The Sterling Family Law Show

Jeff Sterling Hughes
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  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The Sterling Family Law Show is where successful family law attorneys share the exact systems they used to build million-dollar practices.Host Jeff Hughes scaled Sterling Lawyers from zero to $17M with 27 attorneys. Co-host Tyler Dolph runs Rocket Clicks, the agency in charge of supercharging Sterling and other family law practices to success using revenue-first marketing strategies. Together, they share the playbook for building the law firm of your dreams.If you're looking to grow exponentially, generate revenue, and get good at business, this podcast is for you.

  1. DEC 11

    The 4-Step Law Firm Resume Screening Process That Filters 50% of Applicants Fast - #187

    Send us a text Stop drowning in 200+ applications. This framework defines your criteria, leverages AI, and gets your team screening without you. Here's the 4-step system we built to filter 50% of applicants quickly. We break down the exact law firm hiring process we use: criteria definition, tech filtering, red flag hunting, and strategic reference checks.  We even talk through using ChatGPT as your applicant tracking system if you don't have one yet. Plus, I dropped my reference check strategy that completely changed how we vet candidates. Real recruitment tips that scale. 📚 Register to our Webinar Now:: https://rocketclicks.com/webinar-signup 📲 Subscribe Now: https://www.youtube.com/@karls.anthony 📝 Schedule a FREE Family Law Firm Audit: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/  --- 📄 CHAPTERS   0:00 - Law Firm Resume Screening: Stop Wandering Into the Process  1:49 - Define Your Screening Criteria Before a Single Application Hits  2:26 - The 50% Rule: Eliminating Applicants Who Don't Pass the Sniff Test  3:38 - The Apprenticeship Square: Training Your Team to Screen for You  5:10 - Using AI and Applicant Tracking Systems to Batch Process  6:20 - How to Train a ChatGPT Agent When You Don't Have Full ATS  17:25 - Resume Red Flags: Job Hopping, Bad Formatting, and Applying Up  19:25 - The Reference Hack: Asking for Specific Supervisors by Name  21:58 - Disqualify Don't Qualify: The Mindset Shift That Saves Hours ---------------------- Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers? Follow these steps: 1. SUBSCRIBE TO JEFF'S NEWSLETTER: https://jsterlinghughes.com/ 2. BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE AUDIT WITH US: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/ 3. CONNECT WITH US: LinkedIn: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls, Facebook: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls, Instagram: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls 4. TELL US WHAT YOU WANT: Tell us in the comments if you liked this episode and what other kinds of episodes you would like to see.

    24 min

  2. DEC 9

    No Law Firm Differentiation Strategy? You're Just Another Option - #186

    Send us a text Law firm differentiation strategy is everything. Look like every other divorce attorney? You're just another option to them. Matt built a 15-person firm by going beyond legal work. While most firms compete on price or SEO rankings, he added a divorce coach to help clients transition, not just get paperwork. That's real differentiation that clients actually feel. He also figured out how to scale a family law practice without drowning in overhead. Cloud systems. Contract paralegals working 15-25 hours based on caseload. No massive salary commitments until the revenue justified it. The result? A family law firm branding strategy that nobody in Minneapolis can copy. 📚 Register to our Webinar Now: https://rocketclicks.com/webinar 📲 Subscribe Now: https://www.youtube.com/@jsterlinghughes  📝 Get your FREE Law Firm Growth Guide: https://jsterlinghughes.com/ --- 📄 CHAPTERS 0:00 - Law Firm Differentiation Strategy: Why "Good Legal Work" Isn't Enough  1:22 - Meet Matt Ludt: From Solo Practice to 15-Person Family Law Firm  2:03 - The Niche Decision: Why He Dropped Everything But Family Law  5:34 - Cloud Technology and Scaling Without Full-Time Hires  13:16 - Credibility Plus Visibility Equals Profitability  15:40 - The Recognition: Clients Need More Than a Divorce Decree  17:37 - Adding a Divorce Coach: The Differentiation Move Nobody Expected  19:41 - Stealing Ideas From TV Shows to Build Your Law Firm Brand ---------------------- Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers? Follow these steps: 1. SUBSCRIBE TO JEFF'S NEWSLETTER: https://jsterlinghughes.com/ 2. BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE AUDIT WITH US: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/ 3. CONNECT WITH US: LinkedIn: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls, Facebook: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls, Instagram: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls 4. TELL US WHAT YOU WANT: Tell us in the comments if you liked this episode and what other kinds of episodes you would like to see.

