Great Practice. Great Life. by Atticus

What problems in your law firm have become so familiar that you no longer notice them?

Maybe it's the same communication breakdowns, recurring mistakes, or frustrations that keep slowing your team down. You've learned to work around them, but that doesn't mean they're not costing your firm time, money, and opportunities to grow.

In this episode of Great Practice, Great Life, Steve Riley sits down with Dr. Kenya Oduor, a human factors expert, to talk about why some of the biggest problems in a law firm can be the hardest to recognize.

Kenya challenges the way law firm owners think about employee performance, inefficient processes, and the everyday frustrations they've come to accept as normal. What looks like a people problem or a simple workflow issue may be something entirely different.

Before you invest in another solution or assume you know what's going wrong, this conversation may change the questions you're asking about your firm.

Catch Dr. Kenya Oduor live at this year's Summit!

Dr. Oduor will take the stage as a speaker to share how law firm owners can uncover the hidden problems affecting their team's performance, client experience, and profitability. Drawing on her expertise in human factors and behavioral science, she'll show you how to recognize the friction points that often go unnoticed and rethink the systems and processes holding your firm back. You'll walk away with practical strategies to improve how your firm operates, create better experiences for clients and employees, and support sustainable growth. Don't miss the opportunity to learn from Dr. Oduor in person!

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In this episode, you will hear:

• Why familiar problems can become difficult to recognize
• How to spot hidden issues in your firm's communication and workflows
• Why employee mistakes may point to problems with your systems
• How different perspectives can reveal gaps in your client experience
• How Kenya's four business priorities can help you evaluate problems before choosing solutions

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Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐

If there's a topic you would like us to cover on an upcoming episode, please email us at steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com.

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Supporting Resources:

Kenya F. Oduor, PhD https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenyaoduor/

The Summit https://atticussummit.com/

My Great Life Focus https://mygreatlifefocus.com/

Atticus Newsletter https://atticusadvantage.com/newsletter-signup/

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Curious about growing your own practice without burning out? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership, law firm pricing and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice.

You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

Krista Nash had what many law firm owners work toward: a busy practice, plenty of clients, and strong revenue. But behind that success were 18-hour workdays, mounting responsibilities, and little time for her family. She was making good money, but the way she was running her firm wasn't sustainable.

After attending the Atticus Summit in 2022, Krista recognized how much needed to change. Through ongoing coaching with Atticus practice advisor Daniel Struna and a series of strategic changes, she has tripled her firm's revenue, built a fully virtual team, and reduced her personal billing from roughly 80 hours a week to 80 hours a month. Along the way, she learned that growing a profitable firm didn't have to mean doing more of the work herself.

In this episode of Great Practice, Great Life, Steve Riley sits down with Krista to discuss the decisions, challenges, and changes that transformed her practice. She shares how coaching, accountability, and learning to let go of responsibilities helped her build a law firm that supports both her passion for child advocacy and the life she wants outside of work.

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In this episode, you will hear:

• How to grow law firm revenue without increasing your workload.
• Why delegation requires more than hiring additional staff.
• How to build and manage a fully virtual law firm.
• Why a clear mission can strengthen your law firm's positioning.
• How to turn long-term goals into meaningful changes.

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Follow and Review:

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Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐

If there's a topic you would like us to cover on an upcoming episode, please email us at steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com.

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Supporting Resources:

Children First Family Law, PC https://childrenfirstfamilylaw.com/

Krista Nash https://childrenfirstfamilylaw.com/about/

Children First Family Law Podcast https://childrenfirstfamilylaw.com/podcast/

Daniel Struna, Attorney and Practice Advisor https://atticusadvantage.com/team/daniel-struna/

My Great Life Focus https://mygreatlifefocus.com/

The Summit https://atticussummit.com/

Emerald City Productions https://emeraldcitypro.com/

Byrd & Associates, LLC https://www.lawyercpafirm.com/

The Little Wren Shop (Morrison, Colorado) https://thelittlewrenshop.com/

Atticus Newsletter https://atticusadvantage.com/newsletter-signup/

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Curious about growing your own practice without burning out? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership, law firm pricing and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice.

You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

What if the reason your new hires aren't meeting expectations has less to do with who you hired and more to do with how you onboarded them?

Hiring the right person is only the beginning. How you prepare, train, and support them can determine whether they become a valuable part of your team or another responsibility on your plate.

In this episode of Great Practice, Great Life, Steve Riley talks with attorney Lin McCraw about the 100-day onboarding process he's developed at McCraw Law Group. Lin shares how his firm approaches training, introduces new hires to its culture, and builds the accountability needed for employees to succeed.

They also discuss why building team capacity should come before taking on more clients and how investing in your people can improve the client experience and support long-term growth.

If you're hiring but not seeing the results you expected, Lin's approach may change how you think about your next new hire.

