New Solo

Guest Phil Diamond is a CPA and lawyer who serves as the comptroller for Orange County, Florida (think Orlando). He started out studying accounting and got his first job in the field before deciding it wasn’t all he dreamed of and headed back to law school.   But now, after a long and successful career in law, Diamond combines his accounting and legal background as comptroller, serving his community as a fiscal watchdog and guardian.  This episode of New Solo may spark something in you, make you want to get out there and do something for your community. “I think it’s important for lawyers to get involved. Lawyers, in general, I think have this gene inside of them that makes them want to get involved and make a difference.” Diamond says. “I’d encourage every lawyer out there to get involved.” Questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at [email protected]. Topics:  Funny where life takes us. Guest Phil Diamond started in accounting, went into law, and then public services, first as a volunteer, then an elected city commissioner, and now as the elected comptroller of a major Florida county. Lawyers by nature want to get involved and have a drive to help reach the right decisions. They are made for public service. You don’t have to run for office to help your community. Every government has committees that need smart, insightful people, from planning and zoning boards to parks and rec.   Resources:  IRS.gov  ClioCon 2026  ABA Techshow 2027

What are you charging your clients for, “minutes” or “results?” Guest John Rafferty started his own firm, Highfield Law, in the Philadelphia suburbs, specializing in guardianships and estates. He’s a convert to flat-fee, results based, billing. No more “billable hours.” And it works. Rafferty is also a tech guy. Zoom, phone, face to face, it’s all at the client’s choice. Meeting clients where they want is key, and Rafferty finds many prefer some mix of online and in-person contact. It’s a new world. (And that goes for hiring online and part-time administrative help, too). Hear how Rafferty reinvented his legal practice, from billing to remote work, and how he sets his flat-fee rates based on value and the market. Having the confidence to set a rate, and stick to it, is important. It takes courage, but it’s worth it.  And one more thing: “All funds are due up front.” Does this all sound blunt and, frankly, different? Perhaps, but it can take the focus off the money and hours and let clients focus on getting the results they want. (Plus, a bonus tip: where to find the best Philly cheesesteaks!)  Questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at [email protected].  Topics: Flat-fee billing works if you have the confidence to set your fee and stick to it. John Rafferty went out on his own and established a results-based firm. No more “billable hours.”  Meet clients where they are. That doesn’t have to be in an office. Clients are busy, too. Sometimes an online video chat or a phone call is better than having someone “drop by the office.”  For solo practices, tech matters. Get comfortable with digital platforms and let them speed up the routine tasks. If a flat-fee project takes fewer hours than you estimated because you were efficient, that’s pure profit. Resources: “Ditch the Billable Hour! Implementing Value-Based Pricing in a Law Firm,” by Shaun Jardine Previously on the Legal Talk Network, “No More Billable Hours: The Move To Value-Based, Results-Based Pricing,” The Un-Billable Hour Clio legal software Smokeball legal software CARET legal software Claude AI Microsoft OneDrive Quo phone system Zoom ClioCon 2026 ABA Techshow 2027 

As an attorney, you do great work, you get results for your clients, but do you ever feel invisible? Getting your name out there and letting people know what you do is still important, no matter how good you are, and it doesn’t have to be expensive or take up all your time. Guest Karen Korr is a veteran legal communications professional and an expert in legal media relations, public relations, marketing, and branding who helps lawyers get their name out there, build relationships, and make a lasting impression.   Of course, it starts with being consistent and being human. But it’s been said most of us don’t remember something until we see it 15 times. So, making your firm visible is important, whether that’s in a news release, or social media, or sponsorships, or advertising. The secret is, it’s not that time consuming or costly. It just takes some knowhow. Hear Korr’s tips for letting your light shine, tips you can start using today to make your firm top of mind. Visibility lets clients know about the great work you do and the problems you solve. Questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at [email protected].  Topics: It’s not enough to do good work. If nobody knows, how does that build your business? Guest Karen Korr is a legal communications pro who gets legal professionals the attention and recognition they deserve. Awards, rankings, social media, advertising, and networking do matter. Many lawyers avoid that part of building a business because they think it’s too time consuming or expensive. The secret? It’s not. How do you write an effective news release? What do reporters and influencers want to know in the first paragraph. What does using a generic (hint, “Gmail”) email address say about your firm?   Resources: Super Lawyers Best Lawyers LinkedIn Bluesky X Eventbrite Reddit Businesswire PR Newswire ABA Techshow 2026 Special thanks to our sponsors CallRail, ALPS Insurance, Wyzer Staffing, and LEX Reception.

