Performing autopsies isn't something you see lawyers doing. But if you understand the original meaning of the word "autopsy" as used by the early Greeks then you'll understand why lawyers should do this.   In this episode, we delve into how you can improve your thinking and decision-making by understanding the original meaning behind this important word. Show Notes

• Definition of "autopsy" (Note: 'Greek' autopsia - act of seeing with one's own eyes, from aut- + opsis sight, appearance)
• Snopes.com (well-known website that debunks common misinformation)
• Stranger In A Strange Land, by Robert Heinlein (popular 1960s science fiction book that hypothesized the existence of specially trained professionals called "Fair Witnesses")
• Axios article about finding trustworthy news sources.

General Resources

• The 80/20 Principle (my email newsletter)
• The 5 Pillars of a Tech-Powered Law Practice
• The Inner Circle (an online community for law firm owners)

  Thanks to Our Sponsors

"ChatterBoss is an incredible remote executive assistant company that helps solopreneurs and small businesses grow quickly and save money. Your dedicated ChatterBoss assistant can help you with case management, billing support, email optimization, social media, process building, automation, and more. They even have on-demand paralegals and legal assistants. 

The service is customized to your budget and is on-demand, so you are able to work with your assistant as much or as little as you need throughout the week. The minimum monthly spend for a dedicated executive assistant is only $200/month.   The best way to get started is to schedule a free consultation and find out exactly how the service works. Click this link to schedule a free 30-minute call, and you’ll get a special 15% discount when you sign up with ChatterBoss." Smith.ai is an amazing virtual receptionist service that specializes in working with solo and small law firms. When you hire Smith.ai you’re actually hiring well-trained, friendly receptionists who can respond to callers in English or Spanish.   If there’s one great outsourcing opportunity for your practice, this is it. Let Smith.ai have your back while you stay focused on your work, knowing that your clients and prospects are being taken care of.   Plans start at $210/month for 30 calls and pricing starts at $140 for 20 chats, with overage at $7 per chat. They offer a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee on all receptionist and live chat plans including add-ons (up to $1000).   And they have a special offer for podcast listeners where you can get an extra $100 discount with promo code ERNIE100. Sign up for a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee now (and learn more) at smith.ai.   EPISODE CREDITS:   If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.   He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.   Find out more at EmeraldCity

Too many lawyers are too eager to self-promote. So they market in the worst possible ways (i.e. both undignified and ineffective in getting high quality clients) Let's talk about why this happens and how to market yourself the best way.   Show Notes

• Contrived Enthusiasm (my recent blog post)
• Humblebrag: The Art of False Modesty (book mentioned in episode)

General Resources

• The 80/20 Principle (my email newsletter)
• The 5 Pillars of a Tech-Powered Law Practice
• The Inner Circle (an online community for law firm owners)

  Thanks to Our Sponsors

"ChatterBoss is an incredible remote executive assistant company that helps solopreneurs and small businesses grow quickly and save money. Your dedicated ChatterBoss assistant can help you with case management, billing support, email optimization, social media, process building, automation, and more. They even have on-demand paralegals and legal assistants. 

The service is customized to your budget and is on-demand, so you are able to work with your assistant as much or as little as you need throughout the week. The minimum monthly spend for a dedicated executive assistant is only $200/month.   The best way to get started is to schedule a free consultation and find out exactly how the service works. Click this link to schedule a free 30-minute call, and you’ll get a special 15% discount when you sign up with ChatterBoss." Smith.ai is an amazing virtual receptionist service that specializes in working with solo and small law firms. When you hire Smith.ai you’re actually hiring well-trained, friendly receptionists who can respond to callers in English or Spanish.   If there’s one great outsourcing opportunity for your practice, this is it. Let Smith.ai have your back while you stay focused on your work, knowing that your clients and prospects are being taken care of.   Plans start at $210/month for 30 calls and pricing starts at $140 for 20 chats, with overage at $7 per chat. They offer a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee on all receptionist and live chat plans including add-ons (up to $1000).   And they have a special offer for podcast listeners where you can get an extra $100 discount with promo code ERNIE100. Sign up for a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee now (and learn more) at smith.ai.   EPISODE CREDITS:   If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.   He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.   Find out more at EmeraldCity

If you want people to trust you more (and, as a lawyer, you should), then it's vital to learn the keys to creating and building trust — even with complete strangers.   Show Notes

• Write To Build Trust with Complete Strangers (my recent blog post)
• Working Smarter with Digital Technology (my short guide to improving your practice by using technology better)

General Resources

• The 80/20 Principle (my email newsletter)
• The 5 Pillars of a Tech-Powered Law Practice
• The Inner Circle (an online community for law firm owners)

Thanks to Our Sponsors

"ChatterBoss is an incredible remote executive assistant company that helps solopreneurs and small businesses grow quickly and save money. Your dedicated ChatterBoss assistant can help you with case management, billing support, email optimization, social media, process building, automation, and more. They even have on-demand paralegals and legal assistants. 