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In this episode, you will hear:

• Why your team's capacity needs to grow before your caseload does
• How Lin's 100-day onboarding process prepares new hires for success
• How to make your firm's core values part of everyday work
• Why investing in employee development pays off long after onboarding
• How better onboarding can lead to a stronger team and more consistent client service

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Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐

If there's a topic you would like us to cover on an upcoming episode, please email us at steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com.

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Supporting Resources:

Lin McCraw https://mccrawlawgroup.com/team/john-l-lin-mccraw/

McCraw Law Group https://mccrawlawgroup.com/

Onboarding as a Competitive Advantage: 7 Essential Tips for Law Firms with Lori Pulvermacher https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/strategic-onboarding-for-law-firms/

Law Firm Coaching https://atticusadvantage.com/coaching/

My Great Life Focus https://mygreatlifefocus.com/

Atticus Newsletter https://atticusadvantage.com/newsletter-signup/

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Curious about growing your own practice without burning out? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership, law firm pricing and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice.

You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

Your law firm needs your attention. So do your family, finances, health, relationships, and everything else that matters to you. Trying to keep each part perfectly balanced can leave you feeling like you are constantly playing whack-a-mole and waiting for the day when things finally settle down.

In this episode of Great Practice, Great Life, entrepreneur and One Big Life author Elaine Ralls joins Steve Riley to challenge the idea that work and life need to be managed as separate compartments. She shares what can happen when you make decisions with the whole picture in mind, surround yourself with people who can help you move forward, and focus on putting clients, team members, and others in what she calls their "place of most potential."

For law firm owners, that perspective has implications far beyond work-life balance. Elaine and Steve discuss overwhelm, client trust, business relationships, and finding the gap that makes your firm meaningfully different. Listen for a practical way to think about building a successful law firm without putting the rest of your life on hold.

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In this episode, you will hear:

• How to make decisions with your whole life in mind, not just your business
• Why the way you show up affects the trust you build with clients and your team
• What it means to put people in their "place of most potential"
• How to spot an opportunity your law firm can serve differently
• How your "front row" can help you move forward when you feel overwhelmed

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Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐

If there's a topic you would like us to cover on an upcoming episode, please email us at steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com.

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Supporting Resources:

Elaine Ralls https://www.linkedin.com/in/elaineralls/

Book: One Big Life: Turn your messy, chaotic life into a bold, beautiful masterpiece. by Elaine Ralls https://a.co/003CLQgV

One Big Life Wheel https://atticusadvantage.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/the-big-life-wheel-sm.jpg

The Summit https://atticussummit.com/

Atticus Newsletter https://atticusadvantage.com/newsletter-signup

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Curious about growing your own practice without burning out? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership, law firm pricing and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice.

You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

Twenty-five years advising attorneys. Twenty-eight years of military service. Glenn Finch has spent much of his career learning what it takes to perform at a high level without letting every demand dictate your time.

And after decades of working with law firm owners, he's seen which lessons tend to matter most.

In this episode of Great Practice, Great Life, Steve Riley sits down with Glenn to talk about what his unusual career has taught him about helping law firm owners build more profitable practices without letting the practice consume their lives.

They discuss knowing what your time is worth, hiring people you can trust, becoming more selective about the clients you take, and protecting your capacity as the firm grows. Glenn also shares how his military experience shaped the discipline and boundaries he brings to his work with attorneys, and why fear and old assumptions can quietly influence some of the biggest decisions a law firm owner makes.

After 25 years of helping attorneys build stronger practices, Glenn has plenty to say about what works, what gets in the way, and what law firm owners may need to think differently about if they want both a great practice and a great life.

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In this episode, you will hear:

• How to make your law firm more profitable without simply taking on more work
• Why the people you hire can change what's possible for your firm
• When saying no to a client can be better for your business
• How fear and old assumptions can keep law firm owners stuck
• How Glenn uses discipline and boundaries to protect his time and attention

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Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐

If there's a topic you would like us to cover on an upcoming episode, please email us at steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com.

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Supporting Resources:

Glenn Finch, Senior Practice Advisor https://atticusadvantage.com/team/glenn-finch/

Previous Episode: Can You Protect Your Law Firm from Inflation? https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/can-you-protect-your-law-firm-from-inflation/

Previous Episode: Well, What Did You Expect? With Glenn Finch https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/well-what-did-you-expect-with-glenn-finch/

Book: The Power of Beliefs: How Strengthening Seven Core Beliefs Predicts Greater Success and a Better Life by Shawn Achor https://a.co/d/03CTTADM

Coaching https://atticusadvantage.com/coaching/

My Great Life Focus https://mygreatlifefocus.com/

Brené Brown Above/Below the Line Practice https://brenebrown.com/resources/above-below-the-line/

DISC Assessment https://atticusadvantage.com/disc-assessment/

Time Management Self-Assessment https://atticusadvantage.com/assessments/time-management/

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Curious about growing your own practice without burning out? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership, law firm pricing and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice.

You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

"I can't find good people" is one of the most common frustrations in law firm management.

But what if the people aren't actually the problem?

