New Solo

Guest Ana "Ani" P. Rodriguez-Newbern is a “do-gooder,” a Florida lawyer dedicated to service both to the state of Florida and to the public good. She serves on multiple legal committees while her small family firm, Tangel-Rodriguez & Associates, represents the Florida Department of Revenue in child support matters. She shares how working with both her mother and brother blends every aspect of professional and family life. (Not to mention, her father is a retired judge). Rodriguez-Newbern’s firm has only one client, the State of Florida, through a contract for the past 30 years. The firm specializes in child support cases in Orange County, Florida, working for the state on behalf of residents receiving public assistance. The state contract makes up the firm’s entire book of business. Interested in a government contract? Both city and state websites are a good place to look, as well as networking to learn when contracts may be coming up. Got questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Hit us up at [email protected] Topics: Learn about how a small, family, firm has prospered for 30 years with just one client: the State of Florida. Working in a firm with family members can be a challenge, but it can be rewarding as well. Family and professional life blend into one. Small, niche firms can always find ways to integrate technology, even if that’s at a careful, slow pace.

Guest Levi Barlavi is a “niche practice” solo attorney, focusing on the needs of medical providers. He started his own practice just three years after law school, and, yes, it can be done. But being a solo, no matter how good you are, requires insights into the available legal tech tools, and it’s OK to ask for help. They don’t teach you this stuff in law school. So how did Barlavi grow a solo practice, learn to plan, create a vision, and incorporate tech and marketing? Hear how networking, curiosity, conferences, public speaking, and following his passion helped Barlavi develop a practice that excites him and grows by the year. As Barlavi says, get personal, go outside your comfort zone, dive into social media, and “exercise your boldness.” Got questions or ideas? Don’t forget to hit us up at [email protected] Topics:   Guest Levi Barlavi shares how he followed his passion as a solo practitioner and found a unique niche in healthcare services.   Get outside your comfort zone and express your personality through public speaking, networking, and social media. Hear how sharing information and being open to conversations builds your reputation, your brand, and your practice. Mentioned in This Episode: Clio Legal Tech Toastmasters Allison Shields and Dennis Kennedy, “Make LinkedIn Work For You,”

Clio, the legal tech services giant, provides options that can help firms comply with federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance. As many lawyers know – or come to learn – healthcare information can be a third rail. HIPAA regulations create unique knots to untangle when you get anywhere near sensitive healthcare information. What’s a HIPAA “covered entity,” and how does it affect responsibilities for health records, data protection, and sharing? What level of security and encryption are required? And how do new HITECH act vendor data handling regulations affect you? If you’re representing doctors buying or selling a practice, or representing a nursing home or health provider, it can get messy in a minute. Attorneys can struggle to comply with all the regulations. But incorporating a comprehensive, firm-wide compliance tech solution can help. (Plus, learn how to stop misspelling HIPAA, because we’ve all done it). Got questions or ideas? Don’t forget to hit us up at [email protected]  Topics: Guest Joshua Lenon, lawyer and data protection officer at Clio, explains how tech solutions can help lawyers meet HIPAA healthcare data requirements. HIPAA regs can sneak into all sorts of legal work, including the buying and selling of medical practices or a medical malpractice case. …and HIPAA regs are constantly evolving. Are you keeping up? Additional Resources: HIPAA HITECH Act What is PHI Clio Clio and HIPAA Clio HIPAA add-on cost Standard Fusion Clio Cloud Conference Clio Twitter

Longtime friend of Legal Talk Network Carolyn Elefant – author, mentor, blogger, and solo practitioner – joins host Adriana Linares with a huge update to her hit book “Solo by Choice.” Get a one-stop-shop overview for any new solo practitioner. The pandemic, social media, online content, and business generation trends are shaking the legal practice bedrock. The online conferencing and virtual offices of the pandemic are challenging the need for a formal office. Billing practices and options are shifting. Virtual assistants and freelancers are the norm. Clients are looking to new sources for attorneys. Of course, you still need paying clients. Hear ideas on how to fully commit to your practice, find your niche, and build business from day one. Plus, business practice requirements, customer relationship programs, insurance, licensing, cybersecurity, and legal tech software. There’s no better time for new solo practitioners to ask for what they want – and get it. What’s ahead for the legal profession? Got questions or ideas? Don’t forget to hit us up at [email protected]  Topics: Guest, lawyer and author Carolyn Elefant shares tips for the modern era from her newly revised book, “Solo By Choice.” All you need to know about starting a solo or small practices, from software to cybersecurity. What’s new for the legal profession in a post-pandemic world?  New Insights Veteran attorney Jennifer Smith Thomas answers questions from new attorney Jennifer Townsend about the challenges of working with her father in a small, family-owned firm.  Question 4: “How do I get my dad to be open to change when his favorite phrase is ‘We do it that way because that’s the way we’ve always done it’”   Special thanks to our sponsors, Lawclerk, Alert Communications, Abby Connect, and Clio.

