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  • Seat at the Table: Success at Every Stage of the Hiring Process

    Seat at the Table: Success at Every Stage of the Hiring Process
    2026/07/14
    In this episode of the Un-Billable Hour’s Seat at the Table: Hiring is hard. It’s harder if you don’t know what you want, can’t describe the position, and don’t make an effort to attract the right candidates (and reduce the number of candidates you don’t want) Develop an intentional, consistent plan for reviewing a candidate’s credentials. That includes knowing the questions you want to ask – and don’t want to ask – candidates and uncover a candidate’s willingness to grow, learn, and adapt. Once you know what you want, be upfront about what you offer. Sharing the compensation package is becoming a must. Younger workers may pass if you’re being too coy. Share what makes you special: Educational and travel opportunities? Paid bar dues? Bonuses? Time off? Culture? Transparency counts. If you’ve done well with your marketing and you’ve delighted clients who are happy to refer new clients, maybe it’s time to hire some additional team members. Host Christopher T. Anderson brings in regular guest Rob Leitner along with HR and management pros Laytoamb Wiggins, Lori Brown-Simmons, and Jeff Levin for a seat at the table to discuss how to approach the hiring process, and the pitfalls to avoid. Successful hiring starts before you post a help wanted sign. Start by understanding what you want. What does the perfect hire do? What outcomes do you need? If you don’t know what you want, you won’t get it. The best job postings attract candidates you want and weed out mediocre candidates. Don’t waste your time or theirs. Once you’ve developed an intentional job description, make time during the interview to understand not only what the candidate already knows, but also the candidate’s capacity to learn, grow, and adapt. Developed a “score sheet” that helps you accurately compare candidates consistently. Create an interview plan before you welcome the first candidate – and stick with it. What about signing bonuses, compensation (yes, be upfront), intangible benefits like flexible schedules and bonuses? These things matter, put them first in your posting. Hiring is tough, and failure comes with costs both financial and cultural. Hear how Christopher and the panel find ways to get the job of hiring for the job done right. REFERENCES MENTIONED: “10 Best Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS) of 2025,” Wellness360 Clio ClioCon 2026, Oct. 26-27, 2026 Legal Talk Network Unbillable Hour Special thanks to our sponsors Wyzer Staffing and CallRail.
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    46 分
  • Growing Isn’t Scaling. Why Law Firms Need to Know the Difference.

    Growing Isn’t Scaling. Why Law Firms Need to Know the Difference.
    2026/06/23
    What happens when your firm grows faster than your infrastructure can support? Growing pains. It’s a good problem to have, it means your firm is prospering. But you can’t ignore the issue. Guest Lori Brown-Simmons is a law firm operations executive and founder of Fractional Firm Advisors, offering fractional COO and CFO leadership to growing firms, helping them scale in an orderly, profitable manner. She explains how midsize firms often experience what she calls “profit squeeze,” when a growing firm is starting to experience the same issues as bigger firms, but without the tech, the leverage or confidence to raise rates, and the human capital to maintain control, standards, efficiency, and momentum. Simply attracting more clients might mean your business is “growing,” but it’s not scaling sustainably. As a firm grows up, it’s easy to leak efficiencies by setting rates incorrectly, using outdated workflow, skimping on tech, missing opportunities to outsource through fractional employees and virtual assistants, and even making mistakes with real estate and office space. (And yes, AI fits in here, too. It’s not going away). Mentioned in This Episode: Legal Talk Network
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    38 分
  • Seat At The Table: Getting an “A+” in Client Satisfaction

