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PODCAST

The 80/20 Principle

This podcast is for lawyers who want more freedom, flexibility, and control over their practice. Ernie focuses on the 20% of tools and strategies—especially AI—that deliver 80% of the results. No buzzwords. No hype. Just clear, practical insights on using AI, automation, outsourcing, marketing, cybersecurity, and smart systems to reduce friction, streamline workflows, and run your practice your way—from anywhere.

business management

All Episodes

45:11

How to Sell Your Law Practice (with Patrick Slaughter)

The 80/20 Principle ·

2022/08/16

Have you ever thought about selling your law practice? In this episode, you'll hear from a lawyer named Patrick Slaughter, who successfully sold his family law practice in Knoxville, Tennessee, for double what he thought he could get for it. Show Notes info@patrickslaughter (email to use to get in touch with Patrick if you want his help) CallRail (software to track conversions based on phone calls made to your law firm) Working Smarter with Digital Technology (my short guide to improving your

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20:55

A Better Way to Collect Documents from Clients &...

The 80/20 Principle ·

2022/08/09

A huge pain point for many attorneys is gathering documents from clients & others. Now, there's a better and easier way of doing this. In this episode, we discuss a new service called Pipefile, and you'll hear from Steve Recile, the developer who created it. Show Notes Click here to try Pipefile for 14 days (no credit card required). If you decide to continue using it, enter the promo code 'ernie30' when you sign up for the paid plan to get 30% off your first year's subscription. New Way for

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47:14

Cyber Security for Small Law Firms (with Tom Lambotte)

The 80/20 Principle ·

2022/08/02

Small law firms face constant, dangerous cyber threats. Usually, it's too expensive for them to get expert guidance, but Tom Lambotte is a good friend who has been offering affordable cyber security help for solo and small firm attorneys. In this episode he shares his top 3 recommendations for protecting yourself against cyber threats, including some valuable resources he is making available for free. Show Notes Global Mac IT Bobaguard(click this link to get access to the free resources Tom

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26:30

How to Build An Audience to Better Market Your Law...

The 80/20 Principle ·

2022/07/26

A lawyer recently asked what places are best to get the attention of prospective clients. But the question is not where to get attention. Rather it's how to get attention most effectively —i.e., in a way that makes people respect you and then trust you enough to engage you and appreciate your hard work. Show Notes How to Build Trust with Complete Strangers (my recent blog post) Working Smarter with Digital Technology (my short guide to improving your practice by using technology better)

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49:31

Case Study: Effective Marketing for Small Law Firms...

The 80/20 Principle ·

2022/07/19

Radlyn Mendoza started an immigration law firm in 2000, focusing on the underserved Latino community in Hampton Roads, VA. She began with a clever approach to newspaper advertising that yielded fabulous results. More recently, she began experimenting with TikTok videos, and that approach also proved successful. The secret to her success in marketing her practice goes deeper than the places she sought attention. In this episode, she reveals the powerful secrets to her success. Show Notes

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12:47

The South Indian Monkey Trap (also ensnares lawyers)

The 80/20 Principle ·

2022/07/12

All of us are highly prone to getting caught in debilitating mental traps, just like South Indian Monkeys in a famous story. In this episode, we examine this insidious mental trap and learn how to avoid getting ensnared in it. Show Notes The South Indian Monkey Trap: How Our Values Compromise Our Freedom, by Kaelin Govinden (South African corporate attorney) Zen & The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values, by Robert Pirsig Working Smarter with Digital Technology (my short guide to

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20:00

Performing Autopsies (useful advice for lawyers)

The 80/20 Principle ·

2022/07/05

Performing autopsies isn't something you see lawyers doing. But if you understand the original meaning of the word "autopsy" as used by the early Greeks then you'll understand why lawyers should do this. In this episode, we delve into how you can improve your thinking and decision-making by understanding the original meaning behind this important word. Show Notes Definition of "autopsy" (Note: 'Greek' autopsia - act of seeing with one's own eyes, from aut- + opsis sight, appearance) Snopes.com

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22:56

Contrived Enthusiasm (Bad Lawyer Marketing)

The 80/20 Principle ·

2022/06/28

Too many lawyers are too eager to self-promote. So they market in the worst possible ways (i.e. both undignified and ineffective in getting high quality clients) Let's talk about why this happens and how to market yourself the best way. Show Notes Contrived Enthusiasm (my recent blog post) Humblebrag: The Art of False Modesty (book mentioned in episode) Working Smarter with Digital Technology (my short guide to improving your practice by using technology better) General Resources Learn to use

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29:21

Build Trust More Effectively

The 80/20 Principle ·

2022/06/21

If you want people to trust you more (and, as a lawyer, you should), then it's vital to learn the keys to creating and building trust — even with complete strangers. Show Notes Write To Build Trust with Complete Strangers (my recent blog post) Working Smarter with Digital Technology (my short guide to improving your practice by using technology better) General Resources Learn to use technology to reduce friction & gain freedom with this resource: https://www.the8020lawyer.com/ Focus on these

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18:26

My Cousin Vinny - a Practice Guide for Lawyers?

