Knowledge work hides in ways that physical work never could. That invisibility creates a dangerous pattern: you say yes to one more matter and before you know it, your entire team operates beyond capacity. 

In this episode, I use real examples from law firms using Kanban boards to demonstrate how making your work visible can fundamentally change how your team coordinates, communicates, and makes decisions about your capacity.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.agileattorney.com/85

Mentioned in this episode:

Greenline.legal is Officially in Beta

To set up a demo of this software with me, talk through the workflow challenges and opportunities you have in your practice, and see how Greenline could help, click here: https://the-agile-attorney.captivate.fm/greenlinelegal

GreenlineLegal Demo

In this episode, I’m diving into a concept that may be quietly hindering your practice: technical debt. In short, technical debt occurs when you take shortcuts to save time, but they end up costing you more in the long run.

I’ll walk you through how technical debt shows up in your firm and why tackling this issue head-on is crucial to prevent burnout and boost your firm’s overall productivity. I’ll also share practical steps you can take to begin addressing your firm’s technical debt.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.agileattorney.com/84

Mentioned in this episode:

Greenline.legal is Officially in Beta

To set up a demo of this software with me, talk through the workflow challenges and opportunities you have in your practice, and see how Greenline could help, click here: https://the-agile-attorney.captivate.fm/greenlinelegal

GreenlineLegal Demo

In this episode, I’m revisiting the concept of delivery debt: the promises you’ve made that remain unfulfilled. Just like financial debt, taking on too much delivery debt can snowball and overwhelm your firm. And it’s not just about the practical cost; it’s also psychological. The mental load of these unfinished commitments affects your focus, your decision-making, and ultimately, your practice’s efficiency.

I’ll share practical steps to help you clear delivery debt by addressing unfulfilled commitments that are draining your capacity. You’ll also learn how to prioritize your existing work and make intentional decisions about what to let go of to protect your firm’s ability to take on the right cases. This approach will give you the tools to balance your commitments with your firm’s capacity, allowing you to avoid overwhelm and be more proactive as you head into the busy fall season.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.agileattorney.com/83

Mentioned in this episode:

Greenline.legal is Officially in Beta

To set up a demo of this software with me, talk through the workflow challenges and opportunities you have in your practice, and see how Greenline could help, click here: https://the-agile-attorney.captivate.fm/greenlinelegal

GreenlineLegal Demo

New Workshop: Adaptive Kanban for Legal Teams

This live, half-day workshop will teach you the core principles you'll need to create visual workflow systems tailored to the way legal work really happens — so you can spend less time chasing tasks and more time delivering value to your clients.

Kanban Workshop Sept 2025

In law firms, a lot of time is wasted when work gets passed back and forth because the deliverables aren’t meeting the expected quality standards. This happens when tasks are considered “done,” but the results don’t meet the actual requirements or the unspoken expectations, causing frustration and delays. These unnecessary back-and-forths can grind your entire practice to a halt and create more stress than necessary.

In this episode, I share a simple but powerful shift in how you write your policies and procedures that can dramatically improve the quality of work flowing through your firm. Instead of creating traditional to-do lists or recipe-style instructions, writing your checklists as "done lists" using past tense phrasing creates clarity and accountability. This approach transforms ambiguous task completion into definitive quality standards that everyone can understand and follow.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.agileattorney.com/82

Mentioned in this episode:

New Workshop: Adaptive Kanban for Legal Teams

This live, half-day workshop will teach you the core principles you'll need to create visual workflow systems tailored to the way legal work really happens — so you can spend less time chasing tasks and more time delivering value to your clients.

Kanban Workshop Sept 2025

Greenline.legal is Officially in Beta

To set up a demo of this software with me, talk through the workflow challenges and opportunities you have in your practice, and see how Greenline could help, click here: https://the-agile-attorney.captivate.fm/greenlinelegal

GreenlineLegal Demo

Task engines are quietly draining your law practice's productivity right now. These hidden culprits show up as certain case types, jurisdictions, or even internal projects that generate a lot of tasks but little tangible progress or return. It’s something a litigation boutique in Oregon learned the hard way when a surge in Washington State cases almost derailed their entire operation.

In this episode, I’m sharing how a firm with plenty of demand and a growing team found themselves in crisis mode due to task engines in disguise. I also walk through how the firm survived, learned valuable lessons about case selection, and took steps to improve their workflow. Discover how understanding the relative effort of different work types can help you build a more intentional, sustainable practice.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.agileattorney.com/81

Mentioned in this episode:

Greenline.legal is Officially in Beta

To set up a demo of this software with me, talk through the workflow challenges and opportunities you have in your practice, and see how Greenline could help, click here: https://the-agile-attorney.captivate.fm/greenlinelegal

GreenlineLegal Demo

New Workshop: Adaptive Kanban for Legal Teams

This live, half-day workshop will teach you the core principles you'll need to create visual workflow systems tailored to the way legal work really happens — so you can spend less time chasing tasks and more time delivering value to your clients.

Kanban Workshop Sept 2025

AI tools in legal workflows are making waves, but are they really the productivity boosters they’re cracked up to be? While these tools can help speed up certain tasks, like research and drafting, they can also introduce significant risks if we’re not careful.