Rushed work, competing priorities, poor scheduling, and broken workflows can make capable team members look like they're underperforming. And when the work starts falling apart, who usually steps in to fix it? The law firm owner.

In this episode of Great Practice, Great Life, Steve Riley talks with business transformation strategist Matt Symes about why hiring another person, adding more training, or throwing AI at the problem won't necessarily fix what's happening inside your firm.

They discuss how to identify what's really slowing your firm down, rethink the way work moves through your team, and determine where AI can actually make a difference.

Before you decide you have a people problem, Matt argues there's a more important question to ask: Is the way your firm works setting good people up to succeed?

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In this episode, you will hear:

• Why a people problem may actually be a process problem
• How to find the constraint that's slowing down your firm
• Why your team should help redesign the way work gets done
• How AI could change the roles of attorneys, paralegals, and administrators
• Why your vision for your practice should come before your AI strategy

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Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐

If there's a topic you would like us to cover on an upcoming episode, please email us at steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com.

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Supporting Resources:

Matt Symes https://levership.com/about-us

Levership https://levership.com/

Matt Symes LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-symes-8328a765/

The Summit https://atticussummit.com/

Atticus Newsletter https://atticusadvantage.com/newsletter-signup/

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Curious about growing your own practice without burning out? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership, law firm pricing and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice.

You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

Imagine getting a call from someone who thinks they hired you, paid you, and trusted you with their legal problem.

Except you've never spoken to them before.

That's what attorney Angel Leal faced when scammers began using his name, image, voice, and law firm to impersonate him online. What started with fake social media accounts quickly became something much bigger, leaving Angel and his team to deal with people who genuinely believed they had been working with his firm.

In this episode of Great Practice, Great Life, Angel joins Steve Riley to share what happened, how his firm responded, and what he wishes more attorneys understood about protecting their identity online.

They talk about fake websites, AI-generated videos and voices, client verification, documenting fraud, and what to do when someone else is using the reputation you spent years building.

If you have a website, a social media presence, or simply a name people can find online, this is a problem worth paying attention to.

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In this episode, you will hear:

• How scammers can use AI to impersonate attorneys and law firms online
• Why attorney identity theft quickly becomes a problem for the entire firm
• How to help prospective clients verify they're actually communicating with your firm
• Why documenting and reporting impersonation matters
• What attorneys with a public presence should know about protecting their reputation

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Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐

If there's a topic you would like us to cover on an upcoming episode, please email us at steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com.

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Supporting Resources:

Angel F. Leal, Jr. P.A. https://www.angelleal.com/en/

Ep 184: From Burnout to Thriving Law Firm: What Angel Leal Did Differently

https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/burnout-to-thriving-law-firm-angel-leal/

Ep 197: Build a Million-Follower Legal Brand Without Letting Growth Overwhelm Your Firm with Angel Leal https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/million-follower-legal-brand

Lori Goetz, COO & Practice Advisor https://atticusadvantage.com/team/lori-goetz/

The Summit https://atticussummit.com/

Atticus Newsletter https://atticusadvantage.com/newsletter-signup/

Have you or your law firm been targeted by an AI scam? Steve has resources that may help you navigate what to do next. Contact Steve Riley directly at steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com for more information.

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Curious about growing your own practice without burning out? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership, law firm pricing and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice.

You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

If you stepped away from your law firm tomorrow, what would stop working?

For Dr. Ruth Mannschreck, that question became very real when her daughter's traumatic birth forced her to cut her dental practice from five days a week to two and a half.

She could have accepted that working less meant earning less. Instead, Ruth and her team changed the way the practice operated. They returned to their previous revenue, continued to grow, and built a business that no longer depended on Ruth being involved in everything.

In this episode of Great Practice, Great Life, Steve Riley talks with Ruth about what law firm owners can learn from her experience. They discuss building a team that takes ownership, creating a better client experience, hiring the right people, and letting go of work without losing accountability.

If your firm still needs you to answer every question, solve every problem, and make every important decision, Ruth's story offers a different picture of what your practice could look like.

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In this episode, you will hear:

• How to build a client experience that goes beyond getting the work done
• Why your team needs ownership, not just another list of tasks
• What to look for when hiring beyond technical skills
• How to decide what should come off your plate
• How to build a firm that depends less on you without losing accountability

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Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐

If there's a topic you would like us to cover on an upcoming episode, please email us at steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com.

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Supporting Resources:

Dr. Ruth Mannschreck https://shorelinestrategies.com/about-us/

Shoreline Strategies https://shorelinestrategies.com/

The Summit https://atticussummit.com/

Atticus Newsletter https://atticusadvantage.com/newsletter-signup

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Curious about growing your own practice without burning out? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership, law firm pricing and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice.

You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

AI can help you get legal work done faster. But if you bill by the hour, that creates an uncomfortable question:

What happens when the work that used to take three hours takes 30 minutes?

And billing is only part of the conversation.

