Join Oscar and Scott this week as they discuss the process Scott went through to add the niche practice area of College Disciplinary Law to his legal practice. Listen to find out how Scott determined if this was a viable practice area. Here are some of the considerations you must evaluate when looking to add a practice area to your law practice; - Is there a need/market for the niche? - Is this practice area an authentic extension of my practice and of myself? - Can I provide value for clients? ...
Sep 29, 2015•18 min
This week Sam Glover from Lawyerist.com joins us. Sam is the founder of Lawyerist.com which provides daily online content about the practice of law, touching upon subjects such as practice management, tech and marketing. Sam is a strong advocate of attorneys being technologically competent. He joins Oscar and Scott and they discuss the necessity of attorneys having an understanding of such varied topics as; - How to communicate securely with clients - How to safely use public wifi - An attorneys...
Sep 22, 2015•27 min
It’s painfully obvious to state that the modern lawyer trying to grow his practice needs a great website. So why do we devote a whole podcast to the subject? Because it’s no longer enough to get a domain name and throw up a basic template law firm website. You have to tailor your site to the demographic and client base you are trying to get as clients. Oscar & Scott talk about the thought process and planning you need to get into before you even start talking about the actual design of the site....
Sep 15, 2015•22 min
Episode 26 - Mentoring and Coaching What does it mean to have a mentor? Most people think of an elderly person who provides sage advice and guidance to a young protégé. And while that certainly is one aspect of mentoring, in this podcast the hosts discuss that he benefits that all lawyers – young or old; experienced or fresh out of law school – can obtain from a mentor. Scott and Oscar talk about their own personal experiences mentoring lawyers and also discuss how they found the people they rel...
Sep 08, 2015•19 min
Leaving a firm to start your own practice is a scary proposition. In this episode Oscar and Scott give vital steps you should take that will lead to a successful practice. 1. You must start planning far in advance by thinking about the makeup of your practice (type of practice, type of clients, type of law) and looking at the viability of each possibility. 2. Will you be able to bring in enough business to support your practice? 3. Start setting up your support system of mentors and get a feel f...
Sep 01, 2015•22 min
In this episode, Scott & Oscar discuss how to distinguish yourself and your practice. They discuss the similarities between marketing and selling salsa and marketing and selling your self and your legal services. Suggestions include; evaluating what you like about the services and professionals you use, understanding the goals and expectations of the individual clients, and truly listening and understanding what the clients need from their perspective. While clients ultimately want results, they...
Aug 25, 2015•26 min
In this episode, Oscar and Scott welcome writer Cathy Reisenwitz. Cathy who writes on a number of law-related topics for Capterra Legal Software Blog, Above the Law and other sites recently wrote an article for Lawyerist entitled “The Legal industry is About to Get Ubered Hard.” The hosts discuss Cathy’s article with her and what it means for lawyers unwilling to adapt to technological changes in the practice. Cathy explains that, like cab drivers, lawyers have been protected by legislation and ...
Aug 21, 2015•15 min
The hosts discuss how small and solo firms need to focus on being organized in order to be successful. As lawyers, we all take deadlines very seriously – appearance dates, statutes of limitation, etc. So we should treat the business goals and “to do “ list” items we set for ourselves as importantly as we treat important dates in our legal matters. Scott and Oscar talk about what works for them and which strategies they employed that helped them get organized and stay focused on business developm...
Aug 11, 2015•31 min
Prior podcasts have discussed the importance of your online presence. Well, your website is the axis around which all of your online presence revolves. Finding the right web site developer is critical to the success of your website. Join us as we discusses what to look for in a website developer, what pitfalls to avoid and what should the contract between you and the developer involve. We discuss why you may not want to choose a company that “specializes” in law firm website development. You mus...
Aug 04, 2015•28 min
The hosts discuss developing good client relationships with Matthew Chan. Matt is a client of Oscar’s and he has had the opportunity to see litigation and lawyering from a variety of positions – as a pro se plaintiff and defendant, to a business owner who has had to hire lawyers for litigation and even from the perspective of a litigant before the Georgia Supreme Court, the State’s highest court. Seeing law at all these levels has provided Matt with insight into what clients and litigants like a...
Jul 28, 2015•52 min
The hosts discuss a recent Above The Law article about getting clients. The author of the article discusses how she thought about the steps she took when she selected a professional to hire. She applied what she did in those situations and what was important to her in developing her practice. The first step most folks do in selecting a professional is seek suggestions from their referral network. They then will check the person’s credentials, give them a call and examine their responsiveness. Th...
Jul 21, 2015•19 min
This week we welcome Stephen Furnari of lawfirmsuites.com. Stephen Furnari is a self-employed corporate attorney and the founder of Law Firm Suites. Law Firm Suites is a professionally managed shared law office space for solo attorneys and small law firms based in New York City. Through Law Firm Suites, Stephen has helped dozens of attorneys launch and grow successful law practices. He is the author of several eBooks, including “7 Deadly Mistakes that Prevent Law Practice Success” and “An Inside...
Jul 14, 2015•31 min
Episode 17 Developing a Niche Practice – Part 2 The hosts continue their discussion of how to add a niche practice of law to your business. They remind listeners that it may take time to grow, it will not happen overnight. Scott and Oscar give some specific details of how to start such a practice. It starts with setting goals and creating a business plan. Selecting the right area is key and it may take more than one attempt to find the right niche. It’s best to look at areas that you already hav...
Jul 07, 2015•28 min
Scott and Oscar talk about legal bogs and how to develop one for your practice. In today’s marketplace, a legal blog provides content to your website and also allows clients to see how you write and take positions on areas of law. The hosts provide talking points for you blog and give advice on how to create a worthwhile legal blog that will be looked at favorably by clients, prospective clients and other lawyers. Quick tips include: (1) Make sure the articles express your voice and viewpoint. B...
