The Legal Toolkit

Legal Tech Genius & Real Housewives of Miami Star Reveals the Secrets to Successful Relationships (Business Professional Ones, That Is) | Rebroadcast

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 11:00:00 -0000

Were the Beach Boys once on track to become America’s version of the Beatles? Surprisingly, maybe. Disney recently put out a less-than-stellar Beach Boys documentary, so Jared takes on the task of dishing on the true talent, grit, beauty, and tragedy of the group’s career.

Next, We all have connections that carry the potential to be valuable in our professional lives, but if those connections are difficult to maintain, possibilities may slip away. How can attorneys deepen relationships and strengthen their business opportunities? Just like everything else—with AI, of course! Jared talks with Jody Glidden about new AI-fueled software that helps attorneys with front-office tech geared toward nurturing your network.

And last, Jared hands over the Rump Roast to Real Housewives superfans Ally Kvidt and Lindsey Egan! As it turns out, Jody is a regular on Real Housewives of Miami (gasp!). So, now it’s their turn to dish on the talent, grit, beauty, and vapidity of the RHOMers. Plus, you’ll finally find out whether Jody and Lisa really stole that waffle iron.

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Oh, man! I bet you didn’t know how much you were missing Jared’s unique take on culture, legal practice, and whatever else pops into his head. But don’t fret, there’s plenty to go around. Jared’s back with a new **WEEKLY** show, Legal Late Night, available not only on your favorite podcast app, but in living color on your neighborhood YouTubes. That’s right, Jared’s more than just a pretty voice. Join him and his guests in high-def 2D through the links below.

Subscribe to Legal Late Night with Jared Correia on:

Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/legal-late-night/id1809201251

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0Rkik0LLMaU6u0e7AKfK9h

Or your favorite podcasting app.

And bask in the majesty of our YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZO71dMbPZJWAKWw_-qrRRQ

The AI Bubble, Law Firm Marketing KPIs, & The "Wheel of Justice" with Lawmatics CEO Matt Spiegel | Legal Late Night

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 18:23:00 -0000

Lawmatics CEO Matt Spiegel faces the unforgiving "Wheel of Justice" to discuss the AI Bubble, essential Law Firm Marketing KPIs, and the future of Legal Tech.

Before the chaos, Jared Correia throws another masterpiece onto his "Perfect Album" series. This time, it's Paul McCartney's Ram (1971). Discover why the post-Beatles album was McCartney's absolute prime, and why Ram is considered his "Taylor Swift album" (yes, full of diss tracks aimed at John Lennon). Plus, we explain the bizarre genius of "Percy Thrillington."

Then, in lieu of an interview, we submit Lawmatics CEO Matt Spiegel to a full 10-round session of the Wheel of Justice. Jared relentlessly spins, Matt and answers a chaotic mix of questions.

Inside this chaotic and insightful interview, we discuss must-know topics for law firm growth and pure random chaos:

Legal Technology & AI

The Adoption Hurdle: The primary obstacle preventing lawyers from embracing new technology is "arrogance-driven fear."
The AI Bubble: Matt contends that the current AI market is saturated with "glorified ChatGPT wrappers." The genuine evolution in legal tech will be found in "agentic platforms."

Law Firm Marketing Strategy

Spending Traps: Identify and correct the most significant financial misstep lawyers make.
Essential KPIs: You must meticulously track two crucial metrics: Cost Per Lead and Cost Per Customer.

Random Chaos & Personal Anecdotes

Apocalypse Prep: Matt's plan for surviving the end of the world, which involves acquiring a $200 million LA mansion.
Nostalgia & Final Meals: Discussing the sentimental value of the original Game Boy and the very specific French fry choice for a "Death Row Last Meal."

Learn more about Matt Spiegel and Lawmatics here.

And check out this episode's Spotify playlist.

Subscribe to Legal Late Night with Jared Correia on:

Apple, Spotify, or your favorite podcasting app.
And bask in the majesty of our YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZO71dMbPZJWAKWw_-qrRRQ

Millennial Lawyers: What they Want, What they Need | Rebroadcast

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 11:00:00 -0000

What is unique about the values of the millennial generation of lawyers, and how can they best be integrated into law firms? In this episode of Legal Toolkit, host Jared Correia talks to author and lawyer Susan Smith Blakely about her latest book, “What Millennial Lawyers Want: A Bridge From Past to Future Law Practice.” Susan explains her discovery that millennial values are not dissimilar to those of The Greatest Generation”, and how this reflection of past values holds positive potential for the legal industry. They discuss the career expectations of millennial lawyers and outline the ways law firms and millennials can bridge the generational gap and work together effectively.

Susan Smith Blakely is a lawyer and author devoted to issues challenging young lawyers today.

Subscribe to Legal Late Night with Jared Correia on:

Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/legal-late-night/id1809201251

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0Rkik0LLMaU6u0e7AKfK9h

Or your favorite podcasting app.

And bask in the majesty of our YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZO71dMbPZJWAKWw_-qrRRQ

The Art of the Entertainment Deal | Rebroadcast

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 19:00:00 -0000

In order for any lawyer to be a successful advocate for their client or law firm they must become an excellent dealmaker. However, the secrets to the art of deal closing can seem incredibly elusive to even the most initiated. What are the fundamental tenets of being a good dealmaker, and how does one focus on honing these skills?

In this episode of The Legal Toolkit, host Jared Correia sits down with Cohen Gardner LLP Co-Founder Jeff B. Cohen, a former child actor best remembered for his role as Chunk in The Goonies, to discuss dealmaking in the context of the law. The conversation opens with Jeff providing insights into his experiences behind the camera as a child actor and how this unique upbringing influences his perception of entertainment dealmaking. Within these recollections he also discusses how Machiavelli’s “The Prince” aided him after his acting career ended and how these teachings inspired his book “The Dealmaker’s Ten Commandments: Ten Essential Tools for Business Forged in the Trenches of Hollywood.” Jeff provides a glimpse into his methodologies and why he thinks it’s so important for lawyers to effectively manage their time. He then provides a few of his personal commandments and best practices that any legal professional can use to become a more effective and successful dealmaker.

Jeff B. Cohen co-founded Cohen Gardner LLP in 2002 and focuses on transactional representation for clients in the entertainment, media and technology verticals. His first book, “The Dealmaker’s Ten Commandments: Ten Essential Tools for Business Forged in the Trenches of Hollywood” was published by the American Bar Association’s imprint Ankerwycke in 2015. Jeff received his Juris Doctor from UCLA Law School with an emphasis in business law and his undergraduate degree from The University of California at Berkeley, Haas School of Business. While at UC Berkeley, Jeff served as President of the Associated Students of the University of California.

Subscribe to Legal Late Night with Jared Correia on:

Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/legal-late-night/id1809201251

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0Rkik0LLMaU6u0e7AKfK9h

Or your favorite podcasting app.

And bask in the majesty of our YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZO71dMbPZJWAKWw_-qrRRQ

Tom Petty's "Full Moon Fever" & The Future of Work with Larry Port | Legal Late Night w/ Jared Corriea

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 17:00:00 -0000

Jared Correia welcomes a true legal tech legend for a record-breaking three-segment appearance.

First, Jared and Larry Port (founder of Rocket Matter) crack open a new entry in the "Perfect Album" series: Tom Petty's Full Moon Fever (1989). They debate the merits of the album's solo status, the genius of Jeff Lynne's production, and whether "Free Fallin'" is actually a good song or just California propaganda.

Then, in the main interview, Larry discusses life after his successful exit from Rocket Matter. He reveals his new venture, WaySpark, a career coaching platform designed to help young people navigate a volatile labor market shaped by AI, the "silver wave" of retirements, and the decline of white-collar hiring. Larry explains why interpersonal skills are the new currency and why he advocates for the "Family Dinner Test" when choosing a career path.

Finally, stick around for the Counter Program: "Hard Work." Jared tests Larry's career coaching expertise with a quiz on bizarre historical and futuristic jobs. Is a "Quantum Janitor" a real thing? What about a Victorian "Pure Finder" who collects dog feces? Tune in to find out!

Check out Larry's podcast Dream Job Cafe.

Check out this week's Spotify playlist here.

Subscribe to Legal Late Night with Jared Correia on:

Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/legal-late-night/id1809201251

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0Rkik0LLMaU6u0e7AKfK9h

Or your favorite podcasting app.

And bask in the majesty of our YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZO71dMbPZJWAKWw_-qrRRQ

How to be a Better Law Firm Associate | Rebroadcast

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 12:00:00 -0000

As an associate at a law firm, it can be a challenge balancing marketing yourself while also giving your best to the firm. In this Legal Toolkit, host Jared Correia talks to Jay Harrington about how young associates can take ownership of their careers and build their brand while also being accountable to a firm. They discuss overcoming marketing challenges, in-person versus web marketing, and finding your identity both in and out of the office.

Jay Harrington runs Harrington, a brand strategy and content marketing agency that helps lawyers and law firms across the country increase market awareness and improve business development efforts.

Subscribe to Legal Late Night with Jared Correia on:

Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/legal-late-night/id1809201251

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0Rkik0LLMaU6u0e7AKfK9h

Or your favorite podcasting app.

And bask in the majesty of our YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZO71dMbPZJWAKWw_-qrRRQ

Delegating Law Firm Workflows; and “Live From the Playroom” with Erinn Peet Lukes! | Rebroadcast

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 12:00:00 -0000

Inefficient and don’t know why? Jared will sort you out. Listen in for tips on creating and delegating workflows to make your firm’s processes efficient from start to finish.

Next up, a brand new feature! In this, the inaugural edition of “Live From the Playroom,” Jared welcomes Nashville singer-songwriter Erinn Peet Lukes as the show’s first-ever musical guest. Check out Erinn’s music at erinnpeetlukes.com, and look for her upcoming solo album “EPL” on March 4th, available via your favorite streaming service.

We loved having Erinn on so much, and wanted to share more of her scene, so we asked and she delivered. Check out this playlist Erinn put together for us featuring some of her Nashvegas friendshttps://open.spotify.com/playlist/7lNFmRUSAPrqtuj6X7QTJV?si=VlS7G3twTW2W-SwYo-C8WQ

Subscribe to Legal Late Night with Jared Correia on:

Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/legal-late-night/id1809201251

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0Rkik0LLMaU6u0e7AKfK9h

Or your favorite podcasting app.

And bask in the majesty of our YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZO71dMbPZJWAKWw_-qrRRQ

Legal Late Night | From Brazil to Texas: Law School Clinics, AI, and Why "Insanity" is Bad Marketing

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 12:00:00 -0000

Welcome to Legal Late Night! In this episode, host Jared Correia breaks down the shifting landscape of law firm marketing for 2026 and dives deep into the world of legal education with clinical supervisor Leticia Leal.

First, Jared shares his monologue on the rise of AI Search Optimization (AEO). He explains why content marketing and short-form video are more critical than ever as AI begins to infiltrate traditional search engines. He also challenges lawyers to look beyond Google Ads and explore alternative platforms like Reddit, Twitch, and LinkedIn to capture a younger client base.

Then, we are joined by Leticia Leal from the University of Houston Law Center. Leticia shares her journey of becoming a lawyer in both Brazil and Texas, explaining the fundamental differences between civil law and common law systems. We discuss the "roach-free" University of Houston immigration clinic, how AI is (and isn't) being used by law students, and the "internet famous" status she achieved through her creative LinkedIn content.

Finally, don't miss the Counter Program: "Duo Lingo." Leticia helps Jared (who is Portuguese but can't speak the language) translate famous pop culture phrases into Brazilian Portuguese—from Die Hard one-liners to Seinfeld references.

Learn more about Leticia Leal here.

Check out this week's Spotify playlist.

Subscribe to Legal Late Night with Jared Correia on:

Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/legal-late-night/id1809201251

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0Rkik0LLMaU6u0e7AKfK9h

Or your favorite podcasting app.

And bask in the majesty of our YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZO71dMbPZJWAKWw_-qrRRQ

(00:00) - Intro & Monologue: Marketing Strategies for 2026

(01:07) - The Infiltration of AI in Search Results

(02:12) - Why Content Marketing is More Critical Than Ever

(03:15) - Short-Form Video: TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube 0

(05:09) - Alternative Ad Platforms: Reddit, Twitch, and Facebook

(08:13) - The Necessity of CRMs for Tracking ROI

(10:49) - Introducing Guest: Leticia Leal (U of H Law Center)

(12:38) - Practicing Law in Brazil vs. the United States

(15:49) - From Personal Trainer to Clinical Supervisor

(21:35) - Balancing Law with Being a Dance Instructor

(24:24) - Going Viral: Leticia’s LinkedIn Strategy

(29:37) - Founding the National Brazilian Bar Association

(33:20) - The Importance of Law School Clinics for Students

(39:31) - AI in the Clinic: Are Students Scared to Use It?

(45:22) - Job Prospects for 3Ls in the Houston Economy

(48:49) - Counter Program: "Duo Lingo" (Portuguese Lessons)

(52:58) - Translating Saturday Night Live & Die Hard

(56:37) - Translating Seinfeld & Boss Baby

(01:01:19) - Translating Forrest Gump

(01:03:39) - How to Ask to Ride a Capybara in Brazil

(01:07:15) - Conclusion & Outro

The Power of Paralegals and Legal Assistants | Rebroadcast

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 12:00:00 -0000

Are you slipping on keeping up with your clients and meeting important deadlines? For many lawyers, utilizing paralegals and legal assistants gives superior organization and efficiency to the practice of law. In this Legal Toolkit, host Jared Correia and Keith Shannon discuss the importance of paralegals and legal assistants in the legal profession. They define both roles and go over the types of work they can and cannot do according to ABA guidelines for paralegal services. They also talk about the types of law office technology and training lawyers should invest in for their paralegals–a means to maximize skills in e-Discovery and necessary office tech. Finishing up, they address how to hire qualified paralegals and offer strategies for avoiding paralegal burnout.

Keith Shannon is an instructor in the paralegal technology training program at Central Piedmont Community College in North Carolina.

Subscribe to Legal Late Night with Jared Correia on:

Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/legal-late-night/id1809201251

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0Rkik0LLMaU6u0e7AKfK9h

Or your favorite podcasting app.

And bask in the majesty of our YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZO71dMbPZJWAKWw_-qrRRQ

INTRODUCING: For the Innocent Season 3 | Amanda Knox, JJ Velasquez, and More

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 20:32:00 -0000

Hosted by Michael Semanchik, For the Innocent exposes the shocking reality of wrongful convictions through raw, first-person stories from the exonerated. Season 3 returns September 9th featuring powerful accounts from Amanda Knox, JJ Velasquez, Bruce Lisker— three exonerees whose names have become synonymous with injustice— and more.

Through their voices, uncover how the justice system failed them, what it took to win back their freedom, and the lifelong impact of being branded guilty while innocent. Plus, hear legal and criminal experts break down the systemic flaws from false confessions and eyewitness misidentifications to flawed forensic science and corrupt police officers. This season uncovers the truth behind America’s most haunting wrongful convictions.

Season One and Two are now available.

Subscribe to the show on ⁠⁠Legal Talk Network⁠.

INTRODUCING: Leading the Bar

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 20:40:00 -0000

Bar presidents share strategies, tools and insights for attorneys growing into leadership roles. Learn from real stories of growth, crisis management, and innovation in NCBP’s Leading the Bar podcast. Listen monthly for compelling stories the next generation of lawyer-leaders can use to develop skills, confidence, and vision to lead with purpose and integrity.

Subscribe to the show on Legal Talk Network

Spilling the Tea on Legal Ethics Missteps and DeepSeek Drama

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:00:00 -0000

If you haven’t heard, there’s a new GenAI tool on the block, and the other neighborhood kids aren’t too happy about it. The newbie, DeepSeek, is stirring up a major rivalry with OpenAI over some alleged and oh-so ironic data “theft”—ha. So, what does Jared think? Well, he’s here for the drama, AND for the AI ethics admonitions all you lawyers need to hear.

Later, even more ethics! Jared welcomes April McMurrey to hear about the problematic things lawyers do to get themselves into ethical trouble. From iffy (or nonexistent) fee agreements to tech incompetence to communication breakdowns, and more, April dishes on common reasons attorneys are reported for ethics violations. And, don’t worry, she also offers sage advice on how to keep your clients happy and your practice on the up and up.

Finally, April sticks around for some Rump Roast trivia dedicated to Colorful Colorado. Just wait til you hear about Blucifer—yikes.

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Think your life might be better if you lived in Colorado? Listen to this episode's playlist to set the scene.

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April M. McMurrey is Deputy Regulation Counsel for the intake division of the Colorado Supreme Court Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel.

Mentioned in this episode:

ABA 50th National Conference on Professional Responsibility

Winning LinkedIn Strategies for Lawyers | A Lawyerist Podcast Re-Broadcast

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 12:00:00 -0000

Jared may be too busy to write personalized Valentines for each member of the Legal Toolkit community, so, instead, he's gifting you with a special rebroadcast of an excellent episode from our friends over at Lawyerist.

In this episode, Stephanie Everett sits down with Matthew Hunt on Lawyerist Podcast to break down the art of creating high-impact, snackable content for LinkedIn. Because let’s face it—if you’re not using LinkedIn to boost visibility, generate leads, and build real connections, you’re leaving opportunities on the table.

Matthew shares his best strategies for turning LinkedIn into a powerful tool for growing your law firm, attracting referrals, and making sure you stay top of mind in your network. Get ready to rethink how you use LinkedIn!

Jared’s Xennial Trauma Dump || The Past & Future of Legal Tech

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 09:00:00 -0000

It was the 80s, man! The Xennial microgeneration (born between 1977 and 1983) is, arguably, the best generation, but growing up in the magical, tech-free 80s wasn’t actually entirely happy-go-lucky. TV and movies of the era loved inflicting psychological scars on children, so Jared takes a therapeutic moment to get all that emotional damage off his chest.

Next—what you’re actually here for—insights on legal technology, conferences, products, and more! Jared welcomes Jobst Elster of InsideLegal to get his take on the latest trends. They discuss technology use in law firms and spend time hashing out why legal tech conferences are still a pretty essential part of tech education and making connections with progressive, reputable vendors.

And, lastly, the Rump Roast! As it turns out, Jobst has a serious barbeque hobby, so, in homage to the name of this segment, he and Jared talk about the literal roasting and smoking of delicious meats.

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A playlist full of...meat?

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Jobst Elster is the Head of Content/Legal Marketing Strategy at InsideLegal.com.

Attorneys and AI Adoption; GenAI Court Order with Judge McGee; & “My Favorite Things”

Thu, 26 Dec 2024 09:00:00 -0000

Reminder: In this day and age, attorney tech competence absolutely includes keeping up with the rapidly evolving AI landscape. So, we all know lawyers typically suck at tech adoption, but how are they doing since the advent of the AI renaissance? Surprisingly better than usual! Jared expounds upon the latest data and enlightens us on how lawyers are engaging with AI tools.

Next, Jared welcomes Judge Marty McGee to explore AI in legal at even greater depths. Judge McGee talks through his personal experience with AI technologies, before going into the specifics of a recent AI court order regarding the appropriate use and responsibilities lawyers must bear as they interact with and implement AI in their legal practice. They touch on permissible GenAI uses, AI evidence, deepfakes, and more.

Finally, the Rump Roast! Jared gets to know Judge McGee by learning his top picks amongst movie trilogies, breads, fonts, North Carolina barbeque, and lots more, in a game called “My Favorite Things”.

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Feeling festive? So are we.

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Marty McGee serves as the Senior Resident Superior Court Judge in Cabarrus County.

Pity the Boston Area Sports Fan; Legal Employment Trends; & Workin’ for a Livin’

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 09:00:00 -0000

Jared reminisces on the frustrations (and sweet joys) of the Correia family legacy of dedicated Boston sports fandom. But, in spite of the ups and downs, his message is clear—never give up.

Are you looking to hire or be hired? The legal job market is pretty darn hot, but what are the best ways for law firms and potential hires to connect? Jared Correia welcomes Erin Andersen to discuss the latest employment trends in the legal industry. With insights from both sides of the hiring market, Erin talks through career transitions, ways to optimize your web presence, effects of firm culture on hiring, and yes—AI impacts in job candidate searches!

And, this time on the Rump Roast, Jared and Erin play Workin’ for a Livin’––showcasing unusual jobs for Erin to rank according to their appeal. Would she like to be a professional cuddler? An egg peeler? A reindeer minder? That’s for us to know and you to find out.

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Let's Play(list) Ball!

So, Trump Again? || Work-Life Balance Through Workflows || Lobster Roll Extravaganza

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 09:00:00 -0000

What gives, America? Jared shares his take on Trump’s unexpectedly decisive re-election and what he expects/fears in the upcoming presidential term. Here’s hoping democracy survives the next 4 years.

Next up, Alan Klevan has used technology to create a better work-life balance for decades, and you can too! Jared and Alan talk through how to leverage technology in your workflows to create a legal practice that aligns with your values and goals as an attorney. Alan shares his favorite tech tools and his strategies for maintaining balance in your personal and professional life.

Last, Alan dodges the usual Rump Roast trivia by having a weird hobby! We bet you’ve never heard of a lobster roll connoisseur, but, well, now you have. Jared questions Alan on his unique experiences consuming lobster rolls in extensive and varied locales.

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Are mixtapes still a thing? Jared says so.

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Alan Klevan has been an attorney since 1990, concentrating in the fields of workers' compensation law, automobile tort law, and general negligence law.

Richie Furay — Live From the Playroom and The Ominous Approach of Autonomous Agents

Thu, 07 Nov 2024 09:00:00 -0000

What’s the next big thing coming in AI? Autonomous agents, that’s what! Currently, you have to drive the process of genAI by honing the iterations of your prompt. But, an autonomous agent can do that stuff without you worrying your pretty little head, dear lawyer. So, what’s there to know about this latest tech evolution? Jared’s here to talk about attorney use cases and whether this tech may be used for good or ill.

Later, the AI apocalypse isn’t upon us yet, so let’s enjoy some awesome music. Jared welcomes Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Richie Furay who, among other accomplishments, was a member of the great American bands Buffalo Springfield and Poco. Jared and Richie talk through his history, digging into many colorful moments from his experiences in the music industry. Richie performs live on the podcast, and he and Jared discuss his upcoming documentary.

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Need more Richie? Jared's got you covered.

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Mentioned in this Episode:

Spellbook Associate, effectively acting as a junior associate in a law firm.

Spellbook Launches Gen AI Agent that Can Plan and Execute Complex Transactional Workflows | LawSites by Bob Ambrogi

LawNext Podcast: Ep 256: All About Spellbook’s New AI Agent, Capable of Performing Complex Legal Tasks, with CEO Scott Stevenson

Richie Furay

Documentary — Richie Furay

Integrating the Heck out of Your Software; Lame Legal Ethics Rules; & “Questionable Ethics”

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 08:00:00 -0000

Dear lawyers, software integrations exist to help you make life easier, make work faster, and much more. So, get on board as Jared takes us on a magical journey of understanding, helping lawyers everywhere grasp the versatile, customizable integration possibilities in legal practice. Jared explains the differences between direct, indirect, and DIY integrations, and gives real-life, legal-centric examples of how to amp up the usefulness of your software in almost innumerable ways.

Next, there are definitely some issues with our current legal ethics rules, but is there really any way to clear up the confusion? Jared welcomes legal ethics expert Jayne Reardon to talk about some of the inconsistencies at play, antiquated rules, inconsistent enforcement, and all sorts of other ethics questions worth examining in view of the current climate of the profession and needs of consumers. While Jared wants to burn it all down, Jayne offers constructive criticism vital to the future of legal ethics.

And, finally, the Rump Roast, of course! Jared and Jayne play a round of trivia called “Questionable Ethics”. Which philosopher had a penchant for being swaddled like a baby? Yikes.

Jayne R. Reardon is a Partner and Deputy General Counsel at FisherBroyles LLP, a distributed global law firm.

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This week, Jared shares the playlist he turns to for help making the "right" choice. Proceed with caution.

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Our opening song is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

Our closing song is Something Else by Nu Alkemis$t.

Perfect Albums, Vol 6; Straightforward Marketing for Your Law Firm; & “Don’t Sweat It!”

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 08:00:00 -0000

If you’re not marketing your law firm well, you’re sitting on a whole lot of untapped potential for income and growth. Jared talks to Ashley Robinson of Green Cardigan Marketing about the need she saw in the legal world for honest, straightforward marketing tactics that help law firms bring in new clients and greater profits. She explains engagement strategies, effective intake processes, essential marketing technology, and more.

Later on in the Rump Roast, Jared and Ashley play “Don’t Sweat It!”––a delightful round of sweater-related trivia.

And, it might seem like Sheryl Crow got a late start to her music career, but she was deeply involved in the music industry for many years before her breakthrough solo album, “Tuesday Night Music Club” rocketed her to fame at age 31. That first album was pretty fun, but Sheryl’s perfect album came later with “The Globe Sessions.” Jared digs into the exceptional appeal of this deliciously hard-edged pop/rock album.