    21 min

  3. DEC 4

    Predictive Index: The Law Firm Hiring Assessment That Changed Everything - #185

    Send us a text Law firm hiring assessment systems filter 50% of bad candidates before you waste interview time. Here's the 33% rule. Assessment tools like Predictive Index Culture Assessment predict behavioral fit so you hire right the first time. In this episode, we breakdown how we use this tool as a filter as it holds 33% of our decision making process for hiring a talent. Match profiles to role stage. Baseline your team before adding anyone new. This assessment framework predicts culture fit and cuts turnover before it bleeds your firm dry. 📲 Subscribe Now: https://www.youtube.com/@karls.anthony 📝 Schedule a FREE Family Law Firm Audit: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/  📚 Register to our Webinar Now:: https://rocketclicks.com/webinar --- 📄 CHAPTERS   0:00 - Law Firm Hiring Assessment: Why Culture Fit Decides Growth  1:54 - The Real Cost When Hiring Goes Wrong  2:55 - What Predictive Index Actually Measures  4:05 - The 33% Rule: Assessment as Decision Framework  5:13 - Attorney Profile Matching: Builders vs. Stabilizers  8:07 - The 48-Hour Filter That Screens 25% of Applicants  10:03 - Match Threshold Scoring: Why 6-7 Is the Cutoff  11:13 - Tailoring Interview Questions From Assessment Data  14:33 - Stage-Role Fit: First Branch Hire vs. Team Hire  16:31 - Cognitive Test: Predicting Attorney Ramp Time  18:25 - Building Complementary Attorney-Paralegal Pairs  20:43 - Baseline Your Existing Team Before Any New Hire  22:06 - Retention ROI: The 12-Month Turnover Problem Solved ---------------------- Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers? Follow these steps: 1. SUBSCRIBE TO JEFF'S NEWSLETTER: https://jsterlinghughes.com/ 2. BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE AUDIT WITH US: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/ 3. CONNECT WITH US: LinkedIn: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls, Facebook: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls, Instagram: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls 4. TELL US WHAT YOU WANT: Tell us in the comments if you liked this episode and what other kinds of episodes you would like to see.

    27 min

  4. DEC 2

    What I Learned About PRIVATE EQUITY at the 2025 Business of Law - #184

    Send us a text Private equity is about to change everything for family law firms. I just got back from the Business of Law conference in Scottsdale, and what I learned there should worry you. MSOs and ABS structures are already here. This is what's coming for family law in the next 12-36 months—and I’ll show you how to prepare. We built Sterling to $17M. Now we're prepping for private equity pressure ourselves. In this episode, I shared the intel directly from PE firms, the Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice, and the biggest PI players about the three biggest forces converging in family law right now. 📲 Subscribe Now: https://www.youtube.com/@jsterlinghughes  📝 Get your FREE Law Firm Growth Guide: https://jsterlinghughes.com/ 📚 Order the Waterfall Method Book Now: http://www.RocketClicks.com/pre-order --- 📄 CHAPTERS 0:00 - Private Equity Law Firms: Why We Went to the Business of Law Conference 1:13 - Three Forces Converging in Family Law Right Now 3:19 - ABS Structures Explained: 152 Firms Already in Arizona 5:36 - What the Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice Told Us 15:23 - How PE Acquires Firms: The Platform Strategy 17:21 - Why Private Equity Actually Likes Family Law 19:29 - Our MSO Prep and the 25% Margin Benchmark ---------------------- Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers? Follow these steps: 1. SUBSCRIBE TO JEFF'S NEWSLETTER: https://jsterlinghughes.com/ 2. BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE AUDIT WITH US: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/ 3. CONNECT WITH US: LinkedIn: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls, Facebook: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls, Instagram: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls 4. TELL US WHAT YOU WANT: Tell us in the comments if you liked this episode and what other kinds of episodes you would like to see.

