The Un-Billable Hour

Marketing and sales are keys to building your business. But where do they meet? It takes two to tango, and “Intake” is the junction. Good intake is always worth the effort.  Guest Bo Royal is co-founder of Pareto Legal and has worked with several Fortune 1,000 companies and scores of law firms. He specializes in helping small and medium sized law firms build their business and strengthen their intake process.  Data tracking and quality matters. Follow the trail, understand how the marketing funnel is working and where to get prospects in the door and sign that retainer. Intake is about nurturing inbound leads – the results of your advertising and marketing – and turning them into clients. Intake can make or break all of your marketing and sales efforts. Don’t build a “leaky bucket.” You worked hard, and spent a lot, to develop leads. This is an important episode that can help you go that last mile from generating interest to capturing revenue. Track the “journey” of every prospect. It’s not luck, it’s a process.  Mentioned in this Episode: Pareto Legal Pareto PPC LinkedIn Lawmatics Needles legal software Hubspot Clio Grow Google Analytics for beginners Join The Un-Billable Hour Community Table

In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table:  AI is all the rage in the public media, but how are lawyers using it in real life? For starters, it can help you with written communications. Tone down an angry brief or client communication. Write advertising or blog communications. Even create Excel formulas. (But remember, it’s a tool, not a replacement for your skills!).  How do you convey the value of a paid consultation? Help clients understand what they get by paying for a professional consultation. Sometimes it starts with an explanation that every case is different, and only a paid consultation can explore all available options before hiring an attorney. Tell prospects what they can expect from you and your conversation is more than a sales call. Marketing is important. And it’s expensive. How do you know when you’re getting the right ROI? It takes some math. Do you know how much you’re spending and how many paying clients are a direct result? Plus, the risks and rewards of posting your firm’s phone number prominently. Sometimes putting your number out there generates spam and time-wasting calls when a simple online scheduling tool could be more efficient. What’s right for you? Mentioned in this Episode: ChatGPT 4 Paxton AI for legal profession “Michael Cohen Says He Unwittingly Sent AI-Generated Fake Legal Cases To His Attorney,” NPR Microsoft Excel “PPC For Lawyers: It's About Cost Per Client, NOT Cost-Per-Click,” Lunch Hour Legal Marketing on Legal Talk Network “Getting Started With Local Services Ads,” Google Calendly Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind?

Business and professional growth are at the core of your business. This episode is about growth. Growing your business intentionally. Are you working “for your business” or “in your business?” Guest and growth guru Rick Watson helps business owners – like you – go beyond daily tasks to focus on real growth.  Watson started his consulting dynasty with a dream and twenty bucks in his pocket. He’s now the successful owner of several businesses, including a half billion-dollar registered investment advisory, and he’s the founder the National Referral Network. He walks the walk and provides solid insights.  Learn to think like an entrepreneur, not a practitioner. Don’t set artificial limits on your business. This is a deep dive, and it may force you to think. It’s about culture, goals, hiring, and about directing your firm and your future with purpose. If you’re on a treadmill running daily operations and chasing leads, you may be letting your business and your opportunities slip away. Separate good growth from bad growth, cut the mundane tasks, and energize your firm today.  Mentioned in this Episode: Video, “The Growth Minded Accountant: A Firm Worth Building With Rick Watson” Book, “A Firm Worth Building: Running a Better Professional Business,” By Rick Watson Join The Un-Billable Hour Community Table

In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table: We start with an attorney who wants to balance hiring and firm growth. What happens when you hire “too much” team for the work or have “too much work” for the team? It’s a delicate dance. Start with a business plan and control the one thing you can, the number of cases you accept. It’s OK to say no to a new potential client. (Plus, find out what Christopher calls a “bull$#!* plan”).  What happens when you haven’t explored new ways to market and you fall behind? No use crying over spilt milk, but honestly, get on it. You start from where you are. Understand what you’re doing, what’s working, and what’s failing. A swift kick in the pants may get you motivated. And how do you help a long-standing employee establish some metrics, mainly a minimum billable hour requirement? Be straightforward, but it’s a balancing act. Sometimes you gotta be cruel to be kind (in the right measure). Mentioned in this Episode: Empirical360 BlueShark Digital Marketing What are LSAs? (Local Service Ads) Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind?

