Integrity in Expert Testimony: Why This Expert Witness Loves Abraham Lincoln
A dental expert witness draws on Abraham Lincoln’s courtroom ethics to shape modern testimony. Lincoln’s reputation for honesty, thorough preparation, and plain‑spoken communication serves as a template for experts who must explain complex science without bias. The author highlights Lincoln’s willingness to decline cases that conflict with truth, his meticulous fact‑finding, and his use of modest humor to disarm juries. By mirroring these principles, expert witnesses aim to protect public trust and enhance the credibility of their opinions.
Law Firm Valuation: If You’re Not Tracking Your Data, You’re Already Behind
Law‑firm management services organizations (MSOs) are now pricing their services based on projected firm revenue rather than historical earnings. By tracking granular data—case mix, pipeline velocity, conversion rates, and win rates—MSOs can forecast a firm’s 12‑24‑month earnings and set cost‑plus‑market‑rate...
The Need for More Therapists: High Demand, AI, and Career Flexibility
Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker Liza Brackbill launched Pathways and Possibilities Counseling Services, highlighting a surge in demand for psychotherapy, especially for anxiety‑related disorders, after the COVID‑19 pandemic. She notes that social‑media pressures and heightened awareness have expanded the client...
Legal Client Service Protocols: Tips to Ensure Things Don’t Slip Through the Cracks
Law firms risk slipping into “autopilot” when handling repeat matters, potentially overlooking critical details. Sally J. Schmidt advises establishing client service protocols—intake information sheets, regular status‑reporting, and scheduled check‑ins—to keep attorneys engaged and clients informed. She also recommends using checklists...
The Law Firm Productivity Myth That’s Burning Lawyers Out
Law firms equate productivity with longer hours and higher output, but this model fuels cognitive fatigue and burnout among attorneys. Cognitive science shows continuous mental effort without recovery degrades decision quality and increases errors. Karen Skinner advocates a new productivity...
Why LinkedIn Content Fails (and How to Fix It)
Lawyers often struggle on LinkedIn not because their expertise is lacking, but because their content execution is flawed. Host Karin Conroy and data‑visualization expert Bill Shander explain that overloaded charts, unclear messaging, and misaligned stakeholder targeting cause posts to fall...
Beyond AI Policy: What to Tell Your Clients After Heppner
The U.S. District Court in *United States v. Heppner* ordered the production of AI‑generated documents created with the free version of Anthropic’s Claude, rejecting claims of attorney‑client privilege and work‑product protection. The ruling underscores that consumer‑grade AI tools do not...
The Seven Pillars of Legal MSO Deals
Law firms entering management services organization (MSO) transactions must look beyond headline valuation and upfront cash. Shelton and Dodd outline seven pillars—valuation, upfront capital, partner compensation, governance, capital deployment, cultural alignment, and the second‑bite exit—that determine long‑term control, earnings, and...
Why Trust Is the Strategy & How to End a Friendship with AI
In a lively podcast episode, host Jared Correia chats with Megan Hargroder, founder and CEO of Legends Legal Marketing, about her "Trust Is the Strategy" approach to legal marketing in the age of generative AI. They discuss the challenges of...
How to Recognize Workplace Bullying in the Legal Profession and What Your Law Firm Can Do to Stop It
Attorney Andy Regal warns that ending workplace bullying in law requires accountability, not perfection. A recent International Bar Association survey shows 57% of bullying incidents go unreported, and over 60% of victims leave firms lacking support. Legislative efforts such as...
Beyond the Clinical Grind: Discovering Your Niche as a “Psychodietitian”
Dr. Nina Crowley, a registered dietitian and health‑psychology PhD, now leads clinical thought‑leadership at Sika, a maker of body‑composition scales. She educates clinicians on using bio‑electric impedance and DEXA technology to assess fat, muscle and bone, moving obesity care beyond...
How Using AI Skills for Law Firm Workflows Can Turbocharge Your SOPs
Law firms are replacing static standard operating procedures with custom AI Skills built inside Claude, an advanced language model. These Skills are plain‑text markdown files that encode drafting rules, intake steps, and billing preferences, allowing the AI to execute tasks...
They Had Relations: Five Tips for Better Client Communications
Law firms often overlook how clients perceive their communications, from technology use to file handling and personal interaction. Jared Correia outlines five practical upgrades: transparently explain data‑security tools, return or securely transfer files after a case, establish a six‑week check‑in...
Five Ways to Use Gratitude to Improve Your Legal Practice and Well-Being
The article explains how intentional gratitude can counteract lawyers’ built‑in negativity bias and chronic stress. It outlines five practical habits—daily progress reflection, real‑time acknowledgment, tracking completed work, recognizing the profession’s demands, and noting meaningful moments—to embed gratitude into a busy...
The Response Time Reality Destroying Law Firm Growth
On the latest Legal Intake Experts podcast, hosts Nick Werker and Tony Prieto stress that response time is the single biggest factor in converting law‑firm leads. They cite a Clio Legal Trends Report showing an average reply window of 20‑24...
