Podcast
The Free Lawyer
Hosted by Gary Miles · EN
The Free Lawyer® Podcast is where high-performing attorneys come when success starts to feel like a trap. Hosted by trial lawyer, managing partner, and attorney freedom coach Gary Miles — with over 40 years in practice — this podcast delivers honest conversations and practical tools to help you escape burnout, conquer perfectionism, and build a practice that serves your life, not consumes it. Two episodes every week, built specifically for lawyers who are ready to stop surviving and start thriving. Practice law with purpose. Live life with freedom.
41episodes
Episodes
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7 Habits Robbing You of Billable Hours #421
2d ago00:27:26Tap to summarizeProductivity books are completely useless for lawyers. How do we reclaim mental clarity and billable hours? The self-help book you just bought doesn't have the answer.High-achieving attorneys often feel like human punching bags despite our external success. We think it's our demanding partner, the client that calls every five minutes, but really it boils down to how you manage and protect your time and attention. Gary Miles breaks down the seven structural patterns that quietly sabotage deep work and mental clarity for lawyers. You will discover the concept of the "re-entry tax," the cognitive cost of every interruption, and why traditional productivity advice often fails the unique demands of legal practice. Gary introduces the Morning Victory Formula, a strategic framework designed to help senior partners reclaim their calendars from reactive emails and demanding clients. By the end of this episode, you’ll have a roadmap to shift from a practice that owns you to an operating system that empowers your best work. Plus, get access to this free diagnostic tool to help you identify your specific time drains and move from reactive chaos to purposeful strategy. https://upbeat-trailblazer-9238.kit.com/7c3c667ff1 Get on the waitlist for the full Elite Lawyer's Productivity System https://www.garymiles.net/productivity Get the Values Alignment Guide https://upbeat-trailblazer-9238.kit.com/1604bbf4cb Take the Free Lawyer Assessment garymiles.net/the-free-lawyer-assessment Learn more about Breaking Free or order your copy https://www.garymiles.net/break-free Schedule a complimentary discovery call: https://calendly.com/garymiles-successcoach/one-one-discovery-call
Transcribe →It Is Never Too Late to Choose Differently: Molly Thomas on Career Reinvention and Designing a Legal Practice That Fits Your Life #420
6d ago00:38:05Tap to summarizeYou built the career. You grew the revenue. You checked every box. And yet something feels hollow, and you are exhausted. What if the problem is not your work ethic, but the design of your practice itself?In this episode, Gary sits down with Molly Thomas, former trial attorney, mediator, and founder of Mediation Florida and ADR Catalyst, for a candid conversation about career reinvention, attorney burnout, and what it actually looks like to design your life first and build your legal practice around it. Molly shares how personal loss became the catalyst for profound transformation, how she is using AI and smart systems to run a modern mediation practice, and why the greatest business strategy available to lawyers today might be radical self-compassion.Key Takeaways:Design your life before you design your business, then build your practice to support that life.Recognize the "quiet gap" between certification and clients, and fill it with skill-building and strategy, not hope.Use AI as a thinking partner and strategic amplifier, not just a shortcut or search engine.Move before you feel ready. Clarity and momentum come from action, not analysis.Avoid the comparison trap. Measure your progress against your own goals and your own timeline.Radical self-compassion is not a luxury. For sustainable legal excellence, it is a requirement.If today's episode resonated with you, please subscribe and leave a review. It helps other attorneys find this conversation when they need it most. Visit Gary at garymiles.net or reach out directly at gary@garymiles.net.[00:00] Welcome and episode overview[01:43] Molly's defining moment[03:25] How mediation found her[05:49] Building something entirely new[07:05] Tech-forward mediation in practice[09:06] What her experience brings to the table[12:04] The biggest mistake transitioning mediators make[14:26] Using AI as a thinking partner[19:35] Is mediation becoming a first-choice career?[21:29] What a coach would have changed[24:35] Internal vs. external authority[29:05] What professional freedom looks like today[33:05] Permission to breathe and reset[35:40] One message for lawyers in the grindMolly Thomas is a mediator, former trial attorney, and practice strategist who helps lawyers and mediators build modern, sustainable practices using AI, smart systems, and intentional positioning. Through Mediation Florida and her coaching platform ADR Catalyst, she guides legal professionals from traditional practice into more fulfilling, freedom-forward careers. With more than 20 years in law, Molly co-founded a litigation firm generating over ten million dollars annually and developed a hospitality portfolio exceeding fifty million dollars. She brings entrepreneurial depth, hard-won clarity, and genuine empathy to every conversation, and she is living proof that reinvention is always possible.Would you like to learn what it looks like to become a truly Free Lawyer? You can schedule a complimentary call here: https://calendly.com/garymiles-successcoach/one-one-discovery-call Productivity Assessment https://upbeat-trailblazer-9238.kit.com/7c3c667ff1Productivity Waitlist Link https://www.garymiles.net/productivity
