When it comes to retaining clients, reigning Sole Practitioner of the Year Sarah Stoddart says that being authentic and transparent, including about one's health challenges, makes one more than just a lawyer – it makes one a trusted adviser. On this episode of The Boutique Lawyer Show, host Jerome Doraisamy is joined by Vitality Law Australia director Sarah Stoddart – who recently won the Sole Practitioner of the Year category at the 2021 Women in Law Awards – to discuss how her multiple sclerosis diagnosis has informed her approach with clients, how she has navigated the virtual nature of client service delivery in the last two years and the biggest lessons for engagement in that time. The pair also talk about the critical importance of meaningful and authentic communication, knowing where to draw boundaries, how best other sole practitioners can become more upfront with clients if they so wish, where client engagement sits as an urgent priority on one's "to-do" list, and creative ways that business owners can look to build a client base that is "sticky". If you like this episode, show your support by rating us or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts (The Lawyers Weekly Show) and by following Lawyers Weekly on social media: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you have any questions about what you heard today, any topics of interest you have in mind, or if you'd like to lend your voice to the show, email [email protected] for more insights!