Clients and lawyers should work well together. It makes for a smoother relationship, better work product, and better outcomes. It also reduces the risk of ethics violations and Bar complaints. As a lawyer, you must get comfortable with the idea that you will turn some clients away, and you must have systems in place to make sure you do so properly. In this episode Megan discusses the reasons for turning clients away, how to do it (sometimes without even knowing you are), and what documentation t...
Mar 17, 2020•32 min•Ep. 104
Autonomous vehicles sound like Knight Rider's Kit, but they are in real development for use on the roads -- and to some extent, they are already here. In this episode, Megan is joined by Damien Riehl, legal technologist, Managing Director of Fastcase Legal Research Platform, and member of Minnesota's Governor's Council on Connected and Automated Vehicles. They talk about what autonomous vehicles are, what we can expect to see in development, and what their rise means for practice areas including...
Mar 10, 2020•36 min•Ep. 103
Megan reports on ABA TECHSHOW 2020 Resources Mentioned: TECHSHOW Site Erin Levine of Hello Divorce on Twitter Jess Birken on Twitter Jayne Reardon on Twitter Clio Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please help me get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts , Stitcher Radio , Google Play , and Tunein and be sure to share t...
Mar 03, 2020•20 min•Ep. 102
Mistakes in handling funds entrusted to lawyers account for a large percentage of bar complaints and prosecutions. Most lawyers realize that mishandling their trust account can lead to big trouble, but many still struggle to do it right. At Clio Con 2019, bookkeeper to the solos and smalls of the country Annette Fadness sat down with Megan to talk about what can go wrong with trust accounting, how to avoid many common mistakes, and why professional help can be a really good idea. Resources Menti...
Feb 25, 2020•31 min•Ep. 101
We have made it to 100 episodes, which is so exciting! Megan is so grateful to her listeners, guests, and production team. Many lawyers have misconceptions about the attorney discipline process. On this special episode, Megan dispels three big myths: 1. Attorneys can only suffer attorney discipline for lawyer conduct. 2. The attorney discipline process is fair. 3. The State Bar exists for lawyers. Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered ...
Feb 18, 2020•17 min•Ep. 100
Mark Palmer, Chief Counsel in the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism (also known as 2Civility), sat down with Megan at Clio Con 2019 to talk about the disappearing rural lawyer. We know that there is a massive access to justice problem, but one aspect of this problem we do not hear so much about is the shortage of lawyers in rural areas of the country. There are large geographic expanses with zero or only a handful of lawyers. Mark and Megan talk about the problem and what is b...
Feb 11, 2020•23 min•Ep. 99
What is a law firm’s culture? It does not have to be any one thing, any stereotype, or inspired by a movie. Every firm has a culture, even if it has not been consciously identified and cultivated. In this episode, Megan talks with Jordan Couch at Clio Con 2019 about his role as Cultural Ambassador at Palace Law, what it means to have an intentional law firm culture, and how to bring your firm’s values to light. Guest Info: Jordan Couch on Instagram , LinkedIn , Twitter Jordan's Email: jordan@pal...
Feb 04, 2020•22 min•Ep. 98
Lawyers often hide their real selves behind their lawyer personas, but Shreya Ley and her husband Colin have built their practice largely on the premise that the shield can be dropped and we can be our real selves at work, in marketing, and with clients. At Clio Con 2019, they presented together on this topic, and Shreya visited with Megan to talk about what it means to be authentic in lawyering, how to take the perceived risk of letting your guard down, and the incredible payoffs. Resources Men...
Jan 28, 2020•19 min•Ep. 97
Consumer-facing digital legal products assist self-represented consumers, but lawyers need education and guidance too. Frequent guest and contributor Erin Gerstenzang is an accomplished trial lawyer, and in this episode she and Megan talk digital legal products designed to train other lawyers on specialized areas. Erin has recently launched DUI Roadmaps, which is an online course and tool for DUI lawyers around the country to prepare for trial. She and Megan talk about how providing expertise to...
Jan 21, 2020•33 min•Ep. 96
Lori Gonzalez, founder of Rayna Corp., knows more than a thing or two about supporting lawyers. Her business’s purpose is to bring admin superpowers to law firms around the country. At Clio Con 2019, Lori spoke about utilizing administrative superpowers to make your practice better. In this episode, she visited with Megan to talk about her presentation and what a super powered admin can do for any solo or small firm lawyer. Resources Mentioned: Lori on Lawyers Gone Ethical Episode 26 Clio Legal ...
Jan 14, 2020•25 min•Ep. 95
It is quite clear that lawyers could use some work on client service. In our last episode, we talked about the Clio Legal Trends Report, which made that abundantly clear. In this episode, Megan sits down at Clio Con 2019 with John Strohmeyer to talk about how lawyers can plan to better serve clients in 2020. Resources Mentioned: Lawyers Gone Ethical Episode 65 Five Star Counsel Guest Info: John Strohmeyer – Website and LinkedIn Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to recei...
Jan 07, 2020•21 min•Ep. 94
Lawyers as a profession are pretty bad about using data, but it is extremely powerful. Clio recognizes this fact and creates the Legal Trends Report each year to highlight trends in the profession. This year’s report had some interesting insights, some of which confirm what lawyers already believe and some which challenge our beliefs. The report’s chief architect, George Psiharis, visited with Megan at Clio Con 2019 to talk about it. Resources Mentioned: Clio's 2019 Legal Trends Report Guest Inf...
Dec 31, 2019•17 min•Ep. 93
Automation can make a practice run much more smoothly, giving you peace of mind, fewer errors, and fewer hours of work. In this Christmas episode, Megan runs through some ideas for how you can introduce automation to your practice. Resources Mentioned: Zapier Acuity JotForm Campaign Monitor Clio Dropbox Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please help me get t...
Dec 24, 2019•18 min•Ep. 92
Immigration lawyer and Congressional candidate Ruby Powers talks about using the power of the public forum in advocating for clients. Guest Info: Ruby Powers: Ruby's Law Firm Ruby's Campaign Ruby on Twitter Ruby on Instagram Ruby on Facebook Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please help me get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Ap...
Dec 17, 2019•25 min•Ep. 91
"Emotional Lawyering" - Should lawyers think more critically about responding to their client's pain points and focusing on their emotional needs and how do you do it? How Erin Levine has built Hello Divorce by identifying and meeting clients' emotional needs How to identify and handle clients who want that hand-holding versus those who do not Can you care too much? Secondary post-traumatic disorder for lawyers Guest Info: Guest Host Erin Gerstenzang – Website and Twitter Jennifer Gerstenzang - ...
Dec 10, 2019•20 min•Ep. 90
Nicole Abboud, known to audiences as the host of the Gen Y Lawyer Podcast, has launched a varied career since graduating from law school. Speaker, podcast host, video personality, blogger, media producer, motivational guru, there are many titles Megan would give her. At Clio Con 2019, Nicole sat down with Megan to talk about her own career and what lawyers who find themselves not loving the practice of law might do with their legal training. Guest Info: Abboud Media Website Nicole's Blog Thanks ...
Dec 03, 2019•22 min•Ep. 89
Megan and Mark Britton sat down at Clio Cloud Conference 2019 to talk about the future of law, legal regulatory changes, what Mark has been up to since leaving Avvo, and what is next for Mark. Resources Mentioned: 2019 Clio Legal Trends Report Guest Info: Mark Britton on LinkedIn Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please help me get the word out about this p...
Nov 26, 2019•16 min•Ep. 88
Thanksgiving is Megan's favorite holiday, and in this special episode she discusses gratitude for lawyers, happy lawyer stories, and why she is grateful for the lawyers in her life. Resources Mentioned: Lawyers Gone Ethical Episode 51 with Greg Siskind Robin Bull on Twitter Lawyerist Insider Facebook Group Maximum Lawyer Facebook Group Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. If you enjoyed t...
Nov 19, 2019•18 min•Ep. 87
At Clio Con 2019, Jayne Reardon of the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism joined Megan to talk about the changing regulatory landscape in the legal profession. Nationally there are changes afoot in many states, and in this conversation they hit on the states leading reform efforts and discuss which reforms are most likely to succeed. Guest Info: Jayne Reardon on Twitter Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight t...
Nov 12, 2019•23 min•Ep. 86
Megan is joined by Sean Bernstein, organizer of Legal Innovation Summit at Fireside, to talk about that event and others in an unconference format. How can solos benefit from getting out of the usual legal conference setting and into something more interesting and collaborative? How are unconferences structured? Listen in on Sean and Megan and plan your next outing. Resources Mentioned: MinuteBox - Sean's Company Fireside Conference - Sean's Unconference Legal Innovation Council Guest Info: Sean...
Nov 05, 2019•35 min•Ep. 85
There is so much to talk about from Clio Con 2019, including the Legal Trends Report. In this episode, Jack Newton stops by the Lawyers Gone Ethical recording booth. Resources Mentioned: Medium Article discussing Clio's History 2019 Legal Trends Report Guest Info: Jack Newton - Twitter Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please help me get the word out about ...
