The Gen Why Lawyer Podcast: Inspiration, Growth, and Tactics for Millennial Lawyers and Attorney Entrepreneurs

In this month’s bonus episode, I recap the trials and tribulations of building my new business – Abboud Media. I discuss building the new website, attending a whole lot of networking events, dealing with not meeting all of my goals for the month, and letting go of some control. Email me your thoughts on the new website nicole@genwhylawyer.com The platform I used to build my website: WordPress Where to find local networking events: www.meetup.com Sample templates for Proposals: https://project-proposal.casual.pm/ http://www.guru.com/blog/example-guru-job-quote/ The mastermind group I’m in: LegalMinds Mastermind group – www.legalminds.lawyer Tweet me what your March goals are @nicoleabboud  Sharing is Caring

This is the last week of the Annual Listener Survey. Please share your thoughts to help improve the podcast here: www.bit.ly/2017gwlsurvey My guest today is Jodi Ettenberg. In 2008, she quit her job as a lawyer and set off to travel to Siberia for what she believed would only be a year but 9 years later, Jodi is still traveling and eating her way around the world.  She documents her stories and experiences on her popular blog called Legal Nomads. Over the years, Legal Nomads has morphed into a business, with hand-drawn maps of food and courses about storytelling. What we chat about in this episode: why she decided to take a sabbatical from her New York law firm job How Legal Nomads started off as a blog just meant for Jodi’s friends and family and now consists of a thriving community How she’s growing her blog organically through community building, Instagram photos, and without website ads How she built her business around storytelling and being paid to learn about various cultures Why an elevator pitch is really not that important How she had to let go of the fear of the unknown as well as lack of stability What should be considered when making a huge life changing decision Special discount code for Jodi’s food maps is “JODIEATS” Maps and other items can be found here. Contact Information Website: www.legalnomads.com Instagram and Twitter: @legalnomads Thrillable Hours

  Got opinions on how to make this podcast better? Share your thoughts in my annual listener survey: www.bit.ly/2017gwlsurvey After practicing law for 17 years at top-tier firms, most recently as a Partner at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, Catherine Krow founded Digitory Legal, a cloud-based legal budgeting solution for lawyers and clients. What we chat about in this episode: How and why she walked away from a partner position at a big law firm in pursuit of something she felt passionate about How she launched Digitory Legal Why more and more clients are demanding budgets from their lawyers instead of the billable hour Why law firms need to start focusing on accuracy and budgeting How a new lawyer can anticipate how long a matter will take for budgeting purposes when he/she has never gone through an entire trial Why being soft-spoken as a lawyer can be a great asset Why if you try to fit yourself into someone else’s mold or expectation, it’s a great way to fail How to tap into your community to help support you in your ventures Why young lawyers are well-positioned to take advantage of the tech industry to help change the legal profession Advice for women in difficult industries like law and tech Resources Mentioned: Clerky Slack Trello Digital Ocean Y combinator startup course Contact Information: Email: ckrow@digitorylegal.com Website: www.digitorylegal.com    

I’d love to hear your thoughts about how I can make this podcast better! Please take my annual listener survey at www.bit.ly/2017gwlsurvey. Thank you! Marc Cerniglia is a founding partner at Spotlight Branding. He is passionate about helping lawyers and law firms understand the truths and myths about internet marketing, and educating them on how to get the most out of their marketing efforts. What we chat about: * Why Spotlight Branding founders decided to focus on helping lawyers specifically * What are the 5 building blocks of a solid internet foundation? * How do the 5 foundational elements play together to help you build your brand * Why SEO is not as important as you think? * Why many lawyers don’t put in the time necessary to build a brand * When should you hire a marketing company to handle your online marketing for your firm? * If you’re thinking about starting a blog, how to decide what to write about Resources Mentioned John Skiba’s JDBlogger Podcast Contact Info: www.spotlightbranding.com Email: marc@spotlightbranding.com  

