Lawyerist Podcast

Privacy is not just about keeping secrets. It is about protecting your power. In episode 629 of the Lawyerist Podcast, Zack Glaser talks with Oxford professor and author Carissa Véliz about how personal data gives companies, governments, and technology platforms the ability to influence our choices and shape our lives.

Carissa explains why seemingly harmless information, from the music you enjoy to the way your phone battery drains, can be used to identify, categorize, and predict you. They explore how AI has made surveillance cheaper and more powerful, why predictions should never be treated as facts, and how automated scores can affect important decisions without giving people a meaningful way to challenge them.

The conversation also offers practical ways to reclaim control without abandoning technology entirely. From choosing more private digital tools to questioning the predictions presented as inevitable, Carissa shows why every decision to protect your privacy matters.

If you have ever clicked “accept” without thinking about what happens next, this episode will change the way you think about your data, your autonomy, and who gets to shape your future.

Listen to our previous episodes on AI, Privacy & Legal Ethics.

#618: AI and Legal Ethics: Protecting Client Privacy in a Changing Legal System, with Sunny Eaton Apple | Spotify | LTN

#612: AI for Lawyers: What You Need to Know Before Your Clients Do, with Cat Casey Apple | Spotify | LTN

#582: Deepfakes, Data, and Duty: Navigating AI Ethics in Law, with Merisa Bowers Apple | Spotify | LTN

#543: What Lawyers Need to Know About the Ethics of Using AI, with Hilary Gerzhoy Apple | Spotify | LTN

#486: How to Safely Include AI in Your Legal Tech Stack, with Will Anoh Apple | Spotify | LTN

Have thoughts about today’s episode? Join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X!

If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you.

Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com.

Chapters / Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction

00:55 – The Future of Law Firm Leadership

05:00 – The Four Cornerstones of Leadership

09:00 – Be a Next Level Leader

10:45 – Meet Carissa Véliz

11:45 – Why Privacy Is Power

13:30 – How Personal Data Limits Your Autonomy

15:50 – Who Decides What Your Data Says About You?

17:50 – How Companies Exploit Personal Vulnerabilities

20:10 – The Data You Never Realized Was Personal

21:15 – The Connection Between Surveillance and Prediction

22:30 – Applying Fiduciary Duties to Personal Data

24:15 – Why You Cannot Contest a Prediction

26:20 – Banning the Sale of Personal Data

28:25 – Predictions Are Power Plays, Not Facts

30:30 – AI and the Expansion of Digital Surveillance

33:25 – How to Take Back Your Digital Privacy

37:30 – Why Every Privacy Choice Matters

40:00 – The Future Is Not Predetermined

41:25 – The Most Private Way to Read a Book

Law firm marketing does not have to mean paid ads, aggressive sales tactics, or posting constantly online.

In episode 628 of the Lawyerist Podcast, Chad Fox talks with Aaron Thomas about marketing for lawyers who do not think of themselves as marketers. Aaron shares how he went from relying almost entirely on referrals to building a more intentional approach that helped grow his firm and bring in better-fit clients.

They explore why referral marketing is still marketing, how newsletters can keep firms visible, and why useful content often works better than a direct sales pitch. Aaron also explains how lawyers can build stronger referral networks, make their expertise easier to find, and outsource repetitive marketing tasks without hiring a full-time employee.

If you want to grow your firm without sounding salesy or turning marketing into a second job, this episode provides simple strategies you can begin using right away.

This episode is sponsored by Posh Virtual Receptionists. As Aaron explains, effective marketing is often less about selling and more about making it easier for the right clients to find, trust, and connect with your firm. Posh helps support that experience by answering calls, improving responsiveness, and helping law firms maintain consistent communication with prospective and current clients.

Learn more at https://posh.com/lawyerist/.

Listen to our previous episodes on Law Firm Marketing & Building Client Relationships.

#608: Business Development for Lawyers: Building Real Relationships That Lead to Clients, with Megan Senese Apple | Spotify | LTN

#603: Turn Expertise into Clients: Building Authority That AI Recognizes, with Karin Conroy Apple | Spotify | LTN

#546: Unlock Law Firm Growth: AI Marketing Secrets, with Karin Conroy Apple | Spotify | LTN

#526: LinkedIn Mastery: Grow Your Law Firm NOW!, with Matthew Hunt Apple | Spotify | LTN

#515: Simple Marketing Hacks Lawyers Swear By, with Gyi Tsakalakis Apple | Spotify | LTN

Have thoughts about today’s episode? Join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X!

