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Law firm intake systems kill growth when paralegals handle calls while juggling case prep, collections, and trial work.

Most law firms fail because they treat intake as an afterthought. At Sterling Lawyers, we learned the hard way that paralegals can't be fully present on intake calls when they're managing trial prep and collections. That's why we built a systematic approach to law firm sales training and client consultation optimization that actually scales. Our legal intake staff hiring process goes through 800 applications to find one person because your intake team is your brand's first impression. The framework works: dedicated teams, systematic training, and measurable accountability drive law firm revenue optimization and predictable client acquisition systems.

This Sterling Lawyers' systematic approach solved the intake bottleneck that stalls firms at $2-5MM. Our 800:1 hiring ratio and proven training framework.

📲 Subscribe Now: https://www.youtube.com/@karls.anthony

📝 Schedule a FREE Family Law Firm Audit: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/ 

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📄 CHAPTERS  

0:00 - Law Firm Intake Systems: Why Great Staff Matter More Than Ever 

2:03 - The Paralegal Problem: Why Multitasking Kills Intake Performance

4:34 - Sterling's Dedicated Sales Team Model: $250 Consultations That Convert 

8:29 - Client First Impression Strategy: Making Them Feel Heard and Cared For 

11:08 - The 800:1 Hiring Ratio: How We Find the Right Intake Personnel

13:28 - Systematic Training Framework: I Do, You Watch Method 

18:27 - Professional vs Amateur Mindset: Taking Every Interaction Seriously

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Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

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Law firm culture isn't soft stuff - it's the business driver that took Sterling from struggling to $17M. Here's the system.

Most family law firms struggle with turnover, low profitability, and team dysfunction because they treat culture as an afterthought. After 11 years of trial and error, we've cracked the code on building law firm culture that actually moves the business needle. This isn't about feel-good initiatives - it's about systematic approaches to team retention, remote law firm management, and scaling family law practices through intentional culture design.

Learn the proven framework for building law firm culture that drives retention, client attraction, and profitability in family law practices.

📲 Subscribe Now: https://www.youtube.com/@jsterlinghughes 

📝 Get your FREE Law Firm Growth Guide: https://jsterlinghughes.com/

—

📄 CHAPTERS 

0:00 - Law Firm Culture: The Foundation of $17M Growth 

2:25 - Why Most Family Law Firms Fail at Culture Building 

6:11 - The Three Pillars: Mission, Values, and Vivid Vision 

11:01 - Level 10 Meetings: Weekly Culture Reinforcement System 

13:34 - Remote Law Firm Management: Video-First Connection Strategy 

15:19 - Attorney Retention Strategies: Celebration and Recognition 

19:58 - Leadership Modeling: Why Culture Problems Start at the Top 

21:09 - The Hard Truth About Firing for Culture Fit 

24:00 - Scaling Law Firm Culture: Duplicating Leadership Systems

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Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

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From struggling solo to breakthrough month—Tom Hartin just hit $24,000 in revenue with 4 new clients after 9 months of building his Long Island practice. In this episode, we witness the dramatic turnaround that every startup attorney dreams about.

We dive into his explosive May success:

• Why his lead-to-consult conversion rate hit nearly 100% and what that reveals about his market positioning
• The strategic office move that gives him space to hire while maintaining his dominant Massapequa map rankings
• His bold hiring decisions to accelerate his path from practitioner to business owner
• The real math behind associate hiring: billable monthly hours monthly he needs to cover salary plus overhead

Listen in as Tom wrestles with the classic law firm owner dilemma—playing it safe with steady growth versus taking calculated risks to reach his vision faster.

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Map listings are the single most important component of search marketing for any family law firm. 

The maps are Sterling Lawyers' most important lead generation channel. 

In this episode, my co-founder, Tony Karls,  and I discuss the essential elements that have amplified our firm's map visibility.   

If you want to rank highly in the maps, this is the definitive playbook. 

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Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

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When I sat down with Jonathan Breeden for this episode, my intention was to get his blueprint on how to create a hyperlocal podcast for family law firms.

We certainly covered that topic.  But, there turned out to be so much value in hearing his story.

Jonathan Breeden is a seasoned family lawyer who takes us behind the scenes of his North Carolina firm's impressive growth. 

We explored his journey from a solo practitioner to leading a team of seven attorneys across four offices

Jonathan's candid stories and sharp insights promise to guide you through the complexities of starting your own practice, from crunching the numbers to finding your niche in family law.

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The best law firm lead generation system in the world is useless without a good intake team.

One of the performance secrets at Sterling Lawyers has been our intake team.  They excel at the critical task of answering the phone and supporting potential clients facing a family legal crisis.

In this episode, Tony Karls and I do a deep dive into our family law firm intake strategy and key metrics.

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Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

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Kyle Harbaugh is the Founder and President of Chief Go Officers.  He is a holistic business strategist for law firms and his focus is on helping firms grow and operate better by providing Done-For-You projects and fractional services. 

