Lawyers increasingly work remotely or in virtual environments. That means we need new ways of better organizing, communicating, and collaborating in this digital/virtual world. The first part of two that examines how to make this happen, so our practices run more smoothly. Show Notes Click here to download the PDF list of recommended tools (and other webinar resources) Subscribe to Substack newsletter: The 80/20 Principle General Resources The 80/20 Principle (my email newsletter) The 5 Pillars ...
Apr 04, 2023•31 min•Season 1Ep. 250
Lawyers increasingly work remotely or in virtual environments. That means we need new ways of better organizing, communicating, and collaborating in this digital/virtual world. The first part of two that examines how to make this happen, so our practices run more smoothly. Show Notes Click here to download the PDF list of recommended tools (and other webinar resources) Subscribe to Substack newsletter: The 80/20 Principle General Resources The 80/20 Principle (my email newsletter) The 5 Pillars ...
Mar 28, 2023•38 min•Season 1Ep. 249
Last week's release of GPT-4 has stunned people because of its amazing new capabilities for interpreting requests, finding and synthesizing information, as well as writing coherent summaries. It even scored in the 90th percentile on a bar exam, which means it can handle legal information as well. In this episode you'll find out what GPT-4 is and how you should go about learning to leverage it in your law practice. Show Notes Chat.OpenAI.com is the site where you should sign up to start trying an...
Mar 21, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 248
If you can create an information product for potential clients to get a meaningful result, they will trust you more and possibly hire you later for full-scope work. Many lawyers are now productizing their legal services, and in this episode, we discuss why you should do this, the best way to start, and the small hurdles to surmount to make it happen in your practice. Show Notes The story of entrepreneur Ted Nicholas who made millions selling corporate forms Joey Vitale's presentation at Small Fi...
Mar 14, 2023•29 min•Season 1Ep. 247
Cybersecurity is essential in all fields, but especially in law firms, where there is so much sensitive information stored on computers. Learn how to protect yourself in this episode. Show Notes The 80/20 Principle: The Secret of Achieving More with Less , by Richard Koch Richard Koch on Mastering the 80/20 Principle (Tim Ferriss's interview with Richard Koch) 80/20 Sales and Marketing: The Definitive Guide to Working Less and Making More , by Perry Marshall Effortless: Make it Easier to Do What...
Mar 07, 2023•29 min•Season 1Ep. 246
Chris Earley had no idea how to run any business when he graduated from law school in 2004. But he figured it out through a series of strategies and tactics, which you'll learn about in this episode. Show Notes Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success , book by Adam Grant Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time , by Keith Ferrari Erika Kullberg - Instagram Attorney (that ernie mentions) Chris cellphone # 617-956-2501 Earley Law Group website The 80/2...
Feb 28, 2023•46 min•Season 1Ep. 245
Managing a law practice doesn't have to be as hard as many lawyers make it. I've gotten some interesting questions about this topic, so in this episode, you'll learn more about how to make major improvements more easily. Show Notes The 80/20 Principle: The Secret of Achieving More with Less , by Richard Koch Richard Koch on Mastering the 80/20 Principle (Tim Ferriss' podcast interview with Richard Koch) 80/20 Sales and Marketing: The Definitive Guide to Working Less and Making More , by Perry Ma...
Feb 21, 2023•34 min•Season 1Ep. 244
The 80/20 rule can help practicing lawyers. Listen and learn how one family lawyer in Tennessee used it to become more profitable and much happier in his practice. Show Notes Click here to see Patrick's Standard Engagement Contract. Patrick Slaughter's Magic Law Practice (Episode 48) Business Coaching for Lawyers with Patrick Slaughter (Episode 54) What’s Your Vision for Success? with Patrick Slaughter (Episode 65) How to Sell Your Law Practice with Patrick Slaughter (Episode 216) The 80/20 Prin...
Feb 14, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 243
Many lawyers succumb to burnout or stress at various points in their careers. It's easy to assume that this is just something we have to accept. But the truth is, we don't have to endure stress or burnout if we understand the root causes and optimal solutions. Show Notes How to Optimize Productivity (While Working Less) , Mark Manson (80/20 article mentioned in the episode) Notes on The 80/20 Principle by Richard Koch , by Josh Kaufman (also mentioned in the episode) The 80/20 Principle: The Sec...
Feb 07, 2023•21 min•Season 1Ep. 242
Many lawyers who entered the practice of law in the 1980s ignored technology or dismissed its potential for making law more efficient and easier to practice. But not Monty McIntyre, a San Diego trial lawyer who adopted technology and remains open-minded and curious about leveraging it to improve his practice. Show Notes Monty McIntyre’s California Case Summaries ™ (podcast listeners can click here to get, for free, Monty’s one-paragraph summaries of every new civil case published by the CA Supre...
