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Affinity Consulting Brings Added Expertise to the Lawyerist Community

It’s been more than a month since the news of Lawyerist joining the ranks of Affinity Consulting Group. In that time, Lawyerist has continued its mission to help solo and small law firm owners build healthier businesses. Now, the small team has increased by two.

In January, long-time Affinity staff members Danielle DavisRoe and Jeff Schoenberger transitioned to the Lawyerist team. Both former practicing attorneys, Danielle and Jeff bring a wealth of legal tech knowledge and industry insights that will benefit the Lawyerist community.

“We are excited to add Danielle and Jeff to our already deep bench of coaching expertise. Their added industry knowledge allows us to offer even more to our community,” said Stephanie Everett, Lawyerist CEO.

How Danielle Found Her Passion for Training

Senior Consultant Danielle DavisRoe had always had a dream to help small businesses succeed. But after graduating from law school in 2011, she ended up at the small two-person family law firm where she had clerked. During her four years at the firm, her ardor for practicing law never materialized. She felt burned out after only a few short years.

During that time, though, Danielle discovered she enjoyed the business side of working at a law practice. Including finding new ways to use technology and systems to improve processes and efficiency. She also discovered her love of training. “I was way more passionate about that than I was about practicing law,” she said.

So, in 2015, Danielle left practicing law behind and started at Affinity Consulting Group, joining the Document Automation team where she coded HotDocs templates. At that time, Document Automation was handling all of Affinity’s Microsoft Office and PDF training. 

“I started doing training and realized that I like that a lot more than automating documents,” Danielle said. “You could help someone. They have a better day after training because something is working better, or it’s less frustrating, or they have more time to sip their coffee because it was more efficient.”

Then, she shifted her work to management consulting with a practice analysis. With the help of interviews and surveys, this provides firms with a holistic view of their business, including what’s working and what’s not. And while the importance of document automation can’t be understated, Danielle enjoys being able to make a difference in the health of a firm more quickly.

Helping Lawyers Work Smarter, Not Harder

Danielle now focuses on creating in-depth training modules and manuals for lawyers to help them work smarter and more efficiently. Current training offerings include Microsoft Office, PowerPoint, Excel, and Teams, along with Adobe products, like Acrobat. These modules don’t just scratch the surface. They delve deep into the programs, helping lawyers use their tech to thrive.

Lawyerist community members will have the chance to work directly with Danielle during Lawyerist Lab’s March Study Group. Through hands-on instruction, attendees will learn to use Microsoft Word styles to format documents with ease. 

Bringing New Expertise and Value to the Lawyerist Community

Danielle is thrilled to join the Lawyerist team and is excited about the value her expertise will bring to Lab members. With plans to expand current training offerings, her knowledge will hugely benefit the day-to-day working lives of our community.  

Knowing that a lawyer’s value isn’t in fighting with technology, it’s in their legal expertise means Danielle has one goal. “My goal is to save people time and energy,” she said. “I don’t want people to work correctly for the sake of working correctly. I want them to use it correctly so their life is better and they’re less frustrated.”

From Helping Clients to Helping Lawyer Clients

Jeff Schoenberger never thought of legal technology as its own career path. While attending law school at the University of Virginia School, he was involved with legal clinics helping people with their legal needs. He thought this one-on-one work was what he most enjoyed. So, after graduation, he moved home to Cincinnati, working on an AmeriCorps Equal Justice Works Fellowship for the Legal Aid Society. 

Amid the Great Recession, much of his work focused on landlord-tenant issues, job losses, and foreclosure defense work. Jeff felt like he was making a difference in people’s lives, instead of standard first-year doc review and memo writing. “It was invigorating to hit the ground running because those were my cases. They were my people. If I don’t do it, no one will,” he said.

But, like many in the non-profit and legal fields, Jeff was taking home the stress of his clients at the end of the day. After three years at the Fellowship, he was ready to find a new path.

A serendipitous CLE course introduced him to Barron Henley, an Affinity Consulting Group owner, and the work of Affinity. “It never occurred to me that there was this whole sphere of lawyers and computers and people who help lawyers be better by using technology,” he said.

Jeff joined the Affinity team in 2012, working almost exclusively on legal tech related to document assembly and automation. In 2016, Affinity started providing practice management advisor (PMA) services to the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA). 

He began writing articles for the ISBA through the PMA deal, helping guide Illinois lawyers in their tech decisions. With his own legal tech experience and access to Affinity’s wealth of industry tech experts, Jeff took over the program in 2019. 

“I like having the opportunity to take what I enjoy and what I know from experience and help bring that technology and efficiency to lawyers,” he said.”

Spreading the Lawyerist Healthy Firm Word

Now part of the Lawyerist team, Jeff will continue his PMA duties, but with a new twist: sharing Lawyerist’s mission and resources. “When I speak at a Bar Association event, for the most part, the folks in the audience are still solo and small firms,” he said. 

“If you’re a two-person firm and your issues are: how do I get clients, how do I manage my own time, how do I make use of a more modest technology budget for the best efficiency?” Jeff sees the potential to bridge the gap and introduce Lawyerist’s small firm-focused content to bar associations to help small law firm owners find the legal tech that best suits their needs. “It is a really good matchup,” he said. “It’s really exciting.” 

Visit Lawyerist’s About Us Page to learn more about Danielle and Jeff. If you’re ready to build a healthier, more efficient business, apply to Lawyerist Lab.

 

In this Economy? Technology for Economic Uncertainty

With the recent mass layoffs from the likes of Google, Amazon, and Twitter, it’s easy to imagine a looming (or existing) economic downturn. Some practices are relatively recession-proof. But, all firms would likely benefit from asking what they will do if the demand for legal services decreases. 

Somewhat counterintuitively, we’ve also seen a decreased appetite for outside investment in legal technology products. After a slew of acquisitions over the last few years, it appears that private investment is starting to dry up. Which makes some sense. On the whole, attorneys are likely going to spend less money in the near future. Meaning, they will likely spend less on their technology.

Yet, in order to compete in a recession, technology is just the thing lawyers should be doubling down on.

There are two ways to compete with other lawyers in an economic downturn. Lawyers either need to win the existing pool of potential new clients or expand the market they can serve. Legal technology, and technology as a whole, can help with this.

Enhancing Productivity

Most lawyers know that technology can help firms automate tasks and increase efficiency. Although they aren’t always implementing appropriate procedures, they are aware of the capabilities, nonetheless. Investing in technology that helps increase productivity lowers the cost of doing business. This, in turn, means that a law firm can either decrease its prices or increase its margins. 

Increasing Client Satisfaction

In addition to enhancing productivity, technology can help law firms increase their client satisfaction. Whether a firm attracts clients through referrals or Google reviews, happy clients generally lead to more clients. Using client relationship managers (CRMs) to track and delight current and potential new clients can easily be the edge one needs in a competitive market. 

Broadening the Market

Perhaps more subtly, technology can also help firms expand their market. No, we’re not talking about using Bankruptcy software to break into a new area of law (although that has value). Here, we mean providing value that current clients didn’t necessarily know a firm had. 

Many times, this means productizing current services, like, offering automated residential leases. This can act both as a source of a steady income and as a lead magnet. 

Other times, this can mean educating clients about what a law firm can really provide. Could a law office be a place where local businesses get together in Mastermind sessions?

No matter what approach a firm takes to prepare for economic uncertainty, one thing is clear—technology can help. We never recommend simply throwing money at software companies. But tightening the belt should not come at the expense of efficiency, productivity, or security. In fact, as one can see from above, this is the time to do more with technology, not less.