Share your thoughts on how to improve the podcast over at www.bit.ly/2017gwlsurvey Our guest today is JoAnn Holmes. She is the founder of Holmes at Law, where she focuses primarily on business law and contracts, trademark and copyright, and software and tech. After working as in-house counsel for approximately 15 years, Jo decided to take a summer off to figure out what she really wanted to do and then returned and opened her own solo practice. What we chat about: How she managed taking the bar, finding and starting a new job while pregnant How the acts of kindness of others helped her establish her legal career and why she is now paying it forward How to overcome a scarcity mindset and live a life of service Her belief that to whom much is given, much is expected How Jo gets down and dirty with her community service  Why she’s been looking forward to her 40’s for a while What we can learn from wanting to go back and speak to our 22-year old selves How to turn your anxiety, nerves, and worry about your life and career into positive energy to overcome challenge How Jo gained sufficient confidence in her decision making as a lawyer Jo shares great advice for women entrepreneurs How she reached the decision to leave her in-house counsel position and eventually open her own practice Contact Information: Website: http://www.holmesatlaw.com/ Facebook and Twitter @holmesatlaw LinkedIn: JoAnn Holmes

January was admittedly off to a slow start. Between teaching two classes at a local community college every day and preparing for a major conference presentation, I had very little time to focus on the business. However, I was able to check off some of the small items on my To-Do list, and I even got myself my first client…sort’ve! Resources Mentioned: www.canva.com – graphic design website www.uprinting.com – where I ordered my business cards www.bluehost.com – web hosting services (affiliate link in Resources page) Sharing is Caring

My guest in this episode is Nehal Madhani, attorney and founder and CEO of Alt Legal, a cloud-based IP docketing software. Nehal speaks regularly about the intersection of legal practice and technology. What we discuss in this episode: Why he decided to leave his BigLaw position to start a tech company How he taught himself how to code How Nehal gets the word out about his product How he decides who and how to hire new employees What program Nehal participated in to help him fine tune his entrepreneurial skills How he felt when he left his Biglaw position What his company is doing to remain client-centric and focused on provided excellent customer service Contact Info: Email: nehal@altlegal.com Twitter: @nehalm www.altlegal.com

My guest Josh Brown, a franchise attorney and founder of The Law Office of Josh F. Brown in Indiana. Josh has built a thriving national practice helping people make smart franchise decisions, identify good franchise systems, work through franchise legal challenges, and grow through the franchise model. Josh is also the creator and host of his very own podcast entitled, “Franchise Euphoria,” a top-rated podcast on iTunes. What We Discuss in this Episode: Why Josh decided to niche down to franchise law instead of just being a general business law practitioner Is the legal profession over saturated with lawyers practicing in niche areas? Why you need to focus on building a law business not just a law practice Josh shares the processes he’s setting up to systemize his law practice Josh’s tips on how to build a successful solo practice that works for both the lawyer and the clients The exact steps of how Josh created his list of systems using SweetProcess How Josh is building his brand with a podcast and blogging. Do lawyer recognition awards matter? Contact Information: Email: josh@indyfranchiselaw.com www.indyfranchiselaw.com

Bryan, a criminal defense attorney in Forth Worth, Texas, joins us to share his story of how he got started in creating videos and how they led him to create a commercial for the Super Bowl. What we discuss in this episode: Where his nickname came from and why he decided to keep using it as a solo practitioner How he put himself in a position to pick and choose the cases he works on Why he decided to start making videos and commercials for his law practice and for other companies How he handled negative feedback from other lawyers on his videos More importantly, how he navigated the State Bar’s ethics rules How he’s tracking the analytics from his videos in order to reassess their effectiveness If these videos are part of a larger goal, are they to attract clients, build brand awareness, or just for fun? Why Bryan thinks that educational videos is the best way to help the general public and attract clients How he comes up with material for his videos How he attracted Taco Bell’s attention for a national Super Bowl commercial Can we help Bryan secure a commercial deal with Mountain Dew? Contact info Commercials: www.texaslawhawk.com/commercials/ Email: texaslawhawk@gmail.com Phone: (817) 454 5965

Happy New Year! Ahh the smell of possibility is in the air. In today’s episode, I’m sharing the three mindsets I will be focusing on this year as I continue on this journey to make something of myself outside of the law, specifically, as a new business owner! Having the right mentality and attitude can make a world of difference when trying to build a career, start a new business, or even make it through law school. Check out my three mindsets and let me know what your focus will be in 2017. Tweet me @nicoleabboud Thanks for listening.     Sharing is Caring

