Future of Law by Goodlawyer (Matt Scrivens)

Today we bring you Episode 4 of our Startup Series where we are taking you behind the scenes at Goodlawyer to show you the highs and lows of running an early stage startup.

In this episode we have on Grant Lahring, Growth Manager at Goodlawyer. Grant gives a fantastic description of what a Growth Manager does at a startup, what metrics he keys on to measure growth at Goodlawyer, and takes us through some great skills to have for those interested in a growth role, or for founders looking to hire someone accelerate the speed of growth at their company.  

We also discuss how to manage expectations of team members and founders who want be be growing at a faster rate than what is currently being achieved, the importance of understanding how to do a task yourself before  handing it off to someone else on your team,  and how to make sure you learn from the mistakes you will inevitably make when building your startup.  

It was a pleasure to have Grant on the show, and we hope the issues discussed prove helpful to any of you looking to build or grow your own startup.

https://321growthacademy.com/#

https://blog.hubspot.com/

This week we bring to you an Episode of the Startup Calgary Podcast where Goodlawyer team member Grant Lahring was recently invited on to discuss his experiences working at a entrepreneurial venture. The podcast is part of Startup Calgary’s series, So you want to work for a Startup, and answers questions like “how can working at a startup progress your career", and "where you can look for opportunities to work at a startup". For any of you interested in working at a startup, or if you are interested in starting one of your own, these podcasts are a great way to get a better understand what it takes to be successful. 

Today we are happy to welcome back friend of the show, and corporate lawyer extraordinaire Josh Weinberger to answer some of the most common questions that get sent our way in our first ever Q&A episode. In the episode, we answer "when is the right time for my business to incorporate?” (3:50) , and "how do I keep my corporation in good standing?” (15:40). 

Although we did our best to be relevant and accurate, we hope it goes without saying that this is NOT LEGAL ADVICE. We are simply providing legal information. Our goal is to make you aware, and to give context around these legal issues so that when you do encounter them, you have a better understanding, and are better prepared to deal with them.

If you do need help with your business, get the answers you are looking for by booking an advice session with a Goodlawyer of your choosing. We are so confident that you will find great advice that the first 15-minutes are on us! Simply head to our site at Goodlawyer.ca, click on "Book and Advice Session", and enter the promo code GLSHOW.  The legal advice you seek is only a click away!

Lawyers continually fight against industry stigma.

Mental health pressures.

Wanting a more creative way to practice.

Spending time with family & on side businesses.

Yet the traditional legal career models struggle to sufficiently serve a large segment of lawyers and companies.

To launch Season 2, Pauline Chan, a fractional General Counsel, serial entrepreneur and Head of Lawyer Experience at Goodlawyer, takes us through her journey from walking away from BigLaw, building her own businesses and designing a legal career that fits her life’s goals.

In her ever thoughtful and passionate style, Pauline lives what it means to be a passionate advocate for lawyers. To offer them greater access to exciting career opportunities. And encourage them to bring out their diverse skills.

In this interview you’ll take away:

2:50: A shocking return to the Legal industry with Goodlawyer

6:20: Curiosity turned darkness into passion

8:10: Law in a way that works for you

14:52: Fighting off the doubt(er)s

18:30: The benefits of doing more than 1 thing

22:25: Changing mental health stigma in the law

26:45: Being the example you want to see

31:30: How to reassure yourself in scary moments

34:45: Quickly test if your interests are career options

37:15: The Future of Law looks like this

43:35: 3 rapid fire questions on designing your life & work

51:40: Your greatest asset is masquerading as a weakness

Episode Resources:

Learn more from Pauline Chan about how to design an intentional career and about fractional legal work with Goodlawyer here: ⁠www.linkedin.com/in/paulinepochan⁠ and ⁠www.goodlawyer.ca⁠.

To uncover your natural gifts and elevate your Career or your Team, connect with Chad Aboud: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/chadaboud/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.chadaboud.com⁠⁠

How does someone go from a Guamanian jail, to a successful legal practice in St. Louis, to living in the wilderness 3 hours north of Toronto writing some of Legal’s most eye-catching LinkedIn posts for a living?

Tony Albrecht’s lawyer life has been anything but typical.

He’s walked away from the Partnership track.

He was a digital nomad years before it was a thing.

He’s worked, and seen the inside of a prison, in Guam.

And each time he bet on himself, he got closer to uncovering his unique gift:

Telling the stories of Lawyers and Law Firms to grow their brands.

In his always contemplative and probing style, Tony walks us through how he’s made massive career changes, build skills he never thought were relevant to his career, and launch a rapidly growing creative agency, CONTENDER, that turns Lawyer voices into powerful business development tools on LinkedIn.

In this interview you’ll take away:

3:55:   Why we don't pay attention to our greatest gifts

5:10:   How December 2021 changed Tony's mind about LinkedIn

8:20:   How to get the algo to show you interesting posts

12:53: LinkedIn relationships are like normal life

15:25: Why Tony left his career as St. Louis litigator

20:10: What is it you're going to do with your one and precious life?

22:30: Moving your career towards what you're drawn to

26:00: Reducing money stress during career transitions

29:45: The most meaningful part of Tony's career today

32:39: Activities that bring you good energy

35:35: What is the Future of Law for Tony?

43:40: 3 rapid fire career questions

50:30: Sharing your message as the hub of your growth

Episode Resources:

Learn more from Tony Albrecht about how to build your brand on LinkedIn here:  www.linkedin.com/in/tony-albrecht⁠ and  contenderllc.com⁠.

To uncover your natural gifts and elevate your Career or your Team, connect with me: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/chadaboud/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.chadaboud.com⁠⁠

Sarah had the “perfect” General Counsel role. Exciting scale-up. Enjoying her team. Receiving positive feedback.

And then she walked away.

Leaving it all behind to build something that only she could.

Because she realized: she was the niche.

Learn how Sarah went from being a SaaS GC in Dublin to becoming a globally sought after Community Builder, B2B Influencer, Venture Partner and Angel Investor, seemingly overnight.

In her passionate, creative and friendly style, Sarah reflects on how she leverages her past experiences and skills to fuel her entrepreneurial ventures and why, for her, doing so hasn’t been nearly as scary as others said it would be.

In this interview you’ll take away:

03:20: Initial 6 months: Sarah's growth, goals and fears

07:20: Making peace with pivoting

11:15: How to build confidence when you're forced to adapt

16:33: Why being a scale-up GC was a great fit

20:25: And why Sarah walked away from it

26:00: Celebrating greatness sends your signal into the world

32:30: You are your niche: offer-market fit, investing and being a VC

43:00: Fears that will actually be ok

48:45: Where Sarah will be in 2025

51:35: Advice for earlier Sarah, what to know about atypical careers, and reflections on 6 months as an entrepreneur

58:00: How to design a Career at the Future of Law, that suits you

Episode Resources:

Learn more from Sarah Irwin about how to bring out your entrepreneurial side and build your community here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-irwin-aa273064/ and

https://www.itgc.ie/

To uncover your natural gifts and elevate your Career or your Team, connect with Chad Aboud: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/chadaboud/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.chadaboud.com⁠⁠

She was working late on Christmas Eve. Feeling the pressure of getting a deal done while her kids were asking for her. A painful moment many Lawyers experience.

But for Amy Grubb, it was the final straw.

She didn’t know what was next but she knew it was something different.

And it turned out to be something big.

In the conversations with her community after she left BigLaw, Amy described her goals and what she believed was her purpose. And in the months and years that followed, the community she’d created rallied around her while she built multiple businesses.

Now as an Account Executive at Affinity and Lawyerist, Amy helps Law Firm owners grow their businesses.

With reflectiveness and contentment, Amy shares her journey from leaving BigLaw, to building businesses and becoming as a renowned advisor to Law Firms across North America.

And she shares how you can intentionally design your career too, if you build your community first.

In this interview you’ll take away:

04:20: How does community make Law Firms more successful?

07:45: Easy ways to quickly build your community right now

12:30: Does it matter if our actions aren’t purely altruistic?

14:00: How to be brave and design an atypical career path

18:25: The "I'm leaving the Firm” conversation

22:40: Taking a chance on yourself

28:49: For you, For me vs. Universal truths

31:30: What is the Future of Law for Amy?

