The Lawyer's Edge

In this episode of The Lawyer’s Edge, Elise Holtzman is joined by Leslee Cohen, Founding Partner of AllRise Legal Counsel, to talk about developing leadership skills and building a book of business. Leslee shares how her firm is empowering others, advice for other lawyers looking to grow, and the best practices for delivering value to your clients. Stay tuned!

Pieter van der Hoeven is the Co-founder and CEO of Clocktimizer, a company that helps law firms streamline operations, improve firm-wide profitability, and build and scale pricing and legal project management teams.

Pieter has a background as an attorney-at-law, working at firms including DLA Piper and KPN, both based in the Netherlands. During that time, he spent evenings pouring over data and spreadsheets to provide his clients with transparency, which prompted the desire to automate instead of manually transferring data. It wasn't long before the idea to begin a business came to fruition.

Pieter van der Hoeven and his team at Clocktimizer help law firms and the people within them streamline operations and improve firm-wide profitability. They can do this by optimizing data-driven technology to improve efficiency without all the messy work so you can concentrate on what matters most — the client.

In this episode…

Are you in a law firm that hasn't implemented any technology and feels that you're falling behind? How can software improve client relationships? What technology is out there that can help lawyers with any legal service? Pieter van der Hoeven can tell you.

Pieter van der Hoeven is the Co-founder and CEO of Clocktimizer, providing lawyers with data-driven solutions to budgeting, pricing, operations, and more. As a previous attorney and M&A lawyer, Pieter knows the changing landscape of the legal industry. It's no secret that technology is booming in law, and Pieter is here to tell you how to implement it into any firm.

On this episode of The Lawyer's Edge, Elise Holtzman has a conversation with Co-founder and CEO of Clocktimizer, Pieter van der Hoeven, about technology in the legal field. They discuss how to adopt technology into law firms, what software can do to streamline law, the intersection between technology and relationships, and much more. You won't want to miss this jam-packed episode!

Liel Levy is the Co-founder and Head of Partnerships at Nanato Media, a bilingual digital marketing agency specializing in the US Hispanic market. Nanato Media focuses on helping law firms across the country run relevant campaigns targeting local Hispanic markets. After a career in the food and hospitality space, Liel entered the marketing industry, working as the Assistant Food and Beverage Director and MUZE Restaurant Manager at Mandarin Oriental and Restaurants Manager at Meliá Hotels International.

Liel Levy is the Co-author of the book Beyond Se Habla Español: How Lawyers Win the Hispanic Market and the Co-host of the In Camera Podcast. Liel helps law firms dominate their market through ambicultural digital marketing strategies that lead to exponential business and brand growth. He has all the tools to teach you why and how to market to the Hispanic community and is here to tell you all about it.

In this episode…

Law firms across the country use marketing materials for advertising to clients new and old. Most probably feel confident in their marketing materials. However, there is a whole chunk of the American population that law firms often don't have the tools to market to — the Hispanic community. Liel Levy noticed this and decided to do something to change the landscape.

Liel Levy has been ingrained in Hispanic culture from the day he was born, living in New Mexico and watching his uncle create a law firm specifically for Hispanics. Now, Liel is the Co-founder of Nanato Media, a digital agency focused on helping law firms across the country run relevant campaigns targeting local Hispanic markets. He has all the tools to teach you why and how to market to the Hispanic community and is here to tell you all about it.

On this episode of The Lawyer's Edge, Elise Holtzman talks with Co-founder and Head of Partnerships at Nanato Media, Liel Levy, all about marketing law firms to the Hispanic community. They discuss increasing focus on connecting with Hispanic clients, successful marketing strategies for each sect of the Hispanic community, sensitivity and stress around effective translation, and so much more. You won't want to miss this impactful episode!

Ida Abbott is the President of Ida Abbott Consulting, a consulting firm that has served employers, individuals, partners, and law firms since 1995. Most of her current work focuses on three areas: supporting retirement transitions by helping firms create dignified retirement processes and helping individuals design happy, fulfilling futures; promoting mentoring and sponsorship; and advancing women into leadership. Due to 40-plus years of valuable contributions as a lawyer and consultant, Ida was elected as a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and a Fellow of the College of Law Practice Management, among so many other leadership positions she holds.

Ida's best-selling book, Retirement by Design, was named one of the six best books on retirement and aging by the Wall Street Journal in 2020. Ida Abbot has been recognized nationally and internationally as a thought leader and innovator in developing, retaining, and managing legal talent.

In this episode…

Are you thinking about the prospect of retirement — whether it's in the near or distant future? Do you want to know how to process and plan for retired life effectively?

