Your intuition is a vast repository of life experiences, insights, and deep knowledge. There are times you should trust your intuition, and times when not doing so will put you in peril. In this episode, you'll discover when and how to tap into the immense power of your subconscious knowledge to get more good clients more easily. General Resources The 80/20 Principle (my email newsletter) The 5 Pillars of a Tech-Powered Law Practice The Inner Circle (an online community for law firm owners) Than...
Dec 15, 2020•33 min•Ep. 130
Documenting your workflows is boring but essential if you want to crank the gears of your law business, and evolve into something that doesn’t depend on you doing all the work and making all the decisions. Why is it so hard to document workflows? Well, it has to do with the nature of the work we do, which is mostly information processing that’s intangible and ephemeral. But if you learn to visualize the work in the way I describe in this episode you’ll find it a lot easier to map your workflows,...
Dec 08, 2020•38 min•Ep. 129
Here are links resources mentioned during the episode : Financially Legal Podcast (Dan Lear’s podcast) Dan's White Paper on Subscription legal services How do you “show up” for your clients? (Dan Lear podcast episode with Kim Bennett) Can you sell legal services by subscription? (Dan Lear podcast episode with Jon Tobin) Can you do that with your law practice? (Dan Lear podcast episode with Megan Zavieh) Could you be an outsourced general counsel? (Dan Lear podcast episode with Beth Lebowitz) Gen...
Dec 01, 2020•51 min•Ep. 128
Melissa Shanahan is a business coach who helps solo and small firm lawyers make massive changes to their practices —by harnessing the power of accountability. She does this through her 30-day “sprints” and exclusive Mastery Groups. In this episode, Melissa and I discuss things like super-thinking, meta-skills, and the vital importance of the “Monday Map” and the “Friday Wrap.” We talked about the War of Art, “the resistance,” and why process saves you from the poverty of intention. Resources dis...
Nov 24, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 127
Getting clients to write reviews is vital to your marketing success, but most lawyers struggle to gather reviews. Andy Stickel has helped hundreds of lawyers develop solid marketing strategies, especially showing them how to effectively and most easily gather reviews that are posted online. His new book is a trove of valuable strategies and tactics for attorneys who want to get more great reviews. In this episode, Andy explains how to get client reviews that help Google rank you higher by using ...
Nov 17, 2020•49 min•Ep. 126
After doing commercial litigation in an Oakland law firm, Pete Clancy and his wife started their own personal injury law firm. Pete is a member of the San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association where he strives to help fellow lawyers learn to improve their practices in various ways, including the strategic use of technology. In this episode, Pete and Ernie discuss the challenges of running a small firm and the opportunities for using technology to improve the operations and marketing of small firms...
Nov 10, 2020•46 min•Ep. 125
In his law practice, Joey helps entrepreneurs protect their brands by securing trademarks. And he’s also a brand strategist and entrepreneur. In this episode, he and Ernie talk about how he is able to find and hire virtual assistants for as little as $6 per hour. He also shares his special hack for learning things he needs to know by outsourcing the learning process. Yes, it sounds unusual but it will make sense once you hear him explain it. Episode Notes IndieLaw (Joey’s law firm website) Ownin...
Nov 03, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 124
Andy Wilson is the CEO of Logikcull, an e-discovery company that (in his words) aims to “democratize the process of discovery.” With over 1,300 law firm clients, Logikcull has been responsible for helping process many terabytes of valuable data. And as a result, they have their finger on the pulse of digital discovery in a way that few lawyers could hope to have. In this episode Andy explains why lawyers handling digital data should treat that data as a modern crime scene, and what proper handli...
Oct 27, 2020•48 min•Ep. 123
Larry Weinstein understands the special needs of lawyers and helps them create clever tax plans to save more money. As he points out “the less you pay in unnecessary taxes, the more money you can invest in your life and business.” In this episode, Larry shares six tax-reducing strategies that small business owners (i.e. lawyers) should be aware of and take advantage of. And then he and Ernie discuss some of their best marketing strategies and tactics for small firm owners. The CPA for Lawyers we...
Oct 20, 2020•58 min•Ep. 122
Lexlee Overton became a trial lawyer just like her dad, but then found herself anxiety-ridden and suffering from what she terms “trial psychosis.” She learned to overcome her stress and turned to helping other lawyers. Now she helps lawyers learn how to use scientifically proven techniques to train their minds to release stress, anxiety, and fear; become power-performers; and love what they do all at the same time. In this episode, Lexlee tells us how (as a young lawyer) she met the world-famous...
