New Solo

Guest Andrew Schierberg is a former police officer and a police chief who opened his own solo law firm two years ago and has been growing it ever since. What does he miss from his first career, and what has he learned as a lawyer? As the firm has evolved, there has been some rebranding and the addition of new attorneys, employees, and tech tools. Today, Schierberg specializes in elder law at his firm Stages Elder Care Law. Hear how Schierberg has learned to hire associates so he can focus on “buying back his time” to grow the business. Understand your strengths, find areas where your time is wasted, and delegate or apply tech solutions to make your firm run more efficiently. Schierberg picked a niche – elder care law – and has made it his home. It’s what he cares about, helping seniors and families create estate and care plans and address all of those “what ifs” as they arise. Hear how he adapts everything from his corporate colors to his daily wardrobe to make clients comfortable and create a strong, memorable, and trusted brand. Questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at NewSolo@legaltalknetwork.com Topics: We’re checking in on Andrew Schierberg who finished his first career as a police chief and then opened his own law firm two years ago. Time wasting pinch points can siphon off your energy and productivity. Identify those areas and address them. Finding a niche service area can set your firm apart and create a sense of satisfaction that keeps you focused and helps you work on important, big picture goals. Resources: The Gap and the Gain: The High Achievers’ Guide to Happiness, Confidence, and SuccessLawmaticsABA Techshow 2026Gyi Tsakalakis legal marketingLunch Hour Legal Marketing with Gyi Tsakalakis and Conrad SaamMycase“How to Buy a Domain Name,” CloudflareLife Care Planning Law Firms AssociationActionstep legal softwareClio Cloud Conference 2025Clio Legal Trends ReportMicrosoft Lift

Checking in with returning guests Dean Blachford and Ella Sui, who started the Blachford Tax Law firm in Ottawa, Canada in 2021. Blachford is the tax lawyer and Sui is the clerk, paralegal, and more, forming a small tag team specializing in Canadian tax law. This is a fun episode because before they hung out a shingle, Blachford and Sui listened to the entire New Solo podcast library, building an understanding of a solo practice as host Adriana Linares and her guests discussed the challenges, and solutions, new practitioners encounter. Soon after they opened, the duo joined Linares for a podcast to share what they found to be the most impactful episodes. So, how did that work out for Blachford and Sui? Four years later, hear what they learned from New Solo and how they put it all to work their firm. Bookkeeping, accounting, systems and processes, collections, clear goals, and careful documentation are all part of the firm’s success. The firm considered hiring a junior attorney but instead leaned into tech by hiring a remote assistant (in the Philippines) and a human resources consultant. And (of course) this wouldn’t be a New Solo podcast with a whole bunch of cutting edge legal tech solutions. Questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at NewSolo@legaltalknetwork.com Topics: Guests Dean Blachford and Ella Sui started their New Solo practice by listening to the catalog of New Solo episodes. Four years later, hear how that worked out and how they learned to incorporate processes, procedures, remote help, and the latest tech. In a small firm, it’s important colleagues’ workloads. People may not always tell you when they are overloaded. Know when it’s time to bring on help, whether in person, with a remote assistant, or through better technical tools and programs. Don’t wait to document and establish clear processes, and stress those to new assistants. The things you put off early never get done. Document and follow your processes in the moment, don’t procrastinate. Mentioned in This Episode: New Solo podcast, prior episode, “Marco Brown’s Eight Commandments for Getting Paid” New Solo podcast, prior episode “Ernie The Attorney: A Tech Whisperer Shares His Legal Tech Secrets” Loom Zoom Clips Clio Introducing ChatGPT Adobe HubSpot SharePoint LastPass RingCentral Tactiq Calendly ABA Techshow 2026 Clio Cloud Conference 2025

