The Thought Leadership Project

Episode 140: Having More Power in the Business Development Process

Episode 140: Jay and Tom break down the (polite) battle for control in the business development process. As a lawyer, you have more power and leverage the more unique and differentiated you are from the competition. This impacts pricing power, the ability to avoid RFPs, and dynamics in the attorney/client relationship as well. Lawyers who have “power” aren’t merely order takers—they steer the ship when it comes to strategy. Listen in to learn what this type of power is, its impact, and how t...

Episode 139: A LinkedIn Deep Dive

Episode 139: Listen in as Jay, Tom, and Curtis Hays do a LinkedIn deep dive. Curtis is the founder of collideascope, a digital marketing agency, and also the host (along with Tom) of the Bullhorns and Bullseyes podcast. This episode was recorded for Bullhorns and Bullseyes, but we thought it was a great conversation so we decided to re-publish it on The Thought Leadership Project. Enjoy!

Episode 138: Rachael Bosch on the Importance of Upward Feedback and Coaching/Training Trends for 2024

Episode 137: Laura Frederick on How to Turn Thought Leadership into Dollars

Episode 137: Creating and sharing thought-leadership content is an effective way to gain visibility and build trust with an audience, and generate billable work for your practice. But what if you could take things to the next level by monetizing your thought-leadership content itself—not merely using it to sell your services? That’s what Laura Frederick and Jay Harrington discuss in this episode. Almost everyone in the legal industry who’s on LinkedIn is familiar with Laura, and her daily con...

Episode 136: Adrian Lürssen on Tips and Trends in Thought-Leadership Marketing

Episode 136: Adrian Lurssen, co-founder and VP of strategic development at JD Supra, rejoins the podcast to discuss tips and trends for thought-leadership marketing as we look ahead to 2024.

Episode 135: Scott Love on How to Become a Rainmaker

Episode 135: In this episode, legal recruiter, podcast host, and author Scott Love breaks down what it takes to become a rainmaker with Jay and Tom. Scott shares the many lessons he’s learned while helping rainmakers make lateral moves in the legal marketplace, including the importance of consistent effort, truly understanding a client’s challenges, and collaboration. He also shares his perspective on the current state of the legal hiring market—and much more in this episode chock full of act...

Episode 134: Jared Correia on How to Grow a Small Law Firm

Episode 134: In this episode, Jared Correia, founder or Red Cave Law Firm Consulting and podcaster extraordinaire, shares his expertise on how to run a small law firm like a business and grow it sustainably and profitably. Jared, Jay and Tom discuss Jared’s three-step system for growth, which involves establishing processes and systems, hiring effectively, and learning from data and analytics. At the end of the podcast, Tom and Jared delve into their passion for yacht rock, while Jay mostly s...

Episode 133: Content that Inspired Us this Month

Episode 133: Jay and Tom share and discuss content that inspired them in the last month. Learn how a famous Hollywood producer generates movie ideas (without trying) through “curiosity conversations.” Check out a private equity fund that isn’t afraid to have a clear and strong point of view in their writing. Discover what professional writers think matters in the age of AI. These and other topics are addressed in this content “favorite finds” episode.

Episode 132: Jay and Tom Unpack Their Writing Processes

Episode 132: Between the two of them, Jay and Tom have written thousands of LinkedIn posts, hundreds (perhaps 1,000+) long-form articles, and a number of books. In today’s episode, they unpack their writing processes, from how they generate ideas to how they edit their work, so you can learn from their experiences. Want to grab and hold the attention of a reader with your thought-leadership content? Get inspired and learn important lessons about writing for today’s attention-strapped readers ...

Episode 131: Why Your Law Firm Should Build a Media Company

Episode 131: Law firms sell expertise, and the best way to showcase expertise through marketing is to produce thought-leadership content. Most firms do that to some extent already. However, in today’s episode, Jay and Tom make the case that firms should do much more—in essence, they should build a media company to become the go-to resource for a given industry or topic. They discuss examples of companies outside the legal industry that are already doing this, why it’s a valuable opportunity f...

Episode 130: Jordana Confino on Well-Being and the Practice of Law

Episode 130: In this episode, Jordana Confino, Positive Lawyering professor, and founder of JC Coaching & Consulting, joins Jay to discuss well-being and the practice of law. They discuss Jordana’s journey from clerkships, to BigLaw, to academia, and her recent transition to entrepreneurship as founder of her own coaching and consulting firm. Jordana also shares her thoughts on how lawyers can build successful and sustainable careers by finding purpose in their work, detaching from work in or...