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Yes, Jared does have a playlist of his favorite Sheryl Crow songs.

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Our opening song is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

Our closing song is Golden Light by Reveille

6 Under-The-Radar Software Tools Lawyers Need Right Now; Succession Planning for Law Firms; & “The Shitty Olympics”

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 20:00:00 -0000

Too many law firms aren’t great at being productive, and downfalls in efficiency are often traced to attorneys using the wrong software, or none at all. Jared outlines six productivity-boosting software tools all lawyers should have in their toolkit.

Later, what’s going to happen to your law firm if something happens to you? Don’t wait until late in your career to establish your succession plan. Start early and communicate well to make a plan that protects your legacy and those you care about. Jared welcomes Ivy Slater to learn the ins and outs of succession planning.

And, last but not least, what past Olympic event involved two opponents whacking each other with canes? It’s that time of the quadrennial again—so “The Shitty Olympics” returns to the Rump Roast! Jared describes a variety of absurd former competitions, and Ivy must guess the events.

Ivy Slater is CEO of Slater Success, a consulting and coaching company focused on sustainable growth and leadership development for high level service-based businesses.

6 Under-The-Radar Software Tools

Project Management

AI Notetaker

AI Features in Your Existing Software

Passive Timekeeping Apps

Clockify
Toggl
Chrometa
WiseTime
Memtime (formerly TimeBro)

Expense Tracking

Expensify

Automated Client Communications:

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If these software tools aren't enough to give your productivity a boost, try listening to this playlist.

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Our opening song is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

Our closing song is In Your Head by Reveille.

Legal Tech Genius & Real Housewives of Miami Star Reveals the Secrets to Successful Relationships (Business Professional Ones, That Is)

Fri, 19 Jul 2024 16:30:00 -0000

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Good, good, good, good vibrations (oom-bop-bop). This episode's playlist is all about the inventors of the California sound: The Beach Boys.

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Our opening song is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

Our closing song is Kokobongo by Alessandro Gugel.

Founder Stories: Lawmatics — And the Greatest Rap Diss Tracks of All Time

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 08:00:00 -0000

Nowadays, all the cool kids are using customer relationship management (CRM) software, and you should too. It’s not new technology, but if you’ve missed the boat or need a refresher—Jared’s here to fill you in on CRM technology and what it can do for you. He explains different types of CRMs in detail to show you its potential for creating seamless intake experiences and optimizing your workflows.

Speaking of CRMs, Jared welcomes Matt Spiegel of Lawmatics to learn about his story as a tech founder and his methods and means for solving problems for attorneys. Matt offers his perspectives on CRM functionality and its latest developments, and also offers hints at how AI will affect this tech in the future.

Last, but not least, Bobby Orozco joins Jared for the Rump Roast to flex his rap knowledge, unpack the Drake/Kendrick Lamar feud, and talk about the best diss tracks in rap history.

Matt Spiegel is the co-founder and CEO of Lawmatics, an attorney-client relationship management platform.

Bobby Orozco is director of sales at Lawmatics.

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Drake v. Kendrick is just the start. This week's playlist features some of the best rap diss tracks of all time.

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Our opening song is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

Our closing song is Grime by Ghost Beatz.

The Caitlin Clark Experience; Being a Camera-Ready Professional; and “Candid Camera”

Fri, 14 Jun 2024 11:00:00 -0000

Getting in front of an audience to communicate on camera certainly doesn’t come naturally to all (most?) attorneys, but if you’re feeling embarrassed by your lackluster video presence, there are ways to overcome those on-camera nerves. Jared talks with Kerry Barrett about how she helps professionals sharpen media skills to increase their visibility and present confidence and credibility to their audience.

In the Rump Roast, they play “Candid Camera”, where Jared asks Kerry questions on the history of all things video. What was the last truly silent film? What band played the first-ever music video on MTV? Listen in to find out if Kerry’s up to the trivia challenge.

And, lastly, hating on Caitlin Clark is utterly ridiculous. Jared expounds upon the many reasons why WNBA players (including Caitlin’s own teammates) need to take advantage of the hype and bask in all that Caitlin Clark is bringing to women’s basketball.

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Since Video Killed The Radio Star, here's a playlist featuring songs that had some of the best music videos.

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Our opening song is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

Our closing song is Just Like Me by Thruline.

Productivity Software; What an IT Managed Service Provider Can Do For You; & “Hard Choices”—Boston Edition

Thu, 23 May 2024 08:00:00 -0000

Jared kicks it off by exploring the biggest players in productivity software you should be using, well, be more productive. But no productivity suite is perfect. So, get to know the strengths and weaknesses of each so you can make the right choice for you.

Then, back in the day, lawyers often got their IT services from some independent techie who took care of stuff on an as-needed basis, but that sort of break/fix model is problematic if your tech strategy is only reactive instead of proactive. Jared talks with Michael Doherty about what it looks like for lawyers to engage IT services through a managed service provider (MSP). Michael walks attorneys through modern realities and ethics for technology use in their law firms and the potential for better outcomes when working with an MSP.

Later on—the Rump Roast, of course! The guys play “Hard Choices”, where Jared poses difficult Boston-themed scenarios and Michael must educate the masses on what a true Bostonian would do.

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Let's keep this Boston train going. Next stop: some of Boston's greatest musical hits.

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

Our closing track is Take a Ride With Me by The Revolution.

Emerging Legal Ethics for AI; How-Tos for AI in Law Practice; & “Michigan Man”

Fri, 10 May 2024 08:00:00 -0000

AI’s prime directive is to give you answers, buuuut… it might just be telling you what it thinks you want to hear—with no concern over providing actual verifiable facts. This issue (and oodles of others) have initiated a trickle of case law/guidance/opinions/etc. in the legal AI scene, and you, dear lawyer, want to be on the right side of legal ethics on this one. Jared breaks down the latest developments on this topic to give you a better understanding of where things are headed.

Next, some of us are, admittedly, BS-ing our way through all this AI stuff, but Josh Noffke really and truly uses AI as much as he possibly can in his law firm. Since the rest of us are still muddling through, Jared welcomes Josh to give attorneys tool recommendations and pointers on use-cases for AI in their law firms.

Later, it turns out that Josh played as a walk-on for the University of Michigan’s football team, so the Rump Roast is dedicated to team trivia! The guys play “Michigan Man” to test both Josh’s knowledge and reputation as a former Wolverine. Serious stuff.

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Ah, Michigan. The mitten shaped state that gave us Motown.

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

Our closing track is Renegade by The Revolution.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Marketing Musicals with Jacob Sanders and “Large Fathers”

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 16:00:00 -0000

Bored with your run-of-the-mill marketing campaigns? Maybe it’s time for you to make a musical! Jared brings on Jacob Sanders to learn all about the recent release of NinjaCat’s Big Data Day – a corporate musical. They talk about the history of these sorts of marketing ventures and their uniquely fun and tactical advantages. They also dig into how super effective use of your data will help you run a better, more profitable business.

Next, the Rump Roast! In a new trivia game called “Large Fathers”, Jacob must answer questions about big daddies of historical pop culture.

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Also in this episode—Jared, in general, hates musicals (Sorry, Jacob). No spoilers here, but a very select few did make Jared’s remarkably minuscule shortlist.

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

Our closing track is Sepulveda by Midnight Daydream.

The AI Software Landscape for Lawyers; AI in E-Discovery with Cat Casey

Fri, 12 Apr 2024 18:00:00 -0000

So much of our communications and societal existence is housed online, so e-discovery is the major way we gather evidence. Jared talks with Cat Casey about the AI spectrum within the e-discovery world, explaining the many ways varying elements of machine learning and AI have created more powerful tools for attorneys. They also discuss the promising future of AI in e-discovery and the legal profession.

This time on the Rump Roast, Jared quizzes Cat on cat-themed song lyrics. Is Cat an expert on feline musical appearances? We shall see.

Everybody keeps asking about AI, so Jared’s delivering! There are quite a few budding AI softwares tailor-made for attorneys, so what tools are worth your attention? Jared reminds everyone—lots of the things you already use have had AI baked in for a long time, so use it. Security is important, folks, so picking vetted technology over an unknown/free tool could definitely keep it from coming back to bite you in your ethically questionable ass.

Cat Casey is Chief Growth Officer at Reveal Brainspace, helping lead innovation and direction for their legal technology solutions.

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Since you're listening to Cat on the mic this episode, the logical next step is to listen to this cat inspired playlist.

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

Our closing track is Banksy by Lunareh.

Links Mentioned:

Superior Sketch Comedy; Opting Out of Legal Tech; & “Stuck in the Middle With You”

Thu, 28 Mar 2024 08:00:00 -0000

Sometimes, legal tech is the perfect solution for the needs of your law firm, but sometimes, lawyers need to look outside the legal tech world at other technologies that can serve their legal practice better. Emily Gordon has always been a tech-forward attorney, and she’s got tons of recommendations for non-legaltech tech tools that have become the most effective solutions for her law firm.

Then, Emily sticks around for the Rump Roast! The “Amara” in Emily’s firm, Amara Law, is actually her middle name, so Jared devised a middle-name trivia game: “Stuck in the Middle With You”.

And, dear listener, get ready for a hot take from Jared: SNL sucks, and… you know what? Maybe it always has. But, there’s something better out there—”I Think You Should Leave” on Netflix is worth watching again and again. Have fun!

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Since we talked about middle names coming first, I’ve put together what is, perhaps, our most middling playlist ever.

Links Mentioned:

3 Simple Rules for Safer GenAI Use; AI’s Role in Legal Practice; and “Brother Up”

Fri, 08 Mar 2024 09:00:00 -0000

Adjusting to the new and persistent presence of AI in the legal world isn’t easy, but it is necessary. Jared welcomes brothers Justin and Luc Cary, an attorney and software engineer, respectively, to unpack the current state of AI in business and legal uses. They discuss current safety issues, emerging guardrails, best practices for research, AI in legal tech software, and more.

Later on in the Rump Roast, the guys play “Brother Up”, where Justin and Luc must identify famous brothers in history and pop culture.

And, should you be entering confidential information into generative AI tools? Well, there are layers, folks, but in the current AI environment, lawyers should never assume their data is secure. That being said, Jared doesn’t want to throw a wet blanket on the AI revolution, he just wants you to know the three simple things that will enable you to use these tools safely and ethically.

Justin Cary is an attorney at Drummond Woodsum.

Luc Cary is associate director of machine learning at Invitae.

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Since we have the Cary brothers with us this week, here's a playlist all about siblings!

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

Our closing track is Promised Land by Brian Brown

Remote Work: Dude, It's Fine; Onboarding Legal Technology; and Art by Rob Joyner

Thu, 08 Feb 2024 17:00:00 -0000

Backsliders are the worst, and if you’re making your employees come into the office after years of successful remote work, then, well… you’re the worst. Jared weighs in on the remote/in-office work debate to help you take a hard look at why you’re doing what you’re doing—and whether your reasoning is utter bullshit.

Next, Jared welcomes first-time guest Rob Joyner to talk about how technology adoption is the means to the end of future-proofing your law firm. To some lawyers, new tech may feel like the great unknown, but failing to learn and implement it will make you fall behind your competitors. Jared and Rob talk about the latest in AI and other essential legal tech and the best ways for law firms to stay current.

In the Rump Roast, Jared forgoes his typical torturous games, because Rob has a legit cool hobby to talk about. You can learn more about it at paintedjoyner.com.

Rob Joyner is Senior Vice President of Business Development at Centerbase.

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Since we talk about artwork - a departure for us, for sure - here are some songs related to art.

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

Our closing track is Spoken Word by Renderings.

Obnoxious Email Responses; Data Security for Dummies; & “Doubling Up”

Thu, 25 Jan 2024 09:00:00 -0000

Why is it that law firms are a frequent target for data breaches? Make no mistake, attorneys, you’ve got a lot of sensitive, valuable data that a threat actor would love to get their hands on. If your cybersecurity isn’t effective, you’re opening yourself up to a whole lot of ethical and legal issues. Jared chats with David Aaron about preventative measures lawyers should employ, what to do if you suffer a breach, and current cybersecurity trends.

Later on in the Rump Roast, the guys play “Doubling Up”––where Jared quizzes David on trivia devoted to people blessed with a first-name first name and first-name last name. You get it, right?

And, is anything more annoying than email? Not in Jared’s estimation. He shares his thoughts (read: rants) on the vexing email follow-ups people tend to send with irritating regularity.

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This episode, we covered some annoying email tactics, so we made the playlist all about the proper messaging.

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

Our closing track is Christmas Time is Lambs Farm by Sam Barsh.

Jared’s Obscure Holiday Viewing Guide; Building Your Law Firm C-Suite; and Correia Family Stories

Thu, 28 Dec 2023 09:00:00 -0000

If your firm is experiencing operational challenges you just can’t seem to overcome, you might be in need of some C-suite help. Lawyers don’t necessarily want to take on the business responsibilities of running a practice, and there are many flexible ways to get the business guidance you need. Jared talks with Seth Tuman of 2GO Advisory Group about how either fractional or full-time C-suite professionals can help attorneys take their law firms to the next level.

Later, you’re in for a holiday treat on the Rump Roast with the return of Correia Family Stories! Jared’s mom and brother, Pat, share some of their favorite holiday memories. Was it Jared or his sister who was responsible for the pine needle in Pat’s eye? And, who knew Scattergories could be so delightfully awkward? Listen in for more.

And, last but not least, if you’ve always wanted to elevate your holiday entertainment aficionado status, Jared has all the little-known titles you need to watch to become a truly well-versed movie snob.

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The holiday's are a good time to connect with your roots, so in honor of my mother and brother joining, here's a playlist of Portuguese music to honor my family's native land.

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

Our closing track is Christmas Time is Coming by Moments.

Perfect Albums, Vol. 5; Analyze This; “Overrated, Underrated—Thanksgiving Edition”

Thu, 14 Dec 2023 17:15:00 -0000

Searching for state court data used to be a huge pain in the ass, but data analytics has almost entirely fixed it, giving attorneys searchable databases in just about every state. What else has data analytics done for the profession? Plenty. Jared talks with Nicole Clark about how the aggregation of legal data has given us a much deeper understanding of courts, judges, and law firms—and even gives lawyers an edge in the courtroom. Trigger warning: they also give a nod to AI and its major contributions to legal data analytics.

It’s almost Christmas, but let’s take a look back at Thanksgiving! Jared and Nicole play “Overrated, Underrated, Properly Rated—Thanksgiving Edition” to determine whether beloved Thanksgiving traditions like stuffing, football, and uncomfortable political conversations are given their due.

Though controversial in its day, Paul Simon’s “Graceland” is a perfect album. After a run of personal and professional disappointments, Simon hit upon some pretty fortuitous inspiration that led to this pristine collection of musical craftsmanship. Jared unpacks the surprising and varied Americana-meets-world-music vibe of “Graceland”, the most popular album of Simon’s career.

Nicole Clark is co-founder and CEO at Trellis Research Inc.

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We celebrate Paul Simon's perfect album 'Graceland', with our episode + this playlist.

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

Our closing track is Life of the Party by Dr. Delight.

How Much Should You Pay for AI Tools?; Insurance Best Practices; and “Historic Mistakes”

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 17:00:00 -0000

As lawyers, you constantly assess the risks of your clients, whether in their business practices, court cases, personal relationships, or a multitude of other things. So, managing risk for your clients is what you do, but when was the last time you took a hard look at your own liabilities? Jared welcomes Mark Bassingthwaighte of ALPS Insurance to chat about common risks in modern legal practice. Mark’s approachable take on insurance could help just about anybody understand what they need for their law firm, and he and Jared also talk through current ethics considerations around AI and cybersecurity.

Then, in the Rump Roast, Jared tests Mark’s expertise on authentic blunders in a game called “Historic Mistakes.” Did the Titanic sink because of a sleepy watchman? Was Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s assassination the result of a forgotten fancy hat? Listen in to find out.

And, lastly, everybody’s rolling out their AI tools/extras/whatever, and pricing for these things is truly all over the place. Jared ponders this issue—as a lawyer, you need to be able to keep up with the other guy, but how much should all this cost you?

Mark Bassingthwaighte has been a Risk Manager with ALPS, the nation’s largest direct writer of lawyers’ malpractice insurance, since 1998.

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Since we talked about mistakes - those lawyers make + historical ones, have a listen to our playlist featuring songs about fucking up.

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

Our closing track is Night Whispers by Dr. Delight.

A New Era of Advertising; Perfecting Workplace Communication; and “A Rose By Any Other Name”

Fri, 27 Oct 2023 18:00:00 -0000

Whether there’s a generational divide, unhelpful technology, a lack of emotional intelligence, or, really, a whole bunch of other issues—communication is hard. And, when communication breaks down, your business just doesn’t operate like it should. Is there any way to bridge all these gaps and interact effectively in your workplace? Jared talks with Rachael Bosch about her strategies for helping both individuals and teams understand each other better and overcome challenges in their professional lives.

In the Rump Roast, Jared and Rachael play “A Rose By Any Other Name”—a game entirely focused on… deodorant! Jared tries to stump Rachael with a variety of real and made-up slogans.

And, speaking of deodorant, Jared’s monologue took a deep, unpleasant dive into what is apparently acceptable on network TV commercials these days. It’s pretty revolting. Has Jared gone too far this time? Probably.

Rachael Bosch is the founder of Fringe PD.

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We talked about how to cover up for your stankiness, and so we put together some songs about smells.

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

Our closing track is I'm Drowning by Dr. Delight.

Sci-Fi Roundup; Document Management with Microsoft 365; and “Star Tours”

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 16:00:00 -0000

Document management is a must in legal, and Microsoft 365 has plenty of ways to organize and process your documents for you. So, what do you need to know about it? Jared welcomes Keith Vallely to talk through the uses of SharePoint, OneDrive, and other Microsoft features to help attorneys understand the nuances of Microsoft’s methods for document management.

The Rump Roast digs deep into tricky Star Wars trivia in a game Jared likes to call “Star Tours.” Do you know what language is written on Darth Vader’s chest plate? Does Keith know? Listen in to find out.

And, Jared taps into his unapologetically nerdy side to analyze the current sci-fi offerings in the multiverse and beyond. So, if you’re in need of some excellent escapism, Jared has plenty of recommendations for the sci-fi movies and shows you should watch.

Keith Vallely is Vice President and Senior Consultant at Epona USA.

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Since we talked about a lot of different sci-fi IP - including Star Wars - let's enjoy a list of the best sci-fi movie needle drops of all-time.

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

Our closing track is Tenderness of You by Cast of Characters.

3 Real-Life Uses for Generative AI in Legal; Empowering Women Lawyers with Rachel Clar; & “Town in Upstate NY, Town in Rural Alabama, or Discontinued Household Cleaner?”

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 19:45:00 -0000

Women attorneys are intelligent and brave, but they still face particular challenges in the legal profession. Jared chats with Rachel Clar of Interconnected Us about her mission to create safe environments for women in law to get the support they need to grow their influence and flourish in legal practice.

Later, in perhaps the most uniquely named Rump Roast game yet, Jared and Rachel play “Town in Upstate NY, Town in Rural Alabama, or Discontinued Household Cleaner?” And, yeah—the name is pretty self-explanatory.

And, we know you’re sick of hearing about AI, but Jared still has a few things that need to be said. First, don’t be a moron and believe everything AI tells you, and second, *do* save yourself time by using AI for contracts, emails, and generating workflows.

Rachel Clar is founder and CEO at Interconnected Us.

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We talked about how law firms can use generative AI tools right now, so here's a playlist about AI, designed by AI. Hey, we had a nice run.

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

Our closing track is Night Whispers by Dr. Delight.

Good Vibes, Jimmy Buffett; Chuki Obiyo’s Laws for Growing Your Law Firm; & “Fake-Ass Holidays”

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 08:00:00 -0000

Chuki Obiyo has made a science of growing law firm businesses, with plenty of research to back up his time-tested strategies. Jared talks with Obiyo about how to form deeper connections with your network, tips for start-up firms, and leveraging social media and other technology to promote business growth.

Later, who knew September had so many stupid holidays? Apparently, Jared did, so you’re in for a treat on the Rump Roast. Jared and Chuki play “Fake-Ass Holidays" to showcase September’s plethora of silly celebrations.

And, Jimmy Buffet had a life well-lived. Jared pays homage to the late musician, highlighting his greatest songs, memorable collaborations, and more.

Chuki Obiyo is managing director of business development at Vedder Price.

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We talked about the recent passing of Jimmy Buffett. So, let's pour out a little rum for our fallen homie.

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

Our closing track is Kokobongo by Alessandro Gugel.

5 Essential Tips for Going Solo; “Live from the Playroom” with Mark Oblinger

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 19:30:00 -0000

It’s been 563 days, but we’re finally back in the Playroom with musical guest Mark Oblinger. Mark holds the double distinction of being an Emmy-winning/Grammy-nominated musician AND having a longtime connection with this very podcast! Tune in for Jared and Mark’s chat about his colorful career in music and audio. Mark highlights his time playing with bands like Firefall and Pure Prairie League, his successful stint in the tv-music world, and his current budding career as a solo artist.

And then, the good stuff! Mark performs two of his songs live, including his slightly darker, melancholy version of the classic hit “Amie” by Pure Prairie League.

Learn more about Mark and his upcoming tours and projects at: https://markoblinger.com/

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Mark's done us the kindness of putting together an absolutely stellar playlist for our enjoyment. Check out some of the songs that inspire his work and maybe become inspired as well.

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

Our closing track is Little Bird from Mark's 2019 album High Water Line.

5 KPIs You Need Now; Asking the Right Questions About Software; & “Dream Podcast Music”

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 15:00:00 -0000

Lawyers, you really actually do need to use KPIs—that’s Key Performance Indicators for those of you who *still* haven’t kept up with good business practices. Do it! And, Jared’s here to help with a breakdown of the 5 KPI categories you need to start keeping track of, like, yesterday.

Next, software demos! If you’re paralyzed with indecision about what software to use, a demo could help, but only if you ask good questions throughout the process. Jared welcomes Andreas Becker to talk about the importance of planning and strategizing to gain the knowledge you need to solve problems and increase productivity with new software.

And, the Rump Roast takes yet another new turn, this time leaving us with Jared & Andreas dreaming about the songs they’d love to use in their podcasts if royalties weren’t a thing.

Andreas Becker is director of business development of Lawyaw at Clio.

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If we had no limit on the money we could spend for music, can you just imagine what music we'd use on this show. Well, IMAGINE NO MORE! Andreas and I share our dream picks for podcast music.

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

Our closing track is Chillabye by Midnight Daydream.

Software Integrations; Emil Ali talks IP Ethics; and “A Day at the Movies”

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 08:00:00 -0000

Integrations, integrations, integrations. You’ve probably heard about integrations for years, but lots of people still struggle to understand just how this stuff is going to change their workflows. Jared explains the whole concept, gives some of the first integrations you need to be using, and warns you away from some missteps.

Next, Emil Ali stops by chat with Jared about the unique challenges and worrying trends in IP ethics. Oh, what’s that? You’re not an IP attorney? Well, you’d be surprised how many non-IP attorneys get hit with these very much not trivial penalties.

Finally, the stars have aligned! Welcome to the era of Barbenheimer! Jared and Emil look back at past movie release days to debate other great film pairings that have paved the way for this “momentous” occasion.

Emil Ali is a partner at McCabe & Ali, LLP.

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Since it's Barbenheimer weekend, we've mixed some serious + silly songs together, in the spirit of the moment. (Though, I hear 'Barbie' is pretty deep, too.)

Succession Spoilers Galore; What PR Can Do for You; and Succession Children’s Theater

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 08:00:00 -0000

Why would a law firm hire a PR agency? Well, if you’ve ever wished your firm was known for its expertise and thought leadership, a PR agency might be just the thing. Jared brings on Michelle Calcote King to talk through the lawyer/PR relationship and its potential for improving your credibility, furthering your reach, and growing your business.

The rest of the show is a total Succession-fest. Jared’s monologue spoils the entire beginning, middle, and end of the series, so listeners beware. And, later on in the Rump Roast, Jared welcomes his own kids for dramatic readings of some favorite Succession quotes.

Michelle Calcote King is principal and president of Reputation Ink.

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We have fun on this show, but today it's all business - Succession style.

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

Our Rump Roast song is Macbeth by JeesGuy.

Our closing track is Lucky Day by SPARKZ.

Bar Associations, Side Hustles, & More with Rio Peterson and Annoying “Name Songs”

Thu, 29 Jun 2023 13:30:00 -0000

Adding value for bar association members is always a good idea. Jared chats with Rio Peterson, who has just about seen it all when it comes to bar programming—from cool events to tech offerings to stellar educational programs and more. Listen in for her thoughts on improving bar culture and providing more for members. Jared and Rio also talk about how lawyer side hustles are more common than you might think and just might provide the little extra something you need in your life.