35:20: What you need to know about designing an atypical career

37:55: Long lost friends asking each other the deep stuff

Episode Resources:

Learn more from Amy Grubb about how to bring out your entrepreneurial side and build your community here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amygrubb/  and https://www.affinityconsulting.com.

To uncover your natural gifts and elevate your Career or your Team, connect with Chad Aboud here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/chadaboud/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.chadaboud.com⁠⁠

Learn more about how Goodlawyer is helping Lawyers build careers that fit their lives, and giving incredible companies access to seasoned Lawyers in a way that fits their goals and budget here: www.goodlawyer.ca.

“Keep coming up with your ideas — but keep them to yourself.”

This was the nail in the coffin for Brett’s BigLaw career.

As a lifelong entrepreneur, he’d heard “No” before.

As a kid, selling found golf balls on the fairways.

In college, selling house painting services.

But this was different.

This was his industry – the legal industry – telling him that they didn’t value his creativity, his agency, his innovation.

So he left.

Heading straight to grandma’s basement.

And within just 5 years, he built a company, Goodlawyer, that would be named 15th fastest growing company in Canada. With a roster of seasoned Lawyers coast-to-coast providing fractional legal support to incredible companies in a way that actually fits their goals and budget.

In this fascinating episode, Brett’s passion and humor are on full display as he shares his journey from walking away from BigLaw, to founding a small business, to becoming CEO of the 15th fastest growing company in Canada.

If you’ve ever thought about designing a career that better fits your life, or wished you had seasoned legal support in a way that fits your goals and budget, this one’s for you.

Because, thankfully for the legal industry, Brett will never keep his ideas to himself.

In this interview you’ll take away:

03:10: What’s your scariest BigLaw moment?

06:30: How to see your inner entrepreneur

13:00: A big change as opportunity (not failure)

20:30: Deeply caring about Lawyer careers

28:15: How Goodlawyer helps build community & new skills

33:35: Lawyers deserve a career that fits their lives

38:30: What Brett can't believe about where Goodlawyer is today

39:15: The education bridge for fractional legal careers

47:30: Advice for young Brett: "Keep truckin, don't settle"

53:40: Tips for choosing an atypical Lawyer path

57:00: My biggest impact over the next 5 years

1:01:10: Future of Law Summit on Nov 21: your brand, your community, your skills – sign up for free at summit.goodlawyer.ca

Episode Resources:

Learn more from Brett Colvin about how Goodlawyer helps Lawyers build careers that fit their lives & gives incredible companies access to seasoned Lawyers in a way that fits their goals and budget here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brettrcolvin/ and www.goodlawyer.ca.

Sign up for the Future of Law Summit here: summit.goodlawyer.ca. It’s virtual and free so there are no barriers to get this year’s most entertaining 4 hours of CLE!

To uncover your natural gifts and elevate your Career or your Team, connect with Chad here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/chadaboud/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.chadaboud.com⁠⁠

If Lawyers have a monopoly on legal services, nothing changes.

Many talk about legal innovation. He lives it.

Whether it’s Mitch Kowalski’s books about how Lawyers can avoid extinction or his international projects with governments and massive brands around the world…

he walks his talk.

In this episode, as usual Mitch pulls no punches as he shares how the legal industry needs to change to improve client services and lawyer well-being. He also shows us how other countries have already been doing this for decades.

If you’ve ever wondered why the legal industry is so slow to change and what we can do about it today, this episode is right down your alley.

In this interview you’ll take away:

02:25: Why Mitch left the BigLaw Partnership track

07:00: Being introspective and betting on yourself

10:15: The most meaningful part of being a small firm owner

14:30: What your friends say when you leave BigLaw

16:30: Should Lawyers be the only ones to own Law Firms?

25:30: How to get clients & business teams to love you

36:25: Advice for earlier Mitch: find your people

38:55: Defining your own career success

44:30: How can AI actually help Lawyers right now?

Episode Resources:

Learn more from Mitch Kowalski about the latest trends in legal industry innovation here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchkowalski/ and https://kowalski.ca/.

To learn more from Mitch, sign up for the Future of Law Summit here: summit.goodlawyer.ca. It’s virtual and free so there are no barriers to get this year’s most entertaining 4 hours of CLE!

To uncover your natural gifts and elevate your Career or your Team, connect with Chad Aboud here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/chadaboud/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.chadaboud.com⁠⁠

She’s faced lies, slander and ridicule.

But she remains a warrior for the Legal industry.

Having no interest in the status quo and proving that empathy and curiosity make money.

Leena Yousefi has absorbed more hate than most in the legal industry could ever imagine.

Yet she’s turned that negative energy into fuel to become CEO of YLaw, the largest female led Law Firm in Canada, an author, voted Top 25 Lawyers in Canada and one of Canada's 100 Most Powerful Women, ranked Top 10 Innovators in Canada, named 40 under 40 and a Lexpert Rising Star.

But Leena doesn’t care about all of that.

She cares about shaking up the Legal Industry.

Making it a place where everyone feels like they belong.

And she won’t stop no matter what the haters say.

In this episode, one of the most courageous voices of the Legal industry, shares how she’s fought back from lies and slander to build a Law Firm that leverages empathy and inclusivity to drive growth.  

If you’re looking for hope for the Future of Law, this episode is for you.

Because Leena is the future right now.

In this interview you’ll take away:

02:45: How to be courageous in the face of misinformation

06:45: Taking risks & being unafraid (even when you're anxious)

10:25: How YLaw treats Lawyers better and makes more money doing it

15:20: It's our duty to make the industry better, so give first

21:45: What happens when you share what you care about

26:30: Using your natural gifts & shaking up the Legal industry

30:30: Best advice for earlier Leena

32:30: On lies, slander and mental health

36:30: Acknowledging uncomfortable feelings to move through them

37:15: Creating a safe space to be yourself at work

39:15: Why empathy and inclusivity are business drivers

Episode Resources:

Learn more from Leena Yousefi and about YLaw here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leena-yousefi-7932b232/  and https://www.ylaw.ca/.

To uncover your natural gifts and elevate your Career or your Team, connect with Chad Aboud here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.linkedin.com/in/chadaboud/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.chadaboud.com⁠⁠

Learn more about how Goodlawyer is helping Lawyers build careers that fit their lives, and giving incredible companies access to seasoned Lawyers in a way that fits their goals and budget here: www.goodlawyer.ca.

Halloween is the time to be haunted by ghosts, goblins and ghouls, but it is a well known fact that nothing in this universe is scarier than speaking to a lawyer. And this week, in honour of Halloween, we brought on a couple of business owners to share with you their legal horror stories. 

First up we have Dom Fraser, CEO of TeamFund which is a fantastic company that makes fund-raising much easier and more profitable for busy volunteers.  After that we have Stephen Wensley, CEO of Acuspire, which uses AI to help automate the recruitment process for both job seekers and employers. 

Now, before we jump in, I do want to mention that this episode is in no way meant to denigrate lawyers. Both Brett and I are lawyers, and we hold those in our profession in high esteem. That said, we do know that speaking to a lawyer can, at times, elicit similar feeling to going to the dentist.

So, so if you have ever felt this way, we want to let you know that you are not alone. Even experienced business owners like Dom and Stephen have felt the same way.  This is one of the key issues we are addressing at Goodlawyer, attempting to make the law much more approachable and certainly less terrifying than it has been for some in the past.

https://www.teamfund.ca/our-story/

https://acuspire.ai/

On the show this week we have Daniel Goldgut, Co-Founder and CEO of Epilogue Wills. We all know planning your estate can be stressful, and if you are a procrastinator like me, this task can sit on your to-do list more or less indefinitely. Many of the decisions you need to make can often feel a little overwhelming, especially if you have kids or property to deal with, add in the fact that traditionally sorting out your will can take long periods of time and cost quite a bit, it is understandable that people are not rushing to get them done. 

Enter Epilogue, who have simplified the will and estate planning process. Instead of taking weeks or even months to sort out your will, Epilogue has streamlined the entire activity so that many can complete it in less than an afternoon, and pay only a fraction of big firm rates.

In addition to discussing the importance of getting your estate in order, our conversation with Daniel covers: 

* How the idea for Epilogue Wills came about; 

* How Epilogue built their product and gained traction with their customers; 

* Whether it was a difficult decision for Daniel to quit his job and take the entrepreneurial leap;

* The challenges around automating legal work, among many others. 

