Life & Law Podcast

A lot is going on in the world, and within our country, that's unsettling (to say the least). Some of this is even impacting lawyers and law firms. Before going any further, the answer to your question is… Yes, I'm going “there”. But note: it's probably not quite what you think. We keep saying we need better political leaders. But what if our political leaders aren't the real problem? And what if we attorneys could be a guiding force for much-needed change? I believe we not only can be, but should be a guiding force. Because we lawyers have a responsibility - not just to speak up but to hold ourselves to higher standards and walk the talk. The post Episode #203: Lawyers, You Have A Responsibility appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

Let's talk about law firm politics—The unspoken stuff that affects your compensation, your promotions, and your power inside the firm. Truth: learning how to navigate certain sticky, political situations is a necessity if you want to move up. But that doesn't mean you must sell your soul to "play the game", either. Listen to today's Life & Law Podcast episode to learn how to effectively advocate for yourself (while playing the so-called "political game") with clarity, confidence, and integrity. The post Episode #202: Law Firm Politics (How To Navigate Common Scenarios) appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

Join me and special guest Janet Falk for legal marketing tips you likely haven't heard before. Inside of today's episode, you'll learn: - How to rethink the buyer's journey (and why it's more about confirmation than anything), - The 5 main ways to market as a lawyer, and - Why not shy away from media attention (but instead, seek it out). Janet has a wealth of experience from which to learn (so do yourself a favor and listen now). The post Episode #201: Legal Marketing Tips (You Haven’t Heard Before) appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

A warning before making a lateral partner move: Most law firms are better at selling the dream than they are at delivering it. That isn't because they're misrepresenting anything, but more about the fact that most lawyers and law firms aren't great at: - Setting clear expectations, - Identifying whether an attorney is truly a fit, or - Running worst-case scenarios (that could upend the best of plans). That doesn't mean you can't make a lateral move! On the contrary, it can be one of the best decisions for you and your law practice. But before making a lateral move, listen to today's podcast to learn everything you'll want to ask, consider, and analyze. Because the last thing you want is to trade one set of untenable problems for another set (that could be even worse). The post Episode #200: Lateral Partner Moves: What Every Law Firm Partner Needs To Know appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

Do you know why people buy any product or service (including your legal services)? Psychology. We narrow down, make initial gut decisions and convince ourselves through emotions. Feelings (not rational thinking). Yes, we use rational decision-making later in the game - but that comes last. This is why it's important to understand the psychology of sales. Join me to learn about 3 sales psychology principles, and how to utilize them in your marketing, networking, and selling of legal services (ethically and effectively). This is not about manipulation. It's about meeting people where they are. The post Episode #199: The Psychology of Sales: What Lawyers Need To Know appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

Adoption of generative AI has been pretty slow within the legal community. And I must admit: I couldn't really see a good use of AI for lawyers. Until Mariette Clardy-Davis changed my mind. Join us today for an informative conversation about how lawyers and law firms can utilize generative AI (and why use it in the first place). The post Episode #198: AI for Lawyers (What To Know, Do & Not Do) appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

You're bored. You often feel as if you're going through the motions. Practicing law just doesn't motivate you any longer. Is it time to stop practicing law altogether or do you just need to shake things up a bit (by making a change to your industry, place or clients)? Listen to today's Life & Law Podcast episode to learn the tell-tale signs that you need a change, and how to determine your next steps for the type of change you want to make. The post Episode #197: How To Spot When It’s Time To Stop Practicing Law appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

To my lawyers who cringe when thinking about networking with friends for business… It need not feel awkward. It's not about making a “pitch”. And no, you aren't taking advantage. In this week's Life & Law Podcast, I'm sharing: ⇒ How to shift your mindset around networking (in general and when it comes to networking with friends); and ⇒ My simple 3-part framework for how to network with friends for business naturally (and effectively). The post Episode #196: How To Network With Friends For Business (Naturally, Without Feeling Pushy) appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

Great law firm client management isn't always about keeping clients happy. Sometimes, the smartest move is to let a client go. Which is why today I'm breaking down: ⚖️ The 5 big signs it's time to let go of a client; and ⚖️Why this move actually strengthens your practice. And before you read any further, a quick note… Yes, you've probably got one of these clients.