Production and technology are inextricably intertwined. That doesn’t mean online tech replaces the human touch. It means today’s tech tools can help you better serve clients. But you still need to ask, anticipate, listen, and deliver. Guest Joey Seeber – an experienced litigator and the founder of the legal tech consulting and implementation company Level Legal – explores how tech and humans work together.  The legal world has become a digital jungle. Virtually everything is digitized. But untangling the bits and bytes and preparing them for courtroom presentation takes know-how and careful thought. There is no longer simply “acceptance” of technology; instead, technical competence is expected.  The trick is finding the perfect point where tech meets the human touch, allowing lawyers to best serve clients and to meet needs and understand things that go unsaid. From eDiscovery to AI, the tools are out there. But the human application of those tools makes the real difference. How well do you understand your role as a human in a high-tech world? What makes you stand out? Hear some great tips about using the right tech while bringing your own special touch to surprise and delight your clients. Mentioned in this Episode: Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy Clio Cloud Conference ABA Techshow Legalweek 2024   Join The Un-Billable Hour Community Table

In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table:  It’s a new year. The “Dos and Don’ts of New Year’s Resolutions.” It’s OK to set goals, heck, it’s great. But be reasonable, mindful even. There is no “magical thinking” that everything will change if you wish it. Review your past, understand yourself, share your vision. And if you need an unbiased opinion, ask someone. The dreaded sales slump isn’t cause for panic. If something has changed, your conversions fall off a cliff, take a deep breath and a logical approach. Don’t dash around like a squirrel in the road. You’ll find the flaw and correct it. Building your team isn’t easy, but if you take an open approach, you can do it. Interviewing a prospective team member is a marketing process – from both sides. You want to learn as much as you can about each other. If you have to spend some time and money getting it right, there’s nothing wrong with that.  Mentioned in this Episode: The Atlantic, “You Can’t Simply Decide To Be A Different Person” by Amanda Mull Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind?

Technology has quickly become a topic that touches everything in the legal world. You can’t escape it. While learning to embrace the latest in legal tech is vital to the success of your firm, it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. We’re talking on this episode about how today’s emerging tech trends impact every aspect of your law firm – from client acquisition, to producing results, to generating profit – with guest Colin Levy, an author, speaker, and leader in the world of legal tech. But just buying a tech package won’t deliver value. Incorporating today’s new tech tools, understanding how they work, and truly understanding them (and then actually using them) is what drives value. Take the time to understand what you need, what problems you’re solving, then seek out the tech that actually gets you to your destination.  Things are changing, and the rate of acceleration is accelerating, and we’re just getting started. Imagine AI drives the pace of change even faster. Before our eyes, technology is redefining what it means to be a lawyer. Mentioned in this Episode: Malbek “Handbook of Legal Tech,” by Colin Levy https://www.amazon.com/Legal-Tech-Ecosystem-Innovation-Advancement/dp/B0CKCZTLWW Clio Cloud Conference  ABA Techshow Legalweek 2024   Join The Un-Billable Hour Community Table

In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table:  Building an effective landing page is critical to making the most of your pay-per-click marketing dollars. Getting “clicks” is one thing, but then what? Hear how to craft a landing page that drives visitors to the next step: hiring you. Go beyond “call now.” Show why you’re the lawyer for the job. What makes you different? Referrals can be a big part of building your business, but getting them takes careful marketing and effective business relationships. It’s a two-way street. Be a friend to have a friend. It comes down to communication: if done well, it can be your cheapest marketing tool Building your business strategically helps you manage cash flow. If your practice area is too broad, you may be spreading your time across too many channels. And that can lead to cash shortfalls throughout the year. Understand what your business is really about and focus on that. You’re thinking of breaking away from a firm and starting your own practice? Hear some real-world advice from lawyers who have been there, done that. Mentioned in this Episode: Seth Godin, “The Mythical Head Of Marketing” Seth Godin’s blog Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind?

