#567: From Quiet to Confident: Redefining Success as an Introverted Lawyer, with Heidi Brown
This episode of the Lawyerist Podcast offers a thorough exploration of understanding introversion, shyness, and social anxiety, and how these traits can be leveraged as strengths, particularly in the legal profession. You'll hear Zack Glaser's conversation with law professor and author Heidi Brown, who shares insights from her book, The Introverted Lawyer.
Heidi provides clarity on the distinctions between being an introvert—someone who processes information internally and recharges with solitude—versus shyness or social anxiety, which stem from a fear of judgment or criticism. Heidi Brown, a public speaker and author who identifies as an introvert, demonstrates that it's possible to be confident and professionally effective while embracing introversion.
You'll discover how introversion can be a "superpower," bringing valuable assets such as active listening, thoughtful problem-solving, empathy, sensitivity to nuance, and strong writing skills to any professional dynamic. The conversation also covers practical steps for introverts to show up authentically and confidently, including mental and physical reflection techniques, reframing negative self-talk, and developing pre-game and game-day routines for high-pressure situations.
Heidi offers perspectives on supporting introverted team members to foster a shared vocabulary around individual strengths. Learn how to recognize and harness your unique qualities, or those of your team, to excel in the legal profession.
Listen to our other episodes:
#564: The Gift in the Struggle: Leveraging Emotional Intelligence for Growth, with Sara Muender Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist
#535: Lawyer Burnout: 5 Hidden Signs You’re About to Crash, with Natasha Evans Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist
#506: Managing Stress & Avoiding Burnout, with Emily Nagoski Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist
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 Introversion, Shyness, and Social Anxiety Defined
05:14 Internal vs. External Processing: Understanding Different Communication Styles 15:56 Introversion as a Superpower in the Legal Profession
18:32 Authenticity and Confidence: Mental and Physical Strategies
25:52 Embracing the Blush: Reframing Physical Responses
30:52 Building Confidence: The Power of Pregame and Game Day Routines
34:29 Supporting Introverts in the Workplace
41:36 Your Place in Law: A Message of Empowerment
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#566: Building Solutions from Legal Experience, with Katya Fisher
What happens when a lawyer stops accepting inefficiency as “just the way things are”? In this episode, Zack Glaser talks with attorney and legal tech founder Katya Fisher about her journey from launching a solo practice during the Great Recession to building scalable tools for transactional lawyers.
Katya shares how her legal experience—spanning BigLaw, in-house, and solo practice—revealed pain points in the dealmaking process that technology still hadn’t solved. She explains how she went from identifying those issues to building software that brings clarity, organization, and efficiency to high-stakes legal work.
Along the way, Katya unpacks:
The scrappy start to her legal career
How working solo gave her an edge inside a global corporate group
What legal professionals need to know about scaling their ideas
Why tech tools fail lawyers—and how that can change
Whether you're a lawyer thinking beyond the billable or simply curious how innovation happens in the legal world, this episode delivers practical insights with an entrepreneurial twist.
Listen to our other episodes on entrepreneurship:
#411: Staying Entrepreneurial at a Bigger Firm, with Nick Pleasants Apple Podcast | Lawyerist
#268: Riding the Entrepreneurial Rollercoaster, with Cameron Herold Apple Podcast | Lawyerist
#205: Entrepreneurial Poverty & Why Average Law Firms Lose, with Mike Michalowicz Apple Podcast | Lawyerist
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: The Entrepreneurial Lawyer
01:02 Quarterly Planning: Intentional Business Growth
07:15 Solo Practice Origins: Scrappy Beginnings
13:36 The Competitive Advantage of Broad Experience
17:51 ADHD as a Superpower: Hyperfocus and Foresight
23:36 Accurately Identify a Business Problem
30:40 From Idea to Product: Building a Product or Workflow
36:10 Articulating Vision and Gaining Buy-In
41:14 Lessons Learned: Advice for Aspiring Innovators
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#565: Becoming the AI Driven Leader, with Geoff Woods (Remastered)
This special remastered episode of the Lawyerist Podcast features Stephanie's conversation with Geoff Woods, author of The AI-Driven Leader. We're re-releasing it due to positive feedback on the depth of this discussion, ensuring you'll gain new insights and "aha!" moments with every listen.
In this episode, we explore AI's transformative power, viewing it not as a threat, but as a liberator that enhances our work. We dive into the five core human skills to emphasize in an AI-driven world: strategic thinking, problem-solving, communication, collaboration, and creation. We demonstrate how to leverage AI strategically, from evaluating business plans to acting as a growth-minded board member, and you'll hear how we're integrating AI into our own leadership meetings.
Geoff shares real-world examples of using AI as a "thought partner" to stress-test major strategic decisions, even creating an "AI board of advisors." He also provides practical applications for lawyers, such as using AI to review NDAs, stress-test legal arguments, and role-play closing arguments with AI as your jury. To guide your own AI journey, Geoff outlines his "CRIT" framework (Context, Role, Interview, Task) for effective prompting and highlights the importance of understanding AI model settings for data privacy and confidentiality.
Listen to our other episodes on the AI revolution:
#555: How to Use AI and Universal Design to Empower Diverse Thinkers with Susan Tanner Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist
#553: AI Tools and Processes Every Lawyer Should Use with Catherine Sanders Reach Apple Podcasts Spotify Lawyerist
#550: Beyond Content: How AI is Changing Law Firm Marketing, with Gyi Tsakalaki and Conrad Saam: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist
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.
