085: Top Tech Recommendations for a Better Practice

Chris Earley had no idea how to run any business when he graduated from law school in 2004. But he figured it out through a series of strategies and tactics, which you'll learn about in this episode. Show Notes Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success, book by Adam Grant Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time, by Keith Ferrari Erika Kullberg - Instagram Attorney (that ernie mentions) Chris cellphone # 617-956-2501 Earley Law Group website The 80/20 Principle: The Secret of Achieving More with Less, by Richard Koch Richard Koch on Mastering the 80/20 Principle (Tim Ferriss's interview with Richard Koch) 80/20 Sales and Marketing: The Definitive Guide to Working Less and Making More, by Perry Marshall Effortless: Make it Easier to Do What Matters Most, by Greg McKeown Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, by Greg McKeown The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth About Extraordinary Results, by Gary Keller General Resources The 80/20 Principle (my email newsletter) The 5 Pillars of a Tech-Powered Law Practice The Inner Circle (an online community for law firm owners) Thanks to Our Sponsors "ChatterBoss is an incredible remote executive assistant company that helps solopreneurs and small businesses grow quickly and save money. Your dedicated ChatterBoss assistant can help you with case management, billing support, email optimization, social media, process building, automation, and more. They even have on-demand paralegals and legal assistants. The service is customized to your budget and is on-demand, so you are able to work with your assistant as much or as little as you need throughout the week. The minimum monthly spend for a dedicated executive assistant is only $200/month. The best way to get started is to schedule a free consultation and find out exactly how the service works. Click this link to schedule a free 30-minute call, and you'll get a special 15% discount when you sign up with ChatterBoss." Smith.ai is an amazing virtual receptionist service that specializes in working with solo and small law firms. When you hire Smith.ai you're actually hiring well-trained, friendly receptionists who can respond to callers in English or Spanish. If there's one great outsourcing opportunity for your practice, this is it. Let Smith.ai have your back while you stay focused on your work, knowing that your clients and prospects are being taken care of. Plans start at $210/month for 30 calls and pricing starts at $140 for 20 chats, with overage at $7 per chat. They offer a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee on all receptionist and live chat plans including add-ons (up to $1000). And they have a special offer for podcast listeners where you can get an extra $100 discount with promo code ERNIE100. Sign up for a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee now (and learn more) at smith.ai. EPISODE CREDITS: If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment. He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world. Find out more at EmeraldCity

28 Feb 202346min

Managing a law practice doesn't have to be as hard as many lawyers make it. I've gotten some interesting questions about this topic, so in this episode, you'll learn more about how to make major improvements more easily. Show Notes The 80/20 Principle: The Secret of Achieving More with Less, by Richard Koch Richard Koch on Mastering the 80/20 Principle (Tim Ferriss' podcast interview with Richard Koch) 80/20 Sales and Marketing: The Definitive Guide to Working Less and Making More, by Perry Marshall Effortless: Make it Easier to Do What Matters Most, by Greg McKeown Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, by Greg McKeown The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth About Extraordinary Results, by Gary Keller Loom (free for up to 25 videos of no longer than 5 minutes) Voxer (the frictionless way to communicate without having phone calls) SweetProcess (link to get 28-day free trial) My Loom video on why SweetProcess is a better deal in terms of cost General Resources The 80/20 Principle (my email newsletter) The 5 Pillars of a Tech-Powered Law Practice The Inner Circle (an online community for law firm owners) Thanks to Our Sponsors "ChatterBoss is an incredible remote executive assistant company that helps solopreneurs and small businesses grow quickly and save money. Your dedicated ChatterBoss assistant can help you with case management, billing support, email optimization, social media, process building, automation, and more. They even have on-demand paralegals and legal assistants. The service is customized to your budget and is on-demand, so you are able to work with your assistant as much or as little as you need throughout the week. The minimum monthly spend for a dedicated executive assistant is only $200/month. The best way to get started is to schedule a free consultation and find out exactly how the service works. Click this link to schedule a free 30-minute call, and you'll get a special 15% discount when you sign up with ChatterBoss." Smith.ai is an amazing virtual receptionist service that specializes in working with solo and small law firms. When you hire Smith.ai you're actually hiring well-trained, friendly receptionists who can respond to callers in English or Spanish. If there's one great outsourcing opportunity for your practice, this is it. Let Smith.ai have your back while you stay focused on your work, knowing that your clients and prospects are being taken care of. Plans start at $210/month for 30 calls and pricing starts at $140 for 20 chats, with overage at $7 per chat. They offer a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee on all receptionist and live chat plans including add-ons (up to $1000). And they have a special offer for podcast listeners where you can get an extra $100 discount with promo code ERNIE100. Sign up for a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee now (and learn more) at smith.ai. EPISODE CREDITS: If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment. He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world. Find out more at EmeraldCity

