The Lawyer's Edge

Hosted by Elise Holtzman

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229

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Nov 2026

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On The Lawyer's Edge podcast, attorney and professional business coach Elise Holtzman sits down with successful lawyers, legal marketing specialists, business leaders and authors to talk about how lawyers and law firms can grow and sustain healthy, profitable businesses.

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November 10, 2026Episode 22538 min

Josh Seidenfeld | How to Scale a Law Practice Without Sacrificing Client Service

Josh Seidenfeld is a partner at DLA Piper, where he co-leads the Emerging Growth and Venture Capital practice and chairs the Northern California Corporate and Securities practice. Based in Palo Alto, he advises high-growth companies in life sciences, digital health, and technology through every stage of the corporate lifecycle, from formation and venture capital financings to IPOs and M&A. With more than 15 years of experience, Josh has led hundreds of venture financings and advised companies ranging from early-stage startups to multibillion-dollar public corporations. Before joining DLA Piper, he served as Global Chair of the Digital Health Group at his previous firm and worked on the business side of the venture-backed health technology company Practice Fusion as Director of Business Development and Corporate Counsel. He was named the 2025 Venture Capital Attorney of the Year by LMG Life Sciences and holds a JD/MBA from Santa Clara University and a bachelor's degree from the University of California, Riverside. WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT SCALING A LAW PRACTICE Growing a law practice means relying on other attorneys to take greater responsibility for client relationships and the work that supports them. For partners who have developed their own approach to serving clients, that can be difficult. When associates don't handle situations the way a partner would, frustration can lead to more oversight and less delegation, leaving the partner responsible for work the team should be able to manage. Josh Seidenfeld has approached that challenge by setting clear expectations for client communication and investing time in developing his associates. He focuses on giving them a framework for thinking through unfamiliar situations rather than trying to teach them how to handle every possible problem. Through regular training, individual conversations, and opportunities to take responsibility for client relationships, he helps associates develop the judgment and confidence to make decisions and work more independently. In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge podcast, Elise Holtzman talks with Josh Seidenfeld of DLA Piper about the connection between client trust and practice growth, helping associates take greater initiative, reducing unnecessary pressure through proactive communication, and the challenges of growing faster than expected. Josh also shares how his experience on the business side shaped his approach to legal advice and what he learned when his practice grew beyond the team he had originally planned for. 2:48 - How Josh's business experience and athletic background shaped his approach to practicing law 4:52 - Why lawyers need to think like business owners 7:48 - What Josh does differently in managing client relationships 9:42 - Using proactive communication and deal calendars to manage client expectations 12:30 - Training a team to deliver a consistent approach to client service 14:09 - Teaching associates how to think through unfamiliar situations 17:40 - Why investing in associates is worthwhile even when they leave 19:56 - How Josh structures individual mentoring and team training 22:29 - Creating an environment where associates can receive honest feedback 25:47 - Finding time to develop lawyers while managing a demanding practice 28:29 - Setting clear standards for client responsiveness 32:24 - Giving associates more ownership of client relationships 33:45 - What Josh learned from growing his team to more than 25 people 36:41 - Helping associates overcome the fear of making mistakes and take initiative MENTIONED IN HOW TO SCALE A LAW PRACTICE WITHOUT SACRIFICING CLIENT SERVICE DLA Piper | LinkedIn Josh Seidenfeld | LinkedIn Get connected with the coaching team: hello@thelawyersedge.com The Lawyer's Edge SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE This episode is brought to you by the coaching team at The Lawyer's Edge, a training and coaching firm that has been focused exclusively on lawyers and law firms since 2008. Each member of the team is a trained, certified, and experienced professional coach—and either a former practicing attorney or a former law firm marketing and business development professional. Whatever your professional objectives, our coaches can help you achieve your goals more quickly, more easily, and with significantly less stress. To get connected with your coach, fill out our contact form .

