Join in on the action at the Legal Experts Throwdown

There is so much planned for the Crisp Game Changers Summit that you’re probably having a hard time keeping up. First we announced that Chris Voss and David Goggins are speaking and dropping knowledge guaranteed to help you grow your law firm. And we didn’t give you much time to gather your wits before we told you Judy Smith is joining us, too. (She’s the inspiration for the show Scandal.)

Maybe you’re impressed with the speakers we’ve already announced, but you’re not sold that what they have to say is applicable to you, a hardworking law firm owner.

If you’re one of those people thinking “What can an FBI negotiator, a retired Navy SEAL, and a crisis manager do for my law firm?”, we have some news for you that may have gotten lost in the shuffle.

The Legal Experts Throwdown is a panel of legal experts who are going head-to-head against each other to deliver what they think are the absolute most important pieces of legal marketing knowledge. Their advice is geared specifically toward growing your law firm and seeing an increase in case value and ROI. Sure, they talk the talk, but they’ve also walked the walk for decades by establishing their own incredibly successful legal careers. Each of these experts has individually helped thousands of attorneys across hundreds of markets around the country.

We want you all to have a pretty good idea of the panel members’ background before we throw them on stage, so consider this blog your personal introduction before the Summit. We asked the panel participants a few questions about themselves and their impressive careers. Here’s what they had to say!

Who are these experts?

Let’s take a closer look at who our experts are.

Have you heard of Ken Hardison? You’ve definitely heard of Personal Injury Lawyers Marketing and Management Association (PILMMA for short). You may even be a member. Ken started PILMMA to help personal injury and disability attorneys market themselves better because, before Ken, no one stepped up. So, Ken knows a thing or two about marketing a law firm.

But what makes Ken different from another guy who starts a legal marketing association? We asked.

Q: What made you want to be involved in the legal field? 

A: I wanted two things: To help people who couldn’t help themselves, and I wanted my own business.

Q: Why do you think others should take a page out of your playbook?

A: Taking action is 90% of success.

Q: What is the most important characteristic for a business owner to have? 

A: Have a vision and good leadership skills.

Q: What advice do you have for those on the fence about the conference?

A: Take action and do something. You can’t expect anything different if you don’t do anything differently. It’s insanity to do so.

Now’s YOUR chance to take action. Attend the Crisp Game Changers Summit and see a guaranteed increase in your revenue.

To be a successful attorney, you have to know how to manage your firm. Regardless of the size of your business, organization and thoughtful leadership are vital for success. That’s where our friend Alvaro comes in. He founded 3a. law management as a way to ensure that attorneys have a reliable resource for seeking help with management and organization of their firms. He knows what you need to do to have the best-managed firm in your market, you just have to trust him to tell you.

Larry is a jack of all trades. He’s held many jobs from journalist to lawyer. Just look at what he has to say about being a lawyer in today’s market:

Q: What made you want to be involved in the legal field?

A: I was a news reporter for the New York Daily News and wanted to develop a specialty in law, which has always fascinated me. The intellectual challenge of learning the law drew me in. When I got my JD, I wanted to be a federal prosecutor in New York put mobsters in jail, and make the world a better place.  Instead, I was called to legal news, and worked as the Editor and Publisher of the ABA Journal, Editor and Publisher of Lawyers USA, and Editor in Chief of Lawyers.com, and Website Editor of The National Trial Lawyers. Today I am the Editor in Chief of News.Law, a centralized news source where attorneys can find information about the law online or via e-newsletter. We provide relief for busy attorneys so you don’t have to search multiple sources of legal news.

Q: Why do you think others should take a page out of your playbook?

A: Write blog posts regularly, as I’ve done for the last 15 years. My own blog has been visited one million times. As a result when you Google “law firm marketing” my blog is one page one, where it has been for 10 years. This shows the power of putting relevant, practical advice online with a focused content marketing approach.

Q: What is the most important characteristic for a business owner to have?

A: A lawyer must have a reputation as an honest person. There is so much fraud and snake oil on the internet now that a reputable, reliable person really stands out. Attorneys must practice the principles of honesty in all their affairs. To grow their business, lawyers must realize that they are in the marketing business and happen to be practicing law.

Q: What is the most important characteristic for a business owner to have?

