Episode Summary: Big Verdicts + Billion-Dollar Brand: NIL, Intake, and Trucking Trials w/ Digger Earles

Podcast: Personal Injury Mastermind
Host: Chris Dreyer (Rankings.io)
Guest: Digger Earles, LaBorde Earles Injury Lawyers
Episode: #362 (November 6, 2025)

Main Theme

This episode dives deep into how LaBorde Earles Injury Lawyers became a Louisiana powerhouse through strategic marketing, peer and consumer credibility tactics (including NIL deals), operational excellence in intake and litigation, and an emphasis on client and team experience. Digger Earles shares actionable insight on building a litigation-first brand, optimizing every facet of firm operations, leveraging celebrity partnerships, and future-proofing a PI firm in the face of technology and evolving accident trends.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Transforming Big Verdicts into Brand Leverage

[01:15]

• Recent Big Win: Digger secured a $5 million insurance bad faith verdict, ultimately recovering $6.6 million on a $1 million policy.

  “We were able to pop them with a $5 million verdict. So in all, we will have recovered $6.6 million on a $1 million policy.”
  — Digger Earles [01:23]

• Verdicts vs. Marketing: Big wins get headlines, but marketing is required to turn them into consistent case flow.

2. Competing in Hyper-Competitive Legal Markets

[02:14]

• Louisiana is one of the most expensive and challenging PI advertising markets, with Baton Rouge and New Orleans among the nation’s top for ad spend per capita.

  “Louisiana is as tough as it gets, in my opinion... It’s a lot of ad dollars spent based on the population that we have.”
  — Digger Earles [02:14]

• Lesson: The best cases go to the best marketers, not necessarily the best lawyers. Transitioning from a litigation-only mentality to investing in advertising was necessary for survival and growth.

3. The Power of Peer Referrals and B2B Marketing

[04:00]

• Peer Networks: Most valuable cases often originate from referrals by local attorneys who lack the resources to litigate high stakes. Building strong relationships is crucial for high-value B2B referrals.

• Tracking Metrics: Strict focus on tracking cost-per-acquisition and conversion rates. Their target: Convert 95% of “wanted leads”.

  “Building those relationships and working those cases with mostly young lawyers, but some older lawyers as well. And it’s proven to be a very good business model.”
  — Digger Earles [04:36]

4. Instant B2C Credibility with NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) Deals

[05:29]

• Standing Out: To break through advertising noise, Digger’s firm started leveraging NIL deals with local football stars (e.g., Alvin Kamara, Bobby Hebert, Taysom Hill), tying their brand to community heroes.

  “Our football players are legends and heroes, especially Alvin Kamara... If national brands have figured out that celebrity endorsements work, why can't that work for our business?”
  — Digger Earles [06:08]

• Social Proof: Partnerships generate immediate consumer trust and recognition that surpasses years of legal experience in the public’s eyes.

  “To the general public, hey, he’s with Alvin Kamara. He’s with Taysom Hill. That guy must be stand up... Let’s give him a shot.”
  — Digger Earles [07:52]

• Anecdote: Even some referring lawyers have asked for autographed jerseys—reinforcing the dual B2C/B2B impact.

5. World-Class Client Experience: The “Chick-fil-A Effect”

[09:11]

• Client Journey Management: Most referrals come from former clients/families, making experience paramount. The firm implemented structured 15-day communication cycles between client and attorney/paralegal to ensure proactive and positive engagement.

  “Every 15 days they hear from their lawyer or paralegal... You’d be amazed at the decrease in inbound calls just because you call them so much.”
  — Digger Earles [09:46]

• Systematized Follow-Up: All call notes entered into CRM for seamless team handoff, reducing missed communications and increasing positive reviews.

• Dedicated Client Experience Manager: Focused solely on mapping and optimizing the client journey.

• Review Request Timing: Employees are trained to ask for five-star reviews at moments of peak client satisfaction, not just at case completion.

  “Any good interaction along the way is an opportune time to get a five star review.”
  — Digger Earles [12:00]

6. Intake Process as the Business Engine

[13:39]

• Intake Evolution: Early days were naive (“We get them 100% of the time”). As call volume increased, the firm invested heavily in process, technology, and KPIs.

  “If you don’t know that intake is the most important part of your business, you need to take a deeper look at your business.”
  — Digger Earles [13:48]

• Structure:

  • Use of Litify for CRM and workflow.
  • Intake teams divided into openers and closers (with closers handling hesitant leads).
  • Use of intake attorneys for on-the-spot legal consults.
  • Achieved a “95.4% conversion rate of wanted leads” (from 84%).

• Little Touches Matter: Mirrors at each intake desk so staff can self-reflect and ensure a welcoming tone.