Lawyers beware: the size of your book doesn't accurately represent the strength of your practice. When building your legal practice, you might be making some common mistakes that could haunt you later on. Listen to learn about three hidden weaknesses that could haunt you later on and how to ensure you don't make these common mistakes yourself. The post #194: Building Your Legal Practice (Watch Out For These Hidden Weaknesses) appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

Leadership isn't a skill most lawyers learn about until forced to (on the job). This is probably why I get so many questions from lawyers about how to be an effective leader. And why I wanted to bring today's guest on to talk about the qualities of a good leader. Join me and fellow lawyer, podcast host, and law firm owner, Brian Beckcom, for an insightful discussion about what makes a good leader and the leadership qualities to adopt for yourself. The post #193: Lawyer Leadership: Qualities Of A Good Leader appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

No one teaches you how to be a partner. It's something you have to figure out on your own through experience (which can be a bit clunky). Same thing when it comes to making the transition from associate to business-builder (or senior counsel, of counsel, or service partner to business-builder). What should you actually do to help make that transition less difficult? Listen to learn the top 5 things you can start doing to make that transition easier. The post #192: How To Transition From Associate To Business-Builder appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

There's a myth I want to dispel about changing your mindset (or a habit). Most people seem to think that a relapse means total failure (or that something is wrong with you). But that's not true (because it's not how the brain works). Learn why a relapse is a sign of growth (not failure) and how to approach your next mindset or habit relapse - without panicking or beating yourself up over it. The post Episode #191: Changing Your Mindset: A Truth Bomb (You Need To Know) appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

LinkedIn is now roughly on par with law firm websites/website bios for vetting law firms and attorneys, which is why private practice lawyers should have a presence on LinkedIn. But what should you do when you're just getting started on LinkedIn? Listen in to discover why your LinkedIn Profile is the starting point - and how to maximize your profile so that it works to your benefit. The post #190: Getting Started On LinkedIn (An Effective Profile) appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

You're a law firm partner struggling to grow your business. How well are you leveraging your internal law firm network? If you're like most attorneys, the answer is likely "not well at all". Today, we cover how to network internally to grow your business (hint: there's more than one way) and why internal networking is a seriously underused growth strategy. The post #189: Underused Growth Strategy for Law Firm Lawyers appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

Join me and guest Lora Cheadle for a deep-dive discussion into what's behind the legal profession's burnout problem (and what we often miss). Hint: there's more to it than the billable hour, long hours, and even firm culture. The post #188: Deep-Dive Into What’s Really Causing The Legal Profession’s Burnout Problem appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

You've lost everything (thanks to the worst flooding or fire ever seen in your area). You unexpectedly lose someone close to you. You're diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer. When something devastating like this happens... What can you do? Listen to discover a proven 5-step process for dealing with adversity. Life hardships happen. You cannot escape them. But that doesn't mean you're destined to stay stuck within them (and you have a choice as to whether or not you do). The post #187: Dealing With Adversity (What To Do When Hard Times Hit) appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

Your calendar is so full it looks like an ugly patchwork quilt of overlapping green, orange, blue, red and grey. Jumping from one emergency to another, you always feel rushed. You'd like to slow down, but how? Today, you'll learn: ==> What slowing down really means. ==> The big benefits of slowing down (such as improved sleep, creativity and productivity). ==> How to slow down, starting now (by focusing on just 3 simple things). The post #186: How To Slow Down (& Why Every Lawyer Needs To Slow Down) appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

What should lawyers talk about on LinkedIn? Legal and relevant business topics only? Is there a time and place to share more personal things (and how do you do that while keeping things professional)? What about topics that might not be popular? Join me and fellow business coach Jamie Sternberg for a lively discussion on what to talk about (and what you might want to stay away from) on LinkedIn. The post #185: Should Lawyers Stick To Legal & Business Topics On LinkedIn? appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