Next Steps

If you’d like to learn more about how to choose legal technology, check out our Field Guide to Buying Products and Services. There, you can learn about different types of legal tech, what they are used for, and which ones might be right for your practice.

Law Ruler Brings Softphones Directly to Your CRM

Lead management is a crucial aspect of any law firm’s operations. It helps to ensure that potential new clients (PNCs) are effectively tracked and followed up with in a timely manner. However, managing these leads can be a challenging task, especially for high volume law firms. Many law firms have turned to softphone applications for assistance. Increasingly, though, firms are finding integrated softphones to be their best bet. 

Softphones for Law Firms

Softphones, also known as “virtual phones” or “IP phones” are an alternative to traditional telephone hardware. A softphone system allows users to make and receive phone calls using their computer or mobile device. They allow lawyers to use their firm’s business number while away from their office or on the go.

Additionally, softphones can be used to integrate the functionality of a phone system directly into an application. Client relationship managers (CRM) with a built-in softphone can track and record calls, automate tasks, provide analytics, and increase productivity.This is done all within the same piece of software. Call information (duration, disposition, and participants) is stored in the same place as a PNC’s information (name, marketing sources, and case type). This makes tracking, automation, and reporting easier.

Automated Call Tracking and Management

One of the most important features of Law Ruler’s softphones is the ability to automatically track and manage all incoming and outgoing calls. Firms can assign calls to particular users and set up round-robin call distribution.  Firms can also create automations that make sure no PNC goes unnoticed. Managers see what users are doing in real time so they can more effectively distribute resources. Law Ruler’s softphones provide a complete record of all calls made to and from potential clients. This information can be used to track the progress of the lead and help identify improvements to the lead management process.

Automated Lead Management Tasks

Another key feature of Law Ruler’s softphones is the ability to automate lead management tasks. The software can automatically schedule follow-up calls and send email reminders to potential clients who have not yet responded to an initial call. This helps to ensure that leads are followed up with in a timely manner, and significantly increases the chances of converting them into clients. Law Ruler’s softphones also allow law firms to set up automated follow-up tasks. These can be customized to meet the specific needs of the firm, helping to ensure that no lead goes unresponded to.

Analytics and Reporting

Law Ruler’s softphones also offer a wide range of analytics and reporting tools that help law firms to better understand their leads. The software stores detailed information on the number and length of calls made and received, and the number of leads that have been converted into clients. This information can help identify areas where the firm can improve its lead management process. Firms can then focus on leads that have a higher likelihood of converting into clients. With Law Ruler’s softphones, law firms can access real-time data and analytics on their leads to make better-informed decisions and improve their lead conversion rate.

Direct Integration into the CRM

Law Ruler’s softphones fully integrate with a firm’s legal client relationship management software. Lawyers can manage all aspects of a case—leads, calls, tasks, and appointments— all in one place. This helps streamline the lead management process and make it more efficient.  This can save law firm’s time and resources.

Easy to Use

Law Ruler’s softphones are simple to use, and can be quickly adopted by law firms of all sizes. Accessible from any device, the software can be easily integrated with a firm’s other tools and software. With Law Ruler’s softphones, law firms can improve their lead management process without having to invest in expensive new hardware or software.

Law Ruler Softphone Demo

Recently, Zack sat down with Matthew Defrain to talk about the specifics of the Law Ruler softphones. They dig further into the automations, workflows, and general use of the Law Ruler softphones in the video below.

How to Get It

To see first-hand how Law Ruler can automate your marketing and get you more clients, schedule a free demo today! Law Ruler is much more than integrated softphones. As part of the ProfitSolv family, they can be used on their own or as part of a larger cohesive legal tech stack.

 

5 Tips to Ease Growing Pains During Your Firm’s Teenage Years

The teenage years. Just saying the words can strike fear in hearts and minds. They’re years that can be filled with confusion and lows and highs of confidence and emotions. These years include growth, transition, and big, exciting (and sometimes scary) changes. Much like a human adolescent, mid-stage law firm businesses face similar challenges.

Teenage businesses have already made major strides. They’ve identified their ideal client, developed systems and procedures, and set a solid footing. But, once a business is out of start-up mode, what’s next? 

Ease Law Firm Growing Pains

Lawyerist Lab coach Karen Graves is an expert in shepherding businesses through their teenage years. She offers five tips to help ease the growing pains for law firm owners navigating these crucial years.

Start Hiring

Mid-stage law firm owners often find there isn’t enough time in the day. They already have a full plate between being the decision-maker, running their business, managing their team, meeting with clients, and actually practicing law. There’s a solution. Hire.

At this stage, law firm owners should be operating as the CEO. While “doing it all” may work for law firm owners in the early years, it’s not sustainable. Karen suggests owners take time to reflect on what they love to do and what only they can do. Then, decide how to best spend time and hire a trustworthy team to do the rest.

Slow Down and Get Clarity

According to Karen, slowing down and unplugging can be a powerful exercise. Law firm owners should take a day or a weekend retreat—whatever time is needed—to assess what they are building. This is a time to be brutally honest about where things are great and where they fall short. 

Law firm owners should ask themselves:

  • What do I really want?
  • What am I looking for?
  • What’s working and what can improve?
  • Where are there holes in processes and systems?
  • What areas need support and what does an ideal hire look like?

This honest reflection will help provide much-needed clarity around a firm’s current state and help owners envision an even better future.

Get Uncomfortable and Learn to Let Go

Much like a teenager, a business’s mid-phase is a renewal of identity. Owners are shifting into their new CEO role, which can be a difficult transition. Karen’s advice is to be okay with getting uncomfortable.

Many find it hard to loosen the reins after they’ve built something from nothing. But there is freedom in letting go. Let go of the tasks your team can handle. Let go of doubts. Let go of perfection. As a leader, law firm owners are growing every day. It’s constant, it’s hard, and it’s not always comfortable. But it’s also exciting. As a result, letting go leaves room for more growth.  

Give Yourself Grace

Mistakes happen. And like a teenager, mid-stage business owners are learning as they go. This is a time full of new experiences and new understanding. Law firm owners should remember that this is a stage for rediscovery and to step into a new level of confidence and competence. 

“It is a powerful space to take a minute and slow down.”

Owners will stretch their skills in leadership and communication, compassion, and empathy. They won’t always get it right. But it’s okay to stumble along the way because it’s an opportunity for grace.

Get a Coach

The teenage years are often make-it-or-break-it years for a business. Enlisting the help of a law firm business coach can give owners critical insight into the health of their small law firm. The right coach can offer the proper support and knowledge to guide a law firm owner into the next successful stage of business, including solid long-term vision planning. In addition, the right business coach holds an owner accountable and helps them navigate the different steps and strategies to advance their business.

Lawyerist Lab is our coaching program specifically for solo and small law firm owners. Our coaches help build solid foundations for business systems, so every aspect of a practice runs smoothly. Lawyerist Lab members find the support, encouragement, and advice they need to build a healthier law firm

Want to learn more from Karen about navigating your firm’s teenage years? Listen to The Lawyerist Podcast Episode #421 Leading Your Firm Through Adolescence.

 

Lawyerist Announces Pre-order for The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited

The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited, the next edition of the popular how-to manual for solo and small-firm law firms is available for pre-order on January 30th.

First published in 2019, The Small Firm Roadmap sold over 10,000 copies and spawned a culture of client-centric small law firms focused on breaking the traditional firm model.

Far More Than a Business Book

In Revisited, authors Stephanie Everett and Aaron Street update several concepts, including the Lawyerist concept of healthy firms.

