Great Practice. Great Life. by Atticus

Steve Riley
  • 5.0 (121)
  • Management
  • Updated Weekly

If you're a solo or small law firm owner who feels overworked, time-starved, or stuck at your current level, this podcast is for you. On Great Practice. Great Life.® you will hear from successful firm owners who have increased income, reduced stress, and built profitable, sustainable practices. Hosted by Steve Riley, a former trial attorney and law firm coach for more than 20 years, the show dives into real conversations about law firm growth, leadership, and profitability. You will learn how to grow a firm that runs smoothly, from marketing and hiring to operations and culture, so you are not the bottleneck in your own business. Each episode delivers practical, lawyer-specific strategies you can use right away to improve your law practice management, boost firm performance, and create more time for the life you actually want. Follow the show and start building your own great practice and great life. Popular topics include: * Attorney success & personal growth * How to grow a law firm sustainably * Law firm business strategy & leadership * Law firm culture, hiring, and team development * Law firm management, operations, and workflow design * Law firm marketing & client experience * Law firm profitability & financial performance * Attorney work life balance

  1. 4d ago

    Stop Trying to Balance Work and Life: Build One Big Life with Elaine Ralls

    Your law firm needs your attention. So do your family, finances, health, relationships, and everything else that matters to you. Trying to keep each part perfectly balanced can leave you feeling like you are constantly playing whack-a-mole and waiting for the day when things finally settle down. In this episode of Great Practice, Great Life, entrepreneur and One Big Life author Elaine Ralls joins Steve Riley to challenge the idea that work and life need to be managed as separate compartments. She shares what can happen when you make decisions with the whole picture in mind, surround yourself with people who can help you move forward, and focus on putting clients, team members, and others in what she calls their "place of most potential." For law firm owners, that perspective has implications far beyond work-life balance. Elaine and Steve discuss overwhelm, client trust, business relationships, and finding the gap that makes your firm meaningfully different. Listen for a practical way to think about building a successful law firm without putting the rest of your life on hold. ___________ In this episode, you will hear: How to make decisions with your whole life in mind, not just your business Why the way you show up affects the trust you build with clients and your team What it means to put people in their "place of most potential" How to spot an opportunity your law firm can serve differently How your "front row" can help you move forward when you feel overwhelmed ___________ Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐ If there's a topic you would like us to cover on an upcoming episode, please email us at steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com. ___________ Supporting Resources: Elaine Ralls https://www.linkedin.com/in/elaineralls Book: One Big Life: Turn your messy, chaotic life into a bold, beautiful masterpiece. by Elaine Ralls https://a.co/003CLQgV One Big Life Wheel https://atticusadvantage.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/the-big-life-wheel-sm.jpg The Summit https://atticussummit.com Atticus Newsletter https://atticusadvantage.com/newsletter-signup ___________ Curious about growing your own practice without burning out? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership, law firm pricing and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice. You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