November 3, 202626 min

Candisse Williamson | Strategy and Talent: How One General Counsel Builds Legal Teams and Chooses Outside Counsel

Candisse Williamson is a highly accomplished General Counsel known for her creative deal-making and extensive legal expertise across the entertainment and corporate sectors. After graduating from Northwestern Law, she refined her corporate law skills, with a focus on M&A and private equity, at prestigious firms including Paul Weiss and King & Spalding. Her career then transitioned to entertainment, where she served as VP of Business and Legal Affairs at The Madison Square Garden Company, notably as lead attorney for the renowned Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes. Later, as General Counsel at Skybound Entertainment, Candisse built the company's legal department from the ground up, overseeing all transactions in film, TV, and gaming. She is now the GC of Hartbeat , actor and comedian Kevin Hart's media company. In this role, she established the legal department and now drives strategic deal-making across film, TV, audio, live events, and branded content, all while serving as a key member of the executive team. WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT BUILDING LEGAL TEAMS AND MANAGING OUTSIDE COUNSEL Most lawyers follow predictable career paths, but some find themselves in industries where the landscape shifts constantly. Candisse Williamson made the transition from corporate M&A at top firms to building legal departments in entertainment companies, where deal structures evolve rapidly and traditional contracts often don't fit. As General Counsel at Hartbeat, Kevin Hart's media company, Candisse has learned that success requires more than legal expertise. She's built two legal departments from the ground up, developed strategies for working effectively with outside counsel, and discovered that understanding the business is often more important than perfecting the legal details. In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge podcast, Elise Holtzman speaks with Candisse about her journey from Big Law to entertainment, how she approaches building and managing legal teams, and practical advice for lawyers looking to work with entertainment companies. 2:34 - Why Candisse wanted a legal career and her transition into entertainment law 5:30 - The biggest challenge for Candisse as VP/General Counsel 8:06 - How Candisse built Hartbeat's legal department from the ground up 11:09 - Two main purposes of outside counsel and how Candisse maintains relationships 13:56 - Candisse's philosophy about handling difficult conversations with outside counsel 16:52 - How you can rise above the crowded field and grow a book of business as a private practice lawyer 23:18 - Why Candisse emphasizes diversity in her staffing decisions 25:43 - Challenges in the constantly evolving world of entertainment and media 30:03 - Candisse's personality and adaptability as an attorney 33:53 - Highly critical advice for in-house counsel MENTIONED IN STRATEGY AND TALENT: HOW ONE GENERAL COUNSEL BUILDS LEGAL TEAMS AND CHOOSES OUTSIDE COUNSEL Hartbeat | LinkedIn | Instagram Laugh Out Loud Network: YouTube | TikTok | Instagram | Facebook | Snapchat | Twitter/X Anthony Desimone | Making AI Work For Your Law Firm Without Compromising Security or Excellence Get connected with the coaching team: hello@thelawyersedge.com The Lawyer's Edge SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE... Today's episode is brought to you by the coaching team at The Lawyer's Edge, a training and coaching firm which has been focused exclusively on lawyers and law firms since 2008. Each member of The Lawyer's Edge coaching team is a trained, certified, and experienced professional coach AND either a former practicing attorney or a former law firm marketing and business development professional. Whatever your professional objectives, our coaches can help you achieve your goals more quickly, more easily, and with significantly less stress. To get connected with YOUR coach, just email the team at hello@thelawyersedge.com .

October 27, 2026Episode 22437 min

Megan Morgan | Building a Legal Practice Through Industry Specialization

Megan Morgan is a principal in the Baltimore office of Beveridge & Diamond, a national environmental law firm, where she is an environmental litigator and business counselor with a practice focused on the waste and recycling industry. She leads litigation teams on some of the firm's largest and most critical environmental cases, representing clients in court and before regulatory agencies across the country on permitting challenges, enforcement actions, class actions, and citizen suits. Megan has developed particular expertise in odor and nuisance litigation involving landfills and other waste facilities. She also co-chairs the firm's ESG & Sustainability practice. In 2025, Megan received Waste360's 40 Under 40 Award, and in 2024, Law360 named her a Rising Star in environmental law. She earned her law degree magna cum laude from the University of Maryland School of Law and an MBA from Georgetown University. WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT BUILDING A LEGAL PRACTICE THROUGH INDUSTRY SPECIALIZATION When it comes to attracting clients, lawyers often worry that narrowing their focus will mean leaving opportunities on the table. For litigators especially, becoming known for one type of work can feel risky when they're capable of handling a much broader range of matters. Yet focusing on a particular industry doesn't necessarily mean narrowing the work itself. The depth of knowledge that comes from understanding an industry's legal issues and the challenges its businesses face can create opportunities to serve clients across a wide range of matters. That industry knowledge becomes even more valuable when lawyers invest in the relationships and visibility that make them a familiar presence within the industry. Understanding what matters to clients beyond the immediate legal issue helps build the trust that leads to additional work, while staying involved in industry conversations helps ensure prospective clients know whom to call when a need arises. The more familiar lawyers become with their clients' businesses, the better equipped they are to recognize their needs and connect them with the right expertise. In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge podcast, Elise Holtzman talks with Megan Morgan of Beveridge & Diamond about building a legal practice through industry specialization and developing trusted client relationships that lead to more work. They also discuss how industry involvement creates new business development opportunities and how Megan balances growing her practice with the demands of client work. 3:12 - Why Megan chose to specialize in the waste and recycling industry 4:25 - Finding variety within a narrow industry niche 6:21 - Bringing in colleagues to serve clients beyond your own expertise 8:38 - Building client trust that leads to additional work 10:12 - Developing business from existing firm relationships as an associate 13:02 - Becoming the lawyer prospective clients know to call 16:22 - Balancing existing client relationships with new business development 17:47 - Turning conference connections into new work 19:14 - Making conferences more productive through preparation and follow-up 22:30 - Using marketing teams, associates, and partners to support business development 25:06 - Balancing a second practice area with industry specialization 27:28 - How an MBA shaped Megan's understanding of the business of law 29:57 - Understanding clients' financial priorities and business concerns 33:00 - Building stronger client relationships outside the office 35:23 - Why developing a niche practice requires being in the room MENTIONED IN BUILDING A LEGAL PRACTICE THROUGH INDUSTRY SPECIALIZATION Beveridge & Diamond PC | LinkedIn Megan Morgan on LinkedIn Get connected with the coaching team: hello@thelawyersedge.com The Lawyer's Edge SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE This episode is brought to you by the coaching team at The Lawyer's Edge, a training and coaching firm that has been focused exclusively on lawyers and law firms since 2008. Each member of the team is a trained, certified, and experienced professional coach—and either a former practicing attorney or a former law firm marketing and business development professional. Whatever your professional objectives, our coaches can help you achieve your goals more quickly, more easily, and with significantly less stress. To get connected with your coach, fill out our contact form .

October 20, 202641 min

Charlie Jimerson | Rethinking the Billable Hour for Sustainable Law Firm Growth

Charlie Jimerson is the founder and CEO of Jimerson Birr, a Florida-based business law firm with a national reputation for litigation, regulatory, and transactional work. He's also a U.S. Air Force veteran, a board-certified construction law attorney, and a widely recognized leader in the legal and business communities. Under his leadership, the firm has been repeatedly honored for its workplace culture, growth, and client service while representing various businesses of all sizes and scales as their go-to counsel for legal matters and comprehensive legal expertise, both inside and outside the courtroom. From drafting and enforcing contracts, providing grounded executive-level advice, and collecting money owed, Charlie's extensive experience spans all phases of litigation, including alternative dispute resolution, settlement negotiations, and complex commercial cases. His career is distinguished by a rich tapestry of accomplishments that mirror his unwavering commitment to securing favorable outcomes for his clients and reflect a focus on service, quality, and results. Prior to founding Jimerson Birr, Charlie honed his skills and expertise at prominent Jacksonville-based commercial litigation and construction law boutique law firms. He currently resides in Ortega with his wife, Ashley, their two children, and their Italian Greyhound dog, Olive. WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT LAW FIRM GROWTH As a young lawyer, Charlie Jimerson had his pick of opportunities and began his career at a traditional Biglaw firm. But it didn't take long for him to feel disenchanted with what he saw—an industry clinging to outdated models that didn't truly serve clients. Not even four years into practice, Charlie founded Jimerson Birr as a values-driven law firm committed to doing things differently. He believed law firms could grow by focusing on service, quality, and results instead of billable hours and burnout. That conviction shaped his approach to building a practice centered on client needs, predictable pricing, and strong culture. By replacing outdated habits with clear processes and accountability, Charlie set out to prove that sustainable growth is possible without sacrificing relationships or outcomes. In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge podcast, Elise talks with Charlie about how rethinking the billable hour can fuel law firm growth. He shares how subscription pricing and disciplined processes create more value for clients, how AI can enhance efficiency without replacing human judgment, and why culture and leadership are essential to long-term success. Charlie also explains why he sees pressure as a privilege and why "the way it's always been done" is the most dangerous mindset holding firms back. 2:06 - The inspiration for Jimerson Birr's founding and identity 5:21 - Problems with the billable hours model of many legal organizations 9:12 - What's necessary for the legal industry to start retreating from the billable hour crutch 14:37 – Value-based and subscription pricing around four core areas and three package tiers 21:15 – Why there should still be room made for the billable hour when necessary 24:56 - Three biggest things learned from client surveys that impacted changes within the firm 27:43 - How Charlie uses AI to enhance his organization's practice 32:20 - Hiring principles and cultural philosophy of Jimerson Birr 34:45 – Why Charlie views pressure as a privilege and its impact on his choices 37:28 - Essentials to focus on and the mentality law firm leaders need to reject so the industry can evolve MENTIONED IN RETHINKING THE BILLABLE HOUR FOR SUSTAINABLE LAW FIRM GROWTH Jimerson Birr | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Youtube Follow Charlie B. Jimerson on LinkedIn Process! How Discipline and Consistency Will Set You and Your Business Free by Mike Paton and Lisa González Books by Gino Wickman Get connected with the coaching team: hello@thelawyersedge.com The Lawyer's Edge SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE This episode is brought to you by the coaching team at The Lawyer's Edge, a training and coaching firm that has been focused exclusively on lawyers and law firms since 2008. Each member of the team is a trained, certified, and experienced professional coach—and either a former practicing attorney or a former law firm marketing and business development professional. Whatever your professional objectives, our coaches can help you achieve your goals more quickly, more easily, and with significantly less stress. To get connected with your coach, fill out our contact form .

October 13, 2026Episode 22336 min

Damien Weinstein | What Happens When You Run Your Law Firm Like Your Clients Run Their Businesses