At last! The anticipated Windows and Windows 365 tech episode with Adam Alexander, IT solutions guru and president of InterNetwork IT. Together, they answer all those questions you’ve messaged and tweeted in the past months. We’re getting into the nitty gritty. Learn what’s available and find solutions to problems that seem unsolvable. Don’t settle for “good enough!” Topics: Adriana and Adam dive deep into all things Microsoft 365, OneDrive, and more. Make access to your data more organized, safer, and easier for your employees or coworkers to share.  Plus, your questions about all things Microsoft. You asked, we answered.  New Insights In our series New Insights, veteran attorney Jennifer Smith Thomas answers questions from Birmingham, Alabama, new attorney Jennifer Townsend about the challenges of working with her father in a small, family-owned firm.  Question 3: “My Dad keeps saying ‘I’m a dinosaur, I don’t need to learn anything new.’ How do I convince him that he’s not too old or too settled to learn new skills that will improve the way we work together?”    Special thanks to our sponsors, Lawclerk, Alert Communications, Abby Connect, and Clio.

Guest Tom L. Drew is a longtime attorney in Des Moines, Iowa. He reached out to New Solo and host Adriana Linares for help modernizing his practice and getting the most out of today’s tech. Drew is comfortable with computers, but he’s always looking for newer, better, more efficient methods. As a long-time paperless operation, Drew’s office was in a good place when it went remote during the COVID-19 pandemic. As his office went to a work-from-home environment, Drew was quick to incorporate training sessions and provide the necessary tools to help his team set up comfortable, efficient home offices. He found that money spent on tech is money well spent, and speed and efficiency matters more than cost. Hear how Drew upgraded software and replaced an on-site server with the cloud for a faster, on-the-go setup. Still unsure about cloud technology, OneDrive, Office 365, remote access, and document sharing? Learn how and where these pieces fit in a modern office. Plus, we have a special upcoming mailbag edition on Office 365 and all things Microsoft. Got a question? Contact us at [email protected]. Topics:  Guest Tom Drew, longtime solo practitioner, talks about his recent tech makeover and moving from a server to the cloud. It’s not about cost, it’s about productivity and efficiency. In today’s work-from-home environment, being able to collaborate, schedule, and share information is more important than ever. Tech isn’t only for new solos, it’s for established firms too.  New Insights  In our series New Insights, veteran attorney Jennifer Smith Thomas answers questions from new attorney Jennifer Townsend about the challenges of working with her father in a small, family-owned firm.   Question 2: “I work on cases with my Dad. In the South, it is uncommon to address your parents by their first name. How should I introduce myself and explain our relationship to new clients while being respectful of my Dad and not undermining myself as a new attorney?" Special thanks to our sponsors, Lawclerk, Alert Communications, Abby Connect, and Clio.

Guest attorney Ruth Carter is nothing if not transparent. A client’s failure to plan should not be a cause for crisis to an attorney! Carter talks openly and honestly with host Adriana Linares about being clear with clients. Tell them your rates up front, even put them on your website. And set “rush rates” for any work that suddenly pops up, it sets expectations and encourages clients to think ahead and plan accordingly. Is your firm incorporating “rush rates” into client contracts? Plus, we have a special upcoming mailbag edition on Office 365 and all things Microsoft. Got a question? Contact us at [email protected]. Topics: Using simple, plain language to help clients understand what they are signing and what they are accomplishing. It’s OK to be transparent about your rates and that those rates increase when a matter is suddenly urgent! Being honest about what you do and what clients should expect. New Insights In a brand-new series of New Insights, veteran attorney Jennifer Smith Thomas answers questions from new attorney Jennifer Townsend about the challenges of working with her father in her small family-owned firm. Question 1: “My dad has given me a lot of freedom to redesign all the firm’s systems. How do I present my ideas without having him reject all of my plans?”    Got a question or suggestion? [email protected]   Special thanks to our sponsors, Lawclerk, Alert Communications, Abby Connect, and Clio.

