203: Monica Lukoschek of US Immigration Law Group, LLP discusses founding a law firm with us.

Monica Lukoschek photoMonica E. Lukoschek of US Immigration Law Group, LLP graduated from U.C. Hastings College of Law, cum laude in May 1987, and immediately started her career in immigration law. After more than a decade working in the immigration law departments of two major law firms, Monica helped found a boutique immigration law firm in Irvine and helped to grow the firm from 13 to 40 employees in less than one and a half years. In December 2001, Monica started a solo practice representing small- to mid-sized businesses, as well as individuals, in matters involving U.S. Immigration and Nationality Law. Five years ago she merged her solo practice with that of another immigration attorney and she is now a founding partner of U.S. Immigration Law Group, LLP.

Listen to the podcast

Fail fast to succeed faster

  • Monica urges Lawpreneurs to hire people who know what you don’t.  For example, if you don’t know how to market yourself, hire people to help you do that. Most importantly, you need good personal relationships with your resources.

Tell us something good

  • US Immigration Law Group has experienced great growth.  They have had to double their office space since they started.  Also, Monica, and her business partner Lisa, are speakers at esteemed conferences.

What’s on your desk?

  • Monica focuses her practice on employment based immigration cases, including investor cases and senior executives being transferred.

Favorite Resource

Favorite Books:

  • The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It In this first new and totally revised edition of the bestseller, The E-Myth, Michael Gerber dispels the myths surrounding starting your own business and shows how commonplace assumptions can get in the way of running a business. He walks you through the steps in the life of a business from entrepreneurial infancy, through adolescent growing pains, to the mature entrepreneurial perspective, the guiding light of all businesses that succeed. He then shows how to apply the lessons of franchising to any business whether or not it is a franchise. Finally, Gerber draws the vital, often overlooked distinction between working on your business and working in your business.
  • Who Moved My Cheese?: An A-Mazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life With Who Moved My Cheese? Dr. Spencer Johnson realizes the need for finding the language and tools to deal with change–an issue that makes all of us nervous and uncomfortable.
    Most people are fearful of change because they don’t believe they have any control over how or when it happens to them. Since change happens either to the individual or by the individual, Spencer Johnson shows us that what matters most is the attitude we have about change.

Thanks for Listening

This information is coming to you to inspire you and drive you forward. Be bigger than you know yourself to be! If you haven’t already done so, please take a minute to leave a quick 5-star review rating and honest review on iTunes by clicking here.
Miranda McCroskey – host of Lawpreneur Radio

201: Kyle Rowen of Wesierski & Zurek LLP discusses the “Suits for a Cause” clothing drive supporting Women Helping Women / Men2Work.

Kyle Rowan PhotoKyle Rowen of Wesierski & Zurek LLP graduated cum laude from the University of San Diego with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Minors in both Business Administration and History. At USD, Kyle was the recipient of the Alcala Award, a prestigious award honoring the top male in a graduating class for overall excellence. Following his undergraduate education, Mr. Rowen served as a policy advisor for a San Diego County Supervisor, where he advised on matters concerning health and human services and public safety. Kyle obtained his Juris Doctorate from the University Of San Diego School Of Law, where he was selected as a member of the prestigious Order of the Barristers for his oral advocacy skills and was a member of the National Mock Trial team. Mr. Rowen also received the American Board of Trial Advocates Award, and received the Highest Grade in Class/Honors in Advanced Trial Advocacy, and Criminal Clinic I & II. Kyle Rowen has been licensed to practice law since 2004, and handles matters involving employment law, including defending against claims of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation under state and federal law, the Americans with Disability Act, governmental tort liability, police liability, and premises liability. Kyle is licensed to practice before all the courts of the state of California as well as the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States District Court, Central District of California. Kyle has extensive experience before a jury, having conducted over 20 jury trials. Following law school, Kyle served as a Deputy District Attorney in the Riverside County District Attorney’s office. While in the District Attorney’s office, Kyle was assigned to the prestigious Sexual Assault and Child Abuse unit and prosecuted several cases from the nationally televised series on DATELINE NBC, To Catch A Predator. Prior to joining Wesierski & Zurek, LLP, Kyle represented various Southern California cities as a Deputy City Attorney, first at a private firm and then at the City Attorney’s Office for the City of Newport Beach. Kyle regularly advised Human Resources staff on employment matters, including conducting workplace investigations and handling disciplinary actions. In addition, he served as the legal advisor to the Newport Beach Police and Fire Departments, and in 2012 and 2013, served as the Southern Section Chair for the California Peace Officers’ Association, Police Legal Advisors Committee.