I've had impostor syndrome since I was a teenager (meaning: well over 35 years). And although I used to struggle with it mightily, I'm now ok with it even though I sometimes STILL feel like an impostor. Which is what we get into today: how to turn impostor syndrome on its head and embrace it for your benefit. The post #184: Lawyer Impostor Syndrome (Need Not Be A Negative) appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

In this episode, learn the top lessons Heather learned from 2024 and how you can incorporate them into your life (so that - hopefully - you don't need to learn these lessons the hard way, like Heather did). The post Episode #183: What Did 2024 Teach Me? appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

Today's episode is short yet important. It's about asking yourself a powerful question (and - of course - honestly answering it) as you wrap up 2024 and head into the new year. Ask yourself this question. Push yourself out of your comfort zone. Be willing to answer "yes". Not only will you achieve more; you'll have more fun while doing it. The post #182: Lawyers, Are You Willing? appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

Today we revisit an old episode as we head into the end of the year. Here are the top life lessons I learned, thanks to my breast cancer battle. Lessons you can learn from, too. The post #181: What I Want You To Know (Breast Cancer Lessons – Rewind) appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

Do you have trouble trying to sell yourself and/or your services because it feels salesy or pushy? You're a lawyer, not a marketing or sales guru. And honestly, you'd prefer not to have to sell. Listen to today's interview with sales and marketing expert Steve Fretzin to discover (1) why selling need not be a bad thing and (2) how to utilize sales-free selling to sell more effectively (and feel good about it). The post #180: Stop Trying To Sell Yourself (Do This Instead) appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

Learn my top tool for reducing, managing and actually preventing stress. Because lots of stress can be prevented. Get my favorite tool - and prompts - for doing that. The post #179: Top Tool for Lawyer Stress Prevention appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

Join me and guest Blake Grewal for an insightful discussion around how to gather regular client feedback for improving your client experience. You'll also learn some of the surprising benefits - and uses - for doing this. [Hint: you can grow your business based on the feedback you get and also improve firm culture]. The post #178: Lawyers, You Need More Client Feedback appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

Listen to Part 2 of this week's Life & Law on rewind. Where we revisit an important theme that comes up a lot: how to be more productive by prioritizing properly. So that you can do less yet achieve more. The post #177: Prioritizing To Do Less, Achieve More (Rewind Episode) appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

Today we're revisiting an early episode (that received raved reviews at the outset): How To Be Productive by developing a productive mindset. The post #176: A Productive Mindset (Rewind Episode) appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

Want to improve law firm profitability (or the profitability of your own law practice)? You'll want to listen to my enlightening conversation with CPA and Fractional CFO Kyle Smith. In today's episode, Kyle simplifies the business-of-law side by breaking down the exact performance indicators you need to pay attention to in order to maximize law firm profitability. Once you've listened, you will walk away with the basic starting-point knowledge you need for what metrics to pay attention to, why and how. The post #175: Improve Law Firm Profitability (Tracking Your KPI’s) appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

Learn what to do when you feel trapped by your own legal success. Because paper success is not enough (here is how to be successful and happy). The post #174: Feel Trapped By Legal Success? appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

Learn why it's never too late to become a lawyer (or make any big life change), and the 3 things you can do to best support yourself when going through a big change like this. The post #173: It’s Not Too Late To Become A Lawyer (Or Make A Big Life Change) appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

What's your client development return on investment? Do you know all the ways to measure your ROI? It's important to know so that you don't waste time, energy or money on things that aren't working well (or well enough for what you're putting into it). Listen to today's installment of the podcast to learn how to measure your client development ROI and maximize your business development efforts. *** LAST CHANCE TO APPLY TO ELEVATE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MASTERMIND Apply here: https://www.coursecorrectioncoaching.com/business-development-mastermind/ The post #172: Client Development Return On Investment (Do You Know Yours?) appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