Damien Weinstein is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Weinstein + Klein, a Morristown, New Jersey law firm representing small and mid-sized businesses in corporate transactions and employment matters. He leads the firm's business and transaction group, where his work focuses on M&A, partnerships, and complex commercial agreements. Since founding Weinstein + Klein with Brian Klein in 2019, Damien has helped grow the firm from two people to approximately 25. The firm has appeared twice on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies, most recently ranking No. 622, and was named to the 2026 Inc. Best Workplaces list. As both a lawyer and business owner, Damien takes an "advisor first, lawyer second" approach to client work, bringing a practical business perspective to the legal issues his clients face. He has also been recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star every year since 2018 and has been featured in The Wall Street Journal and the New York Law Journal. WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT RUNNING A LAW FIRM LIKE A BUSINESS Lawyers spend a lot of time helping clients grow, hire well, and build businesses that can last. Turning that same attention toward their own firms can be much harder. Once a practice starts growing, the work is no longer just about serving clients and practicing law well. Firm leaders also have to make decisions about people, capacity, profitability, culture, and business development, often without having been taught how to do any of it. Damien Weinstein learned that firsthand as the firm he started with his partner grew from two people to about 25. What began as two lawyers working side by side had to become a true business, which meant hiring sooner, building operational support, creating systems, and becoming much more intentional about culture and client relationships. That experience has also changed the way Damien advises clients by pushing him to look beyond the immediate legal issues and understand what the client is trying to accomplish with the business. In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge podcast, Elise Holtzman talks with Damien Weinstein of Weinstein + Klein about what changes when lawyers start thinking like business owners. They discuss the decisions that supported his firm's growth, the role of hiring and operational support, how to protect culture as a team expands, and why a stronger understanding of business can make lawyers better advisors to their clients. 2:49 - Starting a law firm without knowing how to run one 5:18 - The mindset shift from practicing lawyer to business owner 8:45 - Learning from clients and other business owners 10:24 - Risk tolerance, hiring, and creating more capacity 11:53 - Hiring sooner and building the systems to support growth 13:26 - The role of non-lawyer professionals in running the firm 15:24 - Protecting culture as the team grows 19:42 - Screening for cultural fit during the hiring process 22:34 - Giving junior lawyers autonomy, feedback, and clear expectations 24:47 - Becoming an advisor first and a lawyer second 28:38 - Preparing business owners earlier for a successful sale 30:50 - Understanding the seller before negotiating the deal 34:04 - Surrounding yourself with the right people and advisors 35:18 - The difference between calling yourself a trusted advisor and actually being one MENTIONED IN WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU RUN YOUR LAW FIRM LIKE YOUR CLIENTS RUN THEIR BUSINESSES Weinstein + Klein | LinkedIn Damien Weinstein on LinkedIn Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara Radical Candor by Kim Scott Get connected with the coaching team: hello@thelawyersedge.com The Lawyer's Edge SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE This episode is brought to you by the coaching team at The Lawyer's Edge, a training and coaching firm that has been focused exclusively on lawyers and law firms since 2008. Each member of the team is a trained, certified, and experienced professional coach—and either a former practicing attorney or a former law firm marketing and business development professional. Whatever your professional objectives, our coaches can help you achieve your goals more quickly, more easily, and with significantly less stress. To get connected with your coach, fill out our contact form .

September 29, 202630 min

Elise Holtzman | 3 Essential Pillars of Business Development for Lawyers

Business development can often feel daunting. Even lawyers who recognize its importance frequently grapple with where to begin and how to execute effectively. Without a well-defined strategy, it's easy to become overwhelmed, discouraged, and ultimately disengage from the process. In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge podcast, Elise Holtzman breaks down the process with her 3 Pillars of Business Development—a proven, straightforward framework that gives attorneys the clarity, tools, and focus necessary to build a thriving book of business. By applying these pillars, you'll be able to channel your time and energy into high-impact activities, making business development less intimidating and far more rewarding. Tune in to discover how you can make BD a manageable and achievable part of your practice—and start seeing the results you've been aiming for. This is an episode you won't want to miss! WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT FOR LAWYERS 1:48 - Four reasons why I developed the three pillars of business development success and a quick rundown of what they are 10:30 - How to actively nurture and grow relationships with clients and prospects 13:12 - How to establish credibility and position yourself as an authority in your field 16:58 - The three Ts of leadership advancement and how they contribute to effective business development in legal 23:29 - How to use the pillars to grow and advance into a consistent business developer or rainmaker for your law firm 28:30 - The curse of knowledge about business development I have that I want to share with you MENTIONED IN 3 ESSENTIAL PILLARS OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT FOR LAWYERS Myers-Brigg | TypeCoach Verifier "How to Cultivate a Business Development Mindset" Get Connected with The Coaching Team at hello@thelawyersedge.com The Lawyer's Edge SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE… Today's episode is brought to you by the coaching team at The Lawyer's Edge, a training and coaching firm which has been focused exclusively on lawyers and law firms since 2008. Each member of The Lawyer's Edge coaching team is a trained, certified, and experienced professional coach AND either a former practicing attorney or a former law firm marketing and business development professional. Whatever your professional objectives, our coaches can help you achieve your goals more quickly, more easily, and with significantly less stress. To get connected with YOUR coach, just email the team at hello@thelawyersedge.com.

