The Sterling Family Law Show

Hosted by Jeff Sterling Hughes

Business Entrepreneurship

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Episodes

271

Latest episode

Nov 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

The Sterling Family Law Show is where successful family law attorneys share the exact systems they used to build million-dollar practices. Host Jeff Hughes scaled Sterling Lawyers from zero to $20M with 30 attorneys. Co-host Tyler Dolph runs Rocket Clicks, the agency in charge of supercharging Sterling and other family law practices to success using revenue-first marketing strategies. Together, they share the playbook for building the law firm of your dreams. If you're looking to grow exponentially, generate revenue, and get good at business, this podcast is for you.

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60 recent

November 10, 202619 min

Growing a Law Firm on 5-Star Reviews: 30+ Years In - #272

Send us Fan Mail Growing a law firm in the US? Your best wins vanish unless you ask clients to talk about them. Dan Adkins shares the review ask, 6-month check-in, and "recent wins" page that keep referrals coming, and why saying no protects your firm. Dan has practiced since 1994 and says scaling a law firm made it smarter, not easier. He shares his 2.5-year merger mistake, his attorney referral network and why mentors matter. 📲 Subscribe Now: https://www.youtube.com/@TylerxDolph https://www.youtube.com/@jsterlinghughes 📚 Order The Waterfall Method Book here: http://rocketclicks.com/the-waterfall-method/ 📅 Schedule a FREE Family Law Firm Audit: rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit 📝 Get your FREE Law Firm Growth Guide: https://jsterlinghughes.com/ --- 📄 CHAPTERS 0:00 - Growing a Law Firm Since 1994: Why Dan Always Had a Partner Who Thinks Differently 3:42 - Why Nobody Sees Your Wins Unless You Promote Them, Plus Hard-Won Trust Account Compliance Lessons 5:36 - Scaling a Law Firm Gets Smarter, Not Easier: The 2.5-Year Merger That Didn't Fit 7:19 - Saying No to Clients Who Aren't Worth the Candle Is Liberating for Your Firm 8:03 - The 5-Star Google Review Ask, 6-Month Check-In and Recent Wins Page That Bring Clients Back 16:38 - Starting a Law Firm? Find a Mentor, Join Your Bar Section and Don't Try to Go It Alone ---------------------- Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers? Follow these steps: 1. SUBSCRIBE TO JEFF'S NEWSLETTER: https://jsterlinghughes.com/ 2. BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE AUDIT WITH US: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/ 3. CONNECT WITH US: LinkedIn: Jeff Hughes , Tyler Dolph , & Anthony Karls , Facebook: Jeff Hughes , Tyler Dolph , & Anthony Karls , Instagram: Jeff Hughes , Tyler Dolph , & Anthony Karls 4. TELL US WHAT YOU WANT: Tell us in the comments if you liked this episode and what other kinds of episodes you would like to see.

November 5, 202619 min

How We Got ~46% of Our Divorce Clients From Local Search Visibility - #271

Send us Fan Mail Local search visibility brings in about half our digital clients. Most family law firms in the US chase it backwards. Leads down and the SEO checklist isn't fixing it? Measure your market first, so every dollar goes toward clients who can actually hire you. Learn how our On-The-Map Method in this episode: Read Your Market, Rate Your Market, and Run Your Market’s Playbook — 📲 Subscribe Now: https://www.youtube.com/@TylerxDolph 📚 Order The Waterfall Method Book here: http://rocketclicks.com/the-waterfall-method/ 📝 Schedule a FREE Family Law Firm Audit: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/ --- 📄 CHAPTERS 0:00 - Local Search Visibility: We Ranked Top 3 in Chicago and Still Closed the Office 2:17 - The On the Map Method: Read, Rate, and Run Your Market 3:36 - Map Pack Reach: How a 13x13 Geogrid Shows Who Actually Sees You 5:16 - Why a Small-Town Wausau Office Reaches Way More Than Downtown Chicago 9:06 - Qualified Households: The 70,000-Buyer Rule and the $250K Income Ceiling 12:44 - The 5 Market Tiers and Why Tier 3 and 4 Cities Win for Family Law Firms 18:46 - Single vs. Multi-Location Law Firm Websites: Build for the Future ---------------------- Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers? Follow these steps: 1. SUBSCRIBE TO JEFF'S NEWSLETTER: https://jsterlinghughes.com/ 2. BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE AUDIT WITH US: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/ 3. CONNECT WITH US: LinkedIn: Jeff Hughes , Tyler Dolph , & Anthony Karls , Facebook: Jeff Hughes , Tyler Dolph , & Anthony Karls , Instagram: Jeff Hughes , Tyler Dolph , & Anthony Karls 4. TELL US WHAT YOU WANT: Tell us in the comments if you liked this episode and what other kinds of episodes you would like to see.