If you are in the market for a will, make sure you check out Epilogue. 

https://epiloguewills.com/

https://www.legalinnovationzone.ca/

On the show this week we are excited to welcome Joel Shackleton. Joel is a Portfolio Manager at Gold Investment Management, and half of the talent of the Reformed Millennials, which is a podcast dedicated to identifying macro waves and trends that Millennials can jump on to better invest their time, energy and money.

In this week's edition we discuss Joel’s responsibilities as a Portfolio Manager, and talk about the crazy tech valuations we have seen during Covid. We get Joel’s thoughts on why he believes Tesla is overvalued, and chat about the exciting upcoming IPO Market, including Airbnb. We also discuss investing in startups and get some of Joel’s strategies for approaching these risky investments. We cap it all off by getting some great recommendations on newsletters and other resources Joel uses to keep informed.

To hear more from Joel, make sure you check out Reformed Millennials and  follow him on Twitter and Instagram @joelshackelton.  

* https://reformedmillennials.substack.com

* https://www.angelthebook.com

* https://www.algebraofhappiness.com

* https://thegeneralist.substack.com

* https://alexdanco.com

* https://www.ben-evans.com/newsletter

* https://www.profgalloway.com

If you are in the market for great investment advice, be sure to check out Joel Shackleton at https://gold-im.com/joel-shackleton/

On the show this week we have Jaime Wood, Co-Founder and COO of Fanoramas. Fanoramas is a fan engagement company focused on building the fans experience through personalized content. 

On the show we discuss the challenges facing the entertainment industry with COVID-19. The importance of staying resilient in the face of adversity. How the idea for Fanoramas came about. How Fanoramas built their product and tested some of their core assumptions. The importance of breaking your big idea down into manageable pieces. And why you must be an evangelist for your business and product. 

https://fanoramas.com/

https://www.take2.tech/

https://blog.goodlawyer.ca/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6-LxSSuAUPTjtsgGsc3-nA

https://www.strategyzer.com/

http://theleanstartup.com/

https://www.kimorlesky.com/blog

Today we are excited to be sharing an episode of Startup Canada's "Thrive" podcast where Goodlawyer's innovation strategist, and contract lawyer extraordinaire, Amy Grubb,  was recently interviewed to discuss her legal and entrepreneurial journey. 

The conversation covers (among many others):

* The importance of taking a step back to ensure the path you are on is taking you to where you want to be.

* The importance of knowing you ideal client no matter what your industry.

* When you should contact a lawyer.

* How to find the right lawyer for your situation.

* Red flags entrepreneurs should be looking out for in contracts. 

Thanks to Startup Canada and the Thrive podcast for allowing us to share this episode!

As another year has drawn to an end, we at Goodlawyer took some time to reflect on the year that has been, and cast our gaze to the horizon for the year to come. No question 2020 was a year like none other.  Alongside COVID-19 came many unexpected challenges, not only for our company, but for society at large, and undoubtedly for each one of you.

While it is tempting to bid 2020 an unceremonious good riddance, 2020 was in fact a formative year at Goodlawyer. To be sure there were challenges; 2020 saw a co-founder depart from the Goodlawyer team, initiatives failed, and COVID-19 played havoc with literally every single plan we had.

However, it was also the year Goodlawyer pivoted to an offering based around micro-legal services, grew the team by multiple members, won Start-up Calgary's “Alumni Choice Award”, and launched our most exciting product to date: the Goodlawyer PRO subscription.

Joining me on the show to discuss all of this and much more is my co-host and Goodlawyer CEO and Co-founder Brett Colvin.  As you will hear we are very excited for the year to come (even to some of the challenges that are sure to await). After successfully navigating the challenges of 2020, we have developed a deep belief that the Goodlawyer team, along with all the lawyers' operating on the platform, are up for the task. 

We hope you enjoy today’s 2020 recap, and wish you nothing but success in 2021!

On the show today we have Bobbie Racette, founder and CEO of Virtual Gurus.  Virtual Gurus is a virtual assistant marketplace that matches businesses and entrepreneurs with freelancer assistants. 

We discuss the unique challenges of building a two-sided platform, Bobbie's experience pitching investors over 170 times before securing funding, the importance of continuous learning, how Bobbie keeps her team motivated and aligned with the companies mission, among many other topics. 

If you are in need of some extra administrative help, make sure to check out https://thevirtualgurus.com to find the perfect virtual assistant. 

https://www.saastr.com

https://fromfoundertoceo.com

https://www.nfx.com

Joining us on the show is Arin Klug, Co-Founder and COO of Epilogue Wills. Epilogue is an online will and estate planning service that can deliver a will in less than an afternoon, and for a fraction of the prices charged by the big firms. 

We cover many topics with Arin including how high legal fees prevent many from accessing the services; why some regulations may need to change to allow non-lawyers to deliver certain legal services; how universities can better prepare lawyers for the realities of day-to-day practice; the benefits of multi-disciplinary practices, among many others.

If you are in need of a will, be sure to check out epiloguewills.com/ to get it done fast, and without breaking the bank.

https://www.legalinnovationzone.ca/

https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this

https://www.startupschool.org/

Today on the podcast we have Thomas Walker, Chief Operating Officer at Wild Leaf Beverages, and Partner at Bast Capital. Thomas is also a lawyer who began his career working at one of Canada's major law firms. 

Thomas possesses a distinct perspective on entrepreneurship and law (two topics near and dear to our hearts at Goodlawyer) both of which we delve into deeply on today's show. 

We discuss a wide array of topics including: 

* Thomas's journey from lawyer to entrepreneur; 

* The pressure law students face on procuring "Big Law" jobs, and how easy it is to get caught up in that craze;

* Why Thomas left the law, and some of the issues facing the legal profession;

* How Thomas manages the relationship with his highly driven partners;

* The importance of prioritization and allowing some fires to burn in your business;

* Why you should always carry a bias towards action; 

* And many others! 

Whether you are a lawyer, law student, entrepreneur, business owner or any combination of the above, Thomas has tons of wisdom to share.

https://bastcapital.com

https://wildleafbev.com

https://www.mrjamesnestor.com/breath

https://shiftstate.io

https://www.breathwrk.com

https://www.michaelegerbercompanies.com/theemythlibrary/

Our guest today is Tom Freeman, General Counsel at Midwest Laboratories, Adjunct Professor of Law at Creighton University, and founding member of the Institute for Digital Humanity.

Tom joins us to discuss some of this issues facing the legal profession including the billable hour and some of the consequences of this method of pricing legal services, how technology will impact the practice of law and some of the unintended consequences that will need to be navigated, and the problems with the purely theoretical teaching model currently in vogue at most law schools.

For any of you interested in hearing more from Tom, please check out his excellent LinkedIn page where he has helped build a diverse community aimed at discussing many of the important issues surrounding the law and lawyers. 

All opinions expressed by Prof. Freeman are his own.

https://www.institutefordigitalhumanity.org

https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasfreeman/

This week we are bringing you Episode 1 of our 4 part Startup Series, where we take you behind the scenes at Goodlawyer to get an unvarnished look at what it is like to run an early stage company.  

We start the series off with Goodlawyer's CEO, and Co-Founder, Brett Colvin. Brett takes us through what problem Goodlawyer is attempting to solve, how the idea for Goodlawyer originated, and how Brett and his team went about turning the idea into a reality. We also discuss some lessons learned by the Goodlawyer team along the way, and hear what Brett would do differently if he had to do it all over again.

If you are thinking about launching your own company, or if you are currently looking to grow your business, this show is for you, and we hope it proves useful for you along your entrepreneurial path. 

* https://www.amazon.ca/Four-Steps-Epiphany-Successful-Strategies/dp/0989200507

Our guest today is Darrel Rolheiser. Darrel is a Business Centre Manager at the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC). While he is an experienced banker by trade, Darrel sees his role with BDC as more of a business developer, focused on helping entrepreneurs succeed and thrive.

BDC supports small and medium-sized businesses in all industries and at every stage of growth with money, advice and resources. They take a more wholistic approach to lending money than its traditional banking counterparts. It's not only the bottom line that matters, it is also the people and the ideas behind it.

On the show we discuss:

* How BDC can help finance your business;

* How BDC differs from "traditional" banks, and why that is a good thing for entrepreneurs; and

* The different types of businesses BDC supports. 

Thank you to Darrel for taking the time to come on the show! For more information on BDC, please visit their website at https://www.bdc.ca/en.