If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you.

Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com.

Chapters / Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction

00:25 – What Happens When a Business Fully Unplugs

02:05 – Why Rest Belongs in Your Business Plan

12:15 – Meet Aaron Thomas

13:05 – Every Law Firm Is Already Marketing

15:05 – Finding More of the Right Clients

16:20 – Why Advertising Should Not Be Your First Move

17:40 – Marketing to Your Existing Network First

18:50 – Newsletters That Clients Want to Read

21:05 – Networking Without the Sales Pitch

21:55 – Creating Referral Partnerships with Other Lawyers

23:50 – Using Helpful Content to Build Authority

25:10 – Let Your Expertise Do the Selling

26:25 – Why Free Information Still Leads to Paid Work

28:30 – A Practical Starting Point for Overwhelmed Firms

29:50 – Outsourcing the Work That Never Gets Done

31:20 – How Basic Marketing Created Rapid Growth

32:55 – Closing Thoughts

Knowing your communication style is useful. Knowing when to move beyond it is what creates growth. In episode 627 of the Lawyerist Podcast, Zack Glaser talks with Zeina Baydoun about how law firm leaders and teams can use DISC to better understand themselves, communicate more effectively, and respond with greater intention.

Zeina breaks down why DISC is not a personality test or a permanent label. It is a starting point for recognizing the behaviors that come most naturally, the blind spots those tendencies can create, and the ways stress may amplify them. Rather than using a profile to say, “That is just how I am,” she encourages leaders to ask whether their default response is actually what the person or situation needs.

They discuss how different communication styles can create friction inside law firms, why understanding behavior can replace judgment with curiosity, and how teams can better support one another without lowering expectations for growth.

If you want to improve communication without forcing everyone to think and work the same way, this episode offers a thoughtful framework for building more adaptable leaders and more connected teams.

Listen to our previous episodes on Leadership, Communication & Building Stronger Law Firm Teams.

#615: How to Stop Being the Bottleneck and Build Stronger Teams, with Debbie Foster and Stephanie Everett Apple | Spotify | LTN

#596: The Athlete’s Mindset for Lawyers, with Jess Sargus Apple | Spotify | LTN

#592: Client Care, Culture, and Character: A Framework for Great Leaders, with William O’Neal Apple | Spotify | LTN

#527: Casting Your Vision and Leading Your Firm, with Kevin DeShazo Apple | Spotify | LTN

Have thoughts about today’s episode? Join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X!

If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you.

Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com.

Chapters / Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction01:25 – Using DISC as an Active Leadership Tool04:10 – Meet Zeina Baydoun05:45 – What DISC Reveals About Communication08:35 – Understanding Behavioral Preferences12:00 – How Self-Awareness Changes Team Dynamics14:40 – The Problem with Personality Labels16:20 – Why Leaders Cannot Hide Behind Their Style17:40 – Developing Skills Outside Your Comfort Zone18:55 – Adapting Your Communication to the Situation21:55 – Leadership and Communication Under Pressure25:25 – Supporting Strengths and Managing Blind Spots28:50 – Creating Space for Other People to Lead31:05 – Moving Beyond Fixed Leadership Styles32:10 – Building New Behavioral Habits33:05 – Choice, Growth and Intentional Leadership35:05 – Closing Thoughts

Law firms deal with serious issues, but that does not mean every client interaction has to feel heavy. In episode 626 of the Lawyerist Podcast, Stephanie Everett talks with Jennifer Cargo about humor as an underrated communication skill for lawyers and law firm teams.

Jennifer shares how her experience with comedy training and amateur standup shaped the way she connects with clients, leads a team, and lightens stressful moments inside a law firm. From breaking the ice during client signings to helping team members feel more comfortable bringing challenges to her, she explains why humor is not about being silly or unprofessional. It is about paying attention, reading the room, and making people feel at ease.

Together, they explore how small moments of levity can build trust, improve client experience, and create a more approachable workplace culture. Jennifer also shares what comedy teaches about timing, observation, confidence, and finding the absurdity in everyday life.

A more human law firm does not always start with a new process or platform. Sometimes, it starts with the way you make people feel when they walk through the door.

Listen to our previous episodes on Law Firm Communication & Client Trust.

