Legal Talk Network - Law News and Legal Topics

This inspiring episode tells the true story of a gutsy dad who started his own legal practice from scratch with no clients, no office, and no partner. Guest Michael Mendoza is an Orlando solo practitioner specializing in family law. After graduating from law school with a growing family, Mendoza knew he wanted work/life balance instead of burying himself in a big firm with long hours. For Mendoza, the practice of family law is personal, having witnessed his parents’ contentious divorce. Hear how Mendoza started with nothing, rolled up his sleeves, and launched a practice from putting together his tech to building his client base. How did he find clients? Did he advertise? What about a website? Or office space? It’s been tough. But the combination of running his own practice and the satisfaction of helping families through a difficult period has proven rewarding. Mendoza’s story is a guide for young lawyers who want to hang out a shingle (he even has an employee now). Nothing is easy. Nothing is perfect. It’s scary. But you can do this.Got questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at NewSolo@legaltalknetwork.com  Topics: Starting your own law firm is anything but easy. But it can be done. Hear first-hand from one attorney who did just that, from the ground up.  Software? Office space? Clients? Employees? Financials? There are a lot of balls in the air once you start juggling.  What are the best and worst decisions you can make starting out? (Hint: find a mentor). Resources:Florida Bar AssociationFlorida Bar Association, Legal Fuel assistanceSeminole County (Florida) Bar AssociationSan Diego County BarNebraska State Bar AssociationClio legal softwareMicrosoft 365Adobe PDF managementText ExpanderMycase legal softwareLawPay legal softwareGeorge C. Young American Inns of Court Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clients feel better about your law firm when they feel their needs are met and their concerns are heard. What can you do to make sure this happens in your firm? From ClioCon, host Christopher Anderson talks to Pegeen Turner about her session on client-centered practices for your legal business. They chat about best practices for intake forms, technology, scheduling, and billing. Pegeen Turner is the President of Legal Cloud Technology, a Raleigh-based legal technology firm.Mentioned in this Episode:legalcloudtechnology.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Clio Cloud Conference roundup.-----Joe checks in from the 2023 Clio Cloud Conference joined by Legaltech News editor-in-chief Stephanie Wilkins, dean of legal tech journalism Bob Ambrogi, and Legal Talk Network producer Laurence Colletti to talk about legal technology and the small law market. We talk artificial intelligence, hot legal trends, and access to justice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Moving from a “win-lose” mentality to a “win-win” mentality has been a central focus of the field of negotiation and conflict resolution since the 1980s, says Sarah Federman. Working to walk away with a deal that pleases both sides was a huge departure from the idea that one side of a transaction will necessarily lose.But Federman, author of Transformative Negotiation: Strategies for Everyday Change and Equitable Futures, proposes that we can and should adapt our framing to encompass a “win-win-win” mentality. A win-win mentality “attends to the interests only of the signatories, not of those who live out the consequences of the agreement,” Federman writes. “A win-win-win model requires paying attention to those usually not at the negotiation table.”In this episode of the Modern Law Library, Federman discusses with the ABA Journal’s Lee Rawles how traditional advice around negotiations—from salaries and corporate contracts to landlord disputes and personal lives—makes assumptions based on what’s worked for people who have traditionally held positions of power. Those assumptions could be outdated, unhelpful or actually harmful to minorities and others who have been economically or socially disadvantaged.Transformative Negotiations was written with four goals, Federman tells Rawles: To help people move “from precarity to stability;” to expose the blind spots in the field of negotiation studies; to propose a new approach to negotiations that addresses oppression; and to show people who do have bargaining power how they can use it to “create more equitable futures.”Advice Federman shares in this episode includes how woman can approach salary negotiations, how to achieve more economic stability through “inbox colonics,” and why being the nosy neighbor can get people through tough times. She also discusses why bonding events like firm happy hours can actually backfire on employee morale, and how firms can not only hire diverse workforces but successfully retain them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prepping your next