In this episode of Great Practice, Great Life, Jennifer Felten and Fred Felten join Steve Riley to talk about what they're actually doing with AI inside their law firm. They share how they're using technology to capture knowledge, train their team, improve processes, and rethink work that has traditionally depended on an attorney's time.

They also get into some bigger questions about staffing, flat fees, subscriptions, AI agents, and what a law firm could look like when technology creates more capacity instead of simply helping everyone work faster.

If you're trying to figure out where AI actually belongs in your firm, this insightful discussion offers a firsthand look at what happens when you start putting it to work.

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In this episode, you will hear:

• How Jennifer grew her practice from $600K a year to $400K a month
• How internal GPTs turn attorney knowledge into a resource for the entire team
• Where automation can take repetitive work off your team's plate
• Why Jennifer and Fred moved away from hourly billing
• How AI is changing training, staffing, and capacity inside the firm

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Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐

If there's a topic you would like us to cover on an upcoming episode, please email us at steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com.

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Supporting Resources:

Jennifer Felten, Esq. https://relawapc.com/team/jennifer-felten/

Fred Felten https://relawapc.com/team/fred-felten/

RELAW, APC https://relawapc.com/

Previous Episode: Let Go of Guilt and Build a More Profitable Law Firm https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/let-go-of-guilt-and-build-a-more-profitable-law-firm-with-jennifer-felten

Previous Episode: Breaking Into Growth: How We Grew Our Law Firm 400% Over 6 Years and Learned to Take 6 Weeks Off Annually https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/breaking-into-growth-how-we-grew-our-law-firm-400-over-6-years-and-learned-to-take-6-weeks-off-annually-with-jennifer-fred-felten

The Summit https://atticussummit.com/

Book: Who Not How: The Formula to Achieve Bigger Goals Through Accelerating Teamwork by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy https://a.co/d/0bz6GFDS

My Great Life Focus https://mygreatlifefocus.com/

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Curious about growing your own practice without burning out? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership, law firm pricing and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice.

You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

What would happen if one of your most important employees was suddenly out for three weeks or three months?

For Sam Price, a team member's gallbladder surgery exposed a problem many law firm owners don't recognize until it's too late: too much of the firm depended on what one person knew.

Sam joins Steve Riley on Great Practice, Great Life to talk about reducing key-person dependency through better law firm systems, training, delegation, and cross-training. They explore how unclear instructions and hidden assumptions create bottlenecks, and how better processes can keep your firm moving when someone is unavailable.

In this episode, you will hear:

• Why key-person dependency can put your law firm at risk
• How to document processes without overcomplicating them
• Why unclear delegation creates avoidable mistakes
• How to define what "done" really means in your firm
• How better systems improve training, cross-training, and client service

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Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐

If there's a topic you would like us to cover on an upcoming episode, please email us at steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com.

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Supporting Resources:

Sam Price https://atticusadvantage.com/team/sam-price/

Price Law Firm https://pricelawfirm.com/

Previous Episode: How to Fast Track Your Growth with a "Think" Day with Sam Price https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/how-to-fast-track-your-growth-with-a-think-day-with-sam-price/

Sam's Podcast: Probate Notes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/probate-notes-your-guide-to-navigating-california-probate/id1808728561

Book: SYSTEMology: Create time, reduce errors and scale your profits with proven business systems by David Jenyns https://www.systemology.com/

Book: Systems Champion: Simplify Business Processes, Unlock Team Potential & Achieve True Freedom by David Jenyns https://www.systemology.com/scbook/

Previous Episode with David Jenyns: SYSTEMology for Law Firms: The 7 Steps to a Systems-Driven Firm and the Champion Who Makes It Stick https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/systemology-for-law-firms-david-jenyns/

Recording of the member event with David Jenyns is in your member portal. https://atticusadvantage.mykajabi.com/login

Law Firm Coaching https://atticusadvantage.com/coaching/

Loom https://www.loom.com/

Scott Pioli episode: https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/why-work-ethic-isnt-enough-scott-pioli-part-1/

The Summit https://atticussummit.com/

Team Leader Certification Program (Code TLC500 for $500 off) https://atticusadvantage.com/law-firm-team-leader-certification/

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Curious about growing your own practice without burning out? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership, law firm pricing and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice.

You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

You return from a conference or coaching session with a clear plan for your law firm. Then the emails pile up, a client emergency takes over, your team has questions, and the change that felt so important starts slipping away.

Why is it so hard to make meaningful change stick?

In this episode of Great Practice, Great Life, Steve Riley welcomes Rich Bracken back to share the thinking behind his book, Shiftward: How Small Shifts Create Sustainable Change. Drawing from his own experience with lasting personal transformation, Rich explores why big goals and good intentions are rarely enough to create lasting progress.

Steve and Rich dig into what happens when you approach change differently, both for yourself and for the people you lead.

If you've ever known exactly what you wanted to change but struggled to make it last, this conversation offers a more sustainable way forward.