This time on the Rump Roast—you don’t often use Simon Le Bon heads as your rating mechanism, but today is the day! Jared has Rio rate the annoyance level of a variety of “Name Songs” pulled from the archives of popular music. Also, does Rio like it when you ask her if she “dances on the sand”? If the answer to that one isn’t obvious, tune in to find out.

Circling back—since you’re a lawyer, your side hustle has to be seriously legit. You don’t want to find yourself in the middle of a legal ethics violation, so Jared explains the best ways to keep your extra gigs on the up and up. Learn more about this topic in Christa Arcos’ article: Wearing Two Hats: Dual Practices and Ancillary Businesses.

Rio Peterson is Bar and Affinity Partnerships Strategist at ALPS Lawyers Malpractice Insurance.

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We talked about songs titled after girls' name and how annoying that must be if you happen to share that name, so here's a playlist highlighting that occasion!

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

Our closing track is Jewels by Falls.

Time to Change Your Lame Logo; Stop Thinking Like a Lawyer; and “Deep Cuts with Steve Seckler”

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 08:00:00 -0000

Even if you’re a great lawyer, your top-notch skills might be holding you back when it comes to running your business. Jared talks with Steve Seckler about his recent article in the ABA’s GPSolo eReport, Stop Thinking (and Acting) Like a Lawyer, in which he outlines the typical attorney characteristics that work great in legal matters, but kinda suck when you’re trying to network, grow your firm, get referrals, manage your employees, and more. Listen in to learn how to suppress those lawyer instincts when needed.

Later, time to Roast some Rumps! Jared has crafted a brand new game for today’s special guest, titled “Deep Cuts with Steve Seckler” and featuring obscure trivia from the world of popular music.

And, if you haven’t noticed, most law firm logos are terrible. Tune in to hear Jared’s list of what not to do when you design your logo—we’re looking at you, Doric columns, books, boring stuff, etc—and learn how to make something that’s actually appealing.

Stephen Seckler is president of Seckler Legal Recruiting and Coaching.

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It's time to get deep - DEEP - into Steve's musical tastes. That's right, we've got some deep cuts here.

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

Our closing track is Tenderness of You by Cast of Characters.

AI Tells Lame Jokes; The Fastcase/vLex Merger; and “ChatGPT Jeopardy!”

Thu, 25 May 2023 08:00:00 -0000

Fastcase and vLex have merged to form the world's largest law library, containing the law from over 100 countries and more than a billion documents. One platform with all these resources means attorneys around the world will have bigger, better, faster access to everything they need to do legal research. Jared chats with Ed Walters of Fastcase about their goals for democratizing the law and what plans they have to continue developing this global library and legal AI for easier use.

This time on the Rump Roast, Jared and Ed play “Wack-Ass Responses from AI to Completely Reasonable Prompts,” but that title seems a bit unwieldy, so you can just think of it as: “ChatGPT Jeopardy!”

And, since AI will probably take over the world eventually, let’s prove our superiority while we still can. Jared’s found the clincher: we’re funny, and AI’s sense of humor is decidedly lame. We win.

Ed Walters is the CEO and co-founder of Fastcase, an online legal research software company.

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Legal research is all about searching, but there's a lot of other stuff you can look for, too.

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

Our closing track is Yellow Letter by Sam Barsh.

Perfect Albums, Vol. 4; The Attorney Whisperer—Randa Prendergast; and “Beantown Beanfest”

Thu, 11 May 2023 08:00:00 -0000

Randa Prendergast takes a “June Cleaver” approach to running a law firm, making every little thing run smoothly without breaking a sweat. Jared and Randa talk through how to identify your workflow needs and develop processes that make it easy for employees old and new to know exactly how to keep things rolling.

Later on in the Rump Roast, Jared’s fellow Bostonian Dan Winslow joins to talk about the great equalizer of the food world (beans, obviously) and the real reason Boston has long been known as “Beantown.” Dan also discusses the first-ever Beantown Beanfest, coming up on June 24, 2023!

And, finally, 1974’s “Sundown” album by Gordon Lightfoot is perfect. In Jared’s words, the title track is “…maybe the most quietly menacing pop song ever written.” That description alone is pretty damn intriguing, so tune in for Jared’s thoughts on the whole album—and RIP Gordon Lightfoot (November 17, 1938 – May 1, 2023).

Randa Prendergast is the Attorney Whisperer at Mrs. June Legal, LLC.

Daniel B. Winslow is President of the New England Legal Foundation.

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In honor of the late, great Gordon Lightfoot, here is a smattering of some of that Yukon gold!

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

Our closing track is Night Whispers by Dr. Delight.

The Perfect Intake Form; Turning Data Collection on Leads into Profits; and “What Would Georgia Man Do?”

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 08:00:00 -0000

If you know exactly how all your clients found you, then you know exactly how to market your firm to keep driving more growth. But, a whole lot of firms aren’t tracking the process from need to lead to paying client. Jared chats with Patrick Carver about how collecting the right data on leads eventually converts into more clients and bigger profits.

Later, Patrick sticks around for the Rump Roast and a new take on the much-loved antics of the Florida Man—but this time, just a bit north! Jared’s latest quiz asks the question,“What Would Georgia Man Do?”

And, The perfect intake form isn’t as elusive as you might think. Jared’s got tips for hitting the Goldilocks zone with each and every potential client to make sure you’re not wasting your time or theirs.

Patrick Carver is CEO and owner of Constellation Marketing.

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We talked with Patrick Carver about, among other things, the great state of Georgia. So, here are some of our favorite Georgia songs!

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

Our closing track is Night Whispers by Dr. Delight.

A Flipping Disaster; Bruce La Fetra—Client Whisperer; and “Technical ‘Knox’ Out”

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 08:00:00 -0000

How do you get your best clients to hire you? Jared welcomes Bruce La Fetra, a real, live client whisperer, to chat about how to flip your usual script and market to the clients you actually want.

Later, the guys play “Technical ‘Knox’ Out,” a trivia round highlighting Knoxville, TN, facts—past and present.

And, who knew? Apparently, Jared’s devotion to flip phones rivals that of the Laguna Beach teen scene in 2004. But, Jared’s relationship with his beloved, flippy phones has been riddled with angst as of late. Tune in for the drama.

Bruce La Fetra is a consultant at Eastwood Strategy Advisors.

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We talked about Knoxville - which is in Tennessee; so, here are some Nashville (also in Tennessee) artists!

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

Our closing track is This is Love by Alsever Lake.

Finding Legal Mentors, The Expert Witness Roundtable, and Perry Mason

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 16:00:00 -0000

Where do expert witnesses come from, exactly? Jared welcomes guests Allison Muller, Nick Briscoe, and Nick Rishwain—an experienced and knowledgeable panel discussing the ins and outs of expert witnessing. They share how professionals come into this field and offer advice for attorneys looking to engage an expert witness for a case.

Later on in the Rump Roast, guest Rachael Ziegler joins to talk about yet another of Jared’s favorite TV series—HBO’s reboot of the classic lawyer show, Perry Mason.

And, lawyers of all ages and stages benefit from mentors in legal practice, but many don’t know how to tap into the expertise they need. Jared offers his tips for seeking out mentors and explains how multiple connections with differing knowledge bases can help attorneys thrive.

Dr. Allison Muller is a board-certified toxicologist with expert witness experience in cases involving alcohol, drugs of abuse, carbon monoxide, medication errors, and postmortem toxicology.

Nicholas Briscoe is Chief Economist at Briscoe Economics Group, Inc. and has provided consulting and expert witness testimony in a wide variety of economic and financial matters.

Nick Rishwain is Vice President of business development and relations at Experts.com, assisting attorneys in locating a wide variety of expert witnesses and consultants for their litigation support needs.

Rachel Ziegler is the founder of Ziegler Legal Services, where her practice focuses on estate planning, estate administration, trust administration, and health care advocacy.

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Since we talked about with no less than 4 experts, here are some songs about being smart. You'll listen, if you know whats good for you!

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

Our closing track is Lucky Day by SPARKZ.

Jared’s Latest TV Obsession; Strategic Communications with Jessica Chen; “And the Award Goes To…”

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 08:00:00 -0000

Communication often happens because we are simply reacting to something, but how often do we react with a thoughtful, impactful response? Jared welcomes Jessica Chen to hear her strategies for leveling up your professional communications. They talk through some of the ways communications training can elevate your influence in the workplace and discuss ways to connect with professional peers through social media.

Later, has anyone named Oscar ever won an Oscar? Find out whether Jessica knows the answer in Jared’s Rump Roast quiz featuring historic Academy Awards trivia.

And, HBO’s “The Last of Us” is the best show Jared’s seen in a looong time, so if you like gut-wrenching, poetic, and a little bit disturbing storytelling, you’d better check it out.

Jessica Chen is an Emmy-Award Winner and the founder and CEO of Soulcast Media.

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Since we talked about the Academy Awards, let's keep awards season rolling: here's our list of the best Best Original Song category winners!

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

Our closing track is Yellow Letter by Sam Barsh.

A Fair Dinkum Interview with Chris Stock and “Shit Australians Say”

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 15:00:00 -0000

This time on The Legal Toolkit, Jared forgoes his monologue to give more time to his conversation with Chris Stock. Tune in as this duo dig into criminal justice reform, ChatGPT’s future in legal and the world at large, legal tech business outlooks, Chris’s new venture as founder of a consulting firm, and more.

Later, stick around for “Shit Australians Say” on the Rump Roast. You’ll learn what “fair dinkum” means and can decide for yourself whether our usage in the title was correct or just silly. Cheers!

Chris Stock is CEO and founder of CGS Advisory.

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Since we talked with notable Australian, Chris Stock, let's count down Australia's Greatest Hits!

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

Our closing track is Scrappy by Famous Cats.

Swifties, Assemble!; Lawyers Need Vacations; and “Travel Etiquette”

Thu, 02 Feb 2023 09:00:00 -0000

If you’re a lawyer, you need a break. Tune in with Jared, his lovely wife Jessica, and her fellow travel agent Samantha Hedges to learn a thing or two about escaping the daily grind. They share tips for vacation bookings, highlight some favorite destinations, and even chat about social media marketing tactics you just might be able to use in your law firm.

During the Rump Roast, the trio play “Travel Etiquette”, where Jessica and Sam reveal the real truth about which airplane armrest you’re actually entitled to.

And, Jared basically took the week off, so Jessica offers up a monologue on the iconic and evolving career of Taylor Swift.

Jessica Foster Correia and Samantha Hedges are travel agents with InTouch Vacations and podcasters on Fab 5 Travel Podcast and Escape: A Travel Podcast. Find out more on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/VacationswithJess/ and https://www.facebook.com/travelplanwithsam

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Since we talked about travel, let's, uh - do some Taylor Swift deep(ish) tracks, curated by my wife, the ultimate Swiftie!

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our closing track is Apollo by Transmuter.

TV Gems of an 80s Childhood; Better Law Firm Management; and “Not-So Happy Endings”

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 16:45:00 -0000

You don’t have to figure out how to manage your law firm alone. Because, honestly, there are people out there who can do it way better. Jared chats with Margaret Burke about how outsourcing law firm management can save you time and boost your revenue.

This time on the Rump Roast, Jared quizzes Margaret on the surprisingly dark endings of a variety of classic fairy tales.

And, if you haven’t watched any Rocky and Bullwinkle lately, Jared highly recommends it, especially Fractured Fairy Tales—all free on YouTube!

Margaret Burke, president and founder of MB Law Firm Consulting, has decades of experience working with lawyers, partners, and small to midsize law firms.

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If you can't tell, Jared's got a thing for fairy tales, so let's just lean into it. Check out this playlist of songs all about fairy tales.

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our closing track is Tenderness of You by Cast of Characters.

Law Firm for Sale — Planning Your Exit Strategy, and “The Cost is Correct!”

Thu, 29 Dec 2022 09:00:00 -0000

Hey, that law firm you own is an asset! A whole lot of lawyers don’t fully realize the value of their legal practice, but there are willing buyers out there, and keeping a future sale in mind should be part of your succession plan. Jared gets the skinny on brokering law firm sales from Jeremy Poock of Senior Attorney Match.

Later, the guys play “The Cost is Correct!” Jared presents products from the past, and Jeremy must guess if the price is, y’know… right.

And, building out turnkey systems for your law firm are going to make it much more valuable when you want to sell. Jared explains how to create ‘McDonalds-esque’ workflows that make your firm appealing to buyers.

Jeremy Poock is an attorney and the founder of Senior Attorney Match.

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Since we talked about valuing law firms - so, let's price out some singles!

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our closing track is Won't Take Long by Dr. Delight.

Data Integration–Simplified; Efficiency Plays for Law Firms; and “Shit Miamians Say”

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 16:00:00 -0000

No one likes change, but your law firm will be more profitable and organized if you keep up with the latest tools for streamlining workflows. Jared talks with Marisa Portuondo about her expertise in helping lawyers prioritize efficiency and thrive in legal practice.

Later, Marisa sticks around for the Rump Roast! In Jared’s latest game, “Shit Miamians Say,” Marisa gives an insider’s perspective on unique Miami colloquialisms.

And, The thought of moving decades of data from your legacy software is pretty intimidating to a whole lot of lawyers, but cloud-based software is where it's at, man, so you really need to get it done. Jared gives tips for migrating data with minimal headaches.

Marisa Portuondo is senior enterprise architect at streamlined.legal.

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Since we talked Miami culture + I learned some Spanish on this episode, let's celebrate with some songs about the Magic City!

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our closing track is Hands Up, Buttercup! by Neon Beach.

Hyped for “Cocaine Bear”; Filevine’s Ryan Anderson; and “The Magnificent Andersons”

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 20:00:00 -0000

Efficient back-and-forth communication in law firms has always been a necessity, but it’s not always easy to do it well. Finding the right collaboration tech is a critical step in modern law firms, so Jared talks with Ryan Anderson of Filevine about the unique needs of lawyers and the future of documents and communication in legal practice, including upcoming .vine.

Later on in the Rump Roast, Jared has Ryan rank himself against his fellow ‘Ryan Andersons’ out there in the ether, and then quizzes him on famous ‘Ryans’ and ‘Andersons’ in pop culture.

And, after lamenting the R-rated comedy drought, Jared’s looking forward to the release of horror-comedy “Cocaine Bear” in February 2023. Tune in for an overview of this upcoming gem–if you’re into the idea of a drug-fueled bear on a murderous rampage. Sounds fun, eh?

Ryan Anderson is the founder and CEO of Filevine, a project management and collaboration tool for lawyers and consumer professionals.

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Since we're all excited for the upcoming forthcoming film, 'Cocaine Bear' - so, here are some songs about bears . . . and, cocaine.

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our closing track is Riled Up by Divisioner.

Legal Tech’s Second Wave, A Different Take on Diversity in Business, and The Legal Toolkit Law Review Hour

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 16:00:00 -0000

Many business leaders are mis-educated about what diversity is, and, as such, lack the ability to support it in their organizations. Jared brings on diversity coach Dr. James Rodgers to learn about his research and training strategies for effectively managing diversity in business, with particular tips for lawyers and law firms.

On an all-new Rump Roast, Jared introduces the Legal Toolkit Law Review Hour–full of a plethora of fascinating lawyer-related factoids and hosted by some guy called Randy Lemon.

And, Jared catches us up on the state of things in legal tech and what solutions firms need for today’s tech-forward legal practice.

Dr. James O. Rodgers is president and principal consultant of The Diversity Coach. Learn more about Dr. Rodgers at jamesorodgers.com.

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Since we're talking about diversity in the legal profession, here's a diverse list of musical suites for your sole enjoyment!

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

The music for this week's Rump Roast is El Girasol by Hola Hola

Our closing track is Loose Tension by Reel Life.

The Skinny on Biden’s Loan Forgiveness Program; Perfect Albums Vol. 3; and “Forgive Me”

Fri, 04 Nov 2022 15:00:00 -0000

People have been alternately ticked, thrilled, and confused since the Biden Administration rolled out its loan forgiveness program. So, what’s the deal? Jared gets insights from student loan lawyer Adam Minsky on the many moving parts of this program, who qualifies/how to apply, and the program’s current hold due to legal challenges under consideration in a federal appeals court.

In the Rump Roast, Jared and Adam play “Forgive Me,” where Adam must choose which historical blunders to erase in a variety of categories. Will he choose Kevin Costner’s appearance in Waterworld? Russia selling Alaska to the US for 4.2 million? Those publishers who rejected Harry Potter? Eesh. Blunders, indeed.

And, Coldplay’s Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends wins a spot on Jared’s list of perfect albums! Since Jared’s a bit of a music aficionado, it really says something that he’s picked an album by a band many music snobs love to (pretend to?) hate. Tune in for his take on this triumphal offering from well-loved, well-hated Coldplay.

Adam S. Minsky is one of the nation’s leading authorities on student loan law.

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Just because we talked about Coldplay's 'perfect' album - 'Viva La Vide or Death and All His Friends' doesn't mean we can't go beyond. MORE COLDPLAY!

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our closing track is Ethereal Morning by Drew Henmi.

Consumer-Centric Pricing; Document Assembly for Lawyers; & “Documentary History”

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 16:00:00 -0000

Easy math: if you can get through more work, more quickly, you’ll make more money. And document assembly software can help you do it! Jared Correia talks with Tony Thai and Ashley Carlisle on how to put document assembly tech to work in your law firm.

It’s trivia time on the Rump Roast. Jared quizzes

Tony and Ashley on famous and/or obscure documents in a new game called “Documentary History.”

And, Jared’s gonna beat this into your consciousness eventually—people are pretty freaked out by the unknowns of legal costs, so you really, really need to provide clarity on what your clients will pay. Tune in for tips on killing that billable hour and providing better options for your clients.

Tony Thai is CEO and chief engineer at HyperDraft.

Ashley Carlisle is head of marketing at HyperDraft.

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Our guests, for some reason, REALLY love LA. So here's a playlist of songs to express that love for the Best Coast. (But, yea, I still hate LA).

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our closing track is Highways by Falls.

How To Avoid a Serial Killer; Better Law Firm Intake Management; & Craft Brewing

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 08:00:00 -0000

A lot of law firm intake processes are a bit painful to look at, if we’re honest, but they don’t have to be! Jared and guest McKay Ferrell share how a little tracking and better workflows can make your intake as smooth as butter.

In lieu of a Rump Roast grilling, Jared delves into McKay’s passion for craft brewing, learning about hybrid IPAs and what led him into the seemingly saturated world of brewery businesses.

And, Jared’s latest streaming pick might freak you out, but he thinks watching Netflix’s Dahmer series has left him with some solid tips for not getting murdered, so, tune in for those!

McKay Ferrell is the vice president of product management at Assembly Software.

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Since we talked with a brewery owner, here are some of our favorite songs about boozin'. (Lots of country songs here, obvi.)

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our closing track is Big Bags by Ghost Beatz.

The LawPay/MyCase Sitch with Dru Armstrong; & “Florida Man: Texas Edition”

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 16:30:00 -0000

The legal tech space has been abuzz since LawPay’s acquisition of MyCase, so what’s the latest with this development? Jared goes to the source and talks with Dru Armstrong, CEO of LawPay, on the deep integrations the acquisition promises to bring about to better serve the unique needs of law firms.

Later on in the Rump Roast Jared puts Dru through a challenging game of “What Would Florida Man Do?: Texas Edition.”

Dru Armstrong is CEO of LawPay.

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Since LawPay is based in Austin, let's hear some Texas songs!

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our closing track is Huzzah River Blues by Desert Dive.

Jared’s Take on Law Firm Fees; The Coolness of the Indy Bar; & “Hoosier Hysteria”

Wed, 14 Sep 2022 17:00:00 -0000

Every bar association is unique, so there’s a whole lot we can learn from each other. Jared chats with Julie Armstrong, executive director at the Indianapolis Bar Association, about the importance of being a culturally aware and forward-thinking organization. Julie shares their approach to strategic planning and discusses how new programs are developed by talking with members and non-members alike to understand the needs of their legal community.

And, Jared monologues on law firm fees—every lawyer’s favorite topic! We know you hate talking about money, but, honestly, you really need to. Jared’s got plenty of tips on setting appropriate fees and sticking to ‘em like glue.

As always, Jared finishes things off with the Rump Roast. He and Julie play “Hoosier Hysteria,” an Indiana trivia game highlighting popcorn, baseball, the Jackson 5, and more.

Julie Armstrong is the executive director at the Indianapolis Bar Association & Foundation.

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Since we talked about the unendingly interesting state of Indiana. So, let's celebrate the Midwest . . . in song!

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our closing track is Starfruit by PALA.

The R-Rated Comedy Drought; Workload Management for Law Firms; & “The Jeffrey Toobin Experience”

Tue, 30 Aug 2022 15:00:00 -0000

When new work comes into your law firm, whose desk should it land on? Oftentimes, the workload falls too heavily on a few, rather than being balanced amongst firm members. Jared brings on Dov Slansky to talk us through operational structure and how adaptable technology can help workloads in your law firm get pushed through to the right people.

Also–calling out the movie industry here–you’ve been failing Jared with a serious lack of R-rated comedies in the past decade or so. Can you guys do something about that?

Finally, our Rump Roast topic centers around “The Jeffrey Toobin Experience.” Jared proclaims Dov a video-conference etiquette expert, so the guys examine a variety of real-life workplace Zoom blunders to get Dov’s take on how to avoid tanking your career.

Dov Slansky is an accomplished attorney and Vice President at Litify.

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In honor of the legendary Ricky Bobby, let's listen to some songs about racing. Start your engines!

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our closing track is Finessed by JessGuy.

5 Upgrades for Engagement Agreements; Lean Law with Larry Port & Dave Maxfield; & “Disposable Income”

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 08:00:00 -0000

A real shocker, we know, but many law firms are still struggling with efficiency. Surely you’re not among them… ahem… but, just in case, Jared welcomes Larry Port and Dave Maxfield, authors of The Lean Law Firm and its accompanying training course, to help lawyers understand how to streamline processes and increase profitability.

And, the term ‘fee agreement’ really doesn’t cut it, so Jared’s here to clue you in on crafting an ‘engagement agreement’ with his top five tips.

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On the Rump Roast, Jared, Larry, and Dave play “Disposable Income,” where they examine some of the crazy stuff rich people buy and whether they’d do the same if they had money to throw away.

Larry Port, CEO of Rocket Matter, is also a speaker and award winning writer at the crossroads of the legal profession and cutting edge technology.

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And in honor of all the stupid stuff people buy, here are some songs about straight, cash-money!

Talent Search Tactics & The Legal Job Market

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 18:55:00 -0000

Employers have experienced massive shifts in hiring practices the past few pandemic-affected years, and those who leaned into hybrid/remote work scooped up quality talent left and right. But, nowadays, law firms are discovering that new talent is harder and harder to find. It seems that strategic planning and a flexible mindset are key in our current hiring market, so Jared brings on Anna Saunders to talk through what employers need to know about successful tactics for legal hiring.

And, Jared offers his two cents on talent searches for your law firm, emphasizing how to use the connections and tools you already have to find new attorneys for your firm.

Later on in the Rump Roast, Jared and Anna play “Workin’ It,” where Anna must guess the salaries of quirky jobs you quite possibly didn’t know existed.

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If you haven't noticed, it's HOT. So here are some songs to cool you down.

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our closing track is Inlet by Sam Barsh.

Content Marketing with Real Personality; Perfect Albums Vol. 2; and a Game Called “Bag of Dicks”

Wed, 20 Jul 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Being so weird, so unique, so nerdy, and so “you” CAN actually be the foundation of your business plan. Jared talks with Mike Whelan about the ins and outs of using personality-driven content creation to grow your law firm. Worried that you don’t have a personality? Well, don’t worry–you do! Mike offers tons of insights on recognizing your strengths, translating them into content ideas, and using them to “be yourself out loud.”

Later, the Rump Roast returns! In yet another questionable, made-up trivia game—”Bag of Dicks”—Jared quizzes Mike on a variety of “Dicks” throughout history, sports, pop culture, and more.

In Jared’s opinion, a perfect album not only contains no bad songs, but also encapsulates the time period in which it was created. So, perfect album number two is – Snoop Dogg’s “Doggystyle” of 1993. Jared talks us through what he considers to be the greatest rap album of all time, with Snoop Dogg’s musical genius on full display in its adroit illustration of the early 90s west coast scene.

Mike Whelan, Jr. is an attorney, author, and CEO at Lawyer Forward, a community of attorneys looking for practical ways to advance their practices.

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Don't you dare stop at just 'Doggystyle'. Check out these classic 90's rap tunes we've put together for you.

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our closing track is Space Money by Ghost Beatz.

Team Coco; An Insider’s View on Great CLEs; and “Course Correction”

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 16:00:00 -0000

Continuing legal education was slowly moving online even before COVID-19 hit, but nowadays, online, in-person, and hybrid CLE programs are all just part of the norm. Jared chats with Bruce Richard about what the post-pandemic CLE experience is like for attendees and the benefits of becoming a CLE speaker.

