Future of Law by Goodlawyer

I used to take others’ career opinions as commandments.But he only took them as data points.And that let him design the career of his dreams.By April of 2023, Nolan Ritzel had done all of the things:- Success in Biglaw- AGC at Shopify- GC at DC BankImpressive titles. Great money. Proud parents.But something was off.He wanted his career to fit into his life.Not the other way around.So when Brett Colvin and Team Goodlawyer created the Fractional GC offering, Nolan walked away from his impressive title.And bet on himself.In this week’s episode of the What You’re About x Goodlawyer podcast, Nolan shares how he built the Fractional GC career of his dreams.With the type of work he loves, flexibility he wants and as much (or more) money as he made before.If you’ve ever wondered how to design your career around your gifts, values and personal goals, this episode is for you.In this interview you’ll take away:02:00: When it isn’t enough to achieve all of the things04:04: A rare LinkedIn post sheds new light07:05: The best parts of both worlds11:00: Taking opinions as data points, not commandments15:00: Focusing on greatest fit, not most opportunities20:00: Loved ones might not get alternative career paths25:10: Is there a false sense of security in a full-time job?25:55: How the money part works as a Fractional Lawyer29:05: The flexibility of a bottom-line lifestyle (instead of top line)35:30: What Nolan values in this next phase of his careerEpisode Resources:Learn more from Nolan on how to design your fractional legal career here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-ritzel/.Learn more about how Goodlawyer drives the business forward, on budget here: www.goodlawyer.ca. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goodlawyer.substack.com

From Anchorage to Toronto in a market crash.And from BigLaw to In-House, to BigLaw and back again.Angie Jackson, Director of Legal at Uber and Pam Hinman, AGC at the University of Calgary know what it takes to bet on themselves.They realized early on that testing themselves was part of designing an intentional career.Careers filled with twists and turns they could never have expected.But that allowed them to grow.And led them to where they are now.In this week’s episode of the What You’re About x Goodlawyer podcast, we have a double interview with two legal leaders proud of their atypical Career paths.They share their struggles, their reflections and what they’d advise their earlier selves if they were doing it all again.If you’re thinking that maybe the traditional paths aren’t for you, this episode has all the inspiration and tools you need to take that step forward.In this interview you’ll take away:00:55: Lots of overlapping history03:45: Their first impressions of each other at U of Calgary06:20: Opportunistic vs. reactive career moves (from coast to coast)12:00: What mattered most to you in a Law Firm?17:45: How authenticity is a culture and talent builder20:45: Signals in interviews that tell you if it's a fit24:50: Going back to the Firm after being In-House29:00: Building your own boundaries and dreams31:45: What creating community does for your Career36:10: How to figure out what motivates you39:40: Intentionality is the antidote to fear with atypical career paths42:40: The scariest part to learn when you go In-HouseEpisode Resources:Learn more from Angie Jackson and Pam Hinman on how to build an intentionally designed career here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelamjacksonjd/ and https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamela-hinman-807376109/.To uncover your natural gifts and elevate your Career or your Team, connect with Chad Aboud here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/chadaboud/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.chadaboud.com⁠⁠Learn more about how Goodlawyer moves the business faster here: www.goodlawyer.ca. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goodlawyer.substack.com

His parents were happy he was working at a prestigious Law Firm.But his dream was always pushing him further.So he ran after it.Figuratively and literally.Down hallways. Through cold calls. And slammed phones.Manav Deol grew up playing competitive sport. And very early on he knew he’d do everything to make sport his Career too. In this week’s episode of the What You’re About x Goodlawyer podcast, we interview the Chief Administrative Officer & General Counsel of Vancouver Whitecaps FC, a franchise in Major League Soccer.He’s thoughtful. He’s resilient. He’s living his dream.If you’re trying to figure out how to turn your dream into your reality, this episode is for you.In this interview you’ll take away:02:20: The day you find out your dream came true05:00: When your passion is meant to be your profession10:40: Calling everyone you know to pursue your goal15:50: Rewiring our minds to recognize our wins19:50: Your loved ones see it when you love your work24:04: Navigating family life with an atypical career27:00: The Future of Law for a GC in a lean legal team33:55: Best career advice for earlier Manav38:45: There's more opportunity for Lawyers than you thinkEpisode Resources:Learn more from Manav Deol and about the Vancouver Whitecaps here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manav-d-70435572/ and https://www.whitecapsfc.com/.To uncover your natural gifts and elevate your Career or your Team, connect with Chad Aboud here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/chadaboud/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.chadaboud.com⁠⁠Learn more about how Goodlawyer moves the business faster here: www.goodlawyer.ca. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goodlawyer.substack.com