As frequent Lawyerist podcast guest and therapist, Dr. Sherry Walling, says, “Far more than a business book, The Small Firm Roadmap is a sanity manual. Many, many entrepreneurial attorneys live with burnout, anxiety, addiction, and broken relationships. But that doesn’t have to be the case.”

By centering wellbeing, Revisited walks through each part of a firm as it relates to the whole person—client, team member, or owner.

Dispelling the Partner Myth

Additionally, Everett and Street introduce a more controversial topic: owners vs. partners.

In Revisited, the authors dispel the idea that a partnership track should be synonymous with a lawyer’s professional development and status.

“This new edition explores what it means to be a law firm owner (partner) vs. a manager.”

stephanie everett

“Most workers in the U.S. don’t expect to be ‘elevated’ to an ownership status as recognition for 10 years of hard work. And yet, that is exactly what we do in the legal industry,” write Everett and Street.

Instead, the authors urge firms to label owners and managers separately to align with the goals and compensation the titles imply.

“Law firms have confused these roles and concepts for too long. This new edition explores what it means to be a law firm owner (partner) vs. a manager. We tackle what type of decisions each group should own to ensure the firm is run effectively and builds value,” said Everett.

The Mission Remains the Same

Beyond these and other changes to the new edition, The Small Firm Roadmap’s mission is steady: teaching solo and small-firm lawyers how to build a people-centered business that is effectively managed and ultimately more valuable.

The Small Firm Revisited hits stores on February 20th. Pre-order January 30th.

 

Managing Files and Information in a Law Firm

As we say in our Legal Tech Guide, law firm Knowledge Management (KM) is about the organization of company information and files. This means business info, HR info, client info, and any other information that a law firm collects, stores, reviews, or interacts with.

All law firms have KM systems. Unfortunately, many firms have a helter-skelter implementation. All too often they simply claim, “well, this is how my mind works.” Or, “the system works for me.” Commonly, however, a significant amount of time is wasted finding or recreating information.

Knowledge Management isn’t simply Document Management. Although Document Management is an aspect of KM, KM is much larger. Lawyers, and most businesses, deal in information. The more efficiently they can access it, the better.

Why is Knowledge Management important?

“Working” doesn’t always translate into “working well,” however. Knowledge Management aims to balance quick and efficient access to law firm files and information with thoughtful and appropriate data security. Storing all the files in the file room or saving them on an attorney’s local drive doesn’t necessarily accomplish either of these.

Accessibility

One key to good KM is being able to access the right information at the right time. There are two aspects to accessibility, though. Firms will initially want to make sure the data is in a place where users can get to it (i.e. remote firms using the cloud). Then, they’ll want to confirm the people who need access to the information (and only those people) have the credentials to do so. 

Security

Law firms also have a responsibility to use reasonable efforts to protect their client files. And, although there is not necessarily an affirmative duty to do so, they should also protect their business files and teammate information with the same vigor.

Protecting client files, however, doesn’t simply mean keeping them confidential. Lawyers also have a duty to keep their client files from being destroyed, damaged, or lost. Ransomware attacks, for example, will remove a law firm’s access to their files. Although there may be no confidentiality issue, losing a client file would likely rise to the level of unprofessional conduct (provided reasonable efforts to protect them weren’t taken).

Scalability

Some solutions, although they work, aren’t scalable enough. Even the siren song of OneDrive turns dissonant once multiple users need access to the files. Propper KM practices should take into account the direction of the firm’s growth in both personnel and location. Knowledge Management isn’t just about managing law firm files for the here-and-now, but also for what comes next.

How can firms better understand and implement KM principles?

Understanding a Law Firm’s Knowledge Management

Whether talking about accessibility or security, the first step in a law firm’s knowledge management journey is to document the information they maintain. It may seem superfluous to create more information about the files and data a law firm manages. But it is important to understand the scope and scale of the firm’s knowledge.

This documentation can be as simple as an Excel spreadsheet. It should obviously keep track of the what and the where of the information. Firms should also note the sensitivity of the information, who should have access to it (including any third parties), and the importance of the information to the firm. 

On the whole, when thinking about where this information should live, firms should focus on finding, rather than sorting. More often than not, users are searching for files rather than following a folder structure to a known destination.

Bryce Phillips, document management systems (DMS) consultant at Affinity Consulting Group,  sees one common mistake during initial knowledge management systems implementation. According to Phillips,  many firms “ overuse granular classifications due to the mindset of folder structures.” He goes on to say, “The real benefit of a full document management system is the searching capabilities that it offers users.” Since many document management platforms will allow us to search for information inside of the files, this method is much more powerful than simply organizing by title, client, matter, or document type.

Implementing Knowledge Management in a Firm

Once a firm understands what knowledge they are trying to manage, it’s time to build the system. Which means it’s time to document the features that you need. This can likely be a second sheet in the Excel workbook from above. In this sheet, a firm will list things like, “sharing with outside counsel”, “courtroom access of client files”, or “document retention.” 

While the firm creates this list, it should also note the importance of each feature. Phillips suggests separating the nice-to-haves from the must-haves. This will help firms quickly eliminate products that aren’t right for them. Although there will never be a perfect product, it’s important to get the big things right.

Once a knowledge management system is chosen, firms should focus on top-down buy-in. Too often, an office will implement processes and systems (often with great effort) just to see them go unused. “The system will do the firm zero good if only part of a firm is actually utilizing it,” said Phillips.

Hand-in-glove with top-down buy-in is a periodic review. Firms should keep in mind that, like any other system, this is a growing and changing organism. Firms should revisit their plan periodically to determine what can be done better and what can be eliminated. This will ensure the system is not in danger of becoming unwieldy and bloated.

More about Systems and Procedures

Knowledge management is only one of many systems in a firm’s repertoire. A modern firm should understand how to build these systems, document their procedures, and implement best practices in their offices. For more on this topic, visit our Healthy Systems resource page.

 

On The Lawyerist Podcast: Top Episodes of 2022

Well, that’s a wrap on 2022 of the Lawyerist Podcast and it was another bang-up year! We celebrated 400 episodes and welcomed over 60 guests who shared their expertise in a diverse range of professional (and sometimes surprising) areas. 

Most importantly, The Lawyerist Podcast spent another year helping small law firm owners find a path to a healthier business life. We’ve compiled a list of 2022’s most popular episodes. Whether you’re a first-time listener or a long-time fan, you’ll want to check these out.

Episode #383: Designing the Life You Want Instead of a Job You Have, with Stanley Tate

How do you want your life to look? When student loan lawyer Stanley Tate went into practice, he gave himself permission to be himself. Learn how the game changed when he designed his life to allow him to be the best version of himself and built his business to suit that life.

A line that made us think: “I’m just gonna be the familial colloquial version of me, and that’s gonna work for some people, and it’s not gonna work for some people. And I’m okay with that. That just gave me peace showing up every day. Because I get to show up as me, and that’s ok.”

Go Deeper: Podcast Episode 383

Designing the Life You Want Instead of a Job You Have

Listen to Episode

Episode #396: How My Life (and Law Practice) Changed When I Became a Sober Lawyer, with Sarah Soucie Eyberg

Lawyerist Lab member and social security disability attorney Sarah Soucie Eyberg needed a change. She found herself over-imbibing at alcohol-laden professional events and using alcohol to cope with life’s stressors. She details her journey to sobriety while being a practicing lawyer and a working mother. Hear how her trajectory changed when she leaned on family, exercise, and mental health resources for lawyers.