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In this episode, you will hear:

• Why lasting change starts with an honest self-assessment
• How micro goals turn ambition into sustainable progress
• How to create team buy-in when introducing change
• Why meaningful accountability requires action
• How a personal board of directors can keep you moving forward

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Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐

If there's a topic you would like us to cover on an upcoming episode, please email us at steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com.

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Supporting Resources:

Rich Bracken https://www.richbracken.com/

Shiftward: How Small Shifts Create Sustainable Change by Rich Bracken https://www.richbracken.com/book

Episode 183 Why Emotional Intelligence Helps Lawyers Make More Money with Rich Bracken https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/emotional-intelligence-for-lawyers-rich-bracken/

Men's Health "How This Guy Dropped Over 100 Pounds—And Has Kept It off for 26 Years" https://www.menshealth.com/weight-loss/a64151045/rich-bracken-weight-loss-transformation/

My Great Life Focus https://mygreatlifefocus.com/

Law Firm Coaching https://atticusadvantage.com/coaching/

Workshop: The Path to a Great Practice & Great Life https://atticusadvantage.com/workshops/the-path-to-a-great-practice-great-life/

The Summit https://atticussummit.com/

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Curious about growing your own practice without burning out? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership, law firm pricing and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice.

You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

You know your clients and referral sources are on social media. You know you should probably be there, too.

But what are you supposed to post? How often? And is any of it actually going to bring business into your firm?

In this episode of Great Practice, Great Life, Steve Riley sits down with attorney Angel Leal, who went from a zero-dollar marketing budget to building an audience of more than one million followers.

Angel shares what changed when he stopped trying to sound impressive and started approaching social media differently. Steve and Angel also explore how visibility can become a real law firm marketing strategy without creating another full-time job for an already busy attorney.

If social media has always felt awkward, inconsistent, or like one more thing you "should" be doing, Angel's story may change the way you think about showing up online.

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In this episode, you will hear:

• How Angel built more than one million followers.
• Why consistency matters more than perfect posts.
• How media interviews build authority and content.
• When to add a publicist and support team.
• Why growth requires stronger systems and capacity.

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Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐

If there's a topic you would like us to cover on an upcoming episode, please email us at steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com.

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Supporting Resources:

Angel F. Leal, Jr. P.A. https://www.angelleal.com/en/

Ep 184: From Burnout to Thriving Law Firm: What Angel Leal Did Differently

https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/burnout-to-thriving-law-firm-angel-leal/

Ep 193: When Success Becomes a Trap for Law Firm Owners with Jennie Bretschneider https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/when-success-becomes-a-trap-for-law-firm-owners-with-jennie-bretschneider/

The Summit https://atticussummit.com/

The Path to a Great Practice & a Great Life Workshop (discount code: PODCAST500) https://atticusadvantage.com/workshops/the-path-to-a-great-practice-great-life/

Atticus Newsletter https://atticusadvantage.com/newsletter-signup/

Chris Murphy https://atticusadvantage.com/team/chris-murphy/

Ep. 146: The Client Upgrade System That Changes Everything with Chris Murphy https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/client-upgrade-system/

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Curious about growing your own practice without burning out? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership, law firm pricing and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice.

You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

What would you do if you discovered two trusted executives had allegedly stolen nearly $1 million from your law firm?

In this episode of Great Practice, Great Life, Steve Riley sits down with attorney Craig Goldenfarb to discuss one of the most challenging moments of his career and the leadership lessons that followed. Rather than retreating into micromanagement, Craig rebuilt his firm with stronger systems, better accountability, and a renewed approach to delegation.

This is more than a story about fraud. It's a conversation about trust, leadership, and how to protect your firm without becoming the bottleneck.

If you're building a growing law firm and wondering how to delegate with confidence while protecting the business you've worked so hard to create, this episode is one you won't want to miss.

In this episode, you will hear:

• The leadership lessons that emerged from a major breach of trust
• How to delegate without losing visibility or accountability
• Financial safeguards every growing law firm should consider
• The role of systems, vendors, and team oversight
• Rebuilding trust while continuing to grow

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Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐

If there's a topic you would like us to cover on an upcoming episode, please email us at steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com.

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Supporting Resources:

Craig M. Goldenfarb https://goldlaw.com/about/attorneys/craig-m-goldenfarb/

GOLDLAW https://goldlaw.com/

The Secrets to Becoming an 8-Figure Attorney with Craig Goldenfarb https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/the-secrets-to-becoming-an-8-figure-attorney-with-craig-goldenfarb/

Referral Marketing Secrets to Scale Your Law Firm with Craig Goldenfarb https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/referral-marketing-secrets/

The Summit https://atticussummit.com/

Group Coaching https://buildmygreatteam.com/

Atticus Newsletter https://atticusadvantage.com/newsletter-signup/

___________

Curious about growing your own practice without burning out? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership, law firm pricing and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice.

You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

Do you ever feel guilty no matter what you choose?