Episode 129: Jamie Sternberg on Building a Legal Practice

Episode 129: In this episode, Jamie Sternberg, trademark attorney at Saunders & Silverstein LLP, joins Jay to discuss her experience building a legal practice. They discuss the various tactics Jamie has used to grow her practice, including networking, getting involved in groups and associations, content creation, and more. Business development and marketing require experimentation and iteration, and Jamie’s experience can help your own approach to building a practice.

Episode 128: Phillip Russell on Providing All-Star Client Service

Episode 128: In this episode, Phillip Russell, OSHA and employment lawyer at Ogletree Deakins, joins Jay to discuss the importance of client service. Learn about the fundamental principles of client service, why it’s so important to have a one-size-fits-one mindset about client service, how to gain an understanding of your client’s needs, and the role of responsiveness in client service and business development.

Episode 127: 5 Mental Obstacles to Building a Legal Practice

Episode 127: When it comes to building a legal practice, mindset is critical. In this episode, Jay and Tom discuss five common mental obstacles lawyers face on their way to becoming a rainmaker, and tips for overcoming them.

Episode 126: Heather Stevenson on Moving In-House and Building Her Personal Brand

Episode 126: In this episode, Jay speaks with General Counsel Heather Stevens about her experience transitioning from private practice to general counsel of an incubation firm for technology companies. They discuss a range of topics, including how Heather made the leap from a premier BigLaw firm to in-house, what she values in outside counsel relationships, and how she approaches content creation and personal branding on LinkedIn.

Episode 125: AI Implications in the Legal Industry, LinkedIn's Algorithm Updates, and Thoughts on Writing Books

Episode 125: Jay and Tom cover a range of topics in this episode, including the what the perfect AI tool for legal looks like, LinkedIn’s recent algorithm changes, the importance of responsiveness in business development, and the benefits of the book-writing process.

Episode 124: GC Brittany Leonard on What She's Looking for From Outside Counsel

Episode 124: In this episode, Jay chats with General Counsel Brittany Leonard about her experience transitioning from private practice to general counsel of a multinational corporation .They discuss a range of topics, including how Brittany found contentment, satisfaction and success as an in-house lawyer, what she’s looking for when hiring and working with outside counsel, and her approach to personal branding and content creation on social media.

Episode 123: Eric Pacifici on Building a Law Firm by Leveraging Social Media

Episode 123: In this episode, Jay chats with Eric Pacifici about his experience leaving BigLaw to build a thriving small law firm serving SMBs. They discuss a range of topics, including how Eric and his co-founders built one of the first law firms that grew almost exclusively through engagement on social media, Eric’s best practices for engaging on social media, his thoughts on the importance of having a niche, as well as finding something that you’re passionate about doing in order to have a...

Episode 122: Bradford Hardin on Building a Legal Practice

Episode 122: In this episode, Jay has a deep dive discussion on business development with Bradford Hardin, co-chair of the Financial Services practice group at Davis Wright Tremaine. They discuss a range of topics, including how Bradford approached the early stages of building his practice, the importance of having an industry focus, and Bradford’s experience creating content and building relationships on Twitter.

Episode 121: Adding Value Beyond the Billable Hour, Less Reach on LinkedIn, and This Week in ChatGPT

Episode 121: Jay and Tom cover a range of topics in this episode, including the importance of adding value beyond the billable hour in the face of declining legal demand, the implications of declining content visibility on LinkedIn, and their latest thoughts on the intersection AI and the legal industry.

Episode 120: Chat GPT, How to Communicate with Key Contacts, and Email Newsletters

Episode 120: Jay and Tom cover a range of topics in this episode, including the latest developments at the intersection of AI and legal tech, the 5 types of key contacts and how to communicate with them, and the pros and cons of email newsletters.

Episode 119: Bob Buday on How to Compete as a Thought Leader

Episode 119: In this episode Jay has a deep dive discussion with thought leadership consultant Bob Buday about a number of concepts from Bob’s new book “Competing on Thought Leadership.” They address what thought leadership is in today’s era, what distinguishes true thought leadership from much of today’s mass-produced online content, and the power of original research. They also share lots of ideas for how lawyers and other professionals can create thought leadership—even if they don’t have ...

Episode 118: How to Make Time for Business Development (and How to Use it Wisely)

Episode 118: Jay and Tom take a deep dive into productivity for business development. They address two obstacles that often come up in Jay’s coaching sessions, which are "I don’t have the time” and “Even if I did I wouldn’t know what to do with it.” Give this episode a listen to learn how to use checklists, overcome the “cold start problem” in relationships, the development and use of a key contact list, and more.