November 3, 202615 min

5 New Clients, $14K Profit: Law Firm Profit Margin Reality - #270

Send us Fan Mail An owner-dependent family law firm in the US can see its profit margin decline when the owner takes a vacation. For Tom, two vacations dropped revenue from $60K to $40K and signings to just 5. Yet he still cleared $14K in profit. In this episode, Tom breaks down his expenses, cash reserves, and plans to hire an associate. He also shares how he's fixing intake so the firm's revenue doesn't stall when he's away. 📲 Subscribe Now: https://www.youtube.com/@TylerxDolph https://www.youtube.com/@jsterlinghughes 📚 Order The Waterfall Method Book here: http://rocketclicks.com/the-waterfall-method/ 📅 Schedule a FREE Family Law Firm Audit: rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit 📝 Get your FREE Law Firm Growth Guide: https://jsterlinghughes.com/ --- 📄 CHAPTERS 0:00 - Law Firm Profit Margin: Vacations Have Consequences 1:37 - Law Firm Revenue Dip: $60K to $40K, 5 New Clients 3:19 - Moving Intake From a VA to a Paralegal 6:08 - When to Hire an Associate 7:59 - Associate Salary vs. Revenue per Attorney 10:27 - Testing Google LSAs: Real Cost per Lead ---------------------- Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers? Follow these steps: 1. SUBSCRIBE TO JEFF'S NEWSLETTER: https://jsterlinghughes.com/ 2. BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE AUDIT WITH US: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/ 3. CONNECT WITH US: LinkedIn: Jeff Hughes , Tyler Dolph , & Anthony Karls , Facebook: Jeff Hughes , Tyler Dolph , & Anthony Karls , Instagram: Jeff Hughes , Tyler Dolph , & Anthony Karls 4. TELL US WHAT YOU WANT: Tell us in the comments if you liked this episode and what other kinds of episodes you would like to see.

October 29, 20266 min

1 Law Firm Intake Process Move That Would’ve BOOKED This Caller - #269

Send us Fan Mail Your law firm intake process can lose a ready-to-book caller before your team ever gets the chance to schedule a consultation. We called a family law firm in the US as someone seeking a divorce. Mary Sankey, who leads Sterling Lawyers’ intake team, breaks down what went wrong and the one move that could have booked the consultation. — 📲 Subscribe Now: https://www.youtube.com/@TylerxDolph 📚 Order The Waterfall Method Book here: http://rocketclicks.com/the-waterfall-method/ 📝 Schedule a FREE Family Law Firm Audit: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/ --- 📄 CHAPTERS 0:00 - Law Firm Intake Process Live Audit: Why This Divorce Caller Said “Let Me Think About It” 0:54 - Live Divorce Intake Call: Mystery Shopping a Family Law Firm’s Intake Team 4:12 - Why “We Specialize in That” Won’t Put a Divorce Caller at Ease 4:37 - Transactional Client Intake vs. Tie-Backs That Build Real Connection With Callers 5:10 - No Roadmap Setting: How the Case Coordinator Surprise Cost the Consultation 5:53 - The 1 Move: Build Connection to Who They’ll Meet, Then Offer Two Appointment Times ---------------------- Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers? Follow these steps: 1. SUBSCRIBE TO JEFF'S NEWSLETTER: https://jsterlinghughes.com/ 2. BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE AUDIT WITH US: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/ 3. CONNECT WITH US: LinkedIn: Jeff Hughes , Tyler Dolph , & Anthony Karls , Facebook: Jeff Hughes , Tyler Dolph , & Anthony Karls , Instagram: Jeff Hughes , Tyler Dolph , & Anthony Karls 4. TELL US WHAT YOU WANT: Tell us in the comments if you liked this episode and what other kinds of episodes you would like to see.