In this episode, we have a full conversation about the challenges that firms encounter to move from the founder(s) doing all the legal work to building a legal team. 

Kyle is also the co-creator of a comprehensive Business Health Analysis that dissects law firms in 12 key areas: Clientele, Messaging, Networking, Product, People, Scale, Service, Operations, Grip, Safety, Technology and Profitability

We discuss the phases of problems that all scaled law firms pass through. 

The podcast concludes with Kyle and I discussing one of the most critical aspects of law firms--Hiring great teammates.  Kyle shares his innovative PGS & BCD framework for assembling a team of A-players. 

 Kyle Harbaugh is active on LinkedIn and can be found at www.chiefgoofficers.com

----------------------

Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

Follow these steps:

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The Sterling Lawyers origin story began on a whiteboard in the late fall of 2013, where Tony Karls and I sketched out the strategic blueprint of the law firm.

Today, ten years later, we are revealing the essential components of that strategy.  

It's not surprising that almost nothing worked out like we planned, including our firm's mission.

There are two things that have not changed:
1 - Our core values
2 - The primary elements of our strategic plan

Enjoy!

----------------------

Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

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Katie VanDeusen co-leads a team of 25 family lawyers.  She is a highly successful leader, especially when it comes to developing less-experienced attorneys.

Katie has always been a top-performer at Sterling Lawyers.  She has set more than a few performance records.  

In addition to her own prolific practice, she mentors other attorneys, some of which have surpassed her early performance.

This episode peels back the layers of what it takes to challenge and support a team of high performers. 

Katie also talks about the subtleties of building a culture of excellence and the intricacies of guiding both neophyte and veteran attorneys.

If you want to improve as a leader of lawyers, listen to Katie VanDeusen!

----------------------

Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

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People are the most important success factor in every law firm.  There are no exceptions to this rule. 

At Sterling Lawyers we take hiring (we call it "selection") very, very seriously.  Over the past 10 years we have honed our selection process into a finely tuned machine.  

Robin Esch oversees the sourcing and selection of all our teammates.  She is our Director of Team Growth (AKA, "Human Resources").

In this episode, Robin unpacks our selection process and breaks it down in a way that anyone can copy it.  

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Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

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Tom Lenfestey is the founder of The Law Practice Exchange.  He's also a practicing North Carolina attorney, licensed CPA, and Accredited Business Intermediary.

Tom is one of North America's most knowledgeable experts on selling a law firm. 

In this fascinating conversation we discussed:

• State of M&A in law
• People law firms v. Business law firms
• Law firm ownership deregulation
• Family law firm valuations
• Best practices to maximize law firm value on an exit
• The Law Practice Exchange
• Using the SBA to fund a law practice purchase

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Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

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Attorney Patrick Slaughter is an attorney coach with substantial "Street Cred."

He has built a very successful law firm and sold it.  Now, he helps other lawyers do the same thing.

His story is non-traditional to say the least.  

Patrick was a magician for 20 years before attending law school.  Once out of law school, he hustled, networked, and worked incredibly hard to build his firm from the ground up.

He succeeded wildly.

If you want inspiration or firm growth ideas--or both, listen to his story.

Enjoy!

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Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

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Business 101: If you are not measuring it, you are not managing it.

This principle is true when it comes to a family law firm culture. 

My guest this week is Robin Esch, Sterling Lawyers' Director of Team Growth.  We explore how we measure a critical aspect of our law firm -- our culture. 

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Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

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Want to know the secret tool that transformed Sterling Lawyers from chaos to a coordinated 25+ attorney firm doing $15+ million in revenue? In this interview, I interviewed our CFO, Todd Clauer, who revealed our game-changing daily management huddle—a 30-minute meeting that revolutionized how they operate.

Drawing from 30+ years across manufacturing and professional services, Todd breaks down their proven system:

• The four-part daily agenda that keeps every division aligned
• How our color-coded metrics drive immediate action on what matters most
• Why real-time consult tracking shrunk lead-to-appointment time from 2 weeks to under 5 days
• The Friday NPS readings and shoutouts that reinforce client-first culture
• How firm-wide data access turned attorneys into business-minded partners requesting marketing increases

Listen in for the exact framework that eliminates silos, accelerates communication, and builds ownership mentality across every level of the organization. Todd's systematic approach shows how one simple daily habit can transform firm culture while driving measurable business results.

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Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

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Attorney Jeff Morrell is a Senior Partner at our family law firm, Sterling Lawyers.

Since joining our team, Jeff has been a pace-setter.

This episode is a conversation between me and Jeff riffing on his productivity strategies.

He shares a load of valuable insights on how to improve the efficiency of a family law practice.

Enjoy!

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Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

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Jon Morris is the founder of Rise Interactive, a wildly successful digital agency that he exited a few years ago.  