According to retirement expert Ida Abbott, contrary to popular belief, the transition into retirement typically isn't like riding into a sunset. Instead, the process of retiring is long, difficult, and emotionally-taxing. However, there are many ways to prepare for a new way of life in retirement and help soften the transition financially, emotionally, and mentally. In fact, that's exactly where Ida comes in: to help people plan for retirement, regardless of age, socio-economic class, or career path. So, how can you start to prepare for retirement today to create an easier transition down the road?

In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge Podcast, Elise Holtzman sits down with Ida Abbott, the President of Ida Abbott Consulting, to discuss the importance of planning for retirement. Listen in as Ida talks about her background in the legal profession, why people often avoid thinking about — and planning for — retirement, and some key factors to consider now before retiring later. Stay tuned!

Erin Lawler is the Head of M&BD, Americas at Hogan Lovells, an international law firm that operates at the intersection of business and government. She has over 20 years of experience in Am Law 100 firms, and this is her third leadership role at Hogan Lovells. Erin has established "best in class" client programs and increased collaboration in her previous role as the Global Head of M&BD Operations and Business Management.

Prior to Hogan Lovells, Erin worked in Business Development for Norton Rose Fulbright and WilmerHale, where she developed client retention strategies and other programs to drive revenue growth. Erin lives in Connecticut with her partner and their eight-year-old daughter.

In this episode…

The pandemic disrupted life and business as we know it, including the legal industry. A business that was once face-to-face needed to adjust to virtual contact. This change created a lasting impact on how to engage with clients. How did the pandemic impact your business?

Professional services that were dependent on interaction needed to reassess, and Erin Lawler saw an opportunity for improvement. Coming out of the pandemic, she realized the mechanisms of client communication needed to change. Erin implemented the use of client feedback by changing the mindset of how to conduct a client listening session, and she uses it to strengthen and establish strong relationships to improve the legal industry.

In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge, Elise Holtzman is joined by Erin Lawler, Head of M&BD, Americas at Hogan Lovells, to discuss the impact of client communication. Erin has over 20 years in the industry and is passionate about providing top-level client services. Together they discuss how to focus on business objectives and imperatives, establishing credibility, and delivering top-level client service through feedback. Stay tuned!

Stacey Brown Randall is the Founder of the Brown Randall Group, where she helps business owners generate referrals without asking. As a self-proclaimed Referral Ninja Master, Stacey brings her decades of experience in talent management, marketing, and strategy to teach clients her 5-step formula for gaining referrals in a way that honors and fosters relationships.

Before starting her company, Stacey was an Adjunct Professor at Queens University of Charlotte and Chief Talent Officer at HF Financial, among many other executive roles. Stacey is the author of the award-winning book Generating Business Referrals Without Asking and has been recognized in Forbes, Entrepreneur Magazine, and Business Daily.

In this episode…

Do you struggle with feeling bothersome or needy when attempting to get referrals? Have you considered throwing that marketing strategy out the window? You won't worry anymore after meeting Stacey Brown Randall.

Stacey Brown Randall was working in a corporate job when she decided to leave it all when she discovered the magic of referrals. She now teaches business owners and sales professionals the secrets to generating referrals without even asking, and she's here to tell you all about it.

In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge, Elise Holtzman has a conversation with the Founder of the Brown Randall Group, Stacey Brown Randall, about the world of referrals. They discuss why referrals matter, steps of the referral process, consistency and growth in marketing, and so much more. Stay tuned!

Chelsea Bonini is the Chief Legal Officer for the Conscious Inclusion Company, a woman-owned, minority-operated business dedicated to helping organizations do well from a business perspective while encouraging equality in the workplace. Chelsea founded her law firm, Kiski Law, in 2010 and serves as the CEO. She is also the Chief Legal Officer at Freeman Means Business.

Chelsea was recently elected to the San Mateo County Board of Education in California and serves on the county's Commission on Disabilities. Chelsea Co-founded a nonprofit in 2017 called Not Without Us, which is dedicated to increasing awareness of ableism and to inspiring community action to ensure that all persons with disabilities have equitable and inclusionary opportunities for success in life.

In this episode…

Diversity, equity, and inclusion should be at the forefront of any workplace's values. However, many legal practices put DEI at the back of their minds, especially when it comes to upper management. How can law firms increase awareness about DEI and create change for the better? Chelsea Bonini can tell you how.

Chelsea Bonini advocates for education, housing, mental health awareness, disability rights, and inclusive communities. She has spent her vast career working as a Chief Legal Officer and lawyer at companies dedicated to inclusion and giving people with disabilities equal opportunities. She's here to talk about improving DEI awareness and give you tips on how you can rid your unconscious bias.