    Stop Trying to Balance Work and Life: Build One Big Life with Elaine Ralls

  2. Oct 5

    25 Years of Coaching Lawyers: What Drives Profit, Focus, and Growth with Glenn Finch | Ep 204

    Twenty-five years advising attorneys. Twenty-eight years of military service. Glenn Finch has spent much of his career learning what it takes to perform at a high level without letting every demand dictate your time. And after decades of working with law firm owners, he's seen which lessons tend to matter most. In this episode of Great Practice, Great Life, Steve Riley sits down with Glenn to talk about what his unusual career has taught him about helping law firm owners build more profitable practices without letting the practice consume their lives. They discuss knowing what your time is worth, hiring people you can trust, becoming more selective about the clients you take, and protecting your capacity as the firm grows. Glenn also shares how his military experience shaped the discipline and boundaries he brings to his work with attorneys, and why fear and old assumptions can quietly influence some of the biggest decisions a law firm owner makes. After 25 years of helping attorneys build stronger practices, Glenn has plenty to say about what works, what gets in the way, and what law firm owners may need to think differently about if they want both a great practice and a great life. ___________ In this episode, you will hear: How to make your law firm more profitable without simply taking on more work Why the people you hire can change what's possible for your firm When saying no to a client can be better for your business How fear and old assumptions can keep law firm owners stuck How Glenn uses discipline and boundaries to protect his time and attention ___________ Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐ If there's a topic you would like us to cover on an upcoming episode, please email us at steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com. ___________ Supporting Resources: Glenn Finch, Senior Practice Advisor https://atticusadvantage.com/team/glenn-finch/ Previous Episode: Can You Protect Your Law Firm from Inflation? https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/can-you-protect-your-law-firm-from-inflation/ Previous Episode: Well, What Did You Expect? With Glenn Finch https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/well-what-did-you-expect-with-glenn-finch/ Book: The Power of Beliefs: How Strengthening Seven Core Beliefs Predicts Greater Success and a Better Life by Shawn Achor https://a.co/d/03CTTADM Coaching https://atticusadvantage.com/coaching/ My Great Life Focus https://mygreatlifefocus.com/ Brené Brown Above/Below the Line Practice https://brenebrown.com/resources/above-below-the-line/ DISC Assessment https://atticusadvantage.com/disc-assessment/ Time Management Self-Assessment https://atticusadvantage.com/assessments/time-management/ ___________ Curious about growing your own practice without burning out? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership, law firm pricing and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice. You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

    25 Years of Coaching Lawyers: What Drives Profit, Focus, and Growth with Glenn Finch | Ep 204

  3. Sep 28

    AI Is Changing Roles Inside Your Law Firm with Matt Symes

    "I can't find good people" is one of the most common frustrations in law firm management. But what if the people aren't actually the problem? Rushed work, competing priorities, poor scheduling, and broken workflows can make capable team members look like they're underperforming. And when the work starts falling apart, who usually steps in to fix it? The law firm owner. In this episode of Great Practice, Great Life, Steve Riley talks with business transformation strategist Matt Symes about why hiring another person, adding more training, or throwing AI at the problem won't necessarily fix what's happening inside your firm. They discuss how to identify what's really slowing your firm down, rethink the way work moves through your team, and determine where AI can actually make a difference. Before you decide you have a people problem, Matt argues there's a more important question to ask: Is the way your firm works setting good people up to succeed? ___________ In this episode, you will hear: Why a people problem may actually be a process problem How to find the constraint that's slowing down your firm Why your team should help redesign the way work gets done How AI could change the roles of attorneys, paralegals, and administrators Why your vision for your practice should come before your AI strategy ___________ Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐ If there's a topic you would like us to cover on an upcoming episode, please email us at steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com. ___________ Supporting Resources: Matt Symes https://levership.com/about-us Levership https://levership.com/ Matt Symes LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-symes-8328a765/ The Summit https://atticussummit.com Atticus Newsletter https://atticusadvantage.com/newsletter-signup/ ___________ Curious about growing your own practice without burning out? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership, law firm pricing and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice. You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