The service is customized to your budget and is on-demand, so you are able to work with your assistant as much or as little as you need throughout the week. The minimum monthly spend for a dedicated executive assistant is only $200/month.   The best way to get started is to schedule a free consultation and find out exactly how the service works. Click this link to schedule a free 30-minute call, and you’ll get a special 15% discount when you sign up with ChatterBoss." Smith.ai is an amazing virtual receptionist service that specializes in working with solo and small law firms. When you hire Smith.ai you’re actually hiring well-trained, friendly receptionists who can respond to callers in English or Spanish.   If there’s one great outsourcing opportunity for your practice, this is it. Let Smith.ai have your back while you stay focused on your work, knowing that your clients and prospects are being taken care of.   Plans start at $210/month for 30 calls and pricing starts at $140 for 20 chats, with overage at $7 per chat. They offer a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee on all receptionist and live chat plans including add-ons (up to $1000).   And they have a special offer for podcast listeners where you can get an extra $100 discount with promo code ERNIE100. Sign up for a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee now (and learn more) at smith.ai.   EPISODE CREDITS:   If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.   He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.   Find out more at EmeraldCity

The ABA ranks it as the 3rd best legal movie and Justice Antonin Scalia said it was his favorite lawyer movie.

It's commonly used to help teach procedure and evidence in law schools. And many lawyers said it's the only Hollywood movie that gets all the procedure details perfectly correct.

After 30 years of popularity and acclaim, it's.worth reflecting on how this movie came about and why it's so beloved by so many lawyers and judges.

Show Notes

• My Cousin Vinny (Wikipedia article)
• ‘What Is a Yute?’: An Oral History of ‘My Cousin Vinny’ (2022 Rolling Stone article about making of the film)
• 12 pivotal movie scenes with lessons for lawyers (ABA article)
• Every Young Trial Lawyer Needs To Watch My Cousin Vinny (Litigation & Trial article)
• Top 10 Lessons from My Cousin Vinny (LegalNews.com article)
• Working Smarter with Digital Technology (my short guide to improving your practice by using technology better)

General Resources

• The 80/20 Principle (my email newsletter)
• The 5 Pillars of a Tech-Powered Law Practice
• The Inner Circle (an online community for law firm owners)

Thanks to Our Sponsors

"ChatterBoss is an incredible remote executive assistant company that helps solopreneurs and small businesses grow quickly and save money. Your dedicated ChatterBoss assistant can help you with case management, billing support, email optimization, social media, process building, automation, and more. They even have on-demand paralegals and legal assistants. 

The service is customized to your budget and is on-demand, so you are able to work with your assistant as much or as little as you need throughout the week. The minimum monthly spend for a dedicated executive assistant is only $200/month.   The best way to get started is to schedule a free consultation and find out exactly how the service works. Click this link to schedule a free 30-minute call, and you’ll get a special 15% discount when you sign up with ChatterBoss." Smith.ai is an amazing virtual receptionist service that specializes in working with solo and small law firms. When you hire Smith.ai you’re actually hiring well-trained, friendly receptionists who can respond to callers in English or Spanish.   If there’s one great outsourcing opportunity for your practice, this is it. Let Smith.ai have your back while you stay focused on your work, knowing that your clients and prospects are being taken care of.   Plans start at $210/month for 30 calls and pricing starts at $140 for 20 chats, with overage at $7 per chat. They offer a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee on all receptionist and live chat plans including add-ons (up to $1000).   And they have a special offer for podcast listeners where you can get an extra $100 discount with promo code ERNIE100. Sign up for a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee now (and learn more) at smith.ai.   EPISODE CREDITS:   If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.   He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.   Find out more at EmeraldCity

The best way to set up systems for your law practice is not obvious to most attorneys. And many choose the less effective way, as opposed to the easier, more effective way.   Show Notes

• Kaizen (Wikipedia article)
• It’s Time to Embrace Slow Productivity, by Cal Newport (New Yorker article)
• John McPhee’s Slow Productivity, by Cal Newport
• Podcast: Cal Newport on how ‘slow productivity’ could reduce burnout in our working lives.
• Check out my 2-page outline: Digital Automation (how to use technology better to create a better law practice)

General Resources

• The 80/20 Principle (my email newsletter)
• The 5 Pillars of a Tech-Powered Law Practice
• The Inner Circle (an online community for law firm owners)

  Thanks to Our Sponsors

"ChatterBoss is an incredible remote executive assistant company that helps solopreneurs and small businesses grow quickly and save money. Your dedicated ChatterBoss assistant can help you with case management, billing support, email optimization, social media, process building, automation, and more. They even have on-demand paralegals and legal assistants. 