Jan 31, 2023•53 min•Season 1Ep. 241
In this episode, you'll meet Brian Payne, a solo attorney who practices law in Nashville, Tennessee. Brian was initially lured to Nashville because he's a songwriter. He was encouraged to go to law school by someone he admired, and that's how he wound up with a law degree. He has a solo practice focused on real estate law. And he's interested in improving his practice, which is how we met. Listen and find out as I delve into Brian's practice and see what you can learn that will help you in yours...
Jan 24, 2023•46 min•Season 1Ep. 240
Artificial intelligence is gaining ground rapidly in many areas, including better note-taking by creating accurate transcripts and recordings at the same time. Tools like Otter.ai allow you to do this using any modern smartphone. Every lawyer should at least try Otter.ai to understand the power of note-taking powered by artificial intelligence. In this episode I explain exactly why this possibility is to useful for lawyers. Show Notes Otter.ai (special link to get 1 month of the Pro Level for fr...
Jan 17, 2023•17 min•Season 1Ep. 239
Tracking your firm's revenue and expense numbers gives you helpful insight into which areas of your practice are more profitable or which staff members or contractors are truly valuable. Melissa Shanahan, a top-notch business coach for solo and small firm attorneys, joins Ernie to discuss how best to track these metrics. Show Notes The Law Firm Owner Podcast (Melissa Shanahan's podcast) Velocity Work (Melissa's website) The 80/20 Principle: The Secret of Achieving More with Less , by Richard Koc...
Jan 10, 2023•50 min•Season 1Ep. 238
To succeed in big ways today, it's best to think in multi-dimensional or multi-disciplinary ways. That has been the key to attorney-businessman Charlie Munger's success and many others. In this episode, we'll talk about what it looks like to do this and how you can start to do it as well. Show Notes The 80/20 Principle: The Secret of Achieving More with Less , by Richard Koch (about how to discover and use the power of 80/20 leverage in business) Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game , by...
Jan 03, 2023•19 min•Season 1Ep. 237
The power of 80/20 analysis can help lawyers achieve higher incomes and get better clients. But gathering and analyzing key data is essential (as it was for the Oakland Athletics baseball team, as depicted in the book/movie "Moneyball"). Two KPIs, in particular, are of paramount importance for lawyers with solo/small firm practices. Show Notes The Ultimate Question 2.0 , by Fred Reichheld & Rob Markey (about the use of the NPS score for measuring client satisfaction) The 80/20 Principle: The...
Dec 27, 2022•19 min•Season 1Ep. 236
The 80/20 principle is powerful and can help bring about a massive change in any business —including a lawyer's practice. But it's hard to wrap your head around this idea when you first come upon it. One natural reaction of lawyers is to think, "this is too good to be true." But the fact is that it's absolutely true and powerful, as I'll explain in this episode. General Resources The 80/20 Principle (my email newsletter) The 5 Pillars of a Tech-Powered Law Practice The Inner Circle (an online co...
Dec 20, 2022•20 min•Season 1Ep. 235
Marketing, when done effectively, is powerful. And the best approach is to communicate with people authentically, especially on platforms like LinkedIn. Show Notes Read This Is Marketing: You Can't Be Seen Until You Learn to See , by Seth Godin (the best book on marketing) 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) Thanks to Our Sponsors " ChatterBoss is an incredible remote e...
Dec 13, 2022•20 min•Season 1Ep. 234
Many lawyers have misconceptions about marketing and then fail to leverage its power. Others try too hard to get attention and fail to earn the trust of prospective clients. Marketing, when done effectively, is powerful. And the best approach is to communicate with people in a natural, authentic manner. Show Notes I recommend reading This Is Marketing: You Can't Be Seen Until You Learn to See , by Seth Godin (his best book on the topic) General Resources The 80/20 Principle (my email newsletter)...
Dec 06, 2022•18 min•Season 1Ep. 233
It's vital to learn new ideas that help you run your law practice better, more efficiently, and more profitably. And there are many books that can help you do this, but reading them takes time. Unless you learn how to employ an 80/20 leverage tactic that I call "speed learning." It's very easy to do, and it will enable you to extract valuable information from books that you can easily act on to improve your business and your life in general. Show Notes The 5 Minute University , by Father Guido S...
Nov 29, 2022•29 min•Season 1Ep. 232
If you don't know about the 80/20 Principle, you should. Understanding it is the easy part. Implementing it is where the work starts, and in this episode we'll talk about how to leverage the 80/20 principle to create extraordinary transformations in your practice. Show Notes The 80/20 Principle: How to Achieve More with Less , by Richard Koch The Four Hour Workweek , by Tim Ferriss SaneBox (intelligent email filtering using automation) SweetProcess (procedure documentation tool) TextExpander (au...