In this episode, I dive into the promise and pitfalls of AI task engines and automation tools in law practices. I'll also explain why more working time doesn’t always mean faster delivery, and how managing both working and waiting time is key to improving your firm’s overall efficiency. By the end, you’ll have a clearer understanding of how AI tools can be used effectively in your practice to optimize your firm’s overall process.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.agileattorney.com/80

Mentioned in this episode:

Greenline.legal is Officially in Beta

To set up a demo of this software with me, talk through the workflow challenges and opportunities you have in your practice, and see how Greenline could help, click here: https://the-agile-attorney.captivate.fm/greenlinelegal

GreenlineLegal Demo

New Workshop: Adaptive Kanban for Legal Teams

This live, half-day workshop will teach you the core principles you'll need to create visual workflow systems tailored to the way legal work really happens — so you can spend less time chasing tasks and more time delivering value to your clients.

Kanban Workshop Sept 2025

Summer brings its own pressures - family obligations, vacation planning, and the nagging feeling that your practice needs constant attention. The temptation to squeeze in work between beach trips or check emails during family gatherings can rob you of the very reset this season offers.

In this episode, I'm exploring the importance of using summer as an intentional season of rest and reflection for your law practice. You'll discover practical strategies for disconnecting from work, like allowing yourself to be bored. Most importantly, you'll learn how to use this time to honestly assess your capacity and priorities. By the end, you'll have a clear framework for making summer work for you - not just as a break, but as a strategic investment in your practice's sustainability.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.agileattorney.com/79

Mentioned in this episode:

Greenline.legal is Officially in Beta

To set up a demo of this software with me, talk through the workflow challenges and opportunities you have in your practice, and see how Greenline could help, click here: https://the-agile-attorney.captivate.fm/greenlinelegal

GreenlineLegal Demo

New Workshop: Adaptive Kanban for Legal Teams

This live, half-day workshop will teach you the core principles you'll need to create visual workflow systems tailored to the way legal work really happens — so you can spend less time chasing tasks and more time delivering value to your clients.

Kanban Workshop Sept 2025

Law firm owners often feel overwhelmed by their financial statements, staring at QuickBooks reports that seem to tell only half the story. The disconnect between having financial data and understanding what it means for strategic decision-making creates unnecessary anxiety and missed opportunities.

In this episode, I'm talking with Danielle Hendon, a fractional CFO who specializes in helping law firms transform their relationship with their finances. We explore how to structure your revenue streams and expenses to understand which practice areas are truly profitable, why treating all costs the same way obscures important business decisions, and how budgeting becomes a strategic tool rather than an annual exercise you dread.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.agileattorney.com/78

Mentioned in this episode:

New Workshop: Adaptive Kanban for Legal Teams

This live, half-day workshop will teach you the core principles you'll need to create visual workflow systems tailored to the way legal work really happens — so you can spend less time chasing tasks and more time delivering value to your clients.

Kanban Workshop Sept 2025

Greenline.legal is Officially in Beta

To set up a demo of this software with me, talk through the workflow challenges and opportunities you have in your practice, and see how Greenline could help, click here: https://the-agile-attorney.captivate.fm/greenlinelegal

GreenlineLegal Demo

Legal teams face a unique challenge that factory floors and software developers rarely encounter: managing dozens of active matters simultaneously while dealing with constant interruptions from clients, opposing counsel, and courts. You're juggling multiple cases, each with its own timeline, dependencies, and unpredictable external factors that can derail your best-laid plans.

In this episode, I dive into why the Kanban method is the best-fit system for that reality, and how it helps legal teams reduce overwhelm, spot bottlenecks, and manage work more intentionally. If your team is stuck in reactive mode, tune in to hear how Kanban gives you a practical path forward.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.agileattorney.com/77

Mentioned in this episode:

Greenline.legal is Officially in Beta

To set up a demo of this software with me, talk through the workflow challenges and opportunities you have in your practice, and see how Greenline could help, click here: https://the-agile-attorney.captivate.fm/greenlinelegal

GreenlineLegal Demo

New Workshop: Adaptive Kanban for Legal Teams

This live, half-day workshop will teach you the core principles you'll need to create visual workflow systems tailored to the way legal work really happens — so you can spend less time chasing tasks and more time delivering value to your clients.

Kanban Workshop Sept 2025

Back in the early 2000s, software teams started embracing a new way of working that turned conventional project management on its head. Instead of trying to define everything up front and push massive projects toward a distant deadline, they asked a different question: what’s the most valuable work we can deliver in the next two weeks?

That question gave rise to Scrum—a system built on fixed time, cross-functional teams, and fast feedback. And while it started in software, the lessons apply just as powerfully to legal work. Tune in to hear how you can apply these principles to your practice—especially around prioritization, workflow design, and respecting your finite capacity—so that you’re working smarter, not just harder.

Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.agileattorney.com/76

Mentioned in this episode:

Greenline.legal is Officially in Beta

To set up a demo of this software with me, talk through the workflow challenges and opportunities you have in your practice, and see how Greenline could help, click here: https://the-agile-attorney.captivate.fm/greenlinelegal

GreenlineLegal Demo

New Workshop: Adaptive Kanban for Legal Teams

This live, half-day workshop will teach you the core principles you'll need to create visual workflow systems tailored to the way legal work really happens — so you can spend less time chasing tasks and more time delivering value to your clients.

Kanban Workshop Sept 2025