Today on The Goodlawyer Show we welcome Aaron Baer, a typically clean-shaven Bay Street lawyer tackling the world of big law a little differently than most. Aaron has quickly ascended the LinkedIn pecking order by sharing his (often cutting) thoughts on how the legal profession works today, and how it ought to tomorrow. 

In today's episode we dig into some of the most frustrating issues that plague lawyers and impact their mental health. We also assess:

* The billable hour and it's significant drawbacks (for clients and lawyers alike); 

* The challenging aspects of working remotely; 

* How to add real value to your clients' business; 

* And why in most cases, fixed-fee services provide an elegant solution for lawyers and clients alike. 

We close off with some ideas about how to train lawyers in the future, systemic issues found in law schools, and ways that we can make the legal services industry a kinder, more compassionate place for lawyers and clients. Needless to say, Aaron's approach to law resonates with our mission at Goodlawyer. 

We hope you enjoy this truly insightful episode of The Goodlawyer Show as much as we did.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronbaer2/

https://www.adamgrant.net/podcast/

https://brenebrown.com/podcasts/

On the show this week, we are re-releasing one of our favourite episodes with Nathan Hepple.  Nathan is a Lawyer and a Director of the law firm HBA Legal based out of Sydney, Australia. He is also half of the talent on the podcast "Pardon My Objection”, a show that challenges the status quo in the legal industry with one of our past guests, Mitch Kowalski.

In this wide ranging discussion, we cover many topics including:

* How in Australia, law firms are permitted to be organized as corporations, and owned by non-lawyers, and how this type of structure can lead to better outcomes for all involved; 

* How our current partnership model is failing both the lawyers who work within the system and the public at large, except for the very few at the top of the pyramid;

* The high rates of depression and mental health issues currently being experienced by lawyers; and

* What we can do to reform our legal system to make it...just a little more human.

Despite the heavy nature of some of the topics, as you will hear, the tone of the show is quite upbeat. Nathan has an infectiously positive outlook, and it is inspiring to know that Goodlawyer has allies all over the world who are working towards positive change in our antiquated legal system. 

In this episode of the Goodlawyer Show, Matt Scrivens sits down with Goodlawyer's Director of Client Experience, Taylor Smith to discuss the historic lack of customer service in the legal industry, and what Goodlawyer is doing to change it. 

As you will hear, Taylor is not a lawyer by trade. Rather he cut his teeth in the hospitality industry, and has brought many of these sorely lacking best practices to the legal profession. 

Taylors task at Goodlawyer is simple - make sure clients have a great experience. This means everything from setting clients up with the right lawyer the first time, facilitating communications between clients and their lawyer, and ensuring they get a quality piece of work returned on time and on budget.

You can think of Taylor, and our other members of our Legal Concierge team, as mini-project managers making sure your legal experience is as smooth and as productive as possible.

On the show we discuss:

* Why customer service is lacking in the legal profession;

* Best practices for improving client relationships;

* The "First Drink" principle that Taylor has been implementing at Goodlawyer; and 

* Questions he asks potential hires entering a client focused role.

While the conversation focuses on the legal profession, the principles can be applied pretty much anywhere, so no matter what industry you find yourself in, we hope this insightful conversation proves useful to you.  

https://meetings.hubspot.com/goodlawyerlegalconcierge15min/legal-concierge (Legal Concierge Booking Link)

https://joincolossus.com/episodes/21049021/meyer-the-power-of-hospitality?tab=mentionedcontent

In Episode #3 we discuss the future of legal innovation with Alex Steffen, partner and technology lead at Renno & co. We cover the problems with the billable hour model, the resistance (by some to adopt time saving technology in the legal community, and the effects COVID-19 will have on the adoption of tech in the legal space.

Learn more about Goodlawyer and get connected with affordable legal advice by visiting http://www.goodlawyer.ca

Our guest this week is Dr. Grant Wilson. Grant is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Business Administration at the University of Regina (a position he recently accepted so big congratulations to him)!

His teaching includes marketing, strategy, and innovation. In addition, Grant is an esteemed researcher and  has been published multiple academic journals on business, entrepreneurship and management.

He also has an active consulting practice that specializes in strategic planning, business development, and market research.

Grant joins us today to discuss innovation. Specifically:

* What innovation means (spoiler alert, it doesn't always mean technological innovation); 

* Why it matters to the success of your business; and 

* Some tips on how to implement an innovative culture into your organization. 

If you are interested in hearing more from Grant, you can contact him at grant.wilson@uregina.ca or though his University of Regina faculty page as soon as it is set up. 

https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/SL-11-2020-0136/full/html

Today's guest is Mitch Kowalski, a lawyer, visiting professor at the University of Calgary faculty of law, author, speaker, and co-host of the Podcast series “Pardon My Objection”, a show dedicated to exploring legal innovation and the future of law. 

As you will hear, Mitch is a voice for change in the legal profession. Our conversation covers many topics including:

* Why lawyers need to base their pricing on value to the client, rather than how many hours they put in;

* The need for regulation reform including implementing a national regulator for all common law provinces; and 

* The case for a more decentralized legal profession (firms not regulators), and why lawyers need to humble themselves in order to usher in some of the change we so desperately need.

Mitch pulls no punches when it comes the difficult or controversial topics, and getting this unadulterated perspective is one of the reasons we love him as a guest. 

If you haven't already, check out Mitch's podcast and pick up his fantastic books titled Avoiding Extinction, and The Great Legal Reformation, links included below. 

https://kowalski.ca/books/

The Goodlawyer Summit

Make sure you sign up for The Goodlawyer Summit this November 3rd & 4th. This two-day virtual and in-person hybrid event will empower entrepreneurs and startups to level up their businesses, while bringing together some of the brightest minds in law to reimagine a future where legal work is seen as a catalyst and not an obstacle. 

You can reserve your tickets today by clicking on the link below:

https://www.goodlawyer.ca/summit/future-of-law

In Episode #4 we are joined by friend of the show Josh Weinberger to discuss the changes and challenges faced by bigger firms when adopting new technology, the ability of lawyers to work remotely, whether firms will be eager to reduce their office space foot print with the development of remote working technologies, and of course how COVID-19 is both hindering and driving innovation in the legal space.Connect with Josh on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-weinberger-1151574b/

Today's guest is Ryan Clements, a lawyer, entrepreneur, author and Assistant Professor at the University of Calgary faculty of law. Ryan received his LLB (with distinction) from the University of Alberta, as well as his Master of Laws, and Doctorate of Juridical Science from Duke University Law School.

In our conversation we cover: 

* What attracted Ryan to law in the first place, and what influenced his trajectory from Big Firm lawyer, to entrepreneur, and now into to academia;

* How a law degree is like a owning a swiss army knife that can be used in numerous settings both within and outside of a law firm setting; 

* Why it is critical to become an expert in your chosen area to achieve professional success; and

* Ryan also gives a fantastic blueprint for law students and young lawyers who are trying to sort out their career path that I wish I had when I was going through law school. 

If you want to hear more from Ryan, make sure you follow him on Twitter or connect with him on LinkedIn. 

@ryanjclements (twitter)

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanjclements/ (LinkedIn)

Goodlawyer Summit

Be sure to sign up for the Goodlawyer Summit taking place on November 3rd & 4th where Ryan will be gracing the stage as a member of our legal tech panel.  

The Goodlawyer Summit is a hybrid virtual and in-person event that will empower entrepreneurs and startups to level up their businesses, while bringing together some of the brightest minds in law to reimagine a future where legal work is seen as a catalyst and not an obstacle. 

Make sure you reserve your free (but limited) tickets today!

https://www.goodlawyer.ca/summit/future-of-law

Our guest tonight is Pauline Chan, an entrepreneur and one of our very own Goodlawyers who possesses over a decade of legal experience helping businesses of all sizes get the help they need. 

Our discussion with Pauline covers much of  the lawyer’s journey, including: 

* Her experience in law school; 

* Being recruited by one of the top firms in the country, and 

* What ultimately led her to walk away from Big Law to set up her own private practice and open a barre fitness studio.  

For any of you law students going through on campus interviews at the moment, we hope this episode will give you a different perspective as you make your decisions on where you will article.

https://www.goodlawyer.ca/summit/future-of-law

We are joined by Dr. Gideon Christian, a lawyer and an assistant professor at the University of Calgary faculty of law. Gideon specializes in legal technology, specifically electronic discovery, artificial intelligence & law, and the environmental impacts of technology.   

