Podcasts by Tips for Lawyers Podcast

How much Initiative is Too Much? from 2023-10-13T09:41

We all want to do the job properly and comprehensively, but at what point should you draw the line when it comes to chasing down the answer to every thought you have in a given task?

How can Young Lawyers Work more Efficiently? from 2023-09-29T09:40

It's a common issue for young lawyers - it just seems like everything takes much longer than it "should". So how can we be working towards more efficiency in our practice?

Should Lawyers Write with Contractions? from 2023-09-15T09:39

In "legal writing" (whatever that means) should we be using contractions? Some seem to be firmly against, and others much more casual about it all.

How to Write a better Advice from 2023-05-06T20:13

Many young lawyers come out of law school with a lot of knowledge and

the ability to put together a sound legal opinion on a given topic.

But when it comes to communicating that to ...

You Need to Ditch these Law School Habits from 2022-01-27T19:33

During law school you developed some tactics, habits and strategies designed to work within the system and maximise your results.

Some of them aren't going to translate well into legal pra...

Careful Who you Take Wellness Advice From from 2020-08-20T14:47

Should you take advice from people who haven't themselves thrived in the legal profession?

Law is Hard – Deal with It from 2019-10-24T08:28:59

I get it – bad things do happen in a legal career, and there are certainly some aspects that need “fixing”. But the truth is, even if we fix everything we can, a legal career is s...

How to Write Shorter Letters from 2019-10-17T21:42:55

Your letters are too long. Time to fix it. Your letters are too long. Time to fix it.

Are Young Lawyers Incompetent at Business? from 2019-10-10T01:37:18

And, more importantly, does it have to be that way? By applying a simple change in the way you perceive your decisions, you can start to ensure that you are working towards being a more valuable co...

Does your Drafting Achieve its Purpose? from 2019-07-18T04:49:41

Audience, Purpose, Tone and Brevity – you’ve heard me say it before, and you probably will again. These are the key elements of excellent legal drafting. So how can we ensure that the p...

Getting your Tone Right from 2019-07-02T01:29:19

Legal drafting isn’t just a way of throwing clever words on a page in a particular order. It’s about the right words, for the right situation, to achieve the desired purpose for the rec...

What to Do When You’re Not Busy from 2019-06-23T02:24:49

As lawyers we’re busy a lot, and some lawyers declare their busy-ness even when they’re not. But for young lawyers the first time they experience a period of relatively low workload can...

Are you Dissatisfied with your Legal Career? from 2019-05-18T01:09:27

It’s 100% guaranteed to happen – you hit “that point” where you start wondering whether this is all that a legal career has to offer. The question is: what are you going to ...

Are you Ready to Start your Own Firm? from 2019-05-02T05:20:48

Many young lawyers aspire to start their own firm. But beyond finances, business, marketing and legal knowledge there is one big question you need to tackle before you make the decision. Let’...

Careful Who you Copy from 2019-02-14T05:29:20

With all the advice, information and help available for young lawyers, it would be easy to try and suck up everything like an enormous sponge. I’m not totally convinced that’s a good id...

Delusions of Justice from 2018-12-15T23:45:57

We need to be clear about something – we don’t work in a justice system, we work in a legal system. There are a few reasons I want to make that distinction… which you’ll fin...

What’s the Rut and How can You Avoid It? from 2018-08-31T03:05:42

Falling into a rut isn’t always a bad thing, unless you don’t know you’re in it. In this episode I talk about how you can decide if the rut is right for you, and some tips to help...

Don’t Get Overwhelmed By Learning Skills… Do This Instead from 2018-07-30T19:24:12

With 30 days of legal skills in a row it would be easy to get overwhelmed by a massive “to do” list of things that you need to achieve instantly. But think back to where we started R...

Can you Really Design a Legal Career That You’ll Love from 2018-07-29T19:22:47

Yes. Yes you can. But you probably want more details than that, right?Yes. Yes you can. But you probably want more details than that, right?

Do you Know What Clients Hate? from 2018-07-28T19:21:23

In this episode we’re going to have a chat about one of the things that clients hate the most – and yet, it’s one of the most common practises among lawyers. Mostly because weR...

Clients Have Great Expectations… But What Are They? from 2018-07-27T19:20:03

Much of what we do as lawyers involves managing expectations – both in terms of what assumptions are made, what’s communicated, and how we go about delivering on what’s been promi...

