Lawyerist Podcast

Your firm has AI tools. Your team has questions. In episode 640 of the Lawyerist Podcast, Zack Glaser talks with Ben Schorr about helping lawyers and staff get comfortable using AI through practical, collaborative workshops called prompt-a-thons.  Ben shares what happens when people have time to work through common office tasks with AI, including prioritizing email, preparing reports, and gathering client contact information. As participants improve their prompts and compare ideas, they begin connecting what they are learning to problems they already face at work.  They explore how to organize a prompt-a-thon, why gathering people in the same room can make a difference, and how to keep the experience useful without making it a competition. The conversation also examines how colleagues can become an ongoing source of support as teams discover new ways to use AI.  If your team understands the possibilities but hesitates to try the tools, this episode offers a manageable way to move from watching demonstrations to building practical skills.  Listen to the previous episodes on AI Adoption and Team Confidence.  #624: Building Better Lawyers in the Age of AI, with April Dawson Apple | Spotify | LTN  #598: From Hype to Practice: Using Microsoft Copilot in Your Law Firm, with Ben Schorr Apple | Spotify | LTN  #597: What Lawyers Get Wrong About Teaching Clients and Teams, with Danielle Hall Apple | Spotify | LTN  #590: Innovating Without Overwhelm: Practical AI Tips for Lawyers, with Graydon Trusler Apple | Spotify | LTN   Have thoughts about today’s episode? Join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X!   If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you.   Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com.   Chapters / Timestamps  00:00 – Introduction  00:32 – How Practice Builds AI Confidence  04:11 – Meet Ben Schorr05:56 – What a Prompt-a-thon Actually Is07:30 – Choosing Everyday Tasks for AI Practice09:36 – Why AI Training Needs a Practice Session12:37 – Building a Community Around AI Use14:13 – Getting Your Inbox Under Control with Copilot15:25 – Refining Prompts for More Useful Results18:18 – Moving from Prompts to Scheduled Tasks and Agents19:44 – Connecting AI to Your Firm’s Information22:00 – Why Documented Procedures Make AI More Useful25:55 – Using AI to Simplify Monthly Reporting27:59 – Extracting Client Contact Information from Email31:35 – In Person, Hybrid, or RemotPrompt-a-thonons37:56 – Measuring Success Through Learning and Confidence39:56 – How to RuPrompt-a-thonthon in Your Firm41:52 – Closing Thoughts 

AI can create a law firm website in minutes. Building a useful marketing strategy takes more thought. In episode 639 of the Lawyerist Podcast, Zack Glaser talks with legal marketing consultant Karin Conroy about why easier content creation is leaving so many lawyers overwhelmed and what to do before asking AI for another post.  Karin shares a five-step approach to putting your marketing in order: evaluate your current state, set your strategy, repair the foundation, map your channels, and build a content engine. She explains how understanding your ideal clients and the ways they already find you can help you decide where AI belongs.  Together, they explore why viral posts can generate attention without advancing your business goals, how a polished website can still miss the mark, and why your website, intake process, and referral systems need to support whatever you publish. They also discuss how online marketing and personal relationships can work together to make your firm more memorable.  If every new AI tool makes you feel further behind, this episode offers a practical way to identify what needs attention first and move forward with a clearer plan.  Listen to the previous episodes of our AI, Branding & Law Firm Marketing.  #610: Beyond Copycat Marketing: Building a Law Firm Brand That Actually Converts, with Karin Conroy Apple | Spotify | LTN  #603: Turn Expertise into Clients: Building Authority That AI Recognizes, with Karin Conroy Apple | Spotify | LTN  #584: How to Stay Human in the Age of AI-driven Law Firm Marketing, with Creative Conroy Apple | Spotify | LTN   #580: Smarter Law Firm Marketing: AI Tools That Actually Work, with FirmPilot Apple | Spotify | LTN  Links from the episode:  https://conroycreativecounsel.com/  Have thoughts about today’s episode? Join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X!   If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you.   Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com.   Chapters / Timestamps  00:00 – Introduction  01:06 – Meet Karin Conroy and the AI Website Question  04:39 – Why Law Firms Skip the Marketing Fundamentals  06:28 – Why AI Creates More Marketing Overwhelm  11:33 – Putting Strategy Before Marketing Tactics  13:56 – Defining Your Strategy and Ideal Client  14:52 – Why Going Viral Doesn’t Mean Getting Clients  16:34 – Why Copying Competitors’ Marketing Doesn’t Work  18:32 – Making Sure Your Website Can Support Your Marketing  21:02 – Choosing Channels Based on How Clients Find You  22:40 – Repairing Your Marketing Foundation Before Adding AI  24:25 – When Your Law Firm Website Needs a Refresh  29:42 – How Website Design Shapes Client Trust  32:58 – Standing Out When Everyone Uses AI  35:22 – Five Steps to Get Your Marketing on Track  36:32 – Connecting Your Online and Offline Marketing  38:09 – Why Human Relationships Still Drive Growth  39:44 – Closing Thoughts   