October 27, 202613 min

Starting a Law Partnership That Grew From 2 to 10 Attorneys - #268

Send us Fan Mail Starting a law partnership in the US is like a marriage. The hard days test it. Amy Goscha left solo practice after a year, cofounded her firm in 2018, and learned how hiring too fast can damage your reputation. She shares her playbook in this episode: quarterly OKRs, a written ideal client profile, and an onboarding system before the next hire. 📲 Subscribe Now: https://www.youtube.com/@TylerxDolph https://www.youtube.com/@jsterlinghughes 📚 Order The Waterfall Method Book here: http://rocketclicks.com/the-waterfall-method/ 📅 Schedule a FREE Family Law Firm Audit: rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit 📝 Get your FREE Law Firm Growth Guide: https://jsterlinghughes.com/ --- 📄 CHAPTERS 0:00 - Starting a Law Partnership: Why Associates Can Pay Off in Year One 2:13 - Law Firm Startup Basics: Bar Resources, Clio, and a Trust Account 4:32 - Writing an Ideal Client Narrative and Rating Cases in Clio Grow 5:59 - Defining Partner Roles and Setting Quarterly OKRs as You Grow 8:29 - The Biggest Hiring Mistake: Adding Associates Just Because Leads Are Up 11:02 - Next Moves: New Offices and Adding an Estate Planning Practice ---------------------- Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers? Follow these steps: 1. SUBSCRIBE TO JEFF'S NEWSLETTER: https://jsterlinghughes.com/ 2. BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE AUDIT WITH US: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/ 3. CONNECT WITH US: LinkedIn: Jeff Hughes , Tyler Dolph , & Anthony Karls , Facebook: Jeff Hughes , Tyler Dolph , & Anthony Karls , Instagram: Jeff Hughes , Tyler Dolph , & Anthony Karls 4. TELL US WHAT YOU WANT: Tell us in the comments if you liked this episode and what other kinds of episodes you would like to see.

October 22, 202613 min

From The Referral System Built on Managing Client Expectations - #267

Send us Fan Mail Managing client expectations is the referral system most family law firms in the US ignore. Rural attorney Erin Melling shows why it's actually your best marketing in this episode. Because when everybody in town knows your clients, every consult either builds your reputation or quietly burns it. Overpromising, going silent, dodging the fee talk. Fix those three and clients trust you, refer their friends, and your firm keeps growing. ➡️ Register Here: rocketclicks.com/expand-local-visibility 📲 Subscribe Now: https://www.youtube.com/@TylerxDolph https://www.youtube.com/@jsterlinghughes 📅 Schedule a FREE Family Law Firm Audit: rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit 📝 Get your FREE Law Firm Growth Guide: https://jsterlinghughes.com/ --- 📄 CHAPTERS 0:00 - Managing Client Expectations: Why You Should Never Sell Clients The Moon 2:27 - Young Attorney Mentorship: The Client Skills Law School Doesn't Teach 6:10 - Niche Vs General Practice: Why You Don't Have To Do Everything 9:23 - Settlement Vs Trial: Keeping The Decision In Your Client's Hands 10:23 - Lawyer Client Communication: The Callback That Earns Referrals 11:41 - Fee Transparency: How To Talk About Your Rates Upfront ---------------------- Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers? Follow these steps: 1. SUBSCRIBE TO JEFF'S NEWSLETTER: https://jsterlinghughes.com/ 2. BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE AUDIT WITH US: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/ 3. CONNECT WITH US: LinkedIn: Jeff Hughes , Tyler Dolph , & Anthony Karls , Facebook: Jeff Hughes , Tyler Dolph , & Anthony Karls , Instagram: Jeff Hughes , Tyler Dolph , & Anthony Karls 4. TELL US WHAT YOU WANT: Tell us in the comments if you liked this episode and what other kinds of episodes you would like to see.

