New Solo

Guest Andrew Schierberg retired from his first career after 20 years as a police officer, investigator, and chief in Northern Kentucky. Then he asked, “What next?” With a law degree and a lifetime of working in tense situations with people during their most stressful moments, Schierberg started a law practice with a focus on helping families by specializing in elder law and estate planning. He wrote his own business plan, shadowed established attorneys, sought educational and business development support, found shared office space with other lawyers, and developed a holistic approach that lets him to build relationships with his clients and work not only as an attorney but also as a trusted advisor. Learn how he set up his practice, selected case management software, established a flat-fee subscription plan for his clients rather than hourly rates, and developed an understanding of the needs of both elder clients and their families as they navigate a new stage of life. If you’re well into a first career, you might be surprised at how much your “real world experience” can translate to a solo law practice. Got questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at [email protected]   Topics: Starting a solo practice as a second career and putting your “old job” skills to work in your new venture. The importance of selecting the right practice management and office equipment tools, learning about marketing, and asking for help when you don’t know. The value of finding a niche that lets you focus your energy on the kind of law that matches your passion.  Mentioned in this Episode: Fearless Paranoia podcast Life Care Planning Law Firms Association Actionstep MyCase ElderCounsel DecisionVault Calendly Textexpander Maximum Lawyer podcast The 80/20 Principle podcast The Law Entrepreneur podcast Lunch Hour Legal Marketing podcast Peggy Gruenke on Legal Talk Network podcasts

Take a deep dive into eDiscovery for small and midsized firms with an old friend and frequent New Solo contributor, guest Brett Burney, a lawyer and longtime consultant who’s passionate about legal tech. Facing a mountain of electronic documents from PDFs to spreadsheets to emails to texts in discovery? You don’t need to be an expert, but you do need to understand the basics, the traps, and the available tools. Start by accepting that electronic files aren’t paper files. They are inherently different and aren’t meant to be printed out. Embrace the format and treat electronic documents as what they are. If you print electronic documentation out, or you accept a printed version, you’re not getting the full picture, and you’re letting potentially valuable information slip through your fingers. It's a digital world, and litigation is more likely than ever to include emails, smartphones, voice mails, social media posts and comments, and texts. If you’ve been wondering if you’re doing the best job possible with eDiscovery, this is the episode for you. Got questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at [email protected]  Topics: Electronic discovery (eDiscovery) involves electronic files that are inherently different than paper discovery. What you need to know and mistakes you may be making. Metadata included in electronic documents can offer valuable clues that help you prepare your case, but it’s easy to contaminate that data. Understand the available tools that organize, preserve, and prepare digital evidence, including extracting text messages, voice memos, and emails from smartphones and tablets.  Mentioned in This Episode: Previously on New Solo, with guest Brett Burney LegalWeek New York iMazing “Forensic Image,” Science Direct Synctech Synctech SMS Backup and Restore X1 Search Page Vault Pagefreezer WebPreserver vs. Pagefreezer Relativity Relativity One Everlaw NextPoint Logicull Disco Lexbe GoldFynch Acrobat Digital WarRoom NextPoint blog, “eDiscovery with Outlook: 3 Reasons Why Outlook is NOT a Document Review Tool,”

Quite a few bar associations have practice management advisors (or perhaps someone in a similar role), but a whole lot of lawyers aren’t aware of how this free member service could help them change their practice for the better. Adriana Linares chats with fellow practice management professional Catherine Sanders Reach about the services they provide to attorneys — from consulting on technology and ethics to starting a new business and so much more. Later, the term “legal operations” might seem like it only applies to the “Big Law” end of the spectrum, but a solo or small firm should be just as keen on having well-planned operating procedures for their business from the get-go. Adriana and Catherine talk through easy-to-use tools that help law firms big and small operate with efficiency. And, last, Microsoft 365 is rolling out Copilot, and Adriana and Catherine are watching its progress with great anticipation. Tune in for their thoughts on how this and similar tech could impact your legal practice. Catherine Sanders Reach is director at the Center for Practice Management at the North Carolina Bar Association. Topics: Tapping into the knowledge your bar association’s practice management advisor has to offer. Legal operations for solo and small law firms. Microsoft 365 Copilot’s potential for lawyers. Mentioned in this episode: Catherine’s From the Center Blog NCBA Center for Practice Management  ABA Legal Technology Resource Center   Lisa Crosbie - YouTube  Introducing Microsoft 365 Copilot

For solos sharing office space with other attorneys, there are advantages, but also potential headaches. How do you navigate this arrangement? Guest Jared Correia is a podcaster, lawyer, and full-time business management consultant, sort of the lawyer you know who knows how to run a business. For clients, he digs into law firm management from the very high-level strategy to the nuts and bolts of tech and daily operations. Shared offices create issues with malpractice insurance, shared practice management software, and clearly communicating your solo status while working in what to a client may appear to be a firm. Plus, the important distinctions between website chat capability, automated chatbots, and the emergence of true artificial intelligence such as ChatGPT. Learn where each product can fill gaps in your practice and turn leads into clients. Tech that may make your solo practice work like a larger firm. Got questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at [email protected] Topics: Practice management problems attorneys in a shared office space encounter. Incorporating online chat and chatbots on your website, capture more leads. And where does the latest – ChatGPT artificial intelligence – fit? Resources from This Episode: Nebraska Bar Florida Bar San Diego Bar Book, “The Of Counsel Agreement” by Harold Wren ABA, Of Counsel defined ABA Techshow ABA Legal Technology Resource Center Formilla Apex remote assistants Smith remote assistants Ruby Abby Connect Back Office Betties ChatGPT OpenAI Google A.I., “Bard”

Hanging up a shingle takes more than a law degree. Today’s legal tech and software helps solo and small practices be more productive and organized than ever. “Good enough” isn’t good enough. Know what you need, and get it! Adriana runs through the tech foundation of a successful firm: from the computers to the office software to the case management software and add-ons that can streamline your practice and better serve your clients. Adriana names names, provides recommendations, and answers the questions she hears from clients regularly. This is the personal consultation you have wanted … for free! Got questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at [email protected] Topics: PC or Mac? Does it matter? Office management tools? Make sure everything integrates, from your accounting software (hint, most accountants use QuickBooks) to your PDF creation tools. Don’t be cheap! Case management tools and “add-ons” save time and organize your practice. And when it comes to labeling files, don’t be clever, be clear and concise. You have 256 characters to name a document, use them all so you can share work. Mentioned in This Episode: Microsoft Office 365 Google Workspace Adobe Acrobat Pro QuickBooks Clio Clio Integrations ABA Legal Technology Resource Center Mycase Rocket Matter CosmoLex Zolasuite Actionstep Centerbase Microsoft OneDrive Dropbox Loom.com Law Firm Autopilot Netdocuments Fastcase Casetext Textexpander.com TextexpanderforLawyers Vonage Nextiva Dialpad RingCentral Ruby Abby Connect Smith.ai Back Office Betties New Solo Back Episode Library A Listener’s Guide to the New Solo Back Catalog

What’s this about Google My Business? Well, for starters it connects your business to the Bible: The real Google Maps page. If you’re in business, you need to understand this. It’s not hard, but it takes a bit of work, and it’s a must. Create a system, understand the process, and don’t be shy about asking for Google reviews, they matter. (BTW, you can’t cheat or lie about a physical location. Google sends a postcard to verify. Who knew? So, you need to figure it out. Here’s how, even if you work out of a co-working facility. Do you need a sign? Yes, you do. Google has a lot of weird rules.) And for Heaven’s sake, if you tell Google you’ll accept messaging through Google, you need to answer your messages or risk bad reviews and cranky customers. Do or do not. There is no try. NAP? It’s got to be consistent across the web. If you don’t know it, you need to listen to this episode. This is everything you need to know about Google mapping and why it’s so important. Plus, ranking factors, keywords, call answer rate, and profile info. Google 101. Got questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at [email protected] Topics: Google Maps: Why they are so important to your business. Everything you need to know about Google’s weird ways and specific language. Give up on trying to trick Google. Play fair, play hard, play to win.

Is the secret to your law firm’s success a triangle? Guest Christopher T. Anderson is a law practice management consultant (and host of the Legal Talk Network’s Un-Billable Hour). Anderson shares the “triangle” of a successful law firm: Acquiring clients; Producing the results you promised; and Achieving and Measuring the impact and success of your firm. Anderson’s unique take on law firm management is built on thinking of law as a real business first. Why are you doing what you do? Acquiring new clients means building on referrals, creating relationships, and paid marketing. Know and tell your story. Producing results translates to setting client expectations (and meeting them), and doing your best work. Establish a “North Star” for every case. And then there’s achieving and measuring the results for your business stakeholders. Where do you want to be? What separates good law firms from great ones? A law firm is a business, it’s OK to admit that. Got questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at [email protected] Topics: Building a law firm is building a business. Don’t forget that! There are three “sides” to building a firm: attracting clients, satisfying clients, and achieving business success. Every part of your legal career is intentional, it’s not luck. Know what you are trying to achieve.

The ABA Techshow isn’t just for tech wizards; rather, it should be a vital part of every solo lawyer’s networking plan! Guests Jeannine Abukhater Lambert and Gyi Tsakalakis are co-chairs of the upcoming ABA Techshow, the home of all things tech and your opportunity to see what’s new, and what you’re missing. Both guests serve unique corners of the legal world and found their paths through different methods. Lambert covers large policy areas through academia, and Tsakalakis is a leader in employing tech into legal marketing, making the most out of any firm. No matter what area of the legal world your career leads you to, knowing how to network and market effectively is vital to your success. What’s frightening is how many lawyers, across the field, say “tech competence” isn’t relevant. Not only is it relevant, it’s table stakes. If you aren’t confident of your firm’s – or your own – tech know-how, the ABA Techshow can open your eyes, open new pathways, and help you better serve your clients. Got questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at [email protected] Topics: Not everyone who graduates from law school ends up practicing law. There are many little corners of the legal world. The upcoming ABA Techshow is your gateway to catching up and latching on to the latest in legal tech AND building your network. Gyi offers listeners some advice on how to start thinking about marketing, even from a young point in one’s career.

Guest Joanne Martin is an inspiration to anyone considering a career change later in life. She’s a family law attorney in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. While she vigorously represents her clients, she strives to create a respectful and collaborative environment when settling family law issues, including divorce and separation, especially when children are involved. Martin had a successful career in film and television, as well as a husband and four children, when she returned to school to earn her law degree. It can be done. Second careers do happen. After law school and working with a firm, Martin launched her solo practice, Align Family Law. Hear how she built a firm based on her values and understanding of the family dynamic, striving to help divorcing clients work toward respectful solutions. She also offers valuable insights into how she set up her office, built a website, developed written content, selected practice management software, developed a transparent pricing model, and learned to establish virtual video client consultations that work. As a bonus, even established solo practitioners may pick up some tips from Martin’s innovative approach to initial consultations, client intake, retainers, and avoiding potential conflicts. Got questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at [email protected] Topics: Later-in-life career changes can and do happen. Hear from an attorney who went to law school and established a solo practice after building a family and a successful career. A thorough, honest intake process not only keeps potential clients from wasting time, but also helps you weed out clients who may not appreciate your values and approach. Plus, learn why you should NOT buy Microsoft 365 through a third party, such as GoDaddy (you may need a pro to undo that misstep). Mentioned in This Episode: New Solo, “A Short Primer on Microsoft Accounts, OneDrive, and SharePoint”

Still think your small or solo practice can go it alone without a client relationship platform (CRM)? Maybe you don’t have all the facts. From intake to holiday cards to referrals and repeat business, learn how a CRM propels your practice. Guest Matt Siegel is a serial entrepreneur, attorney, and the CEO of Lawmatics. He believes that a good CRM should free information from “data prisons,” integrate client onboarding, track client data, build relationships, and even manage holiday greetings and follow-ups. It’s all about automation and flexibility, freeing attorneys to do what they do best: practice law. Stop thinking about being a law firm and start thinking about being a business. You do law, a CRM does client management. Don’t miss this episode. Got questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Hit us up at [email protected] Topics: A CRM isn’t just for big firms. Solo and small firms can get a big boost from an affordable platform. Even after the case is closed, relationships matter. From repeat business to referrals, it’s about staying in touch. The smallest details, like sending holiday cards, gobble up valuable, billable hours. Why not have a management system simplify and speed up those tasks?