The Ultimate Summer Reading List for Law Firms
11 minutes to read
Just because summer is in full swing doesn’t mean it’s time to slow down. In fact, we believe this halfway point is the perfect time to turn up the heat for you and your law firm team.
You may ask yourself: How can we generate more momentum? What will my team positively respond to?
You asked, we listened.
On this list, you’ll find many different authors, genres, and ideas — many of them featured on The Game Changing Attorney Podcast — but all 10 have one thing in common: Reading these books will expose you and your team to new ideas, strategies, tools, and mindsets needed to set your law firm apart from the rest.
If you’re ready to commit to yourself your practice, it’s time to start checking the following reads off your list as soon as possible.
1. Anatomy of a Breakthrough by Adam Alter
Adam Alter is a Professor of Marketing at New York University’s Stern School of Business and the Robert Stansky Teaching Excellence Faculty Fellow, with an affiliated appointment in the New York University Psychology Department. As if that isn’t enough, he’s also the New York Times best-selling author of two insightful books.
Anatomy of a Breakthrough: How to Get Unstuck When It Matters Most is a groundbreaking guide to breaking free from the thoughts, habits, jobs, relationships, and even business models that prevent us from achieving our full potential.
Adam Alter has spent the past two decades studying how people become stuck and how they eventually free themselves. In his latest books, he reveals the formula he and other researchers have uncovered — and you won’t believe what it is.
In his findings, the solution rests on a process that he calls a friction audit — a systematic procedure that uncovers why a person or organization is stuck and then suggests a path to progress. The friction audit states that people and organizations get unstuck when they overcome three sources of friction: HEART (unhelpful emotions), HEAD (unhelpful patterns of thought), and HABIT (unhelpful behaviors).
As a law firm owner, you’ve probably been stuck once or twice (or a hundred times) during your tenure as a leader. Adam’s book will help you realize that that doesn’t have to be a way of life. Learn how to unstuck yourself once and for all with his help.
If you’re interested in learning more about Adam and his latest book, check out his featured episode on The Game Changing Attorney Podcast.
2. The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday
Ryan Holiday is a media strategist and prominent writer on philosophy, strategy, and business. He’s achieved remarkable success with his best-selling books, including Ego Is the Enemy, Stillness Is the Key, and of course, The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph. His profound exploration of Stoicism transcends time, bridging the gap between ancient Athens in 300 BCE and the complexities of the modern world.
Stoicism is the ancient Greek philosophy of enduring pain or adversity with perseverance and resilience. Stoics focus on the things they can control, let go of everything else, and turn every new obstacle into an opportunity to get better, stronger, tougher — and Adam has found that one of the ways to succeed is to apply this wisdom to the leaders of today. As Marcus Aurelius put it nearly 2,000 years ago, “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”
We are not the first people to go through hard times, and Ryan makes sure we learn from that fact. From icons such as John D. Rockefeller to Amelia Earhart to Ulysses S. Grant, many great leaders have adopted Stoicism into their lives in order to overcome difficult — and even seemingly impossible — situations. Now you can too.
If you’ve ever found yourself feeling frustrated or demoralized, the first step is to acknowledge that you aren’t the only one. The second step is to pick up this book. From there, you’ll begin to see a mindset shift almost instantly.
For more information on Ryan and The Obstacle Is the Way, check out his episode on The Game Changing Attorney Podcast.
3. No Ego by Cy Wakeman
Cy Wakeman, workplace drama researcher, best-selling author, and favorite speaker at Game Changers Summits past, wrote one of the most important books about leadership with No Ego.
Cy believes that instead of engaging your team members and their emotional drama and baggage that goes with it, you should challenge them to rise above it.
In this quintessential leadership book, Wakeman challenges you to ask the question: “What would great look like?” If your team members are in “low-self mode,” whining and victim mindset will reign. By coaching your team members to greatness, accountability and results will replace these culture-killers.
After reading Cy’s game changing book (and checking out either of her episodes on The Game Changing Attorney Podcast), we guarantee that you will have a plan in place for your law firm to replace toxicity, scorekeeping, and gossip with productivity, positivity, and results.
4. Never Lose a Customer Again by Joey Coleman
Joey Coleman has helped organizations retain their best customers and employees for almost 20 years — and his whole mission has been to help turn those people into raving fans through his entertaining and actionable keynotes, workshops, and consulting projects. As an award-winning speaker, New York Times best-selling author, and top-notch business consultant, he’s had his hands full over the past few decades.
In Never Lose a Customer Again: Turn Any Sale into Lifelong Loyalty in 100 Days, Joey introduces a philosophy and methodology for dramatically increasing customer retention. He identifies eight distinct emotional phases customers go through in the 100 days following a purchase. Whether it’s an impulse buy at Starbucks or a methodical purchase of a first house (or the life-changing decision of what law firm will represent them in the court of law), all customers have the potential to experience the eight phases of the customer journey — and if you can understand and anticipate their emotions, you can apply a myriad of tools and techniques to cement a long and valuable relationship.
Creating raving fans isn’t something that happens by chance. In fact, it’s an easy-to-follow process that any leader can facilitate, as long as they truly understand it — and you and your team could master it with this book.