21 Feb 202334min

The 80/20 rule can help practicing lawyers. Listen and learn how one family lawyer in Tennessee used it to become more profitable and much happier in his practice. Show Notes Click here to see Patrick's Standard Engagement Contract. Patrick Slaughter's Magic Law Practice (Episode 48) Business Coaching for Lawyers with Patrick Slaughter (Episode 54) What's Your Vision for Success? with Patrick Slaughter (Episode 65) How to Sell Your Law Practice with Patrick Slaughter (Episode 216) The 80/20 Principle: The Secret of Achieving More with Less, by Richard Koch General Resources The 80/20 Principle (my email newsletter) The 5 Pillars of a Tech-Powered Law Practice The Inner Circle (an online community for law firm owners) Thanks to Our Sponsors "ChatterBoss is an incredible remote executive assistant company that helps solopreneurs and small businesses grow quickly and save money. Your dedicated ChatterBoss assistant can help you with case management, billing support, email optimization, social media, process building, automation, and more. They even have on-demand paralegals and legal assistants.  The service is customized to your budget and is on-demand, so you are able to work with your assistant as much or as little as you need throughout the week. The minimum monthly spend for a dedicated executive assistant is only $200/month.   The best way to get started is to schedule a free consultation and find out exactly how the service works. Click this link to schedule a free 30-minute call, and you'll get a special 15% discount when you sign up with ChatterBoss." Smith.ai is an amazing virtual receptionist service that specializes in working with solo and small law firms. When you hire Smith.ai you're actually hiring well-trained, friendly receptionists who can respond to callers in English or Spanish.   If there's one great outsourcing opportunity for your practice, this is it. Let Smith.ai have your back while you stay focused on your work, knowing that your clients and prospects are being taken care of.   Plans start at $210/month for 30 calls and pricing starts at $140 for 20 chats, with overage at $7 per chat. They offer a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee on all receptionist and live chat plans including add-ons (up to $1000).   And they have a special offer for podcast listeners where you can get an extra $100 discount with promo code ERNIE100. Sign up for a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee now (and learn more) at smith.ai.   EPISODE CREDITS: If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.   He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.   Find out more at EmeraldCity

14 Feb 202336min

Many lawyers succumb to burnout or stress at various points in their careers. It's easy to assume that this is just something we have to accept. But the truth is, we don't have to endure stress or burnout if we understand the root causes and optimal solutions. Show Notes How to Optimize Productivity (While Working Less), Mark Manson (80/20 article mentioned in the episode) Notes on The 80/20 Principle by Richard Koch, by Josh Kaufman (also mentioned in the episode) The 80/20 Principle: The Secret of Achieving More with Less, by Richard Koch General Resources The 80/20 Principle (my email newsletter) The 5 Pillars of a Tech-Powered Law Practice The Inner Circle (an online community for law firm owners) Thanks to Our Sponsors "ChatterBoss is an incredible remote executive assistant company that helps solopreneurs and small businesses grow quickly and save money. Your dedicated ChatterBoss assistant can help you with case management, billing support, email optimization, social media, process building, automation, and more. They even have on-demand paralegals and legal assistants. The service is customized to your budget and is on-demand, so you are able to work with your assistant as much or as little as you need throughout the week. The minimum monthly spend for a dedicated executive assistant is only $200/month. The best way to get started is to schedule a free consultation and find out exactly how the service works. Click this link to schedule a free 30-minute call, and you'll get a special 15% discount when you sign up with ChatterBoss." Smith.ai is an amazing virtual receptionist service that specializes in working with solo and small law firms. When you hire Smith.ai you're actually hiring well-trained, friendly receptionists who can respond to callers in English or Spanish. If there's one great outsourcing opportunity for your practice, this is it. Let Smith.ai have your back while you stay focused on your work, knowing that your clients and prospects are being taken care of. Plans start at $210/month for 30 calls and pricing starts at $140 for 20 chats, with overage at $7 per chat. They offer a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee on all receptionist and live chat plans including add-ons (up to $1000). And they have a special offer for podcast listeners where you can get an extra $100 discount with promo code ERNIE100. Sign up for a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee now (and learn more) at smith.ai. EPISODE CREDITS: If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment. He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world. Find out more at EmeraldCity

