Lead Counsel

Meet powerhouse attorney Sue Ann Van Dermyden, who brings to the table insights from her three-decade-long journey in the law field. Get ready to navigate the intricacies of a traditionally male-dominated industry as we highlight the unique challenges faced by female attorney leaders. We dig deep into the concept of work-life balance, debunking the myth of dividing life equally into two parts. Sue...

In this episode, we're thrilled to have our guest, Alesha, back for part two of The Law Firm Human Resource Series. This time, we explore the essential yet often overlooked, process of onboarding in law firms. Alesha, our HR guru with a particular focus on recruiting, shares her insights on the science of onboarding, its significance in reducing stress for the firm's owner, and how it can go beyon...

We've had the pleasure of sitting down with the accomplished Dan Feiman, a commercial banking veteran turned consultant and educator at UCLA Extension. Feiman shares his journey from a thriving career in banking to launching his own successful consulting firm, bringing to life the principles of finance in a relatable, real-world way. Feiman's expertise doesn't stop at finance; he's also a seasoned...

Imagine having a well-functioning team at your law firm that operates like a well-oiled machine, where every member knows their roles and executes them flawlessly. Today's episode promises just that! We're joined by the phenomenal Alesha Nadeem, an HR Generalist, who brings to the table a wealth of knowledge gathered from her stint in healthcare management and her current role in HR. Alesha walks...

Listen in as we debunk the concept of 'the riches are in the niches' in our latest podcast episode. While we agree that a focused approach can often lead to success, we offer a more nuanced perspective, discussing the value of self-awareness and knowledge in achieving professional growth. Hear about Tom's journey, from specializing in personal injury law to managing multiple practice areas, emphas...

Prepare to navigate the often confusing world of no-fault insurance for car accidents in New York State. The journey promises to be anything but monotonous as we get into how this insurance scheme operates, the coverage it offers, and the crucial steps to take following a car accident. The importance of filing a no-fault application in a timely manner, informing medical professionals that the inju...

Join us as we welcome the incredible John Fisher, CEO of the New York Injury and Malpractice law firm and renowned author of two books. A trailblazer in catastrophic injury law, John has not only excelled as an attorney but has also made significant strides as an entrepreneur and marketer. Listen in as he shares his journey of over 23 years in the field, offering insights into the interplay betwee...

Ever wondered how successful entrepreneurs break through the ceiling of growth and steer their businesses toward sustainable success? Our guest, Mitchell York, an EOS implementer and former president of Lending Tree, shares his unique insights and experiences on how the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) can be pivotal for any business aiming at robust growth and improved efficiency. He takes...

This episode is a deep dive into the journey of Janira, her evolution from a legal assistant to an integrator, and the pivotal role she plays in the firm's success. We venture into the significance of both education and experience in the legal landscape and how Janira's impressive trajectory has been instrumental in pushing the needle for our business for the past two decades. Our partnership's se...

Join us as we host the brilliant Marc Whitehead, a business and marketing expert in the law space with over three decades of experience. Throughout this episode, he imparts wisdom on the importance of understanding clients, delivering exceptional service, and creating a continuous marketing cycle. He also reveals his strategic marketing methods for lawyers and shares his invaluable experience with...

Meet Ryan Auger, a prodigious 27-year-old real estate investor who has skyrocketed his net worth to seven figures in less than a decade by focusing on mismanaged or undervalued storage facilities. Just as Ryan does, we are going to flip the script on traditional investment strategies as he breaks down his unique business model. He's the conductor, while his investors enjoy the ride as silent passe...

Join us as we unpack crucial insights on personal injury claims in our latest episode. We bring you in-depth knowledge on how to navigate the complicated terrain of personal injury law. Learn how to understand the basics of a personal injury case, from the evaluation process to the importance of gathering all necessary documentation. We'll also guide you on what not to do post-incident and common...

Join us as we unravel a riveting journey through a black swan event, a tumultuous period where our no-fault collection silo was bleeding $50,000 a month. This occurred when the American Arbitration Association froze hearings for half a year. Thankfully, Patrick Wilson, our longtime friend and law firm coach from Atticus, was there by our side. With his sage advice and composed approach, we methodi...

In this engaging conversation, we welcome James Joseph, managing partner of the Joseph Law Group. Listen in as we explore his inspiring journey from surviving a stem cell transplant to becoming a successful attorney specializing in matrimonial and family law. James opens up about his unique approach to marketing and how his emotionally intelligent approach has shaped his law practice. He shares hi...

Listen in as we explore the fascinating journey of Ryan McKeen, co-founder of the Connecticut Trial Firm, who turned his passion for plaintiff's work into a successful business. Ryan shares how he and his partner, Andrew Garza, set out with the audacious goal of becoming the best trial firm in Connecticut and how they achieved a $107 million verdict. He also reveals the economic reasoning behind t...

On this episode of Lead Council Podcast, I had the pleasure of reconnecting with my longtime friend and mentor, Herb Auger, who has been running a successful personal injury law firm in North and South Carolina for nearly 30 years. We reminisced about our early days in the legal field, how we met, and the journey that led Herb to where he is today. Listen in as we discuss the importance of surroun...

I had the pleasure of inviting Chris Earley, a successful Massachusetts personal injury attorney, to share his incredible journey of overcoming an unconventional upbringing and transforming it into a thriving law practice. Chris's story is a testament to the power of resilience, risk-taking, and living the life you want. Join us as we discuss his firm's core values – five-star client service, hard...

Have you ever wondered how coaching can transform not just your professional life but also your personal growth? Join Tom of TonaLaw as he shares his own experience with coaching and its invaluable impact on his professional journey. Through the insights gained from a survey posted on LinkedIn, Tom and Juliet discuss the diverse opinions held by lawyers on employing a coach and dive into the compl...

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Craig Goldenfarb, a longtime friend and founder of Gold Law, an 80-person personal injury firm. Craig has been an eight-figure attorney for the past decade, and throughout our conversation, we dive into his journey to success and the importance of understanding where you want to be on the continuum between lawyer and entrepreneur. Craig shared some valuable...

Many people dream of making millions but never achieve it. One of the primary reasons is that they don't know how to execute. Being able to take action on your goals and continue executing is one of the most important factors for success. In this episode, I have a conversation with a very good friend of mine. Allon Avgi is the founder and CEO of AVGI, a real estate investment company based in Long...

Emerson Souza Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy is owned and run by World Champion Emerson "Eminho" Souza. Emerson has been training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu since the age of 12. He is a 5th-degree black belt under Carlos Gracie Jr. from the Gracie Barra Academy in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Slowly gaining popularity since he moved here in 2004, Emerson has managed to build one of the premier schools on Long...

This episode's topic is extremely important and one of our favorites to discuss – core values. Everyone at TonaLaw knows our core values because they are a part of our culture, and we constantly discuss them to ensure everyone is on the same page. Our culture is the collective embodiment of the core values. In our opinion, the culture created around the core values is the single most important fac...

The DISC personality test is the gold standard for hiring tools at TonaLaw. Improving and working on team communication should be a focus for every business. Our firm has a higher retention rate, and part of the reason is that we use DISC in our hiring process. It helps to make better hiring decisions so the team is well-balanced and we can better communicate with each other and our clients. In th...

The DISC personality test is a tool that we use at TonaLaw to help us establish communication and management styles individually. We use it in hiring, developing onboarding, training, and more. It was designed to help you gain insights to build better, stronger, and more fulfilling relationships and is useful in both personal and professional settings. In this episode, we discuss the DISC assessme...

Do you know what a needle mover is? If not, this episode dives right into it. At TonaLaw, we believe so strongly in the needle mover concept that we have needle mover meetings every Monday morning.  In today's episode, we discuss what a needle mover is, how Tom discovered the concept and what they mean to him, and what people can do to identify their own needle movers. Knowing what your needle mov...