Robert Joyner

This week, Rob and Amanda have the pleasure of talking to Amylyn Riedling (Paralegal, Office Manager, and Bookkeeper at Robin H. Balsam, P.S.) who went back to school to become a paralegal because her friend was doing it and thought it sounded fun. However, through the course of her career, Amylyn has found that her experiences outside of the classroom have been just as beneficial to her success as lectures and tests. How did her job operating rides at an amusement park when she was 16 set her up to be a paralegal later in life? You’ll have to listen to the episode to find out!

Imagine this… you’re a junior in college and all signs are pointing to you being selected as a top 30 NFL draft pick. Right before the rest of your life is supposed to start, you sustain a life-threatening injury that leaves you with a paralyzed arm. What would you do? Many of us would probably want to give up, but not this week’s guest! We had the honor of speaking with Inky Johnson (Host, Serendipity with Inky Johnson Podcast) about maintaining strength and resilience in the face of adversity, and we can’t wait to share his story with all of you.

It’s not often a podcast guest is introduced via poetry, but this week, you’re going to hear exactly that. Take a trip down memory lane with us as one of our Season 1 guests, Jenna Carter (Director of Administration, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP) introduces us to Maria Stanfield (Founder, My Sister CEO) to the tune of Maya Angelou. A speaker, executive career coach, and bestselling author with a heart for service, Maria’s message is simple: it’s never too late to realize your full potential.

In high school, Kyle Weigand (Director of Operations, Brouse McDowell, LPA) wrote letters (yes, back when snail mail still existed!) to 40 law firms in the Cleveland area and got one response. He started in that firm’s mailroom soon after. Kyle’s personal touch paid off; from there, it’s been a steady rise from paralegal to director to helping start a law firm from the ground up for this go-getter.

Join us for this fascinating discussion on why transparency and communication for all levels of employees are crucial to a firm’s success. Kyle brings a unique perspective to this topic and gives us all a lot to think about.

The Mostly Legal Podcast is back for season 2 and we’re starting this second go-around off with a bang!

How do you know when it’s time for a career change? Maybe you’re not enjoying the work you’re doing, not happy at your current employer, or perhaps you’re in the wrong industry altogether. Alex Su (Head of Community Development for Ironclad) thinks you’re much more likely to be successful in your career if you focus on doing something that’s aligned with your strengths instead of trying to fix your weaknesses.

Join us for this discussion on what it means to find your own path and be successful, even if it’s not what you initially envisioned.

Melissa Chambers and Mike West give us some great insight on what firms should be doing once they implement new software. From continuing vendor relationships to leaning into training, check out their best practice tips, and suggestions to help you utilize your new system to the fullest.

Debbie Foster has been a pioneer in the legal technology industry for a long time. And we had the opportunity to sit down with her and hear her thoughts on the legal landscape and what firms must do in order to remain competitive.

What better place to wrap up season 1 than at ALA’s 2021 Annual Conference & Expo. From behind-the-scenes interviews with some of the series favorite guests to the announcement of a big donation to the Foundation of the ALA, co-hosts Rob Joyner and Amanda Koplos sure know how to make a splash!

Which question would you rather have the answer to – where do you find the best firm administrators or how do you gain loyalty from a large group of people? Fortunately, you don’t actually have to choose because Katya Adams (Office Manager, The Watkins Firm, APC) and Gail Fredrickson (Firm Administrator, Rossway Swan) give us answers to both. Pull up a chair because we dive into a whole host of other questions too and you won’t want to miss what they have to say.

What would you do if, 48 hours before the most important event of the year, someone asked you to fill in for the keynote speaker? Would you pass up the opportunity or would you make it to the stage and give the best speech of your life? What if, after 20 years at a small firm, you made a leap and moved to a large firm? Would you be ready for the challenges that came with that transition? What about getting buy-in from attorneys and partners? How do you sell yourself in a way that gets you what you need? Take it from us, we can’t answer those questions, but Judy Hissong (President, Nesso Strategies) and April Campbell (Executive Director, Association of Legal Administrators) can. They take on the mic and bring us the wisdom we never knew we needed.