Transcribe →3 Reasons Inbox Zero Productivity Doesn't Work for Elite Attorney's #419
1w ago00:20:50Tap to summarizeIs your inbox your true boss?In this episode of The Free Lawyer, host, Gary Miles addresses a productivity crisis facing senior attorneys: the transition from high-level strategist to a reactive inbox manager. Many partners find themselves busy but not productive, allowing the latest email notification to dictate their entire day. There are 3 costs that come with immediate responsiveness: cognitive, strategic, and positional. This isn't a time management failure, but an authority problem where senior lawyers have abdicated control of their schedules. Instead, use Gary's 90-minute rule to reclaim your time, attention, and leadership.Plus, get access to this free diagnostic tool to help you identify your specific time drains and move from reactive chaos to purposeful strategy. https://upbeat-trailblazer-9238.kit.com/7c3c667ff1 Get on the waitlist for the full Elite Lawyer's Productivity System https://www.garymiles.net/productivity Get the Values Alignment Guide https://upbeat-trailblazer-9238.kit.com/1604bbf4cb Take the Free Lawyer Assessment garymiles.net/the-free-lawyer-assessment Learn more about Breaking Free or order your copy https://www.garymiles.net/break-free Schedule a complimentary discovery call: https://calendly.com/garymiles-successcoach/one-one-discovery-call
Transcribe →Why Your Law Firm Feels Busy But Stuck — and How to Fix It with Julia Lewis #418
2w ago00:26:08Tap to summarizeYour bills went out late again last month. Your best paralegal just gave notice. You canceled dinner with your family because a client called at 5:45. You built this firm from nothing — so why does it feel like it's running you?Gary sits down with Julia Lewis, founder of LevLegal, who has worked behind the scenes of hundreds of law firms and knows exactly what separates profitable, scalable practices from firms that feel busy but never move forward. They dig into why delegation is so hard for perfectionist attorneys, what systems to build first, how to find virtual support staff you can actually trust, and what it takes to move beyond founder-led hustle toward a law firm that runs without you in every chair.Key Takeaways:Start with billing: get invoices out on time every month, follow up on past-due receivables, and stop quietly bleeding revenue.Accept the 75-85% rule: if someone else can get a task most of the way there, that's better than you doing 100% of everything yourself.Build a strong intake and client onboarding system so new business stops falling through the cracks.Audit your day honestly — write down every task that made you sigh or need a pep talk, then figure out which ones to hand off.Ask your team for real feedback on your leadership, then use it to reduce the turnover that's quietly costing your firm.Define success beyond revenue: a practice that operates without you is worth more than one that depends on your heroic effort.Julia Lewis is the founder of LevLegal, a national virtual paralegal and law firm operations consulting company. She also co-founded a legal recruiting firm modernizing how lawyers hire through transparent pricing and relationship-driven placement.If this conversation hit home, subscribe to The Free Lawyer wherever you listen and leave a review — it helps other attorneys find the show. And if you're ready to stop being the bottleneck in your own firm, visit garymiles.net.TIMESTAMPS[00:00] — Welcome and episode introduction[02:14] — Julia's origin story and inspiration[03:51] — Legal talent vs. operational reality[05:01] — Why busy firms stay stuck[06:44] — What sets LevLegal apart[08:42] — Moving beyond founder-led hustle[10:02] — Reinventing legal recruiting[12:22] — Industry shifts attorneys must watch[14:30] — Overcoming resistance to virtual staff[16:00] — The first system every firm needs[18:53] — Why attorneys struggle to ask for help[21:18] — First steps toward a sustainable practice[23:55] — Aligning ambition with the life you wantGUEST BIOJulia Lewis is the founder of LevLegal, a national virtual paralegal and law firm consulting company that helps solo attorneys and small firms build the operational backbone they need to scale. She started as a virtual paralegal and grew her business into a firm providing U.S.-based staffing, operations consulting, and business management support to practices across the country. Julia also co-founded a nationwide legal recruiting firm modernizing how lawyers hire through transparent pricing and a relationship-first approach. Her mission is leveling the playing field so smaller firms can access big firm talent without big firm budgets. Productivity Assessment https://upbeat-trailblazer-9238.kit.com/7c3c667ff1Productivity Waitlist Link https://www.garymiles.net/productivityWould you like to learn what it looks like to become a truly Free Lawyer? You can schedule a complimentary call here: https://calendly.com/garymiles-successcoach/one-one-discovery-call
