The Un-Billable Hour Legal Talk Network

In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table: 

AI is all the rage in the public media, but how are lawyers using it in real life? For starters, it can help you with written communications. Tone down an angry brief or client communication. Write advertising or blog communications. Even create Excel formulas. (But remember, it’s a tool, not a replacement for your skills!). 

How do you convey the value of a paid consultation? Help clients understand what they get by paying for a professional consultation. Sometimes it starts with an explanation that every case is different, and only a paid consultation can explore all available options before hiring an attorney. Tell prospects what they can expect from you and your conversation is more than a sales call.

Marketing is important. And it’s expensive. How do you know when you’re getting the right ROI? It takes some math. Do you know how much you’re spending and how many paying clients are a direct result?

Plus, the risks and rewards of posting your firm’s phone number prominently. Sometimes putting your number out there generates spam and time-wasting calls when a simple online scheduling tool could be more efficient. What’s right for you?
Mentioned in this Episode:
ChatGPT 4
Paxton AI for legal profession
“Michael Cohen Says He Unwittingly Sent AI-Generated Fake Legal Cases To His Attorney,” NPR
Microsoft Excel
“PPC For Lawyers: It's About Cost Per Client, NOT Cost-Per-Click,” Lunch Hour Legal Marketing on Legal Talk Network
“Getting Started With Local Services Ads,” Google
Calendly
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Business and professional growth are at the core of your business. This episode is about growth. Growing your business intentionally. Are you working “for your business” or “in your business?” Guest and growth guru Rick Watson helps business owners – like you – go beyond daily tasks to focus on real growth. 
Watson started his consulting dynasty with a dream and twenty bucks in his pocket. He’s now the successful owner of several businesses, including a half billion-dollar registered investment advisory, and he’s the founder the National Referral Network. He walks the walk and provides solid insights. 
Learn to think like an entrepreneur, not a practitioner. Don’t set artificial limits on your business. This is a deep dive, and it may force you to think. It’s about culture, goals, hiring, and about directing your firm and your future with purpose. If you’re on a treadmill running daily operations and chasing leads, you may be letting your business and your opportunities slip away. Separate good growth from bad growth, cut the mundane tasks, and energize your firm today. 
Mentioned in this Episode:
Video, “The Growth Minded Accountant: A Firm Worth Building With Rick Watson”
Book, “A Firm Worth Building: Running a Better Professional Business,” By Rick Watson
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In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table:

We start with an attorney who wants to balance hiring and firm growth. What happens when you hire “too much” team for the work or have “too much work” for the team? It’s a delicate dance. Start with a business plan and control the one thing you can, the number of cases you accept. It’s OK to say no to a new potential client. (Plus, find out what Christopher calls a “bull$#!* plan”).

 What happens when you haven’t explored new ways to market and you fall behind? No use crying over spilt milk, but honestly, get on it. You start from where you are. Understand what you’re doing, what’s working, and what’s failing. A swift kick in the pants may get you motivated.

And how do you help a long-standing employee establish some metrics, mainly a minimum billable hour requirement? Be straightforward, but it’s a balancing act. Sometimes you gotta be cruel to be kind (in the right measure).

Mentioned in this Episode:
Empirical360
BlueShark Digital Marketing
What are LSAs? (Local Service Ads)
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Production and technology are inextricably intertwined. That doesn’t mean online tech replaces the human touch. It means today’s tech tools can help you better serve clients. But you still need to ask, anticipate, listen, and deliver. Guest Joey Seeber – an experienced litigator and the founder of the legal tech consulting and implementation company Level Legal – explores how tech and humans work together. 
The legal world has become a digital jungle. Virtually everything is digitized. But untangling the bits and bytes and preparing them for courtroom presentation takes know-how and careful thought. There is no longer simply “acceptance” of technology; instead, technical competence is expected. 
The trick is finding the perfect point where tech meets the human touch, allowing lawyers to best serve clients and to meet needs and understand things that go unsaid. From eDiscovery to AI, the tools are out there. But the human application of those tools makes the real difference. How well do you understand your role as a human in a high-tech world? What makes you stand out? Hear some great tips about using the right tech while bringing your own special touch to surprise and delight your clients.
Mentioned in this Episode:
Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy
Clio Cloud Conference
ABA Techshow
Legalweek 2024  
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In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table: 

It’s a new year. The “Dos and Don’ts of New Year’s Resolutions.” It’s OK to set goals, heck, it’s great. But be reasonable, mindful even. There is no “magical thinking” that everything will change if you wish it. Review your past, understand yourself, share your vision. And if you need an unbiased opinion, ask someone.

The dreaded sales slump isn’t cause for panic. If something has changed, your conversions fall off a cliff, take a deep breath and a logical approach. Don’t dash around like a squirrel in the road. You’ll find the flaw and correct it.

Building your team isn’t easy, but if you take an open approach, you can do it. Interviewing a prospective team member is a marketing process – from both sides. You want to learn as much as you can about each other. If you have to spend some time and money getting it right, there’s nothing wrong with that. 


Mentioned in this Episode:
The Atlantic, “You Can’t Simply Decide To Be A Different Person” by Amanda Mull
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Technology has quickly become a topic that touches everything in the legal world. You can’t escape it. While learning to embrace the latest in legal tech is vital to the success of your firm, it doesn’t have to be overwhelming.
We’re talking on this episode about how today’s emerging tech trends impact every aspect of your law firm – from client acquisition, to producing results, to generating profit – with guest Colin Levy, an author, speaker, and leader in the world of legal tech.
But just buying a tech package won’t deliver value. Incorporating today’s new tech tools, understanding how they work, and truly understanding them (and then actually using them) is what drives value. Take the time to understand what you need, what problems you’re solving, then seek out the tech that actually gets you to your destination. 
Things are changing, and the rate of acceleration is accelerating, and we’re just getting started. Imagine AI drives the pace of change even faster. Before our eyes, technology is redefining what it means to be a lawyer.
Mentioned in this Episode:
Malbek
“Handbook of Legal Tech,” by Colin Levy
https://www.amazon.com/Legal-Tech-Ecosystem-Innovation-Advancement/dp/B0CKCZTLWW
Clio Cloud Conference 
ABA Techshow
Legalweek 2024  
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