You're at work thinking you should be home. You're home thinking about work. You grow your firm, but somehow the success doesn't feel the way you expected it would.

Attorney Jennifer Felten knows that feeling well.

When Jennifer first joined Atticus, her law firm was struggling. Years later, she has a team of nearly 30 people and has grown her revenue by more than 500%. But one of the biggest breakthroughs she experienced wasn't about marketing, hiring, or systems. It was realizing how much guilt was driving the decisions she made every day.

In this conversation, Jennifer and Steve Riley talk about the expectations we put on ourselves, why guilt can quietly limit both your life and your business, and how learning to pause instead of automatically saying "yes" changed the way Jennifer leads her firm.

If you've ever ended the day wondering why you still feel behind, even though you've accomplished a lot, this episode will probably feel familiar.

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In this episode, you will hear:

• Why guilt follows so many attorneys, at work and at home
• How guilt can quietly hold back your firm's growth
• A different way to think about your calendar and your priorities
• Why "no" is sometimes the best answer for you and your clients
• One simple question to ask before saying "yes"

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Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐

If there's a topic you would like us to cover on an upcoming episode, please email us at steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com.

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Supporting Resources:

Jennifer Felten, Esq. https://relawapc.com/team/jennifer-felten/

RELAW, APC https://relawapc.com/

Previous Episode: Breaking Into Growth: How We Grew Our Law Firm 400% Over 6 Years and Learned to Take 6 Weeks Off Annually with Jennifer & Fred Felten https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/breaking-into-growth-how-we-grew-our-law-firm-400-over-6-years-and-learned-to-take-6-weeks-off-annually-with-jennifer-fred-felten/

My Great Life Focus https://mygreatlifefocus.com/

Group Coaching https://buildmygreatteam.com/

Atticus Newsletter https://atticusadvantage.com/newsletter-signup/

The Great Practice Breakthrough https://atticusadvantage.com/workshops/the-great-practice-breakthrough/ (Code PODCAST100 for $100 off)

Atticus Coaching https://atticusadvantage.com/

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Curious about growing your own practice without burning out? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership, law firm pricing and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice.

You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

Attorney Kent Berk thought he'd reached the other side.

His firm was thriving. He'd built a great team. He was finally enjoying the freedom he'd worked years to create.

Then, within days, three key employees were gone.

In this episode of Great Practice, Great Life, Kent returns to share what happened next. Together, he and Steve Riley unpack the hard lessons that followed, why the setback forced Kent to rethink his role in the firm, and how it ultimately changed the way he leads.

This isn't just a conversation about losing employees. It's about what happens when the business you've built suddenly forces you to look at it differently.

If you've ever wondered whether you're spending your time on the right things, or what it really takes to build a law firm that lasts, this episode is worth a listen.

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In this episode, you will hear:

• Why losing key employees became the catalyst for building a stronger law firm
• How fractional leadership can help law firms scale without adding unnecessary overhead
• The importance of defining your role as the firm owner
• How KPIs, accountability, and operational leadership work together
• Why great leaders stop trying to do everything themselves

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Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐

If there's a topic you would like us to cover on an upcoming episode, please email us at steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com.

___________

Supporting Resources:

Kent Berk https://berklawgroup.com/team/kent-berk/

Berk Law Group https://berklawgroup.com/

Daniel Struna, Esq., Practice Advisor & Attorney https://atticusadvantage.com/team/daniel-struna/

Episode: From Burnout to 200 Days Off: How Kent Berk Rebuilt His Firm to Run Without Him https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/from-burnout-to-200-days-off-kent-berk/

Episode: AI Is Not Your Lawyer: Protecting Client Privilege with Kent Berk https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/ai-is-not-a-lawyer/

Build My Great Team https://buildmygreatteam.com/

DISC Assessment https://atticusadvantage.com/disc-assessment/

Practice Growth Diagnostic https://atticusadvantage.com/practice-growth-diagnostic/

Atticus Newsletter https://atticusadvantage.com/newsletter-signup/

The Great Practice Breakthrough https://atticusadvantage.com/workshops/the-great-practice-breakthrough/ (Use code PODCAST100$ for 100$ off)

___________

Curious about growing your own practice without burning out? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership, law firm pricing and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice.

You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

From the outside, Jennie Bretschneider's law firm looked like a success. Revenue was climbing, new clients kept coming, and her reputation in the community continued to grow.

Behind the scenes, it was a different story. Working 80-hour weeks with no systems, no team, and no clear path forward, Jennie found herself trapped by the very practice she had worked so hard to build. In this episode, she joins Steve Riley to share how she broke free by learning to build a team, document her systems, and lead her law firm instead of carrying it alone.

The core lesson: success isn't measured by how much you can handle yourself. The attorneys who build lasting, profitable firms are the ones who increase their capacity, empower their teams, and create a practice that supports both their business and their life.

Ready for your own Gut Check?If you heard Jennie's story and thought, "That sounds a little too familiar," I want to invite you to take a simple next step. Schedule a free Law Practice Gut Check call with one of our team members.