If I had a dime for every time I heard a negative stereotype used to describe my generation, Generation Y, I’d be a rich gal. I’d also be a very cranky gal because I truly dislike how inaccurate so many of these stereotypes directed at Millennials are. Well, in this episode, I’m joined by several brilliant Millennial experts, authors, employers, and inter-generational team building experts to help shed light on some of the negative stereotypes associated with Gen Y. My guests share their experiences and thoughts on why this generation is so misunderstood and how we can work with older generations to achieve organizational goals together. Guests in this Episode:  Dan Negroni – Millennial expert and speaker, and Founder and CEO of Launchbox 365, a business focused on helping companies increase employee engagement, retention and bottom-line profits by bridging the gap between managers and millennials. www.launchbox365.com Dan’s Book: www.chasingrelevance.com Twitter @dannegroni and @launchbox365  Chip Espinoza – author, speaker, and globally recognized leading authority on the subject of generational diversity in the workplace. Co-Author of: Managing the Millennials: Discover the Core Competencies for Managing Today’s Workforce, Millennials@Work: The 7 Skills Every Twenty-Something Needs To Achieve Greatness At Work, and Millennials Who Manage: How To Overcome Workplace Perceptions and Become A Great Leader. http://chipespinoza.com/ Twitter: @chipespinoza  Neha Sampat – Founder, consultant, and coach at GenLead, a company that works with organizations helping them create cultures where people can feel like they can bring their true selves and feel like they can belong. http://www.genlead.co/ Twitter: @nehamsampat Monica Zent – Monica Zent is an experienced entrepreneur, investor, businesswoman and trusted legal advisor to the world’s largest brands.  Zent has been a successful entrepreneur for decades. Her most recent venture is as Founder & CEO of Foxwordy, the private collaboration network for lawyers. She is also the Founder of ZentLaw, one of the leading alternative law firms on the West Coast.  For many years, Zent has been an active investor in real estate and startups in California, and has dedicated her time and talent to a variety of charitable causes and pro bono service. When she’s not running companies, Zent is running distance as an endurance athlete. Twitter: @monicazent Resources Mentioned: Lauren Rikleen, You Raised Us – Now Work With Us

Why are there so many women leaving the practice of law? Even though 47% of law degrees are awarded to women, female lawyers make up only 36% of the profession in 2016. What is up with those numbers? I decided to reach out to several thought leaders on the issues of women in the law to hear their thoughts on what’s causing women to leave the law, or at the very least, leave big law firms. My guests share their insight on where women are going when they depart, what needs to change in the profession in order for more women to remain in the profession, and how more women to make it into top leadership positions at firms. My guests for this episode: Marlisse Silver-Sweeney – law graduate turned professor and freelance journalist Twitter: @marlissess Deborah Epstein Henry – Founder of Flex-time Lawyers, and internationally recognized expert, consultant and public speaker on the future of the legal profession, women and work/life balance. http://www.flextimelawyers.com/ www.blisslawyers.com www.lawandreorder.com Ronda Muir – Founder and Principal of Law People Management, LLC, and one of the country’s leading authorities on lawyer personalities and the application of behavioral science to the legal workplace Email: rmuir@lawpeoplemanagement.com http://www.lawpeopleblog.com/ www.lawpeoplemanagement.com Ryan Hogaboam – Public Defender in Pierce County Washington Ben – immigration attorney at mid-size full service firm in California Thanks for Checking Out the Show Notes and for Listening! I really hope you enjoyed this episode. It was certainly a great experience for me. If you feel like you just can’t keep the excitement you feel for this episode to yourself, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. Also, please don’t forget to subscribe to the GWL Podcast in iTunes or in Stitcher Radio. That way, every time I prepare a new episode for you, it’ll automatically show up in your phone.  No Fear Of Missing Out here. Once last thing: I would truly appreciate it if you could leave an honest review for The Gen Why Lawyer Podcast in iTunes. Positive ratings and reviews help boost the visibility of the show and help me in reaching more young lawyers.

