Un-Billable Hour: Business Management Strategies for the Busy Lawyer Around the Community Table

How you appear on camera is how you appear to future clients. And today, you’re pretty much always on camera. Guest Kerry Barrett, an Emmy Award-winning television journalist, helps attorneys present their best self on camera, whether that’s on a Zoom call, on YouTube, or when being interviewed by a TV crew. Project authority, build trust, and attract high value clients through video.  As Barrett says, that “little red light” can seem like the devil. It’s hard to avoid looking camera shy and stiff. But she taps into 20 years of on-camera experience to coach and guide attorneys. Being on camera doesn’t come naturally, it takes training and practice.  Barrett’s lessons apply across the board, whether you’re a lawyer offering an expert opinion, a law firm marketer producing content, or an attorney coaching clients to appear on video in recorded depositions.  Think it’s not important? The reality is that today we’re all pretty much on camera all day. You are how you look, and connecting with your audience matters. When the camera turns its eye on you, do you look genuine and engaging, or do you look like you’re reading a hostage note? Improving your video skills is no longer an option. Ask us anything for the Community Table. Leave us a question online Join the next Community Table discussion live! Always the third Thursday of the month at 3pm Eastern Mentioned in This Episode: “'I’m not a Cat': Lawyer Gets Stuck on Zoom Kitten Filter During Court Case,” The Guardian Previous appearance on the Legal Talk Network “The Caitlin Clark Experience; Being a Camera-Ready Professional; and ‘Candid Camera,’” on The Legal Toolkit podcast

In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table:   The Un-Billable Hour takes on a very real move away from the “billable hour.” As Christopher says, the billable hour “is the worst thing that ever happened to law.” Clients pay for results, not time. Examine alternative fee structures as technology changes the practice of law. Young lawyers looking to maximize lifetime earnings have choices. Big firm partnership track or solo practice? Ask yourself if you have the “fire” under you to build a practice from nothing, because there’s no ceiling on earnings when you build your dream. But if that’s not you, maybe the big law firm path is right. No matter where you are, knowing where you want to get to is hard. Christopher explains how charting a career path takes a real, conscious effort, and it can change over time. Make time for contemplation and move with purpose.  Ask us anything for the Community Table. Leave us a question online,   Join the next Community Table discussion live! Always the third Thursday of the month at 3pm Eastern Mentioned in This Episode: InfoTrack InfoTrack Legal Up 2025 Clio Legal Trends Report Cliocon 2025

Did your firm “set and forget” its marketing strategy? Today’s marketing has evolved beyond Google ads and billboards. Finding new, niche channels can tap new markets. Imagine a firm still relying solely on a Yellow Pages ad, that would be crazy. Times change. Guest Carrolee Moore is the CEO and chief strategist at the Podcast Pitching Society, a firm dedicated to matching experienced experts to influential podcasts hungry for guests. Connect to listeners in your target audience, listeners who don’t know (yet) that they want to work with you. And pay you.  Moore helps clients stand out as thought leaders, experts, and trend setters. If you’ve been listening to The Un-Billable Hour (celebrating its 200th episode right here), you know the value of podcasts. Maybe you’ve been that captive audience listening on your commute or your morning jog. Learn to become a sought-after guest and to turn those appearances into revenue.  These are tips some traditional marketing agencies don’t want you to hear. Don’t hide your business or your expertise. You have wisdom to share, so get out there and shout. Reach new audiences that want to hear from you and hire you. Ask us anything for the Community Table. Leave us a question online   Join the next Community Table discussion live! Always the third Thursday of the month at 3pm Eastern

In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table: Growth is the big issue firms repeatedly face. Set reasonable expectations and know what you want. Is it revenue growth? Why? Is it a lifestyle? What does that look like? Growth without a destination in mind is a fool’s errand. As Christopher says, “Clarity of purpose aligns everything.” It’s vital to start planning for the future when you know your firm is at capacity, but you just can’t justify hiring more staff (yet). You feel pressure to expand, but you’re afraid of overextending. Make a detailed plan, don’t guess, and trust the process. Burnout. There’s no reason or excuse for it. Burnout stems from unreasonable expectations for yourself and others. Know your limits. Running yourself into the ground to meet unreasonable demands helps no one. Not you, and not your clients. Mentioned in This Episode: Ask us anything for the Community Table. Leave us a question online Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind? InfoTrack InfoTrack Legal Up 2025 Clio Legal Trends Report Cliocon 2025