She’s faced lies, slander and ridicule.But she remains a warrior for the Legal industry.Having no interest in the status quo and proving that empathy and curiosity make money.Leena Yousefi has absorbed more hate than most in the legal industry could ever imagine.Yet she’s turned that negative energy into fuel to become CEO of YLaw, the largest female led Law Firm in Canada, an author, voted Top 25 Lawyers in Canada and one of Canada's 100 Most Powerful Women, ranked Top 10 Innovators in Canada, named 40 under 40 and a Lexpert Rising Star.But Leena doesn’t care about all of that.She cares about shaking up the Legal Industry.Making it a place where everyone feels like they belong.And she won’t stop no matter what the haters say.In this episode, one of the most courageous voices of the Legal industry, shares how she’s fought back from lies and slander to build a Law Firm that leverages empathy and inclusivity to drive growth.  If you’re looking for hope for the Future of Law, this episode is for you.Because Leena is the future right now.In this interview you’ll take away:02:45: How to be courageous in the face of misinformation06:45: Taking risks & being unafraid (even when you're anxious)10:25: How YLaw treats Lawyers better and makes more money doing it15:20: It's our duty to make the industry better, so give first21:45: What happens when you share what you care about26:30: Using your natural gifts & shaking up the Legal industry30:30: Best advice for earlier Leena32:30: On lies, slander and mental health36:30: Acknowledging uncomfortable feelings to move through them37:15: Creating a safe space to be yourself at work39:15: Why empathy and inclusivity are business driversEpisode Resources:Learn more from Leena Yousefi and about YLaw here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leena-yousefi-7932b232/  and https://www.ylaw.ca/.To uncover your natural gifts and elevate your Career or your Team, connect with Chad Aboud here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/chadaboud/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.chadaboud.com⁠⁠Learn more about how Goodlawyer is helping Lawyers build careers that fit their lives, and giving incredible companies access to seasoned Lawyers in a way that fits their goals and budget here: www.goodlawyer.ca. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goodlawyer.substack.com

If Lawyers have a monopoly on legal services, nothing changes.Many talk about legal innovation. He lives it.Whether it’s Mitch Kowalski’s books about how Lawyers can avoid extinction or his international projects with governments and massive brands around the world…he walks his talk.In this episode, as usual Mitch pulls no punches as he shares how the legal industry needs to change to improve client services and lawyer well-being. He also shows us how other countries have already been doing this for decades.If you’ve ever wondered why the legal industry is so slow to change and what we can do about it today, this episode is right down your alley.In this interview you’ll take away:02:25: Why Mitch left the BigLaw Partnership track07:00: Being introspective and betting on yourself10:15: The most meaningful part of being a small firm owner14:30: What your friends say when you leave BigLaw16:30: Should Lawyers be the only ones to own Law Firms?25:30: How to get clients & business teams to love you36:25: Advice for earlier Mitch: find your people38:55: Defining your own career success44:30: How can AI actually help Lawyers right now?Episode Resources:Learn more from Mitch Kowalski about the latest trends in legal industry innovation here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchkowalski/ and https://kowalski.ca/.To learn more from Mitch, sign up for the Future of Law Summit here: summit.goodlawyer.ca. It’s virtual and free so there are no barriers to get this year’s most entertaining 4 hours of CLE!To uncover your natural gifts and elevate your Career or your Team, connect with Chad Aboud here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/chadaboud/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.chadaboud.com⁠⁠ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goodlawyer.substack.com