Episode 117: Jay Shares Lessons He's Learned from 3+ Years of Daily LinkedIn Posting

Episode 117: Jay has been posting daily on LinkedIn (okay, almost daily—he’s missed a few) for 3+ years. In this episode, he shares some of the most important lessons he’s learned along the way.

Episode 115: Generative AI and Legal Marketing (and much more)

Episode 115: Jay and Tom dig into what generative AI like Chat GPT may mean for legal marketing.

Episode 114: Alex Su Returns to the Pod

Alex Su is back on the pod! Jay, Tom and Alex cover lots of ground in this episode, including a social media content creation deep dive, how to get started with business development, and Alex shares his thought process on creating great memes...and much more.

Episode 113: Confront Your Productivity Demons

Episode 113: In this episode, Jay and Tom discuss the need to confront productivity demons this time of year — fixing the broken systems and bad habits that may be hampering your productivity. From time-blocking to startup and shutdown routines, they run through a number of helpful tips and tactics that will help you optimize your productivity systems.

Episode 112: Instead of a Generic Resolution, Challenge Yourself to Take Daily Action in the New Year

Episode 112: Join Jay for a short episode in which he describes the benefits of taking daily action in the new year, instead of creating a bunch of generic resolutions.

Episode 111: Optimizing for Serendipity, Twitter Creators Flood LinkedIn, Becoming Known Well vs. Well Known and More

Episode 111: Jay Harrington and Tom Nixon riff on the benefits of becoming the type of person who “gets lucky” in business instead of being beholden to a strict strategy. They review 2022 trends and developments on LinkedIn, including the flood of Twitter creators flocking to LinkedIn and the selfie craze. And they address the importance of becoming known well to a particular audience versus being well known to the masses.

Episode 110: The State of the Legal Job Market and How to be Recruitable, with J.B. Pullias

In this episode, former practicing lawyer turned legal recruiter J.B. Pullias, Senior Director with national legal recruiting firm VOYlegal, joins Jay and Tom to discuss the state of the legal job market and ways lawyers can position themselves effectively for new opportunities.

Episode 109: Adam Pascarella Talks About His New Book and Lessons for Lawyers Looking to Leave the Law

In this episode, BigLaw lawyer turned investor and author Adam Pascarella joins Jay and Tom to discuss his new book Reversed in Part: 15 Law School Grads on Pursuing Non-Traditional Careers.

Episode 108: Hot Takes on LinkedIn Conventional Wisdom

There is a lot of conventional wisdom out there about every marketing topic, and LinkedIn is no different. In this episode, Jay and Tom give their “hot takes” on some of the most common forms of LinkedIn conventional wisdom. Sometimes they agree with the standard advice, other times they suggest an unconventional approach—and in some instances they disagree with one another. Give this episode a listen to hear their take on how often to post, quality v. quantity, personal v. professional posts...

Episode 107: Jonah Perlin on Twitter, Podcasting, and Becoming a Law School Professor

We had our first law school professor join the podcast as a guest, and Jay was worried that he was going to get subjected to the Socratic Method. In this week’s episode, Jonah Perlin, former Williams & Connolly associate and now Georgetown Law professor, talks with Jay and Tom about Twitter, podcasting, and what it takes to become a law professor.

Episode 106: The 95:5 Rule and How to Use It in Your Content Marketing

Marketing conventional wisdom: Find the buyers in your market with an immediate need and get them into a “funnel” by using scarcity and urgency tactics. While that approach may work for selling paper towels, it’s no way to sell sophisticated professional services. In this episode, Jay and Tom describe an alternative, known as the 95:5 Rule of marketing. It’s all about building trust with an audience when they don’t have an immediate need for your services, so that when they do they naturally ...

Episode 105: The Who, Where and How of Marketing and Business Development

Strategy plans, marketing plans, business development plans…they can be useful, but they can also be a form of procrastination. Some people spend so much time planning they never take action. In this episode Jay and Tom discuss a simple framework for marketing and business development.

Episode 104: The Creator Economy, Web 3, and Emerging Content Tools

Jay and Tom intended to talk about some of the newest content creation tools that platforms like LinkedIn have made available (and they do get to that), but this turned into a much more wide-ranging discussion about the emergence of Web 3 and what many people are calling the Golden Age of the creator economy. Tune in to listen to Jay and Tom riff about where we’ve been and what’s coming next for content creators in a more decentralized digital landscape.

Episode 103: The Power of a Content Niche

Jay and Tom having been getting more questions from clients, and seeing more posts on LinkedIn, about lower engagement people are experiencing with their content. Is it the algorithm? Do they need to write better posts? Is it simply too noisy to stand out? In this episode, Jay and Tom profess ignorance about any supposed algorithm changes—How could anyone outside of LinkedIn know?—and propose a solution for getting more meaningful reach: have a niche. The noisier it gets out there, with bad b...

Episode 102: Our Favorite Thought Leadership and Thought Leaders from 2021

An important part of creating great thought leadership is consuming great thought leadership. Thought leaders tend to have high-quality information diets. They take in content that intrigues and inspires them to create their own. In this final episode for 2021, Jay and Tom discuss the people and work they found interesting this year, so you can add some new flavor to your diet. Plus, they share that registration for the Thought Leader Collaborative is closing at midnight PT on December 20th. ...

Episode 101: Set Your Content Free

Like the proverbial tree that falls in the forest, is there any value in creating content if no one sees it? That’s a bit of a rhetorical question, but it raises an important issue that Jay and Tom address in episode 101: Should you be putting your content on your website and placing it behind “gates,” or sharing it freely on social media and elsewhere? As with most issues, the right answer is probably somewhere in the middle.

Episode 100: A Celebration of 100 Episodes of The Thought Leadership Project

To commemorate our 100th episode, Jay and Tom play a game of 💯. Do we agree 100% with these examples of conventional marketing wisdom? Can each of them get the other to 100% agree with some provocative assertions and unconventional takes? It's all about thought leadership, the modern marketing environment, the future of content marketing, and LinkedIn as a business development platform. Tune in and see where you fall. Are you 💯?

Episode 99: Turning Connections into Clients

Making new connections, whether on LinkedIn or otherwise, is great. But most professionals want to turn those connections into paying clients or referral sources at some point. In this episode, Jay and Tom discuss how to play the long game and nurture relationships to the point where you’re no longer held at arm’s length - and instead are welcomed with open arms.

Episode 98: An "Ask Us Anything" Session About LinkedIn

In this episode, Jay and Tom give you a behind the scenes listen to some of the insights they share with members of the Thought Leader Collaborative, a training platform and community for LinkedIn thought leaders.

Episode 97: Key Insights from the 2021 Thought Leadership Impact Study, with Joe Kingsbury and Tusar Barik

As thought-leadership marketers, Jay and Tom look forward every year to the release of the Thought Leadership Impact Study. In this episode, they have the chance to do a deep-dive into what the study says and why it matters with two of its architects, Joe Kingsbury of Edelman and Tusar Barik of LinkedIn.

Episode 96: How to Get Better at Business Development, with Aaron Baer

We know business development is important. We know a book of business has many benefits. But…we often don’t know where to start. In this episode, Aaron Baer joins us to discuss the what, why, and how of business development for lawyers.

Episode 95: Why LinkedIn Matters and How to Make it Work for You, with Alexis Robertson

“I just don’t see the value,” is something we often hear from lawyers who aren’t on LinkedIn, or who have a presence but aren’t taking action there. On this episode, Alexis Robertson, Director of Diversity & Inclusion for Foley & Lardner, joins us and makes the LinkedIn value proposition clear.

Episode 94: Be a Good Human to Build a Legal Practice, with Scott Oliver

From what they are taught in law school to what they consume in the popular culture, there are many messages that lawyers receive that lead them to believe that stiff formality is the appropriate professional posture in interactions with clients and colleagues. In this episode, Lewis Kappes partner Scott Oliver joins us to discuss how it’s possible (indeed, advisable) to let your guard down, be yourself AND be a great lawyer.

Episode 93: The Importance of Clear Legal Writing, with Laura Genovich

Too much legal writing is too verbose and laden with jargon and legalese. Our guest, Laura Genovich, is on a crusade to change that. Laura is an advocate for clear legal writing and she makes her case frequently on LinkedIn.

Episode 92: Preparing Today for the Post-Labor-Day New Business Sprint

Here we go again. Just when we thought we’d be spending the fall taking people to lunch and networking at conferences, we’re back to discussing social distancing and delayed returns to the office. But that doesn’t mean the need to market and develop new business is any less urgent. In this episode, Jay and Tom discuss why it’s important to use the last few weeks of August to plan for the new business sprint ahead, and share some practical tips on what to focus on.

Episode 91: Become More "Referable," with Joshua Baron

Referrals don't happen by luck or happenstance. According to Joshua Baron, lawyers who are "referrable" are purposeful and intentional about how they interact with clients and other professionals in order to generate new opportunities.

Episode 90: How to Take LinkedIn to the Next Level, with Alex Su

There is a reason this is the longest episode ever recorded on this podcast: Alex Su takes us on a deep dive into the strategies and tactics that have helped him grow a large, engaged audience on LinkedIn.