On the day that I was fired from a nationally prominent catastrophic injury law firm on June 2, 2010 (yes, I will always remember the exact date), I didn’t know where to turn. Even my co-workers and friends at the firm politely declined when I asked for their help moving my stuff out of my office.
For the first time in my career, I had no one to rely on. No secretary, paralegal and few “friends” in the local legal community seemed inclined to accept a phone call. To make things worse, the founders of my firm (where I worked 14 years), threatened lawsuits if I spoke to one of “their” clients about transferring their case to my new firm.
June 2nd was a scary day, but more than anything else, I felt alone. I had no one to turn for advice and guidance and no one to share my fears and anxiety. A lawyer with 18 years of experience received a rude awakening about the business of law: the only person you can count on is yourself (or so I thought at the time).
An Epiphany in the Desert
In October, 2013, I sat in a meeting at the headquarters of Infusionsoft with some of the top internet marketers in the world, e.g., internet marketers from Australia, South Africa, United Kingdom and USA. I was dumbstruck as the ideas passed freely from the internet gurus, who shared their best practices for e-commerce businesses and tips for building powerful online businesses. I was almost afraid to speak and reveal my ignorance at this high-level mastermind, known as “Elite Forum”, but I knew I was in the right place.
While pondering my luck, the thought occurred me, “Why aren’t all lawyers doing this?” Why aren’t plaintiffs’ lawyer sharing their best practices and collaborating on the biggest challenges facing them? The logic seems to make sense: alone you can only achieve so much, but when you have access to the best practice tips and wisdom of the highest achieving lawyers, there’s almost no limit to how far you can go.
Admitting You Need Help is the First Step
Through collaboration and document sharing, the defense bar seems to know more about our clients than we do. Ugly secrets about our clients in criminal and medical records (not to mention social media) are exchanged freely among defense law firms and the plaintiffs’ bar does little to change the balance of power. It doesn’t have to be this way.
Just as an alcoholic’s first step to recovery is the admission of a problem, the first step for most small firm lawyers is the admission that you can’t do this alone. I’ll be the first to admit: I can’t do this alone—I need help.
4 Masterminds that Will Kick Your Butt
You might be thinking just like me, “I could use help too—a lot of it.” But where do you turn? Here’s where I’d turn for help:
The 7 Figure Attorney: When was the last time a hugely successful plaintiffs’ lawyer showed you the inner workings of his law firm? Craig Goldenfarb, Esq.’s “The 7 Figure Attorney” shows you how he went from one guy/lawyer to a 52-employee personal injury powerhouse in the ultra-competitive market of South Florida.
From hiring and firing, marketing and case management, Craig Goldenfarb, Esq. and his exceptional team show you exactly how they do it. This one-day workshop is worth its weight in gold (excuse the pun). Get more information at SevenFigureAttorney.com.
LegalMinds: Virtually all lawyers scratch their collective heads when it comes to social media. And it’s no surprise why, no one taught you how to build a law practice through social media…until now.
Social media guru, Mitch Jackson, Esq.’s, unloads massive value in his online mastermind, LegalMinds. With almost unlimited access to Mitch, special guest presentations and twice-weekly group videoconferences, you have the best resource in the market for cutting edge tips and advice on social media. Want a master class in social media for lawyers? LegalMinds is for you. Find out more at LegalMinds.Lawyer.
Mastermind Experience: Two words: Collaboration and accountability. That’s why the Mastermind Experience was created. Get a customized answer for your biggest challenges in marketing and management and let your mastermind partners hold you accountability. There is nothing more valuable than a live quarterly meeting of high-achieving plaintiffs’ lawyers who will challenge you and critique the way you manage and promote your law firm.
The fun only begins on the day of the mastermind. Ongoing accountability, group videoconferences and members who aren’t afraid to challenge each other make this a mastermind that’s one-of-a-kind (maybe I’m a little biased).
Join the fun at MastermindExperience.com. Our next Mastermind Experience will be held in sunny South Florida on March 29th.
Strategic Coach: Want access to some of the best minds in marketing and management? The top marketers and business owners go to Dan Sullivan’s Strategic Coach, “The Number One Business Coaching Program for Entrepreneurs”.
Join the world of CEOs and ultra-high achieving business owners. You’ll never think the same way about your law firm. Discover the keys for your transformation from a lawyer to a CEO at StrategicCoach.com.
What are You Waiting for?
Is the status quo good enough for you? If so, keep doing things the way you’re doing them. If not, you’ve got some incredible tools for transforming your law practice and your life.
No one can do this for you, but the tools are there for the taking.
photo credit: lumaxart Working Together Teamwork Puzzle Concept via photopin (license)