Transcribe →Productivity Hack: Your First 90 Minutes Can Help You Reclaim Your Practice #417
2w ago00:19:45Tap to summarizeMost attorneys walk into the office at 8 a.m. and immediately surrender their sharpest cognitive hours to someone else's agenda. This episode focuses on the lie lawyers tell themselves by clearing their inbox and returning voicemails first thing. In reality, you are giving away your best thinking to your least demanding work, leaving you exhausted and unproductive by 5 p.m. In this episode, Gary Miles reviews his Morning Victory Formula, a disciplined 90-minute window designed to protect your highest-leverage work from the busy work trap. Stop being reactive, close your tabs, and learn how to run a practice that serves your life rather than trapping it.Plus, get access to this free diagnostic tool to help you identify your specific time drains and move from reactive chaos to purposeful strategy. https://upbeat-trailblazer-9238.kit.com/7c3c667ff1 Get on the waitlist for the full Elite Lawyer's Productivity System https://www.garymiles.net/productivity Get the Values Alignment Guide https://upbeat-trailblazer-9238.kit.com/1604bbf4cb Take the Free Lawyer Assessment garymiles.net/the-free-lawyer-assessment Learn more about Breaking Free or order your copy https://www.garymiles.net/break-free Schedule a complimentary discovery call: https://calendly.com/garymiles-successcoach/one-one-discovery-call
Transcribe →How to Build a Systems-Driven Law Firm That Creates Wealth, Freedom, and a Legacy with Sandy Fisch #416
3w ago00:39:07Tap to summarizeYou built a successful practice. You have the reputation, the income, the results. So why does it still feel like the whole thing falls apart the moment you step away?In this episode, Gary Miles sits down with Sandy Fisch, CEO of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys and co-author of The Enterprise Law Firm: The Blueprint for Attorneys to Build Wealth, Freedom, and a Legacy. Sandy shares the framework he and his partner Robert Armstrong have spent over 30 years developing to help attorneys stop trading time for money and start building practices that run on real systems. From discovering your "why" to creating recurring revenue, building a sellable firm, and becoming a trusted attorney advisor, this conversation is a blueprint for attorneys ready to think bigger.Key Takeaways:Recognize the difference between working in your business and working on your business, and start carving out time for the latter.Build a system for anything you do more than once, then train your team to follow it and watch for "systems drift."Clarify your "why" before layering on tactics. Purpose drives every decision that follows.Explore the Enterprise Law Firm Model, which integrates wealth management alongside legal services to create recurring revenue and a firm valued at multiples of gross revenue.Invest in coaching and accountability. Every top performer has a coach, and attorneys are no exception.Check whether your stated priorities actually match where you spend your time. If they don't, something needs to change.Sandy Fisch is CEO of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys and co-author of The E-Myth Attorney and the upcoming Forbes book The Enterprise Law Firm. He has spent over three decades helping attorneys build systems-driven practices that deliver real freedom.If this episode gave you something to think about, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with an attorney who needs to hear it. Find Gary at garymiles.net and keep practicing law with purpose.TIMESTAMPS[00:00] - Welcome to The Free Lawyer[01:28] - Introducing Sandy Fisch[02:42] - The defining moment behind systems[04:35] - Secrets to a 40-year partnership[07:31] - Launching the Academy in 1993[10:58] - From E-Myth to Enterprise Model[14:16] - Start with your "why"[17:58] - The Trusted Attorney Advisor concept[19:28] - Building a sellable law firm[23:02] - Shifting from technician to owner[26:05] - Thriving through disruption[29:26] - Systems, freedom, and quality of life[32:46] - The power of coaching[34:15] - Aligning priorities with your time[36:28] - Where to find Sandy and the bookGUEST BIOSandy Fisch is the CEO of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, an organization he co-founded to help attorneys build successful, systems-driven practices. For over 30 years, Sandy has been showing lawyers how to move beyond the time-for-money grind and into firms that create real wealth, freedom, and lasting client relationships. He is co-author of The E-Myth Attorney with Michael Gerber and the upcoming Forbes book The Enterprise Law Firm: The Blueprint for Attorneys to Build Wealth, Freedom, and a Legacy. Sandy holds a law degree from the University of San Diego and a master's degree in tax law. He lives in Rancho Santa Fe, California, with his wife Julie and their daughter Tahlia, and when he's not transforming law practices, you'll find him on the golf course.Would you like to learn what it looks like to become a truly Free Lawyer? You can schedule a complimentary call here: https://calendly.com/garymiles-successcoach/one-one-discovery-callYou can find The Free Lawyer Assessment here- https://www.garymiles.net/the-free-lawyer-assessment
Transcribe →Morning Routines vs Evening Planning: How Lawyers Regain Control of Their Work Day #415
3w ago00:21:36Tap to summarizeTomorrow starts today at 4:55 pm.Gary Miles challenges the push for promoting a quality morning routine to support productivity for lawyers. The chaos of a reactive morning isn't a lack of discipline, but a failure to achieve closure the night before. By implementing this five-minute protocol at the end of the workday, attorneys reclaim their authority, protect their sharpest mental hours, and prevent the mental drain that leads to burnout. This episode goes beyond simple time management, framing evening planning as a vital risk management tool and a leadership necessity. Plus, get access to this free diagnostic tool to help you identify your specific time drains and move from reactive chaos to purposeful strategy. https://upbeat-trailblazer-9238.kit.com/7c3c667ff1 Get on the waitlist for the full Elite Lawyer's Productivity System https://www.garymiles.net/productivity Get the Values Alignment Guide https://upbeat-trailblazer-9238.kit.com/1604bbf4cb Take the Free Lawyer Assessment garymiles.net/the-free-lawyer-assessment Learn more about Breaking Free or order your copy https://www.garymiles.net/break-free Schedule a complimentary discovery call: https://calendly.com/garymiles-successcoach/one-one-discovery-call
Transcribe →Robots Should Do the Paperwork: RPA for Law Firms with Elisa Silverglade #414
4w ago00:33:49Tap to summarizeYou built a successful practice to serve clients, not to spend your evenings buried in repetitive paperwork. What if a software robot could handle those tedious tasks with perfect accuracy while you focused on work that actually requires your judgment?Gary sits down with Elisa Silverglade, Director of Intelligent Automation at Techromatic, to explore how Robotic Process Automation is transforming law firm operations. This is not another AI conversation. RPA follows strict rules, executes with near-perfect consistency, and never hallucinates. Elisa draws on 15 years of law office management to show attorneys where automation delivers the greatest return.Key TakeawaysUnderstand the difference between RPA and AI. Automation executes rule-based tasks with consistent accuracy. AI attempts to mimic human thinking but remains unpredictable. For zero-error processes, RPA wins.Recognize that automation elevates jobs rather than eliminating them. Staff shift from data entry to higher-value work requiring judgment and client connection.Start with your biggest bottleneck. Where is the most friction in your operations? That pain point is your automation starting point.Audit your existing tech stack before buying new tools. Many firms already pay for automation features they never activate.Seek expert guidance for the journey. The legal tech landscape is vast. Working with consultants and coaches who understand law firm operations helps you avoid costly mistakes and maximize results.Embrace personal freedom as a practice philosophy. Elisa defines freedom as having the power to make your own choices and believing you deserve everything you want.Continue the ConversationIf this episode got you thinking, subscribe and leave a review to help other attorneys find these conversations. Practice law with purpose. Live life with freedom.[00:00] Introduction and episode hook[02:03] What is RPA exactly?[05:50] RPA versus AI explained[10:01] Will automation eliminate jobs?[13:21] Real results from a PI firm[17:13] First steps toward automation[21:24] Automation and work-life balance[25:40] Why expert guidance matters[28:25] What personal freedom means[31:00] Final insight for law firmsElisa Silverglade is the Director of Intelligent Automation at Techromatic, where she partners with law firms to eliminate repetitive manual work through custom software robots. She helps legal teams identify operational bottlenecks and implement automation that saves time, reduces errors, and restores work-life balance. With over 15 years managing a law office and a background in finance, technology, and advocacy, Elisa brings rare empathy and operational insight to legal technology. She is also author of Meeting My Anxiety. Connect with Elisa on LinkedIn or at elisa@techromatic.com.Would you like to learn what it looks like to become a truly Free Lawyer? You can schedule a complimentary call here: https://calendly.com/garymiles-successcoach/one-one-discovery-callYou can find The Free Lawyer Assessment here- https://www.garymiles.net/the-free-lawyer-assessment
Transcribe →The Five Figure Leak: How to Recover Billable Hours Without Working More #413