The service is customized to your budget and is on-demand, so you are able to work with your assistant as much or as little as you need throughout the week. The minimum monthly spend for a dedicated executive assistant is only $200/month.   The best way to get started is to schedule a free consultation and find out exactly how the service works. Click this link to schedule a free 30-minute call, and you’ll get a special 15% discount when you sign up with ChatterBoss." Smith.ai is an amazing virtual receptionist service that specializes in working with solo and small law firms. When you hire Smith.ai you’re actually hiring well-trained, friendly receptionists who can respond to callers in English or Spanish.   If there’s one great outsourcing opportunity for your practice, this is it. Let Smith.ai have your back while you stay focused on your work, knowing that your clients and prospects are being taken care of.   Plans start at $210/month for 30 calls and pricing starts at $140 for 20 chats, with overage at $7 per chat. They offer a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee on all receptionist and live chat plans including add-ons (up to $1000).   And they have a special offer for podcast listeners where you can get an extra $100 discount with promo code ERNIE100. Sign up for a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee now (and learn more) at smith.ai.   EPISODE CREDITS:   If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.   He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.   Find out more at EmeraldCity

If you want a high-level practice, you need high-level clients. The first step is making sure you can deliver exceptional service.   John Strohmeyer joins me to talk about how to do that, which he first learned before law school when working as a manager at a Four Seasons hotel. How did that experience help him in his law practice? Listen and find out.   Show Notes

• Strohmeyer Law website
• 5 Star Counsel (John's podcast about customer service lessons for lawyers)
• Commanding the Table (documentary about Commanders' Palace restaurant)
• Check out my 2-page outline: Digital Automation (how to use technology better to create a better law practice)

General Resources

• The 80/20 Principle (my email newsletter)
• The 5 Pillars of a Tech-Powered Law Practice
• The Inner Circle (an online community for law firm owners)

  Thanks to Our Sponsors

"ChatterBoss is an incredible remote executive assistant company that helps solopreneurs and small businesses grow quickly and save money. Your dedicated ChatterBoss assistant can help you with case management, billing support, email optimization, social media, process building, automation, and more. They even have on-demand paralegals and legal assistants. 

The service is customized to your budget and is on-demand, so you are able to work with your assistant as much or as little as you need throughout the week. The minimum monthly spend for a dedicated executive assistant is only $200/month.   The best way to get started is to schedule a free consultation and find out exactly how the service works. Click this link to schedule a free 30-minute call, and you’ll get a special 15% discount when you sign up with ChatterBoss." Smith.ai is an amazing virtual receptionist service that specializes in working with solo and small law firms. When you hire Smith.ai you’re actually hiring well-trained, friendly receptionists who can respond to callers in English or Spanish.   If there’s one great outsourcing opportunity for your practice, this is it. Let Smith.ai have your back while you stay focused on your work, knowing that your clients and prospects are being taken care of.   Plans start at $210/month for 30 calls and pricing starts at $140 for 20 chats, with overage at $7 per chat. They offer a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee on all receptionist and live chat plans including add-ons (up to $1000).   And they have a special offer for podcast listeners where you can get an extra $100 discount with promo code ERNIE100. Sign up for a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee now (and learn more) at smith.ai.   EPISODE CREDITS:   If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.   He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.   Find out more at EmeraldCity

Can you ethically practice New York law if you're licensed there but actually living in Louisiana? Listen and find out.   Modern legal ethics is now driven by technology, so how can regulatory bodies keep up with the pace of change? Short answer: in many key areas, they can't and aren't.   Show Notes

• Dane Ciolino's website (LA Legal Ethics)
• Casemap (software Dane & Ernie used and loved)
• Airtable (the popular cloud- based database program Dane uses instead of Casemap)
• Check out my 2-page outline: Digital Lawyering (how to work smarter by using technology effectively)

General Resources

• The 80/20 Principle (my email newsletter)
• The 5 Pillars of a Tech-Powered Law Practice
• The Inner Circle (an online community for law firm owners)

Thanks to Our Sponsor   Smith.ai is an amazing virtual receptionist service that specializes in working with solo and small law firms. When you hire Smith.ai you’re actually hiring well-trained, friendly receptionists who can respond to callers in English or Spanish.   If there’s one great outsourcing opportunity for your practice, this is it. Let Smith.ai have your back while you stay focused on your work, knowing that your clients and prospects are being taken care of.   Plans start at $210/month for 30 calls and pricing starts at $140 for 20 chats, with overage at $7 per chat. They offer a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee on all receptionist and live chat plans including add-ons (up to $1000). And they have a special offer for podcast listeners where you can get an extra $100 discount with promo code ERNIE100. Sign up for a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee now (and learn more) at smith.ai.   EPISODE CREDITS:   If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.   He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.   Find out more at EmeraldCity