7 Feb 202321min

Many lawyers who entered the practice of law in the 1980s ignored technology or dismissed its potential for making law more efficient and easier to practice. But not Monty McIntyre, a San Diego trial lawyer who adopted technology and remains open-minded and curious about leveraging it to improve his practice. Show Notes Monty McIntyre's California Case Summaries™ (podcast listeners can click here to get, for free, Monty's one-paragraph summaries of every new civil case published by the CA Supreme Court in 2022.) Monty's Master Lawyer Mentoring™ Monty's Mediation, Arbitration and Referee Monty's ADR Services Monty's Twitter stream The 80/20 Principle: The Secret of Achieving More with Less, by Richard Koch (about using the power of 80/20 leverage in any business) General Resources The 80/20 Principle (my email newsletter) The 5 Pillars of a Tech-Powered Law Practice The Inner Circle (an online community for law firm owners) Thanks to Our Sponsors "ChatterBoss is an incredible remote executive assistant company that helps solopreneurs and small businesses grow quickly and save money. Your dedicated ChatterBoss assistant can help you with case management, billing support, email optimization, social media, process building, automation, and more. They even have on-demand paralegals and legal assistants. The service is customized to your budget and is on-demand, so you are able to work with your assistant as much or as little as you need throughout the week. The minimum monthly spend for a dedicated executive assistant is only $200/month. The best way to get started is to schedule a free consultation and find out exactly how the service works. Click this link to schedule a free 30-minute call, and you'll get a special 15% discount when you sign up with ChatterBoss." Smith.ai is an amazing virtual receptionist service that specializes in working with solo and small law firms. When you hire Smith.ai you're actually hiring well-trained, friendly receptionists who can respond to callers in English or Spanish. If there's one great outsourcing opportunity for your practice, this is it. Let Smith.ai have your back while you stay focused on your work, knowing that your clients and prospects are being taken care of. Plans start at $210/month for 30 calls and pricing starts at $140 for 20 chats, with overage at $7 per chat. They offer a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee on all receptionist and live chat plans including add-ons (up to $1000). And they have a special offer for podcast listeners where you can get an extra $100 discount with promo code ERNIE100. Sign up for a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee now (and learn more) at smith.ai. EPISODE CREDITS: If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment. He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world. Find out more at EmeraldCity

31 Jan 202352min

In this episode, you'll meet Brian Payne, a solo attorney who practices law in Nashville, Tennessee. Brian was initially lured to Nashville because he's a songwriter. He was encouraged to go to law school by someone he admired, and that's how he wound up with a law degree. He has a solo practice focused on real estate law. And he's interested in improving his practice, which is how we met. Listen and find out as I delve into Brian's practice and see what you can learn that will help you in yours. Show Notes Brian's Law Firm Website Brian's email address: brian@brianpaynelaw.com Brian's Soundcloud site (which showcases some of the songs he's written) Brian's Instagram page (his handle is: @brianlavoypayne) Brian's Facebook page (search "Brian Lavoy Payne") His Title Company website ("Noteworthy Title) 60 Minutes Interview with Music producer Rick Rubin The 80/20 Principle: The Secret of Achieving More with Less, by Richard Koch (about using the power of 80/20 leverage in any business) General Resources The 80/20 Principle (my email newsletter) The 5 Pillars of a Tech-Powered Law Practice The Inner Circle (an online community for law firm owners) Thanks to Our Sponsors "ChatterBoss is an incredible remote executive assistant company that helps solopreneurs and small businesses grow quickly and save money. Your dedicated ChatterBoss assistant can help you with case management, billing support, email optimization, social media, process building, automation, and more. They even have on-demand paralegals and legal assistants. The service is customized to your budget and is on-demand, so you are able to work with your assistant as much or as little as you need throughout the week. The minimum monthly spend for a dedicated executive assistant is only $200/month. The best way to get started is to schedule a free consultation and find out exactly how the service works. Click this link to schedule a free 30-minute call, and you'll get a special 15% discount when you sign up with ChatterBoss." Smith.ai is an amazing virtual receptionist service that specializes in working with solo and small law firms. When you hire Smith.ai you're actually hiring well-trained, friendly receptionists who can respond to callers in English or Spanish. If there's one great outsourcing opportunity for your practice, this is it. Let Smith.ai have your back while you stay focused on your work, knowing that your clients and prospects are being taken care of. Plans start at $210/month for 30 calls and pricing starts at $140 for 20 chats, with overage at $7 per chat. They offer a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee on all receptionist and live chat plans including add-ons (up to $1000). And they have a special offer for podcast listeners where you can get an extra $100 discount with promo code ERNIE100. Sign up for a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee now (and learn more) at smith.ai. EPISODE CREDITS: If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment. He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world. Find out more at EmeraldCity