Still on the fence about AI? You might not have a choice if you want your firm to succeed. Guest Craig Ball is a lawyer, law professor, special master, author, and above all a tireless student of all things electronic. AI, he says, may be the most transformative legal tool to hit the profession ever. Bigger than word processing, online research, even the internet.  Ball explains how AI is emerging from hype and headlines to real world applications such as drafting documents and sifting through gigabytes of e-discovery. Learning the art of AI prompting and developing the skepticism to evaluate AI powered product isn’t an option. This is the future of the practice of law, Ball says. But AI isn’t a free pass and it’s not magic. If you want quality legal work through AI, it’s going to cost you. “Free” AI platforms probably won’t cut it. Be prepared to spend not just the time, but also the money to incorporate your own voice and the particular expertise of your firm into pay-to-play AI programs.  If you’ve been reading the headlines and wondering how AI applies to your practice, this episode will fill in a lot of the gaps. And here’s the thing, you’re not “too old” to dive in and resistance can hurt you. As Ball says, “It’s an AI enabled world.”    Questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at [email protected]   Topics: If you thought you could ignore AI, continue your practice without it, and scoff at lawyers who use it, you may be wrong. AI is here to stay and it’s transforming the legal profession. Guest Craig Ball – a lawyer and law professor – shares how AI is already performing real tasks and making real, experienced lawyers better. You’re not “too old” or too set in your ways to plug AI into your practice (and to understand how opposing counsel is already using it). Mastering AI isn’t free and it won’t come without effort. But if you invest the time and money, it can return exponential rewards in productivity and efficiency. Get excited about AI today.   Resources: Microsoft Copilot AI Claude AI Harvey AI Microsoft Word ABA Techshow 2026 CraigBall.com  “Leery Lawyer’s Guide to AI,” by Craig Ball Ball in Your Court blog “Forensic Tells: The Litigator’s Guide to Detecting Deep Fakes,” by Craig Ball

What’s it like to manage diverse organizations and bring together different personalities and achieve goals? Guest Jill Epstein is a lawyer by training but has spent more than two decades managing organizations and associations. She is currently the CEO of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of California and has served as executive director of the San Diego County Bar Association, among other leadership positions.  Epstein found her own path, bringing people together, during her internships while attending law school. That opened a new horizon. For her, managing teams and developing innovative solutions was a more appealing career than the traditional law firm or government litigator route. Working for a variety of associations, she has carved her way by leading associations as they navigate shifting priorities, evolving technologies, and demands.  For lawyers, there’s more than practicing law in the traditional sense. Epstein built on her education to develop skills in budget management, human resources, bringing diverse parties together, solving problems, organizing, managing meetings, and driving initiatives. Did you graduate from law school only to find that practicing law isn’t for you? Your law degree and the critical thinking skills you’ve developed are still the springboard to a variety of careers in leadership.  Questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at [email protected]   Topics: A law degree doesn’t limit you to a career practicing law. The critical thinking and negotiating skills you learn in law school open a path to a variety of leadership fields. Guest Jill Epstein was inspired by her law school internships with membership organizations and has enjoyed decades of challenging roles leading a range of membership organizations. Leadership skills apply no matter an organization’s membership and specialty. Understanding how to navigate boards and members with different perspectives apply across fields.  Resources: Toastmasters International: https://www.toastmasters.org/  ChatGPT: https://chatgpt.com/  Claude AI: https://claude.com San Diego County Bar Association: https://www.sdcba.org/  ABA Techshow 2026: https://www.techshow.com/