Running a law firm isn’t just about practicing law—it’s about leading a business. In this episode, Jay Ruane and Charley Mann break down the 7 stages of law firm leadership and the unique challenges at each level. 💼⚖️

🔹 Solo to Supported Solo – The power of delegation & hiring key personnel 👥

🔹 Head of the Family – Growing to a 4-6 person team & managing culture 🏡

🔹 Captain of the Ship – Leading a 7-12 person team & navigating responsibilities ⚓

🔹 Leader of Leaders – Scaling to 13-25 employees & managing by data 📊

🔹 When to Use the CEO Title – Why you shouldn’t call yourself CEO too soon ❌👨‍💼

🔹 Financial Challenges & Wealth Creation – The 4 ways to build long-term financial success 💰📈

🔹 Marketing & Branding Tips – Practical strategies for newsletters & LinkedIn engagement ✉️🔗

✨ Join us as Brooke Birkey delves into the crucial role of emotional intelligence in law firm intake processes. 💼💡 Discover practical strategies to boost client trust 🤝 and improve your firm's intake performance. 📈

🧠 Understanding the importance of emotional intelligence in intake

💪 Techniques to handle clients in crisis

🔍 Recognizing and managing client blind spots

📝 Personality assessment for intake specialists

📣 Integrating marketing and intake tasks to enhance performance

Your Criminal Defense Practice Roadmap for Q1 2026

Get ready for an incredible first quarter at The Criminal Mastermind! Join Jay Ruane as he unveils the powerhouse lineup of speakers and sessions designed to transform your criminal defense practice in early 2026. From Patrick Stox's evidence-based SEO strategies that replace guesswork with data, to Delisi Friday's relationship-building gifting techniques, Gyi Tsakalakis's essential guide to protecting your assets when changing marketing partners, hot seat problem-solving sessions, Jonathan Mast's cutting-edge AI insights, and Jill Jensen's client retention strategies through newsletters—this quarter is packed with actionable content you can implement immediately.

But these sessions are just the beginning of what you get as a Criminal Mastermind member. Discover how you gain instant access to over 1,000 pages of proven systems and frameworks, plus Jay's complete collection of books including "The 1 Day MBA for Lawyers," "From Call to Client," and "Get Out of Your Way!" Most importantly, you'll join a tight-knit community of criminal defense attorneys who are committed to each other's success—not competitors protecting secrets, but colleagues who understand exactly what you're facing because they're living it too. If you've been thinking about joining, now's the time. Head to thecriminalmastermind.com and choose the membership level that fits your practice.