    23 min

  5. NOV 27

    6 Components of Law Firm Job Descriptions That Work - #183

    Send us a text Your law firm job descriptions attract everyone and fit no one. Here's the 6-component system that filters before interviews. This legal job description template shows exactly what good looks like. Most law firm job descriptions try to please everyone, which means they attract no one worth hiring. The reality: you want to attract the right candidates AND repel the wrong ones before they waste your interview time.  This legal recruitment strategy uses a 6-component framework covering mission statement, success metrics, key responsibilities, competencies, ideal candidate profile, and attorney career path. Sterling uses this exact law firm hiring strategy to filter culture mismatch before operational interviews even start.  You'll learn why "candor is kindness" in job postings, how to define what success looks like so A-players get excited, and why including a 90-day roadmap signals you know what you're doing.  The goal isn't maximum applicants. It's law firm culture fit from day one.  📲 Subscribe Now: https://www.youtube.com/@karls.anthony 📝 Schedule a FREE Family Law Firm Audit: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/  📚 Order the Waterfall Method Book Now: http://www.RocketClicks.com/pre-order --- 📄 CHAPTERS   0:00 - Law Firm Job Descriptions: Why Generic Posts Fail  1:59 - The 6 Components That Filter Before Interviews  5:01 - Why "Work-Life Balance" Is a Red Flag in Candidates  6:47 - Law Firm Mission Statement: Activate Internal Motivation  11:11 - Success Metrics: A-Players Want a Scoreboard to Crush  14:12 - Key Responsibilities: Drawing Clear Lines Between Roles  15:26 - Competencies: Skills They Must Bring Day One  20:12 - Ideal Candidate Profile: Define the Positive AND Negative  23:31 - Attorney Career Path: The 90-Day Roadmap That Signals Competence  28:41 - Final Framework: Candor Is Kindness in Hiring ---------------------- Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers? Follow these steps: 1. SUBSCRIBE TO JEFF'S NEWSLETTER: https://jsterlinghughes.com/ 2. BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE AUDIT WITH US: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/ 3. CONNECT WITH US: LinkedIn: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls, Facebook: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls, Instagram: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls 4. TELL US WHAT YOU WANT: Tell us in the comments if you liked this episode and what other kinds of episodes you would like to see.

    31 min

  6. NOV 25

    Tom’s Trek: How to Calculate Your Law Firm’s First Hire Cost - #182

    Send us a text Law firm first hire and marketing decisions collide. When your agency says wait but your numbers say move—what do you do? In this episode, Tom Hartin walks through the exact tension every growing firm owner faces: balancing expert advice against your own business instincts and financial reality.  You'll hear how Tom analyzed his second office failure in Melville (competing against firms with 500+ reviews and thousands of backlinks using just 11 backlinks and 12 reviews), calculated his $25K break-even formula for his first hire, and made the gutsy decision to relocate his Google Business Profile to less competitive territory.  This is law firm scaling strategy in real-time—complete with the revenue per attorney math, overhead calculations, and CEO transition mindset required to know when expert advice doesn't fit your situation. 📲 Subscribe Now: https://www.youtube.com/@jsterlinghughes  📝 Get your FREE Law Firm Growth Guide: https://jsterlinghughes.com/ 📚 Order the Waterfall Method Book Now: http://www.RocketClicks.com/pre-order --- 📄 CHAPTERS 0:00 - Law Firm First Hire: When Marketing Advice Doesn't Fit Your Business  3:00 - Solo Practitioner Growth: $150K to $250K in 13 Months  5:43 - The #1 Startup Lesson: Work With a Marketing Team (But Think For Yourself)  8:30 - Second Office Failure: Zero Consults After 7 Months in Melville  14:44 - Overriding Your Agency: When to Trust Your Own Business Instincts  17:12 - Hiring Risk Management: Finding the Right Associate Attorney  20:26 - Delegation Strategy: How to Hand Off Client Files Without Losing Trust  23:04 - Break-Even Analysis: The $25K First Hire Formula Explained ---------------------- Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers? Follow these steps: 1. SUBSCRIBE TO JEFF'S NEWSLETTER: https://jsterlinghughes.com/ 2. BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE AUDIT WITH US: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/ 3. CONNECT WITH US: LinkedIn: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls, Facebook: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls, Instagram: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls 4. TELL US WHAT YOU WANT: Tell us in the comments if you liked this episode and what other kinds of episodes you would like to see.