Our discussion covers:

* How technology will impact the practice of law in the coming years. 

* Why the legal profession has historically been resistant to adopting and using innovative technology.

* How law schools need to better expose and train the new generation of lawyers to use the legal tech available to them; and

* Why embracing innovation in law is critical to solving the access to justice crisis that affects not only Canada, but many jurisdictions around the world.  

If you want to hear more from Gideon, you can follow him on twitter or linkedin (links in the show notes) or better yet, sign up for the Goodlawyer Summit taking place on November 3rd & 4th where Gideon will be gracing the stage as a member of our legal tech panel.  

@ProfXtian

@UCalgaryLaw

  https://www.linkedin.com/in/gideon-christian-phd-477a889a/

The Goodlawyer Summit is a hybrid virtual and in-person event that will empower entrepreneurs and startups to level up their businesses, while bringing together some of the brightest minds in law to reimagine a future where legal work is seen as a catalyst and not an obstacle. 

It is shaping up to be an amazing event, so make sure you reserve your free (but limited) tickets today!

https://www.goodlawyer.ca/summit/future-of-law

https://www.goodlawyer.ca/summit/build-for-good

On the show today we are happy to welcome back Ian Holloway, Dean of Law at the University of Calgary where he led the implementation of the Calgary Curriculum, which offers a more hands-on approach to legal education than you typically find at most law schools around the country.

Our discussion covers many topics including:

* The history of our current model of legal education;

* The importance of young lawyers receiving hands on mentorship from their more senior counterparts; and

* The cost of legal education and whether or not the high price is necessarily a bad thing.

If you want to hear more from Dean Holloway, you can follow him on twitter (@LawDeanHolloway) or sign up today for the Goodlawyer Summit taking place on November 3rd & 4th where Dean Holloway will be one of our many esteemed speakers taking the stage. 

The Goodlawyer Summit is a hybrid virtual and in-person event that will empower entrepreneurs and startups to level up their businesses, while bringing together some of the brightest minds in law to reimagine a future where legal work is seen as a catalyst and not an obstacle. Make sure you reserve your free (but limited) tickets today!

https://www.goodlawyer.ca/summit/future-of-law

@LawDeanHolloway

On the show this week, we are thrilled to have back on Nathan Hepple, Director at HBA Legal based in Sydney, Australia.

Our conversation covers a lot of ground including:

* The advantages of having non-lawyers own and help run law firms, and why regulations in Canada should change to allow for more choice in determining a firm structure.

* The difference between the business of law and the practice of law, and why distinguishing between the two when it comes to running the firm is critical;

* The existential risks posed to traditional law firms who continue to resist innovation;

* The importance of value based billing instead of the traditional billable hours approach; and 

* Some fantastic advice to law students.

If you want to hear more from Nathan, be sure to check out his podcast "Pardon My Objection”, where he, alongside one of our previous guests Mitch Kowalski, challenge many of the accepted traditions in the legal profession. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-hepple-6b558751/

In Episode #5, we are joined by Dr. Wilson to discuss his Failure Learning Orientation framework, which is designed to help companies better innovate, raise capital, and ultimately become leaders in their industries. Many topics were covered during our conversation including why leading tech firms place "positive failure" at the heart of their innovation strategy, Dr. Wilson’s interaction with the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation, why the sole role of a CEO should be to develop a strong culture, and why your company should invest in a bell.

Wilson, G.A. (2019). Failure Learning Orientation and Technology Start-Up Performance. Journal of High Technology Management Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hitech.2019.100352

Wilson, G.A. (2019). Enhancing Financial Performance by Pharmacy Innovation. Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1002/cjas.1562

Connect with Grant - https://www.edwards.usask.ca/faculty/Grant%20Wilson/index.aspx

On the show this week, we are delighted to have on Ken Murphy, the Founder and CEO of IRIS.

Ken earned his law degree from Queen’s University in 1999, but instead of pursuing the traditional path of practicing at a law firm, Ken launched his own startup...just as the dot com bubble was about to burst, which needless to say made it a very difficult time to be a founder. 

While Ken’s first start-up didn’t achieve the success he was hoping for, he was able to parlay that experience into a product development role at Thomson Reuters Canada, where he has worked in various capacities for the past 20 years.

Although achieving professional success, in 2018 the entrepreneurial bug came calling once again.  Ken combined his knowledge of product development and his interest in AI and Machine Learning to found IRIS, a company looking to revolutionize the lengthy and costly insolvency and restructuring process.

Our conversation covers many topics including:

* Why Ken chose not to pursue private practice after law school;

* The problems Ken saw in the insolvency space that inspired him to to found IRIS; and

* The future of legal tech and some of the implications this will have on future practitioners.

For more on Ken & IRIS, you can follow him on LinkedIn, or check out IRIS’ new site:

https://www.irisml.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/64255543/admin/

For those of you who regularly listen to the Future of Law podcast (and yes...there are a growing number of you), today’s show is a little different.

As many of you know, Goodlawyer recently put on our very first Summit. Over the next several weeks, we will be releasing some of the incredible conversations we were able to have right here on this  podcast.

To lead us off, I could think of no better that my good friend, and Goodlawyer's Chief Legal Officer, Josh Weinberger.

Josh began his career in Big Law, and practiced at a major firm for over 5 years before taking the entrepreneurial leap to Goodlawyer.

Many who knew Josh were, at first, surprised by his decision to leave his venerated position at his firm.

By all accounts he had it made. He was a young, respected, making Big Law money, and was on a fast tract to become a partner (the gold standard in law).

However, despite his outward professional success, Josh knew something was missing.

During the Summit, Josh told his very intimate and powerful story about why he left Big Law to risk it all on this little but fast growing startup we call Goodlawyer.

We have already heard from many of you who deeply resonated with Josh's tale, and hope by releasing it here, it will inspire even more to reflect, and ultimately pursue a life aligned with your values.

On a final note, it is rare that I encourage people NOT to to listen to the podcast, but if you have a moment, I highly encourage you to click on the YouTube link below. Josh's talk has a few visual elements that pack a punch, and trust me wether you are a law student, or firmly on track to become partner at you law firm, it is well worth the time.

I hope you all get as much of of Josh’s talk as I did. Thanks for listening!

It is tough to debate that the legal profession, as a whole, is behind the times. 

Why? 

Well...simply put, because we haven't been forced to change. 

However, those days of complacency appear to be over. 

Clients are demanding more transparency and fairness in pricing. 

Lawyers are demanding modern tools to do their job more effectively. 

And it seems that every other day you are hearing about some legal tech startup raising a big round of funding. 

But what exactly can we expect from the technological revolution that it is upon us? 

While there is no question there are advantages to be gained, there are also perils to be avoided.  

Thankfully, the future of legal tech was the topic of conversation of one of our panels at our recent Goodlawyer Summit.

Our conversation covered many points including:

* How the legal profession can maintain its humanity while still embracing technological improvements. 

* How lawyers and law firms  can harness learnings from other traditional industries that have gone through a similar technological revolutions (ex: fintech and healthtech) 

* And where the biggest hurdles lie in adopting new technology in our practices. 

If you want to catch the full experience, make sure to watch the panel on our YouTube page:

As always, thanks for tuning in!  

On today’s show, we have on special guest Adeel Mulla. Adeel is the lawyer for UFCW Local 401, the union that represents the workers at the Cargill meat packing plant where they have experienced a large COVID-19 outbreak. Adeel gives us an overview of how the situation playing out, the stress the outbreak is having on Cargill factory workers, and offers his thoughts on how it can best be resolved. We also discuss the larger issue of access to justice and the challenges facing the workers of Cargill, as well as ways to improve the legal profession.

Please note, Adeel's comments and opinions on the show are his own and do not reflect UFCW 401's official or legal positions.

By many standards, Aaron Baer had it made. 

He was young.

He was a Partner at a major law firm.

And had already built an impressive book of business. 

His continued trajectory up the Partnership ladder seemed to be a foregone conclusion. 

Yet, something was missing... 

As an improvement and progress junky, Aaron was getting frustrated by his firm's lack of innovation, and their unwillingness to depart from the traditional method of practice. 

Despite his professional success, Aaron made the unconventional decision (especially for a Partner) to leave the relative safety and comfort of his big firm, to join Renno & Co., a modern law firm where his future was much less guaranteed.