Listen to the podcast

Show Highlights

  • Kyle tells us that he feels very successful in his career and is very happy with the results that he has achieved both as an attorney and as a family man.
  • Kyle discusses serving on the Board of Directors of Women Helping Women/Men2Work, an Orange County non-profit that provides comprehensive employment support services to empower disadvantaged men, women, and teens in reaching economic self-sufficiency through employment success.
  • Kyle spoke with us about WHW/M2W’s annual “Suits for a Cause” clothing drive sponsored by the Southern California legal community, which takes place during the month of June.  For information on supporting the drive contact Yvonne Monreal (yvonnem@whw.org).  For more information on what to donate and where, please download the Suits for a Cause Wish List here.
  • Kyle is very proud of his work with WHW/M2W as the organiztion helped 6,500 clients in 2014 and are on track to help more than 9,000 in 2015.

Thanks for Listening

This information is coming to you to inspire you and drive you forward. Be bigger than you know yourself to be! If you haven’t already done so, please take a minute to leave a quick 5-star review rating and honest review on iTunes by clicking here.
Miranda McCroskey – host of Lawpreneur Radio

200: David Kamanski of Law Offices of David D. Kamanski discusses becoming a full time Mediator of civil litigation cases with us.

DaveK_Headshot1David Kamanski of Law Offices of David D. Kamanski has been a civil litigation attorney in Orange County, California for over 30 years. He graduated from Foothill High School in Tustin in 1975 and then obtained a B.A. in Political Science from UCLA in 1979. He obtained his law degree from the University of the Pacific – McGeorge School of Law located in Sacramento, California in 1983. David began working at Chase, Rotchford, Drukker & Bogust, a large insurance defense firm in Los Angeles, as a law clerk in 1981 and then as an associate attorney from 1984 to 1987. He then moved firms two more times landing at a firm in Orange County which was renamed to Sheehy, Kamanski & Ellis where he remained a partner until opening his own office, The Law Offices of David D. Kamanski in September 1993.

Listen to the podcast

Show Highlights

  • David tells us that the court system, especially in Southern California, holds mediation as an important aspect of the legal system.  The courts often prefer to have a case mediated rather than conduct what could be a time consuming and therefore expensive trial.
  • David relates that it takes time to build a mediation practice.  When you start out, no one knows that you are now a mediator and some parties, like insurance companies, may think of you as still being on the “other side.”
  • David explains that even after you have been a mediator for a while, you still have to be known and on the “Approved Mediator” list for the insurance companies and known by the plaintiffs attorney.

Thanks for Listening

This information is coming to you to inspire you and drive you forward. Be bigger than you know yourself to be! If you haven’t already done so, please take a minute to leave a quick 5-star review rating and honest review on iTunes by clicking here.
Miranda McCroskey – host of Lawpreneur Radio

199: Antoinette Balta of Veterans Legal Institute discusses founding Veterans Legal Institute with us.

Anotinette Balta PhotoAntoinette Balta is President and Co-Founder of the Veterans Legal Institute where she oversees and has responsibility for business development, outreach, public relations, marketing, and strategic planning. Antoinette comes to Veterans Legal Institute with a long-held passion to serve homeless and at-risk veterans and service members and has dedicated her career to that end.

Listen to the podcast

Fail fast to succeed faster

  • Antoinette tells us that she wasn’t happy in private practice.  She waited for the right time to take the risk and still feels like that waiting took its toll on her personal happiness.

Tell us something good

  • Recently Antoinette had a client whose disability payments were being garnished.  He was on the verge of losing his house and the lights were to be turned off on the Friday following his contact with VLI.  Antoinette explains that through her contacts in local veterans affairs and support groups she was able to help him keep the lights on.  And, she was able to help with the garnishment by arranging a payment plan.

What’s on your desk?

  • Antoinette reminds us about the importance of supporting our veteransby providing pro bono legal assistance to homeless and low income current and former service members to eradicate barriers to housing, education, employment and healthcare and foster self-sufficiency.
  • Antoinette tells us about two important upcoming events for Veterans Legal Institute:
    • Veterans Legal Institute Open House on 6/30/15.  Click here for the Flyer.
    • Veterans Legal Institute VA Clinic at the Long Beach Veterans Administration facility’s Pantages Theater on June 9 and the second Tuesday of every month. Click here for the Flyer.

