Many attorneys have now been working fully virtual for years. During the pandemic most firms experimented with different levels of remote or hybrid work models. For some it worked well, and they continued, but other firms chose to return to the office. While supporters of remote work point to increased flexibility, autonomy, and efficiency, critics worry about the loss of mentorship opportunities and the potential impact on productivity and quality.

In today’s episode hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jamie Moore welcome Marelize Dingman, of Florida Appeals, to discuss the key to running a successful law firm without a physical office.

Marelize Dingman earned her BA in Social Work from the North-West University in South Africa. After moving to the United States, she was hired at the firm Palmer and Palmer P.A. Following Bill Palmer’s appointment to the Fifth District Court of Appeal, Marelize joined another well-respected Orlando law firm and began managing large corporate events and promoting South African musical artists. When Bill Palmer returned to private practice, Marelize was thrilled to join him and the whole Florida Appeals team as their Firm Administrator.

This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1.0 hour of General CLE credit. Course #9354.

REFERENCED RESOURCES:

• Florida Appeals
• Marelize Dingman
• Beyond Brick and Mortar: The Evolution and Impact of Virtual Law Firms (NYSBA)
• How to Work Remotely as a Legal Professional: A Guide (Clio)
• LegalFuel: The Florida Bar’s Practice Resource Center

Succession planning is vital for any law firm, but it's about more than just retirement. It ensures business continuity through the expected transitions and the unexpected ones like incapacity, death, or disaster. For solo and small firms, it is critical to uninterrupted client service, while also maximizing firm value.

In today’s episode hosts Christine Bilbrey and Jamie Moore welcome Tom Lenfestey, of The Law Practice Exchange, to discuss succession planning.

In his role as the Founder & CEO of The Law Practice Exchange, Tom’s goal is to guide lawyers through the next chapter of their legal career, whether that’s succession planning, exit planning, or strategic growth through law firm acquisition. As a respected leader in law firm sales, Tom has guided The Law Practice Exchange to be the leading marketplace and expert team specializing in aiding attorneys and law firms in buying and selling law firms through continuation, exit and succession strategies. Its mission is to provide education and essential services to facilitate seamless law firm sales and acquisitions and lawyer transition planning.

This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1.0 hour of General CLE. Course # 9312.

REFERENCED RESOURCES:

• The Law Practice Exchange
• Selling Your Practice with Tom Lenfestey (Podcast)
• Selling Your Law Practice: Insights from Tom Lenfestey on Building a Saleable Business (Podcast)
• How to Value Your Law Firm with Tom Lenfestey (Podcast)
• Rule 4-1.17 Sale of Law Practice
• Florida Bar Ethics Informational Packet: Notifying Clients of Change in Firm Composition
• Florida Bar’s Ethics Informational Packet: Of Counsel
• ABA LPM: Succession Planning for Your Next Firm Administrator
• A Guide to Law Firm Succession Planning: From Emergency Plans to Exit Strategies
• Checklist for Lawyers Retirement, Law Office Closure, Or Law Firm Dissolution
• The 16-Pager: How to Avoid Boredom in Retirement with the Greatest of Ease (ABA Journal)
• Book: Designing a Succession Plan for Your Law Practice: A Step-by-Step Guide for Preparing Your Firm for Maximum Value (Amazon)
• Book: Younger Next Year – A Guide to Living Like 50 Until You’re 80 and Beyond (Amazon)
• Book: Traction – Get a Grip on Your Business (Amazon)
• Succession Planning Guide
• LegalFuel: The Florida Bar’s Practice Resource Center

The use of generative artificial intelligence by lawyers has shown enormous potential for efficiency, quality, and improved client service, but it also requires the careful consideration of ethics, data security, and an understanding of the degree of human supervision needed. Agentic AI is now emerging and could further transform the business of law.

In today’s episode host Christine Bilbrey and Jamie Moore welcomes Tom Martin, of LawDroid, to discuss the impact of Agentic AI on the business of law and the future of law practice.

Tom Martin is a Generative AI expert who serves as CEO of LawDroid, Principal of Deep Legal, and Adjunct Professor at Suffolk Law School, where he literally wrote the textbook on AI and legal services. As an ABA Legal Rebel and Fastcase 50 Honoree appointed to the ABA Center for Innovation, he's transforming the legal industry through his companies, teaching, and speaking at major conferences like ABA TechShow and LegalWeek.

A Yale and UCLA Law graduate, Tom hosts the LawDroid Manifesto podcast and conference while making a dent in the universe from his home in Vancouver, Canada.

You can follow Tom's writings and podcast at: lawdroidmanifesto.com.

This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Continuing Legal Education Department for 1.0 hour of General CLE credit including 1.0 hour of Technology CLE credit. Course # 9290.

REFERENCED RESOURCES:

• Tom Martin, Founder and CEO of LawDroid
• LawDroid Manifesto
• Thinking Like a Lawyer: Agentic AI and the New Legal Playbook
• AI Agents: What Are They, How Do They Work, Why Should I Care?
• What is Agentic AI, and How Will It Change Work?
• Agentic AI and Legal: How It’s Redefining the Profession
• Enhancing Efficiency and Client Service with Legal Tech Tools
• Why Agentic AI is the Architect of Autonomy
• Harvey Launches Deep Research for Legal
• LawDroid Launches CiteCheck AI, a Fail-Safe Against AI Citation Hallucinations
• 10 Agentic AI Use Cases for Contact Centers
• CoCounsel: The Industry-Leading GenAI Assistant for Professionals
• Zapier AI
• Anthropic: AI Research and Products That Put Safety at the Frontier
• The Florida Bar Guide to Getting Started With AI
• LegalFuel: The Florida Bar’s Practice Resource Center