September 22, 2026Episode 22248 min

Dr. Larry Richard | How Lawyers Can Build Greater Resilience

Dr. Larry Richard is recognized as a leading expert on the psychology of lawyer behavior and the use of behavioral science to improve performance in law firms and legal departments. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School, he practiced as a litigator for 10 years before earning his PhD in psychology from Temple University. Since then, he has gathered and analyzed personality data on thousands of lawyers and consulted with hundreds of law firms and corporate legal departments on resilience, leadership development, change management, and lawyer well-being. He is the founder of LawyerBrain and co-author, with Dr. D'Arcy Lyness, of Thin Skinned: Why Lawyers Are So Low in Resilience and the New Science That Can Help. WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT BUILDING RESILIENCE IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION Lawyers are trained to think critically about what could go wrong, and that mindset serves them well in practice. The challenge is that it does not always switch off when the immediate problem is solved or the workday ends. When pressure becomes constant, that way of thinking can make it harder to recover from setbacks and get back to a steadier place. Dr. Larry Richard has spent decades studying why resilience can be such a challenge for lawyers. His research shows that resilience is largely learned, which also means it can be strengthened. Understanding that opens the door to looking more closely at the habits and responses that wear resilience down and what lawyers can do differently over time. In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge podcast, Elise Holtzman talks with Dr. Larry Richard of LawyerBrain about why lawyers tend to score low in resilience, how personality traits affect the way they respond to stress and change, what helps build resilience over time, and how lawyers can better manage the traits that make them effective at their work. 2:52 - What constant change does to the brain's threat response 6:09 - Why lawyer personality can make adapting to change harder 11:39 - Which lawyer traits are learned and which are largely genetic 14:35 - How legal training reinforces skepticism 16:49 - The difference between fixed traits and improvable resilience 18:58 - What resilience actually looks like in practice 21:02 - How low resilience changes the way criticism is experienced 24:06 - The connection between isolation and resilience 28:11 - When the traits that help lawyers succeed start working against them 30:46 - Four areas lawyers can focus on to strengthen resilience 31:26 - Replacing catastrophizing with realistic optimism 35:33 - Why positive emotions matter more than lawyers may think 41:03 - Building resilience through stronger relationships and presence 43:43 - How self-care supports the other resilience strategies 46:17 - Learning to use lawyer traits without letting them take over Mentioned In How Lawyers Can Build Greater Resilience LawyerBrain LLC Dr. Larry Richard on LinkedIn Dr. Larry Richard | The "Lawyer Personality" and Becoming a Happier Lawyer Thin-Skinned: Why Lawyers Are So Low in Resilience and the New Science That Can Help Get connected with the coaching team: hello@thelawyersedge.com The Lawyer's Edge SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE This episode is brought to you by the coaching team at The Lawyer's Edge, a training and coaching firm that has been focused exclusively on lawyers and law firms since 2008. Each member of the team is a trained, certified, and experienced professional coach—and either a former practicing attorney or a former law firm marketing and business development professional. Whatever your professional objectives, our coaches can help you achieve your goals more quickly, more easily, and with significantly less stress. To get connected with your coach, fill out our contact form .