Since then, Jon has started two more highly successful service businesses: (1) EngineBi (www.enginebi.net)  and (2) Fiscal Advocate (www.fiscaladvocate.com).  

Jon also sits on the Sterling Lawyers Board of Advisors.

Over the years, Jon has discovered the ideal ratios for professional service firms to be healthy.  Here they are:

• Gross Margin - 50% +
• Profit - 20%+
• SG&A - 30% or less (Sales and Marketing - 8%,  Ops and Finance - 15%, and Exec Team - 7%)

Jon breaks all this down and thoroughly explains it. 

Enjoy!

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As I reflect on our first ten years of building and leading Sterling Law, there are 11 lessons that have surprised me.

Here they are:
1 - Being a leader is your identity
2 - Building a law firm is a sprint and a marathon
3 - Vulnerability is confidence in action
4 - Discipline today avoids pain tomorrow
5 - Leadership isn't winning your way.  It’s clearing the way for teammates.
6 - Hire to complement. Not get compliments
7 - Indecision turns temporary pain chronic
8 -  Ten minutes with your top performers  beats 10 hours with your under performers
9 - Recruiting is 95% rejecting talent that doesn’t fit
10 - The value you command is determined by the magnitude of the problems you solve
11 - Tenacity beats talent

:-)

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Holly Mullin co-leads one of the largest family law teams in the United States.   Her well-earned law leadership insights have come through years of trial and error.

She has a reputation for professionalism and genuinely serving her teammates. Holly is well-respected by every member of the Sterling Law team.

In this episode, we explore: 
1 - Leading through growth and adversity
2 - Nurturing family law talent
3 - Importance of empathy over technical prowess
4 - Balancing supporting a teammate, while also challenging to achieve
5 - Building a high performance culture
6 - How reluctance to accept a leadership role qualifies you even more 

For seasoned attorneys and newcomers alike, this conversation is a treasure trove of wisdom on professional development and leading a team.

----------------------

Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

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3. CONNECT WITH US:

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Law firm leadership is visual.  Teammates do what they see.

Leadership is not about title or position.  It is about modeling the behavior that we want duplicated.

The truth about leadership modeling in a law firm is:
1 - The higher up leaders go, the fewer privileges they have--and more weight they must carry.
2 - When the leader engages in bad behavior, the team will amplify that behavior to excess.  Conversely, the same is not always true about good behavior.  
3 - The leader's relationship with co-workers will change in ways they may not like.  They have the added burden of holding teammates accountable.  This demands emotional maturity and some social distance.

There are also countless ways leaders undermine their modeling. Here's some common ways:
- Have their own designated parking spot.
- Frequently talk about themselves.
- Show off.
- Gossip about teammates.
- Criticize teammates, or are hurtfully sarcastic.
 
Despite all the potential landmines and challenges, no leadership tool is more powerful than a good model for teammates to follow. 

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Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

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Paul Mackiewicz is the owner of Honorable.Marketing, an AI-powered digital agency focused on serving law firms.

In this interview, Paul and I go deep down the digital marketing rabbit hole in the family law context. 

We  discussed:
- How to get started as a family lawyer online
- The order of priority when building digital assets
- How to hire and work with a digital marketing agency
- Looking at your online presence as a whole
- Maximizing law firm exposure 
- Managing your reputation online

Enjoy Paul's insights and wisdom in this fun and far-ranging conversation. 

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Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

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So much about leading a law firm is paradoxical.  On their face, the concepts don't seem to make much sense.

Yet they often make the difference between success and failure.

These are my favorite law leadership incongruities I have learned through the pain of failure. 
1 - Unless the decision can kill you, make it fast
2 - Leadership vulnerability is a show of strength
3 - The law firm leader is the CFO - Chief Focus Officer
4 - In hiring, if you're not repelling most candidates, you’re not attracting the right ones
5 - The law firm leader is also the  CMO - Chief Monotony Officer
6 - Self-awareness is a Super Power

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This episode is all about how to execute a podcast for a law firm.

My guest is podcasting expert, Robert Ingalls, owner of LawPods.  

Robert is a lawyer and "gets" what it takes for lawyers to use podcasts to grow their firm. 

We delve into all the salient questions that need answers for attorneys to start and grow their podcast.

Enjoy!

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Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

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Hiring great family lawyers is the leaders' most important task if the firm is to grow.

Nothing is more important.

At Sterling, our formula for hiring Family Law Lawyers:
1 - Must share our core values
2 - Don’t mind being measured
3 - Has drive and ambition
4 - Has high level of empathy and people skills
5 - Coachable to adopt proactive practice habits

What is not important and has little to no correlation to client success:

• Grades
• Law school
• Family law experience

If you catch even a passing whiff of an entitlement attitude during any stage of the hiring process, immediately end the interview and thank the candidate for their time. 

Entitlement attitude looks like:

• A lawyer who feels they are above or better than non lawyers in any way
• Can’t get their hands dirty helping other lawyers
• Expects to make great money without working for it

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Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

Follow these steps:

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2. BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE AUDIT WITH US: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/

3. CONNECT WITH US:

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The most famous client satisfaction number in the world is Net Promoter Score (NPS).

The survey question is: "On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely is it that you would recommend this company to a friend or colleague?"

Responses of "9 or 10" equal a promoter.  "7 or 8" is a neutral.  6 or less is a detractor.  Blend all the responses and get your NPS. 

We have made this single question the cornerstone of the Sterling Family Law client strategy.

In this episode, my partner, Tony Karls, and I break down everything we have learned over the past decade in implementing NPS into our family law practice.

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Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

Follow these steps:

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2. BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE AUDIT WITH US: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/

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Tired of the feast or famine cycle that plagues most family law practices? In this video, I reveal why consistent marketing is the only way to break free from the devastating ups and downs that keep attorneys trapped in survival mode.

 We tackle:

• The three psychological traps that kill marketing momentum when you get busy
• Why redefining marketing as simply "getting attention" changes everything about how you approach growth
• The compounding benefits of daily marketing habits—from client selection power to weathering seasonal slowdowns
• Simple daily actions that count as marketing: one text to a referral source, bringing pastries to court clerks, or checking in with your marketing team

Listen in for a paradigm shift that transforms marketing from an overwhelming burden into manageable daily habits. Our practical approach shows how even the busiest solo practitioners can maintain consistent growth momentum without sacrificing client work, because today's marketing creates tomorrow's clients.

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Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

Follow these steps:

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2. BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE AUDIT WITH US: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/

3. CONNECT WITH US:

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When I sat down beside business titan Bobby Martin at a New York restaurant in 2005, I never imagined it would mark the beginning of a mentorship that would alter my law leadership career.

In the years that followed, Bobby taught me many lessons.  Three, in particular, stand out:
1. "Never milk the mouse"
2. "When the game is over, the king and the pawn go back in the same box"
3. "Can't never could"
 
This is a short podcast but long on career value. I return to these often. 

Thank you Bobby.

Enjoy!

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Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

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Corey Quinn drops pure gold for lawyers looking to grow their law firm through digital marketing.  In this episode, he reveals:

1. The three step digital marketing strategy for lawyers seeking to break into a market
2. How to use targeted marketing strategies to support specialization
3. Law firm digital marketing best practices
4. The importance of clarifying a firm's go-to-market strategy
5. How to transition a law firm from founder led sales to a more sustainable model

If there is anyone qualified to advise lawyers on how to initially optimize their digital marketing, it is Corey Quinn.  He is the former Chief Marketing Officer at the largest digital marketing agency focused on law firms.  He was there through the major growth years before the agency sold to a private equity company. 

Corey also wrote "Anyone, Not Everyone," the definitive book on helping digital marketing agencies focus and scale their practice.

----------------------

Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

Follow these steps:

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2. BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE AUDIT WITH US: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/

3. CONNECT WITH US:

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Imagine transforming a vision into a 25 lawyer family law firm reality—Tony Karls and I did just that with Sterling Law Offices.

In this episode, we pull back the curtain and describe how a lawyer and a non-lawyer worked together to build and scale our family law firm. 

We discuss the following:
1 - bringing complimentary skills to our business relationship
2 - our initial thesis to be dominant on one area -- digital marketing
3 - focusing on business process once we reached a  modest scale
4 - challenges Tony has worked through not being a lawyer or a subject matter expert
5 - our partnership communication challenges
6 - structuring the law firm without violating the rules against non-lawyer ownership
7 - how Tony grew past me (Jeff) in some key areas

----------------------

Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

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My guest this week is Jeff Morrell, Senior Partner at Sterling Law.

Jeff is a brilliant lawyer and constant legal innovator.  And, he is our firm's resident AI expert and tool builder.

In this podcast, Jeff  shares a number of tactics on how he has used AI tools to enhance his family law practice.  His applications are practical. Anyone can implement them.  

Jeff has discovered ways to streamline his client communication, which is one of the largest time investments in family law.   In particular, he has built a terrific tool to automate emails with clients.

If you are a lawyer and want to better understand use-cases for AI in your practice, this discussion will offer valuable insights. 

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Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

Follow these steps:

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3. CONNECT WITH US:

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As we have grown our law firm from zero to 25 attorneys, I have seen how our firm matched up with other very successful law firms.  And, I have noticed that top performing law firms have some common characteristics:

1 - Leaders have a growth mindset.  They listen to feedback and ideas from others.  They welcome criticism and have people around them who disagree with them. 

2 - There is a simple, easy to understand plan in place.  Effective leaders make business plans simple to understand and, thus, easier to execute. 

3 - There is high decision velocity.  Decisions are made quickly when enough information becomes available, maybe 65-70%.  Flat organizations are better at this.  Making great decisions quicker than your opponent gives you an advantage.

4 - The firm measures and uses teammate engagement regularly.  The key is to use the information. It is not enough to simply measure. 

5 - Leaders are transparent.  They are not afraid to say: “I don’t know but I can find out.”  And then they follow through.  There is no hiding the ball. 

6 - Teammates know why they are winning.  There is a clear picture of the understanding of the winning factors.  It is never enough to know that you are winning. You must know why. 

7 - Pace of the practice is healthy and balanced.  There is a good balance of support and challenge by the leaders. Change is purposeful and planned.

8 - The strongest teammates are the biggest supporters.  Top performers love to be challenged.  They want to be around other top performers.  And, they are the biggest cheerleaders to get others to come.

----------------------

Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

Follow these steps:

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2. BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE AUDIT WITH US: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/

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Jennifer Gore-Cuthbert's journey is wildly inspiring.  Our conversation is loaded with valuable insights on how to build a firm from nothing to a flourishing practice.  

Jennifer's path wasn't smooth.  She faced the daunting challenge of failing the bar exam while pregnant and then managing a startup firm with a newborn. 

Immediately after passing the bar exam, Jennifer started her law firm from her spare bedroom.   The firm has grown exponentially over the years and is an Atlanta powerhouse today--led by an absolute force in the legal community!

In this conversation, Jennifer shares her insights on how she:
- Started the firm with a tenacious mindset
- Used her networking skills to get her first clients
- Managed cash flow with contingency cases in the early days
- Focuses on personal growth leveraging coaching and mastermind groups
- Deals with the complexities of hiring and managing a team
- Transitioned the firm away from her personal brand to one more scalable
- Optimizes her time by only doing tasks in her sweet spot and outsourcing the rest

and so much more . . . 

Enjoy!

----------------------

Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

Follow these steps:

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2. BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE AUDIT WITH US: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/

3. CONNECT WITH US:

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The vast majority of Family Law firms do not grow beyond two attorneys. 

There are three primary barriers that stifle growth:

1 - Ineffective leadership by the lawyer leader
2 - Poor marketing
3 - Lack of scalable business process systems 

Each of these obstacles can be overcome. 

At Sterling Law, we’ve bumped into each of these roadblocks at least once.  We pushed through, and so can you. 

This episode isn’t just about identifying the problems; it's a guide to understanding why these are the top three impediments to law firm growth and how to navigate through them. 

Join me for a practical framework to break through these barriers, drawing from real-life experiences, failures, and successes. 

Tune in to transform your practice and scale new heights in the competitive landscape of Family Law.

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Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

Follow these steps:

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I welcome Dennis Yu, a world-renowned marketing expert  and CEO of Blitz Metrics.

Dennis shares his journey from a math-focused child who didn't speak English until age six or seven to becoming a key figure in internet analytics and digital marketing. Born in Dayton, Ohio, Dennis was recognized for his web development skills by the CEO of American Airlines, which led to early career opportunities.

Driven to empower the "underdog," Dennis focuses on training young adults and students in digital marketing. He has established programs in over 700 universities, where students start micro-agencies and learn practical business skills. 

We discuss his favorite strategies for helping Law Firms get started and beat the larger competitors in their marketplace. 

Dennis shares his philosophy on leadership, which revolves around learning from direct sources, implementing knowledge, and teaching others. 

We conclude with Dennis offering his personal contact info for anyone who wants to reach out. 

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Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

Follow these steps:

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3. CONNECT WITH US:

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In this episode,  we  explore an emotionally tough topic --handling criticism.

At any given firm, the leader is the person criticized the most.  This goes with the territory. 

The reality is that accepting leadership puts you first in line to be criticized.

The higher you are in the organization, the more exposed you are to criticism.  And the less likely you are to hear about it.

There are two kinds of criticism: (1) Unfair and (2) Fair.

How you deal with either of these has a direct correlation to the effectiveness of your leadership.  

I offer up three time-tested strategies for using criticism as a stepping stone to increase your leadership and win more influence. 

----------------------

Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

Follow these steps:

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The law practice is all about clients.  And clients operate on the same psychological operating system as we all do.

There are hacks and shortcuts to connecting, building trust, and having fun with others. Our success as lawyers always depends on how we work with people—clients, other lawyers, referral sources, and co-workers.

Like most things, you can use these techniques to excess, for evil, and to manipulate others.   That is short-sighted at best.  

However, if you love and want to add value to people, then these tactics will deepen your relationships, improve your effectiveness as a leader, and enhance your self-confidence.

Here are the psychological hacks that the most effective lawyers use:

1 - Get genuinely excited when you see your client--smile big time 😊
2 - Say the client's name three times in first five minutes
3 - Dress for emotions
4 - Expose your flaws
5 - Use pauses and silence to build credibility
6 - Play games with your own mind
7 - Ask small favors to win clients over
8 - Serve food during key meetings
9 - Warm your hands before a handshake

Do these things, and you will definitely enjoy more rewarding end effective relationships!

----------------------

Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

Follow these steps:

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Wondering if mastermind programs are worth the investment? In this episode, I sit down with Richard James, founder of Your Practice Mastered, who helped transform our practice after I discovered his work during my niece's graduation ceremony. 

This discussion reveals:

• My biggest 10-year mistake was avoiding industry-specific masterminds (despite being in other groups for 20+ years)
• The "third mind" concept that separates successful masterminds from networking groups
• Richard's unexpected journey from asking "dumb questions" in a $27,000 mastermind to helping 900+ attorneys
• The critical difference between free and paid mastermind commitments
• His hybrid approach that goes beyond traditional quarterly "hot seats"

Listen in for practical guidance on choosing the right mastermind environment, whether you're seeking accountability, benchmarking opportunities, or simply that safe space where you're not building your practice alone.

----------------------

Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

Follow these steps:

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Luis Scott is the co-founder of Bader Scott, one of the largest law injury firms in the southeast.  Additionally, he also leads 8-Figure Firm where he and his team teach lawyers how to scale their firm past $10,000,000.

Luis is a doer, not an academic.  His teachings are based on real-world applications and on what his own $60M+ firm does to win.  

In this week's conversation, Luis shares how he overcame devastating personal and professional setbacks, created his own luck, and built one of the most successful law firms in America.

This is a wide-ranging discussion touching on super-effective marketing strategies and how to recognize evolving law firm needs as it scales.  We also nerd out a bit on healthy marketing ratios of Direct Response v. Branding spend and what healthy revenue per employee looks like. 

His story is incredible and is sure to simultaneously inspire and instruct. If you are interested in growing your law practice, give your brain a feast and a jolt of energy by listening to this interview. 

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Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

Follow these steps:

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This was a Q&A on the topic of implementing Fixed Fee with the dynamic team at Ball Morse Lowe, an established multi-practice law firm in Oklahoma. 

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Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

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The Sterling Chronicles series presents a month-by-month account of the victories, setbacks, and lessons encountered while building a rapidly growing family law practice.

My objective is to record and share our firm's successes and challenges, with the aspiration that you can take from our experiences and shorten your success curve.

In this installment, we delve into the events of September 2023.

1 - For the first time in seven years we are back to Free Consults.  Why does this make business sense for us?  What are the show rates for paid v. free consults? When to never do free consults?  When does it make sense?

2 - Our journey to non-lawyer consults has been bumpy.  We are still pushing forward with the project. 

3 - Congratulations to four attorneys promoted this month!

4 - Still learning and relearning the lesson of staying in my lane and trusting my teammates. 

5 - September numbers are mostly disappointing. 

Enjoy. :-)  I encourage you to watch what we are doing and do it better!

----------------------

Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

Follow these steps:

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3. CONNECT WITH US:

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Join me for a fascinating conversation with Harvard Law grad and three-time Atlanta Divorce Lawyer of the Year Aaron Thomas.

Aaron has developed an innovative legal service designed to keep marriages intact utilizing a prenup agreement. He has figured out a way to use them as a divorce safety net - and - a device to fortify marriages. 

Aaron shares the details how he went from serving over 1,000 clients, including NBA Hall of Famers, Super Bowl winners, Grammy award winning artists, to a hyper-focused prenup law firm with national growth aspirations. 

He's also recently published a terrific book: " The Prenup Prescription" where he lays out the details.

You can get "The Prenup Prescription" at Amazon.com and many other retail outlets.  

You can also find Aaron at www.Prenups.com, as well as on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronrthomas/

 

----------------------

Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

Follow these steps:

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Do you hesitate when it comes to seeking a mentor? You're not alone. Many stumble at the thought of reaching out to potential mentors. 

Yet, mentors are the single biggest missed advantage for lawyers to grow their law practice. 

In this episode I share how a mentor dramatically boosted my career when I was young and clueless. I also explore the:

1. Five big reasons why people don't ask
2. Who to ask to mentor you
3. How to ask
4. What to do when you start a mentor/mentee relationship
5. The things you must never do

----------------------

Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

Follow these steps:

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3. CONNECT WITH US:

LinkedIn: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls,

Facebook: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls,

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4. TELL US WHAT YOU WANT:
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Send us a text

The Sterling Chronicles series presents a month-by-month account of the victories, setbacks, and lessons encountered while building a rapidly growing family law practice.

My objective is to record and share our firm's successes and challenges, with the aspiration that you can take from our experiences and shorten your success curve.

In this installment, we delve into the events of August 2023.

1 - Our team continues to work toward implementing non-lawyer consults across the firm.  We are seeing very positive results paired with some kicks in the mouth and losses.  Nevertheless, our team is experiencing incremental progress.  

2 - Our financial and performance numbers are mostly up over July.  That is somewhat of a relief as August can be spotty due to it being summer vacation season. 

3 - We conclude this month's Chronicles episode with the State of Sterling talk we had in our weekly, all-team Summons Meeting. The topic was Client Experience.  This is  our first step to a firm-wide initiative to overhaul, measure and deploy an incredible client experience.  We are transforming how family law is practiced with our fresh, modern billing approach.  The next natural evolution is to do this with the Family Law Client Experience. 

Enjoy. :-)  I encourage you to watch what we are doing and do it better!

----------------------

Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

Follow these steps:

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Roma Khan is an incredibly accomplished business woman and legal innovator.  Her breakthroughs in the delivery of contract legal services are revolutionary.  

From the outside, she appears to be an overnight success. However, as you peel back the layers, you will find a lifelong drive to succeed and add value to the world as she has fought through adversity every step of her journey. 

Roma arrived in the US at the age of 16.  Intense family expectations were for her to pursue a specific career path.

She intuitively understood, however, that her future lay in a different direction. So, she chose law and found her calling along the way. 

Roma's story is a case study in personal focus and law firm positioning.  Her business is Crush Contracts.  She is changing the way small and medium sized businesses work with lawyers for their unique contract needs. 

I addition to the many business lessons, Roma shares  how she serves her business clients with a balanced strategy of getting a deal done - and - protecting her client's legal interests.

You will also enjoy Roma's magnetic personality and her thoughtful strategy for building her personal brand.  There is so much to learn from her in this conversation. Her story is certain to inspire your entrepreneurial journey, regardless of the field you are in.

You can connect with Roma at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/contractsqueen/  
Her website is https://www.crushcontracts.com/

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Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

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2. BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE AUDIT WITH US: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/

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This is a timeless tale of guts and courage.

My guest this week is Jonathan Hawkins.  He had the guts to not take the safe route and the courage to  stay focused on his niche. 

Jonathan has built a highly specialized practice serving lawyers and law firms, from firm formation to dissolution and all stages in between.

Jonathan's intriguing journey took him from learning Spanish in Costa Rica to hitting the ski slopes of Colorado, before setting his sights on law. Listen as he takes you through his  struggles, his father's initial concerns and eventual enthusiastic support, and the triumphs that led him to where he is now.

In our conversation, Jonathan shares the complexities and challenges of focusing on one niche and a few of the sacrifices he made along the way.

He provides invaluable insights into the common reasons behind law firm breakups, highlighting the pivotal role of tailor-made agreements in ensuring smooth operations.

Jonathan explores the lessons he picked up along the way, and how he is transforming his firm from a local/regional practice to one with national aspirations.

Finally, you don't want to miss out on his effective content creation strategy that not only builds his brand but also drives social media engagement.

To connect with Jonathan, you can find him on LinkedIn.
His firm website is: yourlawfirmgc.com
Subscribe to his weekly newsletter here. 

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Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

Follow these steps:

1. SUBSCRIBE TO JEFF'S NEWSLETTER: https://jsterlinghughes.com/

2. BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE AUDIT WITH US: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/

3. CONNECT WITH US:

LinkedIn: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls,

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Do you ever feel like you're operating in the dark when it comes to managing your law practice? 

This episode describes a simple by extremely effective tool that identifies almost every operational problem in a law firm. 

Our marketing waterfall, often referred to as a funnel, tracks our clients' journey from their initial visit to our website through closing their case as a client. 

This tool acts like an early warning radar system for operational challenges.  For example, this tool tells us our sales will decline -- well before it happens.  If our attorneys get too busy, we will know it's coming before it occurs.

Every law firm will benefit from building their own marketing waterfall.  Start simple with just a few metrics. As time goes on and as you get better at measuring, tracking and reporting, add more components to your waterfall to get even better at understanding your firm.

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Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

Follow these steps:

1. SUBSCRIBE TO JEFF'S NEWSLETTER: https://jsterlinghughes.com/

2. BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE AUDIT WITH US: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/

3. CONNECT WITH US:

LinkedIn: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls,

Facebook: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls,

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4. TELL US WHAT YOU WANT:
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Working with the right business partner can generate massive success.

Conversely, working with the wrong partner is a study in frustration, loss, and heartache. 

In this episode, I share my three-part formula for highly functional business partnerships. 

I take you through my personal journey of forming successful partnerships, and share the lessons I learned along the way. We'll discuss everything from the importance of self-awareness, trust and shared values to the need for clear goal setting in creating a solid foundation for any partnership. 

There are only four reasons to ever form a partnership.  And friendship is not one of them. 

There are some simple, cheap ways to structure the relationship. It primarily depends on the resources you have at the beginning and your plans for the future. 

I conclude with the most important considerations and cautions to never overlook.

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Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

Follow these steps:

1. SUBSCRIBE TO JEFF'S NEWSLETTER: https://jsterlinghughes.com/

2. BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE AUDIT WITH US: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/

3. CONNECT WITH US:

LinkedIn: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls,

Facebook: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls,

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4. TELL US WHAT YOU WANT:
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What happens when a promising family law practice hits a plateau after nine months of steady growth? In this interview, Tom Hartin opens up about the sobering reality of building a practice on Long Island—where April brought just 5 leads, 2 consults, and 1 hire despite $6,800 in monthly expenses.