You're finally a law firm partner or have been told you're going to soon be promoted to partnership. Congrats! But... What will change? What will now be expected of you? And how can you best prepare yourself? Listen to today's Life & Law Podcast installment to find out everything you need to know about what to expect as a new law firm partner. *** Ready to build your law practice to support the WHOLE life you want to live? Learn about and apply for ELEVATE Business Development Mastermind here: https://www.coursecorrectioncoaching.com/business-development-mastermind/ The post #171: You’re (Finally) A Law Firm Partner – Now What? appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

Having business systems (also known as business processes or systematizing) is a game-changer for you and your practice. It increases productivity, enables you to delegate more and improves client experience. But where should you get started? Which business systems are the best ones to begin with? Listen to learn my top 5 places for implementing business systems into your law practice. *** Learn about and apply for ELEVATE Business Development Mastermind here: https://www.coursecorrectioncoaching.com/business-development-mastermind/ The post #170: 5 Business Systems Every Lawyer Needs appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

Law firm growth is something every law firm - and most partners/shareholders- are hyper-focused on. Yet few lawyers grow their law firms they way they'd like. Why is that? [Hint: it's not lack of time (one of the most common "reasons" I hear from new clients.] Today we are going to cover 3 common mindset blocks sabotaging your law firm growth. Because no matter your skills, strengths or personality (and regardless of whether you're an extrovert or introvert) YOU can successfully grow your law firm. *** Learn more about and apply to ELEVATE Business Development Mastermind: https://www.coursecorrectioncoaching.com/business-development-mastermind/ The post #169: 3 Common Mindset Blocks Sabotaging Law Firm Growth appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

How often do you use storytelling in legal marketing? If you're like most lawyers, you probably do not use storytelling nearly enough (maybe even hardly at all). This is a mistake. Today you will learn why storytelling is a necessity and how to do it effectively within your legal marketing efforts. The post #168: Storytelling In Legal Marketing: Why You Need It, How To Do It appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

Today's conversation is with fellow attorney Scott Oliver, a Partner at Lewis Kappes. Scott became the youngest equity partner in his firm's history. But that's not why we're talking or what we will be chatting about today. Scott is a big believer that being more “human” as a lawyer leads to greater success and happiness. Which is precisely what we will be getting into today (and more). I first became aware of Scott via LinkedIn. Sometimes, he comes from a business development angle. But most of the time, he writes about life – as a lawyer, spouse, manager/leader and parent. I was drawn to his transparency around what it takes to be a successful lawyer who is also happy. Here is what you'll get inside of today's episode: --> How to rethink success and find a practice area that "fills your cup" (hint: values are key). --> How to build your personal brand and book of business (even as a new lawyer). --> The power of sharing publicly and building a brand. The post #167: Success, Happiness & Being Human with Scott Oliver appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

You worked HARD on a pitch for a potential new client. But it felt a bit awkward, they hardly asked any questions, and all you got was a polite "thank you". They promised you'd hear something soon but you haven't heard a word and it's been over a week. You can't help but wonder if this is going to be like the last pitch... "We decided to go with another firm." The truth is this: most lawyers and law firms don't give the best sales pitches. Most don't truly prepare appropriately. Worry that might be you, too? Let's change that today. Listen to today's episode to learn my top sales pitch secrets for preparing for and giving effective sales pitches that will drastically improve your chances to win any future sales pitch. *** READY TO EXPONENTIALLY GROW YOUR BOOK OF BUSINESS? Check out how ELEVATE business growth mastermind can help here: https://www.coursecorrectioncoaching.com/business-development-mastermind/ The post Law Firm Sales: Effective Sales Pitch Secrets appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

Having supportive, dedicated mentors is a necessity for your growth, development and success as a lawyer. This is true regardless of how long you've been practicing (yes, even if you've been practicing for 15+ years). Although you likely know at least some of the benefits for having a mentor, you might not be fully aware of them all. And you likely don't realize the big benefits you'll see from serving as a mentor to others. Listen in to today's Life & Law Podcast installment to learn everything you need to know about how to best benefit from and maximize your mentor-mentee relationships (whether serving as a mentor or mentee). *** JOIN THE ELEVATE WAITLIST https://www.coursecorrectioncoaching.com/business-development-mastermind/ The post Maximize Your Mentor Mentee Relationships (Everything You Need to Know) appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