October 20, 202613 min

How 30 Family Law Offices Hit Map Pack Ranking With 5 Market Tiers - #266

Send us Fan Mail Map pack ranking isn't a checklist. It's your market. Here's how family law firms in the US rate it before spending a dollar. Stop guessing why leads stall. Rate your reach, market tier, and income mix, then beat your top competitor's SoLV by 10% before you add an office. Competition sets your Google Maps reach, so max out your hub with LSAs, brand campaigns, and SEO content before you open a second office. — ➡️ Register Here: rocketclicks.com/expand-local-visibility 📲 Subscribe Now: https://www.youtube.com/@karls.anthony https://www.youtube.com/@TylerxDolph 📝 Schedule a FREE Family Law Firm Audit: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit / --- 📄 CHAPTERS 0:00 - Map Pack Ranking: Why Aggressive Law Firm Expansion Backfires 1:58 - How 5 Market Tiers Predict Your Google Maps Reach From Chicago to Janesville 3:49 - Why Income Mix, Marriage Rates, and Homeownership Decide Market Health 6:00 - Why Off-Site Signals and Local Backlinks Matter More in Competitive Markets 8:47 - When to Open a Second Office: Hub and Spoke vs. Satellite Turnover Risk 12:11 - The Share of Local Voice Benchmark: Beat Your Top Competitor by 10% ---------------------- Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers? Follow these steps: 1. SUBSCRIBE TO JEFF'S NEWSLETTER: https://jsterlinghughes.com/ 2. BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE AUDIT WITH US: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/ 3. CONNECT WITH US: LinkedIn: Jeff Hughes , Tyler Dolph , & Anthony Karls , Facebook: Jeff Hughes , Tyler Dolph , & Anthony Karls , Instagram: Jeff Hughes , Tyler Dolph , & Anthony Karls 4. TELL US WHAT YOU WANT: Tell us in the comments if you liked this episode and what other kinds of episodes you would like to see.

October 15, 202613 min

0% to 100% Visibility: Local SEO & Google Business Profile for Lawyers - #265

Send us Fan Mail Google Business Profile for lawyers won't fix a market you never measured. Here's how firms in the US measure map reach. Run a geogrid report, check your share of local voice, then audit the demographics underneath. A convenient office move can tank leads inside 90 days. Fix data aggregators and citations first. Our St. Charles office went from 0% to 100% local map visibility on its core divorce search in 2026. A grid report shows where your reach stops. — ➡️ Register Here: rocketclicks.com/expand-local-visibility 📲 Subscribe Now: https://www.youtube.com/@karls.anthony https://www.youtube.com/@TylerxDolph 📝 Schedule a FREE Family Law Firm Audit: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit / --- 📄 CHAPTERS 0:00 - Google Business Profile for Lawyers Won't Reach $250K Clients 1:03 - What a Geogrid Rank Tracking Report Shows About Your Map Pack Reach 3:11 - The Office Move Behind a 90-Day Marketing Problem 5:53 - Share of Local Voice: Reading the SoLV Gap Between You and #1 8:31 - Second Office Location Strategy: Why Five Minutes Apart Splits Leads 11:52 - Data Aggregators, Law Firm Citations, and Legal Directories to Fix First ---------------------- Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers? Follow these steps: 1. SUBSCRIBE TO JEFF'S NEWSLETTER: https://jsterlinghughes.com/ 2. BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE AUDIT WITH US: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/ 3. CONNECT WITH US: LinkedIn: Jeff Hughes , Tyler Dolph , & Anthony Karls , Facebook: Jeff Hughes , Tyler Dolph , & Anthony Karls , Instagram: Jeff Hughes , Tyler Dolph , & Anthony Karls 4. TELL US WHAT YOU WANT: Tell us in the comments if you liked this episode and what other kinds of episodes you would like to see.