Let’s get back in touch with a favorite guests from past episodes, friend of the podcast Cassandra Koenig, formerly Cassandra Michel, founder of the amicable family law and divorce firm Aloha Divorce. It’s been a few years since we talked, and the firm is thriving (so is Koenig). How did she fare in the past four years, building her own family and a law practice? Hear how she’s built a practice and supplemented her client work with contracted, side jobs to fill in slow spots. It’s all part of running a true solo practice. Hear how Koenig new from the start she wanted to run a solo practice and stayed true to her aims, all without burning out. She’s built a firm on her own terms, focusing on helping families move on in their own direction on good terms. Her practice makes her feel happy and fulfilled, she only works with clients she feels good about, and she keeps humming along. Thinking of going solo? Koenig’s story will inspire you. Questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at NewSolo@legaltalknetwork.com Topics: It can be done. Guest Cassandra Koening knew she wanted to run a solo practice, and checking in four years later we hear how she is making it work. Technology and outsourcing are key components in a true solo practice. Learn how to source and maximize tech (and as we’ve said before, don’t try to be your own bookkeeper). Not every day is packed with client meetings. Sometimes it takes a little contracted side work to keep the wheels spinning, and that’s OK. Resources: Previous appearance on New Solo, “How This New Lawyer Branded Her Firm With Aloha and Built a Happy Practice | First Flight #4” Previous appearance on New Solo, “A First Year Recap From a New Family Law Practitioner” Lawclerk.legal ARAG Google Analytics Canva marketing materials Clio Grow Calendly Otter AI Chat GPT Previous episode: “What’s New in Legal Financial Management? An Expert’s Perspective” Clio Legal Tech ABA Techshow 2026 Clio Cloud Conference 2025 Clio Legal Trends Report

Guest Jared Correia of Red Cave Law Firm Consulting helps law firms run better and helps lawyers live their best lives. In addition, he’s both an attorney and an avid podcaster and writer. In this episode Correia and good friend, host Adriana Linares, dive into how law firms can leverage video content to build their business and how to outsource tasks and maximize technical efficiencies. Correia explains step by step how lawyers can get in the video content game. Buy a tripod, fire up your cell phone, and get started. Modern platforms are your friend, from YouTube to LinkedIn, Loom to VideoAsk, even Zoom. Make mastering the art of video your goal this summer. Hear where you can find subject ideas, edit and publish, and use AI to turn recordings into articles. Plus, managing remote contract workers to streamline your business, creating “role-based access” to your files, automating tasks and workflows, and getting the most out of the software that’s already on your desk. Questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at NewSolo@legaltalknetwork.com Topics: If you’re not leveraging video content to build your business, you’re probably losing out to someone who does. Make mastering video production and distribution your summer goal (hear how to get started). Make use of the newest tech tools – and learn how to use the tools you’re already paying for – to automate, streamline, manage, and outsource your daily tasks. Plus, a special guest, Legal Talk Network producer Adam Lockwood drops by to share some pro podcasting and video tips for beginners. Resources: YouTube Loom video VideoAsk Riverside.fm video editing Clio Legal Tech Smokeball TaskGate.io Notion Microsoft Teams Adobe Acrobat ChatGPT Microsoft Office tools Acuity scheduling Kevin Stratvert on YouTube ABA Techshow 2026 Clio Cloud Conference 2025 Clio Legal Trends Report Legal Late Night podcast Above The Law podcast Legal Toolkit podcast, Legal Talk Network “How Law Firms Can Leverage Video Content To Drive Business” “How Remote Staff Can Help Small Firms Punch Above Their Weight” “Helping Hands: The Value Proposition Of Remote Work For Law Firms” Previous appearance on New Solo, “Solo, But Not? Shared Office Space (Plus, Chatbots and A.I.)” Previous appearance on Legal Talk Network, Un-Billable Hour, “Separating The Wheat From The Chaff In Legal Tech (And AI)”

Take a deep dive into today’s case management and accounting tech with one of the leading voices in legal technology, Allan Mackenzie, the founding partner of the firm Efficient Legal. Moving from older systems and into the cloud can open lots of doors, affordably. Even small firms can dig into today’s modern technology to help manage documents, accounting tasks, and more. Iron out the wrinkles in your data management, connect platforms, and work seamlessly and efficiently. Case management systems have evolved to include dashboards, workflows, document assembly, phone call and text messaging systems, and even accounting tech and credit card processing. Hear what Mackenzie looks for when he sets out to build the right-sized system for a law firm, whether that’s a solo practice or a large organization. Questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at NewSolo@legaltalknetwork.com Topics: Think your legal software and systems are fine because they’re what you’ve always used? Think again. Six months is an eternity in legal tech, and if you haven’t reviewed and renewed your software suite, you could be leaving money on the table. Integrate everything, including your billing, collections, and your phone calls, into every part of your firm, from information management to confidential storage and efficient search and recall. Your clients are texting more than ever. Today’s case management systems incorporate technology to securely receive, sort, and store text messages. Resources: Clio Legal Tech MyCase Smokeball CARET (formerly Zola) Leap Neos Dialpad RingCentral Ion8 Lightbulb Slack Quickbooks MyFirmData Zoho Invoice Centerbase Microsoft Teams Universal Migrator Actionstep Dropbox Dash ABA Techshow 2026 Previously on New Solo, “Winning The Battle: When It’s Time To Modernize But There’s One Holdout” Previously on New Solo, guest Peggy Gruenke, “What’s New in Legal Financial Management? An Expert’s Perspective” Previously on New Solo, guest Amanda Moore, “Money Management 101 for Solo and Small Firm Professionals” Clio Cloud Conference 2025 Clio Legal Trends Report

Want to help your small firm flex its muscles? Think tech. Guest John K. Phoebus is a highly regarded personal injury and criminal defense attorney practicing on the eastern shore of Maryland. He is a founding partner of the Anthenelli, Phoebus & Hickman, LLC boutique law firm that he turbocharges with the latest technology. Hear how Phoebus struck out at first on his own, then partnered with trusted colleagues and built a reputation so strong in their region they are known largely either by their last names or by Phoebus’ nickname, “The Crab Lawyer.” To manage a heavy case load in a boutique firm and sift through massive piles of evidence, even decades of medical records for a single case, Phoebus leans into tech, often tinkering with new products and pushing for greater capabilities when taking his small firm into battle against much larger, deep pocket firms. Technology can help you market online, take clients from inquiry to retainer, and create repeatable, dependable case management systems that deliver a consistent experience to clients, build your reputation, and maximize outcomes time after time. Questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at NewSolo@legaltalknetwork.com Topics: For small firms, a strong tech arsenal (and yes, that means AI as well) turns Davids into Goliaths. Go toe-to-toe with the biggest firms with a robust stable of tech tools, even sort through decades of medical records, sort multiple body camera videos, and help you read a brief through the eyes of a judge and jury. Owning multiple online domain names can help you extend your reach without creating more work, they can all point back to the same website while protecting you from “poachers” who want to latch onto your reputation. How do you know you’ve “made it” in the legal world? When you’re known only by your last name. That’s a reputation. Mentioned in This Episode: Clio Grow intake software Google NotebookLM 10 Kanban Board Examples Clio Legal Tech CoCounsel AI legal software Microsoft 365 for business MDEC, Maryland Electronic Courts Acrobat Pro Quickbooks CallRail JusticeText “Jake Heller Interview With Artificial Lawyer: ‘We Never Planned For This’” Eastern Exposure: A Chesapeake Story Documentary on Crisfield, Maryland Scorpion marketing Clio Cloud Conference 2025 Clio Legal Trends Report

Get inspired and stay inspired as a solo legal practitioner. Guest Paige Greenlee started her firm, Greenlee Law PLLC, in 2014 and is still going strong on her own. Hear how she does it. Keeping the lights on, and keeping track of cases, business, even contract help is a full load, but you can do it. Having worked for large firms, Greenlee realized she wanted to control her own business, use the technology that worked for her, and manage her own calendar and cases. But as so many have noted, you learn the law in law school – not business management. Hear how Greenlee leaned on family experiences, mentors, and her own trial and error to keep the lights on, keep the cases coming in the door, and stay organized and efficient. Here’s a hint, a lot of running a solo practice comes down to making a business decision and then outsourcing the implementation. Greenlee learned to delegate tasks, including accounting and technology management. And as she started to build her practice, she learned to find and hire the right assistants to manage day-to-day duties. She relies heavily on tech tools – the right tools, not cheap imitations – to eliminate the forest of paper documents that comes her way daily. Questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at NewSolo@legaltalknetwork.com Topics: Hear how a successful solo law firm founder learned to practice law, enjoy her life, and take care of the day-to-day chores it takes to run a business It’s easy to fall into the habit of trying to do everything yourself. Learn when to “outsource,” turning over business issues such as bookkeeping and administration to contract employees and firms. When it comes to your tech, don’t skimp. If you need it, get it. “Good enough” is rarely good enough. Mentioned in This Episode: Clio Legal Tech Microsoft 365 for Business NetDocuments ScanSnap Gliss Marketing and Consulting TrialPad Florida Bar Association ABA TECHSHOW 2025 Clio Cloud Conference 2025 Clio Legal Trends Report