How often do you find yourself saying "yes" to something you would prefer to say "no" to? Do you ever recommend yourself for something while thinking... "Why am I offering myself up for this?" Have you ever realized that you're spending a majority - maybe a vast majority - of your time on things that aren't all that important to you (at the expense of what IS important)? If any of the above resonates, today's episode was made specifically for you because we are talking about the primary cause of this: people-pleasing. On today's show, we will cover: - Why so many lawyers are people-pleasers. - The biggest drawback to people-pleasing (that you hadn't even thought of). - The #1 thing you need to believe to be able to stop people-pleasing. **** Learn more about ELEVATE (my one-of-a-kind attorney business development mastermind) here: https://www.coursecorrectioncoaching.com/business-development-mastermind/ The post #164: People-Pleasing (Stop Compromising Your Legal Identity) appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

By now you've heard a lot of about how important it is to have emotional intelligence for your personal and professional development. But what should you actually be doing to improve your emotional intelligence? That's what we will be tackling today. Listen for 5 practical things you can start doing to exponentially improve your emotional intelligence. *** Learn about ELEVATE Attorney Business Development Mastermind here: https://www.coursecorrectioncoaching.com/business-development-mastermind/ The post #163: Improve Your Emotional Intelligence (Where To Start) appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

Ready for a proven (and highly effective) legal billing alternative to the billable hour that isn't flat-fee billing or package-based pricing? That's what today's episode is all about. Listen to learn how to transform your legal billing in a way that will: (1) improve efficiency, (2) strengthen client relationships and (3) increase workflow over the long-term. *** BECOME A NEXT-LEVEL LAWYER Join the Next Level Lawyer Newsletter for weekly tips, tools & strategies on how to cultivate the mindset, leadership & business skills you need to get you and your practice to the next level (without working more hours or pushing yourself harder). Go here to join now: https://www.lifeandlawpodcast.com/next-level-lawyer/ The post #162: Legal Billing (An Alternative To The Billable Hour) appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

Most successful lawyers I know: - Aren't any smarter than anyone else. - Don't have any special marketing, sales or business training. - Didn't graduate from the “top” law schools. - Didn't start with special connections. - Don't come from lots of money. The real difference between them and everyone else? Their mindset. Today we get into how to change your mindset to be an explorer, trust yourself and take calculated risks. Because that's what it really takes to be successful as a lawyer. And you deserve to have legal success, too. *** Learn more about ELEVATE Attorney Business Development Mastermind here: https://www.coursecorrectioncoaching.com/business-development-mastermind/ The post #161: Want Real Legal Success? Change Your Mindset appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

You know you need to meet certain billing and collection requirements to be consider for partnership. But that's not the only thing that counts. Listen to today's episode to find out the real secret behind getting - and then staying - on partnership track. *** Get the Legal Mindset Mastery Toolkit here: https://www.coursecorrectioncoaching.com/banish-lawyer-burnout-toolkit/ The post #160: Getting On Partner Track (The Real Secret) appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

Ever struggle with what to write about on LinkedIn. Everyone says you should be doing it but... it feels so overwhelming (and time-consuming). You marvel at the attorneys who post almost daily (even weekly) wondering... How do they do that? Are they extra-human? Is there some secret you don't know about? NO, they are not extra-human. Yes, there is a secret. But it won't remain a secret for long. Today I am pulling back the curtain for how to come up with 100's of compelling, perfect-fit posts (your clients will love reading) without taking hours of time you don't have. *** ELEVATE ATTORNEY BUSINESS GROWTH MASTERMIND --> Get strategic guidance from an expert. --> Have support from peers you trust. --> Grow a profitable, values-based law practice you enjoy. Learn about ELEVATE and join the waitlist here: https://www.coursecorrectioncoaching.com/business-development-mastermind/ The post #159: LinkedIn Marketing Content Creation Secrets appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

