Épisodes

  • S03E114 Hourly Billing Is Nuts with Jonathan Stark
    Dec 4 2025

    Imagine your fastest work earning you the most money and your clients feeling calmer as the matter progresses. That’s the power of pricing outcomes instead of hours. We sit down with Jonathan Stark, author of Hourly Billing Is Nuts and host of Ditching Hourly, to unpack how lawyers can move from the grind of timesheets to a model that aligns incentives, improves margins, and strengthens trust.

    Jonathan takes us inside the moment he realized hourly billing punished his best developers and rewarded inefficiency. From there, we explore the core mindset shift: stop selling scope and start discovering value. You’ll learn how to lead smarter intake conversations, estimate what the result is worth to the client, and present three clear options with matching scopes of involvement. We dig into a practical divorce example to show how “value to the buyer” varies widely, why hourly pushes risk onto clients, and how fixed fees bring clarity, stability, and better relationships.

    We also dive into technology and AI. Under hourly billing, speed cuts revenue; under fixed fees, speed raises profit. That change turns automation, templates, and systems into strategic assets rather than threats. Jonathan shares tactics for piloting fixed fees, tracking internal effort to calibrate pricing, specializing to attract high buying power clients, and deciding when to decline work that can’t be priced within an order of magnitude. For legacy clients, he outlines a pragmatic path to fixed monthly fees with periodic review, freeing you from time tracking while improving outcomes.

    Reach Jonathan here:
    https://valuepricingbootcamp.com
    https://jonathanstark.com/
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanstark/
    Hourly Billing Is Nuts on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3J4EoC6

    Law Firm Marketing Fix

    Fix Your Law Firm’s Marketing in 10 Simple Steps

    Download Your Free Checklist - https://fix.lawmarketingzone.com/

    Ready to level up your law firm marketing? Book a FREE Discovery Call with Marilyn Here: https://lawmarketingzone.com/bookacall

    Leadership In Law Podcast with host, Marilyn Jenkins
    Powered by Law Marketing Zone®
    https://lawmarketingzone.com
    A full-service Digital Marketing Agency helping clients increase Leads, Cases, and Profit by getting their digital marketing right.

    Subscribe on your favorite Podcast listening platform!

    Like, Share, and Review us!

    #leadershipinlawpodcast #leadershipinlaw #lawmarketingzone #marilynjenkins



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    31 min
  • BONUS: The Google Maps Playbook In the AI Age with Marilyn Jenkins
    Dec 2 2025

    The Google Maps Playbook for Law Firms in the AI Age

    Free Training


    How to Dominate Local Searches with AI Optimization! Learn how to take advantage of the #1 place your future clients are clicking and calling when they need legal help.


    What You're Going To Learn:

    → How AI is transforming local search: Understanding AEO (AI Engine Optimization) and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)

    → Why traditional SEO isn't enough anymore when ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's AI Overviews are answering legal questions

    → How to optimize your Google Maps listing so AI engines recommend YOUR firm

    → The latest Google Maps updates and what they mean for your rankings

    → 5 biggest issues preventing you from showing up in the 3-pack

    → Our proven model for ranking locally in both traditional search and AI-powered results

    → Best tools to systematize and automate the heavy lifting


    Space is limited!


    Event link

    https://event.webinarjam.com/channel/GoogleMapsAI



    Law Firm Marketing Fix

    Fix Your Law Firm’s Marketing in 10 Simple Steps

    Download Your Free Checklist - https://fix.lawmarketingzone.com/

    Ready to level up your law firm marketing? Book a FREE Discovery Call with Marilyn Here: https://lawmarketingzone.com/bookacall

    Leadership In Law Podcast with host, Marilyn Jenkins
    Powered by Law Marketing Zone®
    https://lawmarketingzone.com
    A full-service Digital Marketing Agency helping clients increase Leads, Cases, and Profit by getting their digital marketing right.

    Subscribe on your favorite Podcast listening platform!

    Like, Share, and Review us!

    #leadershipinlawpodcast #leadershipinlaw #lawmarketingzone #marilynjenkins



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    37 min
  • S03E113 How BizRetire.com Community Connects Advisors, Buyers, & Sellers with Evan Poling
    Dec 1 2025

    Most owners think profit equals sellable, but buyers see something else: key man risk, overworked operators, and books a lender won’t touch. We sit down with Evan Poling, founder of BizRetire.com and former financial crimes investigator, to unpack why so many small businesses never sell and how to flip the script by building true transferable value. Evan’s reviewed hundreds of company financials, and his take is blunt and useful: if your numbers aren’t clean and your operations depend on you, you’re not selling a business, you’re selling your job.