“Keep coming up with your ideas — but keep them to yourself.”This was the nail in the coffin for Brett’s BigLaw career.As a lifelong entrepreneur, he’d heard “No” before.As a kid, selling found golf balls on the fairways.In college, selling house painting services.But this was different.This was his industry – the legal industry – telling him that they didn’t value his creativity, his agency, his innovation.So he left.Heading straight to grandma’s basement.And within just 5 years, he built a company, Goodlawyer, that would be named 15th fastest growing company in Canada. With a roster of seasoned Lawyers coast-to-coast providing fractional legal support to incredible companies in a way that actually fits their goals and budget.In this fascinating episode, Brett’s passion and humor are on full display as he shares his journey from walking away from BigLaw, to founding a small business, to becoming CEO of the 15th fastest growing company in Canada.If you’ve ever thought about designing a career that better fits your life, or wished you had seasoned legal support in a way that fits your goals and budget, this one’s for you. Because, thankfully for the legal industry, Brett will never keep his ideas to himself.In this interview you’ll take away:03:10: What’s your scariest BigLaw moment?06:30: How to see your inner entrepreneur 13:00: A big change as opportunity (not failure)20:30: Deeply caring about Lawyer careers 28:15: How Goodlawyer helps build community & new skills33:35: Lawyers deserve a career that fits their lives38:30: What Brett can't believe about where Goodlawyer is today39:15: The education bridge for fractional legal careers47:30: Advice for young Brett: "Keep truckin, don't settle"53:40: Tips for choosing an atypical Lawyer path57:00: My biggest impact over the next 5 years1:01:10: Future of Law Summit on Nov 21: your brand, your community, your skills – sign up for free at summit.goodlawyer.caEpisode Resources:Learn more from Brett Colvin about how Goodlawyer helps Lawyers build careers that fit their lives & gives incredible companies access to seasoned Lawyers in a way that fits their goals and budget here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brettrcolvin/ and www.goodlawyer.ca.Sign up for the Future of Law Summit here: summit.goodlawyer.ca. It’s virtual and free so there are no barriers to get this year’s most entertaining 4 hours of CLE! To uncover your natural gifts and elevate your Career or your Team, connect with Chad here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/chadaboud/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.chadaboud.com⁠⁠ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goodlawyer.substack.com

She was working late on Christmas Eve. Feeling the pressure of getting a deal done while her kids were asking for her. A painful moment many Lawyers experience.But for Amy Grubb, it was the final straw.She didn’t know what was next but she knew it was something different.And it turned out to be something big.In the conversations with her community after she left BigLaw, Amy described her goals and what she believed was her purpose. And in the months and years that followed, the community she’d created rallied around her while she built multiple businesses.Now as an Account Executive at Affinity and Lawyerist, Amy helps Law Firm owners grow their businesses.With reflectiveness and contentment, Amy shares her journey from leaving BigLaw, to building businesses and becoming as a renowned advisor to Law Firms across North America.And she shares how you can intentionally design your career too, if you build your community first.In this interview you’ll take away:04:20: How does community make Law Firms more successful?07:45: Easy ways to quickly build your community right now12:30: Does it matter if our actions aren’t purely altruistic?14:00: How to be brave and design an atypical career path18:25: The "I'm leaving the Firm” conversation22:40: Taking a chance on yourself28:49: For you, For me vs. Universal truths31:30: What is the Future of Law for Amy?35:20: What you need to know about designing an atypical career37:55: Long lost friends asking each other the deep stuffEpisode Resources:Learn more from Amy Grubb about how to bring out your entrepreneurial side and build your community here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amygrubb/  and https://www.affinityconsulting.com.To uncover your natural gifts and elevate your Career or your Team, connect with Chad Aboud here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/chadaboud/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.chadaboud.com⁠⁠Learn more about how Goodlawyer is helping Lawyers build careers that fit their lives, and giving incredible companies access to seasoned Lawyers in a way that fits their goals and budget here: www.goodlawyer.ca. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goodlawyer.substack.com

Sarah had the “perfect” General Counsel role. Exciting scale-up. Enjoying her team. Receiving positive feedback.And then she walked away.Leaving it all behind to build something that only she could.Because she realized: she was the niche.Learn how Sarah went from being a SaaS GC in Dublin to becoming a globally sought after Community Builder, B2B Influencer, Venture Partner and Angel Investor, seemingly overnight.In her passionate, creative and friendly style, Sarah reflects on how she leverages her past experiences and skills to fuel her entrepreneurial ventures and why, for her, doing so hasn’t been nearly as scary as others said it would be.In this interview you’ll take away:03:20: Initial 6 months: Sarah's growth, goals and fears07:20: Making peace with pivoting11:15: How to build confidence when you're forced to adapt16:33: Why being a scale-up GC was a great fit20:25: And why Sarah walked away from it26:00: Celebrating greatness sends your signal into the world32:30: You are your niche: offer-market fit, investing and being a VC43:00: Fears that will actually be ok48:45: Where Sarah will be in 202551:35: Advice for earlier Sarah, what to know about atypical careers, and reflections on 6 months as an entrepreneur58:00: How to design a Career at the Future of Law, that suits youEpisode Resources:Learn more from Sarah Irwin about how to bring out your entrepreneurial side and build your community here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-irwin-aa273064/ and https://www.itgc.ie/To uncover your natural gifts and elevate your Career or your Team, connect with Chad Aboud: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/chadaboud/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.chadaboud.com⁠⁠ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goodlawyer.substack.com