September 15, 202631 min

Elise Holtzman | How to Get the Most ROI From Your Next Conference

Many lawyers dismiss conferences as a drain on time and money. And frankly, they're right—unless you know how to make the most of them. With the right approach, conferences can transform from missed opportunities into a cornerstone of your business development strategy. In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge podcast, Elise Holtzman shares actionable insights on how to unlock the full potential of industry conferences. She provides a clear, step-by-step roadmap for maximizing every phase of the event, ensuring your efforts yield measurable results. Discover how to turn conference attendance into a powerful tool for rainmaking and client attraction. WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT GETTING THE MOST ROI FROM CONFERENCES 2:29 - Two primary reasons why conferences are worth attending from a business development perspective 5:46 - Some of the potential downsides to attending industry conferences and why it's worth looking at this issue 7:53 - Intentional questions to ask yourself before going to your next conference so you can wring every bit of value possible out of attending 13:32 - How to create a timeline and take action before the conference (and how most approach this incorrectly) 18:28 - The importance of setting aside time to recharge (especially if you're an introvert) 20:38 - Timeline creation and actions to consider taking during your next conference (including how to exit uncomfortable conversations gracefully) 23:03 - How to handle the aftermath of a conference and why people lose a tremendous amount of opportunity at this stage 26:14 - A consideration once you determine a conference is a good fit for you and a brief word about raising your profile at conferences MENTIONED IN HOW TO GET THE MOST ROI FROM YOUR NEXT CONFERENCE 3 Essential Pillars of Business Development for Lawyers Managing Partner Forum John Remsen | Essential Characteristics of Effective Law Firm Leaders Legal Marketing Association Get connected with the coaching team: hello@thelawyersedge.com The Lawyer's Edge SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE This episode is brought to you by the coaching team at The Lawyer's Edge, a training and coaching firm that has been focused exclusively on lawyers and law firms since 2008. Each member of the team is a trained, certified, and experienced professional coach—and either a former practicing attorney or a former law firm marketing and business development professional. Whatever your professional objectives, our coaches can help you achieve your goals more quickly, more easily, and with significantly less stress. To get connected with your coach, fill out our contact form .

September 8, 2026Episode 22139 min

Brenda Barnes | How Law Firm Compensation Shapes Retention and Succession

Brenda A. Barnes, CPA, MBA, is the founder of Brenda Barnes Consulting, where she works with law firm leaders on compensation design, succession planning, and financial strategy. She brings more than 35 years of experience in law firm financial management to her role, including serving as a law firm administrator in Austin, Texas. Brenda previously founded B2 Legal Management, an outsourced accounting and billing firm serving solo to midsize law firms across the U.S., which she built and sold in 2021. She is a former president of the Austin Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators and co-author of RESPECT – An Insight to Attorney Compensation Plans, now in its second edition. WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT LAW FIRM COMPENSATION AND RETENTION Compensation touches almost every challenge law firms are facing right now, from recruiting and retention to leadership development and succession planning. Yet many firms are still relying on systems that evolved internally over time, with younger lawyers expected to understand how they advance, what the firm values, and what opportunities are available to them without anyone clearly defining it. The firms being more intentional about compensation are putting structure around those decisions. They are writing down the criteria, defining what advancement looks like, creating more flexible career paths, and looking beyond billable hours when deciding what contributions should be rewarded. They are also treating compensation plans as systems that need to change as the firm's priorities change, rather than something to put in place once and leave alone. In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge podcast, Elise Holtzman talks with Brenda Barnes of Brenda Barnes Consulting about why compensation has become such a critical issue for law firms, what younger lawyers are looking for when they ask for transparency, how associate and partner compensation systems are changing, and how compensation decisions shape retention and succession planning. 3:10 - Compensation as a strategic issue for law firms 5:30 - What transparency actually means to younger lawyers 7:40 - Clarity as a retention strategy 12:57 - The connection between compensation and respect 14:27 - Different approaches to associate and partner compensation 16:03 - Current compensation trends in small and midsize firms 17:23 - Flexible career paths for lawyers who do not want equity 20:06 - The compensation problems that bring law firms looking for help 24:16 - How level-based associate compensation systems work 29:06 - Customizing compensation to reward the behaviors a firm values 30:17 - Looking beyond billable hours to law firm economics and collections 32:58 - How origination credit affects succession planning 38:09 - Why firms eventually become what their compensation systems reward Mentioned In How Law Firm Compensation Shapes Retention and Succession Brenda Barnes Consulting Brenda Barnes on LinkedIn RESPECT – An Insight to Attorney Compensation Plans Get connected with the coaching team: hello@thelawyersedge.com The Lawyer's Edge SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE This episode is brought to you by the coaching team at The Lawyer's Edge, a training and coaching firm that has been focused exclusively on lawyers and law firms since 2008. Each member of the team is a trained, certified, and experienced professional coach—and either a former practicing attorney or a former law firm marketing and business development professional. Whatever your professional objectives, our coaches can help you achieve your goals more quickly, more easily, and with significantly less stress. To get connected with your coach, fill out our contact form .

