client service

Brian Glass started his career at a firm that competed with his father’s, Ben Glass Law. Today, he’s a partner at the firm, where he and his father have carved out their own practices and roles.

Brian visits with host Michael Cowen to share insights about what he’s learned as the firm’s integrator who manages budget, salaries, bonuses, marketing, or anything in the “integrator box.” Tune in for his strategies on building client trust, balancing multiple responsibilities, and assigning accountability.

Michael and Malorie welcome listener questions for a new “Ask Michael and  Malorie Anything” feature. To submit a question, email Michael.

Featured Guest

Name: Brian Glass | LinkedIn

About: Brian focuses his practice on personal injury and also helps run the firm. He is a thought leader on the topic of building great businesses.   

Company: Ben Glass Law

Connect: LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | X

Episode Highlights 

[03:23] “I’m Ben Glass’s Son”: For the first 10 years of his career, Brian practiced at a firm that competed with his father’s. In 2019, he joined his father’s firm, Ben Glass Law.

[06:22] “We Stay in Our Lanes”: Ben is the visionary who specializes in long-term disability. Brian is the integrator who makes business decisions on salaries, budgets, and more.

[10:02] Entrepreneurial Operating System: The firm uses an EOS, or Entrepreneurial Operating System. The framework guides the firm in making decisions and assigning accountability.

[18:47] Finding a Rhythm: The firm has a section-wide meeting once a week to go through every single case so that every case is discussed once a month. At a separate meeting, the team discusses the top 20% of cases by estimated value.

[27:37] Great Legal Marketing: In addition to helping run the law firm, Brian helps his father operate Great Legal Marketing, a consulting, coaching, and masterminding company.

[30:36] Word of Mouth: Much of the firm’s marketing focuses on word of mouth rather than digital tools. 

[35:29] “Brian’s Got That”: The firm points callers to frequently asked questions either on its website or YouTube page, such as: “Your lawyer should have this quality.” “You build up this list of questions to which you are always a ‘yes.’ ‘Brian’s got that.’” 

[43:27] Delegate: Brian encourages lawyers and those who run law firms to delegate. “You have to surround yourself with a good team, and you have to be able to delegate the things that really are not needle-movers for you.”

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In this popular and award-winning podcast for trial lawyers, noteworthy author, sought-after speaker, and renowned trial lawyer, Michael Cowen explores critical topics distinctive to the legal profession with some of the biggest names in the industry – specifically focused on developing extremely efficient law practices, securing a competitive edge in the industry, and wildly excelling in the courtroom.

Produced and Sponsored by LawPods.

When it came time to name his book, Jason Hennessey left nothing to chance. Anyone searching for “law firm SEO” would find his agency, videos, and his book: “Law Firm SEO.” “I’m dominating that keyword, and it’s all by design.”

With host Michael Cowen, Jason defines words in the digital marketing dictionary like “SEO” and “LSAs.” He pulls back the curtain on the Google algorithm. And he describes strategies to get the phone to ring. His main advice for lawyers is to take action. As an example, he congratulates Michael for his idea to send videos to potential referrals. “And as a result of that, you are able to post those large checks on social media because you’re building these new referral partners. But what if you didn’t take action?”

Michael and Malorie welcome listener questions for a new “Ask Michael and  Malorie Anything” feature. To submit a question, email Michael.

Featured Guest

Name: Jason Hennessey

About: Jason is an entrepreneur, internationally recognized SEO expert, speaker, author, podcast host, and business coach. Click here to order his “Law Firm SEO” book for free.

Company: Hennessey Digital   

Connect: LinkedIn | Facebook | X | Instagram

Episode Highlights 

[03:03] What is SEO? It stands for “Search Engine Optimization,” and it’s not taught in school. Jason began his SEO education while working as a DJ in college.

[05:03] “Law Firm SEO”: Michael wrote this book to empower lawyers so they’re not taken advantage of by a huckster promising to get them on page 1 of Google.

[11:56] The Competition: Google has made it harder for personal injury marketing over the years. While firms could generate leads with advanced SEO strategies, “it’s not as easy anymore,” Jason observes.

[16:39] It’s the Optics: Jason outlines why Google reviews are important: perception, competitive ranking, and keywords.

[19:03] When to Get the Review: Jason argues that a lawyer should seek a client review at the beginning of a case rather than waiting until the case ends.

[20:10] Go Deep or Wide? With a tight marketing budget in a competitive market, a law firm could either limit marketing based on geography or target marketing based on practice area. Jason describes both strategies.

[24:28] ‘To Thine Own Self…” Use stunts to lure social media views if that’s your style. The important thing, Jason says, is to stay true to yourself.

