Lawyerpreneur

After more than two years of doing the Lawyerprenuer podcast, I've decided to hang it up to make room for other things. In this finale episode with Barbara Hinske, she and I talk about strategic quitting and the next venture that she and I are embarking on together. Support the show

Bonnie Kistler is our guest in Episode 66 of Lawyerpreneur, in which we discuss her most recent thriller novel, The Cage, and how she came up with the story concept. We talk about the influence of our legal careers and experiences on our fiction writing (mine is done under the pen name, J. W. Judge). And Bonnie talks about her appearance on the game show Jeopardy! in May 2022. Support the show

Suzan Hixon is the founder of Legally Blissed, the coaching business she uses to help lawyers structure a practice that suits their needs. In our candid conversation, Suzan talks about her own mental health struggles and how that enabled her to shine a light on mental health issues within the legal industry. She has not only become an advocate for others, but through her business is showing other lawyers how to advocate for themselves. For other conversations about mental health in the legal profession, check out past episodes with Brian Cuban (Ep. 14) and Annie Little (Ep. 64). Support the show

For Episode 64 of Lawyerpreneur, Annie Little and I had one of those conversations that I thought about for a long time afterward. She is a career coach who helps other lawyers understand and recognize the skills that they have developed and put those in the context of how they fit in the job market. What really stood out to me is how ineffective we tend to be at self-assessment and the value someone else can provide in identifying for us what we don't see in ourselves. When Annie Little figured out that practicing law wasn't the best use of her unique skill set, she had to figure out what was. Now she spends her time helping others do the same thing. You can find Annie at her website, jdnation.com, and sign up for her weekly LinkedIn newsletter, Lawyer Love Letters. Support the show

In Episode 63 of Lawyerpreneur, we talk with Kevin Pratt about why he focuses on bringing out the humanity of lawyers in his podcast, The Human Lawyer. Kevin talks about having a bias toward action (a topic we also discussed with Colin Levy in Episode 62) and how that has driven him through his legal career and added him in navigating an unsuccessful business. You'll note that my conversation with Kevin Pratt starts somewhat unconventionally as it actually carried over from our pre-recording conversation. But it was pertinent enough that I didn't want to leave it out. Support the show

In Episode 62 of Lawyerpreneur, Colin Levy talks about having a bias toward action, career evolution and non-linear paths, being a legal tech evangelist, and being open on social media about difficult circumstances. Support the show

In Episode 61 of Lawyerpreneur, with Margo Weinstein about navigating the intersection of law practice, parenthood, and wanderlust. We also trade some travel stories and discuss Weinstein's new travel memoir, Jalan-Jalan: A Journey of Wanderlust and Motherhood (link). This is an episode you won't want to miss. Learn more about Weinstein at her website. Support the show

In Episode 60 of Lawyerprenuer, Professor Jonah Perlin of Georgetown Law Center talks about the feeling of putting billable hours behind him when he entered academia and began teach legal practice and advanced legal writing. We discuss the changes in classroom instruction that have developed out of the pandemic and the ways in which he works to build and maintain relationships with his students. Professor Perlin talks about his motivation for launching an interview-based podcast, How I Lawyer, and unexpected outcomes from having the podcast. M.C. Sungaila returns to co-host the episode. Support the show

In Episode 59 of Lawyerpreneur, I talked with Norman Bacal and M.C. Sungaila in what felt very much like an extraordinary after-dinner conversation. We discussed the importance of teaching the business of law practice to the next generation of lawyers, and how they teamed up to write a series of articles for The American Lawyer on that topic. We talked about the current climate of lawyers changing firms, which is something that I've done within the last six months. But my favorite part of our conversation was about failure. It's something that is both stressful and inevitable. And both Norman Bacal and M.C. Sungaila shared insights about finding success on the far side of their failures. Support the show

As the managing member of Levine Family Law Group and the CEO of Hello Divorce, Erin Levine is the prototype of the kind of lawyerpreneur that this podcast has always sought to highlight. She is also using her platform and entrepreneurship to help provide access to justice to those in need. Levine is a founding member of the recently-launched Justice Technology Association, where my co-host today, Maya Markovich, is the executive director. During the interview, Levine talks about experiencing burnout with her business and law practice, and coming out on the other side of it. A part of the burnout she experienced was the disintegration of the meaning and satisfaction she derived from problem-solving for others in her family law practice. When she realized that traditional family law approaches weren't meeting people's needs, she reached for a new method and a new model. And Hello Divorce was born, allowing Erin Levine to incorporate her creativity back into a business that would meet the needs of more people. Support the show

Several weeks ago, I was listening to an episode of Freakonomics Radio about specialization, and particularly about the long snappers in professional and collegiate football. Pennsylvania lawyer and NFL agent for long snappers Kevin Gold was interviewed as a part of that episode, and I knew that I had to have him as a guest on Lawyerpreneur. On Episode 57 of Lawyerpreneur, Kevin Gold and I continue the recent trend on this show of discussing niche markets by talking about how he became an NFL agent for long snappers and how he has developed that alongside his law practice. We discuss the ways in which being an effective agent and business manager for his NFL clients arise from the same marketing, branding, and business practices that have enabled him to have a successful law practice. Support the show