Later, they guys play Jared’s latest game – “Course Correction!” Jared gives both real and fake online course descriptions, and Bruce must decide which oddball classes are really out there for your consumption.

And, love him or hate him, Conan O’Brien has been a mainstay of comedy and late-night TV for decades. Listen in for Jared’s thoughts on why Conan is the best late-night talk show host ever.

Bruce Richard is program attorney for Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc. (MCLE│New England).

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Just because we've finished our conversation about continuing education doesn't mean you're done studying. Check out this episode's playlist all about learnin' and schoolin'.

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our closing track is At Sea by In This World.

LawPay buys MyCase; Modernizing Your Client Communications; and “What Would Florida Man Do? – Summer Edition!"

Tue, 14 Jun 2022 16:00:00 -0000

The way we see it, you’re either ghosting your clients on purpose (for shame!), or you’re just super busy like every lawyer, ever, and don’t know how to keep everybody in the loop (okay, we get that). So, Jared Correia and Matt McClellan talk tips for boosting your communications and helping your clients get the love, appreciation, and case updates they deserve.

Then – yay! – more Florida Man shenanigans, this time with a summer twist. See if Matt’s up to the challenge of identifying which odd life choices can be attributed to true Floridian fellas.

And, Jared’s got thoughts on LawPay’s MyCase acquisition. You better hear ‘em.

Matthew McClellan is co-founder of Hona, an application that auto-updates clients on the status of their case.

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Since Florida Man's clearly getting into the swing of summer, you should too. Let's break out the Summer Jamz!

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our closing track is Impact by Tiger Gang.

Margaret Atwood and Matthew Gibson discuss the LongPen, Originalism, and More

Tue, 31 May 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Yes, that Margaret Atwood—famous author of “The Handmaid’s Tale” and tons more, is really here on The Legal Toolkit!

But first, Jared chats with Matthew Gibson about how innovations involving video, audio and LongPen robotic pens are giving e-signatures the ability to truly meet legal standards worldwide.

Later, Jared gets to talk with Margaret Atwood, the inventor of the LongPen, about the development of this unique e-signature technology and stories from her illustrious career.

Matthew Gibson is president, CEO, and a co-founder of Syngrafii Inc.

Margaret Atwood is a Canadian poet, novelist, literary critic, essayist, teacher, environmental activist, and inventor.

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In honor of our special guest and world-famous author, Margaret Atwood, here's a playlist of some songs related to books and writing!

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our closing track is All Over You by VAULTZ.

The Big 4 Softwares Tools You Need; and Having Fun with Your Marketing Plan, with Cady Darago

Wed, 18 May 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Half-assed marketing plans not really working for you? Jared’s got Cady Darago here to nudge (or shove, nicely, if needed) you in the direction you actually need to go. They chat about effective, fun approaches to marketing your law firm, customizing plans for a niche practice, and how CRM software will seriously change your life for the better.

Then, Jared has come up with yet another new game: “Philly Fanatics,” where Cady must identify which crazy fan behaviors were actually committed by wacked out Philly sports enthusiasts.

Also, Jared shares the Big 4 software tools every law practice needs and why.

Cady Darago is a Principal at ESQuisite Marketing, LLC.

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In honor of the Big 4 software tools being discussed, here's a playlist of great songs by quartets.

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our closing track is There Will Be Another Day by Alessandro Gugel.

Special thanks to our sponsors TimeSolv, Clio, Scorpion, and Alert Communications.

Alternative Careers for Lawyers, with Lauren Fernandez; and “The All-Out Artery Clogger”

Wed, 04 May 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Jared chats with Lauren Fernandez about her experiences moving from a career as a practicing lawyer to a business owner and entrepreneur in the restaurant industry. For lawyers looking for a change, tune in for her tips on making the most of your skills to pursue new opportunities.

Then, Jared subjects Lauren to “The All-Out Artery Clogger,” where he tests Lauren’s knowledge of fast food menu items guaranteed to give you a heart attack.

And what does our fascination with shows like Netflix’s “Is It Cake” say about our culture? Anything? Jared ponders whether we’re a bunch of dummies.

Lauren Fernandez is CEO of Full Course, a restaurant development and investment firm.

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Shows like Netflix's "Is It Cake" aren't exactly complicated, but we're all too eager to consume them. So, in that spirit, here are some short and simple songs you don't need to think about, either.

"Unlong Songs"

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

Our opening also includes Coastal Dreaming by King Flamingo.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our closing track is Starfruit by PALA.

Special thanks to our sponsors TimeSolv, Clio, Scorpion, and Alert Communications.

Honing Your Online Presence; Really Honing Your Online Presence; and “Lance-A-Lot”

Tue, 19 Apr 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Every single referral you get is going to google you before they give you a call, so… what will they find? If you’re not sure, that’s a problem. Jared says it’s time to take a hard look at your website and social media presence (and go take a listen to Lunch Hour Legal Marketing) to make sure those leads turn into paying clients.

Next, all that web presence talk leads us right into Jared’s chat with Jeff Lantz of Esquire Interactive. They discuss what makes a great website, keeping things fresh, and leveraging analytics and social media.

And, no, we didn’t forget the Rump Roast! Jared and Jeff play “Lance-A-Lot,” where Jeff “Lantz” must identify famous “Lances”… you see where we’re going here.

Jeff Lantz is an attorney, ABA book author, and CEO at Esquire Interactive.

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Since we played the name game with Jeff Lantz of Esquire Interactive, here's a bunch of songs with people's names in them.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2zitgmHXqG8LusNHqzOl7A?si=5be0e426621e4d48

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our closing track is Brooklyn Brunch by AFTERNOONZ.

Special thanks to our sponsors TimeSolv, Clio, Scorpion, and Alert Communications.

“Harold and Maude”; Newsletter Magic with Shaun Buck; and “Idaho? YOUdaho!”

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Ever wanted to watch a dark, oddball love story about a death-obsessed couple with a 60-year age gap? Jared’s got just the thing! The 1971 film, “Harold and Maude” is a cult classic and has a Cat Stevens-centric soundtrack, so, obviously, a total win-win for your next movie night.

Next, Jared welcomes Shaun Buck to chat about the surprising ways that traditional newsletters can grow your business. Shaun shares insights on how a useful, entertaining piece of mail can impact consumers and bring them to your law firm.

And, last but not least, what’s cool about Idaho? Jared and Shaun are on a quest to find out in the new Rump Roast game: “Idaho? YOUdaho!”

Shaun Buck is founder and CEO of Newsletter Pro based in Boise, Idaho.

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In honor of the long-delayed release of the "Harold and Maude" soundtrack, it's time for y'all to make sure you've totally caught up on Cat Stevens.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7F02Lp2J2ovTHfo2eHl2YL?si=6e693f3a6cad4998

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our closing track is Canoe Journey by Andy Ellison.

Special thanks to our sponsors TimeSolv, Clio, Scorpion, and Alert Communications.

Outsourcing—Do It!; Content Production with a Professional Writer; and “The Town”

Tue, 15 Mar 2022 08:00:00 -0000

Jared thinks all y’all need a talking-to about outsourcing. Lawyers, as high-achievers, think they can do everything on their own, but they’re probably just wasting time and money. Jared explains the profitability of outsourcing work outside your area of expertise so you can focus on what really matters.

Next, ever had an idea for great content for your legal website/blog/video/social media account, but just don’t have time to flesh it out? Jared chats with writer Mike Feldman about how ghostwriters help businesses put their thoughts into words to create great online content.

And, lastly, Jared and Mike are joined by their wives, Jessica and Kathleen for the Rump Roast! Jared’s newly developed quiz, “The Town,” seeks the perspectives of all four players on how the quintessential townie should act in a variety of scenarios.

Michael Feldman is the founding CEO of Chalkbridge Ghostwriting & Content.

Kathleen Feldman is an accountant with NFS Leasing and a city councilor in Beverly, Massachusetts.

Jessica Correia works at a law firm, puts up with Jared, and has two podcasts: Escape: A Travel Podcast and Fab 5.

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For our latest Rump Roast, we got in touch with our surroundings—well, MY surroundings specifically—but maybe it’s worth exploring the world beyond Beverly, Massachusetts. So here’s a playlist about places - the more local, the better!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2U9Xh80e5rr0lB5ZLeSsPo?si=f1faf71d941c4523

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our closing track is Ent Her Stel Luh by Cast of Characters.

Special thanks to our sponsors TimeSolv, Clio, Scorpion, and Alert Communications.

The Best Show on TV; How to Contract with Laura Frederick; and “Legal Toolkit Trivia” with Jane Kuhuk

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 09:00:00 -0000

As we all know, “Quantum Leap” was Jared’s favorite TV show as a kid, but his current favorite is… “Bluey!” What’s that, you ask? Tune in for Jared’s take on why this Australian children’s program should take priority on your watchlist.

Next up, could learning about legal contracts actually be fun? Well, sure! Jared chats with Laura Frederick of How to Contract about her training program and top tips for legal pros looking to draft better contracts for their clients.

This time on the Rump Roast, Jared welcomes Jane Kuhuk, a longtime fan of the show, to play “Legal Toolkit Trivia!” Also known as “Shameless Promotion of the Show Archives”— go have a listen!

Laura Frederick is the founder of How to Contract and managing attorney at Laura Frederick Law, PLLC.

Jane Kuhuk is senior public relations manager at Esper Bionics and How To Contract.

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Since we talked about the delightful Heeler family - the stars of 'Bluey', I have a playlist for you that's all about animals.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0jHwxwHcVwdA1ljCO2ATvB?si=8d8c5f6e1f324f23

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our closing track is Sweet Coffee by Ian Kelosky

Special thanks to our sponsors TimeSolv, Clio, Scorpion, and Alert Communications.

Delegating Law Firm Workflows; and “Live From the Playroom” with Erinn Peet Lukes!

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 09:00:00 -0000

Inefficient and don’t know why? Jared will sort you out. Listen in for tips on creating and delegating workflows to make your firm’s processes efficient from start to finish.

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We loved having Erinn on so much, and wanted to share more of her scene, so we asked and she delivered. Check out this playlist Erinn put together for us featuring some of her Nashvegas friends.

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our closing track is Country Music Breaks My Heart by Erinn Peet Lukes.

Special thanks to our sponsors TimeSolv, Clio, Scorpion, and Alert Communications.

Perfect Albums Vol. 1; Modern Legal Journalism; and Simpsons Trivia with Joe Patrice

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 09:00:00 -0000

A perfect album—one with no fillers, no bad songs, all greatness—can be pretty hard to come by. But, after decades of meticulous searching, Jared has found those happy few. This time, he features the alternative country group, Uncle Tupelo, and their perfect album “Anodyne.”

Next up, Jared welcomes the esteemed Joe Patrice to discuss legal journalism, law firm horror stories, politics, and whether objective reporting still exists.

And, this time on the Rump Roast, Joe quizzes and Jared takes the hot seat for a round of obscure Simpsons trivia.

Joe Patrice is a senior editor at Above the Law.

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Since we talked about alt-country pioneers Uncle Tupelo, here's a playlist featuring the best from the Uncle Tupeloverse.

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our closing track is Front Porch Etude #2 by Heartland Nights.

Special thanks to our sponsors TimeSolv, Clio, Scorpion, and Alert Communications.

Laptop+Water; Incremental Resolutions; and “Sh!t Yoopers Say”

Wed, 19 Jan 2022 16:00:00 -0000

Jared wrecked his computer, but is he freaking out? No. And that, friends, is why cloud-based everything is a must. Tune in for Jared’s insights on the cloud and data backups.

Next, Molly Ranns and Jared chat about whether New Year’s resolutions are worth your while. Key takeaways: 1) Positivity and small steps are good! 2) Thinking you need to “fix” something about yourself is a nonstarter.

And, last, Jared and Molly look at “Shit Yoopers Say” to learn the vernacular of upper peninsula Michiganders.

Molly Ranns is program director for the Lawyers and Judges Assistance Program at the State Bar of Michigan and host of the Bar’s On Balance Podcast.

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Yea, you've probably already given up on your New Year's resolution, but it's not too late. Here are some some songs to help you begin again.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/16kgBUVkI6vGRKJijgKICN?si=1c6dfaaf6b7a4c03

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our closing track is Inside Out by Adrian Walther.

Special thanks to our sponsors TimeSolv, Clio, Scorpion, and Alert Communications.

The Legal Toolkit Holiday Edition!

Tue, 28 Dec 2021 09:00:00 -0000

Christmastime is here, and Jared has company! Producer Evan may or may not have been kidnapped, and Engineer Adam may or may not have been creeping outside Jared’s house, but everybody’s ready for some holiday cheer. Come sit by the crackling fire as Jared saves Christmas yet again.

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Since it's our Christmas special - and in honor of producer Evan's Scroogish nature - I've put together a list of just horribly depressing holiday music. Enjoy!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/25un4L0Z4NSGI8VNP5vfCD?si=79dcd116619d42ef

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our holiday themed music is O Christmas Tree by Ryan Saranich.

Special thanks to our sponsors TimeSolv, Clio, Scorpion, and Alert Communications.

Who Broke Up The Beatles?; Online Networking; and “Creative Team-Building”

Tue, 14 Dec 2021 09:00:00 -0000

The Beatles, beloved by the world and quite possibly the greatest band of all time, had a break-up that left fans reeling for years. So, what went wrong? Jared analyzes the “Get Back” sessions, glories in the creativity and genius therein, and shares his take on who was really responsible for the band’s demise.

Next up, Jared brings on Jason Chan to chat about the shift to online networking brought about by the pandemic. Jason offers tips and tactics for fostering authentic connections and seeking out diverse contacts.

Finally, this time on the Rump Roast, Jared lays out a variety of team-building exercises tried by offices around the globe, and Jason must rate whether they’re worth trying… or giving a hard pass.

Jason Chan is the Principal of the Law Offices of Jason Chan.

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In honor of the new Beatles 'Get Back' documentary on Disney+, here's a collection of some of my favorite Beatles songs, from the White Album onward.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7dlZ7JiC541b1g2MXVt0ZR?si=3d2c8f82a0c44233

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our closing track is New Girl by Noah Smith.

Special thanks to our sponsors TimeSolv, Clio, Scorpion, and Alert Communications.

Fast Food For Thought; Modern Legal Ethics; and What Would Florida Man Do? - Holiday Edition

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 09:00:00 -0000

Struggling with efficiency in your law practice? Well, go watch “The Founder” starring Michael Keaton, meditate on its entrepreneurial lessons, and you should be good to go. Jared thinks so, anyway.

Next, Jared welcomes Mark C. Palmer of the Illinois Supreme Court’s 2Civility Program to discuss a variety of the ways legal ethics have evolved alongside the new developments in technology and communication. They chat about texting with clients, client portals, cryptocurrency, virtual practice, and more.

Last, the Rump Roast ushers in the return of “What Would Florida Man Do?”—this time with a holiday spin! Jared offers up a series of peculiar news stories and Mark must determine whether a true “Florida Man” was involved.

Mark C. Palmer is the Chief Counsel of the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism, also known as 2Civility

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Since we talked about the McDonald brothers Speedee system, and what a tool Ray Kroc was, how about some songs about food!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7IAkSDRYzv56bUr0sPNnkN?si=77d9c717eaa540f4

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our closing track is Low Lit Blues by Renderings.

Special thanks to our sponsors TimeSolv, Clio, Scorpion, and Alert Communications.

Quantum Leap; Why Does LinkedIn Matter?; and Correia Family Stories with Jared’s Mom!

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 09:00:00 -0000

Missed out on Quantum Leap back in the day? No worries, Jared’s here to put right what went wrong, hoping this time you’ll find a way to bring this awesome series home… or something like that.

Next, Jared leaps into his interview with small business consultant Terri Teague! They chat about new trends on LinkedIn and how lawyers can leverage creative content to help their businesses grow.

And, you’re in for a treat this time on the Rump Roast! Jared’s mom joins in for a special edition of Correia Family Stories, featuring Jared’s ill-conceived attempt at giving ducks swimming lessons, and more.

Terri Teague is founder and principal of SmallBiz.Consulting and the Digital Power Team.

Since we discussed my favorite TV show ever: Quantum Leap (and in memory of Dean Stockwell), this week let's throw some science tunes on the turntable. SCIENCE!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0RtVYlBN7m9FDudediOyRD?si=43cb41bade5a43f8

Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our closing track is Conversation Funk by Cast of Characters.

Special thanks to our sponsors TimeSolv, Clio, Scorpion, and Alert Communications.

Scooby Doo; Frightening Things Lawyers Do; and “The Magic of Folklore”

Tue, 02 Nov 2021 15:00:00 -0000

Grab your Scooby Snacks and hop into the Mystery Machine! Jared takes a nostalgic trip to recall his favorite Scooby Doo memories and share his thoughts on what he thinks may be the best iteration of this beloved animated franchise.

Next up, Jared talks with Joyce Brafford about the three scariest things lawyers do in their legal practices. But, don’t be too freaked out! If you’re guilty of any of these cringe-worthy blunders, Joyce has tips for making things right.

Last, this time on the Rump Roast, Jared and Joyce dive into cryptozoology, discussing a variety of absurd, creepy, and just plain silly “cryptids.”

Joyce Brafford is sales manager at CosmoLex.

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Halloween may be over, but that doesn’t mean we can’t fit one more round of that sweet, sweet Halloween music into the mix. After all, what else are you going to listen to? Thanksgiving music?

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0DsPJiKa76bn4etZneCuJy?si=5ba5d0128f534341

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our closing track is Tipsy by AlterEgo.

Special thanks to our sponsors TimeSolv, Clio, Scorpion, and Alert Communications.

Time Sucks; The Prosecutors Podcast; and “Direct Examination”

Tue, 19 Oct 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Ah, time management. Jared muses over whether time is the enemy or simply something we all should bend mercilessly to our respective wills.

Then, Jared is joined by Alice and Brett, co-hosts of The Prosecutors Podcast, to talk about how they manage their time as prosecutors and podcasters and their thoughts on what gave rise to the true crime boom.

Today’s Rump Roast features “Direct Examination,” where Jared digs in deeper to get to know Alice and Brett.

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In honor of alternate universe Alice being a world famous fiddle player, here’s a list of some great songs that feature the fiddle:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6Ut2bR6C4ullxG8eBuMVss?si=17c5e5457d0e4388

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Special thanks to our sponsors TimeSolv, Clio, Scorpion, and Alert Communications.

Norm Macdonald; Niche Legal Practice; and “Chicago vs. Kansas City”

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 14:20:00 -0000

Maybe he wasn’t the funniest Canadian ever (who could unseat Jim Carey?), but Norm Macdonald still deserves his due. Jared pays homage to the late comedian with an overview of his finest works and samplings of his deadpan comedic style.

Next up, Jared brings on Stanley Tate to talk through the benefits of niche legal practice. Many lawyers leave law school not really knowing how to develop a profitable business, but Stanley shares how working up expertise in a niche area of the law can lead to a lucrative career.

Last, on today’s Rump Roast, Jared pits Stanley’s former and current locales against each other in a game called “Chicago vs. Kansas City.”

Stanley Tate is principal of Tate Law, where he works exclusively with clients in need of help with student loan debt management.

In honor of he Norm Macdonald, the Canadian comedic great, this episode’s Spotify playlist is full of other great stuff from Canada.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0gbMsv2IGXBQo8AzfFcEzB?si=7d108c12f4924b08

Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our outro music is Eternity by Eazy

Special thanks to our sponsors TimeSolv, Clio, Scorpion, and Alert Communications.

Your Intake Mistakes; Leveraging Modern Phone Systems; and “Kiwi Colloquialisms”

Tue, 21 Sep 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Jared wants to know—how’s your intake process working for you? If you’re like a lot of law firms, with potential leads just quietly slipping into a black hole… you’re doing it wrong. Just so incredibly wrong. Tune in for Jared’s easy, effective client intake tips.

Next up, Chelsea Aitken joins Jared to chat about modern phone systems and the important updates lawyers need to help them communicate better and utilize smart integrations with practice management software.

Then, the Rump Roast! Jared and Chelsea examine common New Zealand expressions, so stick around to find out the meaning of “jandals”, “pack a sad”, “munted”, and more!

Chelsea Aitken is the chief customer officer of Vxt, a software company revolutionizing small business communications.

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I mentioned the longest place name in the world* - It's in New Zealand, and typing it out here would just look kind of ridiculous - so, here are some songs with long names instead.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1KSQhVXArSYEdx5hSJH17B?si=42f235fa68db45c3

*I’ll save you the Google search: it’s

Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu, New Zealand.

I butchered that on the show and I feel we, as a community, can do better. Send us a recording of you pronouncing it and, if you impress me, I’ll name drop you on the show.

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our outro music is Skinny Jeans by Andrew Stanton.

Special thanks to our sponsors TimeSolv, Clio, Scorpion, and Alert Communications.

Narnia Kicks Ass; eDiscovery 101; and “The Heat Index”

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Religious allegory might seem like an odd topic for Jared, but, the truth is – C.S. Lewis is just plain splendid. And even a crass iconoclast can fall in love with Narnia. Tune in for Jared’s reflections on this favorite childhood series, along with his recommendations for several of Lewis’ other works.

Next up, Jared welcomes Shree Sharma to discuss how eDiscovery has changed over the past decade and what lawyers need to know about its current best practices.

Last, in honor of this super-hot summer, Jared and Shree Sharma play yet another new game, “The Heat Index,” featuring a variety of temperature-related trivia.

Shree Sharma is vice president of business development at HaystackID.

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With how damn hot it is, we’ve just decided to embrace it. This week’s playlist has some songs that are scorching.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1emWKWIjn6vy9ucaQW02zx?si=d11f2818eba440c9

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our outro music is He Said, She Said by Dr. Delight.

Special thanks to our sponsors TimeSolv, Clio, Scorpion, and Alert Communications.

Weird Ken Burns; Benefits of Podcasting; and “Shitty Olympic Events”

Tue, 10 Aug 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Jared shares the story of Ken Burns’ surprisingly thorough autograph style and, for those without the expertise, offers up his top documentary recommendations so you’ll have something to watch for the next… 10 years or so. (1:58)

Then, things get meta with Steve Fretzin as he and Jared talk podcasts on a podcast. They discuss how podcasting could benefit your legal practice and offer tips for getting started. (8:55)

And, last but not least, Jared presents a new game—“Shitty Olympic Events”—where Steve must name obscure sports based on their descriptions. (24:57)

Steve Fretzin, president of Fretzin Inc., coaches and trains lawyers using modern-day business development techniques.

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Yes, the Olympics have concluded, but that doesn’t mean we’re done with them. Since we discussed the worst Olympics sport - EVER - here's our very own list of jock jams. If the stadium's a-rockin', don't come a-knockin'!

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2M9nxYksVP7fcO1U77nwRY?si=88a1322ef57c4eee

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Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our outro music is Homecoming by Bobo Renthlei.

Special thanks to our sponsors TimeSolv, Clio, Scorpion, and Alert Communications.

The Robot “Takeover”; Law Firm Productivity; and “Balls Deep”

Tue, 27 Jul 2021 08:00:00 -0000

There are decades of entertainment based on the inevitable AI apocalypse, but…is it really all that inevitable? Maybe, just maybe, robots are only here to help you. Think WALL-E—not Ultron—and tune in for Jared’s take on the importance of embracing AI in your legal practice. (1:50)

Next up, lawyers need simple, collaborative tools to do their best work. Jared talks with Mat Rotenberg about his top tips for removing burdens that hinder productivity and using automation to cultivate a better workplace. (8:22)

And, this time on the Rump Roast, Jared and Mat play “Balls Deep”. . . and we’ll just let you find out what that’s all about. (23:03)

Mathew Rotenberg is the CEO and co-founder of Dashboard Legal.

In honor of Ringo Starr's 81st birthday, here’s a playlist featuring songs from lesser bandmates - and, they're still pretty damn good!

Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.

The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander.

Our closing track is Normal People by M O K. Check out his album Kids Table on Spotify.

Special thanks to our sponsors TimeSolv, Clio, Scorpion, and Alert Communications.

Document Management; Kara Vaval’s Unconventional Legal Career; and “What Would ‘Florida Man’ Do?”

Tue, 13 Jul 2021 08:00:00 -0000

It’s OK to store files in a shed by the river, right?; Kara Vaval shares how quitting law to sell Mary Kay led her to become a better lawyer than ever; and Jared tests whether Kara can identify a real “Florida Man” in the news. Special thanks to our sponsors TimeSolv, Clio, Scorpion, and Alert Communications.

Growing Up Quickly; Law Firm Spring Cleaning; and “How Minnesota is That”

Tue, 29 Jun 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Jared recalls childhood trauma; Jess Birken shares tips for "spring cleaning" your law firm; and Jared and Jess try to put a finger on what makes Minnesota so unique. Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest. The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander. Our closing track is August by Dario Benedetti. Special thanks to our sponsors TimeSolv, Clio, Scorpion, and Alert Communications.