Clients Don’t Always Come First from 2018-07-26T19:18:34

While clients might be the point, we also need to ensure that the role of our clients stays in perspective. We serve, and we serve to the best of our abilities. But there are times when clients sho...

Your Clients – The Legal Skill that Isn’t a Legal Skill from 2018-07-25T19:17:05

I don’t count people as “skills” but let’s face it – clients are really the whole point of this legal career you’ve chosen, right?I don’t count people as &...

Track Your Efforts as a Young Lawyer from 2018-07-24T19:15:11

It can be hard to think that you’ve had a good year, unless you actually take the time to jot down the ways you’ve improved and your successes over time. You might be surprised to see j...

Strategies for Young Lawyers to Add to Business Success from 2018-07-23T19:14:05

Even as a young lawyer there are some very simple strategies you can use to help the business along… and hopefully stand out as a real contributor in the meantime.Even as a young lawyer there...

Pulling the Levers of Law Firm Profit from 2018-07-22T19:13:07

Once you know what the levers are, you need to know how they work together. Otherwise you end up spoiling your meal.  Once you know what the levers are, you need to know how they work together...

The Three Critical Elements of Law Firm Profit from 2018-07-21T19:59:05

We’ve already touched the surface of law firms making money, and now we’re going to look at the pieces.  We’ve already touched the surface of law firms making money, and now ...

The Business of Law – Why It Matters from 2018-07-20T19:55:10

Even if you’re going to work a community services firm, you still need to understand the commercial impact of every decision you make. We’re going to skim the surface a bit of some core...

How Can You Add Value To Your Prospective Clients? from 2018-07-19T19:52:55

This is where a lot of lawyers get confused. They feel like the only value they have to offer is with their legal skills, and they don’t want to use those outside the context of a client rela...

Where Do Your Clients Hang Out? (and are you there?) from 2018-07-18T19:51:40

We’ve gone to the trouble of figuring out who your clients are… and now we need to find them. No it’s not a trick – you literally need to hunt down the places where your cli...

Who Do you Want as a Client? from 2018-07-17T19:55

Answer: probably anyway who will take you. But that’s not an ideal strategy to adopt when it comes to most forms of relationship building. So let’s take a moment and figure out who it i...

Principles, Strategies and Tools of Marketing from 2018-07-16T19:52:07

LinkedIn isn’t a marketing strategy. Nor is Twitter, nor are networking events. These things are tools that you use, but not strategies to achieve goals. Let’s talk about the difference...

Marketing is Relationship from 2018-07-16T00:40:54

If the word “marketing” sends shivers down your spine, then I understand. But perhaps it’s because you think of marketing as this big, bad thing that you have to do. Instead ̵...

Pick Up the Phone from 2018-07-14T19:43:39

There is a time for writing things, of course. But there’s a time when putting things in writing is inferior to just picking up the phone. Yes. Seriously.  There is a time for writing th...

The Critical Parts of Effective Legal Writing from 2018-07-13T19:31:03

If you want to write something, then consider this critical aspects is going to help you no matter what it is you’re trying to write.If you want to write something, then consider this critica...

Learning to Listen from 2018-07-12T19:28:07

It would be easy to think that everything is about how we express ourselves. But sometimes the most powerful parts of communication are the aspects of listening.It would be easy to think that every...

Undoing the Damage of Law School Writing Styles from 2018-07-11T19:53:27

Law school hasn’t done you any favours when it comes to writing properly. And while that might not be deliberate, it’s certainly tangible and it’s important to fix. Let’s ge...

The Elements of Effective Communication for Lawyers from 2018-07-10T23:41:57

Of course, communication is communication – if you master it as a lawyer, then you’ll probably be good at it across the board. But because so much of our job hinges upon our ability to ...

Mastering the Performance Review (or at least, not wasting it) from 2018-07-09T19:39:57

None of us like performance reviews very much. But at the very least we can hope to use them to best advantage.None of us like performance reviews very much. But at the very least we can hope to us...

Productivity and Focus from 2018-07-08T19:34:46

These are some of the most important characteristics of a lawyer – productivity and focus. If you can’t get these nailed down, then many things will elude you.  These are some of t...

If You’re Going to be Awesome… from 2018-07-07T19:32:18

Then you need to embrace the fact that your awesomeness involves a series of little steps. Every. Single. Day. The ability to develop good habits can’t be underestimated – master it, an...