When running a law firm, it’s vital to know what’s important. Results? Production? Call it “everything.” When we explore the future of law, it’s important to talk about the whole picture. Today, that means AI, money, financing, and results. Guest Dan Lear, VP of Partnerships at InfoTrack shares his insights.  It starts with understanding the “hemispheres” of the brain and understanding yourself and how you think. The world is moving from a “left brain” logical type of approach to a more holistic, creative approach, tapping unconventional, big picture skills. The narrow approach learned in law school and practiced in the past is due for an upgrade.  There’s a lot going on. Will AI make you more productive, or will it jam you up? Understanding today’s legal landscape and the new era of work demands your attention.  Lear digs into how fast things are changing. AI is rewriting the very tech we use, and you can’t escape it, only keep up. Take a new look at the future of work, and, equally important, the future of money, outside funding, and the practice of law as a business.  Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind? Mentioned in This Episode: Clio legal software Clio, Daily Matters, “Dan Lear, Chief Instigator of Right Brain Law”  Avvo Daniel Pink, author Mycase Smokeball “The Free-Time Paradox in America,” The Atlantic, Derek Thompson Books by Ray Kurzweil, Amazon The Matrix, trailer “The End of Lawyers,” Richard Susskind Claude AI “The Prize,” on Amazon Legal Talk Network team

Host Christopher T. Anderson and team are at the Community Table. Real answers, no script. In this episode, a job candidate is a great cultural fit but doesn’t have the skills. And, what about an employe who doesn’t communicate like you? EPISODE NOTES:  In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table: A law firm owner finds an associate candidate who seems like a good “culture” fit and has great qualities. There’s potential, but not the experience and skills for this position. Does the firm take a chance and invest, find another role for the candidate, or look for a more polished attorney? What to do with an employee who doesn’t fit the office culture and struggles to communicate with coworkers? Even worse, efforts to develop communication skills fall flat. Can this ever work out? Christopher’s insights will surprise you. Where do you stand on the old mantra “hire slow, fire fast?” The panel challenges assumptions and adages that somehow seem to hang on. Ask us anything for the Community Table. Leave us a question online. Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind?   REFERENCES MENTIONED: “Extraordinary Attorney Woo,” Wikipedia Malcolm Gladwell’s Revisionist History podcast Clio Legal Trends Report  Cliocon 2025

AI is real and it’s rapidly advancing the practice of law. Guest Austin Brittenham is the co-founder of the legal AI company 2nd Chair. As an attorney, he recognized the inefficiencies that plague the legal profession and put his background in computer tech to work to create an AI platform that both recognizes the unique challenges facing lawyers – including security and confidentiality – while speeding workflow and maximizing output.  AI has been put to work in a lot of "lawyer-adjacent” areas of law such as web design, intake, and billing, but Brittenham recognized the need for a model that helps lawyers practice actual law.  He says AI won’t replace lawyers, but it may change how lawyers are viewed. If AI can automate mundane tasks, such as drafting paperwork, attorneys may be able to get back to their traditional role of a true “counsellor,” providing meaningful guidance. Hear about what’s coming in the future and, more importantly, what’s here now. Start slowly, learn the state-by-state rules, and see where you can get in the game. If you’ve been curious about AI and how it will change the practice of law, you’ll want to catch this episode.  Mentioned in This Episode: Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind?  “The Singularity Is Nearer: When We Merge with AI,” by Ray Kurzweil  “The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology,” by Ray Kurzweil  ChatGPT Microsoft Copilot AI Clio legal software LexisNexis ThomsonReuters CoCounsel AI