How does someone go from a Guamanian jail, to a successful legal practice in St. Louis, to living in the wilderness 3 hours north of Toronto writing some of Legal’s most eye-catching LinkedIn posts for a living?Tony Albrecht’s lawyer life has been anything but typical.He’s walked away from the Partnership track.He was a digital nomad years before it was a thing.He’s worked, and seen the inside of a prison, in Guam.And each time he bet on himself, he got closer to uncovering his unique gift:Telling the stories of Lawyers and Law Firms to grow their brands.In his always contemplative and probing style, Tony walks us through how he’s made massive career changes, build skills he never thought were relevant to his career, and launch a rapidly growing creative agency, CONTENDER, that turns Lawyer voices into powerful business development tools on LinkedIn.In this interview you’ll take away:3:55:   Why we don't pay attention to our greatest gifts5:10:   How December 2021 changed Tony's mind about LinkedIn8:20:   How to get the algo to show you interesting posts12:53: LinkedIn relationships are like normal life15:25: Why Tony left his career as St. Louis litigator20:10: What is it you're going to do with your one and precious life?22:30: Moving your career towards what you're drawn to26:00: Reducing money stress during career transitions29:45: The most meaningful part of Tony's career today32:39: Activities that bring you good energy35:35: What is the Future of Law for Tony?43:40: 3 rapid fire career questions50:30: Sharing your message as the hub of your growthEpisode Resources:Learn more from Tony Albrecht about how to build your brand on LinkedIn here:  www.linkedin.com/in/tony-albrecht⁠ and  contenderllc.com⁠.To uncover your natural gifts and elevate your Career or your Team, connect with me: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/chadaboud/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.chadaboud.com⁠⁠ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goodlawyer.substack.com

Lawyers continually fight against industry stigma.Mental health pressures.Wanting a more creative way to practice.Spending time with family & on side businesses.Yet the traditional legal career models struggle to sufficiently serve a large segment of lawyers and companies.To launch Season 2, Pauline Chan, a fractional General Counsel, serial entrepreneur and Head of Lawyer Experience at Goodlawyer, takes us through her journey from walking away from BigLaw, building her own businesses and designing a legal career that fits her life’s goals.In her ever thoughtful and passionate style, Pauline lives what it means to be a passionate advocate for lawyers. To offer them greater access to exciting career opportunities. And encourage them to bring out their diverse skills.In this interview you’ll take away:2:50: A shocking return to the Legal industry with Goodlawyer6:20: Curiosity turned darkness into passion8:10: Law in a way that works for you14:52: Fighting off the doubt(er)s18:30: The benefits of doing more than 1 thing22:25: Changing mental health stigma in the law26:45: Being the example you want to see31:30: How to reassure yourself in scary moments34:45: Quickly test if your interests are career options37:15: The Future of Law looks like this43:35: 3 rapid fire questions on designing your life & work51:40: Your greatest asset is masquerading as a weaknessEpisode Resources:Learn more from Pauline Chan about how to design an intentional career and about fractional legal work with Goodlawyer here: ⁠www.linkedin.com/in/paulinepochan⁠ and ⁠www.goodlawyer.ca⁠.To uncover your natural gifts and elevate your Career or your Team, connect with Chad Aboud: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/chadaboud/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.chadaboud.com⁠⁠ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goodlawyer.substack.com