Thanks for Listening

This information is coming to you to inspire you and drive you forward. Be bigger than you know yourself to be! If you haven’t already done so, please take a minute to leave a quick 5-star review rating and honest review on iTunes by clicking here.
Miranda McCroskey – host of Lawpreneur Radio

198: Richard Wilner of WILNER & O’REILLY, APLC discusses the name on the door with us.

Richard Wilner PhotoRichard Wilner is board certified as a specialist in immigration and nationality law at Wilner O’Reilly, APLC by the state bar of California. Richard has been practicing immigration law for 15 years. He has run his own business since 2003

Listen to the podcast

Fail fast to succeed faster

  • Listen as Richard discusses the pitfalls of opening a new office.  His efforts over the years have taught him what does and does not work.

Tell us something good

  • Richards shares a recent client victory.  He bonded with a particular client, a Brazilian businessman with a special needs child.  Last week Richard found out that the who families application for residency was approved.

What’s on your desk?

  • Wilner & O’Reilly’s practice covers all areas of immigration law except removal proceedings due to serious crimes.

Favorite Resource

  • The Bible
  • The ocean
  • The wrestling room

Favorite Books

  • Holy Bible Text Edition NLT: New Living Translation This text Bible offers readers the clear and accurate New Living Translation along with features such as a topical verse finder and full-color maps. The eBook edition contains robust navigational links that help the reader quickly locate a verse or move around in a particular book of the Bible.

Thanks for Listening

This information is coming to you to inspire you and drive you forward. Be bigger than you know yourself to be! If you haven’t already done so, please take a minute to leave a quick 5-star review rating and honest review on iTunes by clicking here.
Miranda McCroskey – host of Lawpreneur Radio

197: Vaughn Sigmon of The Alternative Board discusses the value of an executive advisory board with us.

Vaughn Sigmon PhotoVaughn Sigmon of The Alternative Board has over 35 years of executive experience successfully leading, growing, and managing a diverse number of businesses. Vaughn recently retired from an 11 year career as Regional Vice President General Manager for the Los Angeles Region of CarMax; a Fortune 100 Best Companies To Work For Award winner. Vaughn specializes in helping small businesses learn that focusing on their employees with the right approaches and gaining their buy-in will drive whatever initiatives the business owner wants to accomplish. Upon retiring Vaughn knew that he wanted to extend his career in the area that he enjoyed the most from his days as a senior executive: Coaching executives to be the best that they can be.

Listen to the podcast

Fail fast to succeed faster

  • Vaughn relates that he resisted strategic planning in the corporate world.  When he finally saw that planning and goal setting worked he became a champion of strategic planning in that organization.  He has carried the value of planning and goal setting over to his work with The Alternative Board.

Tell us something good

  • Vaughn tells us about a coaching client who had taken over the family bookkeeping business.  When the client first came to Vaughn he was afraid to have tough conversations with customers, like raising rates.  Since starting with Vaughn and The Alternative Board, the business has increased revenues by 45% year over year and in the process the client has developed a ton of confidence around having “hard” conversations with customers.

How do you support a Lawpreneur?

  • Vaughn reminds us that attorneys are business owners that don’t usually get a business education and that is one of the reasons that business coaching and something like The Alternative Board is so valuable.
  • Joining a board expands the horizons of the business owner through the shared experiences of their fellow board members.

On the Importance of Business Plans

  • Vaughn says that a business needs to have direction, like hands on the handlebar of a bicycle you hold the business on course.
    • You have to know where you are going so a plan starts with a vision of your life as a business owner.
    • What do you want to get out of your business?  What is your reason for having this business?
    • Create a long term plan to support your vision of the business
    • Set Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Results-focused and Time-bound goals to move you and the business forward towards your ultimate vision.