In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table: To meet client demand, firms are exploring alternative fee structures, such as flat-rate billing. Clients are paying for results, not hours. Today’s tech, including AI, can make your firm more efficient and settle cases faster. Hear how you can experiment with different fee structures and where they may, or may not, work.  Do you need a real receptionist, or can you get by with an outsourced, virtual one? There can be advantages. Clients today expect more, including 24/7 availability. Virtual receptionists can be available around the clock, and modern technology can offer lower costs, greater capacity, and add-ons such as multiple languages. As your firm’s footprint expands, you may consider opening an office in a new territory. Dig into the pros – and many cons – of expanding your reach and the creative alternatives to physical office space (even sending a ride-share company to pick up distant clients and bringing them to you). Mentioned in This Episode: Ask us anything for the Community Table. Leave us a question online! Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind?  Clio Legal Trends Report Previously on The Un-Billable Hour, “No More Billable Hours: The Move To Value-Based, Results-Based Pricing”  Posh virtual receptionist Ruby virtual receptionist Cliocon 2025

In this hands-on, in-the-trenches episode about real business development, learn the secrets to acquiring and signing new clients from law firm advisor Steve Fretzin, author of the new book “Be That Lawyer: The 101 Top Rainmaker Secrets to Growing a Successful Law Practice.” Fretzin, an accomplished author, business strategist, and podcaster, works with law firms big and small to help them prioritize goals, build their business, and achieve measurable, repeatable successes. Business development is more than buzzwords such as “branding” or “marketing,” it’s about the entire, intentional path to creating a business that is always growing, always producing. It’s the process of becoming the lawyer that everyone knows and everyone goes to: a rainmaker. As Fretzin says, “Be that lawyer.”  Hear about “sales-free selling” with a thoughtful, insightful approach to learning what clients need before you start pitching a service. Develop a checklist, a map, for building your business that you can put to work today. Developing a business can be confusing, with a lot of moving parts. Fretzin explains how it all comes together. Mentioned in This Episode: Books by Steve Fretzin  Previous appearance on The Un-Billable Hour, “Business Development: Planning and Practicing” Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind?

In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table: Grappling with a marketing refresh? Start with understanding you are an experiment of one. Asking someone else what’s working for them is a doorway to blind alleys. There is nobody just like you, so explore all options, ask yourself what you want to get out of it. You can’t copy what someone else does.  Learn and live “The Five Commandments of Marketing.” Have a call to action, know what you want to get back for the marketing spend, evaluate your results, learn from the outcome, and commit to the full process (don’t skip a step). Hiring a marketing agency is tricky. Manage the agency. Don’t let them take over. Hold them accountable with weekly meetings and reports. Make sure the agency has worked in your field and knows your market. Understand where your money is going, what amount of your spend buys marketing and what pays the agency. Mentioned in This Episode: Cliocon 2025 Seth Godin Legal Marketing Blog Seth Godin previous appearance on Legal Talk Network’s “New Solo” podcast, “What New Solos Can Learn From Han Solo”  Ask us anything for the Community Table. Leave us a question online Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind?

Not too long ago, law firms were discouraged from using trade names and “branding” themselves. But the world has changed, and branding today is a key part of your success. Is it time for your firm to get serious, or even consider a “rebranding?”  Guest Jim Heininger, “The Rebrand Man,” founded and leads the firm Rebranding Experts. He is an experienced, highly successful brand consultant and brand activator. Branding, he says, is your strategic business accelerator, a “jet pack to success.”  Don’t confuse branding with marketing. It goes deeper. Who are you? What’s your culture? What do people think about when they hear your firm’s name, and what do they expect from you? Hear how far you can go with your brand (and how far you should).  Whatever you do, take a few minutes to soak up this insightful consultation with a branding expert who will get you thinking about who you are, what you stand for, and everything from your firm’s name to your message and culture. Mentioned in This Episode: “Jim Heininger: The Art of Rebranding,” YouTube “Your Rebranding Launch: Not The Finish Line But The Starting Point,” by Jim Heininger, Forbes Bravanti The Un-Billable hour podcast website Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind?

In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table:   An attorney realizes she’s waited too long to fire someone and knows there may be repercussions. But sometimes, the cost of keeping a problematic employee outweighs the consequences of letting them go. What’s best for the firm? What if you can’t fill the position and work piles up? Nothing stays the same, even in marketing. Attorneys question the value of “pay per click” online advertising. Hear what firms are seeing, especially in Google ad words. Is the “golden age” of pay per click over? As rules change, you are one algorithm change from trouble. Communicate with your marketing team and diversify.                        Imagine if you had to move to a new city, or if you simply wanted to. If it’s not a corporate gig, and you’re hanging out a shingle, it takes some work to ramp up. Network, network, network. Develop a marketing plan that ensures your name gets out and clients can find you.    Cliocon 2025 Ask us anything for the Community Table. Leave us a question online Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind?

It’s tax time. No, we’re not referring to a specific date. For your business, every day is tax time. Guests Jackie and Adam Williams are married and co-own Pennywise Tax Strategies, a firm focused on helping small businesses navigate tax codes to keep more of their hard-earned money. Jackie Williams is a CPA and veteran tax specialist, and Adam Williams is an attorney and serial entrepreneur who became frustrated with large tax bills.  Managing a business and your business taxes is more than handing over a stack of receipts to an accountant once a year. Many business owners don’t know enough about the tax system and miss opportunities to maximize earnings through intentional tax strategies throughout the year. Look at the future, not the past, when you think about taxes.  Payroll, cash flow, metrics, records all matter and all fit together every day, not just at the end of the tax year. This requires a shift in your mindset. Keep more of your money, reinvest it in your business, and get more out of life.  Tax strategy is not just for billionaires, it’s for you. Understand incentives baked into the tax code and how you can use tactics including the switch from sole proprietor to LLC or S Corp structures. Think this isn’t for you? Wait until you hear how much money, real money, you can save. Hear the actionable things you can start doing today. Mentioned in This Episode: The Un-Billable Hour podcast website Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind?

In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table: PLA? Professional law firm administrators. What you need to know and what they do. It’s not an office manager and it’s not an administrative assistant. Hear why you might need a PLA. As your firm grows, are you spending more time “running the business” than attracting clients and winning cases? Maybe you need a PLA.  While we’re at it, how about a non-attorney salesperson. Someone who is passionate will build your firm beyond simply sales. Propelling your brand is as important as getting a signature on the dotted line. Compensation, goals, motivation, there are so many factors. Understanding the difference between “wealth” and “money” is critical to your business. Money spent builds client lists (SEO, advertising, Google ranking), but building a referral network through a solid reputation builds wealth that never stops. One takes cash, one takes time, effort, and commitment. Mentioned in This Episode: Ask us anything for the Community Table. Leave us a question online. Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind?  Association of Legal Administrators Clio Legal Trends Report Clio Cliocon 2025

We all try, but who really measures? Who’s paying you on time? If you don’t know, it’s hard to know if the business is working. It comes down to cash flow. And, frankly, lawyering is a business.  Guest Karl Maier is a CFO and a business advisor at Abunden. He specializes in helping growing business manage systems and cash flow and putting it all into measurable terms. As you grow, you must know if the cash flow is growing. Maier helps businesses spot problems they aren’t facing today but may need to confront six months down the road.    A growing business can appear profitable in the short term and still face a cash flow problem down the road. Paying staff and keeping the lights on as you grow requires cash and timely client payments. It’s a delicate game. You need to be sure clients are paying, and sometimes that’s elusive.  If you’re a growing firm, or you want to be a growing firm, this episode will get you thinking. And it should. Nobody gets excited about spreadsheets – especially lawyers – but if you’re intent on growing your business, you must do this.  Mentioned in This Episode: The Un-Billable hour podcast website Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind?