Running two practice areas can feel like running two law firms under one roof. In episode 638 of the Lawyerist Podcast, Stephanie Everett talks with Megan Burns, managing partner at Mirador Law, about the firm’s decision to focus entirely on plaintiff personal injury after years of also handling criminal defense.  After 20 years as a criminal defense lawyer, Megan knew her trial skills could carry over. The business side required its own transition. She explains how different fee structures, marketing needs, and staffing demands led her and her partner to rethink how the firm operated. They started with a partner retreat to agree on a long term vision, then mapped out the steps needed to make it real.  Together, they discuss how to narrow a practice, support the people affected by the change, and build a firm around a shared direction. If your firm handles several practice areas and you are wondering where to focus, this episode offers a practical place to start.  Listen to the previous episodes of our Law Firm Strategy & Leading Change.  #635: Leading Forward: Why Great Ideas Aren’t Enough for Law Firm Strategy, with Debbie Foster & Stephanie Everett Apple | Spotify | LTN  #633: Leading People in Law Firms: Building Trust, Developing Talent, and Holding Standards, with Debbie Foster & Stephanie Everett Apple | Spotify | LTN  #600: Designing a Law Firm You Actually Want to Run, with Stephanie Everett Apple | Spotify | LTN  #575: From Overwhelmed Lawyer to Strategic Law Firm Owner, with Chad Fox Apple | Spotify | LTN  Have thoughts about today’s episode? Join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X!   If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you.   Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com.   Chapters / Timestamps  00:00 – Introduction00:47 – Why Law Firm Growth Takes a Process03:19 – Meet Megan Burns03:53 – From Public Defender to Personal Injury Lawyer05:41 – How Trial Skills Transfer Between Practice Areas07:49 – Changing Practice Areas Changes the Business Model09:11 – Flat Fees, Contingency Fees, and Financial Risk11:03 – When Two Practice Areas Became Too Much11:45 – Setting a New Vision at a Partner Retreat13:13 – Why Two Practice Areas Can Feel Like Two Firms15:27 – Getting Law Partners on the Same Page18:00 – Turning the Vision Into a Plan for the Team20:01 – How Leaders Set the Tone for Change22:27 – Building on a 50 Year Firm Legacy24:20 – Competing as a Small Personal Injury Firm26:11 – Closing Thoughts 

Most lawyers know relationships lead to referrals. The challenge is keeping those relationships alive when everything else gets busy. In this episode of the Lawyerist Podcast, Stephanie Everett talks with Jay Ruane about analog marketing and the simple systems that make staying connected part of running a firm.  Jay explains why offline marketing often falls apart after the first month and how a repeatable approach can help lawyers follow through. They explore using AI to identify forgotten connections in your inbox, making time for short coffee meetings, and becoming the person others trust to make a useful introduction.  The conversation also covers networking as an introvert, asking about someone else’s ideal client, and choosing thoughtful gifts that people actually want to keep. Jay shares why his firm sends clients blankets without its logo and why a manageable network of 50 referral partners can support a successful practice.  If your marketing plan depends on remembering to reach out when things slow down, this episode offers a more practical way to build relationships, generate referrals, and keep showing up.    Listen to the previous episodes of our Referral Marketing, Relationship Building & Law Firm Growth.  #636: Why Past Clients May Be Your Law Firm’s Best Growth Strategy, with EJ Stern & Katherine Wilson Apple | Spotify | LTN  #608: Business Development for Lawyers: Building Real Relationships That Lead to Clients, with Megan Senese Apple | Spotify | LTN  #606: Breaking the Copycat Cycle: Building a Law Firm with Personality, with Patrick Patino Apple | Spotify | LTN  #515: Simple Marketing Hacks Lawyers Swear By, with Gyi Tsakalakis Apple | Spotify | LTN  Have thoughts about today’s episode? Join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X!   If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you.   Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com.   Chapters / Timestamps  00:00 – Introduction  00:59 – Stephanie’s Blog and the Lawyerist Community  03:02 – Meet Jay Ruane  03:57 – Why Relationship Marketing Needs a System  07:17 – Keeping Your Systems Simple  08:46 – Why Analog Marketing Still Works  11:01 – Using AI to Rediscover Referral Connections  12:07 – Building a Network by Connecting Others  14:13 – Networking as an Introvert  17:19 – Preparing for Better Conversations  19:31 – Talking Business Without Forcing a Pitch  20:32 – Asking for Introductions  21:43 – Moving Beyond a Scarcity Mindset  22:41 – Thoughtful Gifts vs. Branded Merchandise  26:16 – Conference Giveaways People Actually Want  27:11 – Making a Book a Personal Gift  28:31 – Building a Repeatable Marketing Routine  29:49 – Why 50 Referral Partners Can Be Enough  30:46 – Closing Thoughts 