At the same time Aaron left BigLaw, he Co-Founded “4L Academy” and “Build Your Book”. 4L

4L Academy provides modern, interactive training for young Canadian lawyers and law students.

“Build Your Book”, focuses on providing modern sales training to lawyers.

Needless to say, Aaron is not afraid of hard work, long hours, or taking risks to pursue an unconventional path that better aligns with his values and aspirations. 

My conversation with Aaron covers a lot of ground including:

* His decision to make the jump from Big Law and dealing with the fears of leaving a successful traditional practice;

* How Partners at law firms are paid, and why becoming a Partner may not be the opportunity it once was; 

* Why “being patient” may be terrible career advice in the legal profession;

* Why the future of the legal profession is small & boutique law firms;

* Why he Co-Founded 4L Academy and the importance of improving mentorship and training in the legal profession;

* How implementing and adopting tech can allow smaller firms punch above their weight;

* His thoughts on maintaining your sanity and mental health while working in a demanding role;

* The importance of sales skills and how his company “Build Your Book” is focused on helping lawyers develop these competencies; and

* Arron even gives masterclass on how to build and structure a modern firm that will attract top talent. 

I am confident this episode will leave you full of inspiration and ideas on how you can level up in the New Year. 

If you want to hear more from Aaron, be sure to follow him on LinkedIn where he posts regularly, and be sure to check out 4L Adamy, and Build Your Book.

4L Academy has new courses starting in January so if you are interested in improving your legal skills, be sure to check those out.!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronbaer2/

https://buildyourbook.org/

https://www.4lacademy.ca/

***

On a final note, Goodlawyer is expanding and we are looking for qualified lawyers from across Canada to join us on our journey to revolutionize the way we practice law!

If you or someone you know is interested in joining the platform, you can find more information and apply at: www.goodlawyer.ca/for-lawyers

Our guest this week is Pina Di Biase a lawyer, life coach, fashion blogger, and one of our very own goodlawyers.  

As you will hear, Pina’s legal journey is a little unconventional. After law school, she quickly discovered that a traditional law firm wasn’t a great fit for her, and decided to strike out on her own. 

Despite forgoing the conventional mentorship found to one degree or another in a firm, Pina was able to build a successful and diverse practice. Her curiosity and her genuine desire to add value to her clients motivated her to develop pretty much any  skill or competency she needed to get the job done right. 

While her technical prowess and abilities as a lawyer have never been in doubt, what sets Pina apart from many others is her insistence on practicing law in a manner true to herself (many fantastic examples given in the episode).

Our conversation covers:

* The importance of understanding the fundamentals of business to better advise your clients. 

* Why connecting with your clients and building trust is one of the best ways to build your book.  

* Prioritizing self development and investing in yourself as a means of career development. 

* The importance of practicing in a way that is authentic to you; and

* Advice to young lawyers just getting going in their career

For more, you can follow Pina on LinkedIn.

On today's show we have on Tim Nguyen (CEO), and Tom Muir (CTO) for Poeta Digital. Poeta Digital is a global product development agency, with offices in Vietnam, Seattle and Calgary, that partners with companies of all shapes and sizes to provide custom apps and digital solutions, that focus on beautiful user experience.

Today's conversation covers tips for managing a distributed team across different regions, how to maintain and grow innovative culture, the importance of identifying the most crucial problem you are attempting to solve before starting any digital build, why Tim decided to start his own company, and resources recommended by Tim and Tom for those thinking of starting, or wanting to grow their business.

You can find out more about Poeta Digital by visiting their brand new website at https://poetadigital.com/Other links mentioned:http://theleanstartup.com/

https://www.eosworldwide.com/traction-book

https://thisweekinstartups.com/

This week we are releasing a podcast from One Billion Raving Fans, who recently had on our very own CEO and Co-Founder, Brett Colvin.  

Shannon and Brett’s discussion covers the problems Brett saw in the legal profession that inspired him to found Goodlawyer; how Goodlawyer differentiates itself from a traditional law firm through value billing (instead of the billable hour); and how Goodlawyer is building a “seriously fun” culture that engages the whole team in the corporate mission. 

If you find value in this content, make sure to check out the One Billion Raving Fans podcast! 

Apple Podcast Link

Spotify Podcast Link

Our guest today is Dr. Jacqueline Walsh, a lawyer, professor, and the Director of the initio Technology and Innovation Law Clinic at the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University. 

Dr. Walsh has practiced corporate and intellectual property law for over 20 years, spending time both in Big Law, and working directly with small technology startups. 

Our conversation centers around Dr. Walsh’s journey from Big Law to running the initio law clinic, which helps Nova Scotia based technology startups get the early stage legal information they need to properly set up their venture, all while giving law students an opportunity to gain practical experience by acting and advising on innovation and startup matters.

We also delve into her experiences during her time as a startup lawyer, and Dr. Walsh gives a great road map for any lawyers looking to jump into the entrepreneurial space.

To find out more about Dr. Walsh or the initio law clinic, please click on the links below. 

www.initiolawclinic.ca 

Canadian Lawyers Article

Startup and Growth Companies in Canada (Book)

In this episode of the Goodlawyer Show, Tony Young joins Matt and Brett to discuss the future of the legal profession. Tony is a family lawyer with the law firm Sugimoto & Company, and is the former President of the Alberta Law Society. The conversations includes Tony’s thoughts about  the increasing inaccessibility of legal services, Tony's attempts to modernize professional regulations during his time as President of the Law Society, the resistance of many in the legal profession to adopt new technologies in their practice, and whether or not he would recommend a student with an interest in law go to law school.Please be aware that if you or your business is facing any COVID-19 related issues, Goodlawyer is offering a free 15 minute legal advice session. Simply visit our website at www.goodlawyer.ca, click on the our “COVID-19 Resource Page”, and book your free legal advice session with one of our fantastic lawyers by entering the Promo code #washyourhands.

Our guest today is Erin Durant (she/her). Erin founded Durant Barristers after practicing law as a partner at one of the largest law firms in Canada.

Erin has represented clients at essentially every level of court, and regularly provides barrister services to other lawyers to assist with trials, appeals and other complex situations.

Erin left Big Law to start her own firm after experiencing mental health challenges during the pandemic and is using it to bring a fresh approach to the practice of law. 

Our wide-ranging conversation covers:

* The reason Erin left the big firm to start up her own practice;

* Erin’s experience with burnout and the lack of control she felt in a big firm setting;

* The practical steps Erin used to set up and manage the risk of launching her own practice; 

* How many of her biggest fears of leaving a traditional firm proved to be unfounded (including her compensation);

* What traits Erin looks for when hiring lawyers; and

* What she would change about the legal profession if she was grand ruler supreme!

I hope any of you thinking of setting up your own practice will find her advice informative and inspiring. 

For more on Erin, make sure to follow her on LinkedIn and check out her Ebook “It Burned Me All Down”, available on her firm’s website.

https://www.durantbarristers.com/

It Burned Me All Down (Ebook)

Law Society of Ontario - Guide to Opening Your Law Practice

Want to Practice on Goodlawyer?

If you (or a lawyer you know) would like to find out more information about practicing on the Goodlawyer platform, be sure to check out goodlawyer.ca/for-lawyers for all the details.

Goodlawyer gives independent and solo lawyers from across Canada the power & resources of a firm, all while allowing you the freedom to practice the way you want.

Our guest today is Aaron Wenner, the founder and CEO of CiteRight, a Toronto-based legal technology startup that makes it simple for litigators to find, cite and reuse the work they’ve already done.

Prior to founding Citeright, Aaron received his law degree from McGill University, a masters degree in Middle Easter Studies from Harvard University, and also practiced at a national firm on Bay Street in Toronto. 

Our wide ranging conversation covers:

* Aaron’s journey from academic & lawyer, to CEO of a startup;

* How the idea for CiteRight originated and developed;

* The landscape and adoption of legal tech in the profession;

* How Aaron’s law degree helps him run a startup; and

* How Aaron balances the pressure and stress of entrepreneurial life with having a family.

It was a pleasure having Aaron on the show. To find out more, please visit CiteRight, or follow Aaron on LinkedIn.

Calling All Lawyers!

If you (or a lawyer you know) would like to find out more about practicing over the Goodlawyer platform, please head over to “www.goodlawyer.ca/for-lawyers” and fill out an application today. 