You want to be good at your job but don't love getting feedback - even though you know you need to get it for your professional development. Listen to today's conversation with Leadership Coach Rachael Bosch to learn how to receive feedback and give it more compassionately and effectively. *** BECOME A NEXT-LEVEL LAWYER Join the Next Level Lawyer Newsletter for weekly tips, tools & strategies on how to cultivate the mindset, leadership & business skills you need to get you and your practice to the next level (without working more hours or pushing yourself harder). Go here to join now: https://www.lifeandlawpodcast.com/next-level-lawyer/ The post #158: How To Receive Feedback, Give Feedback appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

You want - no, NEED - to increase your rates but worry about what your clients will think and how they'll react. You keep avoiding having the conversation. And you really don't want to lose anyone over this. Yet you still need to do it. Today you're going to learn how to increase your rates (and fees) without losing any clients or even making them angry. *** Learn About ELEVATE Attorney Business Growth Mastermind --> Get strategic guidance from an expert. --> Have support from peers you trust. --> Grow a profitable, values-based law practice you enjoy. Learn about ELEVATE and join the waitlist here: https://www.coursecorrectioncoaching.com/business-development-mastermind/ The post #157: How To Increase Your Legal Fees (Without Losing Clients) appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

We keep talking about lawyer wellbeing. Most law firms have implemented employee wellness programs. And yet... the numbers don't seem to be changing. In fact, 70% of legal professionals still say that mental health is at a crisis level in this profession. Is there any good news to be had? And what - if anything - can be done about this? Today we get into both. Because yes, there IS some good news. And there are things that law firms can do to better measure the impact of their employee wellbeing programs AND make them much more effective. *** BECOME A NEXT LEVEL LAWYER Join the Next Level Lawyer Newsletter to get weekly tips, tools & strategies for how to cultivate the mindset, leadership & business skills needed to get you and your practice to the next level (without working more hours or pushing yourself harder)? To become a Next Level Lawyer, go to: https://lifeandlawpodcast.com/next-level-lawyer/ The post #156: Are Law Firm Employee Wellness Programs Working? appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

There are a million attorneys out there that your perfect clients could hire. Which is why your attorney marketing efforts must answer the question "Why you?". Today, you'll learn how to think about this question and - more importantly - answer it in a compelling way (without feeling awkward). *** The post #155: Attorney Marketing – Unlock “Why You?” appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

You worked hard to plan, outline, practice and put slides together for a big speech... yet got zero new business out of it (and hardly any discussion). You spent weeks putting together the exact right presentation for a pitch (including all that branding work your marketing team insisted on) and still didn't get the work. What's going on? You're likely making some (very) common business presentation mistakes. Today, you'll learn my top 15 business presentation tips for how to make your presentations compelling and effective. Be ready to take notes because today's episode is full of practical, actionable advice you can start using now. *** LEARN ABOUT ELEVATE ATTORNEY BUSINESS GROWTH MASTERMIND --> Get strategic guidance from an expert. --> Have support from peers you trust. --> Grow a profitable, values-based law practice you enjoy. Learn about ELEVATE and join the waitlist here: https://www.coursecorrectioncoaching.com/business-development-mastermind/ The post #154: Business Presentation Tips Every Lawyer Needs appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.

You know that your body language can help - or hurt - you when trying to persuade others. But are you aware that your color choices (within the clothing and/or jewelry you wear) can also have an impact? Join me and guest Kerry Heaps for a fascinating discussion around the power of color persuasion. *** RATE, REVIEW & FOLLOW --> "Lawyers need this podcast." --> "Heather hits every relevant topic, giving practical advice in an easy to digest manner." --> "Love hearing Heather and her guest's perspectives on topics that attorneys often shy away from." If you're nodding your head, please consider rating and reviewing the show. Your review/rating will help me support more lawyers (like you) to succeed in BOTH law and life. The post #153: Color Persuasion For Lawyers appeared first on Life & Law Podcast.