[29:17] The AI Factor: Artificial intelligence allows a marketer to be more efficient, but Google will sniff out content that’s AI-generated and “won’t treat it as favorably” as more unique content, Jason says. And the future could look scary. “I think at some point there could be Michael Cowen and Jason Hennessey on a podcast, and it’s not even us talking!”

[33:26] Looking Ahead: Video and influencers are two tools that Jason expects to become more important.

[36:47] Website Strategies: Once a potential PI client lands on your website, you can keep them with strategies like empathetic writing (rather than a sales pitch) and carefully crafted “thank you” pages after a form submission.

[40:12] Chatbots v. Human Beings: Weighing in on the debate, Jason says that it’s all about the script that the chatbot is following.

Connect with Trial Lawyer Nation

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In this popular and award-winning podcast for trial lawyers, noteworthy author, sought-after speaker, and renowned trial lawyer, Michael Cowen explores critical topics distinctive to the legal profession with some of the biggest names in the industry – specifically focused on developing extremely efficient law practices, securing a competitive edge in the industry, and wildly excelling in the courtroom.

Produced and Sponsored by LawPods.

South Carolina PI attorney Dirk Derrick joins host Michael Cowen for an in-depth discussion about Dirk’s innovative approach to focus groups.

By prioritizing truth-seeking and empowering clients through data-driven decisions, Dirk’s team uses focus groups to maximize case values. Plaintiffs’ attorneys who want to learn more are invited to request access to his podcast, “The Appraisers,” where other plaintiffs’ attorneys share case studies from their focus groups.

Featured Guest

Name: Dirk Derrick

About: Dirk’s firm, Derrick Law Firm Injury Lawyers, has nearly 30 attorneys practicing in 10 locations across South Carolina. He has obtained information from 10,000 South Carolinians and watched 700 focus group juries deliberate. He partners with data scientists to develop a proprietary interactive database to analyze the data. 

Company: Derrick Law Firm Injury Lawyers 

Connect: LinkedIn | Facebook | X | YouTube | Instagram 

Episode Highlights 

[04:31] Prioritizing Client Service: Dirk shares his hiring strategy to ensure that clients have support not only from their lawyer but also paralegals, bills and records, and others. 

[06:37] It Starts on Social Media: Focus groups start by gathering participants; for Dirk’s team, that means inviting potential members via social media. From there, the process includes vetting the participants, presenting arguments, and following up with questionnaires.

[13:08] Game-Changer: Dirk explains how his focus group program has changed “every part of our practice, of how we build cases.”

[16:48] Insurance Leverages: Insurance companies have four main leverages over plaintiffs’ attorneys and their clients. Dirk outlines each.

[25:36] Everyone’s Invited: The firm’s focus groups include participants on all sides of any issue, including insurance adjusters and ex-defense lawyers. Dirk explains the strategy.

[31:39] The Appraisers: Plaintiffs’ attorneys are invited to request access to this closed podcast, where they can hear case studies from other lawyers who have used focus groups. Click here to sign up.

[35:36] The Anti-Marketer: Years ago, Dirk had a static website and did not actively market. One night, he told his wife that he planned to pursue a marketing strategy. She thought he’d gone crazy.

Connect with Trial Lawyer Nation

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☑️ Subscribe to Trial Lawyer Nation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.

In this popular and award-winning podcast for trial lawyers, noteworthy author, sought-after speaker, and renowned trial lawyer, Michael Cowen explores critical topics distinctive to the legal profession with some of the biggest names in the industry – specifically focused on developing extremely efficient law practices, securing a competitive edge in the industry, and wildly excelling in the courtroom.

Produced and Sponsored by LawPods.

Rarely does a personal injury client walk in the door with a clean medical history. Aches, pains, complaints, chiropractic visits – “it’s just the reality of life,” says Sonia Rodriguez, host Michael Cowen’s colleague at Cowen Rodriguez Peacock.

In this conversation, Sonia and Michael discuss the art of strategically managing personal injury cases that involve preexisting conditions and subsequent incidents. Tune in for their insights about leveraging prior medical history, collateral witnesses, and creative tactics to secure successful outcomes.

Featured Guest

Name: Sonia Rodriguez

About: Sonia Rodriguez, a native of San Antonio, Texas, is a partner at Cowen Rodriguez Peacock. She has represented only plaintiffs for nearly 20 years, focusing on personal injury trial and appellate law. Beyond her practice, Sonia supports important civic and community causes, including the Young Women’s Leadership Academy and the SAISD Foundation.

Company: Cowen Rodriguez Peacock

Connect: LinkedIn  

Episode Highlights 

[03:39] Information Is Everywhere: Years ago, insurance adjusters had little access to a client’s medical past, but today, that information is readily available on robust databases.