A line that made us think: “…this idea of wellbeing, which we know is not simply the absence of illness, right? Some people think, well, I’m not sick. That doesn’t mean that you’re well.”

Go Deeper: Podcast Episode 396

How My Life (and Law Practice) Changed When I Became a Sober Lawyer

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Episode #400: Get Beyond the Billable Hour, with Ron Baker

Is it time to retire the billable hour? According to Ron Baker, founder of the VerSage Institute, bifurcating a life into billable and non-billable leads to one thing: guilt. He explains how to shift your thinking away from billable and non-billable and outlines different approaches when considering a client-first, value-focused pricing model.

A line that made us think: “I truly do believe that the only place time spent should matter is in prison.”

Go Deeper: Podcast Episode 400

Get Beyond the Billable Hour

Listen to Episode

Episode #373: Overcoming the Likeability Trap, with Alicia Menendez

How do women break down society’s barriers that tell them what they should and shouldn’t do and who they should and shouldn’t be? Alicia Menendez, MSNBC anchor and author of The Likeability Trap, wanted to learn more about what likeability means for women and how it dictates their perception in the professional world. Women proudly take up space, throwing over the value of likeability, and learning to be authentically themselves.

A line that made us think: “We expect men to assert themselves. We don’t expect that of women. And so women, when women do that, it very often offends people’s expectations of what they believe they want from women.”

Go Deeper: Podcast Episode 373

Overcoming the Likeability Trap

Listen to Episode

Episode #406 Harnessing Anxiety for Good, with Dr. Wendy Suzuki

Every person deals with anxiety on some level. What if you could take your anxiety and use it for your benefit? Dr. Wendy Suzuki, the author of Good Anxiety, discusses the root causes of anxiety, negativity bias, joy conditioning, and how to channel anxiety into actionable steps to fuel productivity.

A line that made us think: “Let me ask everybody out there once the last time you consciously sat back and remembered a joyful memory. Like, one of the best, one of your top three in your life. That’s joy conditioning. That’s something that everybody can do to kind of counter all that fear conditioning that has happened all the time.”

Go Deeper: Podcast Episode 406

Harnessing Anxiety for Good

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Episode #405 The Diverse Ways People Think, with Temple Grandin

Have you considered how members of your team think differently? This doesn’t mean where they stand on the issues of the day. Instead, it means how they literally think, process information, and problem-solve. Dr. Temple Gradin, academic, animal behaviorist, and Autism rights proponent, talks about different types of thinkers, their strengths, and why it’s important to have different thinkers on your team.

A line that made us think: “You need to have both because the visual thinkers tend to ramble and the mathematical thinkers put in way too much detail. You see, you need to have all three kinds of thinkers.”

Go Deeper: Podcast Episode 405

The Diverse Ways People Think

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Episode #384 Delivering Bad News to Clients, with Marjorie Aaron

Delivering bad news to clients is, unfortunately, inevitable. But there is a way to do it better. Marjorie Aaron, Director of the Center for Practice at the University of Cincinnati College of Law, details how lawyers can communicate more effectively to deliver bad news to clients better. You may find yourself surprised by her suggestions.

A line that made us think: “If you get off on the wrong foot, if you say something that’s a little off to the client right in the beginning, does that mean that there can’t be a recovery? No, but it’s a lot better if you start off well.”

Go Deeper: Podcast Episode 384

Delivering Bad News to Clients

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Episode #401 How to Value Your Law Firm, with Tom Lenfestey

Every firm owner should focus on building something that has value and having an exit strategy means what you’ve built will continue. Tom Lenfestey, owner of The Law Practice Exchange, details four different approaches to defining the value of your firm.

A line that made us think: “I really think it’s going to help with mental health as well. Just not feeling so locked in. I don’t have any options. This is where I’m stuck. If you build it the right way, you should have options.”

Go Deeper: Podcast Episode 401

How to Value Your Law Firm

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Episode #378 Pulling the Trigger on Hiring, with Allison Harrison

Before joining Lawyerist Lab, Allison Harrison didn’t have a clear direction. Almost immediately after working with Lab coaches, she found her focus. And she learned when it’s the right time to hire and how to hire the right person for the job, or let a wrong hire go quickly.                                                                   

A line that made us think: “If you wait and hire when you can’t see straight, you don’t have the time to train anyone. And then you’re not gonna be happy with who you’ve hired or their performance because you didn’t give a fair chance.”

Go Deeper: Podcast Episode 378

Pulling the Trigger on Hiring

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Whew! That’s it. And they are all not-to-be-missed conversations. Visit our podcast page and subscribe to The Lawyerist Podcast, wherever you listen to podcasts, to stay up to date.

 

Lawyerist’s Merger Announcement with Affinity Consulting Means Two Brands, One Team, Healthier Firms

Lawyerist is adding more expertise, resources, and expanded ways to help firms through its recent merger with Affinity Consulting Group. 

On January 1, 2023, Lawyerist Media, LLC, the go-to resource for small law firms building healthier businesses, merged with Affinity Consulting Group, LLC, the leading consulting firm helping legal organizations find better ways to work.

Affinity Offers Hands-on Implementation Services

While the two teams are similar, Affinity Consulting offers more design and implementation services. Similar to Lawyerist, Affinity Consulting works with legal teams on strategic plans, firm retreats, training, and business coaching. While Lawyerist has traditionally offered a “done with you” implementation plan, Affinity Consulting provides customized “done for you” solutions. 

The Affinity team is the go-to team for designing, building, and implementing new technology and system solutions for legal teams. The Affinity team helps firms through the entire configuration and rollout process for all the tools firms need, including:

  • Practice management
  • Billing and accounting    
  • Salesforce consulting
  • Document automation
  • Document management

“Affinity Consulting is the only choice for teams looking to outsource the building and implementation of tech solutions for their firm. They bring a new level of services to our community that we haven’t previously been able to offer,” explains Lawyerist CEO Stephanie Everett. “We are so excited to share their expertise with our community.” 

Lawyerist Grows Stronger

While the merger means some internal changes, it will not change how the legal community interacts with the Lawyerist brand. Lawyers can still:

“It might not look like much has changed for many of the lawyers in our community, but they will all benefit from the additional expertise and resources the Affinity team brings to the table,” said Lawyerist CEO Stephanie Everett. “Affinity’s resources will allow us to build more tools and services to help small firms build future-focused firms.” 

Lawyerist + Affinity Build for the Future

Leadership for the enhanced team is excited to explore new ways to expand services and value to the legal community. “This is a deal where 1+1 = 19 in that our teams really are better and stronger together,” said Affinity Group’s co-founder and Managing Partner, Debbie Foster. “This merger will benefit the entire legal community as our teams come together to build new products and tools that legal organizations of all sizes need most right now.”  

“This merger will benefit the entire legal community as our teams come together to build new products and tools that legal organizations of all sizes need most right now.” 

debbie foster

The beginning of 2023 includes The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited, the second edition of Lawyerist’s best-selling book. And, a new podcast, Powerful Leaders No Apologies, a show focused on women in legal owning their power and changing the world. 

Lawyers interested in learning how the team can help their firms can connect at Affinity Consulting Group or Lawyerist.

 

Incrementalism Helps Lawyers Tackle Big Ideas

Incrementalism—dividing large goals into bite-sized chunks—is the key to finishing a project on time and remaining sane. This is why Lawyerist Lab members work in 3-week sprints. Working in sprints, lawyers meet with their community and a coach to tackle one specific goal, like automating their client intake.

