Agile Attorney Consulting

07/01/2026

06/01/2026

My “Agile Attorney 101” podcast series is all about building a strong foundation for yourself and your law practice, in part so you’ll be less susceptible to the “magic solution” marketing messages you’re probably getting inundated with already at the start of the year. To tune in, search for “Agile Attorney” on YouTube or in your favorite podcast player.

17/10/2025

Do I regret missing Day 2 of ? A little.

Do I regret instead spending the day on a beach in Maine eating lobster rolls and making new friends around the fire? No. No I do not.

29/04/2025

What if starting your own firm wasn’t the big scary leap so many people make it out to be?

What if, in fact, it was less risky than staying where you are?

In this week’s episode of The Agile Attorney Podcast, I talk with Carolyn Elefant — longtime solo attorney and founder of My Shingle — about why solo practice might be the sanest move you can make in today’s legal market.

She shares her story, busts some myths, and offers practical steps to make your own move — whether by choice or necessity.

🎧 https://www.agileattorney.com/66

29/04/2025

If you're thinking about how AI is changing legal writing (and legal work in general), I just had a fantastic conversation with Professor Jonah Perlin from Georgetown Law on the Agile Attorney Podcast.

We talked about:

Why understanding your audience and your purpose is still the most important foundation for effective legal communication.

How writing isn’t just how we explain our thinking — it’s how we build it.

Practical ways to use AI to accelerate learning without undermining your own expertise.

If you want to sharpen your practice — and think more systematically about using AI as a tool — you’ll get a lot out of this episode.

Here’s the link to listen: https://www.agileattorney.com/67

18/03/2025

✈️ Is your legal work delivered on a direct flight — or with a long layover?

It’s easy to focus on speeding up your 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 on tasks — research, drafting, analysis. And with AI tools and other tech, those tasks are getting faster than ever.

But if you’re not addressing the 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 in your system, you’re still at risk of painfully slow outcomes (for you and your clients).

In this week’s episode of The Agile Attorney Podcast, I break down why waiting times — whether they’re internal bottlenecks or external dependencies — are almost always the biggest barrier to delivering legal work efficiently. I also offer some practical advice to help you manage the flow of your delivery work, so you can get matters across the finish line faster (without cutting corners).

If you’re looking to create smoother, more predictable outcomes for your clients and your team, you won't want to miss this one.

🎧 Listen here: https://www.agileattorney.com/61

14/03/2025

I’ve been pretty quiet on the topic of AI in law—both in my practice and on the podcast. It’s not because I’m avoiding it. I’ve just wanted to make sure we’re asking the right questions first.

Here’s one I think a lot of us should be thinking about:
👉 Are we requiring our teams to “trudge to the stacks” when there’s a better way?

In my latest conversation with Damien Riehl, we cut through the hype (and the fear) and focus on how small and midsize law practices can use AI to improve their systems, client outcomes, and long-term sustainability.

This isn’t about replacing lawyers; it’s about augmenting the people and process side of legal work with the right tools. And whether you’re already experimenting with AI or you’re on the fence, I think you’ll find something useful in what Damien shares.

Here’s the link if you want to listen: https://www.agileattorney.com/60

Would love to hear how others are thinking about this.

04/03/2025

🎙️ The ABA opinion on AI that shocked pricing expert Jonathan Stark.

Jonathan Stark has spent decades helping services professionals break free from hourly billing, and he thought he’d heard it all. But when I told him about a recent ABA Formal Ethics Opinion on how lawyers should bill for AI-assisted legal work, it stopped him in his tracks.

Think you can guess which opinion it was, and what he found so surprising? Drop your thoughts in the comments.

Once Jonathan recovered, we dug into how AI is forcing a reckoning in legal pricing and what it really means to charge for value instead of effort. We explored real alternatives—fixed fees, phased pricing, subscription models—and the mindset shift that makes them work. If you’ve ever wondered about a better way to price legal services, this conversation is worth your time.

Find The Agile Attorney Podcast in your favorite player, or check the comments for a link to the episode.

25/02/2025

I just recorded a new episode with Brita Long that I think you’ll find insightful. We dig into how flat fee pricing isn’t just about changing numbers on a bill—it’s about managing the work you take on and creating a practice that respects your true capacity.

We cover topics from the ethics of billing to the real challenges of workaholism in law. This isn’t about selling a new model; it’s an honest conversation on how to rethink our commitments and find balance in our practice.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on managing workload and setting better boundaries.

Have a listen and share your experiences: https://www.agileattorney.com/58

18/02/2025

I had one of those perfect "expertise meets real world" moments last week. A family member asked me to review their new lawyer's engagement letter, and my client experience brain couldn't stay quiet. Ever watch one of those home renovation shows where the expert walks through pointing out all the problems the homeowner can't see? That was me with this document.

The engagement agreement had some great elements -- a solid onboarding checklist and clear instructions that showed real thought about the client journey. But then came the wall of dense text, one-sided disclaimers, and fee calculations that frankly don't pass the smell test.

Here's the thing: engagement agreements don't just govern your attorney-client relationship, they set the tone for every interaction that follows. They're the bridge between "maybe I should hire this lawyer" and "I'm so glad I hired this lawyer" (or not). The way you approach that document sets the tone for your entire relationship.

In this week's episode of The Agile Attorney Podcast, I break down what makes engagement letters either build trust or create barriers in your new client relationships.

I walk through real examples of what works (like mobile-friendly or adaptive design) and what doesn't (like treating disclosures as apocalyptic warnings). More importantly, I offer practical ways to transform your engagement letter from a trust-killing wall of gray text into the welcoming final step of your marketing pipeline.

Listen here: https://www.agileattorney.com/57