Jun 30, 2015•24 min
One thing lawyers in small or solo practices can do to help revitalize their current practices is look to developing a practice in a niche area of law. Scott and Oscar discuss specific lawyers who have developed such practices in a variety of legal fields – steroid law; bicycle accidents and representing pet owners. They also discuss how adding niche areas to their own practices helped increase their cash flow and provide a steadier revenue stream. The hosts provide pointers on how to develop su...
Jun 23, 2015•21 min
Keith Lee is a practicing lawyer and columnist for Above The Law who started his own legal blog Associate’s Mind when he was still in law school. Keith graduated law school in 2010 right when the legal industry imploded. He knew that he needed to find a way to differentiate himself from the pack. When he had interned for a law firm during school. He had helped that firm set up and launch their own blog. He saw that it helped generate business and interest in the firm. But what could he blog abou...
Jun 16, 2015•50 min
Scott and Oscar talk about the current state of the legal market and various solutions offered by websites and pundits. But all the solutions reflect that this is not the same legal system and marketplace from 10 years ago. Many young lawyers are finding that they are being offered very low salaries and question whether they should take the job – is it the right thing to do? The hosts recommend biting the bullet and taking the job but also discuss that finding a way to generate your own business...
Jun 09, 2015•24 min
This episode talks about steps solo or small firm practitioners can take to help build a steady stream of referrals. The hosts discuss the benefits of a referral-based practice which provides a base of clients who come to your practice already having been pre-screened and eager to be helped. The positive expectation of a referral client increases the likelihood that you will be retained by them. Keys to building a referral client base are similar to building a valuable network: · Always keep ref...
Jun 02, 2015•19 min
Elizabeth discusses the changing legal market place for recent law school grads and those out 10-15 years. Her position offers one-on-one counseling to assist alumni in reaching their career goals. Targeting the job search is important but networking remains the most powerful tool to make that connection that can build your practice. Elizabeth describes that while this a tough legal marketplace it is improving over the past year or so. Her office provides help with the basic tools – drafting a p...
May 26, 2015•38 min
In this episode, Scott and Oscar talk about why lawyers need to keep a positive outlook and a high energy level particularly when meeting clients for the first time. Personal insights from Scott and Oscar along with specific pointers are discussed for how to develop the right attitude to bring in business and develop your practice. Key Points include - 1. Knowing you do good work and that you can provide value 2. Planning for the initial client meeting 3. Associate with positive like-thinking pe...
May 19, 2015•21 min
When networking or meeting someone new, Be Prepared - Practice what you want to say during the initial call - Learn about and prepare questions when meeting someone new. - every aspect of your contact with another person is part of your “Brand”...
May 12, 2015•20 min
This week Oscar and Scott discuss the true focus of networking and the following topics; - preconceived notions about the "slick networker" - How Building Relationships are the key to success - Types of networking: General & Targeted - How easy it is to get started - Networking: Not a necessary evil, a necessary effort....
May 05, 2015•20 min
Scott and Oscar discuss some recent articles and emerging issues that reflect the change in the legal marketplace. They speak about the need to realize the changing landscape of the legal field in general and the marketing of legal services specifically. Lawyers seeking to develop their practice must adapt to the new expectations of consumers in the legal field....
Apr 28, 2015•22 min
This episode discusses how prior to getting involved in networking you have to make sure your online presence is fresh and up to date. Recognize that most clients, referral partners and others will look online to check you out. You must make sure that when they look - especially potential clients- they see the message you want them to see about your developing practice. The hosts discuss the key steps they took to change their online presence and how to implement a similar strategy for your prac...
Apr 21, 2015•22 min
EPISODE #1 - Intro to the series: In this episode, Oscar and Scott talk about their backgrounds, their law practices and what led them to develop this podcast. Both hosts discuss how their prior practices began floundering after long periods of success and how they had to retool and reboot their own businesses. Topics discussed this week include: - The current state of the legal marketplace - What solo and small firm lawyers need to start thinking about to succeed under current conditions....
Apr 12, 2015•14 min
EPISODE #2 – Be the CEO of Your Practice: This episode discusses how the first step in rebooting your law practice is taking stock in your current practice and realizing that you must take charge of every facet of your business. Topics discussed this week include; - The importance of making sound business decisions - Examining your competitors to take stock of the marketplace - How to analyze your practice areas and make sure that your social media presence is geared to those practice areas. - T...
Apr 12, 2015•20 min
Oscar and Scott discuss how Authenticity is the first core element needed to help reboot your business. Using personal experiences, the two hosts discuss how their passion for particular fields of law helped to revive their practices. Topics on this weeks show include: - The need to look inward to assess what it is about the practice of law that initially interested you - How your “authentic self” needs to be projected in client meetings and interactions and your social media. - How being authen...
Apr 12, 2015•23 min
Oscar and Scott discuss how Value is the second core element that you need to focus on to improve your law practice. Topics discussed during this weeks episode include: - How being authentic leads directly to providing value to your clients and your referral partners. - How Scott came to realize the importance of authenticity and value and how he embraced them to reboot his law practice. - The need to provide value not just to clients but to your networking group and other referral partners. - H...
Apr 12, 2015•23 min
This episode focuses on the importance of networking which both hosts feel is the lifeblood to developing a vibrant and successful practice. They discuss what networking is and how they became involved with it. The hosts talk about how it is vital to engage in networking to develop your practice and referral sources. Some topics discussed during this episode: - Preparing your “personal self” to network - Putting the time in to develop the confidence to discuss yourself and your practice in a pos...
Apr 12, 2015•27 min