Oct 13, 2020•51 min•Ep. 121
Visionary attorney Matt Homann shares insights garnered from practicing law as a solo lawyer, and as a consultant who now helps businesses innovate in practical ways. Among the topics discussed are the joys and practical benefits of systematically firing clients, the “ideal average client,” and Matt’s unique “client worthiness index.” Below are some resources mentioned in this episode: Filament (Matt’s company) The Monday Morning Meeting - Matt’s weekly email tips for helping you prepare for the...
Oct 06, 2020•1 hr•Ep. 120
There are three important things to leverage to make your law business easier to manage: (1) The Tetris Business Model; (2) the power of short phrases, single words and even single letters; and (3) the importance of focusing on curiosity over opinions. Let’s talk about how these things relate to each other and to your business as a whole. Exactly What To Say ( the magic words for influence and impact ), by Phil M. Jones General Resources Learn to use technology to reduce friction & gain free...
Sep 29, 2020•40 min•Ep. 119
Below are the resources Ernie discussed in this episode. How to use free online “billboards” to market your practice , blog post by Ernie ( summarizes the points covered in the podcast ) Loom video demo - (Ernie demonstrates how he tweaks his LinkedIn “headline” bio on his iPhone) Linktr.ee service -Allows you to bundle several link sources and link to a page that hosts those links. Also allows you to track how many clicks each link gets. Here are the character limits for some popular online pla...
Sep 22, 2020•34 min•Ep. 118
Frameworks (or “mental models”) help you better leverage high-value information, such as the kind you’ll find in books like the ones I discuss in this episode. And when you’re organizing information you should consider using tags as much as possible (and be aware of how they are better than folders or notebooks). Evernote For Lawyers , by David Ward The Effective Executive , by Peter Drucker The Personal MBA by Josh Kaufman ( this website has all the information for free) General Resources Learn...
Sep 15, 2020•38 min•Ep. 117
If you feel like you have too many responsibilities, tasks or things you’re “supposed to do,” then you’re probably feeling anxious. The key to ridding yourself of this kind of anxiety is learning to zoom out and put things in a larger context. In short, greater perspective will cure harmful perfectionism. Meditopia ; - meditation app that I use and recommend Traction , by Gino Wickman (a great book about business fundamentals) Melissa Shanahan’s website (Melissa is a fabulous coach for solo and ...
Sep 08, 2020•36 min•Ep. 116
Show Notes While some prospects want to talk to a person at the law firm, many want answers to questions without having to book a call. For example, in family law situations, many clients want to ask questions by texting so their soon-to-be ex-spouse won’t overhear. So chatbots are being widely adopted. And there are lots of options to investigate but only one company, Gideon , is focused 100% on the legal market. My good friend, Jared Correia co-founded Gideon after many years working as a law ...
Sep 01, 2020•31 min•Ep. 115
Learning to systematize your practice isn’t that hard, and so it helps to hear how other lawyers are tackling this important aspect of running their businesses. Jeff Lewis is quite thoughtful and incisive because he just spent time focusing on developing systems in Ernie’s new course on systems building. Jeff Lewis is co-host of the California Appellate Law Podcast . The Power of A System , John Fisher’s book TextExpander ;, amazing keyboard macro tool Wisetime ;, time tracking app Jeff mentione...
Aug 25, 2020•38 min•Ep. 114
Evernote is for lawyers as much as it is for anyone else. And no lawyer knows more about using it well than David Ward (the author of Evernote for Lawyers ). David shares his insights about how to get more organized with Evernote. But he's also is a thoughtful student of marketing, which many lawyers find daunting. He explains that successful marketing is merely an extension of who you are and not so much something you have to spend a lot of time doing. Show Notes The Attorney Marketing Center ,...
Aug 18, 2020•57 min•Ep. 113
Show Notes Craig Ball is a highly successful plaintiff’s lawyer who became a nationally respected computer forensic examiner. He is currently teaching a course on digital evidence at Tulane Law School. He teaches regularly at the University of Texas Law School (his alma mater) and Georgetown University Law Center, among other places. Visit Craig’s website (or get his curriculum vitae here ) Visit this website for Craig’s articles on electronic discovery and computer forensics. Watch Craig’s pres...
Aug 11, 2020•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 112
Streamlining and improving your key workflows can result in improved revenues and profits for your firm, like Lori Gonzales discussed in this blog post (i.e. 260% revenue increase for a solo practitioner in less than six months. As she said, just being curious about how to leverage technology can propel you forward in astonishing ways. And I believe if you’re curious about using a new app on your smartphone that can transcribe what you say, or what everyone in a meeting says you’ll become expone...