With this type of snappy incrementalism, attorneys use this time to get projects done. This includes projects that lingered on to-do lists because the goal felt too daunting or unimportant in the moment. 

For example, say a lawyer wants to revamp their client onboarding process. Instead of tackling that giant, complicated beast, they start by spending one hour a week, for three weeks, analyzing and rewriting their engagement letters. Then, they would move to the next part of their onboarding plan in the same time-limited format.

Short, Sweet, Effective, and Efficient

Since October, lawyers in Lawyerist’s Lab coaching program have been working in sprints. Facilitated by a coach, the community has met for one hour a week for three weeks. They’ve tackled automating their client intake, updating their operations manual, and creating a hiring process. 

During their weekly one-hour virtual meeting, the groups brainstorm, edit, and build. Then, they spend the time between meetings fleshing out their projects.

The format has been wildly successful. “I thought this was a near-perfect format,” said Lawyerist Lab member Matthew Swanlund. “Short, sweet, effective, and efficient. No wasted time and everyone was focused on results.”

Working in sprints also makes measuring progress easier. For example, Lawyerist Lab Ryan Riesterer worked on automating his client intake this past quarter. 

Instead of a long project where time measurements get muddied as the project goes on, he could nail down his exact time saved. “I estimate saving myself one to two hours per prospective client,” said Riesterer.

Finding Time to Work on the Business

Working in sprints also allows lawyers to work on their business in between doing actual client work. Finding time to squeeze this type of work in can be stressful. Portioning the work into a short period with small steps creates a much-needed space to get things done. 

Labster Allison Harrison worked on creating a delegation plan this quarter. For her, the most valuable part of working in sprints was “making delegation the top of my radar for three weeks.”

Ready to get the tools to work on your business? The Lawyerist Lab coaches are ready to meet you. 

 

BluShark Adds Strategy to Law Firm Social Media Content

The goal of most content marketing is to drive potential new clients to a lawyer’s website. Social media posts, as a form of content marketing, should do that for an attorney as well. BluShark Digital uses social media platforms to supplement and enhance its clients’ marketing strategy.

Although many attorneys use social media, not all of them do it well. Posts are rarely incorporated into an overall scheme. BluShark understands that social media strategy should include just that—strategy. With proper planning, platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and even LinkedIn can become powerful assets in a firm’s intake efforts.

In reality, however, most firms simply don’t have the time to sit down and create a social media strategy. And those that do have the time, rarely have the experience to make it work. The obvious solution, other than ignoring it, is to hand off many of the responsibilities to an experienced third party. Still, lawyers will need to have an idea of what they want to accomplish before they can hand it off.

Social Media Strategy for Law Firms

Before a firm can have a good social media strategy, it will need a good content marketing strategy. This means understanding their ideal client, what voice to use, and what content appeals to their audience. With BluShark, this means asking, “Who is this for?” And, “What do we want to accomplish with this?”

In some cases, social media can be used to enhance a firm’s credibility among its peers. For example, a firm that relies on referrals may simply want to connect with its network. Or a firm might use social media to expand its network by engaging with other thought leaders.

Other firms may want to amplify their brand awareness. A DUI attorney may not have an extensive referral network, but they can get their name out to the public. Sometimes that means letting the firm’s personality shine through. Commenting on recent news on Twitter or posting thoughtful newsletters on LinkedIn can help establish relationships with future potential new clients.

How to Get It

What to learn more about using social media in law firm content marketing? Check out our full review of BluShark Digital, including community comments, features, FAQs, and more videos.

Ready to contact BluShark directly, request a consultation from them over at BluSharkDigital.com.

 

Documate Improves Data Manager to Help Lawyers Build Powerful Automations

At this point, lawyers know that document automation is more than just merging form fields into a static document. It’s also more than just conditional statements and formatting. Used thoughtfully, the apps or workflows created in Documate can gather a tremendous amount of information. Many law firms have built intake applications, self-serve document creators, and even client portals. Documate has recently updated the power and usability of its Data Manager to account for this.

What is Documate’s Data Manager?

Data Manager, as the name suggests, is where information ingested by each app is stored. Generally, it will gather information like name, address, phone number, and email address. It can store things like incident dates, the number of children, and drop-down menu selections. Lawyers who are familiar with databases like Airtable will find it comfortable to use.

Simply storing this information is something that every document automation product has to do. But, creating a method to use this information is not something they all do well. The ability to use the information in multiple documents and multiple apps is what Documate has in the form of Data Manager.

Building with Data Manager

With Data Manager, the information that is gathered when creating a document can be accessed outside of that document. Users find the line item for the information they want to use and select that information. They can then run alternative apps using that data.

This helps to reduce the double entry of information in a lawyer’s practice. Which, in turn, helps to reduce errors. An attorney can gather some personal information about their client in the initial interview and use that in a later document. For example, a client inputs their first name, last name, and address for the engagement letter. That information can be used later when creating a simple residential lease for them.

There is much more that can be done by the savvy attorney. Recently, our Legal Tech Advisor, Zack Glaser, sat down with Dorna Morni, of Documate to discuss the new and improved Data Manager. Have a look and see what else the Data Manager has to offer.

Demo of Data Manager with Documate

How to Get It

Ready to learn more about data in Documate? Check out our full review. There you will find community reviews, additional demos, features charts, and more. Remember that Lawyerist subscribers get additional discounts through the Affinity Benefits offered by our partners.

 

Accel Marketing Helps Law Firms Gain Clients with Custom Educational Content

Content marketing is a fundamental aspect of a lawyer’s web presence. But not all lawyers understand what content they should be creating. Many simply want to “go viral” or “get more views” on social media platforms. Accel Marketing understands that law firm content needs a purpose. 

Lawyers should create content that their potential new clients (PNCs) want to consume. Answering questions PNCs often ask builds trust with readers. They also build authority with search engines—which drives SEO and SERP.

Law Firm Content Marketing

It’s not always easy to practice law and create compelling content for PNCs. Lawyers often find that they don’t know exactly what it is their clients want to know. More commonly, however, they often don’t know who their potential clients really are or how to engage them.

Accel Marketing is a boutique law firm marketing partner. They don’t apply one-size-fits-all (or even one-size-fits-many) approaches to their client marketing. They determine the individual needs of each law firm and create custom educational content for their clients.

Custom Educational Content with Accell Marketing

Depending on the nature of a firm’s PNCs, this may be a blog post, an article, or even a video. Accel Marketing builds this content specifically for its clients. Or, more specifically, for its clients’ clients. 

This content is then used within the overall marketing efforts of the firm. Blogs are posted on social media, articles are backlinked, and questions from potential clients are specifically answered. This builds authority both on and off the internet platforms.

Recently, our Legal Tech Advisor Zack, sat down with Accel’s Vice President, Phil Bolton, to ask about the creation of custom educational content. Watch the video below to learn more.

Interview with Accel Marketing

How to Get it

Want to know more? Check out our full review of Accel Marketing Solutions. There, you can read community reviews, compare features, and view more demo videos. If you’d rather jump right in, get a free consultation at accelmarketingsolutions.com.

 

Automations Are Key to Reducing Law Firm Errors

Automations can be a great help to any law firm. They can reduce errors, decrease needed effort, and even manage workflows. Yet, most offices don’t automate as effectively as they would like. Often, they are overwhelmed by the possibilities or don’t know where to start.

Although they can get complex, firms only need to create basic automations to realize the benefits. Something as simple as filing an email can save hours of work. And products like Gmail and Outlook are making it easier and easier to do so.

Even moderate automations, however, are usually within the skills of a modern lawyer. Many technology products have been focusing on no-code automation capabilities. This means it’s unnecessary for a programmer to create these systems.