Real-Time Revolution: How AI Is Changing the Deposition Game with Dean Whalen & John Skelton
In the Red Cave Law podcast, Dean Whalen of Readback (InforWare) and John Skelton of Seyfarth Shaw discuss AI‑driven deposition software that delivers real‑time, searchable transcripts. The platform uses a proprietary speech‑to‑text engine hosted in a secure environment, offering instant...
Eight Top Tips for Handling Complex Legal Cases
Complex litigation demands more than legal acumen; the logistics of scheduling, exhibit handling, and technology are decisive. Centralizing coordination, standardizing exhibit protocols, and limiting platforms reduce errors and delays. Consolidating vendors under a single case manager and mapping data security...
Has Your Boss Fallen Out of Love With You? 9 Signs
Employees who notice their boss withdrawing support may be at risk of losing their role. The article outlines nine warning signs, from being given low‑level tasks and “special projects” to reduced client flow, misaligned priorities, and an increase in documented...
Nobody Told You It Would Be This Lonely: A Roadmap for Women Managing Partners
The article highlights the often‑unspoken loneliness that women managing partners in law firms endure, despite their professional success. It explains how chronic “override” of internal stress can erode decision‑making and firm culture. The piece proposes three strategic shifts—recognizing hidden burdens,...
Is AI Replacing Google for Legal Search?
In a Conroy Creative Council podcast, Pete Everitt explains that AI tools like ChatGPT are not replacing Google for legal search, but they are reshaping how users discover information. The shift emphasizes AI-generated overviews, entity mapping, and impressions over traditional...
Building Reputation and Opportunity as a Modern Lawyer
Josh Hodges, partner at Kruger & Hodges, left a high‑paying big‑law job in 2017 to build a solo practice in Hamilton, Ohio. He leveraged low‑cost web development, aggressive SEO, and social‑media outreach to grow from a handful of cases to...
Lawyers Aren’t Losing Their Jobs to AI, They’re Losing Their Tasks
Law firms are grappling with AI not because it will replace lawyers, but because it is stripping away many of the routine tasks that have traditionally defined legal work. While AI can draft, research, and review documents faster than humans,...
Build Your Own Copilot Legal Assistant — No Tech Skills Required
Microsoft’s Copilot Agent Builder lets law firms create custom AI assistants without any coding. By defining a name, purpose, instructions, and uploading firm‑specific documents, attorneys can build agents—such as contract reviewers or client‑communication helpers—in roughly 15 minutes. The tool is...
Ditching the Billable Hour: Law Firm Math, AI, and Subscriptions with Mathew Kerbis
Mathew Kerbis, founder of Subscription Attorney and co‑founder/CEO of Practi, explains how law firms can move from the traditional billable‑hour model to subscription‑based billing using AI and data analytics. He outlines the essential math lawyers need to run profitable practices,...
Late … Again? What Being Habitually Late Says About a Lawyer
Lawyers who habitually arrive late risk more than a strained schedule; clients notice and often excuse the behavior only because the attorney delivers results. The article argues that chronic lateness signals disorganization, a lack of respect for the client’s time,...
What Insurers Want to See: Practical Steps to Reduce Your Cyber Insurance Costs
Law firms that adopt measurable cybersecurity practices can lower cyber‑insurance premiums and secure more favorable policy terms. Insurers now price risk based on behavior—such as multifactor authentication, password hygiene, and employee phishing training—rather than merely cataloguing technology stacks. Ongoing system...
Do’s and Don’ts for Running a Successful Pitch Meeting
The article outlines practical dos and don’ts for law‑firm pitch meetings, emphasizing thorough preparation, tailored messaging, and interactive delivery. It advises firms to research the client’s structure, clarify expectations, and bring customized, concise materials that showcase unique value. During the...
Book Review: Actionable Guidance on Business Development for Solo and Small Firm Lawyers
“Connections: Actionable Guidance on Solo Practice and Small Law Firm Business Development,” authored by Meranda Vieyra and published by the ABA, delivers a step‑by‑step business‑development playbook for solo practitioners and small‑firm attorneys. Drawing on more than two decades of legal...
The Prehistoric Advantage: Why Human Contact Still Rules In Court
Trial attorney Susan Cohodes recounts two recent in‑person court hearings that underscored the tactical advantage of face‑to‑face interaction. She argues that meeting clients and opposing counsel in person improves vetting, rapport, and the ability to negotiate settlements, citing that both...
When ChatGPT Becomes Co-Counsel: A Cautionary Tale About AI and the Unauthorized Practice of Law
OpenAI faces a lawsuit from Nippon Life Insurance alleging its ChatGPT platform engaged in the unauthorized practice of law after a former policyholder used the tool as co‑counsel. The client, Graciela Dela Torre, fired her attorney, filed 21 motions and...
Why Lawyers Need Boredom, Even Though It May Terrify Us
Lawyers’ constant mental engagement leaves little room for boredom, a crucial recovery state. The article outlines five practical strategies—input‑free transitions, low‑stimulation repetitive tasks, protected unscheduled time, resisting the urge to fill silence, and thinking walks—to reintroduce strategic boredom. Implementing these...