Authenticity; Marketing the Real You; and Darian Kovacs’ Marketing Jam Podcast

Tue, 15 Jun 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Jared Correia and Darian Kovacs chat it up on authenticity, creative online marketing, podcasting, and more.

Aliens!; Why Law Firms Should Focus on Selling; and “Samesies”

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Jared Correia ponders UFOs, aliens, and massive government cover-ups, and chats with Erik Bermudez about why you shouldn’t shy away from sales in your law firm. Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest. The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander. Our closing track is Artratus by Isaac Joel. Special thanks to our sponsors Scorpion, TimeSolv, Alert Communications and Clio.

Remote-Friendly Networking; Pro Rainmaking Tips; and “Three Answers”

Tue, 18 May 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Rainmaking trainer and coach Jaimie Field shares tactics for growing your law firm’s business, even in the midst of the pandemic. Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest The music for the Legal Trends Report Minute is I See You by Sounds Like Sander Our closing track is The Perfect Getaway by Polyphonic Groove Orchestra Special thanks to our sponsors Scorpion, TimeSolv, Alert Communications and Clio.

Warren Zevon; Financial Management Best Practices; and “Number One Fan”

Tue, 04 May 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Jared Correia explores the life and times of Warren Zevon and then brings on Brooke Lively to demystify financial management for law firms. Special thanks to our sponsors Scorpion, TimeSolv, Alert Communications and Clio.

The Bar is Low…Might as Well Improve Your Law Firm!; Pandemic-Era Talent Acquisition; and the Rump Roast: the Return of Correia Family Stories

Tue, 20 Apr 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Hire like a pro with tips from Ron Godier! And, stick around for the Rump Roast, where Patrick Correia reveals what it was like to have Jared for a big brother. Special thanks to our sponsors Scorpion, TimeSolv, Alert Communications and Clio.

Larry Bird Stories; Getting the Reputation You Deserve; and the Rump Roast: The Gritty Origin Story

Tue, 06 Apr 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Jared Correia still hates the Lakers, and Shawn Hill joins for a chat about 1) how online reviews can help you build a better reputation for your law firm and 2) his work developing the Gritty Mascot. Theme Song: Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest. Legal Trends Report Minute song: I See You by Sounds Like Sander Closing song = Hey Yo Rocco! by Dresden, The Flamingo. Special thanks to our sponsors Scorpion, TimeSolv, Alert Communications and Clio.

Saying “NonLawyer” Isn’t Cool Anymore; Finding Fulfillment in Your Work; and the “Stick or Quit” Rump Roast!

Tue, 23 Mar 2021 08:00:00 -0000

Jared’s going to lose it if you keep saying “nonlawyer”, and, later, he and Toya Gavin chat about what lawyers should do if they feel discouraged in their work. Our opening theme is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest. Our closing song is Questionable by Ryan Saranich.

Why Sackboy is Super Dope; How AI Makes State Court Data Accessible; and the “Three Questions” Rump Roast

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 15:02:41 -0000

Welp, burlap sacks might be cool now. Oh, and Jared Correia talks trends in AI and legal research with Trellis CEO Nicole Clark! Our opening theme is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest. Our closing song is Don’t Go ‘Way Nobody by George Lewis and His New Orleans Stompers. Special thanks to our sponsors Scorpion, TimeSolv, Alert Communications and Clio.

The “Cat Lawyer” Buzzkill, Unusual Legal Marketing, and the Rump Roast: Game of Life

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 09:00:00 -0000

Jared Correia ruins the “cat lawyer” fun and chats with Chad Sands about harnessing creativity and uniqueness for better law firm marketing. Our opening theme is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest Our music spotlight and closing song is All Over You by the Jury Pool.

Six Reasons WandaVision is Super Cool, 5-Star Customer Service Tips, and the Rump Roast: “Defining” Moments

Tue, 09 Feb 2021 09:00:00 -0000

Jared Correia tells us why WandaVision is the best superhero show ever and John Strohmeyer tells us how to have the best customer service ever — a win-win! Our theme song is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest. Our closing song is 555 by Tiger Gang.

Sounding as Classy as Jared; the Upside of Single-Provider Legal Tech; and A Correia Family History Rump Roast

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 09:00:00 -0000

Jared Correia shares tips for upping your audio quality and chats with Sarah Schaaf about legal tech trends and the benefits of keeping all your tech under one roof. Our theme song is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest. Our closing song is Sewn To You by The HA.

Jim Carrey Should’ve Won an Oscar, Making Virtual Conferences Better, and the Rump Roast: Celebrity Nicknames

Tue, 12 Jan 2021 09:00:00 -0000

Jared Correia dishes on Jim Carrey’s greatest roles and chats with Melissa Rogozinski about how to enhance the virtual conference experience. Our theme song is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest. Our closing song is Schoolyard Swing by Cast of Characters.

Moneyball Your Law Firm, Thought Leadership For the Win, and the Rump Roast: “Yacht or Nyacht?”

Tue, 22 Dec 2020 16:47:03 -0000

Jared Correia welcomes Jay Harrington to discuss what it means to be a thought leader in the legal marketplace. And Tom Nixon joins to discuss yacht rock on the latest Rump Roast. Our theme song is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest. This week’s closing song is Sunrise on the Water by Page 99.

Peculiar Pandemic Purchases, the Legendary Bob Ambrogi, and Our Spotify Contest-Winner Rump Roast

Tue, 08 Dec 2020 17:30:00 -0000

Jared Correia is joined by renowned journalist and lawyer Bob Ambrogi to talk through legal tech trends in 2020.

The Unkillable Billable Hour, Productizing Legal Services, and the Rump Roast: Double Jeopardy!

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 18:42:30 -0000

Jared Correia hashes out what it means to productize legal services in your law firm with Dorna Moini, CEO of Documate–winner of Clio’s 2020 Launch//Code Competition.

Everybody Likes Tom Petty, Your Client-Generating Machine, and the Rump Roast: Portland Edition

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 19:37:55 -0000

Jared Correia ponders whether anyone could actually not like Tom Petty (gasp!) and learns how Megan Hargroder uses storytelling to help lawyers build engaging websites clients love.

Branding Your Firm, Tools and Tactics To Up Your Marketing, and the “Name Game”

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 20:55:54 -0000

Jared welcomes Gyi Tsakalakis of AttorneySync to the first episode of the new Legal Toolkit. Hear why firms need better branding and discover the best marketing tools for your practice.

Bar-pocalypse! – Bar Prep and Exams in the Midst of COVID Complications

Fri, 16 Oct 2020 14:00:00 -0000

Crushendo CEO Adam Balinski gives an overview of the many challenges and changes in bar prep and exams throughout the pandemic.

The Benefits of Lawyer Coaching: Making the Most of Career Transitions

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 17:50:04 -0000

Stephen Seckler describes how coaching can help lawyers build their practice and have greater career satisfaction.

What Lawyers Don’t (But Should!) Know About the Business of Law

Tue, 15 Sep 2020 14:00:00 -0000

Scott Brennan of Lexicon discusses tactics for increasing profits at your law firm.

Running Behind: The Real Reasons Lawyers Suffer From Inefficiency in Legal Practice

Tue, 18 Aug 2020 16:52:03 -0000

Tucker Cottingham reveals the ‘why’ behind common inefficiencies in legal practice.

PPP Loans and the CARES Act

Fri, 31 Jul 2020 20:03:09 -0000

Steven Lando, a CPA and tax partner at Anchin, explains the ins and outs of PPP loans for legal professionals.

Pro Tips for Managing Your Newly Distributed Workforce

Tue, 21 Jul 2020 19:26:51 -0000

Timothy Bowers offers insights from his many years of successful virtual legal practice.

Understanding Loneliness During COVID-19

Tue, 07 Jul 2020 20:27:55 -0000

J.W. Freiberg shares insights from his book, “Surrounded by Others and Yet So Alone: A Lawyer’s Case Stories of Love, Loneliness, and Litigation.”

The State of Workers’ Rights Today

Tue, 23 Jun 2020 18:44:38 -0000

Sam Pond shares his insights on the challenges faced by today’s workers.

How to Get Press Coverage for Your Law Firm

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 21:44:49 -0000

Janet Falk offers tips and tricks for building your firm’s relationship with the media.

Ultimate Price: The Value We Place on Life

Tue, 19 May 2020 16:54:49 -0000

Howard Friedman explains the ways systems calculate the value of human lives and how this impacts our society as a whole.

What You Can Learn From CounselLink’s 2019 Enterprise Legal Management Trends Report

Tue, 05 May 2020 16:57:29 -0000

Scott Wallingford and Aaron Pierce discuss the key metrics examined in the annual CounselLink survey.

Building Flat Fees That Actually Work

Tue, 21 Apr 2020 17:43:43 -0000

Scott Clasen shares tips for developing effective, profitable alternative fee structures for your law firm.

Taking Control of Your Legal Practice

Tue, 07 Apr 2020 16:48:04 -0000

Doug Brown offers insights on how positive thinking helps lawyers have the legal practice they want.

Using AI to Improve Legal Research

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 17:51:20 -0000

Thomas Hamilton offers insights into how AI streamlines legal research.

Marketing Strategy: Client-Centered Tactics that Bring You More Business

Tue, 10 Mar 2020 17:12:48 -0000

Dani Whitestone shares common marketing mistakes and how to develop a strategy that connects you to your target clients.

Changing Lawyer Mindsets: How Mindfulness Helps You Practice Law Better

Tue, 18 Feb 2020 17:57:53 -0000

Nora Riva Bergman shares strategies for attaining a happier, healthier legal practice.

The Power of the Thank-You: How to Nurture Referral Relationships for Your Law Firm

Tue, 04 Feb 2020 19:50:03 -0000

Jay and Maggie Wallus share insights on the importance of showing gratitude to referral sources.

Building Your Team: How to Acquire Top-Notch Talent for Your Law Firm

Tue, 28 Jan 2020 19:00:02 -0000

Molly McGrath offers strategies for defining your firm’s staffing needs and picking the best person for your team.

How to Vet Your Marketing Vendors

Tue, 21 Jan 2020 20:09:53 -0000

Stuart Wilhoite shares how to find an agency that truly delivers on your firm’s marketing investments.

Marketing Funnels: Growing Your Law Firm with Tactical Marketing

Mon, 23 Dec 2019 23:00:00 -0000

Sam Mollaei shares traffic-building strategies for lawyers.

A Festivus Miracle: Legal Toolkit Live at Suffolk University Law School

Tue, 17 Dec 2019 20:17:00 -0000

Jared Correia takes his rightful place on the bench to preside over this live recorded, festivus themed, Legal Toolkit episode.

The Future of Legal Process Management for In-House Counsel

Tue, 10 Dec 2019 17:50:23 -0000

Nathan Wenzel discusses trends in legal process management.

Decrypting Cryptocurrency for Lawyers

Tue, 19 Nov 2019 21:24:06 -0000

Felix Shipkevich explains cryptocurrency and its potential impacts on small law firms.

Data Literacy Guidance for Law Firms

Tue, 05 Nov 2019 23:54:22 -0000

Jeff Pfeifer offers insight into the importance of data literacy for modern lawyers.

Level Up Your Digital Marketing Game

Tue, 22 Oct 2019 17:00:01 -0000

Jake Sanders and Paul Julius share strategies for effective digital marketing campaigns for law firms.

The Small Firm Roadmap with Sam Glover

Tue, 08 Oct 2019 18:01:24 -0000

Sam Glover discusses his new book and tells firms how to position themselves for success.

Centralizing Your Digital Workspace

Wed, 25 Sep 2019 16:00:00 -0000

Dan Hauck, chief product officer at NetDocuments, shares best practices for creating an effective virtual workspace for your law firm.

Raise Your Productivity: Picking the Right Tools for Your Small Law Firm

Tue, 10 Sep 2019 18:31:50 -0000

Jane Oxley, president of Smokeball, gives step-by-step guidance for small firms on how to choose and utilize tools for greater productivity.

Tech Structure & Culture in Law Firms

Wed, 21 Aug 2019 00:30:41 -0000

Stuart Barr and Rob MacAdam of HighQ discuss how law firms can leverage their current technology and make smart choices for new legal tech purchases.

Taking Ownership of Your Legal Career

Wed, 07 Aug 2019 01:11:54 -0000

Kimberly Rice offers actionable steps lawyers can use to develop a marketing mindset and take ownership of their legal career.

Why You Should Make the Switch to Virtual Bookkeeping

Mon, 29 Jul 2019 17:51:42 -0000

Louie Balasny discusses how modern law firms can benefit from virtual bookkeeping software.

From Lawyer to Tech Entrepreneur

Tue, 09 Jul 2019 15:30:00 -0000

Pieter Gunst shares strategies and resources for lawyers inspired to enter the legal tech space.

The Power of Paralegals and Legal Assistants

Wed, 19 Jun 2019 22:25:40 -0000

Keith Shannon talks about why it's important for lawyers to have paralegals and legal assistants, how to go about finding the right person, and keeping their firm up to date on the latest tech.

Macs in Law: IT Support for the Mac-Based Law Firm

Tue, 04 Jun 2019 19:56:01 -0000

Host Jared Correia talks with Tom Lambotte about best practices for Mac usage and security in the legal industry. They discuss the ways Mac- and PC-based firms differ and share how firms can develop technology strategies that reduce risk, create stability, and increase productivity. Tom also talks about his upcoming projects that aim to create resources for small firms and DIY lawyers who want to bring the world of Apple into their law firms.

The Future of Transactional Law Practice

Wed, 29 May 2019 16:28:49 -0000

Wasim Quadir, co-founder of DraftLens, a contract drafting platform, joins host, Jared Correia, to discuss how he left the practice of law to fix not only the inefficiencies in contract drafting, but to reduce risk for clients by helping firms create better products. They also discuss the impediments to tech adoption in the legal industry, the tools lawyers should be looking at, and how lawyers shouldn’t see new tech as a threat.

Better Together: Cultivating Partnerships with Legal Tech Vendors

Thu, 09 May 2019 17:15:52 -0000

Host Jared Correia and Patrick Palace give tips on how lawyers and legal tech vendors can develop better working relationships. They discuss the steps lawyers should go through when vetting the scalability and efficiency of new legal tech for their firms. For those who want to create unique tools, Jared and Patrick share their thoughts on cultivating partnerships for collaborative tech development.

Demystifying Malpractice Insurance: Be Confident You’re Protected

Tue, 30 Apr 2019 22:59:28 -0000

If there’s an industry that understands the value of CYA, it’s the legal industry. Yet many lawyers are grossly under-informed when it comes to their own insurance coverage. In this episode, host Jared Correia talks with insurance expert Michael Carroll to explain the intricacies of professional liability insurance. You’ll learn the criteria that determines your rates, how different practice areas are evaluated by insurers, and what riders you need on your policy to best protect yourself.

Legal Podcasts: Feedback from an Avid Listener

Tue, 09 Apr 2019 17:08:25 -0000

Podcasts continue to grow in popularity, but how can legal podcasters develop staying power in the podcasting world? In this episode, host Jared Correia welcomes Tim Baran for a discussion on the elements of great podcasting. They talk about what makes certain podcasts exceptional and Tim gives his take on the importance of unique content and quality production. They also discuss how lawyers in the podcast arena can up their game and grow their audience.

Millennial Lawyers: What they Want, What they Need

Mon, 01 Apr 2019 19:37:27 -0000

In this episode, host Jared Correia talks to author and lawyer Susan Smith Blakely about her latest book, “What Millennial Lawyers Want: A Bridge From Past to Future Law Practice.” They discuss the career expectations of millennial lawyers and outline the ways law firms and millennials can bridge the generational gap and work together effectively.

How Legal Organizations and Legal Tech Vendors Can Effectively Work Together

Fri, 08 Mar 2019 00:31:34 -0000

Many lawyers may feel wary or bewildered about how to develop trusted partnerships with legal tech vendors. In this episode, host Jared Correia talks to Robert Brink of Boston’s Social Law Library and Fred Cohen of Zola Suite about how legal organizations and legal tech vendors can work together more effectively. Robert and Fred discuss their working relationship and offer insight into the importance of continued tech adoption and innovation in legal organizations.

Mary Juetten’s Top Tips on Using Metrics in your Law Firm

Thu, 28 Feb 2019 18:46:10 -0000

How should lawyers begin to implement metrics? In this episode, host Jared Correia talks with Mary Juetten about her new book, “The Business of Legal: The Data-Driven Law Practice.” Her book has the goal of equipping lawyers to take their own data, improve processes, and create metrics along the way. They discuss how lawyers can assess what their firms need and then realistically consider their skill sets to decide what tasks should be delegated to other professionals to get them where they need to be.

5-Star Lawyer: How to get Good Reviews from your Clients

Tue, 05 Feb 2019 19:43:58 -0000

In this episode, host Jared Correia talks to Sarah Smerage about how lawyers can better collect and promote customer reviews. They discuss how lawyers must go beyond just providing excellent legal services and focus on providing an excellent customer service experience. They also talk about how to best handle negative reviews and what a company like ARAG can do to help lawyers in the review collection process.

Be a Marketing Standout: Video Marketing for Law Firms

Tue, 29 Jan 2019 19:00:00 -0000

How can lawyers make their firms more visible to prospective clients? In this episode,, host Jared Correia talks to Michael Mogill about how lawyers can stand out with video marketing. Clients care about why you do what you do. Video marketing gives lawyers the opportunity to utilize storytelling to connect with potential clients. They discuss the different types of videos law firms can create to elevate their website content and social media accounts — engaging viewers and gaining new business.

Get Paid Faster: Using Technology in Accounts Receivable

Tue, 08 Jan 2019 19:06:43 -0000

In this episode, host Jared Correia talks to Sarah Schaaf, CEO of Headnote, about how lawyers can optimize their payment processes with technology and automation. As high-end service providers, lawyers can serve their clients better when they use the best payment processes available. Jared and Sarah discuss how utilizing modern tools helps lawyers get paid faster and gives their clients a more professional payment experience.

Organization for the Holidays – How to Be Merry in Your Law Office

Tue, 04 Dec 2018 21:09:52 -0000

Prep your law office for a less stressful holiday season with some sensible workflow management tips. In this episode, host Jared Correia talks to Andrea Cannavina about her advice to lawyers for increasing efficiency this holiday season. They also offer insight into how to make smart tech choices for your firm, give their top holiday gift recommendations, and discuss Gene Autry’s unparalleled rendition of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”

Robot Takeover: How Automation Makes Law Practice Easier

Tue, 06 Nov 2018 20:55:22 -0000

Host Jared Correia talks to Milena Higgins about the ways automation and AI can help lawyers turn over cases with ease and efficiency. There is a lot of pressure from clients for lawyers to do things better, cheaper, & faster — and automating tasks in your practice can actually help you get there. They discuss how automation can take care of the mundane work and leave lawyers free to focus on higher level tasks.

How Lawyers Find Outsourced Help

Wed, 03 Oct 2018 01:35:39 -0000

Should law firms start to adopt freelance attorneys to work for them? Host Jared Correia talks to Talitha Kozlowski about the practical consideration of freelancing, how the process works, and the potential risk law firms could face with freelance attorneys. They also discuss business model changes and why solo and small firm attorneys could benefit from outsourcing their work.

Building Confidence for a Better Practice

Tue, 04 Sep 2018 18:33:59 -0000

Lawyers, especially those newer to the industry, can often suffer from “imposter syndrome” or feeling like their experience doesn’t qualify them to serve their clients. Host Jared Correia talks to Jeremy W. Richter about how lawyers can build confidence both in their practice and business skills. Jeremy, author of Building a Better Law Practice, shares his best tips for staying organized with personalized systems and maintaining consistent communication with clients.

New Tactics to Improve Client Performance in the Courtroom

Tue, 07 Aug 2018 19:40:04 -0000

Host Jared Correia talks to Alan Fanger about what lawyers can do in order to improve their client’s performance within the litigation process. They discuss currently used tactics, how they fail, and the importance of sitting down with clients in order to explain the process to them. They also talk about how online learning works and the benefits of using videos to instruct your clients.

How to be a Better Law Firm Associate

Wed, 11 Jul 2018 18:21:51 -0000

As an associate at a law firm, it can be a challenge balancing marketing yourself while also giving your best to the firm. Host Jared Correia talks to Jay Harrington about how young associates can take ownership of their careers and build their brand while also being accountable to a firm. They discuss overcoming marketing challenges, in-person versus web marketing, and finding your identity both in and out of the office.

Online Communities for Lawyers and Why They’re Great

Wed, 20 Jun 2018 01:39:07 -0000

Why are lawyers now opting for online communities instead of traditional networking avenues, namely bar associations? Host Jared Correia explores the answer to this question along with guest Keith Lee. They discuss the benefits of Slack and what bar associations can do to become more relevant to younger lawyers looking for a supportive community of lawyers.

Putting your Firm on Autopilot

Thu, 24 May 2018 23:54:44 -0000

As a solo lawyer or small firm lawyer, running your firm can involve many repetitive marketing, management, or even accounting tasks that seem to take up a lot of potentially billable time. But many of these tasks can be easily automated. Host Jared Correia talks to Ernie Svenson about automation and setting up systems that can help attorneys run their firms more efficiently. They discuss these systems, how to manage business changes, and marketing automation for law firm newsletters.

Talking TECHSHOW: Interviews from the TECHSHOW Floor

Mon, 07 May 2018 17:05:56 -0000

When you give Jared Correia a mic and let him wander around ABA TECHSHOW, you’re bound to get off the cuff conversations, intriguing guests, and only a couple awkward silences. Host Jared Correia walks the floor of ABA TECHSHOW 2018 and interviews students, vendors, and attendees about everything from Rhode Island food items to spirit animals. The guests also share what they love about TECHSHOW and their favorite parts of the conference.

How to Vet Outside Counsel and Other Lessons from Corporate Lawyers

Fri, 20 Apr 2018 22:55:54 -0000

Host Jared Correia and guest-host Cash Butler talk to Debbie Hoffman and Jeremy Potter about how they run an effective corporate legal department. They go into detail about implementing technology, measuring the value of legal services, and their vetting process for outside counsel. They also discuss working with small law firms and address the question of how small is too small to hire?

How to Name a Law Firm

Mon, 05 Mar 2018 23:15:25 -0000

What’s in a name? A lot, actually, especially for a law firm. In this episode of Legal Toolkit, host Jared Correia talks to Andrew Garcia and Megan Zavieh about law firm names and why they don’t have to be boring. Together, they also discuss why lawyers don’t feel free to be creative with their firm names, the ethics to keep in mind when branding your company, and how to spice up a traditional name for attorneys who decide to take that route.

Megan Zavieh is an attorney with a broad range of litigation experience now focusing on attorney defense in the California State Bar disciplinary system.

Andrew J. Garcia is a life-long member of the SouthCoast community and co-founder of Phillips Garcia Law.

Special thanks to our sponsors Scorpion, Answer1, and Thomson Reuters Firm Central.

Legal Printing Isn't Dying, Just Changing

Mon, 12 Feb 2018 22:50:29 -0000

Is using paper out of style? There are a lot of advantages to making things digital but that doesn’t have to make paper obsolete. In this episode of the Legal Toolkit, host Jared Correia talks to Ed Walters about the role of print mediums in law. They reexamine when to use paper versus digital mediums; both printed paper and digital copies have their own quality and characteristics that are useful in different cases. Ed also nerds out about font and classic printing methods, which is useful if you want to make your printed documents beautiful.

Ed Walters is the CEO and co-founder of Fastcase, an online legal research software company.

Special thanks to our sponsors Scorpion, Answer1, and Thomson Reuters Firm Central.

All You Need is New Technology

Fri, 19 Jan 2018 01:11:26 -0000

Sometimes, one host just isn’t enough. In this special episode of the Legal Toolkit, host Jared Correia was joined by guest host and wife Jessica Correia. After establishing Jessica’s indifference towards the Beatles, they talk to Chelsey Lambert about how and why law firms should invest in new technology, from voice activated time and billing to simply updating basic software. They discuss common reasons why law firms hesitate to adopt new technology and who should be involved in the process of choosing and implementing technology. They also geek out about forms automation and the epic software that is changing the document assembly game.

Chelsey Lambert is founder of Lex Tech Review, a legal technology blog and learning center.

Special thanks to our sponsors Scorpion, Answer1, and Thomson Reuters Firm Central.

Flirting with Revenue: How to Make Money as a Lawyer

Fri, 15 Dec 2017 17:00:29 -0000

Making money is a pretty important part of practicing law and, as good as you may be at it, you can always do better at raking in the dough. In this episode of the Legal Toolkit, host Jared Correia talks to marketing ninja Dorie Clark about what lawyers can do to bring in more revenue in a chaotic marketplace. They discuss things like building a brand in a saturated field, using the gig economy to your advantage, and marketing yourself through podcasting or online courses. As a bonus, tune into Jared’s Tom Petty playlist on Spotify:

Dorie Clark is an adjunct professor at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and the author of “Entrepreneurial You,” “Reinventing You,” and “Stand Out.”