We'll walk you through the same core areas we talked about in the session Jennie attended three years ago: your time, your money, your team, your systems, and whether you own the practice or the practice owns you.

You do not have to figure it out alone. Sometimes the first step is just getting honest about where you are.

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In this episode, you will hear:

• Why successful attorneys often become victims of the "success trap" and how to recognize it before burnout takes over.
• How building the right team creates capacity, allowing you to grow your law firm without carrying every responsibility yourself.
• The systems every growing law firm needs to stop relying on the owner's memory and make delegation possible.
• Why thinking like an athlete instead of a workaholic changes how you approach coaching, leadership, and long-term growth.
• How investing in your health and personal life can make you a stronger law firm owner—not a less productive one.

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Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐

If there's a topic you would like us to cover on an upcoming episode, please email us at steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com.

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Supporting Resources:

Jennie Bretschneider https://www.daviswillsandtrusts.com/jennie-brets

Davis Wills & Trusts PC http://daviswillsandtrusts.com

Schedule Your Free Law Practice Gut Check

Law Firm Coaching https://atticusadvantage.com/coaching/

The Path to a Great Practice & Great Life https://atticusadvantage.com/workshops/the-path-to-a-great-practice-great-life/

Team Leader Certification Program https://atticusadvantage.com/law-firm-team-leader-certification/

Intake Mastery workshop https://atticusadvantage.com/workshops/intake-mastery-workshop/

My Great Life Focus https://mygreatlifefocus.com/

___________

Curious about growing your own practice without burning out? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership, law firm pricing and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice.

You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

Starting a law firm is one of the biggest decisions an attorney can make, but the real skill isn't deciding to open your own practice. It's knowing how to make that decision, and every one after it, without losing sight of the life you actually want.

In this episode, Steve Riley sits down with attorney, entrepreneur, and Atticus Practice Advisor Jordan Ostroff to unpack his framework for making hard decisions with confidence. Jordan shares the moment his wife's pregnancy announcement collided with $200,000 in firm debt, and how it pushed him to cut his marketing budget to almost zero just to get time back with his newborn son. He lays out a four part approach to high stakes decisions, including a Harvard study showing people are often happier when they can't change their minds, and explains why he wrote his own obituary to figure out what actually mattered.

If you've ever wondered whether you're building a business that serves your life, or a job that owns you, this conversation will challenge the way you think about both success and the decisions that get you there.

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In this episode, you will hear:

• How to stop building your law firm around someone else's definition of success.
• A practical framework for making big business decisions with more confidence and less second-guessing.
• Why most decisions don't deserve your time, and which ones actually shape your future.
• How to transition from being a busy attorney to becoming the owner of a business that supports your life.
• Simple ways to test major decisions before making commitments you can't easily undo.

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Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐

If there's a topic you would like us to cover on an upcoming episode, please email us at steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com.

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Supporting Resources:

Jordan Ostroff, Practice Advisor & Attorney https://atticusadvantage.com/team/jordan-ostroff/

Podcast: From Esq. to Owner https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast-esq-to-owner/

Harvard Study: Decisions and Revisions: The Affective Forecasting of Changeable Outcomes https://dtg.sites.fas.harvard.edu/Gilber%20t%26%20Ebert%20%28DECISIONS%20%26%20REVISIONS%29.pdf

Ep 99: Do Happy Lawyers Make More Money? with Kevin Snyder https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/do-happy-lawyers-make-more-money-with-kevin-snyder/

Kevin's Happiness Scorecard https://atticusadvantage.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Scorecard-Happiness-Advantage.pdf

Book: The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward by Dan Pink https://a.co/d/0f2zyqy1

My Great Life Focus https://mygreatlifefocus.com/

Atticus Newsletter https://atticusadvantage.com/newsletter-signup

Atticus Summit https://atticussummit.com/

Listen to From Esq. to Owner Podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrh5y6Kzkyb3qfxys1KV_cl8u7BGooZKe

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leid-back-life-loving-entrepreneurship-and/id1782958064

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7L8yJ0rRL66Nrjfe5uX418

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Curious about growing your own practice without burning out? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership, law firm pricing and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice.

You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

The goals you set at the beginning of the year didn't disappear. They just got buried beneath client demands, constant interruptions, unexpected challenges, and the daily realities of running a law firm.

In this episode, Steve Riley offers a practical mid-year reset for attorneys who feel like they've lost momentum. Using memorable stories, simple frameworks, and actionable coaching, Steve explains why achieving your biggest goals isn't about working harder. It's about protecting your time, focusing your energy, and making room for what matters most.

Whether you're ahead of schedule or wondering where the last six months went, this episode will help you clear the mental clutter, refocus your priorities, and build a plan that puts your goals back in sight.

