Unbundled Attorney Mastermind

Building a Six-Figure a Month, Client-Centered Probate and Estate Planning Law Practice | Episode 68 | Unbundled Attorney In this podcast episode, Bridgette Friedman, a probate and estate planning attorney, discusses the evolution of her Probate and Estate law practice that often generates over $100k per month in revenue. She shares insights on adapting her business model, including her approach to enrolling new client leads and providing flexible payment plans. Bridgette emphasizes providing tailored, pay-as-you-go options for estate planning services, and a retainer and payment structure for probate case that has evolved over the years. She also talks about the importance of hiring associates, managing cash flow, and maintaining a client-centered, empathetic approach to legal services. Click here to watch the video version of this podcast interview on our YouTube ChannelIn this episode you will learn: • The steps Bridgette has followed to develop a probate and estate practice that often generates over $100k per month• How Unbundled Attorney's lead generation service have impacted her practice and revenues • The value of tailoring service options to meet your clients needs and budget constraints• The unique pay-as-you-go service options she offers for her estate planning cases • How using Clio Manage CRM has helped her manage her legal practice • Her payment structure for her probate services, including how her initial retainer and payment plans have evolved over time• The value of a developing a client-centered approach to practicing law, emphasizing flexibility and empathyTimestamps 00:01:16: Starting out in law 00:03:17: Transition to Unbundled Attorney 00:10:02: The impact of direct connect 00:26:21: Technology Integration 00:27:33: Document Automation and Transition 00:33:07: Payment Plans and Client Commitment 00:44:51: Hiring an associate 00:56:33: Building a remote teamIf you enjoy this podcast, please head over to iTunes, subscribe to the show, and leave us a review. We love hearing from our listeners and look forward to reading your feedback!For more information about Unbundled Attorney and how our exclusive, unbundled leads can help grow your practice, visit: https://www.unbundledattorney.com

The Lifestyle Lawyer: Running a $50k Per Month Solo Practice in 30 Hours a Week | Episode 67 | Unbundled Attorney In this episode, we interview Clay Wilkinson, a long-time Unbundled Attorney from Dallas, TX. Clay reveals how he has been able to build a lifestyle-driven practice that consistently generates $50k a month in revenue, while working about 30 hours a week.Since we started working with Clay over 7 years ago, his focus has always been on work-life balance over pure profit. What is most important for him is not building a high volume practice, but rather spending more time with his kids, going on trips around the world, and enjoying his family.  However, even though he has optimized his law practice for lifestyle, he's still bene able to build a practice that does exceptionally well financially. During this interview, Clay discusses the importance of direct client contact, an efficient use of technology for scheduling and communication, and the shift to flat fees for streamlined billing. Clay also emphasizes customizing legal services to client budgets, responding to online reviews while maintaining confidentiality, and the significance of taking vacations without compromising client service with appropriate application of automation. His insights reflect his commitment to a client-centered, efficient, and balanced legal practice.In this episode you will learn about:Clay Wilkinson's journey from working with a large law firm to becoming a successful solo practitionerImportance of maintaining a work-life balance and finding fulfillment in practicing law on your own termsThe tools he uses to enhance the efficiency of his practiceWhy he provides all of his representation on a flat-fee, limited scope basisHis unique approach to client intake and ongoing communicationsImportance of managing work volume and taking breaks to avoid burnoutPractical aspects of managing workload while ensuring that clients are still receiving the prompt legal assistanceAnd much more...Resources Mentioned:Calendly (41:28)If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to iTunes, subscribe to the show, and leave us a review. We love hearing from our listeners and look forward to reading your feedback!For more information about Unbundled Attorney and how our exclusive, unbundled leads can help grow your practice, visit: https://www.unbundledattorney.com