In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge, Elise Holtzman talks with Chief Legal Officer at Conscious Inclusion Company, Chelsea Bonini, all about diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. They discuss the importance of understanding DEI and ableism, our collective unconscious bias, how law firms can make a difference, and much more. Stay tuned!

Dr. Heidi Gardner is the Co-founder of Gardner & Co, a research and advisory firm that helps clients across professional services, industry, government, and nonprofit drive change through smarter collaboration. In addition to this, Dr. Gardner is a Distinguished Fellow at Harvard Law School and a Faculty Chair of the school's Accelerated Leadership Program and Sector Leadership Masterclass. She was previously a professor of Organizational Behavior and the Assistant Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School.

Dr. Gardner is also the author of multiple books and academic articles, including the best-seller, Smart Collaboration. She has worked on four continents and has served as a Fullbright Fellow, the Engagement Manager for McKinsey & Company, and more.

In this episode…

How can lawyers improve their collaboration skills, especially when working in different sectors of law? And, what are the benefits of working more collaboratively in 2021 and beyond? Ask Dr. Heidi Gardner, a renowned expert on smart collaboration.

Dr. Heidi Gardner has spent years researching smart collaboration and how it relates to lawyers. She discovered that by collaborating more intentionally and deliberately, lawyers and law firms can reap a number of rewards — from financial to cultural. With her advisory firm Gardner & Co, Dr. Gardner helps firms achieve success through smart collaboration, and now she's here to share her tips with you.

On this jam-packed episode of The Lawyer's Edge, Elise Holtzman sits down with Dr. Heidi Gardner, the Co-founder of Gardner & Co, to talk about everything you need to know about smart collaboration. They discuss Dr. Gardner's tips for building an inclusive workplace culture, why firms should implement industry groups, and how to utilize smart collaboration to drive change and achieve success today. Stay tuned!

Sarah Nichols is the Founder and Managing Attorney at Nichols Law, P.C. Sarah has over 20 years of experience in HR and employment law and provides effective legal representation to employers and employees alike. Before founding her own firm, Sarah worked at Ogletree Deakins as an Employment Attorney.

Sarah has held many positions in the legal field at firms such as Littler Mendelson P.C., Fisher & Phillips, LLP, and Morrison & Foerster LLP. She has also worked as a Lecturer of Law at UC Berkeley and an Adjunct Fellow at the University of California's Hastings College of the Law. Sarah is a skilled public speaker, author, coach, and the host of her own podcast, The Women's Advocate.

In this episode…

The topics of sexism and workplace discrimination are never easy to bring up. If you're a member of the legal industry, you may have experienced it firsthand — or seen it happen to female colleagues. While it's easy to feel as though you have no voice, Sarah Nichols is here to change all that.

As a seasoned attorney and the founder of her own employment firm, Sarah helps both employers and employees with cases of wrongful termination, discrimination, and more. She's a strong advocate for women's rights and is passionate about helping women navigate complex and frustrating workplace challenges. So, what is Sarah's advice to women looking to gain confidence and become better advocates for themselves at work?

On this episode of The Lawyer's Edge, Elise Holtzman sits down with Sarah Nichols, the Founder and Managing Attorney at Nichols Law, P.C., to talk about her strategies for becoming a stronger advocate for yourself in the workplace. Together, they discuss common challenges women face at work, how to effectively negotiate your salary, and why employers need to invest in diverse teams. You won't want to miss this episode!

Vishal Agnihotri is the Chief Knowledge Officer at Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP, a national law firm with over 400 lawyers. Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP delivers a sophisticated legal practice with emphasis in litigation, consumer financial services, environmental law, and much more. As the CKO, Vishal oversees the firm's knowledge management, legal product management, and research services.

Before joining Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP, Vishal held a variety of executive leadership positions, including Chief Knowledge Officer at Akerman LLP and Associate Director of Global Knowledge at KPMG. She has also served as an Advisory Board Member for Rutgers Business School and Bloomberg BNA.

In this episode…

Why does knowledge management matter in the legal industry? How can legal professionals effectively navigate the spread and growth of technology in 2021 and beyond? As Vishal Agnihotri says, it's all about wielding the right information at the right time.

As a Chief Knowledge Officer in the legal field, Vishal has seen technology grow exponentially in the past two decades. She explains that information is power — as long as you know how to wade through the excess to find the right data. Now, she's here to share her expertise on knowledge management and explain how you can leverage the information explosion happening at this very moment.

On this exciting episode of The Lawyer's Edge, Elise Holtzman talks with Vishal Agnihotri, the Chief Knowledge Officer at Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP, about how to navigate the spread of technology and information overload in the legal field. They discuss why knowledge management is essential for lawyers, how to adapt to ever-evolving technology, and her tips for leveraging data to gain a competitive advantage in your field. Stay tuned!