In an innovative and self-care focused episode, host Adriana Linares talks with author, professor, attorney and self-proclaimed “poster child of introversion and shyness” Heidi Brown. Hear how she learned to succeed in the high-pressure atmosphere of legal practice.  Learn to untangle your communication traits and internal turmoil. Listen to your mind – and your body – and understand your strengths and abilities. If you struggle to speak up, to confidently share your ideas, or understand how you process information and energy, you are not alone. Brown, author of “The Introverted Lawyer: A Seven-Step Journey Toward Authentically Empowered Advocacy” and “Untangling Fear in Lawyering: A Four-Step Journey Toward Powerful Advocacy,” delves into the feelings of stress and anxiety that can hold us back.  Plus, we have a special upcoming mailbag edition on Office 365 and all things Microsoft. Got a question? Contact us at [email protected].   Topics:  – It’s OK to be introverted or shy as a lawyer. Acceptance can help you work through your unique challenges. – Understand feelings of stress and anxiety (and the difference between being shy and being an introvert). – Just like any professional athlete or performer, you can seek outside help, coaching, mentoring, and other services to help you be your best.   Special thanks to our sponsors, Lawclerk, Alert Communications, Abby Connect, and Clio. 

Lift your practice by lifting others. Host Adriana Linares talks with attorney and community leader Eugene Pettis about how his lifelong commitment to community service built his brand and his business.  Pettis, the first African American president of The Florida Bar, made a conscious effort to carve out time for giving back, leading literacy and education efforts and fostering open, honest communication while seeking solutions. Public service builds connections, brand, and ultimately business. “We’re on this earth to do better by others,” he says.  But don’t forget, a business doesn’t build itself. Be bold. Pettis, who has represented Fortune 100 companies including ExxonMobil and Starbucks, says he’s never shied from approaching even the biggest potential clients.  Plus, we have a special upcoming mailbag edition on Office 365 and all things Microsoft. Got a question? Contact us at [email protected]. Topics:  Service above self. Know the value of community service and helping others.  If you see a problem, solve it. If you have a good idea, act. Community involvement builds your brand. Be bold. Don’t shy from approaching the biggest potential clients. New Insights, brought to you by Nota by M&T Bank  Veteran attorney and mediation professional Liz McCausland answers questions from new solo Stephanie Larenas  Question 4/4: “I am so nervous about putting myself out there. What are some tips you can give me about doing it confidently?”   Special thanks to our sponsors, Lawclerk, Alert Communications, Abby Connect, and Clio. 

If you’re starting or running a solo or small law practice (or even working in a larger firm), it’s important to remember you are not out there on your own. The ABA Law Practice Division (ABA LP) is loaded with resources to help you succeed and grow your business.  ABA LP Chair Heidi Barcus and Vice Chair Mary Vandenack join host Adriana Linares for a deep dive into the four pillars of success: marketing, management, finance, and tech (not to mention your own well-being). Learn what resources are available for you. Membership in the ABA LP includes access to all the books, mentoring, meetings, fellowship, and support of the ABA LP.  For anything you want to know about the practice of law, the ABA LP is the place to go.  Plus, we have a special upcoming mailbag edition on Office 365 and all things Microsoft. Got a question? Want to share some insights? Contact us at [email protected]. Topics:  You don’t have to go it alone when starting or running your solo or small law practice. The ABA LP is loaded with resources including committees and publications on running a successful law practice.  Learn the four pillars of a successful business: Marketing, management, finance, and technology. And don’t forget your own well-being.  New Insights, brought to you by Nota by M&T Bank Veteran attorney and mediation professional Liz McCausland answers questions from new solo Stephanie Larenas:   Question 3/4: “As a new lawyer, what are some red flags I should watch for in potential new clients?”   Special thanks to our sponsors, Lawclerk, Alert Communications, Abby Connect, and Clio.