    We dig into the mistakes that quietly kill deals, from aggressive addbacks and mismatched tax returns to handshake supplier terms that vanish post-closing. Evan explains two paths to credible financials, retroactive cleanup with an owner-focused accountant or a “day zero” reset, and why three years of consistent, lender-ready books change everything. For law firm owners, we talk brand strategy beyond surnames, SOPs that codify expertise, and cross-trained teams that de-risk delivery. The legal angle runs through every phase: pre-sale contracts that lock in relationships, diligence that protects trade secrets, and post-sale enforcement of non-competes and earn-outs without choking a fair deal.

    We also pressure-test the role of brokers versus curated marketplaces. Evan’s model charges buyers for access, filtering tire-kickers and creating space for real conversations between principals. That trust accelerates problem solving, cleaning up books, formalizing contracts, and aligning on legacy, so both sides can move with confidence. If you want to stop trading time for money and start building an asset someone else can run and finance, this conversation gives you the roadmap, the pitfalls to avoid, and the legal to-dos that keep value intact.

    Reach Evan here:
    BizRetire.com
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/evanpoling/


    Law Firm Marketing Fix

    Fix Your Law Firm’s Marketing in 10 Simple Steps

    Download Your Free Checklist - https://fix.lawmarketingzone.com/

    Ready to level up your law firm marketing? Book a FREE Discovery Call with Marilyn Here: https://lawmarketingzone.com/bookacall

    Leadership In Law Podcast with host, Marilyn Jenkins
    Powered by Law Marketing Zone®
    https://lawmarketingzone.com
    A full-service Digital Marketing Agency helping clients increase Leads, Cases, and Profit by getting their digital marketing right.

    Subscribe on your favorite Podcast listening platform!

    Like, Share, and Review us!

    #leadershipinlawpodcast #leadershipinlaw #lawmarketingzone #marilynjenkins



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    34 min
  • S03E112 Strategic Tax Planning Tips with Emil Abedian
    Nov 26 2025

    Numbers don’t build a law firm, owners do. This conversation with Emil, a CPA who serves only solo and small firms, shows how to replace once-a-year tax prep with a clear, repeatable system for growth. We pull back the curtain on what separates firms that double from those that stall: clean monthly books, a true owner mindset, and a proactive tax plan that turns the code into cash flow.

    We start with the biggest blind spot in small practices: running the firm from the bank balance. Emil explains how accurate bookkeeping and quarterly reviews transform guesses into decisions, hiring with confidence, allocating marketing as an investment, and measuring trends before they become problems. A real-world story of two partners who built for scale on day one reveals the power of intent: design the business you want, then staff, track, and finance it like a CEO.

    From there, we get tactical. Emil lays out the “PRO” framework, Plan, Roadmap, Opportunities, and shows how missed planning windows can cost hundreds of thousands. We dig into the Pass‑Through Entity (PTE) election for high‑tax states, why deadlines matter, and how a simple deposit can unlock a federal deduction. Then we go deeper on bonus depreciation, cost segregation, and the self‑rental election that allows commercial real estate losses to offset law firm income without real estate professional status. Whether you’re hiring your first associate or eyeing a building purchase, you’ll hear the timing, math, and checkpoints to make confident moves.

    Reach Emil here:
    Counsel to Counsel on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3KB42ie
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilabedian/
    https://www.facebook.com/people/Counsel-CPAs/61559571126044/

    Law Firm Marketing Fix

    Fix Your Law Firm’s Marketing in 10 Simple Steps

    Download Your Free Checklist - https://fix.lawmarketingzone.com/

    Ready to level up your law firm marketing? Book a FREE Discovery Call with Marilyn Here: https://lawmarketingzone.com/bookacall

    Leadership In Law Podcast with host, Marilyn Jenkins
    Powered by Law Marketing Zone®
    https://lawmarketingzone.com
    A full-service Digital Marketing Agency helping clients increase Leads, Cases, and Profit by getting their digital marketing right.

    Subscribe on your favorite Podcast listening platform!

    Like, Share, and Review us!

