Law Firm Money Mistakes Lawyers Keep Making | Peggy Gruenke of CPN Legal

Law Firm Money Mistakes Lawyers Keep Making | Peggy Gruenke of CPN Legal

In this episode of Lawyers in the Wild, Lindsay and Rob sit down with Peggy Gruenke, owner and co-founder of CPN Legal, to talk about one of the least glamorous but most important parts of running a law firm: the money. Peggy shares how CPN Legal became a specialized bookkeeping and financial management partner for law firms, why lawyers need to stay in their lane, and how outsourcing the right work can protect both your time and your firm. The conversation covers trust accounting, three-way reconciliations, Clio and QuickBooks, profitability, billing habits, client selection, payroll, cash flow, and why lawyers often hurt their own businesses by writing off time before a client ever sees the bill. If you own a law firm, manage a practice, or are trying to build a more profitable and sustainable legal business, this episode is full of practical lessons. Chapters: 00:00 Intro: Lawyers, control, and knowing when to hand things off 03:04 What CPN Legal does and how Peggy found her niche 07:28 Choosing the right clients and staying in your lane 10:14 Building a bookkeeping team lawyers can trust 13:26 Trust accounting, three-way matches, and why details matter 16:19 Why law firms struggle with profitability 23:57 Profit margins, payroll, cash flow, and sustainable growth #LawyersInTheWild #LawFirmManagement #LegalBusiness #LawFirmOwners #SoloLawyer #SmallLawFirm #LegalAccounting #TrustAccounting #CPNLegal #PeggyGruenke #Clio #QuickBooks #LawFirmProfitability

Why Lawyers Struggle to Run Law Firms Like Businesses | Jared Correia, Red Cave Law Firm Consulting

In this episode of Lawyers in the Wild, Rob Hardigan and Lindsay Egan sit down with Jared Correia of Red Cave Law Firm Consulting for a candid conversation about the business side of running a law firm.Jared has worked with thousands of law firms and brings a direct, practical perspective on why many lawyers struggle with operations, profitability, hiring, delegation, technology, and long-term growth. The conversation digs into the difference between simply getting busier and actually scaling, why vanity metrics can mislead firm owners, how AI and automation can improve profitability, and why attorneys need to spend more time working on the business instead of only working in the business.They also talk about the lawyer tendency toward catastrophic thinking, the need for better business discipline, the importance of intellectual curiosity, and why utilization rate may be one of the most important metrics for law firm owners to understand.Featuring: Jared Correia, Red Cave Law Firm ConsultingWebsite: redcavelegal.comChapters00:00 Welcome to episode three of Lawyers in the Wild00:39 Lindsay’s essential item: Burt’s Bees chapstick02:49 The things lawyers do that make practice harder03:22 Jared Correia explains Red Cave Law Firm Consulting04:05 When lawyers realize they are running a business05:02 Why overwhelmed law firm owners struggle to start06:10 Are lawyers bad at business?07:19 The two biggest business problems lawyers face08:03 Catastrophic thinking and the lawyer mindset09:28 How to move from fear to business momentum12:07 Scaling versus just getting busier13:33 Profitability by person and team structure15:09 Vanity metrics in law firm growth16:25 How boutique firms can compete through technology18:26 Using AI and automation to improve profitability20:06 Keeping the human touch while adopting technology21:20 Practicing at the top of your law license22:26 Hiring, retention, and compensation challenges26:17 Why some hires fail despite looking great on paper27:49 Hire slowly, fire quickly28:11 Personality and work-style tests in hiring30:02 Making time to work on the business31:34 Why business development gets pushed aside33:50 Delegation and documenting processes34:31 Why law firm owners struggle to let go35:17 Delegation as a profitability decision37:09 Do lawyers overestimate their own importance?37:52 Getting out of the law firm echo chamber40:24 Intellectual curiosity and staying current with technology42:35 Why lawyers delay adopting new tools43:32 When owning a business may not be the right fit44:46 Willpower, imposter syndrome, and pushing through hard days47:23 Vision, goals, and accountability49:07 Starting with one or two key data points49:36 The most important law firm metric: utilization rate50:56 Where to find Jared CorreiaHashtags#LawyersInTheWild #LawFirmGrowth #LegalBusiness #LawPracticeManagement #LawFirmOwner #LegalTech #AIForLawyers #LawFirmProfitability #AttorneyLife #LawFirmConsulting #RedCaveLegal #JaredCorreia #LegalOperations #SmallLawFirm #LawFirmMarketing #BusinessOfLaw

Marketing the Law in the Wild: What Actually Works in Today’s Legal Landscape

Welcome to the very first episode of Lawyers in the Wild. In this premiere episode, hosts Rob Hartigan, Principal Attorney at Lionhart Injury Law [https://lionhartlaw.com/], and Lindsey Egan, Principal Attorney at Poppy Legal Group [https://www.poppylegalgroup.com/], sit down with Tristian, Head of Marketing for the Law Offices of Giselle M. Rodriguez, PLLC [https://gmrodriguezlaw.com/]. This conversation dives deep into the realities of legal marketing today—what’s actually working, what’s outdated, and how law firms can stand out in an increasingly competitive and noisy environment. From branding and client trust to adapting marketing strategies without losing authenticity, Rob, Lindsey, and Tristian explore how modern law firms can grow while staying true to their values. Lawyers in the Wild is all about real conversations with professionals navigating the legal world as it is today—unscripted, honest, and grounded in real experience. This episode sets the tone for what’s to come. 👇 Subscribe for future episodes featuring attorneys, legal professionals, and industry experts sharing insights from the field. #LawyersInTheWild #LegalPodcast #LawFirmMarketing #LegalMarketing #LawyerLife #AttorneysOfYouTube #PersonalInjuryLaw #EstatePlanningLaw #BostonLawyers #LawFirmGrowth #ProfessionalServices #LegalIndustry

Lawyers in the Wild (Trailer)

Step outside the courtroom and into the real world of law with Lawyers in the Wild — the podcast where legal minds go off-script. Hosted by two sharp and curious podcasters, each episode dives into candid conversations with attorneys, vendors, and professionals who power the modern legal industry. From the war stories of trial lawyers to the tech tools reshaping client service, to the human side of balancing justice and life — Lawyers in the Wild explores what really happens beyond the briefcase. Whether you’re a practicing attorney, a legal vendor, or simply fascinated by the people behind the profession, this show offers insights, humor, and unfiltered perspectives from every corner of the legal jungle.