A: A lawyer must have a reputation as an honest person. There is so much fraud and snake oil on the internet now, that a reputable, reliable person really stands out. Attorneys must practice the principles of honesty in all their affairs. To grow their businesses, lawyers must realize that they are in the marketing business and happen to be practicing law. to get new files, attorneys must publish blog posts frequently, provide answers online to the questions that clients ask when they are visiting your office, ask happy clients to post reviews online, engage with potential clients on Facebook, and attend a conference like the Game Changers Summit where they will discover comprehensive strategies for taking every aspect of your law firm to the next level.

Chris Anderson believes that being an attorney means knowing how to run a business, so if you don’t feel like your business chops are up to snuff, attend this panel and let Chris tell you how to get your act together. We asked Chris why he entered the legal world in the first place, and his reasoning is clear: He just wanted to help people. Here’s what he had to say:

Q: What made you want to be involved in the legal field?

A: First off, I am an attorney, so entering the “legal field” was a decision I made a long time ago … prior to working to help hundreds of other lawyers achieve success for themselves. I believe being an attorney is being qualified to operate a remarkable business that can help people in a way that no other business can. We are the representation of the “rule of law” in our society. We are a reminder that there is a way for individuals and businesses to resolve disputes, in a fair manner, following rules upon which we have collectively agreed. We help to bring certainty and security to people in uncertain times. To the extent I can help more attorneys do this more efficiently, that is why I am in the “legal field.”

Q: Why do you think others should take a page out of your playbook?

A: I don’t know that I have a playbook for others to take a page from. What I can say is that when more attorneys understand that taking the necessary steps to build a law firm business allows them to help more people, while also reaching their own desired way of life, that can only help to bring more security, certainty, and peace to our world.

Q: What is the most important characteristic for a business owner to have?

A: The most important characteristic for a business owner to have is clarity about her purpose. What is the business supposed to do for her, and the stakeholders in her life? Without this, everything is much harder than it needs to be.

Q: If anyone is on the fence about this conference, I refer them to question #3. What is the purpose of your business? Do you believe you have all the resources to accomplish what you need to accomplish in your business in order to meet your purpose. (Hint, if you’re not there yet, the answer is “no.”) This conference is an opportunity to learn from some of the foremost thought leaders in the “legal space: about what it takes to grow your business to where it meets your purpose. Until you’re there, you should seize the opportunity!

And last, but certainly not least, is Harlan Schillinger. Your moderator for the event, he’s your one-stop-shop for all things legal marketing and an expert on the best ways to grow your firm. Here are his responses to our hard-hitting questions.

Q. What made you want to be involved in the legal field?

A: In 1979 I was producing commercials for high end retailers and syndicating them across the country. The Bates decision came down and opened up the opportunity for Lawyers to advertise. I took that opportunity and produced the first set of commercials for Lawyers. At the end of the year, my partners and I had 57 markets or law firms using our commercial. Nothing could stop the phone from ringing. I developed a passion for the legal world through success and innovation.

Q. Why do you think others should take a page out of your playbook?

A: The truth be said, I would prefer that they didn’t. I had the world to my own. However, the reality is that competition rose, and I had to get very competitive and carve a real niche and unique position in a what is now a crowded field. I simply took the position of consultant, strategist and showed people the way to grow their firms from every angle. My approach was and still is to share all I know unselfishly, give more than I take and spread the gospel. The real truth is almost no one does that because they always feel they have to make the next sale. I respect that, however, you can tell people everything, the trick is doing it and implementing it. That is what I do. Tell all and do it for few. Simple! To be very direct in further answering the question is because of my track record and who I have surrounded myself with.

Q. What is the most important characteristic for a business owner to have?

A. Integrity! I do not deal with lawyers that are not will to re-sign the oath of commitment to their clients that they first signed with the state they are licensed in when becoming a lawyer. I suggest they read it. It is all about their commitment to integrity. It is also the first legal transaction they did when they began being a lawyer.

Q. What advice do you have for those on the fence about the conference?

A. Simple: Go to it. Why? I signed on when Michael called and asked me to be part of this because I feel he has integrity and is truly passionate about helping people make change. I believe in his product from using it and seeing the results. It is a very unique line up of speakers you do not here from on the same old circuit. Game changers!

Look at you! You’re basically on a first name basis with these people! To join your new friends in Atlanta at the Crisp Game Changers Summit, register now. Tickets won’t last forever.