Losers, Cruisers and Dynamos from 2018-07-06T19:29:55

There are three types of professional – losers, cruisers and dynamos… Which are you?There are three types of professional – losers, cruisers and dynamos… Which are you?

We Can’t Ignore Wellness from 2018-07-05T19:39:34

If we’re going to do a massive series on legal skills, then we can’t simply avoid the most basic skill: looking after yourself.If we’re going to do a massive series on legal skill...

The Basics of Personal Professional Growth from 2018-07-04T19:23:46

You’ve gotta start somewhere, and this is the best place to do it – personal, professional, growth.You’ve gotta start somewhere, and this is the best place to do it – person...

The 4 Legal Skillsets to Focus On in Your Career from 2018-07-03T19:37:39

If pressed, I can lump pretty much anything into one of these four areas – and you can too!  Focus on these basic foundations and you’ll be well placed moving into the future.  If ...

Constant Improvement from 2018-07-02T20:16:29

If you’re going to commit to developing your legal skills, then you need to appreciate the best way to go about it. If you’re going to approach it like trying to deadlift 300Kg on your ...

Why Focus on Legal Skills Rather than Learning Law? from 2018-07-01T20:09:42

It would be easy to convince ourselves that lawyers just need to know laws, statues and cases right? But it’s far from the truth. And, for most young lawyers, focusing on simply learning more...

Introducing 30 Legal Skills in 30 Days from 2018-06-30T20:01:32

If you’ve been around for long here, you know that it’s all about legal skills. Time to up the ante – we’re going for 30 skills in 30 days. Each day an actionable tip, hint ...

A Culture of Learning from 2018-06-17T07:22:05

How do you view your opportunities for continuing legal education? As a necessary evil? Or as an amazing chance to do something better? Let’s chat about the attitude we have to learning, and ...

What Order to Do Your Work In? from 2018-06-05T07:31:56

You’ve got a large job that’s made up of lots of different pieces. If you listened to the last episode then you know how to figure out what to do. The next question is: when do you do e...

A Simple Strategy for Complex Legal Problems from 2018-05-27T08:29:57

If the task you’ve been given is more complicated than you’ve done before, or perhaps in a novel area, then it can get a bit overwhelming trying to come up with the right solution to th...

Don’t Do Law Unless you Want to Be a Lawyer from 2018-02-08T04:29:03

Yep, it’s happened again. I’ve written about it but nothing quite makes you feel as good as having a decent rant about a topic. So here’s the gist – the Prime Minister of Au...

Bad Bosses in Law and How to Respond to Them from 2017-12-08T10:27:49

No matter what you do, at some point in your legal career you’re likely going to have a boss. They might be fantastic. But they might not be. And if you’ve got a boss who has a few defi...

Honing your Craft as a Lawyer from 2017-11-17T22:56:15

It wasn’t too long ago where someone wanting to learn would apprentice themselves to a master of the craft in question. But what about lawyers? How are you honing your craft, and have you con...

Two Massive Holes in Law School Education… That you can Fix from 2017-11-10T07:29:47

You already know that law school hasn’t got you “practice ready”. But the next question you should be asking is: what do I need to focus on from day 1? In this episode we’re...

What the Heck IS Work/Life Balance from 2017-11-04T05:29:49

We keeping talking about it – and everyone just nods, smiles and says “yep – I want that some more”. GIVE ME MORE WORK/LIFE BALANCE! But what is it that you actually want? T...

How do you Advise on Risk – and Why? from 2017-10-26T11:29

Lawyers have a curious relationship with risk. On the one hand we are trained (and sometimes paid) to identify risk to our clients. But what’s the upshot of that advice? Should we be telling ...

How to Get Stuff Done from 2017-10-19T22:13:42

No productivity hacks today – just some solid advice on how to execute faster. If you want to get things done in record time you’ve got to have some kind of system that lets you do it. ...

The Value of Human Connection from 2017-10-11T09:36:52

Law school teaches you many useful things, but ultimately it takes place inside a fictitious vacuum. Specifically, it ignores the commercial aspects of legal practice and the human element of legal...

Are you Trying to Sound Too Professional All the Time? from 2017-08-06T00:19:04

I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but lawyers have a bit of an obsession with sounding professional. We use words that other people don’t use. We develop arguments in a clinical and...

Focus versus Flexibility – Which is More Important? from 2017-07-23T00:31:26

You already know that focus is important, right? Me too. But so is flexibility if you’re going to manage to function in real life. How are you going to manage the tension between the two? Foc...

Are Robots Going to Replace the Legal Profession? from 2017-06-20T03:02:33

Talking about how artificial intelligence and robots are going to replace big parts of the legal profession is all the rage – so I thought I should have an opinion about it. In this podcast w...

Are you Making the Most of your Mentor? from 2017-03-24T09:37:45

So many firms have failing mentoring programs for young lawyers. There’s a reason, and you can’t pin it entirely on the firms or the mentors – it’s often YOU who don’t...

Is the Law for Everyone? from 2017-03-19T11:05:13

Some people actually shouldn’t be lawyers. That’s not an indictment on them, nor on the profession – they just shouldn’t be here. The danger comes when people try to force t...

The 5 Stages of your Legal Career from 2017-03-04T22:13:56

It’s not like your legal career is a static thing where you simply start, do stuff, then finish. It’s a vibrant living creature where your role from day to day is going to change, adjus...

Become a Fully Integrated Human Being from 2017-02-01T21:10:47

If you’re not functioning as a person, then you’re not functioning as a lawyer either. In this episode we take a look at: why I don’t like the phrase “work/life balance̶...

Social Media Mastery with Mitch Jackson from 2017-01-19T21:48:49

Ever wanted to know how you as a lawyer can develop a serious, effective, social media strategy to build your network and generate more work? Here’s how. In this episode, Mitch Jackson and I ...

How to Deal with Distractions from 2016-11-30T07:28:36

How often do you plan out your day, only to find that within 5 minutes of arriving at work  your “plan” has gone down the drain? If you’re like everyone else – it’s pr...

Generous Productivity for Lawyers – It’s Not About YOU from 2016-11-01T09:12:31

So many self-help books, articles, ideas and courses focus entirely on you. YOUR focus. YOUR productivity. YOUR outcomes. But that’s not how the real world works. Sure – you need to be ...

Stop Looking for a Job as a Lawyer from 2016-10-20T00:50:45

If you are on the hunt for a job as a lawyer and are struggling, then I want to encourage you to do something: stop it. Stop looking for a legal job. And start doing something else instead. Find ou...

It’s About Permission to Provide Value from 2016-10-17T01:28:25

Most people understand that they want to get lots of connections and build their network – but they’re not really sure why. Take a look at your business card collection, or your pile of...

100 Percent Guaranteed Failure from 2016-09-27T09:07:34

Welcome to the world of legal practice! The fact is that you’re going to make a mistake. Maybe small, but probably over time it’s going to be big. What’s going to happen? What are...

Which of these 5 Letter Writing Techniques are you Failing At? from 2016-09-21T21:44:09

Letter writing is a critical component of legal practice, and a skill that you’re going to have to exercise every single day. But when the time comes to actually put pen to paper, a lot of la...

Are you Spending Time, or Investing Time? from 2016-09-07T12:40:46

It’s a pretty obvious choice – are you spending time, or investing it? For many, the options don’t seem to exist. They think they have no time, no margin, no ability to make the c...

Are you going All In on your Legal Career? from 2016-09-05T00:53:05

Are you going all in on your legal career, or are you not invested? Here’s the truth – most lawyers don’t want to be in their jobs. That’s depressing and stupid.  If youR...

Why Don’t Law Firms see Returns from Social Media? from 2016-08-30T06:41:10

If you listened to the last episode then you’ll know that things are changing – in particular, I’m adding in a video element to the podcast – which kind of makes it not a po...

Changes are Afoot! from 2016-08-23T11:25:21

If you’ve been paying attention then you might have noticed that HUGE things are happening in the life of me. That said – you’re probably not that interested in my life, but those...

The Polite Fiction of Work/Life Balance from 2016-07-13T09:21:28

Today we explore the unspoken myth – that when firms talk about “work/life” balance in their advertising material, they don’t necessarily mean what you think they mean. In a...

Practical Legal Training – Tedious and Cumbersome? from 2016-07-09T03:02:23

There’s an ongoing debate between universities, firms, training groups, lawyers and students. It’s connected with the virtues, or otherwise, of practical legal training. Are graduates a...

How to Settle in to a New Law Firm from 2016-06-15T09:56:17

It can be a nerve wracking process, settling in to a new law firm as a brand new employee lawyer. However, there are a number of things you can do to help you settle in, get to know people, and ult...