The 80/20 Principle ·

2022/06/14

The ABA ranks it as the 3rd best legal movie and Justice Antonin Scalia said it was his favorite lawyer movie. It's commonly used to help teach procedure and evidence in law schools. And many lawyers said it's the only Hollywood movie that gets all the procedure details perfectly correct. After 30 years of popularity and acclaim, it's.worth reflecting on how this movie came about and why it's so beloved by so many lawyers and judges. Show Notes My Cousin Vinny (Wikipedia article) ‘What Is a

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16:39

The Best Way To Systematize Your Practice

The 80/20 Principle ·

2022/06/07

The best way to set up systems for your law practice is not obvious to most attorneys. And many choose the less effective way, as opposed to the easier, more effective way. Show Notes Kaizen (Wikipedia article) It’s Time to Embrace Slow Productivity, by Cal Newport (New Yorker article) John McPhee’s Slow Productivity, by Cal Newport Podcast: Cal Newport on how ‘slow productivity’ could reduce burnout in our working lives. Check out my 2-page outline: Digital Automation (how to use technology

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56:14

Exceptional Client Service (with John Strohmeyer)

The 80/20 Principle ·

2022/05/31

If you want a high-level practice, you need high-level clients. The first step is making sure you can deliver exceptional service. John Strohmeyer joins me to talk about how to do that, which he first learned before law school when working as a manager at a Four Seasons hotel. How did that experience help him in his law practice? Listen and find out. Show Notes Strohmeyer Law website 5 Star Counsel (John's podcast about customer service lessons for lawyers) Commanding the Table (documentary

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50:35

Modern Legal Ethics (with Dane Ciolino)

The 80/20 Principle ·

2022/05/24

Can you ethically practice New York law if you're licensed there but actually living in Louisiana? Listen and find out. Modern legal ethics is now driven by technology, so how can regulatory bodies keep up with the pace of change? Short answer: in many key areas, they can't and aren't. Show Notes Dane Ciolino's website (LA Legal Ethics) Casemap (software Dane & Ernie used and loved) Airtable (the popular cloud- based database program Dane uses instead of Casemap) Check out my 2-page outline:

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35:50

Digital Workflow Fundamentals

The 80/20 Principle ·

2022/05/17

After eliminating inefficient paper, the next question is how can you optimize your digital workflows in your practice to make it more streamlined and automated. That's what's covered this episode. Show Notes Check out the 2-page outline: Digital Lawyering (how to work smarter by using technology effectively) Chatterboss virtual assistants (schedule a free call to find out how they work for lawyers like you) Otter.ai (automated transcript-generation from notes or personal dictation) NetDocuments

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45:37

Paperless Law Practice - Common Questions

The 80/20 Principle ·

2022/05/10

Creating a paperless practice is vital if you want to reduce friction in workflows, and improve efficiency. Lawyers have some common questions about how to make this happen, and this episode will provide answers. Show Notes 2017 ABA Article ("How a Paperless Practice May Be Right For You") Check out my 2-page outline: Digital Lawyering (how to work smarter by using technology effectively) General Resources Learn to use technology to reduce friction & gain freedom with this resource:

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19:19

Fundamental Questions (for the modern lawyer)

The 80/20 Principle ·

2022/05/03

Lawyers keep asking the same fundamental questions about key aspects of running a small law firm. Newbies and experienced lawyers have a lot of the same questions and concerns, in this episode we talk about them. Show Notes Email me at ernie@lawfirmautopilot.com with your questions, if you want me to address them. Check out my 2-page outline: Digital Lawyering (how to work smarter by using technology effectively) General Resources Learn to use technology to reduce friction & gain freedom with

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28:41

Toxic Clients - Part 2

The 80/20 Principle ·

2022/04/26

In this episode we'll delve deeper into how to avoid toxic clients, or at least minimize their toxicity as much as possible. Check out the prior episode for a full discussion of the key indicators of toxicity in people. Show Notes Google "how to spot toxic people" A sample firm policy for accepting clients (i.e. avoiding toxic people) A sample procedure for getting rid of toxic clients A sample engagement agreement that lists reasons you will not continue working with a client. General

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25:33

Getting Rid of Bad Clients

The 80/20 Principle ·

2022/04/19

How much you enjoy your law practice depends on who you allow to become your clients. The key to avoiding bad clients is learning how to spot toxic people. It's also important to have procedures in place to get rid of toxic clients you already have. That's what we'll cover in this episode. Show Notes Google "how to spot toxic people" A sample firm policy for accepting clients (i.e. avoiding toxic people) A sample procedure for getting rid of toxic clients General Resources Learn to use

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28:55

The Ultimate KPI (the most important thing to measure...

The 80/20 Principle ·

2022/04/12

If you're serious about managing a successful law practice, you should measure and track your Net Promoter Score. In this episode, you'll learn what the NPS is, how it's calculated, and how it can lead to you getting more great clients, and fewer bad ones. Show Notes The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth About Extraordinary Results, by Gary Keller The Ultimate Question 2.0: How Net Promoter Companies Thrive in a Customer-Driven World, by Fred Reichheld & Rob Markey Take my NPS survey and

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50:47

198: How to Take a 1 Month Vacation (Interview with...

The 80/20 Principle ·

2022/04/05

Business attorney Andrew Legrand is planning to go rafting in the Grand Canyon for 21 days during September, and will be completely out of touch with his law firm for a full month. How can he be sure that everything will continue to run smoothly while he's gone? Listen and find out. (spoiler alert: he relies on well-documented systems) Show Notes Andrew Legrand's Law Firm Website Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, by Carol Dweck Solo By Choice, by Carolyn Elefant How to Start and Build

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317 results

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