Rethinking Law Firm Growth in the Age of AI, with Sam Harden
In episode #577 of Lawyerist Podcast, discover how to use AI to drive firm growth, expand practice areas, and strengthen client relationships while avoiding the trap of treating it as a simple efficiency tool. Too often, conversations about AI in law stop at shaving time off tasks or reducing headcount, but AI holds far more potential than cost-cutting. Innovation strategist Sam Harden explains why firms should resist the temptation to view AI as a staff replacement and instead embrace it as a growth engine. By experimenting with generative tools and even “vibe coding,” lawyers can create new services, improve client experiences, and reach entirely new markets. Rather than narrowing practice, AI can open doors to expansion, innovation, and more sustainable business models—helping firms future-proof themselves in a rapidly evolving market.
Ideal for growth-minded lawyers, firm leaders, and legal innovators who want to use AI strategically to scale smarter, serve better, and stay ahead.
Links From the Episode:
https://samharden.substack.com/
https://legaltalknetwork.com/podcasts/for-the-innocent/
https://tabs3.com/seetabs3/
Listen to our other episodes on AI & Legal Innovation:
#565: Becoming the AI Driven Leader, with Geoff Woods Apple | Spotify | LTN
#562: Beyond ChatGPT: The AI Revolution Happening Inside Your Firm, with Charreau Bell Apple | Spotify | LTN
#555: How to Use AI and Universal Design to Empower Diverse Thinkers with Susan Tanner Apple | Spotify | LTN
#553: AI Tools and Processes Every Lawyer Should Use with Catherine Sanders Reach Apple | Spotify | LTN
#452: Managing AI in Your Practice, with Ed Walters Apple | Spotify | LTN
If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you.
Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com.
Chapters/Timestamps:
00:00 – Welcome & What Legal Talk Network Is
04:33 – Building a Modern Legal Tech Stack
10:33 – Meet Sam Harden: From Trial Lawyer to Innovator
16:38 – AI in Law: Efficiency vs. Growth
23:53 – The Risks of Replacing People with Technology
31:46 – Vibe Coding and the Future of Legal Tech
44:57 – Looking Ahead: Sam’s Vision as Innovation Strategist
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How Sponsorship, Empathy, and Failure Shape Great Leaders, with Michael Cohen
In episode 576, learn how to lead with empathy, build trust, and create space for growth by embracing both mentorship and sponsorship. Stephanie Everett talks with Michael Cohen, partner at Duane Morris and leadership coach, about what it really takes to inspire and support a team.
Mike shares his journey from employment litigator to building a training and coaching practice focused on culture, mental health, and leadership. He explains why sponsorship goes further than mentorship, how to adapt your style to truly know your people, and why allowing room for failure is essential to innovation.
Drawing on stories from coaching his daughters’ softball team and lessons inspired by The West Wing, Mike highlights how intentional check-ins, vulnerability, and empathy can transform leaders into authentic allies. You’ll leave with practical strategies to foster stronger workplace cultures, empower people to advocate for themselves, and lead with greater humanity in challenging times.
Listen to our other episodes on leadership & growth.
#572 – Practical Courage Skills Every Lawyer Needs, with Jim Detert Apple | Spotify | LTN
#527 – Casting Your Vision and Leading Your Firm, with Kevin DeShazo Apple | Spotify | LTN
#499 – Conquering Self-Doubt, with Tim Atler Apple | Spotify | LTN
#491 – Crafting Your Purpose-Driven Leadership Vision, with Leticia DeSuze Apple | Spotify | LTN
If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you.
Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com.
Chapters/Timestamps:
00:00 – Growth, AI & Leadership at Lawyerist
06:01 – Small Team vs. Large Team Leadership
08:10 – Meet Michael Cohen
12:05 – From Litigator to Leadership Coach
22:02 – Lessons from Coaching & Embracing Failure
34:46 – West Wing Parable & Final Takeaways
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38:48
From Overwhelmed Lawyer to Strategic Law Firm Owner, with Chad Fox
In episode #575 of Lawyerist Podcast, learn how to move beyond daily overwhelm and lead your firm with clarity, confidence, and vision as Stephanie Everett talks with Lawyerist Lab business strategist Chad Fox. Chad explains why so many lawyers get stuck in the weeds of $20/hour tasks instead of focusing on high-value CEO work, and how a mindset shift can create immediate clarity and hope. Together they explore the journey from business operator to business owner, the importance of dreaming bigger than what feels “realistic,” and how to delegate effectively without guilt. Real-life success stories highlight attorneys who have built thriving teams, scaled their practices, and reclaimed freedom, offering both inspiration and actionable strategies for sustainable law firm growth.
Listen to our other episodes on Law Firm Leadership:
#569 Your Head Is a Crappy Office, and Other GTD Principles for Attorneys, with David Allen Apple | Spotify | LTN
#564 The Gift in the Struggle: Leveraging Emotional Intelligence for Growth, with Sara Muender Apple | Spotify | LTN
#560: Stop Doing Everything Yourself! Unlock Your Law Firm’s True Potential, with Leticia DeSuze Apple | Spotify | LTN
If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you.
Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com.
Chapters/Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction: Creating Space to Think Differently
06:16 – Meet Chad Fox
07:12 – The Overwhelm Stage
08:33 – Finding Hope Through Clarity
11:24 – Dreaming Big Beyond ‘What’s Realistic’
15:00 – From Operator to Owner
17:09 – Building Teams & Managing Perceptions
20:16 – The $20 Task Trap
23:44 – What Being a CEO Lawyer Looks Like
25:50 – Success Story: From Chaos to Growth
26:50 – Final Takeaway: It Doesn’t Have to Be So Hard
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28:56
Community-Based Legal Solutions for Everyday Problems, with Rebecca Sandefur & Matthew Burnett
Most people facing legal problems don’t see them as legal at all—they see them as life problems with landlords, employers, or benefits agencies. That disconnect leaves millions without meaningful help, even when lawyers or courts are available.
In this episode, Zack Glaser talks with Professor Rebecca Sandefur (Arizona State University, American Bar Foundation) and Matthew Burnett (Georgetown Law, ABF) about their research on community justice workers and why people-centered solutions may be the key to closing the justice gap.
They explore how community justice workers operate in Alaska and beyond, why legal help doesn’t always have to come from lawyers, and how rules around unauthorized practice of law are evolving. You’ll hear evidence that trained non-lawyers can be just as effective—sometimes more so—than attorneys in resolving critical issues like housing or benefits.
Rebecca and Matthew also discuss what “success” really means: scalable, sustainable programs that meet people where they are, in their own communities, in their own language. And they argue that broadening access to justice isn’t just about legal services—it’s about strengthening democracy itself.
This episode is for lawyers, policymakers, and innovators who want to reimagine how legal help is delivered—and build a justice system that actually works for the people it’s meant to serve.
Additionally, Zack and Stephanie talk about the upcoming ClioCon 2025 in Boston, MA. Check out the conference and get your tickets at cliocon.com. Use the code “LawyeristxClioCon” for a $300 discount on your ticket.
Listen to our other episodes on Access To Justice:
#129: The Business of Public Access to Law, with Tim Stanley
Apple | Spotify | LTN
#228: The Real Access-to-Justice Problem and How We Might Solve It, with Rebecca Sandefur
Apple | Spotify | LTN
#423: Bridging the Access to Justice Gap with Technology, with Sateesh Nori
Apple | Spotify | LTN
#440: A Path to Meaningful Regulations, with Rebecca Sandefur
Apple | Spotify | LTN
If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you.
Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com.
Chapters/Timestamps:
00:00 – Fall & ClioCon in Boston05:24 – Meet Rebecca Sandefur & Matthew Burnett06:50 – A People-Centered Justice Approach11:08 – Community Justice Workers Explained15:55 – Legal Help Without Lawyers20:31 – What Success Really Looks Like25:23 – State Models & Next Steps34:30 – Scaling Justice & Strengthening Democracy38:49 – Final Takeaways
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#573: From Courtroom to Community: Strengthening Your Support Network, with Kat Vellos
Learn how to overcome busyness, start meaningful conversations, and build lasting adult friendships that enrich both your personal and professional life. In this episode, Stephanie Everett talks with Kat Vellos, author of We Should Get Together: The Secret to Cultivating Better Friendships, about practical ways to form new connections, deepen existing relationships, and create a sense of community. You’ll discover strategies for moving beyond small talk, making the most of your time, and using Kat’s four “seeds of connection” framework to help relationships thrive.
Kat shares research-backed insights on why friendships matter for well-being, how to integrate connection into your daily life without adding more to your to-do list, and ways to authentically connect with neighbors, colleagues, and acquaintances. Whether you’re looking to expand your circle, reconnect with old friends, or foster deeper ties in your professional network, this conversation offers actionable ideas you can start using today.
Listen to our other episodes on Careers & Professional Development.
Episode #572 – Practical Courage Skills Every Lawyer Needs, with Jim Detert (leadership and professional growth) Apple | Spotify | LTN
Episode #567 – From Quiet to Confident: Redefining Success as an Introverted Lawyer, with Heidi Brown (confidence-building for career success) Apple | Spotify | LTN
Episode #564 – The Gift in the Struggle: Leveraging Emotional Intelligence for Growth Apple | Spotify | LTN
Episode #520 – The Truth About Lawyer Self‑Care: Prioritize or Suffer (personal well-being integral to professional longevity) Apple | Spotify | LTN
If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you.
Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com.
Links from the episode:
Learn More about LabCon
We Should Get Together: The Secret to Cultivating Better Friendships
Chapters:
00:56 – Lab Con: Hands-On Business Building for Lawyers
04:43 – Meet Kat Vellos: Author & Friendship Expert
08:47 – Why Adults Have Fewer Close Friends Today
13:44 – Finding Time for Friends & the “Seeds of Connection”
16:20 – How to Meet Neighbors and Build Local Ties
18:53 – Moving Beyond Small Talk with Meaningful Questions
22:49 – Using Conversation Prompts to Connect at Work
26:30 – Committing to Local Friendships & Staying Connected
The Lawyerist Podcast is your ultimate guide to building, managing, and growing a successful small or medium-sized law firm. Tailored for lawyers and attorneys who aspire to thrive in today’s fast-paced legal landscape, this podcast delivers actionable advice, proven strategies, and cutting-edge insights to help you run a modern law firm with confidence.
Whether you're a solo attorney starting your practice, managing a growing firm, or looking to optimize your operations, The Lawyerist Podcast provides the tools you need. From mastering law firm marketing, streamlining workflows with legal technology, and improving client relationships to building sustainable firm culture, we cover everything that matters to entrepreneurial lawyers.
Hosted by industry leaders and packed with interviews featuring top legal professionals, tech innovators, and law firm management experts, each episode dives deep into topics like law firm profitability, automation, time management, and future trends in legal services.
If you’re searching for practical advice on how to run a law firm, grow your legal business, and stay ahead of the curve, The Lawyerist Podcast is the resource you’ve been waiting for. Subscribe now to elevate your practice and build the law firm of your dreams.
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