24 Jan 202345min

Artificial intelligence is gaining ground rapidly in many areas, including better note-taking by creating accurate transcripts and recordings at the same time. Tools like Otter.ai allow you to do this using any modern smartphone. Every lawyer should at least try Otter.ai to understand the power of note-taking powered by artificial intelligence. In this episode I explain exactly why this possibility is to useful for lawyers. Show Notes Otter.ai (special link to get 1 month of the Pro Level for free) Otter Transcript of last week's podcast episode with Melissa Shanahan (you will have to use the Otter app on your phone or computer to access all the amazing features discussed in this episode) GPT3 Technology (Wikipedia article) ChatGPT (Wikipedia article) Co-Pilot coaching program (30-day free trial with no credit card —as mentioned in the episode) The 80/20 Principle: The Secret of Achieving More with Less, by Richard Koch (about using the power of 80/20 leverage in any kind of business) General Resources The 80/20 Principle (my email newsletter) The 5 Pillars of a Tech-Powered Law Practice The Inner Circle (an online community for law firm owners) Thanks to Our Sponsors "ChatterBoss is an incredible remote executive assistant company that helps solopreneurs and small businesses grow quickly and save money. Your dedicated ChatterBoss assistant can help you with case management, billing support, email optimization, social media, process building, automation, and more. They even have on-demand paralegals and legal assistants. The service is customized to your budget and is on-demand, so you are able to work with your assistant as much or as little as you need throughout the week. The minimum monthly spend for a dedicated executive assistant is only $200/month. The best way to get started is to schedule a free consultation and find out exactly how the service works. Click this link to schedule a free 30-minute call, and you'll get a special 15% discount when you sign up with ChatterBoss." Smith.ai is an amazing virtual receptionist service that specializes in working with solo and small law firms. When you hire Smith.ai you're actually hiring well-trained, friendly receptionists who can respond to callers in English or Spanish. If there's one great outsourcing opportunity for your practice, this is it. Let Smith.ai have your back while you stay focused on your work, knowing that your clients and prospects are being taken care of. Plans start at $210/month for 30 calls and pricing starts at $140 for 20 chats, with overage at $7 per chat. They offer a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee on all receptionist and live chat plans including add-ons (up to $1000). And they have a special offer for podcast listeners where you can get an extra $100 discount with promo code ERNIE100. Sign up for a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee now (and learn more) at smith.ai. EPISODE CREDITS: If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment. He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world. Find out more at EmeraldCity

17 Jan 202317min

Tracking your firm's revenue and expense numbers gives you helpful insight into which areas of your practice are more profitable or which staff members or contractors are truly valuable. Melissa Shanahan, a top-notch business coach for solo and small firm attorneys, joins Ernie to discuss how best to track these metrics. Show Notes The Law Firm Owner Podcast (Melissa Shanahan's podcast) Velocity Work (Melissa's website) The 80/20 Principle: The Secret of Achieving More with Less, by Richard Koch (about using the power of 80/20 leverage in any kind of business) General Resources The 80/20 Principle (my email newsletter) The 5 Pillars of a Tech-Powered Law Practice The Inner Circle (an online community for law firm owners) Thanks to Our Sponsors "ChatterBoss is an incredible remote executive assistant company that helps solopreneurs and small businesses grow quickly and save money. Your dedicated ChatterBoss assistant can help you with case management, billing support, email optimization, social media, process building, automation, and more. They even have on-demand paralegals and legal assistants. The service is customized to your budget and is on-demand, so you are able to work with your assistant as much or as little as you need throughout the week. The minimum monthly spend for a dedicated executive assistant is only $200/month. The best way to get started is to schedule a free consultation and find out exactly how the service works. Click this link to schedule a free 30-minute call, and you'll get a special 15% discount when you sign up with ChatterBoss." Smith.ai is an amazing virtual receptionist service that specializes in working with solo and small law firms. When you hire Smith.ai you're actually hiring well-trained, friendly receptionists who can respond to callers in English or Spanish. If there's one great outsourcing opportunity for your practice, this is it. Let Smith.ai have your back while you stay focused on your work, knowing that your clients and prospects are being taken care of. Plans start at $210/month for 30 calls and pricing starts at $140 for 20 chats, with overage at $7 per chat. They offer a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee on all receptionist and live chat plans including add-ons (up to $1000). And they have a special offer for podcast listeners where you can get an extra $100 discount with promo code ERNIE100. Sign up for a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee now (and learn more) at smith.ai. EPISODE CREDITS: If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment. He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world. Find out more at EmeraldCity

10 Jan 202350min