How to choose the legal tech that’s right for your firm, and how to reject the rest, without getting overwhelmed. What’s denying yourself and what’s overindulging? It can be overwhelming.  Guest Jared Correia helps law firms understand available technology and separate what’s helpful from what’s simply bright and shiny.  Correia looks at software from several angles: Intake, e-signature, customer relationship management, and performance monitoring. All are important, but how do they fit together? Ask yourself what you like about the software you have, and what do you hate, then what do you want, and finally what do you need. Most firms probably don’t need all the hardware they have in the office, including the servers and data storage. The cloud – data management by firms that specialize in secure data management – is the future. Learn the secrets of the “Core Four” of software: Productivity; Accounting; Case Management Software; and Customer Relationship Management. Hear how these bedrock systems are the foundation of any successful firm. Wait … what about what about AI? Mentioned in this Episode: Legal Toolkit podcast On The Road podcast “Twitter In One Hour For Lawyers” By Jared Correia Clio Cloud Conference ABA Techshow Filevine Join The Un-Billable Hour Community Table

In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table:  A firm owner needs a computer policy for employees both in-office and working from home. What policies should she have for damage to the firm’s computers and client security? There’s insurance for physical damage. More important is protecting client data if a laptop is stolen or hacked. How can you protect client confidentiality, both for staff in the office and working from home? Is a contract IT team the answer? How do you split tasks between two admins? Hear how you can divide tasks to match each employee’s area of excellence. Carving out niches so each employee delivers maximum value creates a foundation for growth.  You’ve hired a new employee, but they aren’t catching on. How much time do you allow before you know it’s not working, and you need to let them go? There is a reasonable period to expect results. It’s OK to be patient and retrain as needed, but don’t carry dead weight. Mentioned in this Episode: Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind? Previous appearance on the Community Table “Community Table: Using Vacations to Strengthen Company Culture”

Throughout his career in “big law” and fintech, guest Abdi Shayesteh struggled with the legal profession’s lack of formal training. “It was sink or swim” with every new challenge, he says. There had to be another way to help associates become better lawyers.  Law school may not fully prepare graduates to practice law, and the old apprenticeship model – learning on the job – has fallen apart as new lawyers are expected to produce billable hours from the start, and clients expect to pay for results, not teaching new lawyers. After practicing law for years, Shayesteh founded AltaClaro, an online platform built to train law school graduates how to actually practice law by applying practical skills training in a structured, online environment. Attorneys deserve better, and so do clients.  Hear how AltaClaro’s approach combines experiential learning techniques to help attorneys build skills and confidence in a low-risk environment. Lawyers learn, do, and review at their own pace with practice documents, contracts, and clients. Then they go through each exercise with a live, experienced, vetted professional.   New attorneys get the skills they need, and firms get the fully trained associates they want. Mentioned in this Episode: Clio Cloud Conference Join The Un-Billable Hour Community Table

In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table:  We start with an attorney who wants to create a fair referral compensation policy for his associate, a “grinder” who does everything asked. Recently, through a contact, the associate started bringing in new business. How does a firm set up a referral fee schedule? What’s fair to the associate and the firm? How to create effective, inviting “meet the attorney” videos as a relationship-building step with potential clients. What to include? What topics? How personal? Where do you post them on your website, or do you control when a potential client sees these?  When it’s time for a managing attorney or a director of operations, start by understanding the duties of each position and the experiences needed. One position requires a background in law; the other needs experience running a business (that includes facilities management, finance, and the overall operation of your office).  Mentioned in This Episode: Robert’s previous appearance on the Community Table “Community Table: Using Vacations to Strengthen Company Culture” WizeHire Legal Recruiting  LinkedIn Talent Solutions Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind?