In Episode 56 of Lawyerpreneur, M.C. Sungaila and I interview Todd Smith and Jody Sanders of the Texas Appellate Law Podcast. We talk about the launch of their podcast, the Connector (to borrow Malcolm Gladwell's term) who brought them together, and the perseverance required to record and publish more than 100 episodes over the last two years. As much as I enjoy the What (What are you doing?) and How (How did it start and how it is going now?) of these interviews, the Why is far more meaningful to me. Todd Smith and Jody Sanders discuss why they started the podcast and why it has been an integral part of the law practices -- spoiler alert: a lot of that has to do with networking, marketing, and branding. We also talk about something that has become a staple of Lawyerpreneur -- niche markets. Smith and Sanders have taken the niche topic of Texas appellate law and developed ways of reaching an audience that far exceeds the scope that the title of the title might suggest. Support the show

If you're a lawyer and a parent (or not yet a parent, but hope to be some day), there is someone advocating for you. And that's nice to hear because sometimes, it feels like working parents are on an island. Lori Mihalich-Levin has written the book on returning to work after parental leave (literally -- Back to Work after Baby). Her company Mindful Return consults with other businesses for developing and implementing their parental rights strategies. Among these topics, we also talk with Lori about turning her writing and speaking platform focused on on topics of work-life integration, the transition back to work after parental leave, and mindfulness for busy professionals, into a full-time business. Support the show

When I think of Maya Markovich, I can't help but think of the song from Hamilton, "The World Turned Upside Down," because she's exactly the kind of person with the vision and audacity necessary to effect those kinds of changes. In Episode 54 of Lawyerpreneur, we talk with Maya Markovich about doing really hard things, how behavioral economics can apply to lawyers and law practice, and how lawyers can effectively use change management within their firms. We also discuss the non-linear trajectory of Maya's career and the roles she has taken on. The episode is co-hosted by M.C. Sungaila, who was first on the podcast in Episode 16, Developing Your Business and Your Reputation. While M.C. will be co-hosting a few episodes with me here, she has also launched her own podcast, The Portia Project. Support the show

Joel Oster is our guest in Episode 53 of Lawyerpreneur. Joel practices constitutional law and runs Comedian of Law, a CLE company that uses humor to liven up its materials. He also hosts a podcast called Debriefing the Law. He is also the author of UnDue Process: Exposing the Good, the Bad, and the Funny of the Law. Among other things, we talk about how he gave himself a bridge between his law practice and his other projects to chase his creative pursuits. Support the show

For going on two years, Michael Young has been my go-to example of the benefits of using unconventional marketing methods to establish your brand and build trust equity with others in your profession. Because of that, his appearance on Lawyerpreneur is long overdue. Young is a regular contributor on LinkedIn discussing insurance coverage and bad faith topics. Support the show

For Episode 51, we talk with Tripp Watson of the Watson Law Firm in Birmingham, Alabama. Tripp started is own firm right out of law school and began marketing his firm as the Entrepreneur’s Law Firm. Tripp talks about Birmingham's entrepreneurial roots and how the city's business foundations have evolved over the last 150 years. He answers questions about whether having niche law practice focused on business owners made it more difficult to get started and get a foothold. Watson also talks about managing client relationships and why his firm website has a page that lays out in great detail what they can expect when working with your firm. Don't miss this interview with Tripp Watson about being an entrepreneurial lawyer. Support the show

Brian Gibbons is a partner in the New York office of the civil defense litigation firm Wade Clark Mulcahy. He hosts the interview-based podcast, Call Your Next Witness, and is an active member of DRI. He has used his involvement in DRI and other industry organizations as a platform to help build and grow his law practice. Gibbons has also used his podcast and other out-of-the-box marketing to expand his professional network. Support the show

In the past 18 months, we keep hearing that "everyone has a podcast now." It's become a running joke as hundreds, possibly thousands, of podcasts have been born out of a global pandemic. Most have since gone comatose, but others has continued on. Robert Ingalls, founder of LawPods, is encouraged by the continued prevalence and popularity of podcasts. He sees podcasts as a way for lawyers and firms to give clients and potential clients a look behind the curtain. It enables clients to get to know their lawyers on a personal level and establishes a platform for lawyers to exhibit their expertise. So while not everyone has a podcast ... yet, Ingalls hopes that more lawyers will continue to see the value in a medium that looks like it's here to stay. Support the show

Episode 47 of Lawyerpreneur starts off a little differently than most. Beth starts off asking me about my work, which I tell her about. And if you've been listening for any length of time, you may have heard before. But it leads us right into her work as a lawyer and what she has been doing outside of law practice. I hope you enjoy this interview that touches on everything from food science to creativity and finding fulfillment within a career. While Beth George hasn't entirely left the practice of law behind, she spends most of her time consulting with bagel shop owners for her business BYOB Bagels. When Beth's son had dietary sensitivities that required a lot of experimenting, she found herself on a path that would lead to her being a bagel-based business consultant. Because she was raised in a home with a family-run business, Beth George was prepared for both the joys and struggles of being her own boss. You can find Beth George at BYOB Bagels, on Instagram at BYOBbagels, and on LinkedIn. Support the show