Episodios

  • #569: Your Head is a Crappy Office, and Other GTD Principles for Attorneys, with David Allen

    #569: Your Head is a Crappy Office, and Other GTD Principles for Attorneys, with David Allen
    Jul 17 2025
    Many lawyers feel overwhelmed by never-ending to-do lists, constant context-switching, and the mental clutter of trying to keep it all straight. In this episode, Zack Glaser talks with productivity pioneer David Allen, author of Getting Things Done (GTD), about how lawyers can break free from chaos and reclaim control—both personally and as a team. David shares the five key steps of the GTD framework and explains why a “clear mind” isn’t a luxury —it’s a leadership necessity. You’ll learn how to stop relying on your brain as a filing cabinet, how to set up simple systems that actually stick, and how to build a law firm culture where everyone knows what to do next. We also explore concepts from his new book, Team: Getting Things Done with Others, including how to reduce bottlenecks, clarify roles, and avoid burnout by working smarter not just harder. Whether you’re a solo lawyer juggling everything or a leader scaling a team, this episode will help you create space to think, lead, and grow. Listen to our other episodes on systems & productivity: #419: Free Yourself from Productivity, with Oliver Burkeman Apple | Spotify | Lawyerist #514: The Hidden Value of Doing Less, with Leidy Klotz Apple | Spotify | Lawyerist #485: Unleash Your Law Firm’s Potential with an Internal Coach, with Robin Carberry Apple | Spotify | Lawyerist #516: Flexing Your Discipline Muscle to Stay Motivated, with Sara Muender Apple | Spotify | Lawyerist Have thoughts about today’s episode? Join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X! If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you. Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com. Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction: What Is GTD and Why Lawyers Need It 00:46 – Staying Ahead of the Wave: Zack’s GTD Takeaway 02:18 – Brain Dumping for Clarity: A Lawyer Coaching Example 05:34 – Introducing the Small Firm Scorecard 09:54 – Meet David Allen: Creator of Getting Things Done (GTD) 13:47 – Mind Like Water: The Mental State of True Productivity 15:59 – Your Brain Is a Terrible Office: The 5 Steps of GTD 24:52 – From Inbox to Action: Making Systems Stick 27:06 – Avoiding Burnout with Weekly Reviews 31:25 – From High Performer to Dysfunctional Team 34:46 – The Soccer Analogy: Great Players Still Need Teamwork 39:28 – The Power of Saying No: GTD’s Boldest Lesson 42:32 – First Steps: Start by Capturing What’s on Your Mind
    Más Menos
    43 m
  • #568: How to Build a Law Firm You Can Sell, with Victoria L. Collier

    #568: How to Build a Law Firm You Can Sell, with Victoria L. Collier
    Jul 10 2025
    Most law firm owners build a business that depends entirely on them—then wonder why no one wants to buy it. In this episode, we talk with Victoria Collier, founder of Quid Pro Quo, about how to build a firm that’s not only profitable, but truly sellable. Victoria shares what she learned selling her own estate planning and elder law firm after 18 years—and how she now helps other lawyers do the same. You’ll learn what buyers actually look for (hint: it’s not just revenue), why your firm needs to run without you, and how a shift in mindset can create more freedom and future value. Victoria also shares surprising truths about law firm sales—like the possibility of getting cash upfront—and how AI is quickly becoming a key part of due diligence for buyers and sellers alike. Listen to our other episodes on the selling your practice: #369: Selling Your Practice, with Tom Lenfestey Apple | Spotify | Lawyerist #326: A Succession Plan for Your Law Practice, with Tom Lenfestey Apple | Spotify | Lawyerist Have thoughts about today’s episode? Join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X! If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you. Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com. Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction: The Mindset of a Sellable Law Firm 02:45 - The Dangers of Being the Bottleneck: Why Delegation Matters 06:58 - Lessons from a Successful Firm Sale: What Works and What Doesn't 09:22 - What Buyers Look For: Red Flags and Green Lights in Your Firm 21:52 - Surprising Realities of Selling a Law Firm: Financing and Debt 31:21 - AI's Role in Increasing Your Firm's Value 34:02 - Life After Law: Preparing for Your Next Chapter 36:46 - The Fundamental Mindset Shift: Owning a Business, Not Just a Job 37:50 - Taking the First Steps Toward a Sellable Firm
    Más Menos
    40 m
  • #567: From Quiet to Confident: Redefining Success as an Introverted Lawyer, with Heidi Brown

    #567: From Quiet to Confident: Redefining Success as an Introverted Lawyer, with Heidi Brown
    Jul 3 2025
    This episode of the Lawyerist Podcast offers a thorough exploration of understanding introversion, shyness, and social anxiety, and how these traits can be leveraged as strengths, particularly in the legal profession. You'll hear Zack Glaser's conversation with law professor and author Heidi Brown, who shares insights from her book, The Introverted Lawyer. Heidi provides clarity on the distinctions between being an introvert—someone who processes information internally and recharges with solitude—versus shyness or social anxiety, which stem from a fear of judgment or criticism. Heidi Brown, a public speaker and author who identifies as an introvert, demonstrates that it's possible to be confident and professionally effective while embracing introversion. You'll discover how introversion can be a "superpower," bringing valuable assets such as active listening, thoughtful problem-solving, empathy, sensitivity to nuance, and strong writing skills to any professional dynamic. The conversation also covers practical steps for introverts to show up authentically and confidently, including mental and physical reflection techniques, reframing negative self-talk, and developing pre-game and game-day routines for high-pressure situations. Heidi offers perspectives on supporting introverted team members to foster a shared vocabulary around individual strengths. Learn how to recognize and harness your unique qualities, or those of your team, to excel in the legal profession. Listen to our other episodes: #564: The Gift in the Struggle: Leveraging Emotional Intelligence for Growth, with Sara Muender Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist #535: Lawyer Burnout: 5 Hidden Signs You’re About to Crash, with Natasha Evans Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist #506: Managing Stress & Avoiding Burnout, with Emily Nagoski Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist Have thoughts about today’s episode? Join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X! If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you. Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com. Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00 Introversion, Shyness, and Social Anxiety Defined 05:14 Internal vs. External Processing: Understanding Different Communication Styles 15:56 Introversion as a Superpower in the Legal Profession 18:32 Authenticity and Confidence: Mental and Physical Strategies 25:52 Embracing the Blush: Reframing Physical Responses 30:52 Building Confidence: The Power of Pregame and Game Day Routines 34:29 Supporting Introverts in the Workplace 41:36 Your Place in Law: A Message of Empowerment
    Más Menos
    45 m
  • #566: Building Solutions from Legal Experience, with Katya Fisher

    #566: Building Solutions from Legal Experience, with Katya Fisher
    Jun 26 2025
    What happens when a lawyer stops accepting inefficiency as “just the way things are”? In this episode, Zack Glaser talks with attorney and legal tech founder Katya Fisher about her journey from launching a solo practice during the Great Recession to building scalable tools for transactional lawyers. Katya shares how her legal experience—spanning BigLaw, in-house, and solo practice—revealed pain points in the dealmaking process that technology still hadn’t solved. She explains how she went from identifying those issues to building software that brings clarity, organization, and efficiency to high-stakes legal work. Along the way, Katya unpacks: The scrappy start to her legal career How working solo gave her an edge inside a global corporate group What legal professionals need to know about scaling their ideas Why tech tools fail lawyers—and how that can change Whether you're a lawyer thinking beyond the billable or simply curious how innovation happens in the legal world, this episode delivers practical insights with an entrepreneurial twist. Listen to our other episodes on entrepreneurship: #411: Staying Entrepreneurial at a Bigger Firm, with Nick Pleasants Apple Podcast | Lawyerist #268: Riding the Entrepreneurial Rollercoaster, with Cameron Herold Apple Podcast | Lawyerist #205: Entrepreneurial Poverty & Why Average Law Firms Lose, with Mike Michalowicz Apple Podcast | Lawyerist Have thoughts about today’s episode? Join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X! If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you. Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com. Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction: The Entrepreneurial Lawyer 01:02 Quarterly Planning: Intentional Business Growth 07:15 Solo Practice Origins: Scrappy Beginnings 13:36 The Competitive Advantage of Broad Experience 17:51 ADHD as a Superpower: Hyperfocus and Foresight 23:36 Accurately Identify a Business Problem 30:40 From Idea to Product: Building a Product or Workflow 36:10 Articulating Vision and Gaining Buy-In 41:14 Lessons Learned: Advice for Aspiring Innovators
    Más Menos
    45 m
  • #565: Becoming the AI Driven Leader, with Geoff Woods (Remastered)