Law firms spend enormous amounts of time and money winning new clients, then often overlook the relationships they have already built. In episode 636 of the Lawyerist Podcast, Stephanie Everett talks with EJ Stern and Katherine Wilson about how intentional client nurturing can lead to stronger relationships, repeat business, and more referrals.  EJ and Katherine explain why clients can quietly disappear when firms stop staying connected, why asking for feedback can strengthen rather than threaten a relationship, and how lawyers can move beyond being the person clients call with one legal problem to becoming a trusted advisor they call about everything else.  They also share practical ways to stay top of mind, from LinkedIn and personal check-ins to thoughtful gifts, memorable experiences, and small gestures that show you actually know the person behind the matter. As AI-generated communication becomes easier to produce, authentic human connection may become even more valuable.  If your firm is constantly focused on finding the next client, this conversation is a reminder that some of your best growth opportunities may already know, like, and trust you.  Listen to the previous episodes of our Client Retention, Referral Growth & Relationship Building.  #609: Improve Client Satisfaction Without More Work: Designing Smarter Legal Services, with Laura Hartnett Apple | Spotify | LTN  #608: Business Development for Lawyers: Building Real Relationships That Lead to Clients, with Megan Senese Apple | Spotify | LTN  #592: Client Care, Culture, and Character: A Framework for Great Leaders, with William O’Neal Apple | Spotify | LTN  #526: LinkedIn Mastery: Grow Your Law Firm NOW!, with Matthew Hunt Apple | Spotify | LTN  #424: How to Get Great Feedback from Clients, with Ashley Steckler Apple | Spotify | LTN  #347: How a Client Happiness Coordinator Increased My Firm Referrals & Reviews, with Ryan McKeen & Brittany Green Apple | Spotify | LTN  Links from the episode:  https://smith.ai/  8am Kaleidoscope: https://www.8am.com/events/kaleidoscope/  Fractional Law Firm CMO  Fractional Law Firm CMO on LinkedIn  EJ Stern on LinkedIn  Katherine Wilson on LinkedIn  Have thoughts about today’s episode? Join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X!   If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you.   Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com.   Chapters / Timestamps   00:00 – Introduction  01:16 – Getting More From Conferences  03:02 – AI in Law Firms  06:39 – AI for Client Intake  08:15 – Intake Is a Sales Funnel  11:19 – Fixing Intake Leaks  13:22 – AI for Sales and Intake  14:53 – Meet EJ Stern & Katherine Wilson  15:36 – Why Client Retention Gets Overlooked  16:19 – Turning Clients Into Referrals  17:47 – Why Lawyers Avoid Feedback  21:01 – Why Client Experience Matters  21:54 – Becoming a Trusted Advisor  22:54 – How to Ask for Client Feedback  24:33 – Staying Top of Mind  25:27 – Building Client Loyalty  26:50 – Past Clients and Referral Sources  28:41 – Creative Client Gifts  32:22 – Human Connection in the Age of AI  34:50 – Invest in Existing Clients  35:21 – Building Long-Term Client Relationships  36:11 – Marketing Is Like the Gym  37:13 – LinkedIn and Staying Top of Mind  38:00 – Keep Repeating Your Message  38:21 – Closing Thoughts