Apr 2000:18:14Tap to summarizeThere's a visibility gap costing you 5 figures per month.Gary Miles reveals the hidden discrepancy between how attorneys think they spend their day and what their billing records actually show. He introduces the concept of the Re-entry Tax, explaining how simple three-minute interruptions can actually cost thirteen minutes of productivity due to the mental cost of refocusing. There are staggering financial impact of these leaks, most attorneys lose between $12,000 and $24,000 in billable revenue every single month. It's time to start measuring your time accurately before attempting to just manage it. Plus, get access to this free diagnostic tool to help you identify your specific time drains and move from reactive chaos to purposeful strategy. https://upbeat-trailblazer-9238.kit.com/7c3c667ff1 Get on the waitlist for the full Elite Lawyer's Productivity System https://www.garymiles.net/productivity Get the Values Alignment Guide https://upbeat-trailblazer-9238.kit.com/1604bbf4cb Take the Free Lawyer Assessment garymiles.net/the-free-lawyer-assessment Learn more about Breaking Free or order your copy https://www.garymiles.net/break-free Schedule a complimentary discovery call: https://calendly.com/garymiles-successcoach/one-one-discovery-call
Transcribe →Breaking Free from Big Law: How One Attorney Built a Practice Worth Loving #412
Apr 1600:32:55Tap to summarizeWhat happens when you've "made it" in big law but still feel stuck? Business law attorney Matthew Fornaro hit that wall. After years at two prestigious AmLaw 200 firms, he found himself facing another offer from a top-ten national firm with more money and more prestige. Instead, he walked away to build his own practice.Matt shares the real story of going solo: the defining moment he recognized he'd hit a "plateau" that more money wouldn't fix, the terrifying excitement of day one, and the culture shock of losing big-law infrastructure overnight.Matt is refreshingly honest about what firm ownership actually looks like. The freedom is real, but so is the weight of responsibility. Nobody deposits a paycheck when you don't work. There's no back office printing your documents or managing your calendar. You become the CEO, the marketing department, and the IT help desk all at once.But here's what changed for Matt: the work started to matter in ways it never had before. Inspired by watching his own father struggle to find competent legal counsel for his small business, Matt built a practice dedicated to serving entrepreneurs and startups. Now he watches businesses launch, employees get hired, and communities grow because of work he did with his own hands.We explore the challenges every solo practitioner faces: cash flow management, technology decisions, and the critical importance of choosing the right clients. Matt shares hard-won lessons about red flags he wished he'd heeded earlier and the business education law school never provided.Whether you're considering leaving big law, already running your own firm, or simply searching for a more aligned and fulfilling way to practice, this conversation delivers wisdom from someone who made the leap and built a practice that actually fits his life.Key Takeaways:Why hitting the "plateau" in big law was actually a giftThe culture shock of losing big-law resources overnightHow serving small businesses unlocked deeper fulfillment than Fortune 500 clients ever didThe business education law school never provided and how Matt filled the gapRed flags that signal a client will cost you more than they payBuilding a practice aligned with your values, not just your bank account[01:18] Matt's decade inside AmLaw 200 firms[01:40] The "plateau" that changed everything[06:21] Day one of firm ownership: excitement, fear, and chaos[08:15] What surprised him most about leaving big law[10:05] Freedom without a safety net[12:44] The work that actually feels worth doing[15:05] The parts nobody warns you about[16:10] Cash flow, clients, and constant decisions[17:43] How technology leveled the playing field for small firms[20:01] Why Matt teaches what he learned the hard way[22:06] The mentorship that filled the gaps[24:16] Practical advice for lawyers ready to go soloMatthew Fornaro spent over a decade at two AmLaw 200 law firms before walking away from an offer at a top-ten national firm to build something of his own. Today he serves small businesses, entrepreneurs, and startups from his Coral Springs, Florida office, bringing big-firm expertise to clients often underserved by traditional law firms. A member of the Florida Bar and District of Columbia Bar, Matthew practices commercial litigation, contract disputes, construction law, intellectual property, and business formation. He also teaches legal compliance as an instructor for the Kauffman Foundation's FastTrac NewVenture Program and Florida State University's Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship, helping the next generation of business owners avoid the mistakes he learned to navigate the hard way.Contact me: gary@garymiles.nethttps://www.garymiles.net/You can find The Free Lawyer Assessment here- https://www.garymiles.net/the-free-lawyer-assessmentWould you like to schedule a complimentary discovery call? You can do so here: https://calendly.com/garymiles-successcoach/one-one-discovery-call
Transcribe →