Will AI Replace Lawyers? 30-Year Criminal Defense Attorney Tells the Truth | W. Craig Lawson

Now, a great attorney can sometimes still struggle with the business side.

I've seen books all over the place, and it could be half a million dollars or more in a solo firm.

How did you learn to be able to organize yourself with the business side of being an attorney? And then when did you hire your first team member, whether it was a VA or a part-time person or an intern? How did that go about?

Well, the one thing they don't teach us in law school is how to run a business.

And that should be one of the courses that they teach.

We get out and we just struggle.

Most of us will get a CPA or somebody that kind of directs us and tells us what needs to be done or an accountant.

I say CPA, but accountant.

And they have software programs that kind of monitor and help you with your money.

I don't want to name them, but, you know, I use that system.

But my accountant had to show me how to use it.

And I just make it a point to whenever I have a court hearing, we have usually about four or five court hearings.

So before I make it to the next hearing, I try to reach out to my client and say, hey, look, it's time for a payment.

And if you don't make payment, you miss too many of them.

I'll send them that letter that I'm going to withdraw from the case because with criminal cases, if the case is over, they have no incentive for paying.

So if they're just not honorable people, you're not going to see the rest of that money.

My first year in practice, I had a lady come and do my books and she said, Craig, you got $300,000 outstanding invoices.

Do you want us to try to collect that? No, I think you going after that is going to be a waste of time.

These people are not going to pay.

They didn't pay before the case is over and they don't have any incentive to pay me now.

And,

and, and with the practice of, And not to get all up in your business, but I'm going to do that on the next question.

How have you found to separate time for yourself, time for family in the 30 years? Because you guys are busy enough where, I mean, you could neglect a whole, you know, you could just focus on the work and be the best that you can be.

How do you separate and say, you know what? I need time for me.

I need time for family.