    28 min

  7. NOV 20

    The 8-Step Law Firm Hiring Process Overview for Growth - #181

    Send us a text Your law firm hiring process is bleeding money on bad fits. Here's the 8-step system that cuts our turnover. Law firms hire whoever shows up and wonder why turnover kills growth. The constraint isn't finding candidates—it's filtering them systematically before bad fits waste months and frustrate your team.  This hiring funnel legal industry approach tackles employee turnover reduction through candidate screening systems that catch culture mismatch early. Each stage—from job description optimization through multi-stage interviews—builds toward bad hire prevention.  You'll learn the operational interview process Sterling uses for pressure testing, plus the culture fit interviews that protect your team. The system works because skills gaps close faster than culture gaps. Law firm team building requires staff retention strategies rooted in quality candidate selection, not spray-and-pray hiring mistakes law firms repeat constantly. 📲 Subscribe Now: https://www.youtube.com/@karls.anthony 📝 Schedule a FREE Family Law Firm Audit: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/  📚 Order the Waterfall Method Book Now: http://www.RocketClicks.com/pre-order --- 📄 CHAPTERS   0:00 - Law Firm Hiring Process: The 8-Step System Overview  1:54 - Job Description Writing: Treat It Like Your Best Advertisement  3:43 - Recruitment Strategy: Jeff's Video That Attracts and Repels  5:11 - Talent Acquisition Funnel: Where to Post Your Job Openings  6:57 - Applicant Screening Process: Managing Application Friction  10:17 - Phone Screen Interview: Your First Filter for Culture Fit  14:42 - Cultural Interview Stage: Testing Values and Mission Alignment  18:35 - Operational Interview: Can They Actually Execute Under Pressure?  24:24 - Final Presentation Review: Prepared Work Shows True Capability  29:07 - Skills Gap Analysis: Culture Fit vs Technical Ability Framework ---------------------- Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers? Follow these steps: 1. SUBSCRIBE TO JEFF'S NEWSLETTER: https://jsterlinghughes.com/ 2. BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE AUDIT WITH US: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/ 3. CONNECT WITH US: LinkedIn: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls, Facebook: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls, Instagram: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls 4. TELL US WHAT YOU WANT: Tell us in the comments if you liked this episode and what other kinds of episodes you would like to see.

    31 min

  8. NOV 19

    Making Millionaires: Law Firm Employee Benefits Model - #180

    Send us a text Law firm employee benefits that turn your team into millionaires—Dana Palmer's 25% SEP system solves retention for good. Family law firms lose great people because they compete on base salary instead of law firm compensation strategy—Dana Palmer flips this by offering a 25% SEP retirement contribution that makes every team member, even receptionists earning six figures, into millionaires within 20 years.   This interview reveals exactly how competitive law firm benefits become your retention moat through building millionaire employees, reducing staff turnover costs, and positioning your firm as the destination for top legal talent who value long-term wealth over short-term cash. 📲 Subscribe Now: https://www.youtube.com/@jsterlinghughes  📝 Get your FREE Law Firm Growth Guide: https://jsterlinghughes.com/ 📚 Order the Waterfall Method Book Now: http://www.RocketClicks.com/pre-order --- 📄 CHAPTERS 0:00 - Law Firm Employee Benefits: Introduction to Dana Palmer  0:56 - From Broke Law Student to Building Team Wealth Systems  6:17 - Opening Palmer Law Group: Accidental Firm Origin Story  16:20 - Staff Retention Strategies: Hiring the Best of the Best  17:03 - Finding Key Management: Jennifer Hart's Restaurant Leadership  24:06 - Law Firm Culture Building Through Coaching Investment  41:10 - SEP Retirement Plans for Lawyers: The 25% Contribution Model  41:30 - How $100K Salary Becomes $125K Tax-Preferred With Benefits  42:16 - Six-Figure Receptionists: Keeping Top Legal Talent Strategy  42:38 - Building Millionaire Employees: The 20-Year Wealth Formula  43:18 - Law Firm Team Building Philosophy: Choose to Work vs Have to Work  45:26 - Dana's Mission: Ending Unhealthy Marriages Through Law Practice ---------------------- Ready to find the accountability partner you need to build your dream family law firm the same way we grew Sterling Lawyers? Follow these steps: 1. SUBSCRIBE TO JEFF'S NEWSLETTER: https://jsterlinghughes.com/ 2. BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE AUDIT WITH US: https://rocketclicks.com/schedule-a-family-law-quick-audit/ 3. CONNECT WITH US: LinkedIn: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls, Facebook: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls, Instagram: Jeff Hughes, Tyler Dolph, & Anthony Karls 4. TELL US WHAT YOU WANT: Tell us in the comments if you liked this episode and what other kinds of episodes you would like to see.

    47 min
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5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

The Sterling Family Law Show is where successful family law attorneys share the exact systems they used to build million-dollar practices.Host Jeff Hughes scaled Sterling Lawyers from zero to $17M with 27 attorneys. Co-host Tyler Dolph runs Rocket Clicks, the agency in charge of supercharging Sterling and other family law practices to success using revenue-first marketing strategies. Together, they share the playbook for building the law firm of your dreams.If you're looking to grow exponentially, generate revenue, and get good at business, this podcast is for you.

Information

  • Creator
    Jeff Sterling Hughes
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    187
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 The Sterling Family Law Show
  • Show Website
    The Sterling Family Law Show

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