    #565: Becoming the AI Driven Leader, with Geoff Woods (Remastered)
    Jun 19 2025
    This special remastered episode of the Lawyerist Podcast features Stephanie's conversation with Geoff Woods, author of The AI-Driven Leader. We're re-releasing it due to positive feedback on the depth of this discussion, ensuring you'll gain new insights and "aha!" moments with every listen. In this episode, we explore AI's transformative power, viewing it not as a threat, but as a liberator that enhances our work. We dive into the five core human skills to emphasize in an AI-driven world: strategic thinking, problem-solving, communication, collaboration, and creation. We demonstrate how to leverage AI strategically, from evaluating business plans to acting as a growth-minded board member, and you'll hear how we're integrating AI into our own leadership meetings. Geoff shares real-world examples of using AI as a "thought partner" to stress-test major strategic decisions, even creating an "AI board of advisors." He also provides practical applications for lawyers, such as using AI to review NDAs, stress-test legal arguments, and role-play closing arguments with AI as your jury. To guide your own AI journey, Geoff outlines his "CRIT" framework (Context, Role, Interview, Task) for effective prompting and highlights the importance of understanding AI model settings for data privacy and confidentiality. Listen to our other episodes on the AI revolution: #555: How to Use AI and Universal Design to Empower Diverse Thinkers with Susan Tanner Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist #553: AI Tools and Processes Every Lawyer Should Use with Catherine Sanders Reach Apple Podcasts Spotify Lawyerist #550: Beyond Content: How AI is Changing Law Firm Marketing, with Gyi Tsakalaki and Conrad Saam: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist Have thoughts about today’s episode? Join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X! If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you. Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com. The AI-Driven Leader Chapters/Timestamps: 0:00 - Episode Introduction and Why This Remastered Version is Special 1:22 - AI as the Next Big Shift for Lawyers 6:28 - Geoff Woods: Redefining Leadership in the AI Era 9:11 - The Five Core Human Skills Enhanced by AI 10:36 - Strategic AI: Beyond Basic Tasks 14:24 - AI as Your Strategic Thought Partner 19:47 - Navigating AI: Threat vs. Opportunity for Lawyers 20:56 - Practical AI Applications: NDA Review and Valuation 28:51 - Building Your AI Habit: The "CRIT" Framework 32:19 - AI Security and Data Privacy for Legal Professionals 34:40 - The Risk of Inaction and Building the Future Firm
    Más Menos
    39 m
  • #564: The Gift in the Struggle: Leveraging Emotional Intelligence for Growth, with Sara Muender

    #564: The Gift in the Struggle: Leveraging Emotional Intelligence for Growth, with Sara Muender
    Jun 12 2025
    In this insightful episode of the Lawyerist Podcast, we invite you to explore the profound interplay between personal resilience and professional advancement. Join business coach Sara Muender and host Zack Glaser as they guide us through the essential process of reframing failure and leveraging hardships for significant growth. You'll discover how encountering obstacles or experiencing a dip in professional momentum often reveals deeper, underlying emotional dynamics. We underscore the critical importance of emotional intelligence and the strategic prioritization of human experience over purely technical or strategic solutions. Sara shares how AI tools, while invaluable for streamlining operations like project management, also provide significant support in mitigating overwhelm and burnout, allowing you to shift focus from mere tasks to your overall well-being. This conversation offers a compelling perspective on navigating your unique challenges, emphasizing that genuine resilience stems from directly engaging with difficulties, not from avoiding them. We'll discuss why comparing your professional journey to others can be unproductive and how embracing even uncomfortable emotions can become a potent catalyst for your development. If you're seeking to cultivate a more robust understanding of your professional hurdles and harness emotional intelligence for sustained success, this episode provides invaluable guidance. Have thoughts about today’s episode? Join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X! If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you. Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com. #516: Flexing Your Discipline Muscle to Stay Motivated, with Sara Muender Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist #535: Lawyer Burnout: 5 Hidden Signs You’re About to Crash, with Natasha Evans Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist #506: Managing Stress & Avoiding Burnout, with Emily Nagoski Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist Chapters: 00:00 - Introduction & AI's Role in Work 01:50 - AI for Project Scoping & Management 03:47 - AI, Client Feedback & Emotional Intelligence 04:40 - Overcoming Overwhelm with AI 07:10 - Finding "The Gift in the Struggle" 08:04 - Battling Burnout & Comparison Traps 13:53 - The Power of Slowing Down 16:11 - Embracing Failure & Building Resilience 22:29 - Failure as Data, Not Personal Worth 23:41 - Personal Tragedy & Finding Meaning 29:22 - The Relativity of Pain & Self-Improvement 34:35 - Facing Hard Truths & Growth
    Más Menos
    39 m
  • #563: Beyond the Traditional: Creating Future-Proof Legal Offerings, with Rachel Allums and Allison Harrison