Basic Concepts of Law Firm Automation

Law firm automation often conjures up images of complex Rube Goldberg machines running our offices. Yet, the basic concepts behind automation are quite simple. A trigger starts the automation, and it results in an action.

A Trigger is a predefined event that initiates an automation. It can be the passing of a date, the creation of an email, or the entry of data into a form field. Often, it’s the manual click of a submit button. But it can be as simple as receiving an email from a certain address.

An Action, on the other hand, is a step taken based on the trigger. Each time the trigger event passes it initiates the actions. For example, an email arrives, and then an out-of-office response sends. Or, commonly, in law firms, an online form is filled out and a task is created.

To automate a process, these two things need to be connected. The Action has to have a way of knowing the trigger event has passed. Usually, this means that the trigger exists in the same piece of software in which the Action happens. However, platforms like Zapier and Power Automate are helping firms connect platforms without needing to write any code.

How to Use Automations in a Law Firm

It’s one thing to know how to automate tasks, and it’s another to know what to automate. Once people understand the basics, they can see triggers and actions everywhere. Smart firms will have a plan for where to start and how to manage and maintain their automations for the future.

The best place to begin is to look at the firm’s documented processes. Once there, the team will likely begin to see places where they can trigger actions automatically. These potential automations will vary in their implementation difficulty and in their effectiveness. Obviously, they should start with the ones requiring the least effort and having the most significant impact.

Once created, an automation must be maintained and revisited on a regular cadence. Automations are an integral part of a firm’s documented processes. Written documentation of triggers and actions helps avoid untangling a labyrinthine mess in the future.

Learn More about Implementing Systems

Part of running a Healthy Firm is creating and maintaining Healthy Systems. In our resource area, lawyers can learn how to document their processes, manage their projects, and build and maintain their legal tech stack. Head to Healthy Systems to get started, and check out some of our related Podcast episodes.

 

Virtually Anywhere: Aaron Thomas Trades a Briefcase for a Backpack in Costa Rica

Many professions have enjoyed the freedom of remote work for years. That hasn’t always been true for law firm owners tied to in-office client meetings, courtroom appearances, and in-person teams to manage. But, the game has changed.

It’s no secret that 2020 caused a monumental shift in the legal profession. Since then, video conferencing, virtual court dates, remote work, and cloud-based file management have become the norm. Some law firm owners are choosing to shake off the confines of geography. They’re not just working remotely, they’re jet setting to far-flung places and working abroad. (Obviously, these jet-setting lawyers are checking the relevant rules of professional conduct. No one wants to accidentally run afoul of any unauthorized practice of law rules.)

Remote Law in Practice

Only one of Aaron Thomas’s clients commented on his changed Zoom background. She assumed he had moved into another room. But Aaron, a Lawyerist Lab Legacy member, wasn’t only in another room—he was in another country, almost on another continent, thousands of miles away. 

Aaron, with his wife and two-year-old daughter, were in Costa Rica. 

It wasn’t their first time abroad. In 2014, the pair took a sabbatical year with Aaron freelance writing while they traveled around South and Central America. After that experience, they promised to embark on a similar trip every seven years.

Life happens, though. In 2015, Aaron opened his Atlanta-based family law firm. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic hit and the world shutdown. He then welcomed his first daughter, and soon, it was eight years later. But that itch to live abroad had not subsided.

Costa Rica sunset. Image Credit: Aaron Thomas 2022

Planning to Work Abroad

Aaron is a firm believer in work fitting into your life, not life fitting into your work. Even before the pandemic, he encouraged a flexible working environment for his team. “If you can trust your people to work from their houses,” he said. “You can trust them to work from wherever they are sitting with their laptop.”

He had already laid the framework for a remote firm with online processes, systems, and procedures in place. If he could run his firm, meet with clients, and attend court from his home, why couldn’t he do the same somewhere else?

So, after some encouragement from his mastermind group, Aaron and his family decided to do a test run. They would spend six weeks living and working in Costa Rica. Aaron’s wife’s Spanish language fluency, the perfect weather, and its central standard time zone made it an easy choice.

Once decided, Aaron had to figure out how to make it a seamless transition. His primary concerns were having a solid internet connection and having easy access to the airport in case he was called for an in-person court appearance, and childcare. Turns out, it was easier than he could have imagined. 

“I attended court from Costa Rica. I met with clients. I did consultations. I managed my staff—the whole nine—all from Costa Rica with a two-year-old in tow,” he said.

After weighing his primary concerns, Aaron and his family opted to live in San Jose, Costa Rica’s capital city. They found a modern apartment with high-speed internet and excellent child care within walking distance. It was a quick drive to the airport if Aaron needed to hop on a flight at the last minute.

Labster Aaron Thomas in Pura Vida, CR. Image Credit: Aaron Thomas 2022

Practicing Law in Another Country

His plan went off without a hitch. Aaron kept normal weekday business hours, although he took more walks than usual. Clients and the courts never even knew he was abroad, just as he had hoped.

During his six weeks abroad, Aaron’s internet only went down once during a virtual hearing. Something that could just as easily happen at home in Atlanta. He had planned ahead though, quickly rejoining after turning his phone into a hotspot using a Costa Rican sim card. 

During the evenings they explored (and ate their way through) their San Jose neighborhood known as the Paseo Gastronomico. On the weekends, they adventured. “The beach was two hours away. The rainforest was two hours away,” Aaron said.

They splurged on a luxury retreat, staying in a casita in the rainforest. They explored Costa Rican nature. They ate, they enjoyed, they lived. All while keeping his business running smoothly, his team engaged, and his clients happy. The only thing Aaron missed during his six weeks away? His wide-screen monitor.

Advice for Jet-Setting Attorneys

If Aaron has any advice for law firm owners who dream of going abroad, it would be: try it. “Try for a month. If a month is too crazy, try it for two weeks,” he said. “If that’s too crazy, try for one week. Go somewhere for one week, work remotely, and see if you can pull it off. It’s more doable than people expect.”

Go somewhere for one week, work remotely, and see if you can pull it off. It’s more doable than people expect.

There are two things Aaron recommends for those interested in working abroad. First, plan for the worst-case scenario (i.e., being called into court) and identify the solution (i.e., living close to the airport). Second, would be to get a business credit card with a travel points program.

There is one thing he’d do differently for his next stint abroad. After working with his laptop and using his iPad as a second screen, “I would buy some extension cords and a cheap, larger monitor as soon as I got there,” he said. 

With his Costa Rica test a resounding success, Aaron and his family didn’t stay still. In May they took a trip to the Galapagos and have plans for a trip to Barcelona in 2023.

Remote Practice in the Future

As for living abroad again, Aaron already has plans in the works for the coming year. Since returning from Costa Rica, Aaron has moved on from his family law practice, starting a new venture, prenups.com. He now has even more flexibility and opportunity to work toward his goal of being location independent. 

Aaron was able to do this because he had a plan, established systems in place, and a team he could trust. Learn how to build the systems, team, and healthy law firm you want with our Complete Law Firm Guides.

 

Clio Streamlines Connected Apps Experience for Users

As noted in a previous article, Clio has launched its embedded app program.  This will allow select partners to integrate apps “in the tab of the matter.” This is part of a continued effort to promote a positive user experience for Clio users within third-party partner platforms. After all, Clio can’t be the legal tech operating system it wants to be if its user experience feels like a patchwork quilt.

This means that, within reason, Clio needs to maintain a certain level of control over the apps it integrates with. But, it still needs to be as open as possible to integration partners. Essentially, it needs to have a formulaic way of partnering with app developers. Not all of its potential partners are going to have the resources and experience of apps like Lawmatics.

Clio Certified and Embedded Apps

Clio solves this problem with its Clio Certified Apps program. Within this program is a host of benefits to encourage the program’s use, including the ability to build an embedded app.

In order to qualify to build in the tab of a matter, a developer must meet certain criteria. These criteria, for the most part, are user-experience aligned. Apps must have a 99.5% uptime on a 30-day rolling basis and provide demonstrable customer value.  Partners also must commit to a maximum customer support turnaround of one day.

Clio Integrated App Experience

Although partners get the benefit of working more closely with the Clio team, their benefit is also Clio’s. A more streamlined user experience means more users will adopt the application. Certified app developers are required to implement “Add to Clio.” This is a sign-in protocol that uses a single sign-on to allow users to simply sign in to Clio and they are signed in to both apps.

How to Get It

Ready to learn more about how Clio is changing the user experience? Check out our full review of Clio Manage in our Product Reviews. Here, you can read community comments, compare features, and see other demo videos. If you’re eager to jump in, head to Clio.com and get a free trial or demo.

 

iLawyer Harnesses Over-the-Top Advertising to Deliver Impact to Law Firms

Modern law firm marketing isn’t just about SEO—despite what many may think. At its core, it’s about getting in front of potential clients. Lawyers need to understand who their clients are and advertise as directly to them as possible. A firm’s potential clients aren’t always sitting on their computers searching the internet for answers. iLawyerMarketing understands this and has a host of advertising opportunities for attorneys.

When a potential client is searching directly for services, a lawyer certainly wants to be at the top of their results. When they aren’t searching, however, firms still want to stay top of mind. PI attorneys, among others, have used television advertising for years. But television viewing has changed and marketing on streaming services is becoming more and more popular.

What is Over-the-Top Advertising?

Over-the-top (OOT) marketing is video advertising on streaming services like Netflix, Roku, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and others. It’s a platform that is not (yet) oversaturated with other lawyers. And it meets clients in more than just their living rooms. Rather than playing a traditional TV ad spot, these ads come to viewers through their phones, tablets, and smart TVs. 

Not only is there a placement benefit, but this form of advertising can also be more targeted. Which helps with getting in front of the right audience at the right time. It also helps firms keep from paying for the attention of others who are not in their ideal client profile. This is obviously helpful for anyone who is concerned about their firm’s return on investment (ROI). 

Over-the-Top Marketing With iLawyerMarketing

iLawyerMarketing not only helps with tracking ROI on a firm’s OOT advertising, but it can help create the content as well. Video creation is one of the many services that iLawyerMarketing offers. As a full-service marketing partner, they can build websites, create educational content, enhance SEO, and manage PPC campaigns.

How to Get It

Ready to learn more? Check out our full review of iLawyerMarketing. There you will find community reviews, additional demos, features charts, and more. Remember that Lawyerist subscribers get additional discounts through the Affinity Benefits offered by our partners.

 

Lawmatics Grows Integrations with Focus on Client Management

Lawmatics continues to expand its Law Practice Management Software integrations with its new MyCase connection. This expands its already stacked list of integrations, which includes Clio, Filevine, PracticePanther, Rocket Matter, and Smokeball. Although a laundry list of integrations is not uncommon, the depth of them is. Lawmatics, once again, goes beyond integration-in-name-only and positions itself to complement, rather than rival.

Lawmatics as Client Relationship Manager

With all the new releases Lawmatics has had in the last year, one could easily see them as an LPMS. But, importantly for lawyers, they don’t see it that way. This has allowed them to work on integrations that are truly helpful. Their integrations are not just slapped onto the end of their software with little knowledge or forethought.

They have features like custom invoices, payment gateways, eSignature, document automation, and task management.  But, these features are situated in the platform to help in the Client Relationship Management (CRM) stage. They are intended to complement the matter management phase, rather than awkwardly supplant it. 

This means that, yes, a firm has the option to receive trust account funds and create custom invoices using Lawmatics. But, these functions integrate directly into the firm’s LPMS platform, as they will ultimately end up there. 

It also means that information that isn’t necessary for matter management won’t clog a firm’s active matter database. Pre-matter tasks, certain custom fields, and answers to intake qualification questions usually don’t need to move into a firm’s LPMS.

Recently, our Legal Tech Advisor, Zack Glaser, sat down with Matt Spiegel, the founder and CEO of Lawmatics. They discussed the MyCase integration and the approach Lawmatics took.

Interview with Lawmatics

How to Get It

To learn more about Lawmatics and their other features, read our full product review. Or, you can get a free demo at lawmatics.com. Remember, Lawyerist subscribers get an affinity discount through our product review page.

 

Combating Inflation and Other Legal Trends for 2023

Recently, the good folks at Lawyaw invited me to discuss the state of the legal industry and upcoming trends for 2023. I joined speakers Andreas Becker of Lawyaw, Rio Peterson from Clio, and moderator Garima Goswami, also from Clio. The discussion focused on some of the key findings in Clio’s Legal Trends Report. We talked about the state of the legal industry, trends we see on the horizon, and methods lawyers can use to adjust to these trends. 

Some specific trends stood out above others, including an increased need for legal services and inflation rising faster than billing rates. Yet, the fundamental methods for adjusting to these remain the same. Lawyers should focus on designing and documenting their processes. Then, increase the efficiency of those processes through relentless iteration.

It’s no surprise that Clio’s Legal Trends Report shows an industry adjusting to an increasingly connected world. Casework has increased in the last year, collection rates are still down, and inflation is outpacing the billable hour index. Further, online client reviews are influencing legal services decisions, and cloud-based firms are finding greater client and staff satisfaction.

We address all of these in the webinar. But I want to focus specifically on increased casework and combating inflation in our practices. These are relatively new trends in the legal industry. 

According to Clio’s LTR, the need for legal services has increased over the last year. And it doesn’t seem to be stopping. This is likely spurred by pent-up demand due to court closures and other effects of COVID-19. However, this is expected to continue as more and more attorneys are turning to educational content marketing. This, in my opinion, is broadening the market by educating consumers about their options.

Thoughtful and prepared attorneys can use this information to grow their businesses and possibly counteract the effects of other recent trends. Most attorneys, in my experience, aren’t prepared for an influx of clients or casework. After all, there are only so many hours in the day. So, even though this is an opportunity, it could prove detrimental to the unorganized.

Inflation Outpacing the Billable Hour Index

The Legal Trends Report notes that increases in the billable hour index are not keeping pace with the current inflation rate. Essentially, lawyers are allowing the market to devalue their services. But, as we discuss in the webinar, it isn’t always easy for lawyers to increase their rates. Sometimes rates are set by statute, while in other cases, it’s simply difficult to pass on increased costs to clients. In a competitive market, it’s tough to be the first to raise rates.

This means that many lawyers are looking to do more with less. Or, more specifically, to do more with what they already have. As law firms contend with rising costs, they will, inevitably, look to create efficiencies. As Andreas notes in the webinar, however, many lawyers get overwhelmed when thinking about efficiency. There’s so much to be done, and so many places we can fix, many of us simply freeze.

In order to excel in the current state of the legal industry, attorneys need to use their resources wisely. This starts with building healthy systems. If they haven’t already, lawyers should create a procedures manual and document how they get their work done. Then, periodically revisit that manual to look for potential efficiencies.