#609: Improve Client Satisfaction Without More Work: Designing Smarter Legal Services, with Laura Hartnett Apple | Spotify | LTN

#606: Breaking the Copycat Cycle: Building a Law Firm with Personality, with Patrick Patino Apple | Spotify | LTN

#592: Client Care, Culture and Character: A Framework for Great Leaders, with William O’Neal Apple | Spotify | LTN

#462: Designing an Empathetic Client Experience, with Kirk Simoneau Apple | Spotify | LTN

#338: Reframing Your Client Experience, with Spencer Keys Apple | Spotify | LTN



Have thoughts about today’s episode? Join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram!

If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you.

Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com.

Chapters / Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction

00:20 – Humor as a Serious Communication Skill

00:45 – What Makes LabCon Different

02:05 – Working on the Business, Not Just in It

04:03 – Meet Jennifer Cargo

05:17 – How Comedy School Changed Jennifer’s Perspective

06:29 – Practicing Confidence Before the Stage

07:22 – Standup, Improv, and Learning to Be Funny

08:42 – Observing the Absurdity Around You

09:05 – Turning Office Friction into Client Connection

10:44 – Humor and the Client Experience

12:06 – Finding Levity Without Dismissing Stress

14:43 – Why Smiling Changes the Interaction

15:29 – Timing, Pauses, and the Structure of a Joke

18:56 – What Law Firms Can Learn from Comedy

20:27 – Building Trust Through Approachable Leadership

22:45 – AI, Comedy Writing, and Creative Prompts

24:51 – Using AI as a Thought Partner

25:17 – The Value of Trying Something New

Most law firm owners know what it feels like to need help. But needing help and being ready to hire are not always the same thing. In episode 625 of the Lawyerist Podcast, Stephanie Everett sits down with Bernadette Harris to talk about the timing, planning, and clarity required to make a successful hire. 

Bernadette shares why the biggest hiring mistake is not always choosing the wrong person. Sometimes, it is hiring at the wrong time. Hire too soon, and the firm may not have enough work or revenue to support the role. Hire too late, and the owner may be too overwhelmed to train, onboard, and set the new person up for success. 

Stephanie and Bernadette discuss how to evaluate consistent demand, identify whether the owner is the real bottleneck, and use capacity planning to make a more grounded hiring decision. They also explore why lawyers need to define the role clearly before bringing someone in, including the tasks, expectations, soft skills, and success metrics that will shape the position. 

If you are thinking about hiring because your firm feels chaotic, this episode will help you pause, look at the data, and make sure you are solving the right problem before adding another person to the payroll. 

Listen to our previous episodes on Law Firm Hiring, Delegation & Building Better Teams. 

#621: Stop Calling Them VAs: How to Build a High-Performing Remote Legal Team, with Raquel Gomes Apple | Spotify | LTN 

#616: From Solo to CEO: Letting Go of Legal Work to Grow Your Firm, with Ellen Williamson Apple | Spotify | LTN 

#615: How to Stop Being the Bottleneck and Build Stronger Teams, with Debbie Foster and Stephanie Everett Apple | Spotify | LTN 

#523: Financial Red Flags: Are You Hiring Too Soon?, with Bernadette Harris Apple | Spotify | LTN 

 

Have thoughts about today’s episode? Join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X!  

If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you.  

Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com.  

Chapters / Timestamps 

00:00 – Introduction00:17 – The Case for Closing the Firm for a Week01:30 – What Has to Be True Before You Can Unplug02:35 – Planning Ahead So Time Off Actually Works03:25 – Meet Bernadette Harris03:55 – The Real Hiring Problem: Wrong Timing04:20 – Financial Stress vs. Operational Chaos05:25 – How to Know When Your Firm Is Ready06:05 – Why Hiring Decisions Need Data06:40 – Capacity Planning for Law Firm Owners07:40 – Are People in the Right Seats?08:45 – Consistent Work vs. One Busy Month09:55 – The Referral Problem and Predictable Demand11:15 – When the Owner Becomes the Bottleneck12:25 – The Time Study Every Owner Needs13:05 – Stop Hiring for “Help”14:20 – Role Clarity and the Type of Person You Need15:45 – Soft Skills Matter More Than You Think16:40 – Why You May Need the Opposite of Yourself17:45 – Onboarding Is More Than Paperwork18:30 – Creating a 90-Day Training Plan20:25 – Why Expectations Need to Be Clear Up Front22:50 – Showing New Hires What Success Looks Like24:30 – What Really Makes a Firm Ready to Hire24:45 – Closing Thoughts