Aug 04, 2020•34 min•Ep. 111
Information overload created by digital technology causes us a lot of anxiety. But the real source of trouble is less obvious. Once you get clear about the root cause of anxiety you can better understand how to counteract it. Information Anxiety , by Richard Saul Wurman (an invaluable guidebook for dealing with data overload) General Resources Learn to use technology to reduce friction & gain freedom with this resource : https://www.the8020lawyer.com/ Focus on these essential tech tools for ...
Jul 28, 2020•33 min•Ep. 110
Show Notes In the Information Age you need to understand how to more effectively process information, and how to create valuable knowledge. You need to be systematic and thoughtful. And you need a good way to capture ideas and refine them over time to create valuable knowledge. Let’s talk about how to capture and refine ideas by using a solid note taking system. General Resources Learn to use technology to reduce friction & gain freedom with this resource : https://www.the8020lawyer.com/ Foc...
Jul 21, 2020•43 min•Ep. 109
Ideally, you should touch each email only once. You need a good system for processing your emails quickly and effectively, because how you make decisions about handling email says a lot about how effective you are at making higher level decisions. Hey.com ; the new email service that I’m trying out (using the email address ernieattorney@hey.com ) Jason Fried’s books on Amazon Jason Fried’s blog post about how his company thinks about design in their products (i.e. Hey email) Sanebox ; is the ema...
Jul 14, 2020•45 min•Ep. 108
If you want to survive in this world of constant change and massive disruption you need to efficiently and effectively process digital information. If you want to thrive you need to get to a higher level and find ways to leverage new opportunities that are arising from the exponentially increasing prevalence of digital technology. YouTube video re: Information Processing (this is a 5 minute video that will quickly explain what I covered with visuals). * Information Anxiety 2 , by Richard Saul Wu...
Jul 07, 2020•30 min•Ep. 107
Show Notes Simplifying your practice is hard, but you can make it easier. First, learn to shift your mind and start seeing the power of simplicity in everyday language. The six word exercise discussed in this episode can be applied to your business in practical ways. Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure The Hemingway app (a free online editing tool) Check out my Trusted Lawyer “Referral Marketing by Email” course. General Resources Learn to use technology...
Jun 30, 2020•25 min•Ep. 106
Show Notes You want to effectively manage your law business so that you get more work done, more easily, and more reliably. Technology can definitely help, especially automation. But there are other elements besides technology that you need to leverage in a delicate combination. In this episode, you’ll discover the other 5 key elements that will enable you to make dramatic improvements to how your law business is managed. General Resources Learn to use technology to reduce friction & gain fr...
Jun 23, 2020•40 min•Ep. 105
Show Notes Ernie ruminates about marketing with Ramesh Reddy, a young lawyer that he mentored in his early career. Afterwards, Ramesh focused on learning the fundamentals of marketing his law practice. Both Ernie and Ramesh have found success with the same principles, which they discuss in an informal, engaging way. Ramesh’s law firm website Mike Kim (an exceptional marketer/copywriter) Ray Edwards (another exceptional marketer/copywriter) Breakthrough Advertising - by Eugene Schwartz Brené Brow...
Jun 16, 2020•53 min•Ep. 104
Show Notes Growing up blind taught Richard Chen how to deal with uncertainty, solve problems creatively, and adapt reflexively to changing circumstances—skills that help him in his day-to-day law practice. Discover how technology helps him do his work, even though he can’t use a mouse with his computer. Richard explains why relies heavily on systems and processes to keep his practice running smoothly and shares his top 4 tips for anyone starting a new law practice.. Richard’s law firm website Ri...
Jun 09, 2020•44 min•Ep. 103
Show Notes Stacey Randall Brown is a small business owner who figured out how to generate new clients through referrals BUT without asking for those referrals. She cracked the code to overcoming the decades old advice that says to receive referrals you must ask for them. There are many ways to generate referrals but Stacey’s way is the best way. The key thing to understand is that referrals come from relationships, and relationships come from connections. And connections are built through regula...
Jun 02, 2020•38 min•Ep. 102
Getting what you most want in life is important, but many people get derailed, discouraged, or defeated in their attempt. Michael Lewis faced adversity, and so did Ernie. Even Ernie’s dad, the psychoanalyst that helped people get what they most wanted had struggles. Understanding other people’s struggles helps you realize that you’re normal if you struggle. After listening to this episode you’ll understand the common struggles better, and you’ll know how to overcome them so you can get what you ...
May 26, 2020•37 min•Ep. 101