As Andreas states in the workshop, look for processes that are high-impact yet require low effort. Don’t start by attempting to automate your discovery process. Begin with your engagement letter, or automate a portion of your intake workflow.

Learn More

For access to the full discussion, you can sign up here and access the recording. Lawyers can learn more about building healthy systems in our Healthy Firm section. There, we have information on Healthy Owners, Healthy Profits, Healthy Teams, and more. It’s free for Lawyerist subscribers.

 

Buying and Selling: Insights from The Law Practice Exchange 2022 Trends Report

The country’s leading law firm broker, The Law Practice Exchange (TLPE), has released its 2022 Trends Report on Law Firm Buying and Selling. The market for buying and selling law firms remains strong and will likely continue to grow. 

2022 Sees a Rise in Law Firm Buyers

After an initial cooling-off period when the pandemic struck in early 2020, the market for law firm transactions is once again growing. Traditionally, individuals were the primary buyers of small law firms. That trend has shifted to mid-sized and larger law firms. 

“The tight job market has made it more difficult for mid-size and large firms to hire,” explained Tom Lenfestey, founder and lead broker for TLPE. “Many of these firms have looked to acquire smaller firms to grow their teams and effectively serve clients.” Another explanation is that larger firms see acquisition as a way to grow geographically or capitalize on remote work opportunities. 

Boomers See Opportunity to Fund Retirement

The largest group of sellers continues to be lawyers ready to retire. Most law firm sellers are men over 65 years old or women over the age of 55. They are looking to retire and monetize their efforts in building a law firm. 

Interestingly, Lenfestey sees women start their succession planning process earlier than men. “Female attorneys seem to plan for succession earlier.  The average age of our female sellers is ten years younger than their male counterparts,” said Lenfestey. The quip that women are better planners seems to play out in the legal marketplace. 

More Finance Opportunities On the Horizon

Lawyers no longer have to rely solely on personal savings to finance their deals. TLPE’s report confirms that more lawyers are looking to outside sources to fund their transactions.

“We are seeing more banks realize the potential for this market and are dedicating resources to financing law firm deals,” said Lenfestey. 

Most banks have previously offered financing for law firm transactions. Now, however, banks are hiring loan officers to focus exclusively on law firm lending. One example comes from M&T Bank. They first began focusing on small law firms by offering Nota, a banking platform that provides business banking solutions for small law firms. 

“We only expect the market for buying and selling law firms to grow.”

tom lenfestey

Nota CEO, Paul Garibian says that offering law firm financing is on the horizon. “There will only be more opportunity in this market as regulations continue to relax and law firms build businesses with transferable value. Nota continues to evaluate how to help our clients to scale their law practices via financial services products, including capital for buying law firms.” 

More financing options will only fuel the future growth of what many see as an expanding market. “We only expect the market for buying and selling law firms to grow,” said Lenfestey. “If you’re a boomer ready to retire, reach out because there could be opportunities to sell your firm before you close the doors.” 

Marketing Systems Lead to Higher Valuations

Law firms that invest in their marketing, technology, and people see the highest valuations. How much a law firm is worth obviously depends on the specific business model. But TLPE’s report gives some insight into how buyers value law firms. Small law firms are seeing a revenue multiple of anywhere from 45% to 95% of gross revenues. 

Where a firm falls in that wide spectrum mostly depends on the firm’s business model. Lenfestey advises small law firm owners to focus on developing processes and procedures to ensure the firm is as efficient as possible. The more the firm can show that the firm’s success is not dependent on a single person, the better. With advanced planning, law firm owners can make moves now to maximize their firm’s values when they are ready to exit.  The full 2022 Trends Report on Law Firm Buying gives more insights into top trends to watch, the profiles of typical buyers and sellers, and the most sought-after law firm practices.     

 

Cosmolex Expands CRM with LawRuler Embed

Cosmolex and LawRuler both exist as part of the ProfitSolv family of products. This includes Rocket Matter, TimeSolv, and even Tabs3. But Cosmolex (at least for now) is the only product that can be called a true all-in-one law practice management solution. Recently, though, the table stakes for an all-in-one solution have changed. At this point, a client relationship manager (CRM) is almost required. So, Cosmolex bolstered its position by embedding LawRuler’s functionality directly into its platform.

Yes, LawRuler enhances Cosmolex’s offerings in the CRM sphere. But LawRuler isn’t simply a CRM in name only. This marriage is the unification of two independently robust products. Specifically, two independent products with above-average automation capabilities. Which makes the embed a harmony, rather than a jarring fusion.

Cosmolex Expanded Automations with LawRuler

Although there are still some aspects to work out, the automation capabilities from LawRuler sit nicely in the Cosmolex system. Lawyers can quickly build lead intakes and almost forget about them. They can automate email campaigns, text messages, and task workflows for their teammates. And this automation is done with relative ease, using a simple trigger-action workflow.

Recently, Zack sat down with Erica Birsler, from Cosmolex, to talk about how Cosmolex made this embed happen. Watch the video below to see more.

Demo Video

How to Get It

Ready to learn more? Visit our full review of CosmoLex. There you can compare features, read community comments, and read frequently asked questions. Remember, Lawyerist subscribers get Affinity Discounts from our partners through their full review page.

 

Seasoned Coach Karen Graves Joins Lawyerist Lab

Lawyerist recently welcomed Karen Graves, business coach, to the team. Karen brings over 15 years of business coaching experience. She’ll work primarily with Lawyerist Lab members in “Phase 2” of their business, helping them scale and grow from the foundations they’ve built. Her passion lies in getting businesses past hurdles while setting their infrastructure, then expanding into growth.

“Karen’s seen it all and worked with businesses at every stage of the growth cycle,” said CEO Stephanie Everett. “We are so fortunate to welcome her to the team. She is also a sales powerhouse. If you’re a lawyer intimidated by sales, you’ve found your sales Yoda!”

Karen began her career in pharmaceuticals as a sales rep and hospital sales rep. From there, she transitioned to a sales trainer role, then to sales training manager. After 10 years at Pfizer and facing an impending merger and acquisition, Karen decided it was time for something new.

Her Background Helped Small Businesses Master Sales

So, Karen dove head-first into the world of business coaching. Coincidentally, she was getting her coaching certification at the same time as her departure from Pfizer. “I started asking, ‘what do people really need help with that I have the skill set for?’” said Karen. She soon came back to sales. “Small business owners don’t know how to sell. I wanted to help coach them,” she said.

“If you’re a lawyer intimidated by sales, you’ve found your sales Yoda!”

stephanie everett

Karen soon realized that small business owners needed more than just sales help. They needed to know how to market, identify clients, and understand their budget. “I started learning the whole spectrum,” she said. “I began teaching entrepreneurs how to write business plans and helping get their businesses up and running.”

Karen Helps Businesses Stabilize, Scale, and Grow 

Like many small business owners, Karen’s expertise grew as her understanding of small business pain points expanded. She saw communication as a common breakdown area and started looking at ways to improve customer service and management. She fine-tuned and focused on key levers that help businesses stabilize, scale, and grow.

Karen joined the Lawyerist team in October after resonating with our emphasis on building not only healthy business but healthy people. “I was looking for a team environment and an organization that values the people that they’re serving and that really focuses on what’s important. Those are key pieces of what it takes to run a successful and healthy business,” she said.

She is looking forward to connecting with small law firm owners in Lawyerist Lab because connecting with people is what she does best. She is excited to watch them apply what they’ve learned and watch them grow and thrive. 

Welcome to the team, Karen! 

Want to work with Karen and start your journey to a healthier law firm? Apply to Lawyerist Lab.