    AI Is Changing Roles Inside Your Law Firm with Matt Symes

  4. Sep 21

    When AI Scammers Impersonate You and Your Law Firm with Angel Leal

    Imagine getting a call from someone who thinks they hired you, paid you, and trusted you with their legal problem. Except you've never spoken to them before. That's what attorney Angel Leal faced when scammers began using his name, image, voice, and law firm to impersonate him online. What started with fake social media accounts quickly became something much bigger, leaving Angel and his team to deal with people who genuinely believed they had been working with his firm. In this episode of Great Practice, Great Life, Angel joins Steve Riley to share what happened, how his firm responded, and what he wishes more attorneys understood about protecting their identity online. They talk about fake websites, AI-generated videos and voices, client verification, documenting fraud, and what to do when someone else is using the reputation you spent years building. If you have a website, a social media presence, or simply a name people can find online, this is a problem worth paying attention to. ___________ In this episode, you will hear: How scammers can use AI to impersonate attorneys and law firms online Why attorney identity theft quickly becomes a problem for the entire firm How to help prospective clients verify they're actually communicating with your firm Why documenting and reporting impersonation matters What attorneys with a public presence should know about protecting their reputation ___________ Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐ If there's a topic you would like us to cover on an upcoming episode, please email us at steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com. ___________ Supporting Resources: Angel F. Leal, Jr. P.A. https://www.angelleal.com/en/ Ep 184: From Burnout to Thriving Law Firm: What Angel Leal Did Differently https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/burnout-to-thriving-law-firm-angel-leal Ep 197: Build a Million-Follower Legal Brand Without Letting Growth Overwhelm Your Firm with Angel Leal https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/million-follower-legal-brand Lori Goetz, COO & Practice Advisor https://atticusadvantage.com/team/lori-goetz/ The Summit https://atticussummit.com Atticus Newsletter https://atticusadvantage.com/newsletter-signup/ Have you or your law firm been targeted by an AI scam? Steve has resources that may help you navigate what to do next. Contact Steve Riley directly at steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com for more information. ___________ Curious about growing your own practice without burning out? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership, law firm pricing and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice. You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

    When AI Scammers Impersonate You and Your Law Firm with Angel Leal

  5. Sep 14

    How to Delegate Without Sacrificing Client Experience with Dr. Ruth Mannschreck

    If you stepped away from your law firm tomorrow, what would stop working? For Dr. Ruth Mannschreck, that question became very real when her daughter's traumatic birth forced her to cut her dental practice from five days a week to two and a half. She could have accepted that working less meant earning less. Instead, Ruth and her team changed the way the practice operated. They returned to their previous revenue, continued to grow, and built a business that no longer depended on Ruth being involved in everything. In this episode of Great Practice, Great Life, Steve Riley talks with Ruth about what law firm owners can learn from her experience. They discuss building a team that takes ownership, creating a better client experience, hiring the right people, and letting go of work without losing accountability. If your firm still needs you to answer every question, solve every problem, and make every important decision, Ruth's story offers a different picture of what your practice could look like. ___________ In this episode, you will hear: How to build a client experience that goes beyond getting the work done Why your team needs ownership, not just another list of tasks What to look for when hiring beyond technical skills How to decide what should come off your plate How to build a firm that depends less on you without losing accountability ___________ Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐ If there's a topic you would like us to cover on an upcoming episode, please email us at steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com. ___________ Supporting Resources: Dr. Ruth Mannschreck https://shorelinestrategies.com/about-us/ Shoreline Strategies https://shorelinestrategies.com/ The Summit https://atticussummit.com Atticus Newsletter https://atticusadvantage.com/newsletter-signup ___________ Curious about growing your own practice without burning out? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership, law firm pricing and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice. You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

    How to Delegate Without Sacrificing Client Experience with Dr. Ruth Mannschreck

  6. Sep 7

    How AI is Helping Attorneys Grow More Profitable Practices with Jennifer and Fred Felten | Ep 200