Oct 29, 2019•27 min•Ep. 84
LAWCLERK was started by three partners who saw a growth market in outsourced substantive legal work. Answers to ethics questions were critical to establishing a marketplace for lawyers seeking lawyer help on their substantive legal work. In this episode, Megan and guest Talitha Gray Kozlowski dive into the ethics issues facing lawyers who need some help on their client files. Resources Mentioned: LAWCLERK Off-Ramps and On-Ramps: Keeping Talented Women on the Road to Success Guest Info: LAWCLERK ...
Oct 22, 2019•35 min•Ep. 83
Megan was a true solo for a long time, then dabbled in having a bit of close-to-home help. A year ago, she took the leap of hiring a virtual team to help run her practice. After a year, she's learned some important lessons that she shares in this episode. Among them: - Find the right fit - Make tough calls when the fit is wrong - Start small and grow - Allow people to do what they're best at doing - The best assistance finds new ways to help you - Woman up! Resources Mentioned: FlexJobs Hire My ...
Oct 15, 2019•18 min•Ep. 82
While ADD and ADHD affect 4% of the general population, they impact 12% (or more) of lawyers. Marshall Lichty recently found out he is one of them, and he is on an exploratory mission to learn as much as he can about how lawyers can cope with ADD and ADHD and be successful. He is bringing a message of hope to lawyers struggling with ADD and ADHD, and shares with Megan on this episode coping mechanisms and tools, and also highlights the superpowers that come with ADD and ADHD. Resources Mentioned...
Oct 08, 2019•54 min•Ep. 81
Lawyers travel frequently for business, be it conferences or client work or other professional development. As Megan gets ready to head to the California Lawyers Association annual meeting and the Clio Cloud Conference, she shares some of her tips for remaining ethically compliant while being productive on the road. Topics include: - Securely using the internet while away from the office - Where to hold client calls (and where not to) - Utilizing downtime to move your practice forward - Making t...
Oct 01, 2019•17 min•Ep. 80
Lawyers are given a script in law school for how their career is supposed to go. But what can be achieved if we go off-script, and we build innovative work around the life we want to lead? Tommy Griffith took some career risks from college through leaving Airbnb where he led the SEO team, and in this episode, he touches on SEO, and talks risk-taking, recovering from failure, and being rewarded for doing things differently. There are many lessons for solo lawyers! Resources Mentioned: The 4-Hour ...
Sep 24, 2019•35 min•Ep. 79
Wisely chosen, legal conferences can be great opportunities for solo and small firm lawyers. Megan's top tips for making the most of your time at a conference include: - Have a goal going in - Meet targeted people - Be open to meeting many new people - Visit the vendor hall (even if you hate it) - Go to wellness events - Go out to the social events - Choose sessions carefully (and don't be afraid to leave) - Have fun - Follow up when you get home Resources Mentioned: Clio Con , ABA Techshow , La...
Sep 17, 2019•26 min•Ep. 78
Lawyer for lawyers and their firms, Jonathan Hawkins, joins Megan in this episode to talk about the business side of law firms. Partnerships and other firms should have operating agreements in place, because without them, the inevitable breakup is ugly and messy. This is a great companion episode to Episode 75 on succession planning with Dylan Hyatt. Please bear with us on the audio in this episode. Download the transcript here . Guest Info: Jonathan's website Jonathan's email is jhawkins@yourla...
Sep 10, 2019•31 min•Ep. 77
Lawyerist is a community of forward-thinking lawyers, and its leadership team has written a book to help lawyers build their own small law firm of the future. In this episode, Megan sits down with co-author Stephanie Everett to talk about the book, why it was written, why change is coming to the legal profession, and how small firm lawyers can use the collective wisdom of Lawyerist to design their own firm that works for them, their clients, and their life. Resources Mentioned: Book discussed in...
Sep 03, 2019•38 min•Ep. 76
Estate planning lawyer Dylan Hyatt joins Megan on this episode to talk about how to protect a solo lawyer's biggest professional asset - their firm. Highlights include: What happens when a lawyer is suddenly incapacitated with no succession plan in place Why we need a succession plan, and it's not only for sudden incapacity or retirement What are the ethics concerns for lawyers without a plan What lawyers can be doing today, even many years from retirement, to plan for their firm Guest Info: Dyl...
Aug 27, 2019•28 min•Ep. 75