slip and fall on ice case? The Heels in the Courtroom trial team just won a significant verdict for our client, and we share tips on outlining a winning strategy, presenting witnesses and the importance of carefully crafted jury instructions. Get the scoop on Eizabeth’s first time in court and a quick primer on the all-important Natural Accumulation Rule in this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Expert witnesses can make or break your case. Not only do they need to understand the facts of the case and the subject matter, but they must also clearly communicate their position to the jury. But you can’t always count on credentials alone. In this encore presentation, Trial attorney Erica Slater of The Simon Law Firm joins John and Erich to discuss expert evaluation strategies that can help avoid surprises in the depo, trial, and invoice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Live from Clio Cloud Conference—the 2023 Legal Trends Report is hot off the presses and Gyi and Conrad have some compelling thoughts on what it’s showing us this time around. Later, they dig into the problems and limitations associated with current perceptions of ROI.------Should you trust AI for good legal advice? Apparently, 27% of you do, but that stat is making Gyi and Conrad pretty concerned about your qualifications as a lawyer… Yikes. The guys unpack this finding and other notable insights from the 2023 Legal Trends Report. Later, is tracking ROI truly helpful or even really possible for most law firms? Conrad’s got a soap box here, dear listeners, so get ready. For the most part, stop getting hung up on ROI metrics and point your growth mindset elsewhere. The News: Google v. DOJ — Yeah, there’s some stuff you won’t like: Google search antitrust trial updates: Everything you need to know (so far) Former Googler: Google ‘using clicks in rankings’ Has Google Ads lost all credibility? Why one advertiser says it’s time to leave Google Maps sued for sending someone off a bridge. Family sues Google alleging its Maps app led father to drive ... - CNN  Google Local Chat Google Local Chat With A Live Agent Rolling Out?  Startup Alley Nominations are now open! 2024 ABA TECHSHOW Startup Alley Application - LawSites   Mentioned in this Episode:Clio’s 2023 Legal Trends ReportLeave Us an Apple Review Lunch Hour Legal Marketing now on YouTube Lunch Hour Legal Marketing on TikTok  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jack Newton sits down with Laurence Colletti to talk about the current happenings at Clio and what they plan to bring to their legal tech offerings in the future. Now in over 100 countries around the globe, Clio hopes to continue to leverage evolving technologies to positively impact the practice of law and improve access to justice worldwide. They also discuss Clio’s upcoming AI assistant, Clio Duo, and talk through the 2023 Clio Legal Trends Report and what the profession can glean from its findings. Jack Newton is the CEO and co-founder of Clio, a pioneer in cloud-based legal technology. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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:ZillametricsJoin the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Jennifer Forester joins me to discuss marketing strategies to help build and create strong connections with your ideal clients.As a business development coach, Jennifer Forester helps lawyers avoid random acts of marketing. Drawing on 20+ years in legal marketing, she partners with clients to design mindsets, systems, and strategies for professional growth and personal wellness. Jen promotes the power of “social fitness” to enrich mind/body health through stronger relationships. Jen gives listeners actionable tips on: [0:00] Intro [1:45] What happens when clients’ social approaches are not working [5:05] The impact of lack of social connection [6:40] What happens when people who are lacking connection also lack social competence? [10:15] Tips for connecting with clients and helping them become approachable to their audience  [11:30] Harnessing the fear of standing out [15:55] Tips for standing out online and making a good impression [16:50] Do the same connection methods work for everyone? [19:25] How to avoid shiny object syndrome and build meaningful connections with intentional marketing [22:30] Reconnecting with dormant ties [25:10] Jennifer’s book review [32:50] One big takeaway from this episode Resources mentioned in this episode:Showing Up by Jen MarrConnect with Jen here: https://www.instagram.com/jlmforester/ https://twitter.com/jenforester https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenforester/ https://www.facebook.com/jen.madison.forester/ https://jforesterconsulting.com/   Connect with me Instagram Pinterest Facebook Twitter Karin on Twitter Karin on LinkedIn Conroy Creative Counsel on Facebook https://conroycreativecounsel.com    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices