#46: Tech Transformation for Small Law Practices: Interview with GA Trial Attorney Jim Grant

The Tech Savvy Lawyer

Being a good business owner and being a competent law practitioner are two distinctly different things. However, both these traits are essentially required for building a thriving law business. In today’s episode of the Tech Savvy Lawyer.Page Podcast, we’re getting into a deep conversation with a leader who has built a thriving law firm that operates virtually. Jim Grant, Co-Founding Partner of Georgia Trial Attorneys at Kirchen & Grant, LLC, joins us today to talk about how to utilize technology to develop a small law practice into a growing law business.

Jim Grant is a successful Personal Injury Attorney in GA. Jim and his partner Mark Kirchen founded Kirchen & Grant LLC founded in 2015 to fight for the rights of the injured and their families against the greed of multi-million and multi-billion-dollar insurance companies. Jim and his partner share a passion for empowering the injured with the highest levels of professionalism and ethics. Their philosophy is “…to prepare and run every case as if [they] were the client.” Join Jim and me as we discuss how his firm accomplishes this through the use of technology with the following three questions (and more!):

- What are three ways your firm uses technology to enhance client communications?

- You’ve talked about “The bait-and-switch of the legal industry: how the lawyer you hire isn’t the one you get.” How do you set client expectations when it comes to these types of communications?

- What are your three favorite tech shortcuts?

In this conversation, we cover:

[01:24] The Tech Stack – We start the conversation with a review of both of Jim’s computer setups at his office and home and why he had chosen to stick to Windows 10.

[07:54] Technology and Communication – How Jim’s firm uses technology to improve communication with its clients and how technology helped him open up new opportunities all over the world by offering services virtually.

[10:03] Pushback – Jim talks about the challenges that emerged when adopting new technologies, pushback from different stakeholders, and how they overcome these challenges.

[11:55] Professional Tools – Jim shares with us how using VoIP as a method of communication saves a lot of time for him, Jim’s favorite case management software platform, and his go-to CRM platform.

[16:36] iPhone & Windows – Jim is a fan of the iPhone, but he uses Windows for work. We asked why he chose these two rivals for the two specific purposes.

[23:08] Tech Shortcuts – Jim’s three tools for professionals and business owners to get the most ROI out of their tech setup.

[35:06] Maintaining Integrity – Measures Jim and his firm have put in place to maintain data security, ethics, and integrity as a global business.

[39:49] Monitoring & Data – The importance of logging and monitoring activities in a law firm and how Jim approaches keeping a healthy balance between maintaining trusting relationships with the staff and tracking the data that’s necessary.

Resources

Connect with Jim & Georgia Trial Attorneys at Kirchen & Grant, LLC

Website: www.8334thewin.com Phone: [phone] Skype Link: join.skype.com/invite/tx7k1xRiRJCm LinkedIn Profile: linkedin.com/in/james-grant-ba0b5328 Facebook: facebook.com/georgiatrialattorneys Instagram: instagram.com/accidentattorneyjg TikTok: tiktok.com/@accidentattorneyjg

Equipment Mentioned in the Podcast

Lenovo Thinkstation: lenovo.com/us/en/c/workstations/thinkstation-p-series Samsung Curved Monitors: samsung.com/us/computing/monitors/curved Blue Yeti Microphone: bluemic.com/en-us/products/yeti iPhone 13 Pro: apple.com/iphone-13-pro/key-features/ DJI Gimbals: dji.com/om-5 Epson Scanners: epson.com/Support/Scanners/sh/s2 HP Laser Pinter m610dn: hp.com/us-en/shop/pdp/hp-laserjet-enterprise-m610dn Martin Yale 1611 AutoFolder: amazon.com/Martin-Yale-AutoFolder-Handles-Charcoal/dp/B004E1BCHG

Software & Services Mentioned in the Podcast

Microsoft PwerToys: docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/powertoys/ Dialpad: www.dialpad.com Neos by Assembly Software: assemblysoftware.com/neos InkJet Superstore Printer Catriges: inkjetsuperstore.com Stamps: www.stamps.com Calendly: calendly.com Backblaze Cloud Backup: backblaze.com AdminDroid: admindroid.com Microsoft Delve: support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/what-is-delve-1315665a-c6af-4409-a28d-49f8916878ca