Our guest today is Andrew Goldner. Andrew is a lawyer and Co-Founder & CEO of GrowthX - a venture capital fund based out of San Francisco. Andrew’s resume doesn’t read like a typical VC Partner. Although Andrew started his career in New York, it wasn’t on Wall Street, nor was it in finance, or even as a startup founder. Andrew started his journey as an internet lawyer, back when the internet was an emerging technology. Though successful by every measure, Andrew became restless after several years of practice. Specifically, he took issue with the fact that the legal profession emphasized the time spent, rather than the value added to their clients.  After some deliberation, Andrew decided to leave the firm and embarked on an eclectic journey that took him to DoubleClick (a startup eventually acquired by Google), Thompson Reuters (where he was Managing Director of Reuter News in Singapore of all places), and he even tried his hand as a New Your City restauranteur!Eventually, all these roads lead him to found GrowthX, a venture capital fund dedicated to helping founders find product market fit and get investment ready for their Series A. As you will hear, Andrew’s earned wisdom both as a lawyer and as a venture capitalist makes him an ideal guest for this show. Our conversation covers:* Andrew’s journey from law to venture capital;* Insights for lawyers working with startups (especially those lawyers who are risk averse); * How the path to finding “product-market fit” is actually a formula; and * Why “move fast and break things” is often the worst advice a founder can receive. Whether you are a lawyer, startup general counsel, investor, or simply someone interested in learning how to grow a startup, Andrew drops plenty of “truth bombs” (a reference you will soon understand) that you won’t want to miss! It was a pleasure having Andrew on the podcast and I hope you get as much out of this conversation as I know I did.For more on Andrew, follow him on LinkedIn, and be sure to check out GrowthX. Links as always in the show notes. GrowthX BlogAndrew Goldner LinkedInWant to Practice on Goodlawyer?If you (or a lawyer you know) would like to find out more information about practicing on the Goodlawyer platform, be sure to check out goodlawyer.ca/for-lawyers for all the details.Goodlawyer gives independent and solo lawyers from across Canada the power & resources of a firm, all while allowing you the freedom to practice the way you want. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goodlawyer.substack.com

Our guest today is Bryce Tingle. Bryce is a person who has worn many hats over the course of his career. He was a co-founder and partner of TingleMerrett LLP, which focused on securities and corporate finance for growth companies.  He has been a founding member of multiple companies active in the technology, energy and financial industries.He is currently an Associate Professor and holds the N. Murray Edwards Chair in Business Law at the University of Calgary. On top of all of that, Bryce literally wrote the textbook on Startup Law in Canada.Bryce was kind enough to bring his vast amount of experience to the show where we covered a lot of ground including:* How Bryce became a start-up lawyer, and ultimately, one of the leading voices in startup law in Canada; * What inspired Bryce to write the textbook on entrepreneurial law in Canada; * The different mindset lawyers need when advising start-up companies versus more established players;  and* Bryce’s advice for lawyers who want to work with start-up companies.For more on Bryce, you can connect with him on LinkedIn, or check out his articles on SSRN. If you are a lawyer interested in working with start-ups, make sure you pick up  a copy of his book “Start-Up and Growth Companies, A Guide to Legal and Business Practice 3rd ed.”Trust me on this one, it is well worth the price! Corporate Finance and Canadian Law - Christopher Nicholls Want to Practice on Goodlawyer?If you (or a lawyer you know) would like to find out more information about practicing on the Goodlawyer platform, be sure to check out goodlawyer.ca/for-lawyers for all the details.Goodlawyer gives independent and solo lawyers from across Canada the power & resources of a firm, all while allowing you the freedom to practice the way you want. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goodlawyer.substack.com

Our guest today is Erin Cowling. Erin is a freelance lawyer and CEO & Founder of Flex Legal Network Inc., a company that matches busy lawyers, law firms, and in-house counsel with freelance lawyers to assist with overflow legal work on a project basis. Previously, she was a corporate commercial litigator on Bay Street in Toronto. Erin also taught Legal Research & Writing at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law (2018-2020) and was the Regional Alumni Advisor (Toronto) (providing confidential career coaching to new lawyers) for the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law (2019-2021). On top of all of this Erin produced an award-winning law blog (currently on pause) and writes for several legal publications. Our wide-ranging conversation covers:* Erin’s Journey from Big Law to starting FlexLegal;* Her experiences working as both a lawyer and a founder of a startup;* The importance of lawyers building their brand;  * Her take on the current state of the legal profession (and where it is heading); and* Advice to young lawyers still figuring out their career path. For more on Erin, you can connect with her on LinkedIn and follow her on Twitter at @Cowlingerin or @FlexLegalNet.https://www.flexlegalnetwork.com/Want to Practice on Goodlawyer?If you (or a lawyer you know) would like to find out more information about practicing on the Goodlawyer platform, be sure to check out goodlawyer.ca/for-lawyers for all the details.Goodlawyer gives independent and solo lawyers from across Canada the power & resources of a firm, all while allowing you the freedom to practice the way you want. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goodlawyer.substack.com

Our guest today is Aaron Wenner, the founder and CEO of CiteRight, a Toronto-based legal technology startup that makes it simple for litigators to find, cite and reuse the work they’ve already done.Prior to founding Citeright, Aaron received his law degree from McGill University, a masters degree in Middle Easter Studies from Harvard University, and also practiced at a national firm on Bay Street in Toronto. Our wide ranging conversation covers:* Aaron’s journey from academic & lawyer, to CEO of a startup;* How the idea for CiteRight originated and developed;* The landscape and adoption of legal tech in the profession;* How Aaron’s law degree helps him run a startup; and* How Aaron balances the pressure and stress of entrepreneurial life with having a family.It was a pleasure having Aaron on the show. To find out more, please visit CiteRight, or follow Aaron on LinkedIn. Calling All Lawyers!If you (or a lawyer you know) would like to find out more about practicing over the Goodlawyer platform, please head over to “www.goodlawyer.ca/for-lawyers” and fill out an application today. Goodlawyer gives independent and solo practitioners from across Canada the power & resources of a firm, all while allowing you to practice the way you want. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goodlawyer.substack.com

Our guest today is Erin Durant (she/her). Erin founded Durant Barristers after practicing law as a partner at one of the largest law firms in Canada. Erin has represented clients at essentially every level of court, and regularly provides barrister services to other lawyers to assist with trials, appeals and other complex situations.Erin left Big Law to start her own firm after experiencing mental health challenges during the pandemic and is using it to bring a fresh approach to the practice of law. Our wide-ranging conversation covers:* The reason Erin left the big firm to start up her own practice;* Erin’s experience with burnout and the lack of control she felt in a big firm setting;* The practical steps Erin used to set up and manage the risk of launching her own practice; * How many of her biggest fears of leaving a traditional firm proved to be unfounded (including her compensation); * What traits Erin looks for when hiring lawyers; and* What she would change about the legal profession if she was grand ruler supreme! I hope any of you thinking of setting up your own practice will find her advice informative and inspiring. For more on Erin, make sure to follow her on LinkedIn and check out her Ebook “It Burned Me All Down”, available on her firm’s website. https://www.durantbarristers.com/It Burned Me All Down (Ebook)Law Society of Ontario - Guide to Opening Your Law PracticeWant to Practice on Goodlawyer? If you (or a lawyer you know) would like to find out more information about practicing on the Goodlawyer platform, be sure to check out goodlawyer.ca/for-lawyers for all the details. Goodlawyer gives independent and solo lawyers from across Canada the power & resources of a firm, all while allowing you the freedom to practice the way you want. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goodlawyer.substack.com

Our guest today is Dr. Jacqueline Walsh, a lawyer, professor, and the Director of the initio Technology and Innovation Law Clinic at the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University. Dr. Walsh has practiced corporate and intellectual property law for over 20 years, spending time both in Big Law, and working directly with small technology startups. Our conversation centers around Dr. Walsh’s journey from Big Law to running the initio law clinic, which helps Nova Scotia based technology startups get the early stage legal information they need to properly set up their venture, all while giving law students an opportunity to gain practical experience by acting and advising on innovation and startup matters.We also delve into her experiences during her time as a startup lawyer, and Dr. Walsh gives a great road map for any lawyers looking to jump into the entrepreneurial space.To find out more about Dr. Walsh or the initio law clinic, please click on the links below. www.initiolawclinic.ca Canadian Lawyers ArticleStartup and Growth Companies in Canada (Book) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goodlawyer.substack.com

This week we are releasing a podcast from One Billion Raving Fans, who recently had on our very own CEO and Co-Founder, Brett Colvin.  Shannon and Brett’s discussion covers the problems Brett saw in the legal profession that inspired him to found Goodlawyer; how Goodlawyer differentiates itself from a traditional law firm through value billing (instead of the billable hour); and how Goodlawyer is building a “seriously fun” culture that engages the whole team in the corporate mission. If you find value in this content, make sure to check out the One Billion Raving Fans podcast! Apple Podcast LinkSpotify Podcast Link This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goodlawyer.substack.com