When it comes to law firm marketing, what is “niching?” Guest Chris Dreyer founded and leads the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) marketing firm Rankings.io. In a thoughtful, in-depth interview, Dreyer shares how to make your law firm stand out in a crowded field when you stop trying to be everything to everyone.  Be memorable. Share what makes you special.  SEO is often portrayed as sorcery, but it’s not. It’s math, it’s work, and it’s attention to detail. Learn about the “Four C’s” of online marketing and what makes your firm stand out when a potential client types a need into a search engine: Content, Capital, Collaboration, and Code.  Dreyer explains what makes websites work, what makes content special, and how putting yourself out there as an expert in a specific area drives referrals and attracts attention.  A focus on SEO doesn’t work overnight. It’s a long-term play, but the benefits build on themselves and stock a client pipeline that can grow your firm as your reputation and visibility compound your efforts. Trying to “game the system” doesn’t work. There’s no substitution for sincerity, authenticity, and hard work.  Hear how you can get started and stay focused (and some common mistakes you can avoid) from an industry expert with a history of helping firms find new clients.  Mentioned in this Episode: "Niching Up: The Narrower The Market, The Bigger The Prize," by Chris Dreyer. SurferSEO HARO, Help A Reporter Out Fivrr Upwork "How To Get Rich: (Without Getting Lucky)," by Naval Ravikant. Malcolm Gladwell John Morgan Explains Morgan & Morgan’s Marketing Strategy, YouTube. Join The Un-Billable Hour Community Table: Eventbrite.

In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table:  We present an extended conversation with guest consultants Robert Leitner and Philip Fairley as they guide a lawyer ready to grow her personal injury and Social Security law firm and discuss how to hire the right people for a developing case load. Does she need another legal assistant, or a medical records clerk, or an intake professional?  With some practices – such as the “work now, collect later” world of PI and Social Security – it’s possible to “grow broke” by pouring too much capital into the business while waiting for payment. These are complicated issues as one attorney struggles to do everything from adding new cases and practicing law to marketing, growing, and even managing human resources. Some staffers add to overhead, and some are virtual ATMs building your firm’s revenue.  Learn how customer relation management tools convert leads into clients. Efficiency could unlock the cash flow you need to build your practice and add attorneys or support staff. Plus, the importance of a truly targeted marketing platform. Mentioned in this Episode: Zillametrics Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind?

Let’s talk about production and winning cases. It’s not only about acquiring new clients, but also acquiring new clients that can deliver results. A potential breakthrough using Artificial Intelligence, AI. How do we frame, understand, and implement the best of AI’s capabilities? Lawyers need to tread lightly, even as AI is becoming increasingly important in the field of law. Data is often “dirty,” unstructured, not built to serve. A properly “trained” AI program organizes these fields into useful information.   Guests Evyatar Ben Artzi and Gila Hayat are co-founders of Darrow.AI. Darrow's AI-powered Justice Intelligence Platform scans real world data to detect harmful events, determine the number of potential victims, predict the legislative outcome, and assess the financial value of a case to help firms locate and organize potentially important cases. No more chasing your tail or casting the widest net possible. Across the law, from financial misconduct to environmental protection to pharmaceuticals, there is data out there that creates patterns if you know where and how to look. Properly managing raw data may allow firms to find new clients and tell better stories more efficiently. Producing results starts before a case even walks through the door.  Mentioned in this Episode: Join The Un-Billable Hour Community Table Darrow.ai Darrow blog

In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table:   Our first topic is how to use vacations – including your own breaks – to affirm company culture. How do you get away without fully abandoning ship and leaving your team to fend for itself? You encourage team members to take vacations to renew and regroup, but what about you as the leader of the firm? Company culture starts at the top.  Prevent your email and calendar from running your life and set your own priorities. Don’t let your email own you, and certainly don’t let your team run your life. You run your life. You run your firm. (It’s harder than that sounds When is it appropriate to let an employee know the relationship isn’t working and it’s time to part ways? And, what’s an appropriate severance package  Plus, let’s talk about how to grade support staff. Set expectations and reasonable goals so staffers know what’s expected and you know what to expect. Mentioned in this Episode: “Come Up For Air,” by Nick Sonnenberg “We Have Met The Enemy And He Is Us,” Pogo by Walt Kelly Join the next Community Table live! What’s on your mind?

Is your marketing missing a key component, say, a way to reach Spanish speaking audiences? Many attorneys miss a large segment of their community that wants legal services, if only they would reach out.  Guest Hugo Gomez founded and leads Abogados Now, a digital marketing company that helps connect attorneys in the U.S. with the Spanish-speaking communities around them. This is about more than hiring a translator, this is about understanding different cultures and reaching out to them. Go beyond adding a “Google Translate” button to your website. What works in English often doesn’t work in another language. Even in Spanish the language and nuances vary from country to country, community to community.  Think it doesn’t matter? The Spanish speaking market is the fastest growing segment in the U.S., and nearly 1 in 5 people in the country have connections to Spanish speaking communities. The numbers don’t lie. It’s a massive market. But it’s not easy, and it takes experts who understand the cultures. Reaching out, effectively, to the Spanish speaking markets in your area can be your competitive edge.  Learn the steps you can take to establish an entirely new arm to your marketing and the services you provide and the people you help. Learn about adding a layer of authenticity, understanding, and honest representation. What works, where do you present yourself, and how do you reach these markets? Mentioned in this Episode: Law360, “Abogados Now Founder On Reaching Spanish Speakers” Join The Un-Billable Hour Community Table

In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table:  Our first question turned into a collaborative discussion around the Community Table with input from several other lawyers. How does a longtime attorney with her own firm finally shake things up, turn operations over to someone else, and focus on strategy and the practice of law? It’s hard to let go of control, even with a consultant pitching in. How do you market when money is tight, cash flow is low, and you need more dollars in the door? Start by knowing your practice. What’s the underlying issue, what kind of ship are you leading? From there you can spot opportunities and focus on revenue and marketing. Thinking of making a pivot or expanding from your current area of practice to boost revenue? Consider what you enjoy doing and think about what areas of the law generate consistent, timely cash flow.  Mentioned in this Episode: Gino Wickman, “Traction” Michael Morse, “Fireproof” Previously on the Un-Billable Hour, guest Michael Morse, “Your Firm? You Can’t Do It All (And You Shouldn’t Try)” ABA Techshow SMB Team The Rainmaker Institute WealthCounsel estate planning software L. David Marquet, “Turn This Ship Around: A True Story of Turning Followers Into Leaders” L. David Marquet, video, guest “Texas Business Radio” Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind?

Marketing, acquiring new business, and growing your firm are all important. But ultimately, any law firm has to produce results to scale, and that comes down to who you hire and how you manage, develop, and collaborate with your team.  Guest Luis Scott is the owner and managing partner of Bader | Scott Injury Lawyers. In addition to running a firm responsible for millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements, Scott devotes time to consulting with other firms to help them grow their own revenue.  Based in Atlanta, Scott understands a competitive market for client acquisition, but also for employee acquisition. How do you find, hire, and retain the best team? Hear how Scott and his firm identified and hired employees, then turned the best into leaders, freeing senior partners to focus on strategy. The bigger a firm grows, the more important a strategic, mindful approach becomes. How big do you want to grow? Three million in revenue? Eight million? Bigger?  Scott explains how he structures a firm and positions leaders and employees for success. Founders of any firm are only one person. After a threshold, there’s nothing more they can do by themselves. That’s where it’s vital to develop leaders who can oversee individual parts of the business, everything from litigation to HR to marketing.  If you lead a law firm of any size, consider this episode your own, personal consulting session that will help you organize and focus your efforts on growing your revenue and expanding your reach. (Plus, you’ll learn “The Five Ps” of law firm management.) Mentioned in this Episode: Un-Billable Hour Community Table Figure Firm Consulting The Guts and Glory Show “The King of Growth,” by Luis Scott “It Has to Hurt,” by Luis Scott

In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table:  Interview questions to ask that help you understand an applicant’s true motivations. Questions that dig a little deeper. And how to accept those answers at face value. Ever had a terrible experience hiring someone? There are tools to help you avoid mistakes, but you have to learn how to use them. But there are no silver bullets. Go boldly, but tread lightly.  Dealing with a new hire who won’t complete required training? Can you really require someone to learn, and if they won’t, is that grounds to terminate the relationship? This question quickly drifts into some interesting territory.  And finally, how long can you keep a new attorney at your firm before they need to start returning a profit to the firm? Maybe while they learn the ropes, you can at least have them do something that delivers value. (You can only wait so long).  Mentioned in this Episode: Malcolm Gladwell, Revisionist History page Malcolm Gladwell, “Hamlet Was Wrong” Using DiSC For Hiring Kolbe The Predictive Index Myers-Briggs personality test Jay Henderson, Real Talent Hiring Real Talent Hiring Wizehire Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind?