Lawyers Gone Ethical

We typically think of team-building as bringing on full-time or infinite-duration members, but this mindset overlooks a great source of shorter-term talent. Law student interns can be great additions to your solo or small practice, and they give you an opportunity to streamline your processes while you give back. In this episode, Megan sits down with Erik Pelton, trademark attorney in Falls Church, Virginia, who shares his insights on hiring law student interns for his boutique practice. They talk benefits for both law firm and intern, and how to go about getting started hiring interns. Guest Info: Erik Pelton's Website Erik's Book - Building a Bold Brand Erik on LinkedIn Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please help me get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, Google Play, and Tunein and be sure to share this p

Even the United States Supreme Court has had to adapt to working remotely during COVID-19.  Still, long-term lockdown (plus further uncertainty with kids ending school and some businesses reopening) can really suck the productivity out of us.  In this episode, Megan explores some tips for getting back to business during these uncertain times.  Highlights include: - Changing up the routine - Revisiting your early quarantine plans - Checking out available resources - Grasping a realistic view of your firm's current situation - Virtual conferences - Getting organized - Planning for the future Resources Mentioned: The Flush Heard Around the World Lawyer Forward Virtual Conference Rocket Matter's Virtual Conference Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please help me get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, Google Play,

The king of subscription legal service, Jon Tobin, sat down with Megan in the midst of COVID-19 to talk about how lawyers can evolve in the way they offer legal services. Subscriptions are of course a major way we can change our offerings, and Jon has a lot to say about how it works, why it works, and how the ethics rules impact but do not stymie the offering.  Guest Info: Jon Tobin's Website Jon Tobin on Twitter Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please help me get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, Google Play, and Tunein and be sure to share this podcast with a friend. Be sure to connect with me and reach out with any questions or recommendations for specific resources: Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Website Email me at megan[at]zaviehlaw[dot]com This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. I

Stemming from her popular post on Attorney at Work, Megan tackles the ethical considerations for attorneys handling consultations, particularly initial consultations, virtually.  Highlights include: - Ensuring video and phone communications are confidential - Careful sharing of client confidential documents - Conflicts checks - Terms of your consultations, and what clients can expect Resources Mentioned: Attorney at Work Article Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please help me get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, Google Play, and Tunein and be sure to share this podcast with a friend. Be sure to connect with me and reach out with any questions or recommendations for specific resources: Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Website Email me at megan[at]zaviehlaw[dot]com This podcast is for informational and educational

Megan is joined by John Grant, who lends his systems background to lawyers looking to streamline their law practices with better processes and procedures.  In this episode, he and Megan explore the impending massive backlog of cases in the justice system, what lawyers and courts will face when the country reopens after coronavirus, and what lawyers will need to do to prepare to serve clients in a post-COVID-19 world. Guest Info: John Grant's Website Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please help me get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, Google Play, and Tunein and be sure to share this podcast with a friend. Be sure to connect with me and reach out with any questions or recommendations for specific resources: Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Website Email me at megan[at]zaviehlaw[dot]com This podcast is for informati

Let's talk marketing -- the usual and the highly unusual in a time of worldwide crisis.  Ollie Lash-Williams has a background in public relations, and he joins Megan to discuss the enormous worldwide crisis of the day, coronavirus.   Guest Info: Ollie Lash-Williams on Twitter Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please help me get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, Google Play, and Tunein and be sure to share this podcast with a friend. Be sure to connect with me and reach out with any questions or recommendations for specific resources: Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Website Email me at megan[at]zaviehlaw[dot]com This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matters, be sure to consult with an

Building a rural law practice in 2020 is much different than it would have been 20 years ago.  Chris White, the Managing Partner of White Law Office in rural Ohio, knows a thing or two about it.  Turns out that rural practice building has its unique challenges, but excellent customer service is a key component.  In this episode, Megan and Chris also touch on how the coronavirus is impacting business development for all law firms, rural and urban. Guest Info: Chris's Website White Law Office on Facebook Chris White on Twitter Resources Mentioned: LGE 99 - Disappearance of Rural Lawyers with Mark Palmer LGE 65 - Four Seasons Customer Service for Lawyers with John Strohmeyer Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please help me get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, Google Play, and Tunein and be sure to share this p

Senator Tammy Duckworth tweeted that she spoke to her child while working from home unmuted on a call to the Democratic Caucus.  If the Illinois Senator can reveal some authenticity about the challenges from working from home, why don't we all drop the act and get real?  In this episode, Megan shares some of her favorite work from home fails, both from online and her real life.   Megan also shares her five tips from her monthly newsletter (sign up here) for making working from home a success - especially from an ethics viewpoint.   - Be accessible - Get on email update lists - Watch what you're showing on video - Try to keep your habits - Keep sane   Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please help me get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, Google Play, and Tunein and be sure to share this podcast with a friend.

The coronavirus has thrown how lawyers work into absolute disarray.  Brick and mortar lawyers with onsite servers are lost; even remote lawyers are struggling as families are home and routines are thrown off.  In this episode, Megan and her guest Mike Whelan talk disasters, law practice, and why despite today's craziness, the truth is, it really is going to be okay. Mike shares his personal stories of crisis (including medical issues, a hurricane, and a house fire) and how he has come through them all.  He shares with our audience advice for staying sane and gaining perspective. Resources Mentioned: Mike's Book:  Lawyer Forward Lawyer Forward Facebook Group Research Paper:  What Makes Lawyers Happy? Guest Info: Mike Whelan on Twitter Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please help me get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Stitch

Are you interested in learning how to start your own solo practice?  Your driving fear may be "I'm not going to have any clients."  When a lawyer sets out on their own, the fear of having no clients is real.  "If you build it, they will come," does not necessarily work in law practice.  But Davis Nguyen has some ideas on what three things every law practice needs to bring in those initial clients.  Then, once your solo firm is growing at a healthy pace, at some point your workload will exceed your capacity as a solo.  Davis shares with us strategies for scaling once that point is reached. Resources Mentioned: Lawyers Gone Ethical Episode 82 - One Year of Virtual Assistance Guest Info: Davis Nguyen's company - My Consulting Offer Davis's Website Davis on LinkedIn Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please help me get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this sho

Clients and lawyers should work well together. It makes for a smoother relationship, better work product, and better outcomes. It also reduces the risk of ethics violations and Bar complaints. As a lawyer, you must get comfortable with the idea that you will turn some clients away, and you must have systems in place to make sure you do so properly. In this episode Megan discusses the reasons for turning clients away, how to do it (sometimes without even knowing you are), and what documentation to retain to protect yourself if a non-client later makes a complaint against you. Resources Mentioned: Book Megan mentioned - Radical Candor Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please help me get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, Google Play, and Tunein and be sure to share this podcast with a friend. Be sure to connect

Autonomous vehicles sound like Knight Rider's Kit, but they are in real development for use on the roads -- and to some extent, they are already here.  In this episode, Megan is joined by Damien Riehl, legal technologist, Managing Director of Fastcase Legal Research Platform, and member of Minnesota's Governor's Council on Connected and Automated Vehicles.  They talk about what autonomous vehicles are, what we can expect to see in development, and what their rise means for practice areas including personal injury and products liability. Resources Mentioned: Damien's Article on Autonomous Vehicles Guest Info: Damien on LinkedIn Damien on Twitter Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please help me get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, Google Play, and Tunein and be sure to share this podcast with a friend. Be sur

Megan reports on ABA TECHSHOW 2020 Resources Mentioned: TECHSHOW Site Erin Levine of Hello Divorce on Twitter Jess Birken on Twitter Jayne Reardon on Twitter Clio Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please help me get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, Google Play, and Tunein and be sure to share this podcast with a friend. Be sure to connect with me and reach out with any questions or recommendations for specific resources: Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Website Email me at megan[at]zaviehlaw[dot]com This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to be construed as legal advice specific to your circumstances. If you need help with any legal matters, be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your specific needs.

Mistakes in handling funds entrusted to lawyers account for a large percentage of bar complaints and prosecutions. Most lawyers realize that mishandling their trust account can lead to big trouble, but many still struggle to do it right. At Clio Con 2019, bookkeeper to the solos and smalls of the country Annette Fadness sat down with Megan to talk about what can go wrong with trust accounting, how to avoid many common mistakes, and why professional help can be a really good idea. Resources Mentioned: Clio TrustBooks LawPay Guest Info: Annette's Website Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please help me get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, Google Play, and Tunein and be sure to share this podcast with a friend. Be sure to connect with me and reach out with any questions or recommendations for specific resource

We have made it to 100 episodes, which is so exciting!  Megan is so grateful to her listeners, guests, and production team.   Many lawyers have misconceptions about the attorney discipline process.  On this special episode, Megan dispels three big myths: 1. Attorneys can only suffer attorney discipline for lawyer conduct. 2. The attorney discipline process is fair. 3. The State Bar exists for lawyers. Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please help me get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, Google Play, and Tunein and be sure to share this podcast with a friend. Be sure to connect with me and reach out with any questions or recommendations for specific resources: Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Website Email me at megan[at]zaviehlaw[dot]com This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not to

Mark Palmer, Chief Counsel in the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism (also known as 2Civility), sat down with Megan at Clio Con 2019 to talk about the disappearing rural lawyer. We know that there is a massive access to justice problem, but one aspect of this problem we do not hear so much about is the shortage of lawyers in rural areas of the country. There are large geographic expanses with zero or only a handful of lawyers. Mark and Megan talk about the problem and what is being done to address it. Resources Mentioned: Lawyers Gone Ethical episode with Jayne Reardon also from 2Civility Guest Info: Mark Palmer - Twitter and LinkedIn 2 Civility - website, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook  Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please help me get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, Google

What is a law firm’s culture? It does not have to be any one thing, any stereotype, or inspired by a movie. Every firm has a culture, even if it has not been consciously identified and cultivated. In this episode, Megan talks with Jordan Couch at Clio Con 2019 about his role as Cultural Ambassador at Palace Law, what it means to have an intentional law firm culture, and how to bring your firm’s values to light. Guest Info: Jordan Couch on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter Jordan's Email:  jordan@palacelaw.com Palace Paw on Instagram   Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please help me get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, Google Play, and Tunein and be sure to share this podcast with a friend. Be sure to connect with me and reach out with any questions or recommendations for specific resources: Twitter Facebook Lin

Lawyers often hide their real selves behind their lawyer personas, but Shreya Ley and her husband Colin have built their practice largely on the premise that the shield can be dropped and we can be our real selves at work, in marketing, and with clients. At Clio Con 2019, they presented together on this topic, and Shreya visited with Megan to talk about what it means to be authentic in lawyering, how to take the perceived risk of letting your guard down, and the incredible payoffs. Resources Mentioned: Shreya and Colin's Podcast - The Lawyer Human Show Guest Info: Shreya Ley on Twitter  Shreya's Email - shreya@layroots.com Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please help me get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, Google Play, and Tunein and be sure to share this podcast with a friend. Be sure to connect with me a

Consumer-facing digital legal products assist self-represented consumers, but lawyers need education and guidance too.  Frequent guest and contributor Erin Gerstenzang is an accomplished trial lawyer, and in this episode she and Megan talk digital legal products designed to train other lawyers on specialized areas.  Erin has recently launched DUI Roadmaps, which is an online course and tool for DUI lawyers around the country to prepare for trial.  She and Megan talk about how providing expertise to other lawyers is a niche that is frequently overlooked. Resources Mentioned: DUI Roadmaps Guest Info: Erin Gerstenzang - Website and Twitter Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please help me get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, Google Play, and Tunein and be sure to share this podcast with a friend. Be sure to con

Lori Gonzalez, founder of Rayna Corp., knows more than a thing or two about supporting lawyers. Her business’s purpose is to bring admin superpowers to law firms around the country. At Clio Con 2019, Lori spoke about utilizing administrative superpowers to make your practice better. In this episode, she visited with Megan to talk about her presentation and what a super powered admin can do for any solo or small firm lawyer. Resources Mentioned: Lori on Lawyers Gone Ethical Episode 26 Clio Legal Trends Report CaseMail – digital mailing service Guest Info: Lori Gonzalez - Twitter Rayna Corp Thanks for listening! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to the show to receive every new episode delivered straight to your podcast player every Tuesday. If you enjoyed this episode, please help me get the word out about this podcast. Rate and Review this show in Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, Google Play, and Tunein and be sure to share this podcast with a friend. Be sure to connect with me and reach out with any questions or