After eliminating inefficient paper, the next question is how can you optimize your digital workflows in your practice to make it more streamlined and automated. That's what's covered this episode.   Show Notes

• Check out the 2-page outline: Digital Lawyering (how to work smarter by using technology effectively)
• Chatterboss virtual assistants (schedule a free call to find out how they work for lawyers like you)
• Otter.ai (automated transcript-generation from notes or personal dictation)
• NetDocuments (a cloud-based document management system for professionals like lawyers, accountants etc.)
• Episode 49 - Reduce Costs & Save Time with a DMS (with Craig Bayer
• Episode 64 - Backing Up Your Law Firm's Data (with Craig Bayer)

General Resources

• The 80/20 Principle (my email newsletter)
• The 5 Pillars of a Tech-Powered Law Practice
• The Inner Circle (an online community for law firm owners)

Thanks to Our Sponsor   Smith.ai is an amazing virtual receptionist service that specializes in working with solo and small law firms. When you hire Smith.ai you’re actually hiring well-trained, friendly receptionists who can respond to callers in English or Spanish.   If there’s one great outsourcing opportunity for your practice, this is it. Let Smith.ai have your back while you stay focused on your work, knowing that your clients and prospects are being taken care of.   Plans start at $210/month for 30 calls and pricing starts at $140 for 20 chats, with overage at $7 per chat. They offer a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee on all receptionist and live chat plans including add-ons (up to $1000). And they have a special offer for podcast listeners where you can get an extra $100 discount with promo code ERNIE100. Sign up for a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee now (and learn more) at smith.ai.   EPISODE CREDITS:   If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.   He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.   Find out more at EmeraldCity

Creating a paperless practice is vital if you want to reduce friction in workflows, and improve efficiency. Lawyers have some common questions about how to make this happen, and this episode will provide answers.    Show Notes

• 2017 ABA Article ("How a Paperless Practice May Be Right For You")
• Check out my 2-page outline: Digital Lawyering (how to work smarter by using technology effectively)

General Resources

• The 80/20 Principle (my email newsletter)
• The 5 Pillars of a Tech-Powered Law Practice
• The Inner Circle (an online community for law firm owners)

Thanks to Our Sponsor   Smith.ai is an amazing virtual receptionist service that specializes in working with solo and small law firms. When you hire Smith.ai you’re actually hiring well-trained, friendly receptionists who can respond to callers in English or Spanish.   If there’s one great outsourcing opportunity for your practice, this is it. Let Smith.ai have your back while you stay focused on your work, knowing that your clients and prospects are being taken care of.   Plans start at $210/month for 30 calls and pricing starts at $140 for 20 chats, with overage at $7 per chat. They offer a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee on all receptionist and live chat plans including add-ons (up to $1000). And they have a special offer for podcast listeners where you can get an extra $100 discount with promo code ERNIE100. Sign up for a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee now (and learn more) at smith.ai.   EPISODE CREDITS:   If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.   He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.   Find out more at EmeraldCity

Lawyers keep asking the same fundamental questions about key aspects of running a small law firm. Newbies and experienced lawyers have a lot of the same questions and concerns, in this episode we talk about them.   Show Notes

• Email me at [email protected] with your questions, if you want me to address them.
• Check out my 2-page outline: Digital Lawyering (how to work smarter by using technology effectively)

General Resources

• The 80/20 Principle (my email newsletter)
• The 5 Pillars of a Tech-Powered Law Practice
• The Inner Circle (an online community for law firm owners)

Thanks to Our Sponsor   Smith.ai is an amazing virtual receptionist service that specializes in working with solo and small law firms. When you hire Smith.ai you’re actually hiring well-trained, friendly receptionists who can respond to callers in English or Spanish.   If there’s one great outsourcing opportunity for your practice, this is it. Let Smith.ai have your back while you stay focused on your work, knowing that your clients and prospects are being taken care of.   Plans start at $210/month for 30 calls and pricing starts at $140 for 20 chats, with overage at $7 per chat. They offer a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee on all receptionist and live chat plans including add-ons (up to $1000). And they have a special offer for podcast listeners where you can get an extra $100 discount with promo code ERNIE100. Sign up for a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee now (and learn more) at smith.ai.   EPISODE CREDITS:   If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.   He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.   Find out more at EmeraldCity