves 

(3:44) How Non-Lawyer Ownership Works in the UK 

(6:03) Why the US is Afraid of Non-Lawyer Ownership  

(8:41) Can Non-Lawyer Ownership Threaten Attorney Ethics? 

(12:18) Unexpected Benefits of Non-Lawyer Ownership 

(17:17) Does This Hurt Small Law Firms? 

(20:31) Advice for US Lawyers Considering This Model 

(23:20) The Future of Law Firm Ownership 

In this episode, Geoff Woods discusses his book, 'The AI Driven Leader,' exploring how AI can serve as a thought partner for lawyers and business owners. He emphasizes the importance of adapting leadership skills to navigate technological disruptions, the strategic use of AI in business, and the mindset shift required to embrace these changes. The conversation also covers practical applications of AI in legal practice, the risks of inaction, and resources for further learning. 

Links from the episode:  

Schedule a demo with Tabs3 

The AI-Driven Leader  

Chapters: 

00:00 – Intro & Invite to Stephanie’s Birthday in Chicago 

3:31 – An Interview with Tabs3 

10:12 – AI Driven Leadership 

10:49 – Leadership Skills Need to Evolve 

13:35 – Strengths of Humans vs. Machines 

15:06 – Using AI as a Thought Partner 

18:44 – A Whole New Way of Thinking About Using AI 

20:01 – AI as a Business Advisor 

25:50 – Examples of CRIT in action 

Zack talks with the hosts of the Lunch Hour Legal Marketing Podcast, Gyi Tsakalakis, and Conrad Saam about how artificial intelligence is affecting consumer behavior and how your law firm should adjust to the changing market. Additionally, they discuss how to leverage AI to your advantage against your own marketing data to be more deliberate with your legal marketing spend.  

Additionally, Zack and Jennifer discuss the Lawyerist’s annual Best Law Firm Website contest, where they dig into what makes a website “work.” 

Links from the episode:  

Subscribe to Lunch Hour Legal Marketing

https://www.youtube.com/@LHLM 

https://www.gorillaz.com/ 

Chapters 

00:00 Introduction to AI in Marketing 

03:04 Best Practices for Law Firm Websites 

06:11 The Importance of Emotional Connection 

08:53 Innovative Website Experiences 

12:08 Navigating AI's Impact on Marketing 

15:02 Consumer Behavior and Marketing Strategies 

20:42 The Impact of AI on Business Visibility 

24:24 Leveraging AI for Client Insights 

28:19 Data Analysis and AI: Transforming Marketing Strategies 

32:44 Democratizing Data Access with AI 

36:56 The Importance of Accurate Data Tracking 

41:03 Practical Marketing Takeaways in the AI Era 

46:12 lawyerist-podcast-outro.mp4 

In this conversation, Temi Siyanbade, founder of TOS Legal, discusses the importance of video marketing for legal professionals. She shares her journey into using video to connect with clients and build her brand, emphasizing the need to overcome the fear of being on camera. Temi explains how video can enhance legal marketing by building rapport with potential clients and providing valuable information. She also offers practical advice on starting with basic equipment and measuring success in video marketing, encouraging lawyers to embrace this medium to better serve their clients. 

Additionally, Zack talks with the folks at NetDocuments about the importance of organizing your digital files and recent advancements in document search. 

Links from the episode:   

Request a demo from NetDocuments 

Show, Don't Tell by Temi Siyanbade  

Dreaming of launching your own law firm or leveling up your current practice? In this episode, Stephanie Everett shares the top five game-changing strategies you need to know to build a thriving law firm. From crafting a crystal-clear vision to mastering your tech stack and establishing solid legal and financial foundations, they’ve got you covered. 

Links from the episode:  

Amplify your legal practice with Paxton AI  

CHAPTERS:  

00:00 - Best Law Firm Websites Contest  

04:16 - AI in Legal Research with Paxton.ai  

12:39 - Introduction to Stephanie 

 16:48 - Define Vision and Business Strategy 

 19:30 - Legal and Financial Framework Setup 

 22:49 - Legal Tech Stack Overview 

 26:54 - Marketing Strategies for Law Firms 

 31:05 - Financial and Operational Discipline 

 33:35 - Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Tracking 

 37:15 - Importance of Saying No in Business 

 39:45 - Five Essential Actions for Success 

 41:43 - Outro 

Stephanie talks with New Solo podcast host, Adriana Linares, about the technology necessary to run a law practice and move away from the billable hour. Adriana emphasizes the importance of automation and organized client files and communication. Additionally, Zack talks with Lindsay Bushong, from MyCase, about what software law firms can use to manage their accounting in both a flat-fee and hourly billing environment. 

Links from the episode:  

https://legaltalknetwork.com/podcasts/new-solo/ 

https://mycase.com/lawyerist 

Chapters

 0:00 – Intro 

3:20 – MyCase Accounting Software 

10:21 – Adriana Linares and New Solo Intro 

12:00 – Transitioning From Billable Hour to Flat Fees 

14:05 – The Role of Technology in Legal Practices 

22:18 – Maximizing Efficiency with Client Portals 

In this conversation, Karin Conroy and Zack Glaser discuss the integration of AI in marketing, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a human touch while leveraging technology. They explore the significance of a unique brand voice, particularly the value of female perspectives in marketing. The discussion also covers Google's EAT principles, the need for content optimization for AI search, and the importance of regularly reviewing and refining marketing strategies. Finally, they stress the necessity of defining an ideal client to enhance marketing effectiveness. 

Links from the episode:  

Check out Conroy Creative Counsel 

In this conversation, Rho Thomas, a money coach for lawyers, discusses the financial struggles faced by legal professionals, particularly focusing on student loans, lifestyle expectations, and the impact of debt. Rho emphasizes the importance of intentional spending, budgeting, and making significant financial decisions, such as housing choices. The discussion also covers the balance between investing and paying off debt, strategies for increasing income, and the importance of communication and shared vision in financial planning. Rho shares her personal journey of overcoming debt and offers insights into building net worth through effective financial management. 

Links from the episode:  

The guide to mistakes that keep lawyers from making money 

Lawyerist Alternative Fee Structures Webinar (March 12) 

00:00 Financial Struggles of Lawyers 

06:05 Lifestyle Creep: Hidden Costs 

11:52 Big Financial Decisions: Housing & Lifestyle 

18:01 Investing vs. Paying Off Debt 

24:02 Building Net Worth Beyond Debt