    Seat At The Table: Getting an “A+” in Client Satisfaction
    2026/06/09
    In this episode of the Un-Billable Hour’s Seat at the Table: What’s the difference between sending clients out the door with their case successfully resolved and having clients walk away with a great feeling and a real human connection to you and your firm A law firm is a service industry. Successful firms understand how personal, attentive service and communication leads to happy clients and builds repeat business and referrals. Clients begin to form their opinion – their gut feeling – of your firm from the second they reach out. Most have never hired an attorney, it’s scary. Being kind and supportive from start to finish pays off in client satisfaction. Take a “seat at the table,” with host Christopher T. Anderson and guests as they share the nuances of customer experience, client satisfaction, and going beyond achieving a desired outcome. What is “customer satisfaction?” As attorneys, we may think that means handling a case with efficiency and competency. But clients want, maybe need, more. Empathy, guidance, and a process that makes them feel heard and that their attorney cares about their problem. In this episode of a Seat at the Table, Christopher is joined by experienced and successful attorneys Ruby L. Powers and Amira Hasenbush and legal marketing guru, former attorney, and co-host of the Legal Talk Network’s Lunch Hour Legal Marketing podcast Gyi Tsakalakis. Hear ideas for delivering a delightful experience. Build trust and connections (and earn repeat business and referrals). Getting a good outcome these days is table stakes, you’re expected to do your job. The A+ in experience is the client who leaves feeling appreciated, recognized, and supported. Technology is great. AI is changing the game. But no tech replaces a human who doesn’t just pretend to care, but really does care. It doesn’t matter what you think you’re delivering. What matters is what your clients feel you’re delivering. Mentioned in This Episode: AI Companion Querious Fireflies AI Hona AI Case Status AI “Cues: Master the Secret Language of Charismatic Communication,” by Vanessa Van Edwards “Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect,” by Will Guidara Clio ClioCon 2026, Oct. 26-27, 2026 Legal Talk Network Unbillable Hour
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    45 分
  • Putting Profits First. Make Profits a Decision and Priority, not a Leftover.

    Putting Profits First. Make Profits a Decision and Priority, not a Leftover.
    2026/05/26
    Money, profit, probably isn’t the only reason you own a law firm. But it is an important part of it. Guest Ben Hockema is a financial planner who specializes in helping business leaders focus on long-term profits and understand why focusing on, and delivering, profit is so important. Hockema’s company, Illuminate Wealth Management, works closely with law firms and their owners. Perhaps no one told you owning a law firm is owning a business. But the reality is you can’t effectively serve clients without focusing on your business and making it work. Law school may teach you the law, but no firm functions without profits. It’s important that you build a firm that pays you first. A profitable firm starts with your mindset. If you’re distracted by financial insecurity, if your firm isn’t delivering the profits that allow you to practice without worry, you aren’t doing your best work. The profit-first mindset isn’t about being selfish, it’s about eliminating distractions. Hear how Hockema helps law-firm owners reshape their understanding of how a firm works. Generating sustainable profit is a leadership decision, a conscious goal, not simply what’s left over at the end of the month. Consider these vital tips that can change your thinking (and understand the biggest mistake law firms make). Mentioned in This Episode: “Profit First,” by Michael Michalowicz Clio legal software Legal Talk Network
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    37 分
  • Seat at the Table: Maximizing the Value of Non-Attorney Salespeople

    Seat at the Table: Maximizing the Value of Non-Attorney Salespeople
    2026/05/12
    In this episode of the Un-Billable Hour’s Seat at the Table: Get past the stigma: Law firms sell a service, and that’s no different than any other service business. It makes sense to hire a sales pro to find and sign customers What makes for a good non-attorney sales pro? What skills do you look for and where do you find them? Attorneys practice law. They aren’t trained in sales. Don’t waste time giving free advice during a “consult.” Let a sales professional sign the client, then focus on solving their problem. Take a “seat at the table,” with host Christopher T. Anderson and guests Rob Leitner and Elliot and Erik Alicea, experienced pros in building and running successful law firms. In this episode, law firms have grappled for a while with the idea of employing non-attorney salespeople to drive leads. That discussion is probably over, it’s time to talk about maximizing the value of these sales professionals. Let’s remove the stigma, law firms sell services. And lawyers aren’t salespeople. Hire a pro. Whether you call them salespeople or client/attorney liaisons or whatever else, the job of non-attorney salespeople is to welcome clients to the firm while ensuring the firm is a good fit for them, and the clients are a good fit for firm. But who are they? Where do you find them? Remember, this is the face of your firm. You’re looking for “personality plus,” meaning empathy, an understanding of the firm’s role and culture, and conversation skills. They don’t need legal skills, they need sales skills, that might include pros from high end car dealers or luxury item sales, even real estate professionals. In this episode of the Un-Billable Hour’s Seat at the Table, our panel of practice management and marketing professionals share inside tips for finding non-attorney sales pros to represent your firm, how to train them, and how to turn that hire into profit. Mentioned in This Episode: Dyson Vacuum Commercial, YouTube Clio ClioCon 2026, Oct. 26-27, 2026 Legal Talk Network Unbillable Hour
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    39 分
  • Your Firm’s Reputation Matters. It Starts With Who You Hire.