Episode 66: The Trifecta of Modern Criminal Law: Three Keys for Building a Highly Profitable Criminal Practice Providing Affordable RepresentationIn this episode, we interview Robert Wegman, a criminal law Unbundled Attorney from Richmond, VA. Robert explains how he uses three new components, two of which are legal technologies (the trifecta) that enable him to provide affordable criminal representation that is also highly profitable. We discuss each of these three components in detail, includingan online client portal that integrates into his practice management software. He explains how this portal  improves his consultation conversion rate, streamlines his workflows, and substantially increases clients’ trust and confidence in the services he provides them.Click here to watch the video version of this podcast interview on our YouTube ChannelIn this episode, you’ll learn:Why Rob enrolls his criminal clients with 20% down, and how this has impacted his lead conversion rateHow using automated recurring payments has enabled him to deliver services with a lower initial deposit and still have exceptionally low account receivablesWhy payment plans haven’t worked in the past for many lawyers, and how modern processing tools now enable them to have a substantially higher success rateHow the client portal feature of case management platforms can increase client’s visibility into the services being performed and instill more confidence and trustHow Rob’s online intake form increases his consultation conversion rate, streamlines his workflows, and improves the overall experience for his clientsHow online practice management software enables him to keep him and his staff organized and on task, and effectively manage a higher volumes of casesLawPay, Case Management, 20% DownAnd much more…Resources Mentioned:MyCase (16:20)LawPay (12:35)If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to iTunes, subscribe to the show, and leave us a review. We love hearing from our listeners and look forward to reading your feedback!For more information about Unbundled Attorney and how our exclusive, unbundled leads can help grow your practice, visit: https://www.unbundledattorney.com

Episode 65: Criminal Representation on a Payment Plan: How Automated Recurring Payments Are Transforming the Way Criminal Lawyers Get Paid and Practice LawIn this episode, we interview Joshua London, a criminal law Unbundled Attorney from Minneapolis, MN who shares how offering automated recurring payment plans have impacted the way he practices criminal law. He discusses how automating his payment plans has enabled him to lower his initial deposits to as little as 20-25%, which has dramatically increased his lead to retained client conversion rate. As a result, he has been able to provide affordable criminal representation to many more clients, and is already generating an additional $30-40k a month in revenue from his Unbundled leads alone.Click here to watch the video version of this podcast interview on our YouTube ChannelIn this episode, you’ll learn:Why optimizing your criminal firm to be immediately responsive to new leads and requests will substantially increase your client conversion rateWhat automated recurring billing payment plans are, and why they can enable you to accept less than 50% down in a criminal caseHow to structure your recurring payment plans so they have a high rate of processing successfullyHow to determine the ideal initial deposit in each case, and the best payment schedule and payment amount for each payment planThe being transparent cultivating an empathetic approach to your consultations will help you convert more clients and create more customer loyaltyAnd much more …Resources Mentioned:Calendly (12:37)DirectConnect (16:20)LawPay (36:23)If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to iTunes, subscribe to the show, and leave us a review. We love hearing from our listeners and look forward to reading your feedback!For more information about Unbundled Attorney and how our exclusive, unbundled leads can help grow your practice, visit: https://www.unbundledattorney.com 

**Episode 61: From $20k to $200k a Month in 12 Months: A Step-by-Step Guide for Rapidly Scaling Up a Law Practice”In this episode, we interview Brandon Potter and Robert Foster who are Unbundled Attorneys in Knoxville and Greenville, TN. During our interview, Brandon and Robert share how they were able to successfully scale up their law practice revenue from $20k a month to over $200k a month in a single year. During this period, they opened two new offices, hired 5+ new lawyers, added 2 new administrative staff, and have recently opened their third office in Nashville, TN. This is a step-by-step, in-depth walk-through for how lawyers can take their practice from where it’s at to the next level and beyond.  Click here to watch the video version of this podcast interview on our YouTube ChannelIn this episode, you’ll learn:The four key components that enable their team to effectively enroll clients virtually without having to meet clients in personThe value from thinking of a law practice like a factory, and setting up systems to process “raw materials” through your firm in the most efficient way possibleWho is the first and most important hire that firms should make when they are scaling up their practice?Importance of creating roles and responsibilities (“lanes”) for each team member in the firm, and why they should stay focused on their key rolesWhy having systems in place to process, manage, and track all payments, plus knowing the critical role firm finances play in sustaining the growth of your firmWhy do Brandon or a partner in the firm continue to call and convert each of their Unbundled leads, and why they do NOT delegate this responsibility to anyone elseWho are the three most important people a firm needs to have in place when scaling up from a solo practitioner to a small firm?How to generate a consistent source of qualified attorneys to bring into your firmThe most important considerations when making hiring decisions for associate attorneysThe value of hiring team members who have complementary skills and personality types to share different types of tasks and responsibilitiesHow gaining access to financing and capital investment resources significantly increases the speed that your firm can scale and growHow to structure payment plans to ensure your clients consistently make their payments, and what are the payment processing systems that make this possibleHow Brandon and Robert can provide services to 80% of their clients who would otherwise be unable to afford a lawyerThe value of taking time to implement a document automation system that creates legal documents in a faster and more efficient mannerHow to cultivate a great company culture that motivates each of your team members to sincerely want to be a key part of your firmAnd much more …Resources Mentioned:LawPay (49:00)Lawyaw (1:00:00)LawClerk (1:03:30)If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to iTunes, subscribe to the show, and leave us a review. We love hearing from our listeners and look forward to reading your feedback!For more information about Unbundled Attorney and how our exclusive, unbundled leads can help grow your practice, visit: https://www.unbundledattorney.com