Too Many Law Students, and Not Enough Jobs? from 2016-06-06T08:28:32

It’s one of the most common discussion points that comes up – are there simply too many law students, and not enough jobs? But in reality, that’s not the main issue.  Most people ...

Real Lawyers Are Expert Communicators from 2016-04-07T09:04:58

Real lawyers communicate.  There’s no getting around it, you just have to be great. But it’s more than just speaking, writing, and getting your own opinions out there. Communication isn...

Real Lawyers Are Self Aware from 2016-03-16T10:13:50

Some of the most obnoxious kinds of lawyers I know are those who simply refuse to acknowledge certain truths about themselves. But, far beyond just being annoying to others, a lack of self-awarenes...

Real Lawyers Aren’t Perfectionists from 2016-03-03T05:15:11

It would be easy to suggest that lawyers have to be perfect in everything they do.  After all, being perfect normally avoids you getting sued for negligence. But life is rarely as simplistic as tha...

Real Lawyers Have… Integrity from 2016-02-24T09:46:45

In this first podcast of my new series “Real Lawyers” I take a look at integrity. It is number 1 on the list for a variety of reasons, but at its core it is because everything else flow...

Should Lawyers Do Masters Degrees? from 2016-01-27T03:15:12

It comes up quite a lot.  Should young lawyers go beyond their Bachelor of Laws and expand into the heady world of a masters degree? Of course, there are (as always) a lot of factors to weigh up. S...

Are you using the “hope” learning method? from 2016-01-06T21:35:12

Many young lawyers today go into the profession with no clear idea about what they can do to improve.  They rely entirely upon what I have decided to call the “hope” method. They Hope t...

You Have More Time than you Think from 2015-12-14T09:35:32

I just do not have the time.  Where do you find the time?  How could I do that? These and more like them come up pretty often once people learn that I have a young family, work full time, run 2.75 ...

High Stakes, High Pressure – That’s the Game from 2015-11-24T12:13:55

In the reality of legal practice, you will absolutely 100 percent guaranteed come to a period of extreme pressure. You know the times I mean. It is when the weight is bearing down on you from all d...

Time Management Skills for Lawyers from 2015-10-28T10:15:59

We have a lot of things to do as lawyers, but we are not always the best at managing what to do when. It takes a strategic approach to properly allocate our work, and sometimes that involves some t...

5 Marketing Essentials for Young Lawyers from 2015-10-20T11:28:43

Marketing and networking is absolutely essential for young lawyers who want to excel in their careers. However, it’s a bit of a large area – after all, what can you do as a young lawyer...

Effective Client Communication Techniques from 2015-10-14T10:55:31

As part of my series on effective communication techniques. Keep your communications succinct Use the right mode of communication Strike the right tone Avoid repetition unless it’s helpful or...

Are you Committed to Constant Professional Growth? from 2015-10-07T21:53:19

There are some fundamentals that all lawyers need to embrace, and the starting point for all of them is a commitment to ongoing professional growth. That doesn’t mean you occasionally read a ...

Is a 20 Hour Work Day either Normal or Necessary? from 2015-09-23T08:44:27

As lawyers, it is pretty much accepted that we are going to work long hours. But is that the only reality of legal practice? Is it necessary to work massive hours to get ahead in your legal career,...

Patience is Not Always a Virtue from 2015-08-25T11:51:24

Patience is commonly extolled as a great virtue, and most of the time it is. However, as lawyers we are prone to deceiving ourselves – we say that we’re being patient, but in reality we...

How to Craft a Persuasive Message from 2015-08-06T11:27:28

In the last two episodes I have looked at some fundamentals of persuasion, albeit perhaps in a way that’s different to what you might have thought. We have looked at how useful persuasion is ...

More Persuasion for Lawyers – The Connection Element from 2015-07-28T12:22:10

In this second of my three part podcast series on persuasion for lawyers, I talk about the importance of the connection element when it comes to persuasion. Persuasion does not happen inside a vacu...

How to be Persuasive – Part 1 from 2015-07-22T22:16:21

Persuasion in the legal profession is unavoidable. You must be able to persuade someone of your point of view. But have you ever really delved into why you need to do that, and the opportunities to...

Some Thoughts On Integrity from 2015-07-07T10:06:21

Integrity is an interesting discussion point for lawyers. Everyone, at some fundamental level, agrees with the concept that integrity is a necessary element for any lawyer in practice. But we seem ...