Our guest this week is Pina Di Biase a lawyer, life coach, fashion blogger, and one of our very own goodlawyers.  As you will hear, Pina’s legal journey is a little unconventional. After law school, she quickly discovered that a traditional law firm wasn’t a great fit for her, and decided to strike out on her own. Despite forgoing the conventional mentorship found to one degree or another in a firm, Pina was able to build a successful and diverse practice. Her curiosity and her genuine desire to add value to her clients motivated her to develop pretty much any  skill or competency she needed to get the job done right. While her technical prowess and abilities as a lawyer have never been in doubt, what sets Pina apart from many others is her insistence on practicing law in a manner true to herself (many fantastic examples given in the episode).Our conversation covers:* The importance of understanding the fundamentals of business to better advise your clients. * Why connecting with your clients and building trust is one of the best ways to build your book.  * Prioritizing self development and investing in yourself as a means of career development. * The importance of practicing in a way that is authentic to you; and* Advice to young lawyers just getting going in their careerFor more, you can follow Pina on LinkedIn. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goodlawyer.substack.com

By many standards, Aaron Baer had it made. He was young. He was a Partner at a major law firm. And had already built an impressive book of business. His continued trajectory up the Partnership ladder seemed to be a foregone conclusion. Yet, something was missing... As an improvement and progress junky, Aaron was getting frustrated by his firm's lack of innovation, and their unwillingness to depart from the traditional method of practice. Despite his professional success, Aaron made the unconventional decision (especially for a Partner) to leave the relative safety and comfort of his big firm, to join Renno & Co., a modern law firm where his future was much less guaranteed.At the same time Aaron left BigLaw, he Co-Founded “4L Academy” and “Build Your Book”. 4L 4L Academy provides modern, interactive training for young Canadian lawyers and law students.“Build Your Book”, focuses on providing modern sales training to lawyers.Needless to say, Aaron is not afraid of hard work, long hours, or taking risks to pursue an unconventional path that better aligns with his values and aspirations. My conversation with Aaron covers a lot of ground including:* His decision to make the jump from Big Law and dealing with the fears of leaving a successful traditional practice;* How Partners at law firms are paid, and why becoming a Partner may not be the opportunity it once was; * Why “being patient” may be terrible career advice in the legal profession;* Why the future of the legal profession is small & boutique law firms;* Why he Co-Founded 4L Academy and the importance of improving mentorship and training in the legal profession; * How implementing and adopting tech can allow smaller firms punch above their weight;* His thoughts on maintaining your sanity and mental health while working in a demanding role; * The importance of sales skills and how his company “Build Your Book” is focused on helping lawyers develop these competencies; and* Arron even gives masterclass on how to build and structure a modern firm that will attract top talent. I am confident this episode will leave you full of inspiration and ideas on how you can level up in the New Year. If you want to hear more from Aaron, be sure to follow him on LinkedIn where he posts regularly, and be sure to check out 4L Adamy, and Build Your Book. 4L Academy has new courses starting in January so if you are interested in improving your legal skills, be sure to check those out.!https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronbaer2/https://buildyourbook.org/https://www.4lacademy.ca/***On a final note, Goodlawyer is expanding and we are looking for qualified lawyers from across Canada to join us on our journey to revolutionize the way we practice law!If you or someone you know is interested in joining the platform, you can find more information and apply at: www.goodlawyer.ca/for-lawyers This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goodlawyer.substack.com

It is tough to debate that the legal profession, as a whole, is behind the times. Why? Well...simply put, because we haven't been forced to change. However, those days of complacency appear to be over. Clients are demanding more transparency and fairness in pricing. Lawyers are demanding modern tools to do their job more effectively. And it seems that every other day you are hearing about some legal tech startup raising a big round of funding. But what exactly can we expect from the technological revolution that it is upon us? While there is no question there are advantages to be gained, there are also perils to be avoided.  Thankfully, the future of legal tech was the topic of conversation of one of our panels at our recent Goodlawyer Summit.Our conversation covered many points including:* How the legal profession can maintain its humanity while still embracing technological improvements. * How lawyers and law firms  can harness learnings from other traditional industries that have gone through a similar technological revolutions (ex: fintech and healthtech) * And where the biggest hurdles lie in adopting new technology in our practices. If you want to catch the full experience, make sure to watch the panel on our YouTube page: As always, thanks for tuning in!   This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit goodlawyer.substack.com