About 8 years ago, I made a massive purchase, a 6-figure purchase. I purchased my legal education. I wasn’t alone. Thousands of other graduates made the same purchase I made. Sadly, soon after graduating and entering the legal profession, many new lawyers, like myself, found themselves experiencing buyer’s remorse. They felt unprepared and uninspired. I set out to find out why law schools and legal education are not meeting the needs and expectations of 21st century law students, lawyers, and society. What needs to change and who is leading that change? My fabulous guests in this episode: Kyle McEntee, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Law School Transparency, an organization looking to make entry to the legal profession more affordable, transparent, and fair. www.lawschooltransparency.com Twitter: @LSTupdates Carrie Menkel-Meadow, Professor of Law at University of California, Irvine School of Law Professor profile Contact: cmeadow@law.uci.edu Susan Cartier Liebel, CEO and Founder of Solo Practice University, an online community dedicated to helping lawyers build their own solo practices. www.solopracticeuniversity.com Twitter: @solopracticeu Paul Lippe, the founder of Legal OnRamp and is now a member of the Advisory Board of Elevate Services Twitter: @Paullippe Brianne Myers, Director of Admissions at Western Michigan University Cooley Law School Contact: myersb@cooley.edu www.cooley.edu Thanks for Checking Out the Show Notes and for Listening! I really hope you enjoyed this episode. It was certainly a great experience for me. If you feel like you just can’t keep the excitement you feel for this episode to yourself, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post. Also, please don’t forget to subscribe to the GWL Podcast in iTunes or in Stitcher Radio. That way, every time I prepare a new episode for you, it’ll automatically show up in your phone.  No Fear Of Missing Out here. Once last thing: I would truly appreciate it if you could leave an honest review for The Gen Why Lawyer Podcast in iTunes. Positive ratings and reviews help boost the visibility of the show and help me in reaching more young lawyers.

Is it possible for creativity to exist within the law? Can lawyers be creative in their practices or must they turn outwards for creative fulfillment? In this episode, I explore the idea of creativity and whether or not it can exist in the law. Many believe that being a lawyer requires people to tap into a side of their brain (the left side) that doesn’t coincide with skills that are found on the right side, thus making it difficult for lawyers to be creative. However, my guests offer their insight on how creativity can exist within the law. Guests: Ron Friedmann Partner at Fireman & Company Ron Friedmann has spent over two decades improving law practice and legal business operations with technology, knowledge management, and alternative resourcing. Twitter: @ronfriedmann Ron’s website Fireman & Company Dan Lear Director of Industry Relations at Avvo, lawyer, speaker, and legal industry gadfly. Twitter: @rightbrainlaw Dan’s blog, Right Brain Law Carrie Barron Dr. Barron is a board-certified psychiatrist/psychoanalyst on the faculty of the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons who also has a private practice in New York City. Dr. Barron’s site Carrie Menkel-Meadow A founder of the dispute resolution field, Professor Menkel-Meadow joined the faculty at UC Irvine School of Law from Georgetown University Law Center, where she is the A.B. Chettle, Jr. Professor of Dispute Resolution and Civil Procedure and Director of the Georgetown-Hewlett Program in Conflict Resolution and Legal Problem Solving. Professor Menkel-Meadow’s site Resources Mentioned: Ron Friedmann’s article, “Why Do Law Firms Resist Innovation?” Dan Pink’s A Whole New Mind Dr.Barron’s book – The Creativity Cure: How to Build Happiness With Your Own Two Hands

In this episode, I’m delving deep into the topic of time, specifically, the billable hour. Lawyers have such an interesting relationship with time. It seems like we’re in a constant race to gain more time in our lives. I wanted to learn about the origins of the billable hour to try to understand where it came from, why we’re using it today, and what lies ahead in its future. I propose the death of the billable hour and I enlist the help of some brilliant guests to help me justify this demand. My guests for this episode: Ken Grady Ken Grady is the Lean Law Evangelist for Seyfarth Shaw LLP, and Adjunct Professor at Michigan State University College of Law. A recognized thought leader, Ken regularly writes and speaks internationally on legal industry issues, including innovation, leadership, efficiency, and change management. Ken’s articles and posts have been featured in many online and print media publications, and he is the editor and author of the blog SeytLines.com named to the ABA Journal’s Blawg 100. He has earned a number of accolades during his career, including being named to the Fastcase 50, which honors the law’s “smartest, most courageous innovators, techies, visionaries, and leaders” and being honored by the Financial Times for innovative leadership of in-house counsel/outside counsel relationships. Twitter: @leanlawstrategy Website: http://www.seyfarth.com/ Ron Baker, Founder of VeraSage Institute Ronald J. Baker started his CPA career in 1984 with KPMG’s Private Business Advisory Services in San Francisco. Today, he is the founder of VeraSage Institute—the leading think tank dedicated to educating professionals internationally—and a radio talk-show host on the www.VoiceAmerica.com show: The Soul of Enterprise: Business in the Knowledge Economy. VeraSage’s mission is: “To, once and for all, bury the billable hour and timesheet in the professions” Twitter: @ronaldbaker Website: http://verasage.com/ Resources Mentioned: The Time Paradox: The New Psychology of Time That Will Change Your Life. Website here. ABA Commission on Billable Hours 2002 Report NALP report on Hours worked by associates George Carlin video on Time