Why do you Do what you Do? from 2015-06-23T12:27:19

It’s a crucial question that all lawyers need to ask themselves, but many leave things a bit late – why is it that you do what you do? Is it money? Prestige? Power? Nerdishness? Desire ...

5 Requirements for Working Effectively with your Secretary from 2015-06-09T09:55:42

Despite the increased tendency towards autonomy, many lawyers and law firms still rely heavily on support staff for leverage.  The result is that there is an entire team of individuals who perform ...

Why Your Legal Bills Don’t Get Paid from 2015-06-02T12:30:56

Even as junior lawyers, the moment you have a single file under your control you start to concern yourself with one big issue – getting your bills paid. I have found that there are some peopl...

How to Be a Happy Lawyer from 2015-05-26T08:43:43

The word “happy” can seem a little trite, but it can be a vital missing element to legal practice in the lives of many young lawyers. In a profession replete with stress and mental illn...

7 Essential Habits that you Need to Start Right Now from 2015-05-19T12:15:28

Today my message is this: there is no time like the present. Every day I see young lawyers putting off decisions, habits and lessons that they need to adopt earlier. I know this, because many of th...

5 Ways that Lawyers should Act like Entrepreneurs from 2015-05-12T09:57:03

There are many ways that young lawyers have been trained which are actually adverse to their overall chance for success. One way is their inability to embrace the possibilities that come with think...

Is your Personal Brand More important than your Firm’s Brand? from 2015-05-05T20:01:47

There is a natural tension in legal practice when you work for a law firm. When you develop relationships and build your brand, are you doing it for yourself? Or for your firm? Obviously your firm ...

Playing to your Strengths as a Lawyer from 2015-04-28T19:14:06

Playing to your strengths, or working on your weaknesses?  That’s the question in today’s podcast. While I address it, I give you a little insight into my own strengths (at least, accor...

3 Ways Young Lawyers can Disrupt the System for the Better from 2015-04-21T19:32:20

Have you ever considered that you have been trained to specifically avoid engaging in any activity that looks to the future, rather than referring to the past? Well you have. In effect, the methods...

Who Bears the Onus to Train Law Students and New Lawyers? from 2015-04-14T19:35

A Lawyers Weekly article  contained quote after quote of management level lawyers saying, in effect, that it was too expensive and not worth their time to train lawyers. On they went to say, effect...

Get your Audience Raving about your Next Presentation (AKA – How to Give a Good Presentation) from 2015-04-07T19:32:41

Giving a good presentation can be a burden, and many lawyers don’t have the training or inclination to do something that is memorable, educational and has a lasting impact. Sounds like an opp...

Writing Articles? The Wrapping Matters! from 2015-03-31T07:21:40

Lawyers write a lot of articles – it’s just a fact of life. As a result, it’s a little amazing to me that lawyers have basically no training (any many express no interest) in actu...

Either Take Some Risks or Stay in the Cage – it’s Up to You from 2015-03-24T07:00:56

Are you a bird in search of a cage?  Recently an article by Seth Godin really caught the attention of a number of Tips for Lawyers readers. I couldn’t help wonder why. Is it because that̵...

6 Tricks for a more Productive Morning from 2015-03-18T21:15:07

We’d all like to have it, wouldn’t we?  That feeling of control, serenity, energy and positivity going in to each day. Of course, the usual advice is to eat well, don’t drink too ...

“I hate Being a Lawyer” and other lies we tell ourselves from 2015-03-14T12:25:56

Some of the most frequently Googled things which lead people to this website are phrases like “I hate being a lawyer” and “Why do lawyers hate their jobs”. Does that disturb...

How to Build your Network From Day 1 from 2015-02-12T04:07:34

You know you’re supposed to build a network, but you’re not sure why, or how. As a young lawyer the process of building a network of relevant, meaningful industry contacts can be daunti...

How to Start Working on your Personal Brand NOW from 2015-01-29T12:04:19

All lawyers have a personal brand, one way or another.  But is it the one that they actually want to have? How do you want to be perceived?  Clever?  Arrogant?  Funny? Silly?  Engaging? Aloof? Perh...

Goal Setting and Promotion Strategy from 2015-01-15T11:48:57

You’ve probably decided on some aspirations right?  Set some bold targets? Well that’s not enough. You’ve got to set goals that are meaningful, optimistic, achievable but most of ...