**Episode 61: Family and Criminal Lawyers: How to Triple New Client Retention and Law Firm Profits Overnight”In this episode we interview Aaron Harshman and Rachelle Ponist. They are a married couple and Unbundled Attorneys who work out of Indianapolis, and each of them run their own criminal and family law practices respectively. During our interview, we discuss how they structure affordable service options in their practice areas, and how their model can help you substantially improve client retention and overall profitability for your firm. They provide examples of limited scope services they provide for family law, and how their clients and practices benefit. Aaron breaks down a creative payment approach in criminal representation that enables him to triple client retention and bank increased revenues and profits for his firm. Click here to watch the video version of this podcast interview on our YouTube ChannelIn this episode, you’ll learn:Critical differences between family law and criminal clients, and how to adapt your consultation and enrollment approach for each practice areaPhone vs. Zoom vs. In-Person meetings, and which approach works best for each practice areaExamples of limited scope services you can provide for family law clientsA step-by-step walkthrough of the best practices for enrolling family law clients on the phone and in-person consultationThe advantages of enrolling family law clients initially for a limited scope service only, and then allowing those relationships to evolve over timeThe value of implementing document automation software to increase your efficiency and profitability, especially for flat-rate servicesHow to provide affordable criminal representation outside of providing limited scope service options (40:00)How payment processors like Lawpay provide automated recurring billing features to enable lawyers to offer more flexible payment terms (45:05-49:50)Creative payment structures for criminal law that differentiate your firm and substantially improve your client retention ratesBest practices for an initial consultation in criminal cases that maximize client conversion, and why these strategies differ from family law (56:54)The importance of understanding the urgency and critical nature of criminal case issues, and how this informs the way to approach those consultationsHow to determine how much to charge as an initial deposit, and how to structure payment plansThe financial benefits of how creative payment options improve client conversion and increase revenues and profitability for the firmThe gap in the marketplace between high-net-worth individuals, and those who qualify for legal aid, and the financial opportunity this represents for lawyers who can profitably deliver legal services to the middle majority sector of the marketplaceResources Mentioned:LawyawPodcast Interview with Amy Porter, former CEO of LawPayClio GrowIf you enjoy this podcast, please head over to iTunes, subscribe to the show, and leave us a review. We love hearing from our listeners and look forward to reading your feedback!For more information about Unbundled Attorney and how our exclusive, unbundled leads can help grow your practice, visit: https://www.unbundledattorney.com

In this episode we interview Robert Buchanan, an Unbundled Attorney in Chicago, IL we have worked with for over 5 years. During the interview we discuss how Robert has been able to successfully scale up the capacity of his firm. From attracting exceptional team members, to developing streamlined systems and automations, Robert covers the steps he has followed and the tools he has implemented to significantly increase the efficiency of his firm. We also discuss how providing limited scope services has tripled the hiring rate of his new prospective clients, and has substantially improved the quality of his client relationships as well as the overall profitability of his firm.Click here watch the video version of this podcast interview on our YouTube ChannelIn this episode, you’ll learn:How having a newborn child has shifted Robert’s perspective and provided additional motivation to increase the capacity and success of his firmHow Robert has been able to attract and retain exceptional contract lawyers and associatesTips for attracting new team members, both through your network and in the marketplaceThe specific processes Robert has put into place to automate and streamline his workflowsThe legal technology tools Robert uses that enable a tremendous amount of automation in his firmHow implementing limited scope services has dramatically improved his client conversion rateA detailed breakdown of the limited scope services he offers and how he offers them during his initial consultationsAnd much more …If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to iTunes, subscribe to the show, and leave us a review. We love hearing from our listeners and look forward to reading your feedback!For more information about Unbundled Attorney and how our exclusive, unbundled leads can help grow your practice, visit: https://www.unbundledattorney.com 