Why I Switched From ChatGPT to Claude (And What Finally Pushed Me Over)
Attorney Ernie Svenson explains why he abandoned ChatGPT for Anthropic's Claude, citing the CoWork feature that lets the AI interact directly with local files. He leveraged Claude’s Projects to build legal training courses in under three hours, generating quizzes automatically....
Law Firm Write-Offs: What Your Leakage Is Trying to Tell You
Law firms often label write‑offs as inevitable costs, but they reveal where revenue leaks occur. A recent case showed $47,000 in write‑offs in a single quarter, traced to scope creep, stale invoices, rate discomfort, and surprise bills. By categorizing write‑offs...
Overcoming Client Inertia: The Real Reason You Aren’t Closing New Business
Client inertia, not competition, is the primary barrier to law‑firm new business. Prospects often stick with existing counsel despite dissatisfaction, causing missed opportunities for firms. Sally Schmidt outlines five tactics—rapid response, showcasing value, easing transitions, focusing on discrete projects, and...
Mindfulness for Trial Lawyers: Tips for Staying Cool, Calm and Collected In the Courtroom
Trial attorney Miles Feldman argues that traditional trial training overlooks emotional regulation, urging lawyers to adopt mindfulness techniques to stay calm under pressure. He highlights box breathing—a four‑second inhale, hold, and exhale pattern—as a quick tool to reset the nervous...
The Ultimate Deposition Outline: 3 Tips for Better Litigation Prep
Litigation experts stress that a well‑crafted deposition outline is essential for effective testimony gathering. The article outlines three practical techniques: starting each section with categorized goals, drafting every question—including alternative paths—in advance, and embedding document excerpts directly into the outline....
Law Firm Marketplace Realities: Why Finding a Buyer Is Harder Than You Think
Finding a buyer for a small law firm is far more challenging than the industry narrative suggests. The market is immature, with most retiring boomers selling internally or to local competitors, while few listings appear on public platforms. Private‑equity interest...
Is Your Firm Ready for Your First (or Next) Associate? Four Questions
The article advises law firm owners to rigorously assess readiness before hiring an associate, outlining four key questions: the strategic purpose of expansion, profitability of the hire, affordable compensation, and whether a full‑time attorney is truly needed. It emphasizes that...
Winning Firms Aren’t Choosing Between AI and Staff: They’re Enabling Both
Law firms are adopting Legal Soft’s VA+ model, which pairs AI‑driven automation with a certified virtual assistant who owns the outcome. The hybrid approach replaces the binary choice of hiring more staff or buying unmanaged software, delivering continuous execution, accountability,...
Hey AI, What Are Lawyers Still Good For?
Artificial intelligence is rapidly mastering tasks traditionally performed by lawyers, from contract drafting to legal research, prompting a crisis of relevance for the profession. The article argues that while AI can deliver cheap, efficient legal assistance, human attorneys still hold...
TMI: How Your Client’s Need for Likes Is Hurting Their Case
Attorneys must proactively counsel clients on social‑media evidence because posts, likes, tags and even privacy settings can become admissible proof in criminal, civil and family matters. Deleting content after an investigation begins often triggers spoliation claims, while third‑party activity can...
NotebookLM for Lawyers: A Small Hammer for Big Document Problems
Google’s NotebookLM, an AI‑powered private notebook, lets lawyers upload up to 300 documents per notebook and query them with citation‑backed answers. The tool excels at digesting litigation files, clustering discovery material, and generating timelines, briefs, and cross‑examination outlines without pulling...
Public Speaking for Lawyers: 5 Tips for Becoming a Sought-After Speaker
Law strategy coach Tea Hoffman outlines five actionable steps for lawyers to become sought‑after speakers. She stresses the importance of carving out a distinctive niche, honing delivery through deliberate practice, and curating a professional online presence with video clips and...
Metaprompting for Lawyers: The Smart Way to Craft Smarter Prompts
The article introduces metaprompting, a technique where lawyers use AI to help craft the very prompts they feed back into the model. It outlines a step‑by‑step process for building prompts from scratch, refining existing ones, and extracting a personal writing...
The People Advantage: Why Clients Still Choose People Over AI in Legal Services
A recent LEX Reception survey of 2,000 U.S. consumers shows that despite AI’s growing role in legal back‑office tasks, clients overwhelmingly prefer human interaction for front‑line service. Eighty‑four percent want to speak to a real person, and 87% actively bypass...
Running a Bilingual Law Practice: The Practical Realities
Law firms that treat language access as a built‑in infrastructure, rather than an after‑the‑fact courtesy, see higher client trust and fewer costly misunderstandings. The article advises focusing bilingual efforts on critical touchpoints—intake, key contract moments, and non‑English evidence—instead of translating...
New Smart Growth Guide: Is Your Law Firm Built for What’s Coming Next?
The article promotes a free e‑guide, "Smart Growth Strategies for Midmarket and Smaller Law Firms," co‑created by Attorney at Work and Gene Commander Inc. It warns that the legal sector will undergo more change in the next three to five...