Is Social Media a Complete Waste of Time for Lawyers? from 2014-12-11T11:51:49

One of the most common things I come across amongst lawyers is a perception that using social media for business development is a complete waste of time. It’s an interesting perspective, beca...

What are the Essentials of Legal Practice (and what are you doing about them)? from 2014-11-25T12:40:22

What do you view as the essential elements of legal practice? Well in this podcast I discuss what I see as the four main pillars of legal practice, with a preview for you of the Essentials Library....

Is Going Overseas Good for your Legal Career? from 2014-10-30T11:21:22

It’s the yearning of many young lawyer – to travel overseas, earn money, eat good food and generally explore the world while not going broke in the process. But as we start to convince ...

Are you Worthless In your Own Mind? from 2014-10-16T11:49:48

One of the transitions that all young lawyers need to make after they start in the profession is to begin to understand their sense of worth. In today’s podcast episode I explore how young la...

Perfectionism is Killing your Career from 2014-10-01T10:38:35

Lawyers have an overarching problem.  We’re all fundamentally defective when it comes to our own ability to progress our careers. The problem is fear of not being perfect. You see, our traini...

Ways to Do Well in a Job Interview from 2014-09-20T09:42:37

In the ever increasing job market that’s not too favourable to young lawyers, we’re seeing a never ending string of clones applying for jobs. Endless resumes full of identical grades, a...

How to React to People Who Hate Lawyers from 2014-08-27T12:14:49

Closing off on our series about people who hate lawyers, in this podcast I talk about how I suggest reacting to the “anti lawyer” approach that some people have. Specifically, I talk ab...

Why Does Everyone Hate Lawyers? from 2014-08-27T12:13:09

Lawyers have a special place in the community. At their highest, the legal professional is a trusted advisor, assisting their client in all aspects of their decision making in business. However, va...

Better Business Skills for Lawyers from 2014-08-27T12:11:11

Today’s podcast is an ode to my new Better Business Skills course. For my dedicated podcast listeners I’ve put the entire first day of the course into podcast format so you can hear wha...

Are you an Imposter? from 2014-08-27T12:09:34

In episode 10 of the Tips for Lawyers podcast I talk about “imposter syndrome” and how it might apply to lawyers. What is imposter syndrome?  It’s that feeling you get when you ar...

How to Write an Advice from 2014-08-27T12:07:25

Legal Writing is not a very sexy topic.  However, your legal career really hinges on your ability to communicate complex legal principles in a way that allows clients to understand it, and in a way...

Legal Careers should Add Value from 2014-08-27T12:05:16

Your legal career is pretty important to you, and I understand that.  So the question in today’s podcast is how you go about adding value to your legal career and advance your career prospect...

Performance Reviews – why we hate them, and how to fix it from 2014-08-27T12:03:02

In my time as a lawyer I’ve yet to come across anyone who genuinely loves performance reviews.  In reality, most people can’t stand performance reviews.  From the moment they get their ...

8 Reasons to Improve your Legalese from 2014-08-27T12:01:07

It’s essential for lawyers to develop their legalese properly. In this podcast I provide 8 pieces of wisdom to really get your legalese on the right path. Specifically in this podcast you wil...

How to Work a Room (networking for new lawyers) from 2014-08-27T11:59:22

Attending a function and trying to meet and network with new people for business doesn’t fill many new lawyers with joy.  In this episode of the podcast I talk about some tips for working a r...

What is Firm Culture, and What do you Do About it? from 2014-08-27T11:57:22

In this podcast I tell you what you need to know about law firm culture.   Law Firms have been talking about their “great culture” now for a while, but I’m not totally convinced w...

A little procrastination goes a long way from 2014-08-27T11:54:11

Show Notes Procrastination is to productivity as rust is to iron.  It erodes, eats away, and ultimately destroys your ability to be productive. So I made a podcast about it. In this episode you wil...

Forming New Habits from 2014-08-27T11:48:30

Tips for Lawyers Podcast Episode 2 – Show Notes In episode 2 of the Tips for Lawyers podcast I talk about forming new habits. What does that mean?  Well we deal with: Why I’m talking ab...

The Podcast Begins!!! from 2014-08-27T03:27:10

Tips for Lawyers Podcast Episode 1 – Show Notes Finally. FINALLY!!!! Yes, I’ve been talking about it for a while, but this is the first Tips for Lawyers podcast.  I hope you get somethi...