The Mostly Legal Podcast

You spent years and a small fortune training your best associate. They just left, and it probably was not about the money. In this episode of The Mostly Legal Podcast, Amanda Koplos and Rob Joyner sit down with Dawn Anderson, Chief Human Resources Officer at Butler Snow, to talk about the people side of running a firm and why the old playbook for keeping talent no longer works. Dawn has a JD she n...

What does it actually take to keep a law firm running when everything goes wrong? On this episode of The Mostly Legal Podcast, Amanda Koplos and Rob Joyner sit down with Kathy Scourby, founder of K&S Consulting and one of the most quietly fearless people you will ever meet. Kathy spent more than three decades inside a global law firm, holding seven different roles along the way, before launchi...

Your $3,400/hour partner is spending their week reviewing pre-bills and chasing late invoices. Your firm thinks that's billing. It's not. It's money being lit on fire. In this episode of The Mostly Legal Podcast, Amanda Koplos and Rob Joyner sit down with Cecy Graf, co-founder and CEO of Federate Legal, to talk about why the back office is the most misunderstood—and underinvested—part of your firm...

Still printing checks, chasing collections by hand, and reading 90-page reports that are stale before they hit your desk? You're not alone, but you're also leaving money on the table. In this episode of The Mostly Legal Podcast, Amanda Koplos and Rob Joyner sit down with Laurence Winters, CEO of 4L Managed Accounting and Chair of ALA's Future Readiness Advisory Council. Laurence makes the case tha...

Jessica VanTroost, Chief Strategy and Operations Officer at McGlinchey Stafford, talks with Amanda Koplos and Rob Joyner about what it really takes to build a thriving law firm culture where “fun is not illegal.” From McGlinchey’s famous “Ministry of Fun” to its nationwide “Snack Bracket,” Jessica shares how intentional culture-building drives engagement and inclusion across the firm's 18 offices....

Are you buried under emails, notifications, and open browser tabs? You’re not alone. In this episode of The Mostly Legal Podcast , Amanda Koplos and Rob Joyner sit down with Paul Unger, founding partner of Affinity Consulting Group and author of “Tame the Digital Chaos: Distraction, Time, Task & Email Management in an Age of Information Overload." Paul shares how lawyers can reclaim focus, imp...

In this episode of The Mostly Legal Podcast , hosts Amanda Koplos and Rob Joyner welcome William Washington III, Global CFO at Baker McKenzie, for a deeply personal and inspiring conversation. William shares his unconventional journey, from being a high school and college dropout, a young father facing eviction, and coping with personal tragedy, to rising to the C-suite of one of the world’s large...

AI is transforming the legal world, but where do law firms even begin? In this episode of The Mostly Legal Podcast , hosts Rob Joyner and Amanda Koplos talk with Melissa “Mel” Ballesteros, Manager of AI and Legal Technology Adoption, to explore her career journey from tech support to becoming an AI leader in law. Mel shares practical insights on: How law firms can dip their toes into AI without ge...

Rob Joyner and Amanda Koplos welcome Jessica Aries , CEO of By Aries and former attorney, for a candid conversation about what actually drives business development on LinkedIn and how AI can help lawyers do it faster. Jessica traces her path from in-house marketing leader to agency founder after a gutsy LinkedIn post during COVID sparked nine new clients in a day. She breaks down four essential co...

Basketball coach. Executive coach. Law firm operations leader. And the next president of the Association of Legal Administrator’s (ALA) New York City chapter.   In this lively conversation, Tirek Gayle shares how a coach’s mindset powers law-firm leadership—from building a true people-first culture to competing with big-firm brands in the heart of New York. We cover recruiting and retention, in-of...

What happens when a self-proclaimed "proud non-lawyer" takes the reins of a law firm? In this lively episode of The Mostly Legal Podcast, Rob and Amanda sit down with John Bowers, CEO of Thompson Burton, to explore how leadership, transparency, and empathy are reshaping the future of law firm operations. John brings his signature mix of candor and humor as he shares: Why he embraces the term "non-...

Ever wondered why your law firm’s bank account doesn’t match your revenue? Or what a K-1 really means? In this episode of The Mostly Legal Podcast , Rob and Amanda are joined by Terrell Turner, CPA and founder of TL Turner Group, to make sense of the financial fog law firms often find themselves in. From translating accounting jargon into plain English to explaining why you probably shouldn’t rely...

2025-2026 ALA President Travis Armstrong joins Rob Joyner and Amanda Koplos for a high-energy, insightful conversation about climbing higher—both literally and figuratively. From running marathons and championing mental health to leading firm-wide technology upgrades, Travis shares the mindset behind his presidential theme, how he’s helping transform ALA’s volunteer structure, and why empathy and...

In this episode of Mostly Legal, Amanda and Rob sit down with John Byrne , President of the Legal Marketing Association and CMO of the mid-sized law firm Gould and Ratner , to talk all things legal marketing, from the basics of building a brand to avoiding “random acts of marketing.” John brings his trademark humor and deep industry insight to a wide-ranging conversation that covers: What small an...

Debbie Foster is back! She's the only guest to make a repeat appearance (so far!) on The Mostly Legal Podcast , and hosts Amanda Koplos and Rob Joyner dive deep with Debbie on what law firms think they need when they say they're hiring a COO, and what they actually need. They explore what the COO title should mean, how to avoid watering it down, and why small firms in particular need to be strateg...

How do you go from answering phones to running the business side of a law firm? In this episode of the Mostly Legal Podcast, we sit down with Elyssa Goldstein, Chief Operating Officer of RAM Law and 2025-2026 President-Elect of the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA), to find out. Elyssa shares her journey from receptionist to COO, the mentors who shaped her path, and how she advocated for a...

Rob Joyner and Amanda Koplos are BACK with The Mostly Legal Podcast - Season 4 and ready to share more behind-the-scenes stories of how law firms operate. If you're one of their seven or eight fans, here's a taste of what's in store! 

Can you believe this is the season finale for the Mostly Legal podcast season 3? We wanted to end this season the way it started...with a bang! This week we hosted Stefanie Marrone , a LinkedIn expert. Not only is she the queen of social media marketing, but she also runs her own blog, has impressive CMO experience, and is a public speaker.  What is the butterfly effect exactly? One inconsequentia...

What if we shifted the way we thought of work-life balance to work-life integration or enrichment? We welcomed Lori Mihalich-Levin , an author, mother, podcast host, and founding principal, to the podcast to discuss the role of motherhood and its integration into the practice of law. She really can do it all!      The power of setting boundaries for yourself is a vital component of your success an...

On this week of the Mostly Legal podcast, Rob and Amanda host Geoffrey Williams (COO and CFO of Cunningham Bounds, LLC) and ALA International President-Elect 2022-2023.  Have you ever thought about the differences between curiosity vs. judgment between one another? Geoffrey provides a thoughtful conversation around the impact of their experiences as a child and how it has influenced various parts...

Did you ever think the ALA could bring you some of your best friends? This week, we welcome Jessica Daughtery, the Director of Administration at Wesierski & Zurek .  Jessica opens up to Rob and Amanda about how the ALA is not just a place to swap business cards, but rather a place that, if you allow it, can provide you with deep and special friendships. A large impact is due to ALA members und...

Do we have a (Halloween) treat for you this week? On this episode, we welcomed the charismatic father and son duo, Alan and Rich Wilson as they dive into the power of storytelling.  Now, this episode does not fall short of in-person storytelling too. From everything from Halloween stories to Alan taking Rob and Amanda through cheers. Also, Rich takes us through the impact of online storytelling th...

Has anyone ever bet on your failure? When Bill Lowman started ShuffieldLowman 19 years ago, partners at his former firm predicted he wouldn’t succeed.  He was a young partner with a still-growing book of business who was notoriously bad at entering and billing time. But thanks to strong mentors, the ability to learn from his mistakes, and the willingness to admit what he didn’t know, Bill created...

This week, you are in for a real treat. We hosted Sarah Evenson , ALA President. Sarah is no stranger to the legal industry.  As a previous law school student by day and MBA student by night, Sarah fills us in our her exciting career path and what led her to become the current ALA President. Have you heard of the pre-law scholar's program that Sarah is highly involved in? Learn how she helps the n...

When is the last time you heard a great HR joke? We can guarantee you will hear a couple in this episode. Christine Wilbur (Human Resources Director at Aleshire & Wynder, LLP) joins Rob and Amanda for an insightful conversation about leading with love and compassion, goals, and maybe even Disneyland. Working parents everywhere will be inspired to hear Christine's story and how failing forward...