    AI can help you get legal work done faster. But if you bill by the hour, that creates an uncomfortable question:  What happens when the work that used to take three hours takes 30 minutes? And billing is only part of the conversation. In this episode of Great Practice, Great Life, Jennifer Felten and Fred Felten join Steve Riley to talk about what they're actually doing with AI inside their law firm. They share how they're using technology to capture knowledge, train their team, improve processes, and rethink work that has traditionally depended on an attorney's time. They also get into some bigger questions about staffing, flat fees, subscriptions, AI agents, and what a law firm could look like when technology creates more capacity instead of simply helping everyone work faster. If you're trying to figure out where AI actually belongs in your firm, this insightful discussion offers a firsthand look at what happens when you start putting it to work. ___________ In this episode, you will hear: How Jennifer grew her practice from $600K a year to $400K a month How internal GPTs turn attorney knowledge into a resource for the entire team Where automation can take repetitive work off your team's plate Why Jennifer and Fred moved away from hourly billing How AI is changing training, staffing, and capacity inside the firm ___________ Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐ If there's a topic you would like us to cover on an upcoming episode, please email us at steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com. ___________ Supporting Resources: Jennifer Felten, Esq. https://relawapc.com/team/jennifer-felten Fred Felten https://relawapc.com/team/fred-felten RELAW, APC https://relawapc.com Previous Episode: Let Go of Guilt and Build a More Profitable Law Firm https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/let-go-of-guilt-and-build-a-more-profitable-law-firm-with-jennifer-felten Previous Episode: Breaking Into Growth: How We Grew Our Law Firm 400% Over 6 Years and Learned to Take 6 Weeks Off Annually https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/breaking-into-growth-how-we-grew-our-law-firm-400-over-6-years-and-learned-to-take-6-weeks-off-annually-with-jennifer-fred-felten The Summit https://atticussummit.com Book: Who Not How: The Formula to Achieve Bigger Goals Through Accelerating Teamwork by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy https://a.co/d/0bz6GFDS My Great Life Focus https://mygreatlifefocus.com ___________ Curious about growing your own practice without burning out? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership, law firm pricing and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice. You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

    How AI is Helping Attorneys Grow More Profitable Practices with Jennifer and Fred Felten | Ep 200

  7. Aug 31

    The Gallbladder Test: Is Your Law Firm Too Dependent on One Person? with Sam Price

    What would happen if one of your most important employees was suddenly out for three weeks or three months? For Sam Price, a team member's gallbladder surgery exposed a problem many law firm owners don't recognize until it's too late: too much of the firm depended on what one person knew. Sam joins Steve Riley on Great Practice, Great Life to talk about reducing key-person dependency through better law firm systems, training, delegation, and cross-training. They explore how unclear instructions and hidden assumptions create bottlenecks, and how better processes can keep your firm moving when someone is unavailable. In this episode, you will hear: Why key-person dependency can put your law firm at risk How to document processes without overcomplicating them Why unclear delegation creates avoidable mistakes How to define what "done" really means in your firm How better systems improve training, cross-training, and client service ___________ Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐ If there's a topic you would like us to cover on an upcoming episode, please email us at steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com. ___________ Supporting Resources: Sam Price https://atticusadvantage.com/team/sam-price/ Price Law Firm https://pricelawfirm.com/ Previous Episode: How to Fast Track Your Growth with a "Think" Day with Sam Price https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/how-to-fast-track-your-growth-with-a-think-day-with-sam-price/ Sam's Podcast: Probate Notes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/probate-notes-your-guide-to-navigating-california-probate/id1808728561 Book: SYSTEMology: Create time, reduce errors and scale your profits with proven business systems by David Jenyns https://www.systemology.com/ Book: Systems Champion: Simplify Business Processes, Unlock Team Potential & Achieve True Freedom by David Jenyns https://www.systemology.com/scbook/ Previous Episode with David Jenyns: SYSTEMology for Law Firms: The 7 Steps to a Systems-Driven Firm and the Champion Who Makes It Stick https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/systemology-for-law-firms-david-jenyns/ Recording of the member event with David Jenyns is in your member portal. https://atticusadvantage.mykajabi.com/login Law Firm Coaching https://atticusadvantage.com/coaching/ Loom https://www.loom.com/ Scott Pioli episode: https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/why-work-ethic-isnt-enough-scott-pioli-part-1/ The Summit https://atticussummit.com/ Team Leader Certification Program (Code TLC500 for $500 off) https://atticusadvantage.com/law-firm-team-leader-certification/ ___________ Curious about growing your own practice without burning out? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership, law firm pricing and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice. You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

    The Gallbladder Test: Is Your Law Firm Too Dependent on One Person? with Sam Price

  8. Aug 24

    Shiftward: How Small Changes Create Lasting Change in Your Law Firm with Rich Bracken

    You return from a conference or coaching session with a clear plan for your law firm. Then the emails pile up, a client emergency takes over, your team has questions, and the change that felt so important starts slipping away. Why is it so hard to make meaningful change stick? In this episode of Great Practice, Great Life, Steve Riley welcomes Rich Bracken back to share the thinking behind his book, Shiftward: How Small Shifts Create Sustainable Change. Drawing from his own experience with lasting personal transformation, Rich explores why big goals and good intentions are rarely enough to create lasting progress. Steve and Rich dig into what happens when you approach change differently, both for yourself and for the people you lead. If you've ever known exactly what you wanted to change but struggled to make it last, this conversation offers a more sustainable way forward. ____________ In this episode, you will hear: Why lasting change starts with an honest self-assessment How micro goals turn ambition into sustainable progress How to create team buy-in when introducing change Why meaningful accountability requires action How a personal board of directors can keep you moving forward ___________ Subscribe & Review Never miss an episode. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. ⭐Like what you hear? A quick review helps more people find the show.⭐ If there's a topic you would like us to cover on an upcoming episode, please email us at steve.riley@atticusadvantage.com. ___________ Supporting Resources: Rich Bracken https://www.richbracken.com Shiftward: How Small Shifts Create Sustainable Change by Rich Bracken https://www.richbracken.com/book Episode 183 Why Emotional Intelligence Helps Lawyers Make More Money with Rich Bracken https://atticusadvantage.com/podcast/emotional-intelligence-for-lawyers-rich-bracken Men's Health "How This Guy Dropped Over 100 Pounds—And Has Kept It off for 26 Years" https://www.menshealth.com/weight-loss/a64151045/rich-bracken-weight-loss-transformation My Great Life Focus https://mygreatlifefocus.com Law Firm Coaching https://atticusadvantage.com/coaching Workshop: The Path to a Great Practice & Great Life https://atticusadvantage.com/workshops/the-path-to-a-great-practice-great-life/ The Summit https://atticussummit.com/ ___________ Curious about growing your own practice without burning out? Contact Atticus to see whether our law firm coaching can help you strengthen attorney success, refine your law firm business strategy, and build a practice that actually supports your life. This podcast for lawyers is part of our broader legal podcast library, offering practical insights on how to grow a law firm through stronger law firm leadership, law firm pricing and management, smarter marketing, intentional hiring, efficient operations, healthy law firm culture, and sustainable profitability, all while addressing law firm burnout and the realities of modern practice. You can also sign up for our newsletter to get practical insights on how to grow a law firm: from law firm leadership and management to marketing, hiring, operations, culture, and profitability, so you can build a Great Practice and a Great Life.

    Shiftward: How Small Changes Create Lasting Change in Your Law Firm with Rich Bracken
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If you're a solo or small law firm owner who feels overworked, time-starved, or stuck at your current level, this podcast is for you. On Great Practice. Great Life.® you will hear from successful firm owners who have increased income, reduced stress, and built profitable, sustainable practices. Hosted by Steve Riley, a former trial attorney and law firm coach for more than 20 years, the show dives into real conversations about law firm growth, leadership, and profitability. You will learn how to grow a firm that runs smoothly, from marketing and hiring to operations and culture, so you are not the bottleneck in your own business. Each episode delivers practical, lawyer-specific strategies you can use right away to improve your law practice management, boost firm performance, and create more time for the life you actually want. Follow the show and start building your own great practice and great life. Popular topics include: * Attorney success & personal growth * How to grow a law firm sustainably * Law firm business strategy & leadership * Law firm culture, hiring, and team development * Law firm management, operations, and workflow design * Law firm marketing & client experience * Law firm profitability & financial performance * Attorney work life balance

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