    Your Firm’s Reputation Matters. It Starts With Who You Hire.
    2026/04/28
    Reputational management and referral marketing in a crowded field are valuable commodities. But how are law firms and legal leaders building their business through reputational development? Guest David Craig is an experienced and recognized attorney specializing in trucking accidents and liability. He developed a reputation through legal acumen, public service, and as the author of the book “It’s Never Been Easier to Hire the Wrong Attorney.” But he also says a firm’s reputation can be defined by the people it hires. Craig is the managing partner and a founder of the Indiana personal injury firm Craig, Kelley, and Faultless LLC. He shares what he learned about reputational development over years of work. It all starts inside the firm, not the courthouse. You can’t say one thing but have anyone inside the firm doing another. Start with hiring. The people you hire represent your firm as much as you do. Hiring, monitoring performance, talking with clients, and online reviews all matter. Strong firms (and leaders!) take an interest in how every member of the team both performs and represents the firm’s bedrock principles. Clients don’t want to hire the wrong attorney, but sometimes they don’t know how to hire the right one. Building a reputation creates positive reviews, community support, and referrals. Hear how your firm – from top to bottom – can ensure a consistent positive client experience that turns into repeatable business. Everything you and your team do, starting with informational meetings and helping prospects feel welcome and appreciated, down to making sure clients remain comfortable and informed, builds your firm’s reputation. Mentioned in This Episode: “It’s Never Been Easier to Hire the Wrong Attorney,” by David Craig Clio legal software Legal Talk Network
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    44 分
  • Seat At The Table: How To Avoid Wasting Money On Marketing

    Seat At The Table: How To Avoid Wasting Money On Marketing
    2026/04/14
    In this episode of the Un-Billable Hour’s Seat at the Table: Establishing a brand is one thing, sharing that brand with potential clients who need what you’ve established as a brand – your solutions – is next It’s easy to waste money on marketing when your efforts are unfocused. Be strategic. Learn from others. What works? Don’t just pursue all the potential clients in the world, speak directly to the clients you want. The ones who are ready to hire you, not just kick the tires. Take a “seat at the table,” with host Christopher T. Anderson and guests Rob Leitner, John Reed, Kristen David, and Elliot and Erik Alicea, all experienced pros in building and running successful law firms. In this episode, dig into marketing, the next step once you’ve established your brand identity. How does marketing share your vision and attract the clients you want? Share how, and why, you and your firm are the solution to your potential clients’ problems. Because that’s what clients want: solutions. As we’ve learned, branding is who you are and what you stand for. But marketing is about connecting with potential clients, sharing that brand, and creating that “Bam, that’s who I want to work with” revelation. Learn to connect your value proposition to your target audience. Define your ideal clients, find them, and let them know you understand their situation and can help. Then, after the initial contact, get them in the door and cement that connection. Avoid wasted effort by connecting your brand to your marketing, making your voice heard and your capabilities recognized. It all has to work together to help you interest, connect with, and land the clients you want. Mentioned in This Episode: Clio ClioCon 2026, Oct. 26-27, 2026
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    38 分
  • Getting Control of Your Practice (and Your Life). Beat Burnout, Live Better.

    Getting Control of Your Practice (and Your Life). Beat Burnout, Live Better.
    2026/03/24
    Lawyers, even busy lawyers, deserve to feel joy and satisfaction. Burnout, time management crises, and stress are signs that your business is running you instead of you running you. The secret may lie in better energy management and better focus on what makes us happier and more productive. Guest Wendy Meadows runs a successful family law firm. But a few years ago, she realized her busy practice wasn’t as fulfilling as it could be. She turned inward and focused on what made her happy. She transitioned her practice from litigation to mediation. And she learned how to let herself experience her own successes and recognize the bright moments around her. Meadows turned what she learned into a coaching practice and a top-selling book, “Sparkle & GRIT,” helping other attorneys reboot old habits and create purpose to build their best life. Learn to understand how you work best and what makes you happy. Sometimes just spending five minutes on yourself at the beginning of the day can help you enjoy a more purposeful, and less stressful lifestyle. If you won’t “manage yourself,” it’s hard to manage a firm. Take a moment to reflect on your day prior, what made it a good day? Think about the upcoming day, what will you focus on? Make tomorrow the day you wake up feeling great. Mentioned in This Episode: “The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment,” by Eckhart Tolle Clio legal software Legal Talk Network
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    42 分