  “If you have the resting bitch face, that's coming across to the caller. Right. And that's not what we want.”
  — Digger Earles [15:19]

7. Litigation & Operational Excellence

[16:34]

• Case Flow: Pre-litigation team sets up cases, monitored by legal ops attorney; cases move to litigation pod as required.

• Settlement Committee: Any case considered for settlement below policy limits must be presented to a rotating panel of three lawyers for peer review and strategy advice.

  “Young lawyer had one and he wanted to settle for $400,000... [Committee] said, ‘Get a life care plan’... He did it. He settled the case for $950,000.”
  — Digger Earles [17:59]

• Tool Utilization: ActiveTrack software monitors which programs are used most or least by staff—enabling cost control and cross-training.

8. Trucking Trial Niche – Authentic Expertise

[19:56]

• Digger's CDL: Rare among truck accident lawyers, Digger holds a commercial driver’s license, lending unique credibility and insight.

  “I'm a CDL driver that became a lawyer. I'm not a lawyer that became a CDL driver.”
  — Digger Earles [20:11]

• Case Preparation: “When it comes to litigating an 18-wheeler accident, you just see things a little differently when you actually know what they’re supposed to do.”

9. Adapting to the Future: AI, Safer Cars, & Shrinking Market

[22:10]

• PI Industry Shift: Predicts that only true trial lawyers will thrive, as technological advancement (AI, self-driving cars) reduces accident volumes and streamlines pre-lit work.

  “My view of the world these days is you’re going to be a litigator or you’re not going to be a personal injury lawyer... The pre-lit world is going to shrink.”
  — Digger Earles [22:10]

• AI Usage: Their custom GPT summarizes medical records, saving attorney time.

• Collision Prevention: With a 20% reduction in Louisiana auto accidents YoY, maximizing the value of each remaining case and further diversifying practice areas is critical.

  “It is a scary time... The more the safer cars get, the fewer the accidents.”
  — Digger Earles [26:39]

10. Talent & Culture: The Backbone of Success

[27:27]

• Team Building: Top pay (80+ percentile of the market), strong culture with quarterly retreats, celebrations, team support, and social connection.

  “If you lose them to a competitor, then you’re taking a step back... Culture pays dividends that you can’t even measure.”
  — Digger Earles [28:30]

• Retention: High due to investment in culture; Digger has even officiated employee weddings—highlighting authentic relationships.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Marketing vs. Merit:

  “We quickly realized that the best cases weren’t going to the best lawyers, they were going to the best marketers.”
  — Digger Earles [02:24]

• On B2C Credibility:

  “Not my 20 years of service in the legal field and my multi-million dollar jury verdicts... To the general public, hey, he’s with Alvin Kamara... That guy must be stand up.”
  — Digger Earles [07:52]

• On Client Communication:

  “So much that I don’t have to call them.”
  — Digger Earles [11:22]

• On Intake:

  “If you don’t have a refined intake process, you’re not getting that client.”
  — Digger Earles [13:48]

• On Legal Talent:

  “My view of the world these days is you’re going to be a litigator or you’re not going to be a personal injury lawyer.”
  — Digger Earles [22:10]

• On Culture:

  “Culture pays dividends that you can’t even measure. Just unmeasurable return on investment with a culture investment.”
  — Digger Earles [29:04]

Timestamps for Major Segments

| Time | Segment/Topic | |-----------|-------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:15 | Recent $5M verdict and lessons from big wins | | 02:14 | Competing in Louisiana’s PI market | | 04:00 | Peer referrals, B2B relationships, and tracking metrics | | 05:29 | NIL deals, celebrity endorsements, and B2C credibility | | 09:11 | Creating a world-class client journey and communication | | 13:39 | Intake process overhaul, KPIs, and sales focus | | 16:34 | Case operations: pre-lit vs. lit, settlement committee | | 19:56 | Trucking accident specialization and CDL advantage | | 22:10 | Adapting to AI, the shrinking accident market, and future | | 27:27 | Talent, team culture, and staff retention | | 29:32 | Contact info for Digger Earles |

Tone and Style

The conversation is candid, practical, and energetic—mirroring the high-stakes and competitive nature of PI law. Digger Earles is transparent, self-deprecating at times, but relentlessly focused on disciplined growth, data-driven decisions, and the human side of firm building.

Conclusion & Takeaways

To thrive as a PI firm in today’s market:

• Treat verdicts as leverage, not guarantees of status.
• Build both consumer and peer credibility (B2C via NIL/celebrity, B2B via results).
• Systematize intake and obsess over client communication.
• Embrace tech, especially AI, for efficiency and scaling.
• Carve out authentic expertise in niches (e.g., trucking).
• Invest heavily in team experience and culture for long-term retention.

Contact Digger Earles:

• Cell: 318-359-5069
• Email: digger@onmyside.com
• Website: onmyside.com
• Instagram: @DiggerEarls

For firms looking to scale, the episode is a masterclass in blending modern marketing, operational rigor, and authentic human connection.