    #leadershipinlawpodcast #leadershipinlaw #lawmarketingzone #marilynjenkins



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    33 min
  • S03E111 Why Clean Books Are a Growth Tool with Victoria Blanc
    Nov 24 2025

    We sit down with Victoria, a law-firm-focused bookkeeper and trust accounting specialist, to unpack how clean books transform guesswork into growth. From eliminating compliance risk to using ROI to drive hiring and marketing, this conversation turns financial fog into a step-by-step roadmap you can act on today.

    We start with the biggest hidden cost: misclassifying client trust funds as revenue. Victoria explains how that single error inflates income, spikes tax bills, and misleads owners about what they can afford. She walks through trust accounting fundamentals, client-level ledgers, invoicing before transfers, and true monthly three-way reconciliations, so you stay audit-ready and confident. Then we connect the dots between numbers and decisions: which ad campaigns earn their keep, when to hire a VA or associate, and how to price work to include overhead and recover case costs.

    Victoria also shares a jaw-dropping fraud catch, daily account reviews flagged repeated $1,000 withdrawals via an ITM tied to an EIN, stopped before losses exploded. That story underscores why timely, detailed reporting beats end-of-month surprises. For new and growing firms, we outline simple systems to capture every expense, track KPIs by role and location, and turn monthly reports into clear actions. You’ll learn how to pay yourself a steady salary, smooth tax obligations, and decide whether a second location is a growth lever or a cash drain.

    Reach Victoria here:
    www.mga-tx.co
    https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1DzsoUJq3v/

    Law Firm Marketing Fix

    Fix Your Law Firm’s Marketing in 10 Simple Steps

    Download Your Free Checklist - https://fix.lawmarketingzone.com/

    Ready to level up your law firm marketing? Book a FREE Discovery Call with Marilyn Here: https://lawmarketingzone.com/bookacall

    Leadership In Law Podcast with host, Marilyn Jenkins
    Powered by Law Marketing Zone®
    https://lawmarketingzone.com
    A full-service Digital Marketing Agency helping clients increase Leads, Cases, and Profit by getting their digital marketing right.

    Subscribe on your favorite Podcast listening platform!

    Like, Share, and Review us!

    #leadershipinlawpodcast #leadershipinlaw #lawmarketingzone #marilynjenkins



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    27 min
  • S03E110 Building a Successful Estate Planning Firm with Anna Pelligra
    Nov 20 2025

    We sit down with Anna, a trusts and estates attorney who launched her own firm after processing thousands of estate plans during COVID, to unpack a growth playbook built on education, community, and fearless outreach. Her story shows how to convert hands-on experience into a practice that actually scales, without sacrificing empathy or client care.

    Anna explains how early exposure to planning, administration, and litigation gave her the confidence to go solo in 2024. From there, she flips the typical marketing script. Instead of chasing every digital trend, she doubled down on local print ads in a beach town where older residents still read the paper, and it worked. She pairs that with small group networking and hosts laid-back, high-value events at a brewery that spark real referrals between advisors, accountants, and attorneys. The goal isn’t to collect business cards; it’s to create a trusted web that benefits everyone in the room.

    We also dig into the operations side: managing a solo workload, documenting standard operating procedures, and choosing the first role to hire (start with an admin who frees your time). Anna talks about writing goals, tracking “champagne moments,” and relying on a business coaching board to provide perspective you can’t get alone. And because estate planning is education-heavy, she uses seminars and clear website resources to teach fundamentals like wills, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives, building trust before the engagement even starts.

    Reach Anna here:
    https://www.acp-law.com
    https://www.instagram.com/acp_law/?hl=en
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-c-pelligra-esq-1b55858a/

    Law Firm Marketing Fix

    Fix Your Law Firm’s Marketing in 10 Simple Steps

    Download Your Free Checklist - https://fix.lawmarketingzone.com/

    Ready to level up your law firm marketing? Book a FREE Discovery Call with Marilyn Here: https://lawmarketingzone.com/bookacall

    Leadership In Law Podcast with host, Marilyn Jenkins
    Powered by Law Marketing Zone®
    https://lawmarketingzone.com
    A full-service Digital Marketing Agency helping clients increase Leads, Cases, and Profit by getting their digital marketing right.

    Subscribe on your favorite Podcast listening platform!

    Like, Share, and Review us!

