Scalable Law Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Podcast Update & The Clio Conference (Ep 106) Sep 26, 2022

Show notes

Today on the podcast, I give a life update on what has been going on with the podcast and what I am doing in the coming weeks.

I am very excited to be heading over to Nashville for the Clio In The Cloud Conference, where Scalable Law is a sponsor of this incredible event.

If you are going to be at the Clio Conference on the 10th and 11th of October, please come and say hi!

What Numbers You Should Be Reviewing In Your Firm (Ep 105) Sep 02, 2022

Show notes

Today on the podcast Caralee shares what numbers she measures in her law firm weekly and how being on top of these numbers has moved her business forward.

Most law firm owners don’t know their data, and they focus on the wrong numbers. Today learn what you should be focusing on instead and why these numbers are the ones that can help you to have your finger on the pulse in your business at all times.

Tune in to this episode and get your pens ready because Caralee gives you the exact data points that you should be watching.

If you want to learn more about how to successfully scale your law firm, head over to www.scalablelaw.com

Connect with Caralee on:

Instagram @caralee.fontenele

LinkedIn @caraleefontenele

If you enjoyed the podcast please leave a review!

It Is Never To Late To Up Level Your Law Firm with Kelly Stanford (Ep 104) Aug 22, 2022

Show notes

In this episode, we have a special guest, Kelly Stanford from Stanford's Solicitors and Mediators.

Kelly is also a student in the Scalable Business Lounge, learning how to leverage her firm for more time and freedom.

Being in business for over twenty years, Kelly has many experiences that she generously shared with listeners.

Being a people person, Kelly has a passion for helping my clients find a solution to their legal problems. She stumbled into family law and has found her niche in helping clients through their separation and divorce, and estate planning.

One of the key takeaways from what Kelly shared is that as a lawyer, she started her firm because she was great at offering a legal service.

However, she realised that in her early days as a law firm owner, all she had done was created herself a full-time job rather than a business that afforded her more freedom and profit. It wasn’t until recent years that she started to scale her practice so that her business could serve her in far more beneficial ways.

Kelly has had a bigger focus on working on her business rather than in it. Since joining mentoring groups and connecting with other law firm owners, including the Scalable Business Lounge, Kelly has started implementing changes into her practice.

As a result, she has a much better work-life balance and is looking forward to the next phase of her business.

We also had a really interesting chat about what it was like starting a business in the late 90s versus now. There have been so many changes in the legal industry which makes it much easy to start a law firm these days.

Tune in to hear us talk about how to get from running a firm that provides only a job to scaling a law firm that can provide a lifestyle and freedom.

You can find Kelly Stanford here:

Website: https://stanfords.com.au/about/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellystanford/

CONNECT WITH CARALEE:

Instagram @caralee.fontenele

Facebook: @caraleefontenele

LinkedIn: @caraleefontenele

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Should You Be Running Google Ads In Your Law Firm? (Ep103) Aug 14, 2022

Show notes

In this episode, Caralee talks about Google ads and if you should be running them in your law practice. Many law firm owners rely on referrals and are worried about throwing money away on Google Ads.

Google has recently changed the layout of the front page of Google, and it is becoming more difficult to appear above the fold on the front page unless you pay for Ads.

Well-run ads can help draw in interested leads in your service industry business. Pay per click (PPC) is a great method to attract leads and get eyeballs on your website. By investing in PPC, you will obtain leads that are more likely to use legal services.

So if you are not sure where to start with Google Ads in your law firm and are worried about throwing away good money, then this is a great episode for you.

GET SOCIAL WITH CARALEE:

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Are you heading for law firm burnout? (Ep 102) Jul 31, 2022

Show notes

Today on the podcast, we are talking about law firm burnout and how to recognise if you are doing too much! It can be stressful running your law firm.

Not only are you a lawyer, helping clients and meeting the demands that lawyers face, but you are also running a business. There are only so many hours in a day, and at times law firm owners are stretched way too thin and doing way too much.

Being responsible for all aspects of running files as well as marketing, accounts, finance and HR. This is a recipe for burnout!

So what are the signs of law firm owner burnout? If you are working crazy hours, not switching off on the weekends and trying to hold everything together, it is essential that you listen to your body and how you feel, as you could have signs of burnout and not even know it. Are you tired constantly? Do you feel stressed? Are you having trouble sleeping? These are signs you should not ignore as it could mean you have burnout.

In the past, I have experienced burnout without realising what it was. If you are unsure, here are some signs that you may be heading towards burnout and need to change how you run your law firm.

1. You dread going into your law firm and have deep Mondayitis!

If you are not excited about a new week and instead get that dreaded feeling on Sunday about the week ahead, this is a sign of potential burnout. This is more than being sad that the weekend is over. Getting that feeling in your gut about the week ahead, facing clients, staff members, or opening emails can be signs that something needs to change.

2. Feeling exhausted all the time.

Feeling either emotionally or physically exhausted all the time are signs of burnout. This can cause a lack of motivation, concentration and strain as you do your usual tasks. You find that you make silly mistakes and are at risk in your law firm of creating issues on client files or making costly business mistakes.