If you’re up to the challenge and want to learn more about Joey and how to never lose a customer again, listen to his episode on The Game Changing Attorney Podcast.
5. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson
Mark Manson is the three-time #1 New York Times best-selling author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck as well as other titles. His books have sold 20 million copies, have been translated into more than 65 languages, and have reached number one in more than a dozen countries — and he’s just getting started.
If you’re not a fan of self-help books, then this is exactly the book for you. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck is all about self-improvement not through avoiding problems or always being happy, but rather through improving upon problems and learning to accept the occasional unhappiness.
This is your totally new wake-up call to personal development. The lessons in this book will help you become more patient, less fearful, and an all-around stronger leader for your team — not to mention for your clients, your family, and yourself as well.
If you’re ready for something new, this is your next read. Check out Mark’s episode on The Game Changing Attorney Podcast to learn more about it.
6. Radical Candor by Kim Scott
Kim Scott boasts an extremely impressive background, with a BA from Princeton and an MBA from Harvard. She has held leadership positions at renowned companies like Apple and Google, and her coaching expertise extends to CEOs of prominent organizations such as Dropbox and Twitter.
As a law firm owner, your biggest job is managing your team effectively. This means that you’re obligated to have tough conversations — and that’s exactly what best-selling author and experienced executive Kim Scott lays out her vital approach to effective management in Radical Candor: How to Be a Kickass Boss.
This book is designed to help you implement a simple framework to build better relationships at work and fulfill your three key responsibilities as a leader: create a culture of feedback, build a cohesive team, and achieve results you’re all proud of.
If you’re ready to commit to improving your management skills, this is one business book for law firm owners that you don’t want to miss. Learn more about Kim and Radical Candor in her episode featured on The Game Changing Attorney Podcast.
7. Never Finished by David Goggins
David Goggins is not for the faint of heart. If you were one of the lucky law firm owners who got to see David speak at the Game Changers Summit, then you know just how intense this man is.
David is a Retired Navy SEAL and the only member of the U.S. Armed Forces to complete SEAL training, Army Ranger School, and Air Force Tactical Air Controller training. He has completed more than seventy ultra-distance races (often placing in the top five) and is a former Guinness World Record holder for completing 4,030 pull-ups in 17 hours.
In his latest book Never Finished, David presents stories and lessons in a raw, revealing, unflinching way. He offers a blueprint he used to climb from the bottom of the barrel into a whole new stratosphere that once seemed unattainable. Long story short: This book will whip you into shape and force you to become the leader, the attorney, and the human being you were meant to be.
Get a taste of David Goggins in his episode of The Game Changing Attorney Podcast.
8. The Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene
Humans are an interesting species, and we’re not always easy to understand. Luckily for us, Robert Greene wrote the book for us.
Robert Greene is a master guide for millions of readers, using ancient wisdom and philosophy to help us better understand what makes humans tick. In The Laws of Human Nature, he helps explain the most elusive part of us all: the unconscious.
As a leader, you have to know why your team, your opponents, and your clients make the decisions they do. At times, you also must detach yourself from your emotions and lead strictly from a business standpoint. The better you understand people, the easier it will be to work with them and help them achieve success in their personal and professional lives.
Robert’s fresh perspectives will help you become a stronger leader in more ways than one.
To get a fuller understanding of Robert and his book, check out his episode of The Game Changing Attorney Podcast today.
9. You Can’t Teach Hungry by John Morgan
Whether you love him or hate him, there’s no denying John Morgan’s unbelievable hold on the legal industry. He is the founder of Morgan & Morgan, the largest personal injury firm in America, has recovered over $15 billion for his clients, and is one of the most well-known attorneys in the country. It’s safe to say he knows a thing or two about business.
If you want to become the type of killer John Morgan has become and ultimately a more savage law firm owner, You Can’t Teach Hungry is a great place to start. You’ll learn about some of the decisions that changed John’s practice for the better and how you can make similar decisions to change your own. You’ll walk away with an inside understanding of the industry leader’s mindsets, tools, advertising strategies, and so much more.
Not only will you learn practical information, but you’ll finally get the motivation you need to be your best self.
Do yourself a favor and read this book — and don’t forget to tune into the iconic inaugural episode on The Game Changing Attorney Podcast where he makes the ultimate entrance.
10. The Game Changing Attorney by Michael Mogill
We’d be remiss if we didn’t include The Game Changing Attorney, the first book written by Crisp Founder & CEO Michael Mogill, EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2023.
It’s not just because it’s Michael’s book, but rather because we know it has the potential to help you stand out from your competition and land the best cases in your market. His book will set you apart in the uber-saturated legal industry — but only if you’re willing to put in the work and commit to your future.
This book is for two types of people: upstart attorneys trying to jumpstart their practice and established attorneys committed to their craft. Find answers to dialing into your firm’s unique value proposition and becoming the obvious choice for your ideal clients.
While we may be biased, we recognize that The Game Changing Attorney is stacked with ways to be the best: the best marketer, the best law firm owner, and the best leader. If you’re ready to make a big change in your firm, you’ve come to the right place.
Final Thoughts
Get started on your summer reading list today — and encourage your key team members to invest in themselves and their skillsets with these top titles as well.
Happy reading!