    #563: Beyond the Traditional: Creating Future-Proof Legal Offerings, with Rachel Allums and Allison Harrison
    Jun 5 2025
    Step inside a real-world example of legal innovation as two Lawyerist Lab members, Rachel Allums and Allison Harrison, reveal how they partnered to create Safe Sendoff, a new company addressing common legal needs for young adults. Rachel and Allison identified a need for legal documents like powers of attorney and HIPAA releases when young people turn 18. They decided to join forces, sharing costs and leveraging their individual firm experiences to develop a product that serves both young adults and their parents. Beyond providing crucial legal forms, Safe Sendoff also includes an "Adulting 101" course, which educates young people on the responsibilities and rights that come with turning 18, covering topics from employment rules to filing taxes. Their discussion highlights a new service delivery model offering automated, cost-effective solutions. Rachel and Allison share how their experience running their individual law firms informed their approach to building Safe Sendoff, allowing them to expedite the process of defining their purpose, vision, and ideal client. They also emphasize the benefits of working with a shared coach through Lawyerist Lab, which helped keep them on track. You'll learn about their commitment to transparent, upfront pricing and their focus on delivering valuable legal support through recorded explanations and automated processes, making high-quality legal information accessible at a fraction of the cost. If this discussion sparks questions about optimizing your firm's operations or identifying new opportunities, consider exploring the "free small firm scorecard" at lawyerist.com/scorecard. It's a quick assessment to help you get a data-driven view of your firm and identify areas for smart improvements as you embark on your own innovation journey. Listen to our other episodes: #407: Serving Clients Through Alternative Business Structures, with Mike Payne and Chad Huebsch Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist #368: Using Strategy Intensives for Your Firm’s Success, with Anne Romanello Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist #320 A Labster Call, with Aaron Thomas Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist Have thoughts about today’s episode? Join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X! If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you. Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com. Chapters/Timestamps: 9:31 - Introducing Safe Sendoff: A New Venture 11:49 - The "Adulting 101" Component & Why Young Adults Need These Documents 15:14 - The Partnership Journey: Challenges and Synergies 17:48 - Building a Second Business Differently 22:46 - The Business Model: Beyond the Billable Hour 25:24 - Lessons Learned and Advice for Entrepreneurs 28:53 - What's Next for Safe Sendoff: Marketing and Growth
    Más Menos
    33 m
  • #562: Beyond ChatGPT: The AI Revolution Happening Inside Your Firm, with Charreau Bell

    #562: Beyond ChatGPT: The AI Revolution Happening Inside Your Firm, with Charreau Bell
    May 29 2025
    AI is here to revolutionize your law firm, moving beyond simple prompts to actively handling your tasks. This Lawyerist Podcast episode is your essential guide. Zack Glaser sits down with Dr. Charreau Bell, a senior data scientist and assistant professor at Vanderbilt University, who's helping law students and faculty use AI in truly meaningful ways. This isn’t just theoretical—you’ll get real clarity on what it means to use AI well in your firm, right now. We break down the crucial difference between merely using an AI model and actually "training" one, so you understand what's happening behind the scenes. You’ll also learn when it's safe (and risky!) to send client data into cloud-based AI tools, and how you can even run powerful AI models right on your own computer for ultimate privacy. But here's where it gets really exciting: we explore how AI is evolving beyond simple prompts into "agentic systems" that can plan, reason, and act on your behalf. Think of AI not just as a tool, but as a proactive assistant that can break down complex tasks and execute them using various "tools" you provide. This isn't just about automating simple tasks; it’s about offloading work that previously required significant expertise, freeing you to focus on more creative and complex legal challenges. If this episode sparks questions about the data in your firm and how you can leverage it, check out the “free small firm scorecard”. It’s a quick assessment to help you get a data-driven view of your firm and identify areas for smart improvements as you embark on your AI journey. Listen to our other episodes about Artificial Intelligence: #555: How to Use AI and Universal Design to Empower Diverse Thinkers with Susan Tanner Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist #553: AI Tools and Processes Every Lawyer Should Use with Catherine Sanders Reach Apple Podcasts Spotify Lawyerist #551: Becoming the AI Driven Leader, with Geoff Woods Apple Podcasts Spotify Lawyerist Have thoughts about today’s episode? Join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X! If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you. Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction: Beyond Simple AI Prompts 03:20 - How Data Science Helps Lawyers 04:32 - Automating Document Review and Information Extraction 07:10 - Understanding How AI Models Work (Training vs. Using) 13:25 - Secure AI: Running Models Locally and with Cloud Providers 17:16 - Training AI Models with Limited Data (Transfer Learning) 28:16 - The Power of Agentic AI Systems 34:24 - Interacting with Agentic AI and Security Considerations 38:21 - The Importance of Data Organization in the Age of AI 43:46 - The Future of AI: Automating the Unwanted
    Más Menos
    47 m