[06:35] Quelling an “A-ha!” Moment: Anticipating that the defense lawyer would think he had an “a-ha!” moment when he discovered her client’s past neck surgery, Sonia told him at the outset.

[14:21] “SettLiT”: The team at Cowen Rodriguez Peacock has started using this new database that shows prior doctors, codes for treatment, and prescriptions. 

[18:33] Pain in the Neck: Sonia welcomes clients who have a history of going to the doctor for every rash, headache, or eye twitch because “you can see this person would have gone to the doctor if they had pain in the neck or back.”

[23:35] What’s the Story? The plaintiff’s lawyer must look deeper than the client or medical records – to coworkers and family, supported by photos and videos if possible.

[25:05] Metadata: Always check a photo’s metadata to determine when it was taken: before or after the injury? The defense will.

[29:42] If Something Can Go Wrong… Move cases quickly, because, as Sonia says, “the longer you live with a case on a litigation docket, on a trial docket, the more chances there are of something going wrong.” Michael offers strategies for managing a client’s new claim.

[36:24] “Judo Law”: Client had a minor health issue before their injury? Take what the defense thinks is a strong point and turn it into yours.

Connect with Trial Lawyer Nation

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☑️ Subscribe to Trial Lawyer Nation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.

In this popular and award-winning podcast for trial lawyers, noteworthy author, sought-after speaker, and renowned trial lawyer, Michael Cowen explores critical topics distinctive to the legal profession with some of the biggest names in the industry – specifically focused on developing extremely efficient law practices, securing a competitive edge in the industry, and wildly excelling in the courtroom.

Produced and Sponsored by LawPods.

Three decades as a trial lawyer; 30 trials; more than $3 billion in verdicts and settlements; thriving practices: Ask Mike Alder how he does it, and his answer is simple. 

“Take a cold shower and make your bed.”

Make your bed, every day, because it teaches the discipline a trial lawyer needs. Prefer a warm shower? Take a cold one anyway, because stepping outside your comfort zone prepares a trial lawyer for dealing with stressful situations.

In this wide-ranging conversation with host Michael Cowen, Mike reflects on the personal habits (meditating on a spiked mat) and professional strategies (doing small disciplines over time) that have contributed to his success. Tune in to learn his equation for excellence, recipe for losing your life, and daily routines. They’ve taken years to develop, “but now, I’m cooking with gas, and that is what it takes.”

Featured Guest

Name: Mike Alder 

About: Mike is owner and senior trial attorney at AlderLaw, a leading Los Angeles firm that represents plaintiffs in personal injury, business torts, and employment litigation cases. He pursues all cases on behalf of his clients who have suffered injustices.

Company:  Alder Law | LinkedIn

Connect: LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram | TikTok |  Email

Episode Highlights 

[01:33] “It’s a Good Living”: Over a three-decade career, Mike has 30 trials to his credit, with more than $3 billion in verdicts and settlements.

[03:34] Paying It Forward: Mike runs a program in which he pays half of a new lawyer’s trial costs and preparation costs if they agree not to settle for cheap, but rather try the case.

[07:33] Letting Go: Establishing his own firm, Mike discovered that he couldn’t handle both operations and big trials, so he learned to accept what he’s good at and hire the right people for other roles.

[11:10] Equation for Excellence: “Excellence equals consistent, mostly ordinary behavior done over time to create good habits that you combine with other good habits that make you excellent,” Mike says.

[17:03] A Good Pain: Mike swears by his spiked meditation mat because it “focuses the hell out of you.” 

[20:14] Dirty Words: Don’t say “work-life balance” in front of Mike or his wife. They believe the expression implies that “if I take this, then I take away from the other.” In fact, they say, you can “have it all” as long as you make priority decisions at certain times.

[26:54] The Common Denominator: Mike recently added a workers’ compensation practice that often crosses into employment law. Ultimately, “it’s all based around helping people.”

[29:18] “Per-chlor What?” When he took on a groundwater contamination case, Mike couldn’t pronounce the name of the chemical. But over time, he learned it, and he and the jury were speaking the same language.

Connect with Trial Lawyer Nation

☑️ Follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram & LinkedIn.

☑️ Subscribe to Trial Lawyer Nation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.

In this popular and award-winning podcast for trial lawyers, noteworthy author, sought-after speaker, and renowned trial lawyer, Michael Cowen explores critical topics distinctive to the legal profession with some of the biggest names in the industry – specifically focused on developing extremely efficient law practices, securing a competitive edge in the industry, and wildly excelling in the courtroom.

Produced and Sponsored by LawPods.