Tag: Attorneys

FEATURE
How to build an efficient, effective and profitable law firm with Mike Chastaine (Ep. 36)

How to build an efficient, effective and profitable law firm with Mike Chastaine (Ep. 36)

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Are you a law firm owner languishing over unmet profit goals and overwhelmed with the business side of running your firm? Profits seem elusive, productivity is low, and happiness is just another dream.

Today, we have something that could be a game-changer for your practice. On Episode 36 of The Lawyer Millionaire Podcast, host Darren Wurz sits down with experienced attorney, consultant, and author Mike Chastaine to discuss the secrets of transforming your law firm into a profitable business.

Mike discusses the importance of having a financial plan, efficient bookkeeping systems and how to set rules for client and employee engagement.

Mike discusses:

  • How law firm owners can use the 80/20 rule to maximize their productivity.
  • Embracing the “profit first system” as a key to lasting success.
  • The importance of setting up effective intake systems and rules of engagement.
  • Creating a hiring strategy that ensures every legal employee amplifies your law firm’s profit.
  • The importance of financial readiness and why you need an emergency fund.


Resources:

Connect with Darren Wurz:

Connect with Mike Chastaine:

About our guest:

Mike Chastaine is an award-winning attorney, speaker and author. His career spans many decades and covers a wide range of experiences, both in and out of the court room. As a successful entrepreneur, nationally recognized trial lawyer and endurance athlete, he has a unique perspective for success that puts him in a unique position to help others.

 

  • Nationally Recognized criminal defense attorney for over 37 years
  • Founder of Chastaine Law – “Best Criminal Defense firm in Northern California in 2020 and 2021 by New World Reports
  • Legal Excellence Award for Literary distinction, LEA award and author of five books
  • Radio host of ‘Legal Ease’
  • Video blogger of 20 minutes with Mike
  • Entrepreneurial Attorney of the Year finalist in 2017 and 2018
  • Extreme Adventure Racer
  • National Ski Patroller Alumni
  • Harmonica and bass player
  • Husband, father and grandfather

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FEATURE
How law firm owners can build their brand and attract clients with Ali Awad (Ep. 35)

How law firm owners can build their brand and attract clients with Ali Awad (Ep. 35)

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Are you a law firm owner looking to build your brand and attract clients?

In this exciting episode of The Lawyer Millionaire podcast, Host Darren Wurz is joined by Guest Ali Awad, a renowned law firm owner whose expertise as a personal injury attorney and a savvy business owner & marketer has propelled his firm to great heights. With over 1.5 million followers on Instagram, he is known as the CEO Lawyer.

Ali sheds light on his early realization of the importance of hard work, the power of perseverance and how he transformed his law firm from a one-man operation into one of the fastest growing firms in the country.

Ali discusses:

  • How he started his law firm from the trunk of his car.
  • How to use social media to reach and engage with potential clients.
  • The two essential ingredients you need to build your business.
  • Why your expertise and qualifications are not enough to attract clients.
  • Why you need to choose a name you can grow into when branding your business.
  • Why the money you don’t take is way more important than the money you do take.
  • Why you don’t learn how to practice law in law school.


Resources:


Connect with Darren Wurz:


Connect with Ali Awad:

About our guest:

Mr. Awad’s personal injury practice primarily consists of auto collisions, but also involves premises liability and medical malpractice suits. Mr. Awad is fluent in three languages (Arabic, English, Spanish) and conversational in two others (Chinese, Portuguese). These linguistic skills allow Mr. Awad to effectively communicate with a wide array of clients, fostering strong long-term relationships.

During law school, Mr. Awad became a published author on Immigration Law while working as a Senior Editor for a law review journal. He also clerked with a business litigation firm and an immigration firm in Atlanta, GA to gain a deeper understanding of the nuances of client communication in a legal setting. Mr. Awad has studied internationally during his undergraduate and post-graduate career, spending extended periods of time in countries like China, Turkey, Mexico, and Brazil. This diverse international experience helps Mr. Awad connect with people from all walks of life.

Mr. Awad’s hobbies include flying planes (private pilot in training) and building show cars (from antiques to 1500-horsepower exotics). Mr. Awad also holds a black belt in Tae-Kwon-Do and has competed on a regional and national level over the past 15 years.

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FEATURE
From working at a law firm to launching his practice during the pandemic: Adam Berger’s Story (Ep. 33)

From working at a law firm to launching his practice during the pandemic: Adam Berger’s Story (Ep. 33)

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Are you an employee aspiring to become a law firm owner? Look no further!

In this episode, Darren Wurz and guest Adam Berger, a partner and co-founder of Miller Berger located in the great city of Chicago navigate the complexities of managing a successful law firm.

Adam shares some insights on how to build your professional network, the importance of a lean business model and successfully transitioning from an employee to a law firm owner.

Adam discusses:

  • The business models and strategies he adopted to grow his law firm even in the midst of a global pandemic.
  • The importance of delivering great work to your clients to drive business growth.
  • How to balance lifestyle considerations with high performance.
  • The importance of bringing on team members who align with your firm culture.
  • How to get business referrals by helping people.
  • Why law firm owners need to be more flexible instead of simply being taskmasters.

Resources:


Connect with Darren Wurz:


Connect with Adam Berger:


About our guest:

Adam’s focuses his practice on Corporate, Complex Commercial Litigation, Insurance Defense, and Employment matters, as well as a wide variety of Commercial Transactions including “buy-sells” and Real Estate.  Adam serves as outside general counsel to numerous privately held companies in the Greater Chicago Area, including many automobile dealerships and construction companies. He is regularly engaged to defend lawsuits alleging breach of contract, fraud, breach of warranty, and violations of Federal statutes such as the Truth in Lending Act. Adam is often retained to resolve shareholder disputes and employment charges filed with the EEOC and Illinois Department of Human Rights. Adam also has extensive experience defending construction companies against claims of negligence and wrongful death.

Adam has tried numerous cases to verdict and has an impressive appellate record.  He regularly represents clients in arbitration hearings, mediations, and alternative dispute resolution proceedings.

Adam has been recognized as a Super Lawyer Rising Star in Construction Litigation and is the proud recipient of an Illinois Jury Verdict Reporter “Trial Lawyer Excellence Award” for obtaining a defense verdict on behalf of an electrical contractor in a wrongful electrocution death case. Adam serves on the Boards of various public and private organizations. Prior to establishing Miller Berger, LLC, Adam was a partner in a large, multi-state law firm and the owner of a boutique law firm in Chicago.

Bar Admissions​

  • Illinois
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court Central District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of Illinois
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of Indiana
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of Indiana
  • U.S. District Court Western District of Wisconsin
  • U.S. District Court Eastern District of Wisconsin
  • Federal Trial Bar

 

Education

  • Loyola University Chicago School of Law, Chicago, Illinois
    • J.D. – 1999
    • Dean’s List
    • CALI Highest Grade in Legal Research
    • Best Oral Advocate, Regional Finals, National Moot Court Competition
    • National Moot Court Team
    • Winning Team, Intra-School Moot Court Competition
    • Phillip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Team
  • Washington University
    • B.A. – 1993

Professional Associations

  • Chicago Bar Association
  • Northwest Suburban Bar Association
  • Illinois Defense Counsel
  • Illinois Independent Auto Dealer Association, Board Member
  • National Independent Auto Dealer Association
  • HACIA

 

Published Works

  • Co-Author, Chapter 1 and Chapter 4, A Young Lawyer’s Guide to Real Estate Practice, The Young Lawyers Section, Chicago Bar Association

 

Honors

  • Illinois Jury Verdict Reporter “Trial Lawyer Excellence Award”
  • Illinois Super Lawyers Rising Star, Construction Litigation
  • Super Lawyer 2022
  • Elite Lawyer 2020-2022

 

 

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FEATURE
Building a Mass Torts Practice with Gregg Goldfarb (Ep. 19)

Building a Mass Torts Practice with Gregg Goldfarb (Ep. 19)

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Asbestos, tobacco & Agent Orange… What do all of these things have in common? 

If you guessed mass torts, you are correct! 

In this episode, Darren is joined by Gregg Goldfarb, a very successful Florida attorney with over 25 years of experience as a law firm owner handling tens of thousands of cases involving complicated mass torts. Mass tort litigation refers to a legal action where a large number of plaintiffs file individual lawsuits against a common defendant or a group of defendants, typically involving a defective product, harmful drug, or toxic substance that caused similar injuries or damages.

Gregg discusses:

  •  What exactly mass torts are and how they differ from class action lawsuits
  •  How he shifted his practice and what motivated him to dive into the world of mass torts
  •  Some anecdotes from recent cases he worked on and how he navigated fighting them
  • And more

Resources:

Connect with Darren Wurz:

Connect with Gregg Goldfarb:

About our guest:

Gregg Goldfarb of Gregg M. Goldfarb, LLP has over 25 years of experience representing clients, including individuals, small businesses, and medical professionals. His practice provides dedicated representation for clients in cases that include accidents, defective products, insurance claims, PIP insurance claims, civil rights, and whistleblower claims. Representation is focused on suiting your needs and using his knowledge and experience to help you pursue compensation for your injuries. Consultations are always free, and you pay nothing unless there is a settlement or victory that leads to a payout for your claim.

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FEATURE
7 Common Money Mistakes For Attorneys and Law Firm Owners to Avoid (Ep. 15)

7 Common Money Mistakes For Attorneys and Law Firm Owners to Avoid (Ep. 15)

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One of the most important things you can do to ensure a secure financial future is to take proactive steps now to manage your finances. This involves making smart choices in the present that will set you up for long-term success and avoiding financial mistakes that can set you back. 

In this episode, Darren uncovers the most common mistakes attorneys can make that may negatively impact their retirement plans. He also discusses potential roadblocks and the steps you can take to avoid them.

Darren discusses:

  • Savings strategies when you own your own business 
  • What living too large looks like based on your personal circumstances
  • Making sure you don’t miss out on potential tax savings 
  • How to balance paying down debt and investing for your retirement 
  • And more

Resources:

Connect with Darren Wurz:

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FEATURE
Outpacing Inflation Rates With Travis Wurz (Ep.5)

Outpacing Inflation Rates With Travis Wurz (Ep.5)

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Inflation is simply the phenomenon of prices going up everywhere. But the reality is we don’t need to just keep up with the pace of inflation, we need to outpace inflation.

In this episode of The Lawyer Millionaire, Darren Wurz talks with Travis Wurz, a financial goal planner and consultant at Wurz Financial. They discuss how you might be impacted by inflation in your daily life and why it’s important to have some sort of risk managed strategy in place.

Travis discusses:

  • What inflation is and what causes it
  • Some of the biggest concerns on people’s minds with inflation on the rise
  • The two tools the government can use to deal with inflation
  • And more

Resources:

Connect With Darren Wurz:

Connect With Travis Wurz:

About Our Guest:

Travis Wurz specializes in serving business owners, realtors, and self-employed individuals. He primarily works out of the Toledo office. He is a graduate of the University of Toledo with a Bachelor’s degree in Financial Services. He has both his Series 7 and Series 66 licenses.

In his work with real estate professionals, he has found that his clients are interested in building up passive income. He helps his clients create a diversified income stream, build long term wealth, and plan for retirement.

Travis is passionate about continuing the family legacy of providing sound and intelligent planning services to our new and existing clients. He is active in his local community as a member of the Maumee Chamber of Commerce, The Chamber Partnership, and the Women’s Council of Realtors.

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FEATURE
Retirement Planning for Lawyers (Ep.4)

Retirement Planning for Lawyers (Ep.4)

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Most attorneys will eventually retire and you shouldn’t wait until the last minute to start planning for your retirement.

In this episode of The Lawyer Millionaire, Darren Wurz discusses the challenges you may be facing in the legal profession when it comes to your retirement planning.

Darren discusses:

  • Why attorneys procrastinate when it comes to retirement planning
  • Some of the biggest fears that attorneys have about retirement
  • The difference in planning for retirement as an attorney then it is for anyone else
  • The importance of having a good investment strategy
  • And more

Resources:

Connect with Darren Wurz:

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