We dive deep into his current challenges:

• How his strategic Massapequa location reached #1 in map rankings within two months, but growth has stagnated
• The difficult reality of expanding to competitive Melville while burning through savings as sole income earner
• Why call volume actually decreased during peak divorce season (February-April) despite working with marketing professionals
• The pressure of supporting a family of four in an expensive market while waiting for his second location to gain traction
• His upcoming trials and the constant juggle between building the practice and serving existing clients

Listen in for an unfiltered look at the emotional and financial pressures of year one—where Tom questions his timeline expectations while remaining committed to the long-term vision. His real struggle provides crucial perspective for any attorney considering solo practice or wondering what the real growth curve looks like beyond the success stories.

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Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

Follow these steps:

1. SUBSCRIBE TO JEFF'S NEWSLETTER: https://jsterlinghughes.com/

2. BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE AUDIT WITH US: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/

3. CONNECT WITH US:

LinkedIn: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls,

Facebook: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls,

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4. TELL US WHAT YOU WANT:
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This is the fourth episode of four  on how to convert a law firm from hourly to fixed fee.

We wrap up the series by describing how to practice fixed fee.

The name of the game and the secret is to be proactive in everything you do. It's like playing a game of tennis. The ball can never be in your court. It always needs to be returned as quickly as possible.

The lawyer must drive the case forward, not the judge, not the opposing party, and not your client.   It is also essential to work with an assistant or paralegal who is on the same page with the lawyer regarding driving a case forward. This may require re-aligning incentives.

I also discuss how to refund in a fixed fee scenario. The ethics rules require refunds to be based on a percentage of the work completed. Refunds are not time bound.

At the end of the day, the reality is that clients are much happier with fixed fee, than with hourly billing. Our firm sees higher satisfaction scores from clients. Also, expectations around money are easier to manage. 

Cases get over faster with fixed fee. This makes the client happy as well. There are many other benefits to practicing fixed fee and a law firm. It is worth the time and effort.

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Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

Follow these steps:

1. SUBSCRIBE TO JEFF'S NEWSLETTER: https://jsterlinghughes.com/

2. BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE AUDIT WITH US: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/

3. CONNECT WITH US:

LinkedIn: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls,

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4. TELL US WHAT YOU WANT:
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This episode is part three of four on converting a law firm from hourly to fixed fee billing. 

The most difficult part of the process is articulating the fixed fee value and selling it. 

If you try to do it the same as hourly, you will get killed and lose big time. 

With hourly billing, the client bears the risk.  This is one of the main reasons why lawyers use it and  like it.

But, with fixed fee, the risk shifts to the firm.  This can be scary.  But, it also opens the door for way happier clients and for the lawyer to find new ways to create value. 

The lawyer needs to make the shift from selling hours to selling value. 

Our firm has found that fixed fee (1) aligns the client and the attorney to the same goal, (2) improves communication in a meaningful way, and (3) gives the client certainty. 

The info in this podcast will help you figure out how to articulate the value of fixed fee in a compelling way. 

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Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

Follow these steps:

1. SUBSCRIBE TO JEFF'S NEWSLETTER: https://jsterlinghughes.com/

2. BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE AUDIT WITH US: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/

3. CONNECT WITH US:

LinkedIn: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls,

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The Sterling Chronicles series presents a month-by-month account of the victories, setbacks, and lessons encountered while establishing a rapidly growing family law practice.

My objective is to record and share the successes and challenges within our law firm, with the aspiration that you can glean from our experiences and expedite your path to success.

In this installment, I delve into the events of July 2023.

We are currently in the process of revamping our entire intake procedure. What once comprised a single team has now evolved into four distinct teams, each with their own specific objectives. We are experimenting with the concept of having non-lawyers handle consultations all the way through to funding.

I also discuss the insights we have gained from collaborating with an advisory team.

Our executive leadership team recently participated in a full-day AI event, and we've taken away a key lesson that we believe everyone should implement. While not complex, it carries significant implications.

Our Team Growth (HR) division has recently introduced a quarterly pulse survey. This initiative aims to provide us with greater insights into our team's sentiments and suggestions for cultivating a more conducive working environment.

To conclude, we provide a summary of our financial figures and primary metrics for the month.

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Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers?

Follow these steps:

1. SUBSCRIBE TO JEFF'S NEWSLETTER: https://jsterlinghughes.com/

2. BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE AUDIT WITH US: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/

3. CONNECT WITH US:

LinkedIn: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls,

Facebook: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls,

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4. TELL US WHAT YOU WANT:
Tell us in the comments if you liked this episode and what other kinds of episodes you would like to see.