The J. Sterling Hughes Show Jeff Sterling Hughes

Jeff Kerlin is the President of Sterling Lawyers, my family law firm.Jeff is responsible for managing our firm's operating system, which is based on EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) -- a framework to ensure that the entire firm is executing on the right things. Today, we have 80+ teammates spread out across three states and three countries. Our operating system keeps all of us organized and working together. We discussed:Leveraging EOS from day one to scale our firm to 25 atto...

Feedback is an underrated growth tool for law firm leaders. It is most certainly a shortcut to improving as a leader.And, when the leader gets better, the whole law firm benefits. In this show, I discuss how one moment of feedback from a teammate transformed how I lead. At first, I was resistant and defensive. Then, as I listened, I saw my blind spot and weakness as a leader. In that instant, I determined to let down my guard and embrace feedback.It changed ...

We started and grew Sterling Lawyers from 0 to 25 lawyers with over $15M in revenue within the first 9 years. It has been fun -- and painful.The pain came from the four biggest mistakes I made along the way.Here they are:Not joining a mastermind group with other legal professionalsUnderestimating how growth can cover serious flawsFailing to keep one or two key things the priorityFocusing too much on challenging the team while neglecting supportPay attention to my mistakes so you don't h...

James Joseph's journey is inspiring and incredible. He is a deeply respected family lawyer who he has built a thriving practice on Long Island, New York. In the midst of building his firm and starting a family, he received life-altering medical news. The prospects looked dim. The doctors advised him to wait it out. So, James privately endured four years of slow progression of his disease.Then, the day came for his ultimate battle. In this podcast, James opens...

Leah Miller is a law firm financials expert. Her career began with a 13 year stint as a paralegal and office administrator. In that role, she learned the ins and outs of running a law practice. In 2023, after earning her MBA, Leah founded LNM Financial Services to help law firm owners achieve their growth goals. In this show we discuss:The pivotal impact of having a financial voice in law firmsThe crucial role of robust financial management in scaling operationsUnd...

Attorney Tom Tona's story is incredible.He has consistently defied the odds and built a highly successful litigation firm in New York. It started with Tom building his grit as an undersized boy as he pushed through regular bullying. His mindset later pushed him to achieve his black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu--which is a decade-long undertaking in the best of circumstances.In this show, we discuss:Tom's journey and the practical applications to any lawyer wanting to build a career...