Special thanks to our sponsors Scorpion, Answer1, and Thomson Reuters Firm Central.

Diversity (or Lack Thereof) in the Legal Profession

Tue, 21 Nov 2017 23:28:33 -0000

The lack of minorities like people of color, women, and people with disabilities working within the legal industry has long been a topic of discussion but there has been very little progress when it comes to inclusion. In the episode of Legal Toolkit, host Jared Correia talks to Jeena Cho about why there’s a lack of diversity in the legal industry, what both individual lawyers and firms are doing about it, and why it’s important for legal professionals to care. They also discuss unconscious bias including what it is and how to address it.

Jeena Cho is the author of two books: “The Anxious Lawyer, An 8-Week Guide to a Joyful and Satisfying Law Practice Through Mindfulness and Meditation,” and “How to Manage Your Law Office.”

Special thanks to our sponsors Scorpion, Answer1, and Thomson Reuters Firm Central.

Redefining Couples Court with Dana and Keith Cutler

Mon, 18 Sep 2017 20:39:29 -0000

Do you suspect that your partner is cheating? Fear not, the Cutlers are here to help! In this episode of The Legal Toolkit, host Jared Correia talks to Dana and Keith Cutler, stars of the new TV show “Couples Court with the Cutlers.” During their discussion with Jared, the attorney power couple answers common questions asked by suspicious partners, like whether it is legal to snoop through a loved one’s phone or track them via GPS. They also talk about data protection laws and how they are affected by modern day social interaction. Stay tuned to hear the Cutler’s beliefs about where to get the best BBQ in Kansas.

Dana Cutler and Keith Cutler run the law firm, W. Tippin & Associates in Missouri. The two have been married for 27 years and are taking the bench together in a new syndicated daytime court television show, Couples Court with the Cutlers.

Special thanks to our sponsors Amicus Attorney, Scorpion, Answer1, and Thomson Reuters Firm Central.

How Can Lawyers Solve the Access to Justice Problem?

Thu, 17 Aug 2017 18:52:35 -0000

Access to justice is a complicated issue. Some can’t afford lawyers, some don’t know how to find a good lawyer, and some are looking for services that not all lawyers provide. In this episode of The Legal Toolkit, host Jared Correia talks to Keri Norris about this issue, including how technology can facilitate attorney client relationships and what bar associations are doing to solve the problem of access to justice.

Keri Norris is the Senior Vice President for Regulatory Affairs and the Chief Legal Officer at Legal Shield.

Special thanks to our sponsors Amicus Attorney, Scorpion, and Answer1.

How Millennials View the Legal Industry

Tue, 18 Jul 2017 19:10:43 -0000

At this point, you can’t avoid the millennials. As they enter the legal workforce, it’s important to understand their mindset and what they’ll bring with them. In this episode of The Legal Toolkit, host Jared Correia talks to Drew Rossow and Elan Fields about their millennial perspective of the legal industry. Their discussion includes technology, access to justice, machine learning, and unbundled legal services. They also talk about current trends that are affecting law practices, including cybersecurity and law school innovation courses.

Andrew Rossow is an Associate Attorney at Gregory M. Gantt Co. LPA where Drew’s passion lies in the areas of Cyberspace Law and Intellectual Property Law.

Elan Fields recently launched his startup, Gideon, a mission-driven legal technology company which leverages machine learning and artificial intelligence to help lawyers.

Special thanks to our sponsors Amicus Attorney, Scorpion, and Answer1.

Managing Your Law Firm with Key Performance Indicators

Mon, 19 Jun 2017 16:26:31 -0000

Making sure your law firm experiences stable financial growth sounds like a good idea, but how do lawyers put this into practice? In this episode of The Legal Toolkit, host Jared Correia talks to Mary Juetten about what key performance indicators (KPIs) are and why lawyers should use them for business management. For those convinced to try KPIs, they also discuss how to get started and potential technology solutions that can supplement the use of KPIs.

Mary Juetten is the founder and CEO of Traklight and the co-conspirator behind Evolve Law. She specializes in helping companies in transition or startup to create sustainable, operational, and financial growth.

Special thanks to our sponsors Amicus Attorney, Scorpion, and Answer1.

The ABA’s Newest Project: Blueprint (Rebroadcast)

Wed, 31 May 2017 17:44:03 -0000

Many lawyers around the country rely on the resources, support, and networking opportunities that the American Bar Association provides to their members. In this rebroadcast episode of The Legal Toolkit, host Jared Correia talks with American Bar Association President Linda Klein about law practice management needs that solo and small firm attorneys struggle with and the new Blueprint initiative that the ABA is rolling out to help meet those needs.

In addition to being president of the ABA, Linda Klein is managing partner for the Georgia offices of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, LLP, where she practices in business dispute resolution including contract law, employment law, and professional liability.

Special thanks to our sponsors Amicus Attorney, Scorpion, and Answer1.

Encouraging Innovation in Law School

Thu, 20 Apr 2017 19:38:53 -0000

A few years ago, having technology courses at law schools was unheard of. But recently schools have been offering more and more tech opportunities. In this episode of The Legal Toolkit, host Jared Correia talks to Gabe Teninbaum, professor of legal writing at Suffolk Law, about the work Suffolk is doing to encourage innovation, including programs, technology courses, and internship opportunities. In the second segment, they discuss Gabe’s website, Spaced Repetition, and his take on topics like access to justice, process improvement, and legal process innovation.

Gabriel Teninbaum is a professor of legal writing at Suffolk University Law School in 2007, leading Suffolk Law's legal technology and innovation work, including directing the Institute on Law Practice Technology and Innovation.

Special thanks to our sponsors Amicus Attorney, Scorpion, and Answer1.

Improve Your Law Firm with Small Client Intake Changes

Wed, 15 Mar 2017 16:12:07 -0000

There’s more to practicing law than practicing law. Proper client relationships and interactions can be the difference between a good law firm and an exceptional one. In this episode of The Legal Toolkit, host Jared Correia talks to Michael Chasin, CEO of Lexicata, about effectively managing your practice’s client intake process. They lay out a couple common mistakes that legal professionals often make and also explain why improving your intake process is important to the success of your firm.

Michael Chasin is CEO of Lexicata, a CRM and client intake software designed to help law firms and lawyers increase client satisfaction.

Special thanks to our sponsors Amicus Attorney, Scorpion, and Answer1.

Digital Assistance in the Practice of Law

Fri, 17 Feb 2017 22:52:46 -0000

Christmas brought digital assistants, like Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Home, into homes everywhere. Maybe it’s only a matter of time before they show up in law firms too. In this episode of The Legal Toolkit, host Jared Correia talks to Louise Kennedy and Mitch Jackson about the role of digital assistants in the practice of law. While there are definite advantages, like easy communication and access, there are also complicated security issues that will only be resolved as the technology matures. The episode concludes with what is likely the most important question: will lawyers eventually have robots to help them out in court?

Louise Leduc Kennedy is the founding attorney of West Hill Technology Counsel. She has extensive experience advising technology companies on intellectual property and strategic matters.

Mitch Jackson was admitted to the California Bar in 1986. He is a founding Partner and Senior Litigation Partner in the nationally recognized law firm of Jackson & Wilson, Inc.

Special thanks to our sponsors Amicus Attorney, Scorpion, and Answer1.

The ABA’s Newest Project: Blueprint

Wed, 04 Jan 2017 13:00:00 -0000

Many lawyers around the country rely on the resources, support, and networking opportunities that the American Bar Association provides to their members. In this episode of The Legal Toolkit, host Jared Correia talks with American Bar Association President Linda Klein about law practice management needs that solo and small firm attorneys struggle with and the new Blueprint initiative that the ABA is rolling out to help meet those needs.

In addition to being president of the ABA, she is managing partner for the Georgia offices of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, LLP, where she practices in business dispute resolution including contract law, employment law, and professional liability.

Special thanks to our sponsors Amicus Attorney, Scorpion, and Answer1.

How Lawyers Can Write Less

Thu, 15 Dec 2016 14:00:00 -0000

From the earliest days of law school every attorney learns that the profession is steeped in copious amounts of document writing. In this episode of The Legal Toolkit, host Jared Correia talks with Creative Content Specialist and "Spaceballs: The Animated Series" writer Adam Kosloff about why prolific writing is very costly for lawyers and how his five core strategies can help attorneys improve their writing efficiency.

After graduating Yale University with a degree in physics, Adam Kosloff moved to Los Angeles to pursue a screenwriting career. While enjoying the opportunity to work with industry greats like Mel Brooks (Spaceballs: The Animated Series), Adam supplemented his income by writing for the web.

Special thanks to our sponsors Amicus Attorney, Scorpion, and Answer1.

Better Preparing Lawyers for the Practice of Law

Thu, 17 Nov 2016 19:20:36 -0000

Many young lawyers entering the legal marketplace are surprised to find that they are lacking the fundamental skills necessary to successfully practice law and stay competitive while seeking employment. In this episode of The Legal Toolkit, host Jared Correia talks with American Bar Association Commission on Hispanic Rights & Responsibilities Commissioner Fred Rooney, Suffolk University Law School Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Ilene Seidman, Michigan State University College of Law Professor of Law in Residence Daniel Linna, and Stanford Law School fellow Margaret Hagan about their respective programs and the additional skills that law schools should teach students to better prepare them for the practice of law.

Fred Rooney's work in the development of post-graduate legal education and the powerful incubator that he began in 2007 are forcing law schools to rethink their responsibility to their graduates and to the millions of individuals in the US who lack access to justice.

Ilene Seidman is the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and a Clinical Professor of Law at Suffolk University Law School. Under Ilene's guidance, Suffolk's Accelerator to Practice program won the ABA's Louis M. Brown Award for Legal Access in 2016.

Dan Linna is the director of LegalRnD, The Center for Legal Services Innovation at Michigan State University College of Law.

Margaret Hagan launched a program for legal tech and design while a fellow at the Institute of Design.

Special thanks to our sponsors Amicus Attorney and Scorpion.

Video Marketing for Law Firms

Wed, 19 Oct 2016 22:57:33 -0000

With the abundance of law practitioners in the legal marketplace it can be difficult for a law firm to really differentiate themselves from their competitors. Many lawyers are looking at social media as a new way to gain greater visibility for their firm but what marketing opportunities can online video content provide? In this episode of The Legal Toolkit, host Jared Correia talks with Crisp Video Group CEO Michael Mogill about creating video content for law firms, how to effectively market through video, and the benefits this type of marketing can bring to your business.

Litigation Support Options for Lawyers and Law Firms

Thu, 22 Sep 2016 00:21:12 -0000

In this episode of The Legal Toolkit, host Jared Correia talks with ClariLegal founder and CEO Cash Butler about litigation support options available to law firms and legal practitioners. Cash encourages all litigation law firms to have a selection of providers that they are comfortable with so that they can execute work in a timely fashion. He acknowledges that it can be more difficult for smaller firms that don’t have a large litigation team but states that you must be as proactive as possible. Cash shares that large corporations that are highly litigious usually have preferred vendors that they like their law firms to use, however he does emphasize that service provider selection should be based on fiscal and service value. Choosing a litigation service provider in this manner allows for collaboration and greater transparency between the corporations seeking assistance and the law firm. He provides his list of fixed processes, like interviewing multiple service providers, that should be in place for vendor selection and his basic principles, like acquiring three to five bids for your litigation, that law firms and legal departments should apply to their decision making process. Cash discusses the different services that he feels law firms need to use on a regular basis and he closes the interview with an analysis of the importance of cost management throughout the entire vendor selection process.

Special thanks to our sponsors Amicus Attorney and Scorpion.

Using Content Marketing to Grow Your Law Practice

Wed, 24 Aug 2016 14:00:00 -0000

In this episode of The Legal Toolkit, founder and president of Sword and the Script Media, LLC. Frank Strong talks with Heidi Alexander about content marketing and why it’s so important for lawyers. Frank starts by defining content marketing, a business process for creating and distributing relevant and valuable content, and briefly explains how this process can help lawyers build trust with their existing and prospective client base. He lists a few content marketing characteristics, like working consistently and ensuring that you own your distribution channel, and emphasizes that your content creation efforts should focus mainly on whichever platform you own. Frank encourages attorneys to seek client-oriented questions to help them in the content creation process and to use their own anecdotal style to guarantee a unique brand. He warns lawyers to establish a consistent publishing schedule, manageable with their busy lives, and reiterates that sustainability is the goal. Frank also instructs legal professionals to view their social media outlets as satellites that operate around, and integrate into, their main content hub. He lists his content marketing best practices, like clear documentation and iterative improvement focused progress, and provides a few examples of what makes a good marketing strategy. Frank closes the interview with a reflection on how content marketing has changed over the years and some emerging trends he sees for the future.

Frank Strong is the founder and president of Sword and the Script Media, LLC, a veteran-owned business based in Atlanta focused on PR, content marketing and social media services. However, most folks in the legal community will recognize him from his previous assignment as the communications director for the LexisNexis software division in Raleigh. During his tenure at LexisNexis he was the primary champion behind the LexisNexis Business of Law Blog, which garnered tens of thousands of visitors from the legal community every month and earned praise from likes of Forbes.

Special thanks to our sponsors Amicus Attorney and Scorpion.

FindLaw 2015 U.S. Consumer Legal Needs Survey

Tue, 26 Jul 2016 14:00:00 -0000

In this episode of The Legal Toolkit, FindLaw Senior Director of Strategic Development and Thought Leadership Mark Jacobsen talks with Jared Correia about the 2015 U.S. Consumer Legal Needs Survey.

The study asks a consistent set of questions to a randomly selected group of consumers, ages 18 and over, who have had (or have family members who have had) legal concerns that they consider important or very important. Mark reveals that they typically receive around 2,000 responses and ensure a clean survey pool by disqualifying anyone who works for a law firm or marketing services group that does business with law firms. The purpose of the survey is to understand the mindset, preferences, and motivations of the consumer as they realize their legal problem and take steps toward rectifying it. The results of the 2015 survey reveal that 58% of consumers choose to contact a legal professional upon recognizing that they have a legal issue, and Mark analyzes the most influential of the eight core motivators, like aversion to risk and desire for competent representation, on consumer decision making when purchasing legal services. Mark continues with this investigation and provides examples of how law firms can use these buyer impulses to better market to potential clients. He also discusses the importance of social media and the mobile sphere in finding new clients and provides tips attorneys can use to show expertise and build trust in these respective spaces. The interview closes with advice to help lawyers and law firms optimally balance their marketing efforts between online and offline resources.

Mark Jacobsen leads a team focused on the early stage development of products, services, and capabilities to help law firms generate new business opportunities and grow the quality and quantity of their clients. Before joining FindLaw, Mark was a pioneer in the software and Web development sectors. He is a regular speaker at industry conferences on such topics as digital marketing strategy, search, web development, project management, online learning, and interactive multimedia applications.

Special thanks to our sponsors Amicus Attorney and Scorpion.

Smart Contracts, Bitcoin, and Blockchain Technology

Thu, 30 Jun 2016 19:24:39 -0000

Many lawyers view legal technology in terms of how it can aid them in easing their daily work load. In what ways could emergent tech be harnessed in the legal marketplace to better aid clients?

In this episode of The Legal Toolkit, Ledger Labs head of operations and legal Josh Stark talks with Heidi Alexander about self-executing contracts, Bitcoin, and how blockchain technology could impact the practice of law. Josh explains that blockchain technology consists of a ledger or database and a network of computers to oversee and secure that database. He gives a brief background of the creation of Bitcoin, the first technology built on blockchain, and points out that it was designed to create a digital cash-like currency that wouldn’t require any centralized party. David addresses security concerns and illustrates how the use of public and private cryptography, as well as the economic security model of Bitcoin, provides more security than traditional credit card transactions and discourages attacks on the network. He defines what smart executing contracts are and gives an in-depth analysis of how blockchain technology could make it easier for clients to do things with fewer billable hours while utilizing basic software features. David closes the interview with his thoughts on the impact that smart executing contracts and blockchain technology could have on the legal industry.

Josh Stark is head of Operations and Legal at Ledger Labs, Canada's leading blockchain technology consultancy. A lawyer by trade, Josh left a career in corporate law to work full-time in the blockchain technology space in 2015. At Ledger Labs, he helps clients develop blockchain use cases and understand the long-term implications of the technology for various industries. Josh studied law at the University of Toronto ('13) and has a B.A. from McGill University ('09).

Special thanks to our sponsors Amicus Attorney and Scorpion.

How Lawyers Can Increase Their Productivity and Be More Organized

Tue, 24 May 2016 20:41:09 -0000

It is widely understood that attorneys must be well-organized. However, many struggle to achieve a level of daily discipline that would help them achieve maximum success. How can lawyers become more productive and organized as they pursue the practice of law?

In this episode of The Legal Tool Kit, host Heidi Alexander talks with Lawyerist founder and editor in chief Sam Glover about how lawyers can increase their organization and productivity. Sam explains concepts of organization and productivity, like planning ahead, meeting your deadlines, keeping appointments, and why they are essential to the successful practice of law. He then explains his approach to organization, a mindset he calls “productive laziness”, which is to take inventory of everything on your plate and take care of the most pressing issues first. Stephen encourages lawyers to use a work plan, which is figuring out what you have to do and when you have to do it, and to cultivate a daily practice of writing down your daily tasks. He analyzes David Allen’s 5 step Getting Things Done method (capture, clarify, organize, reflect, and engage) and provides suggestions on how beginners can simplify the steps. Stephen closes the interview with some of his favorite software to help you stay organized maximize your workflow.

Sam Glover is a lawyer and the founder and editor in chief of Lawyerist.com, an online law practice magazine and home to the largest community of solo and small-firm lawyers on the web. On Lawyerist, Sam writes and podcasts about legal technology, law practice management, access to justice, and more.

Special thanks to our sponsors Amicus Attorney and Scorpion.

The Art of the Entertainment Deal

Wed, 13 Apr 2016 18:27:29 -0000

Jeff B. Cohen co-founded Cohen Gardner LLP in 2002 and focuses on transactional representation for clients in the entertainment, media and technology verticals. His first book, “The Dealmaker's Ten Commandments: Ten Essential Tools for Business Forged in the Trenches of Hollywood” was published by the American Bar Association's imprint Ankerwycke in 2015. Jeff received his Juris Doctor from UCLA Law School with an emphasis in business law and his undergraduate degree from The University of California at Berkeley, Haas School of Business. While at UC Berkeley, Jeff served as President of the Associated Students of the University of California.

Special thanks to our sponsors Amicus Attorney and Scorpion.

What You Need to Know When Starting A Law Firm

Thu, 24 Mar 2016 00:04:33 -0000

Many lawyers today are thinking about going solo or starting their own firms. But running a law firm is like running a business, which involves much more than providing legal services. You have to think about billing and business management, when to accept and reject clients, and maintaining a calm composure under a stressful situation. What goes into planning to start your own practice, what essential items should you purchase first, and should you even go out on your own right now?

In this episode of The Legal Toolkit, Heidi Alexander interviews Ben Carter, a Louisville attorney who started a solo practice after spending years at the Kentucky Legal Aid Society, about his experience and advice for others. He recommends newly solo lawyers keep overheads low, run the firm like a startup business, and spend some time in a bigger law firm first (if possible) to acquire the substantive and marketplace experience needed. Ben then discusses what lawyers would need to purchase first: a high end paper scanner, a computer, and malpractice insurance. The interview is packed with useful advice like how much money you might need to save before starting your firm and why choosing the right niche can make up for many other missteps. Tune in to hear this any many more technology, process, and life tips from a successful solo lawyer.

After spending many years defending homeowners from foreclosure for the Kentucky Legal Aid Society, Louisville attorney Ben Carter decided to start a solo practice. In addition to running a solo practice, Ben co-hosts the podcast “Let’s Start a Firm,” in which they tackle topics like why an attorney might want to start their own firm, loan forgiveness, office space, office supplies, banking, trust accounting, entity selection, insurance, technology, legal research and writing, and more.

Marketing Your Firm Through Branded Networks

Thu, 18 Feb 2016 23:00:52 -0000

The last 10 years have seen a 75% rise in legal costs, which compares to a 20% increase for other fields. It’s estimated that there are one billion dollars worth of unrecognized legal needs in today’s market. Even when legal needs are recognized, it’s common for potential clients to see their problems as prohibitively expensive. As a solo practitioner or law firm, you might be wondering how to tap into that potential billable revenue. As it turns out, your answer could be branded networks.

In this episode of Legal Toolkit, host Jared Correia and Solo Practice University founder Susan Cartier Liebel discuss the benefits of being part of branded networks like Legalzoom, Rocket Lawyer, Avvo, upcounsel, LawGo, Priori Legal, and lawtrades. By leveraging network marketing resources, participating practitioners get the benefit of a large scale advertising campaign without having to make an in kind investment. In addition, some of these organizations are capable of offering low cost malpractice insurance and/or invoicing platforms to help make practice life easier. Whether you decide to join a branded network or not, the prediction is that they are here to stay. Stay tuned to hear advice on selecting a network to be part of as well as Jared’s true feelings about Peyton Manning.

Susan Cartier Liebel is the founder and CEO of Solo Practice University®, the only online educational and professional networking community for lawyers and law students who want to create and grow their solo/small firm practices.

Should Lawyers Charge for Initial Consultations?

Thu, 14 Jan 2016 18:59:41 -0000

Do you charge for initial consultation in your practice? If not, you might be missing out on higher quality meetings and additional revenue. Despite this claim, most lawyers are worried that changing their fee structure will chase potential clients away from the front door. How can we, as lawyers, offer discernible value and make people actually want to pay for an initial consultation?

In this episode of The Legal Toolkit, Jared Correia discusses charging for initial consultations with Sarah Poriss, a foreclosure defense lawyer in Connecticut. Sarah explains why she charges initial consultation fees, how to offer the right legal service value in these appointments, and ways lawyers can determine their rates. Let’s face it, she says, are you looking for the type of client who pays or one who doesn’t?

Topics include:

How fees improve the meeting quality: on-time, attentive, and serious clients
The risks of charging initial consultation
Gaining an edge on your competition
Setting the right expectations for legal services and retainers
Preparing for a fee discussion
Onboarding, client intake, and follow-up
Confidently setting a rate and making changes as needed

Special thanks to our sponsor Amicus Attorney.

Online Reviews: Yelp for Help

Wed, 16 Dec 2015 17:25:53 -0000

Online review sites are increasingly important for product and service consumers, but to what extent are people really taking them into consideration when selecting an attorney? If potential clients are counting stars before they call, how do lawyers take control of their online reputations? Furthermore, with limited time and marketing budgets, what should solo and small firms focus on?

On this episode of The Legal Toolkit, Jared Correia interviews Jabez LeBret, co-founder of the digital marketing agency Get Noticed Get Found, about how lawyers can and should monitor their online reviews, how to respond to negative feedback, and ways to increase positive reviews where they matter.

Topics include:

General consumers' interest in online reviews
Get stars to get calls
The hierarchy of your online marketing budget
Ethical responsibility of review content
Who to send to Google, Yelp, and Avvo
Two types of clients who leave anonymous reviews
Checking your pride at the door when responding
Collecting and analyzing data to determine what’s effective

Jabez LeBret is the co-founder and chief marketing officer at the digital marketing agency GNGF (Get Noticed Get Found). He is co-author of “Online Law Practice Strategies,” a columnist for NBC Chicago Business, and a regular contributor to Forbes in the areas of Business and Technology. Jabez is also a sought after speaker on a number of topics including ethical online marketing, reputation management, and marketing analytics.

Special thanks to our sponsor Amicus Attorney.

Legal Project Management for an Efficient and Sustainable Law Firm

Thu, 19 Nov 2015 21:51:19 -0000

In order to succeed in the current economy and to ensure sustainability, law firms must constantly review and refine the way they conduct business. Although lawyers have likely heard of agile, lean, six sigma, and other technology-driven management systems, Legal Project Management (LPM) has been tailored to the practice of law specifically. So how do law firms use LPM practices to scope, plan, and manage legal work efficiently, with a cost-effective structure for clients?

In this episode of The Legal Toolkit, Heidi Alexander interviews Edge International GC and LPM advisor Pam Woldow about the five steps of the project management system, how it has specifically helped law firms she works with, and how to implement LPM in your large law firm or small practice. Pam goes over the essentials; in order to be truly efficient, lawyers must communicate properly with clients, create an intricate plan, monitor work, and review. She discusses the ways technology can assist these processes and how these concepts can be scaled to a solo or small firm practice. Tune in to hear specific details about where lawyers can start implementing this today.

Pam Woldow is a partner and general counsel for the global legal consulting firm Edge International. Previously, she held similar positions at Altman Weil, served as deputy general counsel of Pennsylvania and chief counsel of the Pennsylvania Department of Insurance, and directed litigation management for a public financial services company. Pam also advises law firms and corporate legal departments in Legal Project Management and is the co-author of “Legal Project Management in One Hour for Lawyers.”

Special thanks to our sponsor Amicus Attorney.

Winning Local Search

Thu, 22 Oct 2015 17:59:20 -0000

Jared Correia interviews local search engine optimization industry leader Mike Ramsey about the components of an effective online marketing campaign, recent and upcoming Google algorithm changes, and specific actions lawyers can take today to improve their local search marketing.

Special thanks to our sponsor Amicus Attorney.

Being Likeable and Building Relationships in the Legal Profession

Thu, 17 Sep 2015 18:00:00 -0000

Heidi Alexander interviews Jason Treu, former lawyer turned marketer and business coach, about building relationships, social engineering, and practical steps lawyers can take to improve their networking skills.

Special thanks to our sponsor, Amicus Attorney.

The Future of Law Firm Communication: Is Email on the Way Out?

Tue, 18 Aug 2015 18:15:51 -0000

Jared Correia interviews Ryan Anderson, trial attorney and founder and CEO of Filevine, a project management and collaboration tool for lawyers, about email inefficiency and the future of communication in law offices. Together they discuss how the lack of restriction to email access has become a problem for lawyers, businesses, and individuals.

Mobile Apps for Legal Services: Competition or Advantage?

Tue, 28 Jul 2015 22:03:30 -0000

How can solo and small firm lawyers modify their practices to compete in the changing legal market full of companies like LegalZoom and Shake? Heidi Alexander interviews two people who are on the technology side of offering legal services. Abe Geiger, the founder and CEO of Shake, and Bill Palin, an attorney and app developer, discuss why they decided to create the legal technology tools, how solo and small firms might use these tools to gain a competitive advantage, and which non-legal mobile apps lawyers can use to increase efficiency in their practice.

E-Discovery for Solo and Small Firm Lawyers

Wed, 24 Jun 2015 18:54:07 -0000

In this episode of The Legal Toolkit, Jared Correia interviews senior information technology manager Kyle Albert about what ESI is, how solo and small firms can manage e-discovery in-house, and, when outsourcing, what to expect from an e-discovery service provider. ESI is an industry term, Kyle explains, for any digital data including computer documents, emails, or even Facebook messages. Any lawyer researching or gathering electronic data is already doing e-discovery, but maybe not very well. Kyle suggests informative e-discovery blogs and videos, discusses in-house software and vendors, and recommends cost-lowering solutions for law using a service provider. Although many lawyers think that e-discovery is a big budget process that only the AMLaw 100 firms are doing, it’s actually a reality for almost every attorney today.

The Lean Startup: Eliminating Wasteful Practices in Your Law Firm?

Wed, 03 Jun 2015 19:32:29 -0000

In this episode of The Legal Toolkit, Heidi Alexander interviews Nicole Bradick, former litigator and chief strategy officer at Curo Legal, about what it means to have a lean business, how to apply lean concepts to law firms, and where new lawyers and established law firms can start. Bradick begins by clearly explaining the lean concept; the company builds a minimum viable product, measures how it helps clients, learns and adapts to feedback, and repeats the process. Lawyers can use lean concepts, she says, by making fewer initial assumptions about client needs and adapting to what works. She discusses how law firms should maintain low overheads to adjust for shifts in the market while adopting efficient practices to increase productivity. Cloud-based technologies like practice management systems, contact relationship management systems, email platforms, research tools, and document management systems can be beneficial in streamlining practices, but Bradick urges lawyers to properly learn to use the technologies or risk creating more problems. Obviously, starting a lean law firm is easier said than done, but it will likely be successful in this changing legal market.

Why Do Lawyers Love Wearable Technology?

Wed, 15 Apr 2015 19:01:54 -0000

In this episode of The Legal Toolkit, Jared Correia interviews lawyer and legal technology expert Nicole Black about how and why lawyers adopt mobile and wearable technology, how they are using tablets, smartphones, and smart watches in their practice, the role of cloud computing, and what to watch for in the legal ethics of wearables. Black discusses how the spread of cloud computing has made mobile computing possible by reducing battery and storage constraints. From there, she says, smart watches are the lawyers’ solution to impolite interruptions and the inconvenience of situations in which phones are not allowed. Also, most people are comfortable wearing a watch already (we used to wear them before smartphones). Black believes smart watches will be the gateway to Google Glass, or something similar, as we all become more comfortable with the constant presence of technology. Tune in to learn about some amazing ways lawyers have already used wearable technology and some ethical factors to consider.

What Does the 21st Century Legal Career Look Like?

Mon, 09 Mar 2015 20:25:33 -0000

In this episode of The Legal Toolkit, Heidi Alexander interviews Alison Monahan and Lee Burgess, founders of the online resource Trebuchet Legal, about the steps to creating an alternative legal career path and what students should be doing in law school to prepare for the future. Monahan and Burgess each discuss their beginnings in big law firms and why they decided to seek out paths of advising other lawyers. To take a different path, they explain, lawyers must be interested and willing to take risks, learn new skills, and take the plunge.

Analytics in Law Practice

Thu, 05 Feb 2015 17:05:00 -0000

In this episode of The Legal Toolkit, Jared Correia interviews data analytics specialists Patrick Fuller and Bill Sowinski about the analysis of current trends in the legal field, why and how a law firm should implement analytics, and the recommended technologies and processes for big and small law firms. Fuller discusses current trends in the Am Law 200, the Top 200 U.S.-based law firms ranked by revenue according to the American Lawyer magazine. He talks about how Am Law’s metrics are emblematic of the market and how this directly correlates to law firm revenues. Sowinski discusses why metrics and analytics are increasingly important for a law firm to be successful in the future. If used properly, analytics can become a differentiating factor for the firm and increase client intake. While big law firms can afford expensive technology and experts, Sowinski explains, small law firms can still use analytics by planning and implementing discipline to capture data. In the future of the legal field, Sowinski says, analytics won’t just be beneficial, they’ll be necessary.

Making the Transition from PCs to Macs in Your Law Office

Tue, 06 Jan 2015 18:40:31 -0000

Apple products are gaining traction in the legal field, particularly among solo and small firm lawyers. As more software and apps are being created for Apple computers and law firms are working in the cloud, using Macs in your legal practice is becoming a better option for many attorneys. But often, it can be intimidating or seem challenging to make the switch to a new computer. Changing operating systems seems like an unnecessary added task, especially for already busy lawyers, but you might find that an Apple computer better suits your practice.

In this episode of The Legal Toolkit, Heidi Alexander interviews Jenny Stevens, also known as Mrs. Mac Lawyer, about her switch from a PC law office to one using exclusively Apple products. Stevens was converted by her husband, The Mac Lawyer, when they merged their family law practices. She had the benefit of already having a cloud based office, so she was able to access all of her files and applications in the same way. She was also already using an iPhone so she understood the way that iOS works to a certain degree. Stevens explains that there was not much of a learning curve and she mostly had to adapt to new keyboard shortcuts. Switching from Microsoft Office to Mac applications Pages and Numbers was easy, she explains, and her practice improved when she added other apps such as Dropbox, Keynote, Rocket Matter, and Textexpander. While switching to a Mac is certainly not for everyone, Stevens encourages attorneys who are thinking of making the switch to jump in with both feet. When she didn't have access to her PC, she learned to use the Mac much faster.

Jenny Stevens co-owns and practices family law at the Stevens Firm in South Carolina with her husband. Before they merged, Stevens worked for an all PC law office in Charleston, South Carolina. She has nicknamed herself Mrs. Mac Lawyer and frequently contributes to The Mac Lawyer, a blog about using Apple products in your legal practice. Jenny is also a frequent speaker at local, state, and national continuing legal education seminars.

Power Networking: Making the Right Connections

Thu, 04 Dec 2014 19:00:00 -0000

Lawyers all know they should be networking, and most of them are, but there is an important distinction between the quantity and quality of your connections. Many lawyers are more comfortable networking with other lawyers and find themselves at the same conferences every year. But in order to be truly successful, a rainmaker, lawyers must become power connectors and apply strategic thinking and high level planning to making and keeping the right business contacts. So what does it mean to have valuable connections? How should you get started properly networking while avoiding potentially harmful relationships?

In this episode of The Legal Toolkit, Jared Correia interviews business relationship expert Judy Robinett about how to become a power connector by meeting the right people, bonding quickly with them, and developing mutually beneficial relationships. She discusses the concept of different sized network circles, 5 close friends and family members, 50 closest business connections, and 150 as the largest number of effective connections to be made. She explains the importance of considering your professional goals and obstacles before reaching out to others. Often, the most valuable people aren't other lawyers or people in close networks, but professionals in other fields. The best way for lawyers to build strategic relationships, Robinett suggests, is to join a powerful group, start talking to strangers, and always provide value to others first. She gives three great examples of questions to ask a potentially beneficial connection:

How can I help you?
What ideas do you have for me?
Who else do you know that I should talk to?

In the end, all resources are connected to people, Robinett explains. Be scrappy and learn to connect the dots from where you are to where you want to go.

Judy Robinett is the author of How to Be a Power Connector: The 5 + 50 + 150 Rule. She has more than 30 years experience as an entrepreneur and corporate leader and has served as the CEO of both public and private companies and in management positions at fortune 500 companies. Robinett was the managing director at Golden Seeds Angel Network and a member of the Department of Commerce team that defined performance criteria for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality award for Performance Excellence in Healthcare, for which she received an award from President Bill Clinton. She has been called the "woman with the titanium digital rolodex."

Success in Your Remote Workplace

Tue, 18 Nov 2014 17:00:00 -0000

Whether it is from a coffee shop, home office, or library, more people than ever are working remotely. This includes employees at a law firm or business, but many of the principles could be applied to a solo lawyer working at home. The benefits of working from a remote office include shorter commutes, potentially flexible work hours, saving money on office space, and having the best employees for the job regardless of locale. Drawbacks include production-based judgement on employees, isolation issues, and a reduced opportunity for learning directly from coworkers. Despite these drawbacks, many companies are now allowing their employees to work remotely. If this is your company and you are already working from home, or thinking about starting to do so, what are the main considerations and best practices to put into place?

In this episode of The Legal Toolkit, Heidi Alexander interviews Tim Baran, a remote employee at a cloud-based legal software company, about the benefits and drawbacks of working remotely, the hardware and software needed, and how to overcome the core issues that many remote lawyers encounter. Baran discusses how the benefit of bringing the work to the employee often outweighs the inability for those workers to interact with and potentially mentor other employees. By spending more time with friends and family, getting involved in industry associations, and going out for lunch, he explains, remote employees can avoid emotional isolation. This advice applies equally to solo lawyers who often do not have a lot of personal contact. Alexander and Baran then go over the practicalities of working remote. While you only need a computer and a phone as hardware, there are many useful apps for practice management, organization, communication, reading and writing, social media, and even encryption (see episode notes for a list of products mentioned).

Obviously, it is important for a remote employee to stay connected with their office and other employees. Baran recommends regular video meetings, daily standups, visits to the home office, communication even with non-urgent matters, and even a fun video activity that includes the whole company. The more communication the employees are able to have, he explains, the more opportunities for feedback, connection, and therefore productivity. At the end of the podcast, Baran gives some succinct but very thorough general productivity advice to all employees, whether remote or not. His systems include: touch everything once, keep a checklist, set a pomodoro timer, develop consistent habits with a calendar, plan the night before, and Alexander adds that the Getting Things Done (GTD) process by David Allen has worked for many lawyers.

Tim Baran is the Community Manager for Rocket Matter, a cloud-based legal software company that makes a law practice management tool. Previously, Baran ran his own CLE company, and has worked in library services at a law firm, a law school, and for the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

Virtualization of a Law Practice

Wed, 15 Oct 2014 19:28:59 -0000

There has recently been an increase in virtualization of law practices and the rate at which firms are beginning to adopt internet-based technology solutions. There are significant advantages attached to those programs including mobility, flexibility, ease of installation and management, and decreased setup cost. But most lawyers don't know what a virtual office entails, are wary of trusting a remote server, or worry about the security of working through a browser. What is virtualization, how does it apply to law firms, and why should lawyers be adopting this new technology now?

On this episode of The Legal Toolkit, Jared Correia interviews AbacusLaw CEO Alessandra Lezama about cloud-based case management systems and why lawyers should virtualize their firms. Lezama explains the difference between desktop as a service (DaaS) and software as a service (SaaS), the benefits of virtualization, and how to choose a company to help with this process. The encrypted remote servers should have geographic redundancy, regular and thorough security audits, and have local data centers. Lezama points out that lawyers are hesitant towards virtualization due to anxiety of the unknown or lack of time, resources, or knowledge but they must adopt new technology as a matter of ethical compliance. Because there are so many intricacies to this process, many lawyers do not know where to start. Lezama encourages attorneys to invest time, perform due diligence, and seek a good partner to help guide the process. In the long run, the relief of IT burden will more than pay off.

Alessandra Lezama is the chief executive officer of Abacus, a legal technology solution company that designs, installs, and manages virtual practice systems. Before joining Abacus, she was chairman of the board and chief executive officer of two Blackthorn Investment Fund companies, chief operating officer and CEO at American Internet Services, and has held key leadership roles in sales, marketing, and operations for Comsat International.

iPhone and iPad Apps and Accessories for Lawyers to Use in Their Practice

Tue, 02 Sep 2014 20:19:34 -0000

New applications and accessories for the iPhone and iPad consistently promise to improve the professional and personal lives of lawyers. However, with limited time and so many options, it is difficult for busy lawyers to keep up with trends and make educated decisions about which products will make their practice more efficient and which might be distracting or impractical. Tech junkies and new iPhone acquirers alike can benefit from an update on the best new products to improve a lawyer's Apple experience.

On this episode of The Legal Toolkit, Heidi Alexander interviews iPhoneJD blog author Jeff Richardson about his favorite iPhone and iPad apps and accessories that lawyers use in their practice and lives. Richardson and Alexander list their favorite iPad, iPhone, and universal iOS apps for professional uses such as document readers, presentation tools, and Twitter managers, as well as apps for personal uses like podcasts or meditation. Because they are almost never free, accessories are best purchased with a positive review. The favored accessories included mobile hard drives, docks, cases, keyboards, and the best bags in which to carry everything else. While not every lawyer will benefit from all of the tech products listed, in 30 minutes, all will learn about the next app or accessory that can improve their practice.

Jeff Richardson, a litigator for Adams and Reese LLP in New Orleans, is well known in the legal tech industry for his website iPhoneJD.com which helps lawyers who use iPhones and iPads in their practice. Founded in 2008, iPhoneJD has been named the best legal technology blog more than once by the ABA Journal.

Why It’s Important for Lawyers to Build Expertise and Stand Out From A Crowd

Fri, 01 Aug 2014 16:46:18 -0000

In this increasingly saturated market, being a successful lawyer means standing out from the crowd and becoming the expert in a specific field. Due to economic pressures, it is now necessary for a lawyer to develop a powerful brand in order to make a good living. This means going above and beyond being a hard worker and a self-aware lawyer. Additional research in the field, networking, and self-promotion to garner awareness are all necessary actions required to thrive in the legal community.

In this episode of The Legal Toolkit, Jared Correia interviews internationally established marketing strategy consultant, Dorie Clark, about why it is important for lawyers to become subject matter experts, how they might realistically do so, and what the benefits of success are. Clark explains how many lawyers don't try to become experts because they don't believe it is possible, others think that expertise and success should fall into their laps due to hard work, and a third group think that it requires a genius level of intelligence. They should instead be expanding an expert niche, doing original research, combining ideas and fields, or creating a definitive guide to a system. Although expertise requires additional work, the benefits include a more trusting relationship with clients resulting in increased efficiency and results.

Dorie Clark is the CEO at Clark Strategic Communications and is a frequent contributor to Forbes, Harvard Business Review, and Entrepreneur. She has guest lectured at Harvard Business School, the Harvard Kennedy School, Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, the Wharton School and the MIT Sloan School of Management. Her new book, Stand Out: How To Find Your Breakthrough Idea and Build a Following Around It, further delves into the topics discussed in this podcast.

Top New Legal Technology Products of 2014

Thu, 03 Jul 2014 17:28:59 -0000

It is important for lawyers to keep up with the newest pieces of technology. Software and products are constantly improving and it can be incredibly beneficial for a firm to switch to a new system. These new software packages can save time for lawyers who are then able to focus on new clients or marketing rather than busywork that can be automated. TechnoLawyer is a network of free legal newsletters that keeps lawyers and legal administrators up to date with the newest technology in the field. Every year, TechnoLawyer's newsletter, TL Newswire, reports on nearly 200 new products and services for law firms. From these, TL NewsWire subscribers choose the top 25 new products of the year.

On this episode of The Legal Toolkit, host Heidi Alexander interviews TechnoLawyer's founder, Neil Squillante, about the newest legal technology products for 2014, what they do, which ones are the most popular, and how each one can improve a law firm's efficiency. These products include management software, dedicated document management systems, case prep and litigation support tools, e-discovery tools, trial specific software, document encrypting tools, eNewsletter marketing tools, and research products and services. Companies like LexisNexis and Thomson Reuters have developed features that range from connecting with Dropbox to assisting in public records research. Every lawyer or legal administrator could benefit from the information that this crash course provides.

Neil Squillante, the founder and publisher of TechnoLawyer, has practiced commercial, intellectual property, and securities litigation at a large international firm in New York City. Neil's areas of expertise include advertising and publishing technologies, information architecture, persuasive writing techniques, statistical analysis and research, and legal technology. At the end of each year, Neil gives the TL Newswire's Top 25 Products Awards to the legal products subscribers find the most interesting.

*Correction: An earlier version of this description said TL Newswire prints the top 25 most popular new products each year. TL Newswire reports on nearly 200 products and services each year, with subscribers choosing the top 25.

Law Firm Marketing Tips: What Small Firms Can Adopt From Large Firms

Mon, 12 May 2014 22:24:14 -0000

Many large law firms are embracing modern marketing strategies to be more competitive. Although some of the options are out of budget for smaller firms, there are many within reach. On this episode of Legal Toolkit, host Jared Correia interviews Jennifer O'Leary Cathell from Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP. Together, they discuss what marketing paradigms and strategies small firms can adopt from the big firms. Whether your firm is in need of a new website or new look, there are many obtainable objectives to explore. Tune in to learn more about design by committee, relevant metrics, and when to hire outside consultants.

Jennifer O'Leary Cathell is the eMarketing, Design and Brand Manager at Edwards Wildman Palmer LLP, where she conceptualizes, produces and enforces the visual identity for the firm's brand. She oversees the creation, design and production of all Edwards Wildman marketing materials, including websites, blogs and videos. Prior to her 16 years with Edwards Wildman, Cathell worked with the Warren Group (publisher of Banker and Tradesman).

Email Marketing for Attorneys

Wed, 16 Apr 2014 15:51:18 -0000

Many attorneys believe email is the most effective form of marketing communication because of list segmentation, custom content ability, and reach into mobile devices. On this episode Legal Toolkit, host Heidi Alexander is joined by email marketing expert Heather Jackson from Constant Contact. Together, they discuss the advantages of using email for marketing as well as the do's and don'ts associated with this type of outreach. Furthermore, we discover better practices for content creation and the importance of being consistent. Tune in to learn more about beating the spam filters, writing proper subject lines, and recommended frequency of message.

Heather Jackson is the Regional Development Director for Constant Contact. She has a long history in the sales and marketing industry having founded and operated a PR firm before joining Constant Contact. Jackson regularly conducts outreach to small businesses and provides education surrounding email and online relationship marketing. In addition, she will be presenting at this year's LOMAP Super Marketing Conference held in Boston at Suffolk University Law School on June 5th.

Managing Overflow Work with Freelance Attorneys

Tue, 18 Mar 2014 22:00:06 -0000

When overwhelmed with work, some firms hire freelance attorneys to fill the gap between client demand and firm capacity. Whether it's niche expertise, transactional labor, or long-term temp. assignments, these contract attorneys are well-equipped to support the unique interests of their hiring firms. On this episode of Legal Toolkit, host Jared Correia interviews talent placement experts Leila Kanani from Intermix Legal Group and Gil Schipani from Tempus Fugit Law to learn more about the benefits of freelance attorney placement. Kanani discusses how firms who hire freelance attorneys benefit from improved workflow and enhanced expertise without the need to hire a permanent associate. Tune in to learn more.

Leila Kanani is an IP solo attorney and founder of Intermix Legal. After over 10 years of practice in BigLaw, she left for more control and balance in her life. Her objective in creating Intermix was to provide a flexible framework for experienced attorneys to participate in project-based contract legal services for solos and small firms.

Gil Schipani is the founder of Tempus Fugit Law, which specializes in substitute counsel/court coverage for lawyers as well as single transaction services. He is currently a partner with Schipani and Sinay and former Assistant City Solicitor of Brockton, Massachusetts. His practice area focuses on real estate, personal injury, business, and employment law.

Evernote’s Power of Collaboration, Storage, and OCR for Attorneys

Tue, 18 Feb 2014 23:12:12 -0000

Many people know Evernote as Cloud based storage for documents, but some might be surprised that it can be used in collaborative environments as well. With its advanced search functions, storage options, share features, and OCR ability, Evernote is becoming a friend to law offices everywhere. On this episode of Legal Toolkit, host Heidi Alexander is joined by tech expert Katie Floyd. Together, they discuss how to maximize your legal practice using Evernote.

Katie Floyd is a litigator and the co-creator and host of the Mac Power Users Podcast. She is a regular speaker at Macworld Expo and contributor for ScreenCastsOnline Monthly Magazine. Katie also serves as the President of her local Macintosh Users Group and is a member of the Mac Roundtable Podcast.

Automated Document Generation: It’s Not Just for the Big Firms

Wed, 29 Jan 2014 15:31:00 -0000

How much time does your law firm or practice spend producing documents? Automated Document Generation can dramatically reduce that time while improving work product quality. Large firms have been doing this for many years but did you know there is a solution for small and mid-size firms? In this edition of Legal Toolkit, host Jared Correia discusses the benefits of Automated Document Generation with Lowell Stewart of HotDocs. Stewart is the Chief Technology Officer for HotDocs and has been developing commercial software for 12 years. He has over 20 years of programming experience with a background in Computer Science. His specialty is designing consistent, intuitive, and usable systems based on end-user requirements.

Rising Up: How “Large Enough” Law Firms are Winning the Market Share

Fri, 20 Dec 2013 11:37:40 -0000

In this edition of Legal Toolkit, co-hosts Jared Correia and Heidi Alexander invite members of the LexisNexis team to discuss their latest report, Enterprise Legal Management Trend Reports, 2013 Mid-Year Edition: The Rise of “Large-Enough” Law Firms. The report concluded that the nation’s largest law firms are losing the market share to smaller rivals, referred to as the “large-enough” law firms. Correia and Alexander speak to Kris Satkunas and Mike Haysley of LexisNexis CounselLink to further define the results regarding law-firm size, economic breakdown, and how all law firms can use this information to their advantage.

Director of Strategic Consulting Satkunas leads the CounselLink team in advising corporate legal department managers on improving operations with data-driven decisions. She is an expert in managing the business of law and in data mining, with specific expertise in matter pricing and staffing, practice area metrics and scorecards.

Director of Strategic Services Haysley helps corporate legal departments manage the business of law. With more than 15 years of experience working with large legal organizations, Haysley works with an expert team at LexisNexis to advise legal departments on improving operations and results.

MILOfest: A Conference for Mac-User Attorneys

Tue, 26 Nov 2013 15:02:12 -0000

MILO, short for Macs in the Law Office, started as a listserv for attorneys using Apple products in their law practices. Since it’s inception, the interest has increased to support MILOfest: a conference centered around how to use Apple products to benefit law practice. In this edition of Legal Toolkit, host Heidi Alexander invites the founder of MILOfest, Victor Medina, to discuss the goals and benefits of his unique conference, how it’s growing, and what to look forward to for MILOfest 2014.

Medina is an estate planning attorney in New Jersey. In addition to being the managing member of his practice, he is also an avid contributor to the MILO listserv.

Social Media E-Discovery: Keeping On and Keeping Up

Thu, 24 Oct 2013 11:36:41 -0000

Social media data presents significant challenges for lawyers when it comes to issues of investigation, preservation and discovery. Nonsense words, arcane acronyms and unexpected abbreviations are just some of the things that attorneys need to look for in order to effectively discover evidence via social media. In this edition of The Legal Toolkit, your host, Jared Correia, invites Trent Livingston to discuss the challenges of sourcing social media evidence, the differences between public data, private data, metadata, and more.

Trent Livingston is a director with Intelligent Discovery Solutions, Inc., and advises law firms and corporations surrounding the implementation and use of e-discovery, web and cloud-based technology. He is an adjunct professor for Golden Gate University, where he teaches complex data discovery. He is also the owner and founder of Geekly Group, LLC, a web technology consortium. You can check out his blog at www.TrentLivingston.com.

The Home Office: Setting it Up, Making it Work, and Managing Work/Life Demands

Thu, 05 Sep 2013 14:33:28 -0000

Office space is becoming less common as lawyers and entrepreneurs experiment with communal work spaces and home offices. “It comes down to time, money, and family,” Kelli Proia, aka the Stay@Home Attorney, said. When she began her practice, she was working part time and raising a family, and renting office space wasn’t practical. Now that she has mastered the ways of a stay at home attorney, she works from home full time.

Proia spent her first eight years out of law school working as in-house intellectual property counsel at high-tech companies. When her daughter was born, she left the office ready to be a full-time mom. Missing her career, while enjoying every moment with her newborn, she set out to launch a part-time practice in 2009 from home. Now, she is working from home full time helping high-tech companies understand their intellectual property assets through IP management programs and eating dinner with her family almost every night.

Legal Toolkit host Heidi Alexander chats with Proia on how to set up a home office, tips on how to be productive, and how to take full advantage of the benefits of working from home.

The Legal Marketplace Evolution

Fri, 02 Aug 2013 12:50:22 -0000

On this episode of The Legal Toolkit, your host, Jared Correia, invites Jordan Furlong to discuss how the legal marketplace is changing and how law firms can react. “In the short term,” Furlong begins, “we’re going to see a lot more regulatory reform ending in a small set of really advanced legal services, exclusive to lawyers.” Jordan goes on to prognosticate respecting the specific effects that changes will have upon solo and small firm attorneys, law students and law schools. Despite the disruptive change that will continue to take place in the practice of law, Jordan does, in the long term, see the light at the end of the tunnel for the redefined attorney.

Jordan Furlong is a lawyer, speaker, and consultant based in Canada. He specializes in giving thought-provoking presentations covering the future of the legal marketplace and how to assimilate. Before working as a consultant and speaker, he edited top legal publications, including The Canadian Bar Association’s magazine National and The Lawyer’s Weekly. Currently he writes the blog, Law21: Dispatches from a Legal Profession on the Brink, a multiple ABA Blawg 100 honoree. His latest book, Evolutionary Road: A Strategic Guide to Your Law Firm’s Future, is available from Attorney at Work.

Tune in to hear more on the future of legal services: how these will be created, priced, and delivered, and how lawyers can take advantage of the changes.

Innovations in Legal Technology: The Changing Landscape and How to Keep Up.

Thu, 18 Jul 2013 13:45:00 -0000

Adam Ziegler was a practicing attorney for ten years when he decided to leave his partnership at a Boston litigation boutique and become an entrepreneur. He is now co-founder and CEO of Mootus, a platform for open, online-legal argument. Lawyers and law students can open up legal discussion questions to their peers, who must provide the sources they use to validate their responses. “I always wanted something to exist like Mootus,” Ziegler said, “Since it didn’t, I figured I had to try.” Mootus was a success, and the driving force behind his pursuit in advancing legal technology.

• Adam Ziegler began his career as a law clerk for a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals. He practiced at two large firms before becoming a partner at the aforementioned litigation boutique. Since launching Mootus, he has also started the Boston Meetup group for legal innovators and begun blogging for the site www.smallfirminnovation.com. Ziegler’s career focuses on how technology can help practicing lawyers do more, better and faster for their clients.

On this episode of The Legal Toolkit, host Heidi Alexander chats with Ziegler about how to use technology to maintain an efficient legal practice, keep up with legal-tech innovations, and launch a legal technology startup.

Virtual Staffing: Implementation and Management

Thu, 20 Jun 2013 13:13:51 -0000

On this edition of The Legal Toolkit, host Jared Correia talks with Chad Burton about how to use virtual staff in your law practice. Burton’s law firm employs virtual staffing services to manage its phones, accounting, documents and secure email. Chad covers the use of virtual staff to assist in other areas, as well, including: managing social media channels, making travel arrangements, creating presentations, and more.

Burton is the founder of Burton Law, a virtual law firm which focuses on representing businesses and individuals in litigation matters. He also serves as outside general counsel to small and mid-sized businesses, including new and existing franchises. He is a leading member of both the Dayton Bar Association and the Ohio State Bar Association. He is also a member of the American Bar Association.

Virtual staffing saves Burton Law a significant amount of overhead costs, and those cost savings are passed along to its clients. Tune in to hear more on virtual staffing, including: what to look for, how to manage the staff, and more.

Competitive Branding and Website Development for Lawyers

Fri, 10 May 2013 12:29:48 -0000

Clients have an abundance of options when hiring an attorney. Often, it is a firm’s website that determines who they ultimately hire. On this episode of The Legal Toolkit, hosts Jared Correia and Heidi Alexander talk to Jeff Lantz about building an Internet brand and website that differentiates you from your competitors and attracts clients.

Jeff Lantz is the founder and CEO of Esquire Interactive. His company is an attorney-run marketing firm that specializes in website development, Internet marketing, and branding for law firms and attorneys. Lantz was a practicing attorney for more than 12 years before he delved into Internet marketing. He has authored two books: The Essential Attorney Handbook for Internet Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, and Website Development Management, referred to as “The bible for building law firm websites,” by host Alexander, and Internet Branding for Lawyers: Building the Client-Centered Website published by the ABA Law Practice Management Section.
Tune in to hear from the author of Internet Branding for Lawyers on the basics of branding, website development, and marketing for attorneys.

Desktop as a Service for Lawyers

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 13:22:57 -0000

Desktop as a service, commonly known as DaaS, is a relatively new service which provides users access to their desktops from any computer via the cloud. Your hosts Jared Correia and Heidi Alexander invited Tom Rowe to talk about DaaS for lawyers. Rowe is a 4th generation attorney with an undergraduate degree in computer science and business administration. He now works as a technology consultant for law firms and businesses at OTB-Consulting and was named Technolawyer’s technology consultant of the year. Rowe answers questions about DaaS for big, small, and solo firms, how to make DaaS secure, how to make it cost effective, and more. He will also talk about SaaS, software as a service, as it relates to lawyers and DaaS users.

The Legal Toolkit is Back

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 20:03:43 -0000

Wondering where The Legal Toolkit has been for the past six months? Never fear, Jared Correia, your host and a Senior Law Practice Advisor with Massachusetts Law Office Management Assistance Program ( Mass. LOMAP), is back. In this month’s episode meet the new co-host Heidi Alexander, also a Law Practice Advisor with Mass. LOMAP, who will be the newest addition to The Legal Toolkit team. Before joining LOMAP, Alexander ran a solo law practice and a web consulting business. She has practiced employment law and litigation, clerked for a justice on the highest court of New Jersey, and worked helping entrepreneurs launch and grow their businesses at a nonprofit women’s business assistance center. She is currently serving on the board of directors of a community arts nonprofit, as a special needs mentor, and as a coordinator and facilitator for girls in underserved communities. This episode will introduce Alexander and give her a chance to further outline her background, expertise, side projects, volunteer positions, and finally, her strong loyalty to her home state of Minnesota.

Choosing a Law Firm Entity Structure

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 15:32:35 -0000

On this October edition of The Legal Toolkit, Jared Correia, Senior Law Practice Advisor with Mass. LOMAP, joins Chiara LaPlume, principal of LaPlume Law, LLC and Sofia Lingos, principal of Lingos Law, to address entity choice for lawyers and law firms. Chiara and Sofia run down the options for law firms and solo lawyers (including d/b/a’s and limited liability entities), talk about why it’s essential to have a partnership agreement and relay why it may useful for an attorney to hire another lawyer to help them get incorporated.

Making Selling Easier for Lawyers

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 10:50:38 -0000

Why is selling so hard for lawyers and what can you do about it? On this September edition Jared Correia, the host of The Legal Toolkit and Senior Law Practice Advisor with Mass. LOMAP, joins Stephen Seckler, principal of Seckler Legal Consulting and Coaching, to talk about selling vs. marketing, how important referrals are for attorneys and some of the key things that get in the way of attorneys successfully generating work.

Content Marketing for Lawyers

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 12:49:33 -0000

If you want to market your practice by leveraging your expertise, content marketing may be your answer. Jared Correia, the host of The Legal Toolkit and Senior Law Practice Advisor with Mass. LOMAP, interviews Gyi Tsakalakis, the director of web marketing for AttorneySync, to get the skinny. Jared and Gyi discuss different types of content marketing and distribution platforms, the efficacy of paywalls and the skill set lawyers need to become effective content marketers.

The Legal Trade Show Survival Guide

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 14:55:08 -0000

Learn how to make the most of your next legal trade show experience when The Legal ToolKit host and Senior Law Practice Advisor with Mass. LOMAP, Jared Correia, chats with Andrea Cannavina, the Founder and CEO of LegalTypist, Inc. Andrea and Jared explain how to decide which events to attend, how to network, the benefits of getting involved in conference planning, and much more.

Legal Translation Services for Law Firms

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 14:29:55 -0000

When should a law firm consider either translation or interpretation services? Jared Correia, the host of The Legal ToolKit and Law Practice Management Advisor with Mass. LOMAP gets the answer from George Rimalower, founder and president of ISI Translations, Inc. Jared and George also explain the benefits of using a translation service and how these services can boost your legal firm’s bottom line.

20 Legal Technology Tips in 20 minutes

Thu, 31 May 2012 09:47:09 -0000

If you’re looking for the hottest tech tips for lawyers, we’ll make sure your vision is 20/20. The Legal ToolKit host and Senior Law Practice Advisor with Mass. LOMAP, Jared Correia, talks technology with Attorney Ernest Svenson from the Svenson Law Firm in New Orleans, Louisiana. Ernie has catalogued a number of useful tools for lawyers and relays them in rapid succession through word association with Jared. Listen in, and find out why Dropbox and Dilbert can both have a place in your law firm!

Old School Marketing in the Legal World

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:50:11 -0000

With the popularity of social media on the rise within the legal profession, has old school marketing taken a back seat? Jared Correia, the host of The Legal ToolKit and Law Practice Management Advisor with Mass. LOMAP, joins Attorney Christopher Strang, partner at the Boston law firm, Desmond, Strang & Scott LLP and Robert Simpson, President/CEO of Waverider Communications, to talk about the pros of old school marketing, including: the importance of developing and implementing a strategy, the power of networking and how lawyers can successfully market themselves in both non-traditional and traditional modes.

Tips and Tactics for Law Firm Websites

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 10:45:27 -0000

With the prevalence of profile sites, blogs and social media platforms, law firms need effective websites. Jared Correia, the host of The Legal ToolKit and Law Practice Management Advisor with Mass. LOMAP, joins Larry Bodine, the Editor-in-Chief for Lawyers.com, to explore the importance of law firm websites. Larry discusses everything from the sort of content components that should appear on a website and designing the website to basic SEO tools attorneys can use to get visits from their target audience.

Online Reputation Management for Lawyers

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 10:33:04 -0000

What are people saying about you online? What if the comments are negative? How can you protect your good name? In an environment where online reviews are common, Legal Toolkit host Jared Correia, Law Practice Advisor with Mass. LOMAP,, and Conrad Saam, Vice President of Marketing at Urbanspoon, discuss online reputation management for lawyers. Conrad and Jared cover the importance of tracking online mentions, and the methods for doing so. They also address the rising vitality of local search and the usefulness in dominating vanity search.

Student Loan Management for Lawyers

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:32:18 -0000

Stressed about your student loans from law school? On The Legal ToolKit, host Jared Correia, Law Practice Management Advisor with Mass. LOMAP, joins Heather Jarvis, student loan expert and former capital defense attorney, to discuss student loan management. Heather offers her insight on consolidation, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Income Based Repayment and how lawyers can reduce, or better manage their payments.

Top Web Apps for the Holidays

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 12:45:42 -0000

What apps are on your holiday wish list? On this edition of Legal ToolKit, host Jared Correia, Law Practice Management Advisor with Mass. LOMAP, joins returning guest Brett Owens, CEO and Co-Founder of Chrometa, LLC, to take a look at some of the top web apps for this holiday season. Brett offers up his favorite apps across a variety of categories, including for collaboration and file sharing. In addition to relaying his thoughts about the best buffalo wings on the planet, Brett makes some bonus prognostications for 2012 and beyond.

Marketing Your Law Practice through CLE

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 11:06:21 -0000

On this month’s show, host Jared Correia, Law Practice Management Advisor with Mass. LOMAP, is joined by Tim Baran, Principal of BaranCLE and Community Manager at RocketMatter, as the two take a look at some ways to market a law practice through CLE participation. Tim and Jared talk about utilizing traditional and non-traditional marketing techniques for securing CLE faculty positions, discuss methods for approaching bar associations with respect to panel spots and cover the options that lawyers have for putting on their own CLE programming.

Practice Management & Cloud Trends

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 14:34:33 -0000

Is your practice management vision cloudy? We can help. On this month’s show, host Jared Correia, Law Practice Management Advisor with Mass. LOMAP, is joined by Jack Newton, Co-founder & CEO of Clio, as they take a look at the latest trends in practice management and cloud computing. Jared and Jack talk about the essential usefulness of practice management systems, the appeal of cloud programs (even for skittish lawyers!) and what the future looks like in the cloud.

Global Economics & Your Law Practice

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 10:04:00 -0000

Does global economics affect your law practice? The, perhaps surprising, answer is a resounding ‘Yes’! On this month’s show, host Jared Correia, Law Practice Management Advisor with Mass. LOMAP, welcomes to the Legal Toolkit Susan Cartier Liebel, the Founder & CEO of Solo Practice University®, to address the effect that global economics and changing demographics have on attorneys and their practices. Susan and Jared discuss the present economic downturn in the context of the history of the United States, talk about why it is so important for the modern attorney to apply a client-centric viewpoint and consider potential growth opportunities in a compromised economy.

The Power of Legal Referrals

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 10:40:28 -0000

Referrals are the lifeblood of the most successful law firms, but attorneys, like anyone else, have to get their potential referral sources to know, like and trust them. On this month’s Legal ToolKit, host Jared Correia, Law Practice Management Advisor with Mass. LOMAP, talks with Jaimie B. Field, Esq. founder of Marketing Field, LLC about the power of referrals. Jaimie and Jared consider potential referral sources for lawyers, mull over the age-old maxim that ‘referrals beget referrals’ and discuss the importance of training referral sources, in order to get them to get you the clients you really want.

Personal Branding for Lawyers

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 09:50:29 -0000

Need a "brand" aid? On this month’s episode of the Legal ToolKit, host Jared Correia, Law Practice Management Advisor with Mass. LOMAP, talks with Dorie Clark, CEO of Clark Strategic Communications, about personal branding for lawyers. Dorie is a regular blogger for the Harvard Business Review, and is working on, "What’s Next?: The Art of Reinventing Your Personal Brand", to be released by Harvard Business Review Press in 2012. Dorie and Jared cover what it means to have a "personal brand, " take a look at a the importance of developing a unique selling proposition and discuss some of the ways that attorneys can produce and leverage content, to stand out from the crowd.

Disaster Recovery and Disaster Planning

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 14:57:07 -0000

In light of the recent tornado damage sustained across the country, this month’s episode of the Legal ToolKit will cover “Disaster Recovery and Disaster Planning”. Host Jared Correia, Law Practice Management Advisor with Mass. LOMAP, welcomes Attorney Nerino J. Petro, Jr., the Practice Management Advisor for the Law Office Management Assistance program of the State Bar of Wisconsin, to discuss ways in which law firms affected by disaster can get back up and running, and how those unaffected can prepare for future potential disasters. Nerino talks about resources available to attorneys who have suffered practice interruptions due to natural disasters and the importance of having a disaster recovery plan and backup attorney(s) in place.

Data Protection Best Practices

Mon, 09 May 2011 12:57:36 -0000

With a network of data protection rules and regulations on the state and federal level, it becomes more and more difficult for businesses to keep up. On the Legal ToolKit, host Jared Correia, Law Practice Management Advisor with Mass. LOMAP, welcomes Attorney C. Max Perlman from the law firm of Hirsch Roberts Weinstein LLP, to talk about those data security laws and regulations and their impact on businesses, including law firms. Jared and Max also discuss the federal requirements that local businesses should be aware of, to what extent the laws codify best practices and what to do if your business experiences a security breach.

The Three Sisters & the Art of Psychodrama

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 15:49:08 -0000

Want to learn more about psychodrama? On the Legal ToolKit, host Jared Correia, Law Practice Management Advisor with Mass. LOMAP, welcomes two of "The 3 Sisters," trial lawyers and psychodramatists, Joane Garcia-Colson and Mary Peckham, to discuss the art of psychodrama and its application to the practice of law. Joane and Mary talk about the importance of telling a story in trial practice and how to use psychodrama to better connect with your clients.

The Impact of Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 11:13:26 -0000

How can you use SEO to market your law practice? On the Legal ToolKit, host Jared Correia, Law Practice Management Advisor with Mass. LOMAP, welcomes Conrad Saam, Senior Marketing Manager for Avvo, to discuss Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and why it is important to lawyers. Conrad explains how SEO works, and how it retains its importance, even with the explosion of social media. Jared and Conrad also take a look at how law firms can supplement SEO with other marketing tactics.

Maximizing Popular Applications for Legal & ABA TECHSHOW 2011 Preview

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 16:06:15 -0000

How important is it for lawyers to stay on top of technological developments? Very. On the Legal ToolKit, host Jared Correia, Law Practice Management Advisor with Mass. LOMAP, welcomes Paul J. Unger, an attorney and partner with Affinity Consulting Group and the Chair of ABA TECHSHOW 2011, to talk about how attorneys can get the most out of some popular computer applications and to do a quick preview of the upcoming ABA TECHSHOW 2011. Legal ToolKit is brought to you by Catuogno Court Reporting.

Help for The Lawyer’s Job Search

Wed, 19 Jan 2011 10:03:26 -0000

What's the market for lawyers looking for jobs now? On this edition of Legal ToolKit, host Jared Correia, Law Practice Management Advisor with Mass. LOMAP, welcomes Attorney Gina Walcott, Executive Director of Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers and Tomeeka Farrington, Founder & Principal of Spotlight Communications, to talk about the lawyer’s job search in a down economy, the best social media sites for job seekers and helpful hints to lawyers in the job hunt. Legal ToolKit is brought to you by Catuogno Court Reporting.

Networking and the Boston Bar Association’s New Lawyers Section

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 15:58:09 -0000

On this edition of The Legal ToolKit, brought to you by Catuogno Court Reporting, host Jared Correia, Law Practice Management Advisor with Mass. LOMAP, welcomes Attorney Christopher Strang from Desmond, Strang & Scott, LLP and Attorney Alexandra Gorman from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, to discuss their roles as co-chairs of the Boston Bar Association’s New Lawyers Section. Jared, Chris and Alex talk about the importance of networking, effective networking techniques, some common mistakes new lawyers make when it comes to networking efforts and the perks of getting involved in your bar association.

Inside the Massachusetts Bar Association

Fri, 19 Nov 2010 12:45:10 -0000

On this edition of The Legal ToolKit, brought to you by Catuogno Court Reporting, host Jared Correia, Law Practice Management Advisor with Mass. LOMAP, welcomes Denise Squillante, president of the Massachusetts Bar Association and Valerie Yarashus, immediate past president of the Massachusetts Bar Association, to cover some important MBA initiatives. They take a look at today’s challenges for the legal profession, discuss diversity, technology, mentoring in the legal profession and about how the MBA is reaching young attorneys statewide.

Cool Web Apps for Running your Law Firm

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 14:58:42 -0000

On this edition of The Legal ToolKit, brought to you by Catuogno Court Reporting, host Jared Correia, Law Practice Management Advisor with Mass. LOMAP, welcomes Brett Owens, CEO and Co-Founder of Chrometa, LLC, to take a look at some cool web apps to consider. Jared and Brett discuss the convenience of web apps, questions of security, drop some favorite web apps and talk about ways that attorneys can keep up with technology without becoming overwhelmed.

Fee Setting & the Massachusetts Women’s Bar Association

Wed, 29 Sep 2010 15:40:23 -0000

On this edition of The Legal ToolKit, brought to you by Catuogno Court Reporting, host Jared Correia, Law Practice Management Advisor with Mass. LOMAP, welcomes Attorney Chiara Urbani LaPlume and Attorney Audrey Heidt, both co-chairs of the Massachusetts Women's Bar Association's Solo and Small Firm Committee, to take a look at setting fees, through the lens of the new Women’s Bar Association series of “fee circles”, that focus on the issue. Among other topics, Jared, Chiara and Audrey cover how to start the conversation about fees, whether to charge consultation fees and/or retainers and, of course, how to establish rates, including when to reassess and reduce rates, as necessary.

The Use of SaaS in the Legal Field

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 10:34:16 -0000

On this edition of The Legal ToolKit, brought to you by Catuogno Court Reporting, host Jared Correia, Law Practice Management Advisor with Mass. LOMAP, welcomes Larry Port, Founding Partner and Chief Software Architect for Rocket Matter, to take a look at the use of software as a service (SaaS) in the legal field. Jared and Larry talk about what kind of SaaS applications are available for legal professionals, ethical considerations for attorneys using SaaS products and how SaaS companies can protect your sensitive data.

Protecting your Business through Email Encryption

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 15:25:55 -0000

The protection of client data is fast becoming a matter of national concern. On this edition of The Legal ToolKit, brought to you by Catuogno Court Reporting, host Jared Correia, Law Practice Management Advisor with Mass. LOMAP welcomes Attorney James F. Brashear, General Counsel from Zix Corporation, to discuss how to protect your clients’ private information through email encryption. Jared and Jim explore HIPAA compliance, cloud computing and security and how to protect your business and your clients.

Exploring the Virtual Law Practice

Wed, 12 May 2010 09:18:36 -0000

On this edition of the Legal ToolKit, brought to you by Catuogno Court Reporting, host Jared Correia, Law Practice Management Advisor with Mass. LOMAP welcomes Stephanie Kimbro, an attorney who operates the virtual law firm Kimbro Legal Services. Jared and Stephanie will look at virtual law practice, including the technology components, the benefits of such systems and the impact of the virtual practice of law upon the future of the legal profession.

IOLTA Accounting: Part Two

Tue, 06 Apr 2010 14:50:48 -0000

In part one of this two-part series on IOLTA Accounting on the Legal ToolKit, , brought to you by Catuogno Court Reporting, host Jared Correia, Law Practice Management Advisor with Mass. LOMAP, explored IOLTA accounting and its purposes. In part two, Jared welcomes Beverly Michaelis, Practice Management Advisor with the Professional Liability Fund of the Oregon State Bar and Lindsay Vosburgh, Financial Investigator at the Massachusetts Office of Bar Counsel, to talk about the latest in trust accounting software and to offer tips on trust accounting software for lawyers and firms.

IOLTA Accounting: Part One

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:49:00 -0000

In this edition of the Legal ToolKit, host Jared Correia, Law Practice Management Advisor with Mass. LOMAP, welcomes Terrence D. Pricher, an assistant bar counsel in the Office of Bar Counsel and Attorney James S. Bolan, a partner with the firm of Brecher, Wyner, Simons, Fox & Bolan, LLP, to take an in-depth look at IOLTA Accounting. Jim and Terry bring very different perspectives to this discussion and will explore IOLTA accounting and its purpose, three-way reconciliation, the biggest IOLTA pitfalls and how to handle large sums of client funds.

Security Compliance Issues from an IT and Legal Perspective

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:37:37 -0000

In this special edition of the Legal ToolKit , we explore security compliance issues from The Massachusetts Information Security Summit (MassISS) with co-hosts, Jared Correia, Law Practice Management Advisor with Mass. LOMAP and Ray Catuogno, Founder & CEO of Catuogno Court Reporting and Sten-Tel Transcription . Special guests are Diane Lawton, General Counsel of the Commonwealth’s Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation (OCABR) and Chris Squier, renowned speaker on national security issues from New Technology Systems, to discuss security compliance issues, including the hacker mindset and the best methods for protecting information on PDAs and smartphones.

Compliance, Security & the Massachusetts Data Breach Notification Law

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:02:41 -0000

In this edition of the Legal ToolKit host Dean Whalen, General Counsel for Catuogno Court Reporting and Sten-Tel Transcription Services will call on the experts to talk more about the Massachusetts Data Breach Notification Law: 201CMR 17.00 and complying by March 1, 2010. In the first segment, Dean welcomes Charlie Christianson, President of Peritus Security Partners, LLC, to discuss the key elements of the compliance process and how to secure your business. Attorney Jared Corriea, advisor at The Law Office Management Assistance Program , will discuss the red flag rule, compliance and the upcoming Massachusetts Information Security Summit.

A Close Look at the Data Breach Notification Law: Chapter 93H

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 11:17:27 -0000

With several high profile security breaches in Massachusetts, securing customer information is a necessity to business legally. In this debut podcast of the Legal ToolKit, host Dean Whalen, General Counsel for Catuogno Court Reporting and Sten-Tel Transcription Services welcomes Attorney Rodney Dowell, Director of MassLOMAP and David M. Felper, senior partner with Bowditch & Dewey, LLP, to explore the details of Massachusetts' Data Breach Notification Law: Chapter 93H. They will discuss the protection of personal data, encryption, compliance and how new regulations will impact every Massachusetts businesses.