In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table: Getting the most out of your next networking event means actually networking with new people, not simply socializing with the people you already know. It’s OK if you don’t love networking events, but you do need to go to them. Your next networking event starts before you get to the door. Do some research, get in touch with the leaders of the program prior to the day. Introduce yourself in an email and let them know how eager you are to meet them and others. Consider making your own name tag, something that clearly communicates who you are. Maybe even wear a distinctive article of clothing, something that makes it easy for others to remember you. “She always wears yellow,” or “He has the red pocket square.” (And please, carry business cards!) Knowing how to network isn’t a given. If you’re in a leadership position at your firm, take a moment to teach younger associates how to work the room and develop connections. They don’t teach this in law school.  Mentioned in This Episode: USA 500 Ms. Esquire Ask us anything for the Community Table. Leave us a question online Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind?  Clio Legal Trends Report Clio

Don’t think of December as the end of the year. Think of it as a chance to plan ahead for an exciting, purposeful, and opportunity-filled new year. Guest Andrea Liebross is the founder of her own firm, Andrea Liebross Coaching. She believes setting and achieving big audacious goals are best tackled through the implementation of solid systems, real goals, and the right (and ambitious) mindset.  Are you getting where you want to go? Too often, we set our own limits. We stay safe and we stay small. We do things the way we’ve always done them because it’s safe. Hear how setting “big” goals and stretching your thinking helps you become “future you.” Give yourself permission to find out what you really want and where you want to be. And then make a plan to get there.  Learn about Liebross’ “Think Big Toolkit” and the five components that can help you become “future you.” Don’t wait for things to happen to you, make the things you want happen. Mentioned in This Episode: “She Thinks Big” by Andrea Liebross Podcast “She Thinks Big” Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind?

In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table: New year, new plan. And that’s the key: plan. Don’t stumble blind into 2025, instead hear what the experts say about reviewing the previous year and setting goals for the new one. Don’t keep doing the same thing and expecting different results. Sometimes your ship needs a rudder. If you need a COO, an “executive officer,” to manage the practice, part-time help is available. Experienced administrators take a load off your shoulders and teach others how to set a course and get where you want to go. What to do when an associate can’t manage retainers and payments? Being a good lawyer is only part of the job, making sure the firm gets paid is the other part. Sometimes an associate isn’t good at communicating financial information with a client. But if you’re a business owner, you have a responsibility to make sure the firm makes money. Mentioned in This Episode: Association of Legal Administrators Ask us anything for the Community Table. Leave us a question online Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind?  Clio Legal Trends Report Clio Cliocon 2025

Guest M.C. Laubscher is the founder of Producers Wealth and an author, speaker, and podcaster who aims to help business owners create and build wealth for themselves, their families, and their team.  How do you look at the path to building your firm and your wealth? It’s not intuitive. It takes thought, effort, and time. How’s your cash flow, and how much time do you spend thinking about it? Sometimes as a business owner you get so caught up in the day-to-day that you may not be spending enough time working on your financial picture. Hear how finance, scale, and cash flow management can build your business. And make no mistake, a law firm is a business.  Hear about the small things you can do within your business that make your business work for you. There may be no greater return than investing in your own business. Never doubt what you can do if you believe in yourself and your business. Hear how you can allocate capital more effectively for greater returns from your own business. As Laubscher says, “You don’t have to be a Rockefeller to do what the Rockefellers do.” Mentioned in This Episode: “Rich Dad, Poor Dad,” by Robert Kiyosaki “Loan on a Life Insurance Policy,” Investopedia Producers Wealth, Un-Billable Hour page “Get Wealthy For Sure” by M.C. Laubscher, free with paid shipping Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind?

In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table: There’s a time to take stock and reset. Understanding what you value and your internal motivations will help you guide your law firm’s growth. Think about what gets you out of bed and into the office each day. For most, it’s more than money. Know the difference between growing and truly building. Purpose and intentional goals matter more than billing. It’s the holiday season, and who doesn’t want to take off work for an extended period to be with friends and family. But for law firm owners and leaders, the question is how? Set the pieces in place that will allow you to turn over the business to employees, such as an established chain of command and communication expectations. Try a test period to see how things go when others have to step up and run the office. And finally, let’s talk about recognizing and coming to grips with “red flags” from a job candidate. Sometimes … you just know.  Mentioned in This Episode: Ask us anything for the Community Table. Leave us a question online Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind?  Clio Legal Trends Report Clio Cliocon 2025