September 1, 2026Episode 20037 min

Shannon Lombardo | The Gap Between Wanting to Do Business Development and Actually Doing It

Shannon Lombardo is the Director of Business Development at Saul Ewing LLP, a national law firm with more than 400 attorneys. She leads strategic growth initiatives focused on attorney business development coaching, client relationship development, and revenue generation. With extensive experience in legal marketing and business development, Shannon partners with attorneys and law firms to build stronger relationships, identify growth opportunities, and achieve their business objectives. WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT FOLLOW-THROUGH Lawyers may understand that business development matters and genuinely intend to make it a priority, but that intention often gets pushed aside by client work, billable-hour demands, and the discomfort of doing something that does not feel as familiar as practicing law. Even lawyers who want to build business can struggle with where to start, how to stay consistent, and how to keep going when the results take time. That means firms have to look beyond simply teaching lawyers what to do. More training will not solve a problem rooted in discomfort, lack of confidence, competing priorities, or a lawyer who is not ready to engage. The real opportunity is understanding what is actually getting in the way, then creating the right level of support and accountability to help lawyers take action in a way that fits them. In this episode of The Lawyer's Edge podcast, Elise Holtzman talks with Shannon Lombardo of Saul Ewing LLP about why lawyers struggle to follow through on business development, what makes business development training more effective, how accountability supports consistency, and where responsibility lies between the firm and the individual lawyer. 2:12 - Why lawyers struggle to prioritize business development 5:34 - How unrealistic rainmaker examples can discourage lawyers 8:35 - How to assess whether a lawyer is ready for business development support 11:01 - Building a business development plan around the individual lawyer 14:58 - Why Saul Ewing moved away from one-off training programs 18:14 - Why one-time business development training rarely changes behavior 22:21 - Matching business development support to the individual lawyer 24:51 - The psychology behind business development resistance 27:28 - What internal business development teams can and cannot own 29:32 - Using accountability to help lawyers stay consistent 31:48 - Why small, consistent business development actions matter 32:56 - What disengagement from coaching may actually signal Mentioned In The Gap Between Wanting to Do Business Development and Actually Doing It Saul Ewing LLP | LinkedIn Shannon Lombardo on LinkedIn Get connected with the coaching team: hello@thelawyersedge.com The Lawyer's Edge SPONSOR FOR THIS EPISODE This episode is brought to you by the coaching team at The Lawyer's Edge, a training and coaching firm that has been focused exclusively on lawyers and law firms since 2008. Each member of the team is a trained, certified, and experienced professional coach—and either a former practicing attorney or a former law firm marketing and business development professional. Whatever your professional objectives, our coaches can help you achieve your goals more quickly, more easily, and with significantly less stress. To get connected with your coach, fill out our contact form .