October 13, 202618 min

From 0 to 3 Family Lawyers With Law Firm Strategic Planning - #264

Send us Fan Mail Law firm strategic planning in the US often means a 5-year plan. Krista grew family law from 0 to 3 lawyers without one. If your growth plan lives in a binder nobody opens, this shows how monthly pivots, shared staff, and real teamwork keep a practice growing. A multi-practice law firm runs on culture, not org charts. Krista's shared paralegal model kills turf wars. Plus, how she mentors associate attorneys to own their files. ➡️ Register Here: rocketclicks.com/expand-local-visibility 📲 Subscribe Now: https://www.youtube.com/@TylerxDolph https://www.youtube.com/@jsterlinghughes 📅 Schedule a FREE Family Law Firm Audit: rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit 📝 Get your FREE Law Firm Growth Guide: https://jsterlinghughes.com/ --- 📄 CHAPTERS 0:00 - Law Firm Strategic Planning Lessons From Krista's Move From Government to Private Practice 4:53 - Adding a Family Law Practice From Zero Inside a Business Boutique Firm 7:28 - Multi-Practice vs. Family-Only: Monthly Shareholder Meetings Instead of a 5-Year Plan 9:51 - The Shared Paralegal Model Behind a Collaborative Law Firm Culture 11:28 - Mentoring Associate Attorneys on File Ownership and Accountability 13:51 - Divorce Negotiation Software That Tracks Asset Offers and Counterproposals ---------------------- Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers? Follow these steps: 1. SUBSCRIBE TO JEFF'S NEWSLETTER: https://jsterlinghughes.com/ 2. BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE AUDIT WITH US: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/ 3. CONNECT WITH US: LinkedIn: Jeff Hughes , Tyler Dolph , & Anthony Karls , Facebook: Jeff Hughes , Tyler Dolph , & Anthony Karls , Instagram: Jeff Hughes , Tyler Dolph , & Anthony Karls 4. TELL US WHAT YOU WANT: Tell us in the comments if you liked this episode and what other kinds of episodes you would like to see.

October 8, 202620 min

How Location Pages SEO Got Us in Google’s Top 3 Across 30 Offices - #263

Send us Fan Mail Location pages SEO is how Sterling Lawyers ranks in Google's top 3 across 30 offices in the US. Most firms expand and tank. Open a second office the wrong way and both locations lose leads. Here's the sequence that protects your first market and grows the next one. Single and multi-location sites need different schema markup, so build location hubs first, then flip. Max out each market before you expand. Plan on 3 years per location to dominate the map pack. — ➡️ Register Here: rocketclicks.com/expand-local-visibility 📲 Subscribe Now: https://www.youtube.com/@karls.anthony https://www.youtube.com/@TylerxDolph 📝 Schedule a FREE Family Law Firm Audit: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit / --- 📄 CHAPTERS 0:00 - Location Pages SEO: Why Over 40% of Family Law Leads Come From Google Maps 2:30 - Google Is the New Yellow Pages: Why 20+ Reviews and a 4.4-Star Rating Drive Lead Flow 5:03 - Local SEO Foundations: NAP, Core Practice Area Hubs and Top Directory Citations 9:13 - Attorney Review Incentives: How We Pay Up to $500 Per Case for Google and Facebook Reviews 12:34 - Single vs. Multi-Location Schema Markup: Why Opening a New Office Can Kill Your Rankings 17:03 - Max Out Your Market First: 3 Years Per Location and the 6-9 Month Sequence ---------------------- Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers? Follow these steps: 1. SUBSCRIBE TO JEFF'S NEWSLETTER: https://jsterlinghughes.com/ 2. BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE AUDIT WITH US: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/ 3. CONNECT WITH US: LinkedIn: Jeff Hughes , Tyler Dolph , & Anthony Karls , Facebook: Jeff Hughes , Tyler Dolph , & Anthony Karls , Instagram: Jeff Hughes , Tyler Dolph , & Anthony Karls 4. TELL US WHAT YOU WANT: Tell us in the comments if you liked this episode and what other kinds of episodes you would like to see.