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In this episode, you will hear:

• Why most attorneys have a goal-protecting problem, not a goal-setting problem
• The four hidden forces quietly pulling you away from your biggest goals
• How "100 busy Tuesdays" can derail an entire year without you noticing
• A simple framework for deciding whether to keep, adjust, or release your goals
• Practical strategies to protect your time, focus, and momentum for the rest of the year

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Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐

If there's a topic you would like us to cover on an upcoming episode, please email us at steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com.

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Supporting Resources:

Steve Riley, Attorney, Shareholder, & Practice Advisor https://atticusadvantage.com/team/steve-riley/

Law Firm Coaching https://atticusadvantage.com/coaching/

My Great Life Focus https://mygreatlifefocus.com/

Worksheet: Mid-Year Rearview Mirror Check worksheet https://atticusadvantage.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Mid-Year-Steering-Check-Fillable-FINAL.pdf

2026 Goal Setting for Lawyers Part 1: Why Your Plan Gets Hijacked https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/2026-goal-setting-why-your-plan-gets-hijacked/

2026 Goal Setting for Lawyers Part 2: Design Your Lane and Stay Focused https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/2026-goal-setting-lawyers-part-2-design-your-lane-stay-focused/

Atticus Newsletter https://atticusadvantage.com/newsletter-signup

___________

Curious about growing your own practice without burning out? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership, law firm pricing and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice.

You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

Some of the best referrals Steve Riley ever received came from the last place most attorneys think to look: opposing counsel.

In this solo episode, Steve shares a simple but powerful strategy for turning professional adversaries into long-term referral sources. Through the story of a high-stakes real estate negotiation and an opposing attorney named Richard, Steve reveals how professionalism, emotional intelligence, and intentional relationship-building can create opportunities long after a case is closed.

The core lesson: professionalism is profitable. The lawyers who know how to identify worthwhile adversaries, build trust during difficult matters, and stay connected afterward often unlock a referral pipeline that most attorneys never even see.

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In this episode, you will hear:

• Why opposing counsel may be one of the most overlooked referral sources in your practice
• The "Worthwhile Adversary Test" and how to identify relationships worth investing in
• What it means to be a "class act" while still being a strong advocate for your client
• How emotional intelligence helps resolve matters faster and strengthens professional relationships
• Why the end of a case is often the beginning of a future referral relationship

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Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐

If there's a topic you would like us to cover on an upcoming episode, please email us at steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com.

___________

Supporting Resources:

Steve Riley, Attorney, Shareholder, & Practice Advisor https://atticusadvantage.com/team/steve-riley/

Law Firm Coaching https://atticusadvantage.com/coaching/

Rivals into Referrals 1-Page Cheat Sheet

Email: steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com

Atticus Newsletter https://atticusadvantage.com/newsletter-signup

The Path to a Great Practice & Great Life Virtual Workshop https://atticusadvantage.com/workshops/the-path-to-a-great-practice-great-life/ ($500 off with code: GPGL500)

___________

Curious about growing your own practice without burning out? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership, law firm pricing and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice.

You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

Steve Riley sits down with attorney Kent Berk this week, on Great Practice, Great Life, to unpack a case every lawyer needs to understand: United States v. Heppner. A former CEO who used a free Claude account to draft thirty-one documents before he was indicted, and prosecutors seized every one of them. The judge ruled none of it was privileged because no attorney directed the work.

The bigger lesson extends far beyond one criminal case. Clients are already using ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and other AI tools to research legal issues, draft timelines, summarize facts, and develop strategies, often without telling their attorneys. Kent and Steve explain why that creates new risks for attorney-client privilege, confidentiality, discoverability, and even the quality of evidence in a case.

Whether you run a solo practice or a growing firm, this episode offers a roadmap for addressing AI with clients before a preventable mistake becomes a costly problem. The message is clear: AI is here to stay, but legal judgment, privilege, and client trust still require a lawyer.

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In this episode, you will hear:

• How the United States v. Heppner decision stripped privilege from documents created in a free AI account
• Why attorney-client privilege does not automatically extend AI tools
• The hidden risk of clients using AI before, during, and after they hire counsel
• What attorneys should add to intake processes, engagement letters, and firm AI policies
• Why AI can assist legal work but can never replace attorney judgment

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Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐

If there's a topic you would like us to cover on an upcoming episode, please email us at steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com.

___________

Supporting Resources:

Kent Berk https://berklawgroup.com/team/kent-berk/

Berk Law Group https://berklawgroup.com/

Berk Law Group AI Tip Sheet https://berklawgroup.com/tools/ai-client-tipsheet/

Kent's Previous Episode Ep 160 From Burnout to 200 Days Off https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/from-burnout-to-200-days-off-kent-berk/

The Summit https://atticussummit.com/

Grow Your Law Practice with AI https://atticusadvantage.com/workshops/grow-your-law-practice-with-ai/

United States v. Heppner Case https://harvardlawreview.org/blog/2026/03/united-states-v-heppner/

Atticus Newsletter https://atticusadvantage.com/newsletter-signup/

___________

Curious about growing your own practice without burning out? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership, law firm pricing and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice.

You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.