On this week’s Lean Law Firm Podcast, Larry Port and Dave Maxfield welcome guest Erin Gerstenzang, a criminal defense attorney in Atlanta, Georgia. Erin is a veteran ABA TECHSHOW speaker on topics such as law firm automation. Listen as Erin talks about the tools she uses in her firm to help automate and streamline her workflows, including some do’s and don’t about vetting technology. You won’t want to miss this super-informative episode!

Honoring the law’s smartest, most courageous innovators, techies, visionaries, & leaders. Lawyer or nonlawyer, techie or nontechie, anyone is eligible.

“These are people who inspire us by their intelligence, creativity, and leadership. We hope they will inspire others as well, especially during a time of great change for the profession.” - Fastcase CEO Ed Walters

Erin Gerstenzang is a technology wizard and a solo criminal defense practitioner, and today she shares how she uses technology to leverage her offerings as a criminal defense attorney. We’ll learn how to use technology to gain efficiency and proficiency in a solo practice, including Erin’s robust and well-thought-out client intake process, which covers everything from the initial phone call to the start of a legal matter.

Erin Gerstenzang is among those selected as the Legal Technology Resource Center (LTRC) is makes its fourth annual announcement of Women of Legal Tech. LTRC’s Women of Legal Tech initiative is intended to encourage diversity and celebrate women in legal technology. 

Erin Gerstenzang and Megan Zavieh talk about how lawyers can use Twitter and other forms of social media the right way.

Want to make a splash in the Twitter-sphere? In this On the Road report from the California Lawyers Association (CLA) Annual Meeting, hosts Laurence Colletti and Jennifer Gerstenzang talk to Erin Gerstenzang and Megan Zavieh about how lawyers can use Twitter and other forms of social media the right way.

By Erin H. Gerstenzang

Millennials (Americans aged 18–36) have surpassed the baby boomers as the generation with the largest purchasing power in today’s economy. They are also much more discerning than previous generations about what products and services they buy. This should be worrisome to most traditional law firms.

The modern world has raised an entire generation of consumers who believe that businesses should provide both a quality product and a quality customer experience. Businesses that ignore the importance of the customer experience will fail. Companies that make it a priority will have a tremendous competitive advantage. This goes for law firms, too.

By Erin H. Gerstenzang

We all knew the people who went gunning for success in law school. Ruthless, tenacious, and focused on separating themselves from the pack, little of their philosophy would fit comfortably in a sermon or a self-help book.

But what they don’t tell you in law school is that success can stem from simple sincerity. Being a great lawyer often means being a good person. Some of the best and most enduring client relationships are rooted in trust and genuine friendship.

In this article, I sit down with Audra Dial and interview her about the important lessons she has learned about what it takes to find and keep great clients as a woman in BigLaw.

Gerstenzang has developed a system of interconnected applications that allow clients to receive electronic fee agreements by merely texting her their name and email address. From there, they can fill out and sign the form on their phone and send it back.

Embracing technology and designing your law firm around the client experience also lets lawyers better collaborate with clients. By allowing clients to fill out forms and attach paperwork through email, lawyers not only make clients feel part of the process but also ensure that correct name spelling and other small but vital information is always correct.

Simple changes, like implementing new technology, can be a substantial competitive advantage for lawyers—especially as consumers begin to expect these practices.

Is that contact form on your website compliant with the ethical rules? How should you handle negative online reviews by clients? The ethics rules can be complicated and often times, lawyers just don’t know that they’re violating them.

In this episode, I’m joined by Atlanta criminal defense attorney and legal ethics enthusiast, Erin Gerstenzang. We are talking about five specific areas that can be danger zones for solos and small firms when it comes to the ethics rules.

Erin Gerstenzang’s practice is elegant in its simplicity. From the moment a new client calls her until the case is closed, there is a process. Her intake, practice management, and file handling process are all automated. On the day we recorded the podcast, there was not a single piece of paper to be seen until someone brought in the mail. Her office layout is minimimalistic, yet, there is nothing impersonal about Erin. Clients know that they can call her cell or text her with questions. She says that the clients are happy and are careful not to intrude. She learned to practice this way from her father years ago. The outgoing message on his office’s answering machine directed clients to call him at home if they needed him. You will learn something from this interview about how to market and manage a criminal defense practice. The key, according to Erin, is to bring your authentic self to the table and to practice simply.