3. You are not excited about your law firm.

When you first started your firm, you were excited, full of hope and had the enthusiasm to get your law firm working for you. A sign that you are heading towards law firm burnout is that you are feeling disinterested in your business. Maybe hopeless, the satisfaction isn’t there, and you are wondering why you started your firm or thinking maybe being an employee may be better. Everything feels like hard work.

4. Your performance is suffering, and you are making avoidable mistakes.

Your performance isn’t what it used to be, and you have noticed that you are dropping the ball. You don’t feel like calling people back and dread opening your email. This may result in more incoming complaints from clients or clients going elsewhere. On the other hand, this could be because you are burnt out and need to implement other strategies into your law practice to return to being the peak performer you once were.

5. Your sleep is suffering!

If you are lying awake at night with work issues running around in your head, this is a sure sign that something needs to change in your law firm. If you have niggling thoughts keeping you up at night, burnout is either already there or just around the corner. Physical ailments are appearing.

Your body is telling you that you are doing too much, over-stressed and need to look at how you are running your law firm.

6. You may even have physical symptoms before recognising what is happening.

If you are burnt out you may experience the following:

Heart palpitations
Stomach aches
Headaches
Appetite changes
Shortness of breath

It can be stressful running a law firm, however, it doesn’t have to be this way. It can be the opposite! It can fun, and bring you joy and freedom. It is just a matter of knowing what you need to implement to create a law firm that can provide you with the lifestyle you have dreamed of.

Head on over to my free workshop to learn exactly how you can scale your law firm without burnout! Click here

Connect

Website - www.scalablelaw.com
Instagram @caralee.fontenele
Facebook: @caraleefontenele
LinkedIn: @caraleefontenele

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW ON ITUNES FOR A SHOUTOUT

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, you need to! I don’t want you to miss an episode! Plus, leave your business name and your Instagram handle for a shoutout!

Should You Be Using Scheduling App For Your Law Firm? (Episode 101) Jul 18, 2022

Show notes

In this podcast, we discuss using scheduling apps in your law firm as a marketing tool to bring more enquiry into your law firm.

If your prospects are at home after hours, it is the perfect solution to have an automated system where clients can book an initial appointment with your law firm. Law firms face serious challenges when it comes to appointment scheduling, and it can be clunky and time-consuming.

The good news is that scheduling software can help you to automate your appointments, freeing you and your team up to focus on other tasks. There are loads of scheduling platforms on the market. Some have free offers, some are paid, and some have other cool features.

I will share with you what scheduling app we use in my law firm. How we use it and how it has helped my law firm to automate and grow. I also share with you two other scheduling apps that are being used by some of the students in the Scalable Business Lounge. While there are some differences between the platforms, all of the scheduling tools that I speak about today on the podcast offer integration into your firm's calendar, such as Office 365, iCal, or Google Calendar.

For more information about the scheduling apps that I spoke about, head to their websites:

1. Law Connect - https://lawconnect.com/au/

2. Calendly - https://calendly.com/

3. Acuity Scheduling - https://www.acuityscheduling.com/

CONNECT WITH Caralee:

Instagram @caralee.fontenele
Facebook: @caraleefontenele
LinkedIn: @caraleefontenele
Scalable: @scalablelaw.com

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW ON ITUNES FOR A SHOUTOUT Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, you need to!I don’t want you to miss an episode.

The Importance of Growing Your Personal Legal Brand (Ep 100) Jun 13, 2022

Show notes

As a lawyer, your reputation is based on collective actions, behaviors, opinions, and beliefs. Your personal brand, however, is intentional. It is about visibility and values that you outwardly represent. Your personal brand plays a crucial role in your success.

Why else does your personal brand as a lawyer matter?

It represents who you are in public, professionally;
It allows you to stand out from the crowd;
You will gain referrals;
You can bring more value as an employee;
You will have more and better opportunities;
Be in control of your brand and reputation; and
You can take your brand wherever you go!

Competition is fierce in the legal industry - It is essential to recognise that people buy from people, not law firms!

In the Scalable Business Lounge, we focus on how to elevate your personal brand to make people want to work with you and for you. There is such a massive opportunity to fulfill by having a personal brand, so make sure you do it right! To find out more about the Lounge, click here.

Listen to the full podcast now to find out more!

GET SOCIAL WITH CARALEE:

Instagram @caralee.fontenele
Facebook: @caraleefontenele
LinkedIn: @caraleefontenele
Scalable: @scalablelaw.com

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW ON ITUNES FOR A SHOUTOUT

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, you need to! I don’t want you to miss an episode.

How To Make Decision Making In Your Law Firm Super Easy (Ep 99) May 24, 2022

Show notes

This week on the podcast, Caralee talks about the importance of knowing and living by your core values as a law firm owner. Last week she was invited to revisit her core values again, and it was an interesting exercise to see if her core values had shifted or not.