    #leadershipinlawpodcast #leadershipinlaw #lawmarketingzone #marilynjenkins



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    26 min
  • BONUS: The 2026 Local SEO Playbook for Law Firms Deep Dive Review
    Nov 19 2025

    Warning: Is your law firm invisible in AI-driven search?

    Right now, potential clients in your city are asking legal questions online. Will Google's AI show them your firm, or your competitors?

    The 2026 Local SEO Playbook for Law Firms is your blueprint for dominating visibility in the new era of search. This no-fluff, action-focused guide reveals step-by-step strategies to help you capture high-value cases while competitors fall behind.

    Inside you'll discover:

    • The Visibility Vault (2026 Edition): 7 proven moves to dominate both Local Pack and AI Summaries
    • Review Revolution 2.0: Turn detailed client feedback into ranking and AI visibility power
    • AEO: The 4-part answer framework AI trusts to feature in summaries
    • GEO: The system for reinforcing your firm's authority across AI and search engines
    • Google Business Profile mastery for 2026
    • Content marketing redesigned for AI-first visibility
    • New: The 10-Step AI SEO Checklist for Law Firms

    Author Marilyn Jenkins has helped countless firms generate 708 figure revenues through proven, measurable marketing systems. Her clients achieve returns upwards of 14x using the exact strategies shared in this book. If you're tired of losing cases to firms that out-rank and out-answer you, this is your competitive edge. You can learn more at https://lawmarketingzone.com/

    Book Link: https://amzn.to/4qXOA0e

    Ready to level up your law firm marketing? Book a FREE Discovery Call with Marilyn Here: https://lawmarketingzone.com/bookacall

    Leadership In Law Podcast with host, Marilyn Jenkins
    Powered by Law Marketing Zone®
    https://lawmarketingzone.com
    A full-service Digital Marketing Agency helping clients increase Leads, Cases, and Profit by getting their digital marketing right.

    Subscribe on your favorite Podcast listening platform!

    Like, Share, and Review us!

    #leadershipinlawpodcast #leadershipinlaw #lawmarketingzone #marilynjenkins



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    23 min
  • S03E109 The AND Concept For a Fuller Life with Gary Mitchell
    Nov 17 2025

    What if the choice between a thriving law firm and a fulfilling life is a false one? We sit down with Gary Mitchell, a veteran coach to law firm owners, to unpack a practical path to growth without burnout, what he calls the and mindset. Instead of forcing every owner into the same mold, Gary shows how to build leadership and management around the strengths you actually want to use, whether that’s being in the courtroom or steering the business from the helm.

    Across the conversation, we map out the moves that matter: hire the right people first, then put them in the right seats; elevate an office manager or admin lead who can make 90% of the decisions you would; and install light, smart systems that eliminate rework and slow handoffs. Gary walks through his accelerator framework, independent 360 feedback, a crisp SWOT, and a tailored roadmap that prioritizes the biggest bottlenecks. The goal isn’t overnight transformation; it’s a series of small, compounding improvements that free your time and raise your margins.

    You’ll hear real examples: a tax lawyer who built a multi–seven-figure practice while working in-office two days a week, and a Vancouver firm scaling faster once the owner let go of tasks he never wanted. We talk coachability, trust, and why coaching is really about buying time and shortening the learning curve. If you’re a growth-minded owner with three to twenty lawyers, these strategies meet you where you are and help you move faster with less stress.

    Reach Gary here:
    https://www.linkedin.com/in/garyemitchell/
    https://www.instagram.com/ontrac_coach/
    https://www.facebook.com/ontraccoach#
    https://ontraccoach.com/
    https://www.youtube.com/@ontraccoach4514

    Law Firm Marketing Fix

    Fix Your Law Firm’s Marketing in 10 Simple Steps

    Download Your Free Checklist - https://fix.lawmarketingzone.com/

    Ready to level up your law firm marketing? Book a FREE Discovery Call with Marilyn Here: https://lawmarketingzone.com/bookacall

    Leadership In Law Podcast with host, Marilyn Jenkins
    Powered by Law Marketing Zone®
    https://lawmarketingzone.com
    A full-service Digital Marketing Agency helping clients increase Leads, Cases, and Profit by getting their digital marketing right.

    Subscribe on your favorite Podcast listening platform!

    Like, Share, and Review us!

    #leadershipinlawpodcast #leadershipinlaw #lawmarketingzone #marilynjenkins



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    34 min