Episode 60: How to Automate Client Intake and Legal Document Preparation with Tucker Cottingham, CEO of Lawyaw Modern legal technology is rapidly changing the way legal services are delivered, enabling lawyers to deliver services faster and more efficiently than ever before. One of the most valuable areas to leverage technology is for client intake and document preparation, especially for lawyers that provide unbundled services. Lawyaw’s document automation platform combines the latest client intake and document preparation technology in one powerful application. Tucker Cottingham, CEO of Lawyaw joins our show and shares the Lawyaw founding story, and discusses how Lawyaw substantially reduces the amount of time it takes to complete clients’ intake and draft legal documents, which significantly improves the profitability of your law practice. He also provides a live demo of Lawyaw so you can learn about the key features of the platform. To take advantage of the special offer that Tucker and his team put together for listeners of this show, visit https://www.unbundledlawyer.com/lawyaw. Click here watch the video version of this podcast interview In this episode, you’ll learn: Tucker’s background as a lawyer, the challenges his firm had preparing documents, and what made him decide to launch the Lawyaw platform How eliminating repetitive tasks enables lawyers to focus more time on strengthening client relationships and the high value aspects of building their firm How Lawyaw automates your document preparation without requiring the use of generic forms and templates How improving the efficiency of document preparation can substantially increase the profitability of unbundled and flat-rate services The value of Lawyaw’s integration with Clio, and how their platform differs from the document automation that Clio offers The practice areas that benefit most from using Lawyaw Examples of how automating document preparation can double the effective hourly rate of unbundled services The importance of making it as simple as possible for your clients to complete intake forms online using their smartphones A live demo of Lawyaw’s core features and how the platform works How to use Lawyaw to create custom intake forms for clients to complete online that auto-populate their data directly into your legal forms and documents How to request a customized demo with Lawyaw’s team, and take advantage of the special offer for listeners of this podcast And much more … Resources Mentioned in This Episode If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to iTunes, subscribe to the show, and leave us a review. We love hearing from our listeners and look forward to reading your feedback! For more information about Unbundled Attorney and how our exclusive, unbundled leads can help grow your practice, visit: https://www.unbundledattorney.com

Episode 59: How Lawyers Can Retain a High Number of New Paying Clients During Any Economic EnvironmentWe are excited to welcome back Anthony Saunders who is an Unbundled family law attorney from Salt Lake City. Anthony has worked with us for over 7 years and has consistently been the highest converting lawyer in our network. His previous podcast interview (Episode 40) is the most often shared and recommended episode in the history of the show.His client-acquisition strategy begins with this “leading” with limited scope services. Implementing this same approach has fundamentally shifted the way hundreds of lawyers now practice law, and plays a major role in the growth and success of their firms.Today, Anthony gives a comprehensive breakdown of how this approach enables him to consistently enroll 50-80% of his Unbundled leads as paying clients. He describes how he handles the initial phone consultation, and how he eliminates in-office and virtual appointment no-shows. Anthony also shares specific unbundled service options he offers and how he determines what to charge.So grab a pen and paper and be ready to take copious notes so that you can take what Anthony shares during this interview and implement it into your practice right away.Click here watch the video version of this podcast interview on our YouTube ChannelTo read a complete transcript of this interview, click hereIn this episode, you’ll learn:How tracking your lead conversion numbers and case volume throughout the year will help project what your staffing and attorney support needs will be in the futureThe numbers and metrics Anthony’s firm tracks, and the method he employs to track themAnthony’s exact process for contacting and consulting Unbundled leads that enables him to convert 50-80% into paying clientsWhy Anthony reviews each lead’s case file prior to calling themThe value of evaluating specific elements of a case that the client needs help with first, and providing services that are initially limited to those elements onlyHow Anthony limits phone consultations to 5 minutes, and why this has positively impacted his in-office and virtual-consulting attendanceExamples that show how Anthony breaks his cases into specific billable segments and how he determines the flat rate to charge for each segmentHow Anthony reduced the number of no-shows for his in-office and virtual-consults by 50%The benefits of booking new leads for your office and virtual-consults within 48 hours or ideally the same dayWhy it is better to use the active voice instead of the passive voice during your initial consultations, plus examples that illustrate whyWhy Anthony does not ever give leads a price quote over the phone during the initial 5-10 minute phone consultationA live role-play between Dave and Anthony showing how Anthony responds to clients who insist on knowing the cost of services during the initial phone consultationThe importance of having clients complete intake questionnaires, and why questionnaires should be customized to each client’s caseWhy Anthony provide every new client limited scope services first, instead of full representationWhat Anthony’s “reserve” unbundled service is, and when he offers it to clientsWhy your unbundled services clients become zealous referral ambassadors for your firmA detailed explanation of how Anthony breaks down divorce cases, and a review of the specific unbundled services he offers at each phase in a divorce caseHow providing unbundled services impacts your longevity and success as a practitionerAnd much more …If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to iTunes, subscribe to the show, and leave us a review. We love hearing from our listeners and look forward to reading your feedback!For more information about Unbundled Attorney and how our exclusive, unbundled leads can help grow your practice, visit: https://www.unbundledattorney.com

Episode 58: Designing the Law Firm of Your Dreams: How to “Lead" with Unbundled Services, Run a Virtual Practice from Anywhere, and Provide Affordable Access to Justice The San Diego, CA Unbundled Attorney we interview today thought she had found her dream job working for a corporate law firm, but soon discovered it was nothing close to what she had imagined. Fortunately, she had the courage and ambition to leave that firm and build her own practice that would both support her ideal lifestyle, and make a significant difference in the lives of the clients she serves. That commitment set her on a path to design a technology-enabled, virtual practice that allows her to operate from anywhere. Imagine heading down to the beach or park, cracking open your laptop and enrolling new clients over the phone while soaking up the sun. This is the kind of location freedom that she has engineered into her practice, and you can too. During our interview, she shares the systems and technology that make her virtual practice possible. We also discover how she enrolls 99% of her clients for unbundled legal services initially, instead of requiring full representation. This is known in our community as “leading with unbundled”, and she shares how this fundamental shift in approach has transformed her practice. Click here watch the video version of this podcast interview on our YouTube Channel To read a complete transcript of this interview, click here In this episode, you’ll learn: Her background working in a high-end corporate law firm, which she once thought would be her dream job, and why she left the firm to start her own practice The value of engineering a practice around your ideal lifestyle, rather than settling for a lifestyle because of the demands of your practice The importance of taking time to create a clear vision for what your ideal practice looks like, and how that vision shapes each decision you make and enables you to build the firm you truly desire from that point on Why she decided to build a virtual law firm and the specific systems and technology she and her husband employ that enable her to run her practice from anywhere The benefit of keeping up to date with the latest apps and technology available to lawyers, and the valuable tools that she has implemented in her practice How she is able to enroll over 90% of her clients for unbundled legal services directly over the phone and examples of the typical unbundled services she provides Why offering unbundled legal services is a great option for attorneys who would like to build either a partial or fully virtual law practice How providing unbundled services as a flat fee eliminates the need to “micro-bill” your clients, improves the quality of the relationship with your clients, and can significantly increase your profitability A detailed breakdown of the factors you need to consider when determining what flat fee to charge your clients for unbundled services How she sells unbundling to her clients, including the three main categories of her unbundled services and how she tailors them to fit her clients’ legal needs and financial budget The power of explaining to clients the specific ways you help them handle parts of their case on their own to save money, and why this approach can significantly increase the number of clients who retain your services Some examples of the types of tasks she empowers clients to handle themselves, and some creative ways she helps them to reduce costs The types of clients and cases that are not a typical fit for unbundled legal services and may require full representation A walk-through of how she approaches the initial consultation so that 90+% of the clients that enroll do so right over the phone without having to come into the office Why she is so passionate about providing unbundled legal services, and her commitment to giving thousands of unrepresented people in this country access to justice that they desperately need and deserve And much more … Resources Mentioned in This Episode Unbundling Resource Center Docusign Lawyaw If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to iTunes, subscribe to the show, and leave us a review. We love hearing from our listeners and look forward to reading your feedback! For more information about Unbundled Attorney and how our exclusive, unbundled leads can help grow your practice, visit: https://www.unbundledattorney.com