The AI-Driven Leader
Chapters/Timestamps:
0:00 - Episode Introduction and Why This Remastered Version is Special
1:22 - AI as the Next Big Shift for Lawyers
6:28 - Geoff Woods: Redefining Leadership in the AI Era
9:11 - The Five Core Human Skills Enhanced by AI
10:36 - Strategic AI: Beyond Basic Tasks
14:24 - AI as Your Strategic Thought Partner
19:47 - Navigating AI: Threat vs. Opportunity for Lawyers
20:56 - Practical AI Applications: NDA Review and Valuation
28:51 - Building Your AI Habit: The "CRIT" Framework
32:19 - AI Security and Data Privacy for Legal Professionals
34:40 - The Risk of Inaction and Building the Future Firm
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#564: The Gift in the Struggle: Leveraging Emotional Intelligence for Growth, with Sara Muender
In this insightful episode of the Lawyerist Podcast, we invite you to explore the profound interplay between personal resilience and professional advancement. Join business coach Sara Muender and host Zack Glaser as they guide us through the essential process of reframing failure and leveraging hardships for significant growth.
You'll discover how encountering obstacles or experiencing a dip in professional momentum often reveals deeper, underlying emotional dynamics. We underscore the critical importance of emotional intelligence and the strategic prioritization of human experience over purely technical or strategic solutions. Sara shares how AI tools, while invaluable for streamlining operations like project management, also provide significant support in mitigating overwhelm and burnout, allowing you to shift focus from mere tasks to your overall well-being.
This conversation offers a compelling perspective on navigating your unique challenges, emphasizing that genuine resilience stems from directly engaging with difficulties, not from avoiding them. We'll discuss why comparing your professional journey to others can be unproductive and how embracing even uncomfortable emotions can become a potent catalyst for your development. If you're seeking to cultivate a more robust understanding of your professional hurdles and harness emotional intelligence for sustained success, this episode provides invaluable guidance.
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.
#516: Flexing Your Discipline Muscle to Stay Motivated, with Sara Muender
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist
#535: Lawyer Burnout: 5 Hidden Signs You’re About to Crash, with Natasha Evans
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist
#506: Managing Stress & Avoiding Burnout, with Emily Nagoski
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction & AI's Role in Work
01:50 - AI for Project Scoping & Management
03:47 - AI, Client Feedback & Emotional Intelligence
04:40 - Overcoming Overwhelm with AI
07:10 - Finding "The Gift in the Struggle"
08:04 - Battling Burnout & Comparison Traps
13:53 - The Power of Slowing Down
16:11 - Embracing Failure & Building Resilience
22:29 - Failure as Data, Not Personal Worth
23:41 - Personal Tragedy & Finding Meaning
29:22 - The Relativity of Pain & Self-Improvement
34:35 - Facing Hard Truths & Growth
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#563: Beyond the Traditional: Creating Future-Proof Legal Offerings, with Rachel Allums and Allison Harrison
Step inside a real-world example of legal innovation as two Lawyerist Lab members, Rachel Allums and Allison Harrison, reveal how they partnered to create Safe Sendoff, a new company addressing common legal needs for young adults.
Rachel and Allison identified a need for legal documents like powers of attorney and HIPAA releases when young people turn 18. They decided to join forces, sharing costs and leveraging their individual firm experiences to develop a product that serves both young adults and their parents. Beyond providing crucial legal forms, Safe Sendoff also includes an "Adulting 101" course, which educates young people on the responsibilities and rights that come with turning 18, covering topics from employment rules to filing taxes.
Their discussion highlights a new service delivery model offering automated, cost-effective solutions. Rachel and Allison share how their experience running their individual law firms informed their approach to building Safe Sendoff, allowing them to expedite the process of defining their purpose, vision, and ideal client. They also emphasize the benefits of working with a shared coach through Lawyerist Lab, which helped keep them on track. You'll learn about their commitment to transparent, upfront pricing and their focus on delivering valuable legal support through recorded explanations and automated processes, making high-quality legal information accessible at a fraction of the cost.
If this discussion sparks questions about optimizing your firm's operations or identifying new opportunities, consider exploring the "free small firm scorecard" at lawyerist.com/scorecard. It's a quick assessment to help you get a data-driven view of your firm and identify areas for smart improvements as you embark on your own innovation journey.
Listen to our other episodes:
#407: Serving Clients Through Alternative Business Structures, with Mike Payne and Chad Huebsch Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist
#368: Using Strategy Intensives for Your Firm’s Success, with Anne Romanello Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist
#320 A Labster Call, with Aaron Thomas Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist
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:
9:31 - Introducing Safe Sendoff: A New Venture
11:49 - The "Adulting 101" Component & Why Young Adults Need These Documents 15:14 - The Partnership Journey: Challenges and Synergies
17:48 - Building a Second Business Differently
22:46 - The Business Model: Beyond the Billable Hour
25:24 - Lessons Learned and Advice for Entrepreneurs
28:53 - What's Next for Safe Sendoff: Marketing and Growth
The Lawyerist Podcast is your ultimate guide to building, managing, and growing a successful small or medium-sized law firm. Tailored for lawyers and attorneys who aspire to thrive in today’s fast-paced legal landscape, this podcast delivers actionable advice, proven strategies, and cutting-edge insights to help you run a modern law firm with confidence.
Whether you're a solo attorney starting your practice, managing a growing firm, or looking to optimize your operations, The Lawyerist Podcast provides the tools you need. From mastering law firm marketing, streamlining workflows with legal technology, and improving client relationships to building sustainable firm culture, we cover everything that matters to entrepreneurial lawyers.
Hosted by industry leaders and packed with interviews featuring top legal professionals, tech innovators, and law firm management experts, each episode dives deep into topics like law firm profitability, automation, time management, and future trends in legal services.
If you’re searching for practical advice on how to run a law firm, grow your legal business, and stay ahead of the curve, The Lawyerist Podcast is the resource you’ve been waiting for. Subscribe now to elevate your practice and build the law firm of your dreams.
Ireland