Running a law firm and being faced with the hundreds of decisions a day that you have to make can be difficult, but as Caralee explains, when you are aligned to your core values, it becomes easier to make tough decisions.

Core values are deeply held beliefs that help guide you in life and in business. They are often one-word qualities that you want to run your life by which includes your law practice as a firm owner.

There are many benefits of knowing your core values, including:

1. You will experience easier decision making, just as stated by Roy Disney;

2. You will identify if you or your business isn’t aligned; Your law firm goals will be easier to determine if you know your foundational core values;

3. You will establish law firm individuality, which is required in our competitive market; and

4. Your law firm will be both anchored and have a robust engine for success.

In this podcast, listen to Caralee's tips to explain why you should identify your firm's core values and live by them. Create raving fans and keep complaints to a minimum.

As mentioned in the podcast, head to www.scalablelaw.com to download free resources, templates, and you will find Caralee’s mastermind membership - the Scalable Business Lounge. This is a program where Caralee breaks down how to scale your law firm in 4 easy strategies!

See the links below for more info!

CONNECT WITH Caralee:

Instagram @caralee.fontenele

Facebook: @caraleefontenele

LinkedIn: @caraleefontenele

Scalable: @scalablelaw.com

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW ON ITUNES FOR A SHOUTOUT Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, you need to! I don’t want you to miss an episode.

The 4 Things You Should Be Doing Before EOFY In Your Law Firm (Ep 98) May 15, 2022

Show notes

It is only six weeks until the end of the financial year, so today on the podcast Caralee discusses the four things that you should be doing in your law firm between now and then to get your firm in the best position for the new financial year.

You will learn what you need to do in your firm to make this EOFY happen and how you prepare to make 2022-2023 your best financial year yet!

Depending on where you are located in the world may affect how much of a priority EOFY is for you. Here in Australia, June 30th is the last day of our financial year. Don’t wait for the two weeks before EOFY - get started now, no matter where you are!

Remember, in business you want you to be proactive rather than reactive!

So, what do you need to get ready for EOFY? Caralee dives into the importance of the below:

1. Contact your Accountant & look at your figures!

You need to plan; we have six weeks until EOFY - Think, what invoices do you have coming in? What will you be billing? Is everything up to date and reconciled? Have you contributed to Super this year, and if not, can you contribute to your super fund? If you haven’t had this conversation with your accountant - go now!

2. Plan your goals for the next financial year!

If you haven’t had time to do your planning or filter your goals for the new financial year, now is your time. Not in July, this needs to be done this side of the year. Stay proactive rather than reactive.

3. Create a marketing plan that will support your law firm's goals

In order to grow and reach your goals, you must have the proper marketing to support them! Your marketing plan may start small and grow more extensive throughout the year - depending on your goals.

4. Create a content plan to support organic growth

What will you break down to promote your law firm on social media in the new financial year? You can watch Caralee’s FREE Social Media Workshop to digest precisely how you can plan your social media content. Social media is the best form of organic marketing, so set aside some time to do this workshop.

If you would love to do an entire planning session with me, now is the time! In the Scalable Business Lounge, we will have a Masterclass in June on exactly how you can get organising and prepare for your 2022-2023 financial year!

To apply to be a part of the lounge, you can do so by visiting scalablelaw.com

GET SOCIAL WITH CARALEE:

Instagram @caralee.fontenele
Facebook: @caraleefontenele
LinkedIn: @caraleefontenele
Scalable: @scalablelaw.com

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW ON ITUNES FOR A SHOUTOUT

Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, you need to! I don’t want you to miss an episode.

Tips For Lowering Client Complaints In Your Law Firm (Ep 97) May 09, 2022

Show notes

This week on the podcast, Caralee dives into how you can minimise client complaints by having excellent but simple best practices for the service that you offer. Getting client complaints is time-consuming, frustrating, energy-zapping, and avoidable!

Excellent customer service is something that Caralee’s firm, Collective Family Law, constantly strives to improve, and now Caralee wants to share her tips with you! She recognises that no matter how good your business is, there is always room to improve.

As law firm owners, we often know how to give excellent service to the clients ourselves, however, we can forget to train our team on how to do the same! Remember they are great lawyers, and they not have ever considered how to give a five-star service to the clients that walk through your law firm doors.

We all know what it is like to be a client, and we all know what it is like to be on the receiving end of a bad or poor service experience. It is frustrating and often can result in bad reviews.

At Collective Family Law, Caralee and her team aren’t unicorns so of course, they receive complaints from time to time. However, they work on as a team how to minimise those complaints by giving excellent customer service using a few simple strategies.

So, what does the ultimate service look like to minimise client complaints in your law firm?

In this podcast, listen to Caralee's tips to provide the best practices when it comes to service in your law firm. Create raving fans and keep complaints to a minimum.

As mentioned in the podcast, head to ScalableLaw.com to download free resources, templates, and you will find Caralee’s mastermind membership - the Scalable Business Lounge. This is a program whereby Caralee breaks down how to scale your law firm in 4 easy strategies!

See the links below for more info!

CONNECT WITH Caralee: