Are you tired of feeling like the legal mastermind but the business novice?
Do you find yourself mired in the daily grind at your law firm, unable to make the leap from lawyer to business mogul?
On this episode of The Lawyer Millionaire Podcast, host Darren Wurz sits down with legal entrepreneur Alexis Austin, a maverick who transformed her career from a frustrated attorney to an entrepreneurial powerhouse.
Alexis shares her journey and the hard-earned wisdom she gained while scaling her practice into a seven-figure criminal law firm. Through her narrative, Austin unearths the secrets of approaching business with a strategic mindset, the significance of delegation, and the savvy integration of technology in today’s competitive legal landscape.
Alexis discusses:
How she applies the Pareto principle in her daily operations to magnify results and streamline workflow.
How to turn mistakes into growth opportunities.
The importance of continuous personal and professional development.
How to navigate the delicate balance between trusting your team and maintaining control, a critical aspect for any leader looking to expand their firm.
Her journey of recognizing areas of personal weakness and how turning to the right support staff — including her husband — helped bolster the firm’s robust foundations
Alexis Austin is the CEO and Managing Partner of Right Law Group, a Colorado Springs criminal defense law firm she founded in June of 2018.
Before founding Right Law Group, Ms. Austin was a Deputy District Attorney in Pueblo and Colorado Springs. She left the D.A.’s office to become a partner in a well-respected criminal defense firm in Colorado Springs. During her time there, she learned what it takes to run a successful law practice. Armed with that knowledge and a desire to start a firm wired for the 21st century, she set out on her own and founded the Right Law Group. Right Law Group has since become one of the top criminal defense firms in Colorado Springs by specializing in enhancing the client’s experience through leveraging technology.
Ms. Austin has a passion for helping people get back on the right path and work towards bettering their lives. She also believes that clients should be treated as more than case files. They should be able to build a strong relationship and trust with their law firm as they go through the most difficult times in their lives. Ms. Austin has made that philosophy the cornerstone of Right Law Group. Based on her background in cognitive psychology and domestic violence research, Ms. Austin particularly enjoys working with people who are charged with domestic violence charges or who suffer from PTSD. Her knowledgeable and compassionate approach to helping clients see the light at the end of the tunnel is one of the things people love best about working with her.
Not only is Ms. Austin passionate about zealously representing her clients, she is also a dedicated businesswoman. Her leadership and vision have led the Right Law Group to consecutive years of increased growth and success, including during the Covid-19 pandemic. Since June of 2018, she has grown the business from a single employee (herself) to four full-time attorneys, and a staff of ten. She has also mentored local entrepreneurial attorneys who have used Ms. Austin’s example and advice to open and grow their own legal enterprises.
Alexis Austin’s expertise goes beyond her role as a lawyer; she’s also the founder of 360 Strategic Success, a consulting business focused on coaching and advising criminal defense law firm owners to effectively build and manage their practices. With personalized coaching and strategic guidance, Alexis empowers fellow attorneys worldwide to achieve their business objectives while maintaining the highest standards of legal representation for their clients.
From Mom to Legal Mogul: Vanessa Vasquez’s Journey (Ep. 49)
Are you a law firm owner grappling with the nuances of managing your business’s financial health? In Episode 49 of The Lawyer Millionaire Podcast, Host Darren Wurz sits down with Vanessa Vasquez, a legal entrepreneur who has built her family law firm from ground up as she articulates the transformative steps her firm took in revising their financial strategies.
Throughout the episode, Vanessa elucidates the intricacies of liquidity, cost management, and leveraging credit, painting a vivid picture of resilience and proactive planning.
As she dives into the significant issue of delineating personal from business finances, Vanessa not only recounts her own experiences but also provides vital counsel to budding law firm owners. Her mission to advocate for families through legal practice, while pursuing goals influenced by personal devotion and philanthropy, adds a layer of depth to the discussion on legal entrepreneurship.
Vanessa discusses:
Strategies for maintaining liquidity, managing labor costs, and leveraging credit to buffer against unexpected business scenarios.
Tips for hiring and outsourcing effectively as a means to increase productivity within your law firm.
The importance of cultivating a positive work culture and the unique benefits your firm can offer to support associates in achieving work-life balance.
The critical transition from reactive financial decisions based on bank balances to proactive cash flow and budget-driven management.
Methods for leveraging international talent to expand your firm’s expertise and services in the wake of a global, pandemic-induced talent pool shift.
Vanessa Vasquez de Lara, Esq. is one of the most sought after family law attorneys in Miami. As the founder and owner of the Vasquez de Lara Law Group, she has dedicated her life to helping families navigate the intricacies of the law by ensuring their rights are honored and upheld in family court.
During one of the most stressful times in a family’s life, Mrs. Vasquez de Lara is there to provide strength, understanding and unwavering support for her clients.
Mrs. Vasquez de Lara graduated cum laude from the University of Miami School of Law in 2002. Shortly after starting her own law practice, she was named to the Super Lawyers’ Rising Stars in 2015.
Through hard work and determination, Mrs. Vasquez de Lara has been recognized as one of the elite family law attorneys in Miami being named to the “Super Lawyers List” starting in 2016 every year through present. This not only shows her level of commitment and consistency to the legal profession but also shows the esteem she is held in by her fellow attorneys in Florida.
Mrs. Vasquez de Lara is accomplished in the legal community as well as the business community.
As the current President of the Coral Gables Bar Association, she is able to help facilitate networking within the association and connect like-minded attorneys to one another. As a change agent and leader in the community, she has a knack for bringing people together to make a positive impact on the community.
As an elected member of the Board of the Miami Dade County Bar Association, she supports key initiatives to promote and highlight all the great work the association does in the community as well as assist attorneys with programming and continuing education.
Her extensive networking and prominence in the legal field allows connections to other attorneys and legal professionals which enhance the firm’s ability to operate more than effectively when helping clients move their cases forward.
As an entrepreneur and businesswoman, Mrs. Vasquez de Lara is committed to helping other businesses in her local community. As a former board member of the Pinecrest Business Association, she has helped sponsor charitable events through the organization, has volunteered her time and has participated in community events to bring recognition and goodwill to the businesses in the community.
Mrs. Vasquez de Lara is also involved in charity work in her community. She started a non-profit organization called the Supreme Scholars Foundation in honor of her younger brother Ricardo “Ricky Supreme” de Lara, who was tragically lost to gun violence in 2020. The foundation regularly offers scholarships to deserving and hard-working high school or college students who are moving on in their studies into college, graduate school or vocational school.
The foundation has also partnered with the Big Brothers and Big Sisters organizations of Miami to award high school seniors full 2-year scholarships to a Florida school with a Two-year Florida Prepaid College Plan.
Mrs. Vasquez de Lara has been featured multiple times on Univision’s Despierta America, the No. 1 national morning show on Spanish language television that’s been running for more than two decades. Mrs. Vasquez de Lara has demonstrated her legal expertise on the show numerous times, and her passion for family law shines through in every appearance. Her ability to break down complex legal concepts in a way that is both simple to understand and accessible makes her the perfect “guest” family law expert on the show.
And despite the growth of the Vasquez de Lara Law Group and the many accolades that Mrs. Vasquez de Lara continues to receive, she has been able to maintain a family atmosphere in her law practice that one would be hard-pressed to find at any other law firm.
This is due to the fact that she personally reviews every case that her law firm handles, and credits her incredible staff, who are as friendly and down to earth as they are knowledgeable and professional.
Are you a law firm owner looking to navigate the maze of taxation while maximizing your profits? This exciting episode of The Lawyer Millionaire Podcast promises to be your guiding star.
Our host Darren Wurz sits down with Jayden Doye, a mastermind in tax strategy who has carved out a niche in optimizing law firms’ tax situations. Jayden shares valuable insights into selecting the right market, implementing innovative cash management systems, and changing your business’s financial trajectory.
As a proponent of work-life balance, Jayden also dives deep into making your firm not only successful but also a source of personal fulfillment, allowing you to enjoy life’s luxuries like six vacations a year!
Doye discusses:
The benefits of incorporating a ‘profit first’ system to manage your cash better and ensure year-round readiness for tax obligations.
Strategies for ethical law firm owners to distinguish themselves in a competitive market.
Why he doesn’t work for people he doesn’t like.
The differences between a value first firm and a volume first firm.
How involving family members in your firm could be a masterstroke for tax deductions, retirement benefits, and instilling strong work ethics.
Practical tips on leveraging business conference attendance to grow your firm’s network, expand your knowledge base, and enjoy tax-deductible travel perks.
Jayden was not always the financial guru that he is today. Growing up in a household just shy of the federal poverty line in Prince George’s County, Maryland, he knew the importance of money management but didn’t have the tools to create the financial stability he so desperately craved. After graduating Towson University with a B.S in Accounting and incurring a large amount of debt, Jayden was determined to make a change.
With a little hard work, and A LOT of sacrifice, Jayden became independent, gained professional growth as an accountant at a small CPA firm in Atlanta, and became a Certified Public Accountant. Over the next years, he’s worked with clients in just about every industry — helping them not only expand their financial portfolios, but to create plans that ensure financial sustainability and minimize taxability.
As a CPA, Jayden’s goal is to help entrepreneurs like himself gain independence and create a unique action plan to bring more to their bottom line while paying less in taxes. Invest in yourself and start working with Jayden TODAY!
In this insightful episode of The Lawyer Millionaire Podcast, host Darren Wurz sits down with Karen McClure, a veteran attorney turned burnout coach, to dive into the all-too-common experience of burnout in the legal profession and how to overcome it.
Karen draws from her personal experiences as an attorney and her journey towards becoming a burnout coach, shedding light on the challenges faced by legal professionals and offering actionable insights for law firm owners.
Karen discusses:
The difference between stress and burnout.
The impact of burnout on physical and mental health.
Physical and emotional manifestations of burnout.
Key strategies law firm owners can adopt to detect burnout in their teams.
Practical tips for managing time and overcoming procrastination.
Common objections attorneys have against working with a burnout coach.
Karen McClure is a lawyer, a mom of two boys, dog mom, cat mom, and a certified lawyer burnout coach.
I live with my family outside of Birmingham, Alabama. I’ve grown to love it here, even though all I wanted as a teenager was to leave.
I went to law school in 2003 because I had an English degree, a Women’s Studies minor, and no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up.
I’ve practiced law since 2006, and I’ve been running a law firm with my husband since 2013. It was my dad’s practice before he passed away that year.
My dad was my mentor, and he taught me that the only way to succeed was to work harder. He worked right up until he died, and I vowed that my life wouldn’t look like that.
It wasn’t long after we started running the practice that I burned out.
I remember what it feels like to want to stay home because you feel so anxious about going into work but then the only way you know how to deal with that anxiety is to just keep going.
I lost sleep and gained weight.
I tried desperately to get myself out of it, but the only way I found to overcome burnout was to work with a coach
And, that was when I found my calling. I knew I needed to get certified, so I could help other lawyers who are going through what I went through.
I’m here to help you.
If you’re feeling drained, anxious, and hopeless when it comes to your practice and your life, we can talk about how to get you out of it.
Are you ready to elevate your legal career and financial future? Take a note from a lawyer who’s truly mastered it all.
On Episode 44 of The Lawyer Millionaire Podcast, we explore the profound techniques and financial acumen of Mike Alder, an esteemed trial attorney who has mastered the art of wealth-building within the legal profession.
Host Darren Wurz engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Alder, who shares his systematic approach to trial preparation, the significance of a positive mindset, and the delicate balance between financial success and giving back to the community. His story is one of resilience, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of excellence in every facet of law practice.
Alder discusses:
How to refine your trial preparation strategies to enhance your courtroom efficacy and create an optimal experience for jurors.
How a lawyer’s upbringing shapes their approach to the industry.
The impact of positive language and intentionality on success.
How to stay grounded irrespective of the level of success you have attained.
Why failure is a critical path of success and part of the journey.
How to use wealth for systemic change and philantrophy.
Michael Alder is recognized as one of the top trial attorneys in California and has recovered over $2.1 billion in verdicts & settlements.
Michael Alder is the owner and Senior Trial Attorney at AlderLaw, a leading Los Angeles firm that represents plaintiffs in personal injury and employment litigation cases. He is known as one of the top trial attorneys in California, an advocate for underdog clients, and a generous supporter of fellow trial attorneys, charitable causes, and community giving.
Mr. Alder vigorously pursues all cases on behalf of his clients who have suffered injustices and takes pride in being personally involved in every case his firm takes on. Along with his team of lawyers and staff, he consistently breaks records and earns the praise of the press with significant settlements and impressive verdicts including the City of Modesto v Dow Chemical $60 million total verdict. To date, his firm has recovered over $2.1 billion in verdicts and settlements for his clients.
Over his 29+ years in litigation, he has received numerous accolades. This includes being the youngest recipient ever of CAALA’s Trial Lawyer of the Year in 2004 (the nation’s largest association of plaintiff’s attorneys), winning the prestigious California State Bar Clay Award “California Attorney of the Year” for personal injury in 2014, named one of the Daily Journal’s 2012 Top 100 Lawyers in California and named a “Top 100 Southern California Super Lawyer” 13 consecutive years. Mr. Alder has also been a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) since 2003 and currently serves on their Executive Committee.
A well-renowned speaker and published author on trial strategy, Mr. Alder has a long history of supporting other trial attorneys. He maintains a 9,000-deposition database and expert witness directory plus provides information, at no charge, to his colleagues. He is a devoted mentor to young lawyers and offers access to his archived depositions, as well as financial assistance with the establishment of the AlderLaw Warrior Fund program, networking opportunities, and free seminars.
Michael Alder is a strong believer in giving back. His involvement in the community includes being a founding member of the Los Angeles Trial Lawyers Charities (LATLC), a nonprofit public benefit corporation organized to improve the lives of those in need in Southern California. He served as LATLC’s President in 2017 and continues to serve on the Board. Mr. Alder is also a founder of the American Museum of Tort Law and a member of the Board of Trustees for the Inner City Law Center (ICLC), a pro bono skid row law firm dedicated to ending homelessness and advocating for veterans’ benefits. In 2020, Mr. Alder was awarded ICLC’s highest honor – the “Katherine Krause” award – for his pro bono trial work on behalf of victims of slumlords. In 2020, he joined the board of directors for the National Hispanic Media Coalition and the Metro Los Angeles YMCA.
Most recently, Mr. Alder and law partner/wife Gina Zapanta founded Z.A. gives, a non-profit formed in response to the COVID-19 crisis to aid food and education insecurities. The charity is funded by a percentage of profits earned through their law firms, AlderLaw and Z.A. Lawyers.
Since March 2020, Z.A. gives has donated more than $150,000 in food and support to local hospitals and restaurants. In all, over 25,000 people have been fed by Z.A. gives’ direct giving.
In his spare time, he enjoys traveling to the family’s Louisiana ranch, exercising, collecting knives, taking care of his chickens and goats, and entertaining family and friends. He has a teenage daughter and son, is a bonus Dad to Gina’s two daughters, and two baby boys.
As a law firm owner, the struggle to balance the demands of your practice with the aspirations for growth and financial freedom can seem unending. In this pivotal Episode 42 of The Lawyer Millionaire Podcast, host Darren Wurz engages with Walt Hampton, founder and CEO of Summit Success International.
Walt talks about the critical transitions law firm owners must navigate to shift from active practitioners to strategic business owners. With Darren, they dissect the intricacies of leveraging a lawyer’s inherent skills into tangible wealth creation and the importance of strategic delegation and goal setting.
Walt discusses:
A huge mindset shift lawyers need to embrace to achieve their business goals.
The importance of effective delegation by using a pancake metaphor.
The necessity of self-care, structured daily habits, and the power of saying no, to safeguard well-being and spur productivity.
Why you should have an evening routine together with your morning routine to end your day.
How he was able to balance his career aspirations as a single parent.
The significance of solid referral marketing and lead generation strategies.
Walt Hampton, J.D. is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Summit Success International, a global personal and professional development firm; and the Acquisitions Director at Summit Press Publishers, a premier publisher of expert positioning books.Walt is a business coach, management consultant, leadership trainer and motivational speaker.
He is the bestselling author of Journeys on the Edge: Living a Life That Matters, named a Top 10 Non-Fiction Book and a two-time recipient of the North American Book Awards; as well as the author of The Power Principles of Time Mastery: Do Less, Make More, Have Fun.
A 1984 graduate of The Cornell Law School, Walt was managing partner of a law firm for nearly 30 years with a practice focused on commercial litigation and criminal defense.
He was trained as a Results Coach by Robbins Research International and worked directly for Tony Robbins as one of Tony’s elite-level certified business coaches.
Walt’s passions are high-altitude mountaineering, ultra-distance running, blue-water sailing & adventure photography.
He and his wife, the publisher Ann Sheybani, reside in Intervale, New Hampshire.
Attention law firm owners and aspiring legal entrepreneurs! Are you ready to unlock the secrets of ethical prosperity and community impact?
Today, we have something that could be a game-changer for your practice. On Episode 38 of The Lawyer Millionaire Podcast, host Darren Wurz sits down with Dan Fulkerson, the co-founder and managing partner at Batta Fulkerson Law Group.
Dan’s approach transcends the traditional models of law firm management as he intertwines ethical business practice with genuine philanthropy, supporting different nonprofits and embedding transparency at the core of his law group’s philosophy. No greedy pursuits, no mass marketing—just a bulldog mascot symbolizing their tenacity and unique grassroots marketing tactics that resonate with the community.
Dan shares his commitment to sustainable growth, demonstrated by his firm’s cautious financial strategy and dedication to ethical representation.
Dan discusses:
Why keeping at least 6 months worth of overhead is critical.
Why he dislikes the solicitous approach to legal advertising.
The power of transparency and building ethical practices in your law firm operations.
Why it is vital to put people over profit.
How to merge your career with causes you care about.
The importance of monitoring your business activities and how to build systems for scaling your business.
Dan Fulkerson is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Batta Fulkerson Law Group.
Dan completed his Juris Doctor degree at California Western School of Law in San Diego in conjunction with his Masters of Business Degree at San Diego State University. He is the only person to complete both degrees at the same time in only two and a half years. He has successfully handled over 15,000 car accident cases and personally helped recover tens of millions of dollars for victims.
Dan’s personal experiences with serious injury car accidents, combined with his experience handling thousands of accident cases, make Dan a dynamic accident injury attorney who helps get his clients the results they deserve. In addition to Attorney Dan Fulkerson’s impressive success rate, it is evident to clients that Dan goes out of his way to treat you like family. Outside of work, Dan sits on 6 charity boards including Active Valor for Gold Star families, Roadogs dog rescue, and Positive Movement Foundation. He also has his own Bulldog rescue that focuses on rescuing French and English bulldogs. Dan loves spending time with friends, family, and his five bulldogs; Winston, Dolly, Teddy, Juan Carlos and Gigi.
In this insightful episode of The Lawyer Millionaire Podcast, host Darren Wurz sits down with Jeff Grant, a remarkable figure in the legal field who has turned his tumultuous journey into a beacon of hope for others.
Beyond his personal struggles in the past- a past riddled with opioid addiction, financial turmoil, and professional misconduct, Jeff shares how he was able to launch a renewed law practice that’s not only thriving but helping individuals navigate the daunting waters of white-collar prosecution.
Jeff’s story is not just a testament to personal resilience; it’s an incredibly relevant narrative for law firm owners on structuring a business that aligns with their values and the modern world’s demands.
Jeff discusses:
His battle with addiction and its negative impact on his life.
His experience with the criminal justice system.
How to maintain financial integrity in the face of adversity.
Upcoming plans with AI technology, implementing live chat on his website and pushing the boundaries of client accessibility and support.
How he restarted his law firm with a renewed sense of purpose.
His dedication to helping people with white-collar legal issues without overcharging by providing valuable resources through his ministry.
Jeff Grant is on a mission. After a hiatus from practicing law, Jeff has founded the law firm of GrantLaw, PLLC, is once again in private practice in New York City and is committed to using his legal expertise and life experience to benefit others.
GrantLaw, PLLC, is a new type of law firm providing private general counsel services to clients facing, who have previously faced, or who could possibly be facing white collar prosecutions and/or regulatory proceedings, and their companies and families. In this role, Jeff and his team assist clients in making critical and timely business and family decisions, and in executing on them, so that they have the best chance to come out the other side with lives of purpose, meaning and success.
He also provides a broad range of legal services, all in a highly attentive, personalized manner. These include private general counsel, white collar crisis management, strategy and team building, services to family-owned and closely-held businesses, and support to special situation and pro bono clients. He practices in New York and on authorized Federal matters, and works with local co-counsel and criminal defense counsel to represent clients throughout country.
For more than 20 years, Jeff served as managing attorney of a 20+ employee law firm headquartered in New York City and then Westchester County, New York. The firm’s practice areas included representing family-owned and closely-held businesses and their owners, business and real estate transactions, trusts and estates, and litigation. Jeff also served as outside general counsel to large family-owned real estate equities and management and brokerage organizations.
Jeff is admitted to practice law in the State of New York, and in the Federal District Courts for the Southern District of New York and the Eastern District of New York. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association, the New York City Bar Association, the Federal Bar Association and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Guiding people forward in their lives
After an addiction to prescription opioids and serving almost 14 months in Federal prison (2006 – 07) for a white collar crime he committed in 2001, Jeff started his own reentry. He earned a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York, majoring in Social Ethics. After graduating, Jeff was called to serve at an inner city church in Bridgeport, CT as Associate Minister and Director of Prison Ministries. He then co-founded Progressive Prison Ministries, Inc. (Greenwich, CT), the world’s first ministry devoted to serving the white collar justice community. On August 10, 2023, Jeff celebrated 21 years of sobriety.
An ordained minister, Jeff has more than three decades of experience in crisis management, business, law, reentry, recovery (clean & sober 20+ years), plus executive and religious leadership. He works frequently with people prosecuted for white collar crimes (and their families) who want to emerge from isolation and join a supportive community. In this role he helps them navigate their journey through the criminal justice system to new, ethical, productive, joyful lives on the other side of their issues.
Sometimes referred to in the press as “The Minister to Hedge Funders,” Jeff regularly uses his experience and background to guide people forward in their lives, relationships, careers, and business opportunities – and help them avoid making the kinds of decisions that resulted in loss, suffering, and shame.
Service and more service
A verified Psychology Today professional, he also serves on the ministry team at St. Joseph Mission Church (Cliffside Park, NJ) and as Chaplain to the Woodbury Fire Department (Woodbury, CT).
From 2016 – 2019, Jeff served as Executive Director of Family ReEntry, Inc. (Bridgeport, CT), a 100+ person criminal justice organization with offices and programs in eight Connecticut cities. Jeff is the first person in the United States formerly incarcerated for a white collar crime to be appointed Executive Director of a major criminal justice nonprofit.
Jeff has served on numerous criminal justice-related Boards. They include the Legal Action Center (New York, NY), Co-Chair, American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section Reentry & Collateral Consequences Committee, (Washington, DC), American Bar Association Lawyers Assistance Programs Advisory Commission (Chicago, IL) , Co-Chair, Mayor’s Advisory Council on Reentry Affairs (Bridgeport, CT), Family ReEntry (Bridgeport, CT), Community Partners in Action (formerly the Connecticut Prison Association, Hartford, CT), and Healing Communities Network (New York, NY). He has also served on the Advisory Boards of Creative Projects Group (Los Angeles, CA) and Reentry Survivors (Bridgeport, CT).
Recognition and more recognition
Jeff was twice selected a Nantucket Project Scholar (2012, 2014) and was recognized by JustLeadershipUSA as one of 15 Inaugural National Leaders in Criminal Justice (2015). He was selected a Keepers of the Commons Fellow (2017) and a Keepers of the Commons Senior Fellow (2018). Jeff has been the recipient of the Elizabeth Bush Award for Volunteerism (2011), received the Bridgeport Reentry Collaborative Advocate of the Year Award (2013, 2014, 2015), and was selected the Bridgeport Reentry Collaborative Professional of the Year (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019). He has also been recognized by the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence (2017) and by the Connecticut NAACP (2017), and was selected a 2019 Collegeville Institute Writing Fellow.
A Professional Member of the National Speakers Association, Jeff is an in-demand keynote speaker, panelist, moderator, and guest preacher. Speaking venues include Main Stage Presenter at The Nantucket Project (Nantucket, MA), American Bar Association Criminal Justice Conference (Washington, DC), Association of Certified Fraud Examiners Webinar (December 2022), the Greenwich Leadership Forum (Greenwich, CT), the Corrections Ministries and Chaplains Association (CMCA) Correctional Ministry Summit (Wheaton College, IL and Philadelphia, PA), Delaware Trust Conference (Wilmington, DE), Salons at Stowe – Harriet Beecher Stowe Center (Hartford, CT), Community Health Network of Connecticut Social Determinants of Health Summit (Wallingford, CT), The Neighborhood Project (Greenwich, CT), U.S. Small Business Administration Conference (Fairfield, CT), Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York (NY, NY), Yale Divinity School (New Haven, CT).
Jeff has also spoken at many universities, colleges, and religious institutions across the country. For information or to book Jeff to speak, guest preach, or for a panel or other presentation, please see his e-speakers profile here.
Magazines, radio, television, podcasts, books
Jeff has authored, been the subject of, or been prominently mentioned in many national and regional publications. They include The New Yorker (Aug. 2021), Entrepreneur (Sept. 2021 & Apr. 2020), Bloomberg Law (Oct. 2021), Wells Street with CNBC’s Jane Wells (Oct. 2021), Reuters (May 2021), American Bar Association Criminal Justice Magazine (Spring 2021), Business Insider (July 2021), Forbes (July 2020), Philadelphia Inquirer (Oct. 2020), Vanity Fair (Aug. 2019), Greenwich Magazine (Mar. 2018), Law360, Inc., Medium, The Huffington Post, Absolute Return/HedgeFund Intelligence, Institutional Investor, CFO Dive, New York Magazine, Real Men Real Faith Magazine (cover story), Fairfield County Business Journal, Nonprofit Quarterly, Reentry Central, The Vision (the newspaper of the United Methodist Church NY Conference), Weston Magazine Group, Weston Forum, Hartford Courant, New Haven Register, New Haven Independent, Inner City News, Connecticut Post, Greenwich Sentinel, Greenwich Time, Greenwich Free Press, The Hour and others. Jeff authored a chapter in the book, Suicide and Its Impact on the Criminal Justice System (2021), served on the Editorial Board of the book The Justice Imperative: How Hyper-Incarceration has Hijacked the American Dream (2014), and was prominently mentioned/quoted in the books Wildland: The Making of America’s Fury (2021), Trusted White Collar Offenders: Global Case Studies of Crime Convenience (2021) and the Teal Book of Wisdom (2022).
He has been featured or interviewed on many radio shows, televisions segments and podcasts. They include the Rich Roll Podcast (# 644 November 2021, #440 May 2019), The Confessional with Nadia Bolz-Weber (May 2021), The Sydcast (October 2021), Newsy (October 2021), Business Talk with Jim Campbell (June 2021), Tha Yard Hangout (June 2021), the Colin McEnroe Show on WNPR (October 2019), The Same 24 Hours podcast with Meredith Atwood (March 2020), the Fraud Stories podcast (September 2020), the Taxgirl Podcast (July 2020), Landmark Recovery Radio (November 2020), Clara CFO podcast with Hanna Smolinski (January 2021), and Founders Focus podcast with Scott Case (April 2021), among others.
Jeff is also editor of the important, widely-read website and blog prisonist.org, for which he authors, edits, and curates content around national and international criminal justice advocacy/ministry issues. He also co-hosts the Criminal Justice Insider podcast, hosts the White Collar Week podcast, and leads a weekly online confidential White Collar Support Group (the first in the country). The group, which has had more than 650 participants, held its 350th weekly online meeting in March 2023.
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.
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
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.
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
