The legal landscape has changed significantly in the wake of the pandemic. It has changed everything from how we practice law, to where we work and live, to how we think about ourselves as lawyers. When you throw AI into that, you're adapting to a whole new legal environment.
For attorneys specializing in estate planning, this change was critical. At a time when demand for our services was unusually high, we had to implement new technology overnight. After years of being tied to the office, we were able to engage with our clients via Zoom. Living in one state while serving customers in another has become an attractive possibility. After decades of being told you had to build a million-dollar law firm, suddenly part-time law firms became socially acceptable. And despite the initial confusion, surprising benefits surfaced. It's your chance to practice law in a more efficient, more adaptable, and ultimately more rewarding way. This was the beginning of the 2-Hour Lifestyle Lawyer™ movement.
New coronavirus catalyst
Our industry has long clung to traditional practices of physical meetings, paper-based processes, and in-person court appearances. While these methods were efficient in many ways (and for a long time were the only options we had), they left little room for flexibility or extensibility. This made practicing law more difficult than it needed to be. You may derive satisfaction from your job, but unnecessary commuting and outdated systems can rob you of that happiness, no matter how many years.
Birth of the 2-hour Lifestyle Lawyer™
Laura Cowan, Esq., estate planning attorney, former CPA, and creator of 2-Hour Lifestyle Lawyer™. She teaches attorneys across the country how to launch and market their virtual estate planning practices.
The 2 Hour Lifestyle Lawyer™ was born out of COVID-19. As an estate planning attorney in New York City, I was forced to go completely virtual in March 2020. Overnight, seminars became webinars. Face-to-face meetings have been moved to Zoom. Your office whiteboard is now a screen-shared Excel worksheet. Field staff have become virtual assistants. In-person draft reviews are now pre-recorded. I was still able to provide counseling and serve clients with a five-star service, but the journey to get there was much different than when I opened my practice in 2016.
I saw other lawyers struggle to adapt. Some said they wanted to practice completely remotely but didn't know how to get started. Some people wanted to work part-time even if their income was reduced. Others were litigation lawyers looking to move into transactional work or entrepreneurial lawyers looking to hang a roof over their heads. Some had been practicing estate planning for years. Some people are completely unaware of wills and trusts. Everyone was tired of not being able to control their own schedules. Everyone was tired of feeling like their worth as a lawyer was tied to the amount of money they made. Can you relate?
There was also a change in thinking. Not just lawyers, but the entire world was suddenly rethinking the importance of work. It's time. emotional energy. Rigid schedules and lack of flexibility. Was it worth it? For some, yes. For others, the pandemic was a wake-up call. Big salaries, no matter how attractive, were no longer worth the trade-off.
There's a better way. What are the core principles of 2-Hour Lifestyle Lawyer™? Leveraging systems and technology to streamline day-to-day operations so lawyers can focus on generating revenue and building relationships. We call this the ACE Roadmap to Success™. This represents three things he needs to be good at as an estate planning attorney. “A” is for attracting potential customers. A great way to do this is by hosting educational seminars or webinars in your community. “C” means closed. You will have a hard time as an estate planning attorney if you are not able to consistently close deals at reasonable fees. “E” stands for work execution. Getting business is great, but not if it means staying in the office until 10 p.m.
This is important. Lawyers should focus on the “A” and “C” of revenue generation: attracting and closing. Much of enforcement can and should be performed by systems, automation, and virtual paralegals. He can now bring in more business and provide his clients with 5-star service without the hassle of paperwork and administrative tasks.
join the movement
The 2-Hour Lifestyle Lawyer™ program embodies this philosophy. Our courses, coaching, and community enable attorneys to build a virtual estate planning practice that they can run on their own time from anywhere in the world, even if they've never practiced estate planning before. This is not a silver bullet, but rather a blueprint for leveraging technology, maximizing efficiency, and ultimately building a career and life that truly aligns with your goals and values.
- We are currently accepting applications for new students!Book a discovery call here To learn how to join the 2-hour Lifestyle Lawyer™. All ATL readers receive $250 off with coupon code.2HLLATL”.
- add your name here Be the first in line when “2 Hour Lifestyle Lawyer: THE BOOK'' is released in the summer of 2024!