Nov 22, 2022•20 min•Season 1Ep. 213
The happiest lawyers are those who spend more of their time thinking creatively and solving interesting high-level problems. They also get paid more than ones who are stuck doing low-level drudgery. So happiness in the practice of law is about more than just money, and I'll share some personal experiences about why that's true in this episode. Show Notes The Systems Workshop - the best way to create a happy practice is to develop solid systems. General Resources The 80/20 Principle (my email new...
Nov 15, 2022•16 min•Season 1Ep. 230
In this episode I'll be sharing recent questions from lawyers posted in my Inner Circle community, along with the insights and perspectives offered in response. It's important to remember that a lot of what you need to know about how to use technology and improve your practice is stored in the minds of other lawyers —not in online databases or social media posts. *wink* Show Notes Shokz Bone Conduction Headphones (bluetooth enabled) General Resources The 80/20 Principle (my email newsletter) The...
Nov 08, 2022•24 min•Season 1Ep. 229
A well-managed law practice is both profitable and enjoyable. In this episode, we'll review the key elements required to turn your practice into an easy-to-run, enjoyable business. Show Notes The Law Firm Systems Workshop (start learning as soon as you register) 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) Thanks to Our Sponsors " ChatterBoss is an incredible remote executive as...
Nov 01, 2022•24 min•Ep. 228
Bad witness testimony can impair the jury's perception of your case, or —even worse— cause you to lose the case. Attorneys often don't realize that many problems with witness testimony are "unforced errors" that they can avoid or mitigate by proper preparation. Elizabeth Larrick spent years handling jury trials and now helps fellow lawyers avoid trial mishaps and improve their case presentation. The most important lesson she shares applies to all lawyers—even those who don't go to court. Show No...
Oct 25, 2022•49 min•Season 1Ep. 227
Systematizing your law firm requires you to understand a few important things, one of which is how "creativity" works. In developing systems, you're creating something special for your law business. So you need to understand that the process of creating things is not usually linear or completely predictable —especially for creating systems for doing knowledge work. Show Notes Working Smarter ( a short PDF guide on using technology better in a law practice ) General Resources The 80/20 Principle ...
Oct 18, 2022•18 min•Season 1Ep. 226
In today's complex, rapidly changing world, thinking past the superficial and obvious is a vital skill. In this episode, I'll tell you about a mentor who taught me how to think better as a lawyer. A lawyer once wrote that my mentor's character could be summed up in two words: "brilliant tyrant." I'll tell you about his brilliance and the valuable lessons I learned from him that I still rely on today. Show Notes Working Smarter ( a short PDF guide on using technology better in a law practice ) Ge...
Oct 11, 2022•24 min•Season 1Ep. 225
Working with PDF Bookmarks, Comments, and Text Editing are all essential skills for any lawyer or legal professional because they come into use almost daily. And PDF Forms are also incredibly helpful, so we'll cover that as well. Show Notes Working Smarter ( a short PDF guide on using technology better in a law practice ) 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) Thanks to Ou...
Oct 04, 2022•27 min•Season 1Ep. 224
PDF e-briefs are more useful than paper briefs, and that's why many appellate courts prefer them. But how do you create them? And what are the main considerations to keep in mind when considering the use of e-briefs? Show Notes e-Brief Info from California Court (2nd Appellate Division) StrutLegal (top recommended e-brief service; Aaron Krigleski is in Ernie's Inner Circle group and routinely answers questions and provides helpful guidance about using PDFs) General Resources The 80/20 Principle ...
Sep 27, 2022•21 min•Season 1Ep. 223
PDFs are vital to any modern law practice, especially PDF security. In this episode, we’ll cover four things: redaction, metadata removal, password protection, and PDF/A archival integrity. Show Notes Redacting Sensitive Information (Northern District of California court website) Common Redaction Error Exposes Confidential Info (Law.com article) Embarrassing Redaction Failures , by Judge Herbert B. Dixon, Jr. (ABA article) Advanced PDF Password Recovery (by Elcomsoft) PDF Security & How to B...
Sep 20, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 222
Digital signatures are not the same as electronic signatures, but they are mostly used together. In this session, we'll delve into the legalities and practicalities of using digital signatures in your law practice. Show Notes Link to article on E-Signatures mentioned in the show HelloSign (digital signature service) DocuSign (digital signature service) Adobe Sign (available as part of Acrobat Pro) Link to my online Knowledge Base of PDF proceduress Link to my procedure on creating a PDF signatur...
Sep 13, 2022•25 min•Season 1Ep. 221