Goodlawyer gives independent and solo practitioners from across Canada the power & resources of a firm, all while allowing you to practice the way you want.

On this weeks episode, Tom Alvarez, Chief Product Officer at Goodlawyer, steps in for Brett to discuss branding with this weeks guest, Lynne Rennie. Lynne is an entrepreneur, instructor at the Alberta University of the Arts, and Design Director at Cococo Chocolatiers Inc. Our conversation covers the difference between marketing and branding, and why branding should always come first, the importance of putting designers at the core of any business strategy, and tips for branding effectively during the Covid-19 crisis. We also discuss Lynne’s role in helping develop the strategy behind Goodlawyer's branding, and our drive to enhance access to justice.

Please be aware that if you or your business is facing any COVID-19 related issues, Goodlawyer is offering a free 15 minute legal advice session. Simply visit our website at https://blog.goodlawyer.ca/coronavirus/ and book your free legal advice session with one of our fantastic lawyers by entering the Promo code #washyourhands.

Links Mentioned:

https://jamesclear.com/habitshttps://cultideas.com/fixhttps://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-thishttps://buildingastorybrand.com/blog/

Today we bring you episode 2 of our Startup Series where we take you behind the scenes at Goodlawyer to show you the highs and lows of running an early stage startup. 

In this episode, we have Goodlawyer’s Chief Technology Officer and Co-founder, Parker Smith. Parker comes on the show to discuss how the Goodlawyer app was built, what skills and abilities he would look for if he had to hire a CTO for a startup, the lessons he has learned, and the landmines to avoid for any of you looking to build your own product or company, and he also discusses what possessed him to join a startup in the first place!

If you are thinking about launching your own company, or building your own product, this show is for you, and we hope it proves useful for you along your entrepreneurial path. 

Today on the show we are discussing one of our favorite topics; the future of law with Mitch Kowalski. Mitch is a lawyer, a professor of legal innovation at the University of Calgary,  a multiple time author,  podcast host, and legal though leader. Mitch’s work has been featured in numerous publications including a reoccurring column in the National Post, and he has given talks around the globe on the topic of legal technology and the future of law.

Our conversation cover numerous topics including the problem with lawyers not being good business people, the inherent skeptical nature of lawyers and how this negatively affects their willingness to adopt new technology, whether the changes to the legal profession we have seen during the COVID-19 crisis will remain permanent,  and Mitch even gives a history lesson on the origins of the billable hour.

To find out more about Mitch, visit his website at http://kowalski.ca/, or follow him on twitter at https://twitter.com/MEKowalski. Links Mentioned:Mitch’s books - http://kowalski.ca/books/The Siskinds Law Firm - https://www.siskinds.com/The Pardon My Objection Podcast (PMO) - “a different kind of legal podcast” listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Our guest on the show this week is JP Couture. JP is a lawyer, a former partner at two major firms, founder of the legal start up Ingenio, and member of the Legal Futures Initiative. This weeks episode focuses on how JP went from having a very successful career in law, having clerked at the Federal Tax Court, and becoming a partner at two major firms, before deciding to embark on an entrepreneurial path. 

Along the way we also discuss the massive human element embedded in our laws, practical alternatives to dispute resolutions, JP’s experiences building a corporate law firm within the accounting firm PWC, and the importance of having focus, being efficient, and developing your skills as a lawyer. 

Once Ingenio launches, we will be getting JP back on the show to give us all the details on how he built his startup.

Links mentioned:

http://atulgawande.com/book/the-checklist-manifesto/

https://www.scruminc.com/new-scrum-the-book/

https://www.bluejlegal.com.ca

Our guest today is Erin Cowling. Erin is a freelance lawyer and CEO & Founder of Flex Legal Network Inc., a company that matches busy lawyers, law firms, and in-house counsel with freelance lawyers to assist with overflow legal work on a project basis. 

Previously, she was a corporate commercial litigator on Bay Street in Toronto. Erin also taught Legal Research & Writing at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law (2018-2020) and was the Regional Alumni Advisor (Toronto) (providing confidential career coaching to new lawyers) for the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law (2019-2021). 

On top of all of this Erin produced an award-winning law blog (currently on pause) and writes for several legal publications. 

Our wide-ranging conversation covers:

* Erin’s Journey from Big Law to starting FlexLegal;

* Her experiences working as both a lawyer and a founder of a startup;

* The importance of lawyers building their brand;  

* Her take on the current state of the legal profession (and where it is heading); and

* Advice to young lawyers still figuring out their career path. 

For more on Erin, you can connect with her on LinkedIn and follow her on Twitter at @Cowlingerin or @FlexLegalNet.

https://www.flexlegalnetwork.com/

Want to Practice on Goodlawyer?

If you (or a lawyer you know) would like to find out more information about practicing on the Goodlawyer platform, be sure to check out goodlawyer.ca/for-lawyers for all the details.

Goodlawyer gives independent and solo lawyers from across Canada the power & resources of a firm, all while allowing you the freedom to practice the way you want.

Our guest on the show this week is Paul Paton, QC. Paul is the former Dean of Law at the University of Alberta, and someone who carries with him a wealth of experience in the legal industry that ranges from clerking at the Ontario Court of Appeal, receiving a Doctorate in Juridical Science from Stanford University School of Law, becoming a partner at a major Canadian law firm, being a Justice and Social Policy adviser to the Premier of Ontario, and more recently, working with the Arizona Supreme Court to help implement new regulations that if adopted, may help lay the foundation for a dramatic liberalization of the market in legal services in North America.

We have divided our conversation with Paul into 2 parts. This weeks conversation covers Paul’s professional and academic history and how he became the Dean of Law at the University of Alberta. We also discuss some of the challenges facing legal education as the profession continues to modernize.

Next week in Part 2, we discuss whether the legal profession should be self regulated, and dig into Paul’s more recent work in the US to help modernize regulations and encourage the adoption of alternative business models in the profession. 

Our guest today is Bryce Tingle. Bryce is a person who has worn many hats over the course of his career. 

He was a co-founder and partner of TingleMerrett LLP, which focused on securities and corporate finance for growth companies.  

He has been a founding member of multiple companies active in the technology, energy and financial industries.

He is currently an Associate Professor and holds the N. Murray Edwards Chair in Business Law at the University of Calgary. 

On top of all of that, Bryce literally wrote the textbook on Startup Law in Canada.

Bryce was kind enough to bring his vast amount of experience to the show where we covered a lot of ground including:

* How Bryce became a start-up lawyer, and ultimately, one of the leading voices in startup law in Canada; 

* What inspired Bryce to write the textbook on entrepreneurial law in Canada; 

* The different mindset lawyers need when advising start-up companies versus more established players;  and

* Bryce’s advice for lawyers who want to work with start-up companies.

For more on Bryce, you can connect with him on LinkedIn, or check out his articles on SSRN. 

If you are a lawyer interested in working with start-ups, make sure you pick up  a copy of his book “Start-Up and Growth Companies, A Guide to Legal and Business Practice 3rd ed.”

Trust me on this one, it is well worth the price! 

Corporate Finance and Canadian Law - Christopher Nicholls 

Want to Practice on Goodlawyer?

If you (or a lawyer you know) would like to find out more information about practicing on the Goodlawyer platform, be sure to check out goodlawyer.ca/for-lawyers for all the details.

Goodlawyer gives independent and solo lawyers from across Canada the power & resources of a firm, all while allowing you the freedom to practice the way you want.

On the show this week is Part 2 of our discussion with the former Dean of Law at the University of Alberta, Paul Paton (QC). If you have not heard Part 1, we recommend you listen to that first. This week we get Paul’s thoughts on whether the legal profession should be self regulated, and dig into Paul’s more recent work in the US to help modernize regulations, and encourage the adoption of alternative business models in the legal profession. 

* https://global.oup.com/academic/product/just-lawyers-9780198268413?cc=ca&lang=en&

* https://www.wsba.org/docs/default-source/licensing/lllt/lllt-sunset-supreme-court-dissent-letter-june-5-2020.pdf?sfvrsn=ba6b09f1_4

* https://gillianhadfield.com/rules-for-a-flat-world/

* https://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4527&context=flr

* https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals/stabf8&div=7&id=&page=

* https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1023705

On the show this week we have our very first international guest, Nathan Hepple. Nathan is a Lawyer and a Director of the law firm HBA Legal based out of Sydney, Australia. He is also half of the talent on the podcast "Pardon My Objection”, a show that challenges the status quo in the legal industry with one of our past guests, Mitch Kowalski.

We wanted to have Nathan on because Australians do law a little differently. In Canada in order to own or be a Partner at a law firm, you actually have to be a lawyer yourself. This is not the case in Australia where non-lawyers are permitted to own law firms and can participate in running the business. We discuss the advantages of allowing non-lawyers to help manage the firm, and Nathan also addresses some common criticisms of the Australian system, including the belief held by some that the profit motive in a corporation would compromise the duty the lawyer owes to their client.

We also discuss how our current Partnership model is failing both the lawyers who work within the system, and the public at large, and how the current model leads to depression and mental health issues for lawyers.

* https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pardon-my-objection-pmo-a-different-kind-of-legal-podcast/id1513295531

* http://kowalski.ca/

* https://davidmaister.com/

Joining us this week for part 1 of a 2 part conversation is Andrew Browne.  Andrew is an entrepreneur and currently the Program Director for the Calgary Innovation Coalition, and in charge of Corporate Development for Thin Air Labs, an Alberta based investment firm focused on supporting ventures in Health, Education, and Video Game Development. Andrew, who has been a mainstay in the startup community for over a decade, shares many of the lessons he has learned, both from his personal experiences with his own startup, as well as through the coaching he has done to help other entrepreneurs succeed in their ventures. If you want an honest behind the scenes look at what it is like running your own startup, then this episode is for you.

Topics covered in this episode include the importance of expedited learning and the ability to learn through failure, how to raise money effectively and with purpose, and the importance of having a clear vision of what you want to accomplish with your business.

Our guest today is Andrew Goldner. Andrew is a lawyer and Co-Founder & CEO of GrowthX - a venture capital fund based out of San Francisco. 

Andrew’s resume doesn’t read like a typical VC Partner. Although Andrew started his career in New York, it wasn’t on Wall Street, nor was it in finance, or even as a startup founder.

Andrew started his journey as an internet lawyer, back when the internet was an emerging technology. Though successful by every measure, Andrew became restless after several years of practice. Specifically, he took issue with the fact that the legal profession emphasized the time spent, rather than the value added to their clients.  

After some deliberation, Andrew decided to leave the firm and embarked on an eclectic journey that took him to DoubleClick (a startup eventually acquired by Google), Thompson Reuters (where he was Managing Director of Reuter News in Singapore of all places), and he even tried his hand as a New Your City restauranteur!

Eventually, all these roads lead him to found GrowthX, a venture capital fund dedicated to helping founders find product market fit and get investment ready for their Series A. 

As you will hear, Andrew’s earned wisdom both as a lawyer and as a venture capitalist makes him an ideal guest for this show. Our conversation covers:

* Andrew’s journey from law to venture capital;

* Insights for lawyers working with startups (especially those lawyers who are risk averse);

* How the path to finding “product-market fit” is actually a formula; and

* Why “move fast and break things” is often the worst advice a founder can receive.

Whether you are a lawyer, startup general counsel, investor, or simply someone interested in learning how to grow a startup, Andrew drops plenty of “truth bombs” (a reference you will soon understand) that you won’t want to miss!

It was a pleasure having Andrew on the podcast and I hope you get as much out of this conversation as I know I did.

For more on Andrew, follow him on LinkedIn, and be sure to check out GrowthX. Links as always in the show notes. 

GrowthX Blog

Andrew Goldner LinkedIn

Want to Practice on Goodlawyer?

If you (or a lawyer you know) would like to find out more information about practicing on the Goodlawyer platform, be sure to check out goodlawyer.ca/for-lawyers for all the details.

Goodlawyer gives independent and solo lawyers from across Canada the power & resources of a firm, all while allowing you the freedom to practice the way you want.

This week we bring you part two of our discussion with Andrew Browne. For those who missed last week, Andrew is an entrepreneur and currently the Program Director for the Calgary Innovation Coalition, and in charge of Corporate Development for Thin Air Labs, an Alberta based investment firm focused on supporting ventures in Health, Education, and Video Game Development. Our conversation this week covers the end of TikTiks, and the valuable lessons learned by Andrew as a first time founder. We also discuss Andrews involvement in Thin Air Labs, and their goal to develop and foster a startup ecosystem within Alberta's entrepreneurial community. 

You can follow Andrew on Twitter at @abrowne2789, or on on LinkedIn.

http://simonandschusterpublishing.com/shoe-dog/index.html

https://marianamazzucato.com/publications/books/value-of-everything/

https://www.kateraworth.com

https://leanstack.com/

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/319121/traction-by-gabriel-weinberg-and-justin-mares/

Today we bring you Episode 3 of our Startup Series where we are taking you behind the scenes at Goodlawyer to show you the highs and lows of running an early stage startup.

On the show we have on Tom Alvarez, Chief Product Officer and Co-founder at Goodlawyer. Tom takes us through the eclectic role of CPO at a startup, discusses the importance of setting up and developing a strong brand, and sheds light on the importance of honest communication and trust when building products with co-founders.  We hope the issues discussed prove helpful to any of you looking to build your own product or company!

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/286447/a-new-brand-world-by-scott-bedbury-and-stephen-fenichell/

https://www.productplan.com/resources/

On the show this week, we are happy to welcome Kayla Isabelle, the Executive Director for Startup Canada. Startup Canada is an organization dedicated to helping entrepreneurs and startups succeed, and represent more than 250,000 entrepreneurs and 50 grassroots communities across Canada

We chatted with Kayla about the state of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Canada, and got her take on how COVID-19 is affecting everything from how startups raise capital, to their ability to attract talent.  We also discussed basic legal needs many entrepreneurs encounter when they launch their business, and hear how Kayla first got her start in the entrepreneurial world in Tanzania helping small business owners working in the tourism industry. 

We greatly enjoyed having Kayla on the show, and as you will hear she is an incredibly articulate and passionate champion for Canadian entrepreneurs.

* https://www.startupcan.ca/

* https://www.startupcan.ca/thrivepodcast/

* https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/lessons-learned-with-komal/id1481079206

On the show, we discuss the challenges of delivering quality online legal education, and how UofC Law is preparing for their first “virtual” semester due to the COVID-19 outbreak (2:45); Dean Holloway’s background and road to becoming Dean of Law at UofC (6:25); Dean Holloway’s advice for new law grads (15:40); How legal education will need to evolve and adapt in order to keep pace with the changes in the legal profession (19:50); The emphasis placed on procuring a “Big Firm” job out of law school, and the importance of law students knowing their other options (27:15); Promoting practical (and theoretical) legal knowledge in school so law grads can effectively step into real-world practice (35:55); The coming changes to the “traditional” legal model (38:55); The problems with the current articling model and some potential solutions (41:00); The importance of knowing your history (46:45).

On the show this week, we bring to you an episode of the Reformed Millennials podcast where Brett Colvin (CEO and Co-founder of Goodlawyer), was invited to give his perspective on the future of legal advice for small businesses, and to give an overview of what problems Goodlawyer aims to solve.

The Reformed Millennials podcast is hosted by Joel Shackleton, a portfolio manager at Gold Investment Management, and Broc Pacholik, a growth marketing wiz. The show is dedicated to identifying macro waves or trends that Millennials can jump on to better invest their time and money. Their goal is to help improve your life and business be being early and right on those trends. 

You can check out the Reformed Millennials by clicking the link below, or by searching them on Apple or Spotify.

https://reformedmillennials.substack.com/

If you are in the market for investment advice, be sure to check out Joel Shackleton.

https://gold-im.com/joel-shackleton/

On the show this week, we are excited to have on Carey Houston, founder of 321 Growth Academy. 321 Growth Academy specializes in helping founders and teams develop the skills they need to grow their companies faster.  Carey has over 25 years of marketing, sales and product experience, and helps deliver 321’s Sales, and Growth Marketing courses. Goodlawyer has taken their programs and can’t recommend the team at 321 enough. If you are looking to accelerate the growth of your company, registration is now open for 321’s Lean Sales and Growth Marketing courses this Fall. Make sure to check them out!

https://321growthacademy.com/

TW: @321growth

* https://321growthacademy.com/

* https://blog.close.com/

* https://www.saleshacker.com/

* https://blog.hubspot.com/

* https://aprildunford.com/obviously-awesome/

* https://www.sethgodin.com/