Favorite Books:

  • Why Employees Don’t Do What They’re Supposed To and What You Can Do About It Based on the actual experiences of 25,000 managers, Why Employees Don’t Do What They’re Supposed to Do… gives you proven, straightforward methods that work on real jobs, in the real world. This results-oriented guidebook helps you handle the top 10 situations in which employees don’t perform the way they should, including a detailed analysis of the causes and the plans for preventing the same problems down the road.
  • Influencer: The New Science of Leading Change, Second Edition Whether you’re a CEO, a parent, or merely a person who wants to make a difference, you probably wish you had more influence with the people in your life. But most of us stop trying to make change happen because we believe it is too difficult, if not impossible. We learn to cope rather than learning to influence.
  • Crucial Conversations Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High, Second Edition The first edition of Crucial Conversations exploded onto the scene and revolutionized the way millions of people communicate when stakes are high. This new edition gives you the tools to: Prepare for high-stakes situations, Transform anger and hurt feelings into powerful dialogue, Make it safe to talk about almost anything, Be persuasive, not abrasive

Thanks for Listening

This information is coming to you to inspire you and drive you forward. Be bigger than you know yourself to be! If you haven’t already done so, please take a minute to leave a quick 5-star review rating and honest review on iTunes by clicking here.
Miranda McCroskey – host of Lawpreneur Radio

196: Cherissa Jackson of Jackson & Associates Legal Nurse Consultants, LLC discusses how they help attorneys expeditiously screen and win their medical related cases.

Cherissa Jackson PhotoCherissa Jackson is a 23 year Air Force Veteran and she has over 15 years of nursing experience. Cherissa started Jackson & Associates Legal Nurse Consultants, LLC to provide attorneys a faster and better way to screen their cases. The team at Jackson & Associates Legal Nurse Consultants, LLC has over 30 years of nursing experience in ICU, trauma, ER, recovery, surgery, pediatrics, VA disabilities, and workers’ compensation. Jackson & Associates’ value to attorneys lays in having been trained to know what’s right and wrong with patient care and hospital standards. Because they are the key caregivers they have the knowledge to assist attorneys with preparation and winning medical malpractice and wrongful death cases saving attorneys both time and money.

Listen to the podcast

Fail fast to succeed faster

  • Hear Cherissa tells us that early on she was gathering all of the contacts she could and not creating relationships.  When she stopped going for quantity and instead focused on quality relationships her business really started to move.

Tell us something good

  • Listen as Cherissa describes her advocacy for veterans.  She attended a VA Mission meeting and met a VA disability attorney.  They made a connection and Cherissa was able to be of service to the attorney supporting disabled veterans.
  • Cherissa will be featured in the July 2015 issue of Prevention magazine for both her advocacy and support of soldiers returning home with PTSD and for being a survivor of PTSD herself.

How do you support a Lawpreneur?

  • Cherissa tells us that law firms may have to sort through thousands of pages of medical records.  Legal Nurse Consultants are trained in reading the records and preparing them.  Jackson and Associates helps find consultants for the case, noting needed evidence to strengthen their case.

Thanks for Listening

This information is coming to you to inspire you and drive you forward. Be bigger than you know yourself to be! If you haven’t already done so, please take a minute to leave a quick 5-star review rating and honest review on iTunes by clicking here.
Miranda McCroskey – host of Lawpreneur Radio

195: Paramjit Mahli of The Rainmakers Roundtable discusses creating “The Rainmakers Roundtable” with us.

Paramjit MahliOriginally from England, Paramjit Mahli of The Rainmakers Roundtable is a former journalist, emmy judge, author and principal of The Rainmakers Roundtable. Paramjit’s focus is creating great results for her clients. She works with professionals when they want to increase sales when they speak, reducing the money that gets left on the table. Paramjit says, “ASK YOURSELF, ARE YOU THE PEACOCK OR JUST ANOTHER PIGEON?”

Listen to the podcast

Fail fast to succeed faster

  • Listen as Paramjit tells us that after she figured out that speaking would be a great way to get herself out in the public for marketing, it took her a long time to move.  She says that she was scared and told herself that she didn’t know how to speak in front of these high powered attorneys she was courting as clients.  Paramjit thinks that not taking action set her back at least two years and had both emotional and financial costs.

Tell us something good

  • Paramjit tells us that she received her green card under “Alien of Extraordinary Abilities” on her own merits, she did not require a sponsor.

How do you support a Lawpreneur?

  • Paramjit tells us about her online program: “3 Keys to Rainmaking for attorneys” who  are ready to step into clarity, confidence and control, while leveraging YOUR untapped resources, without spending an extra dime!
  • Paramjit discusses her VIP Intensive sessions.
  • She also offers one-on-one coaching.
  • Paramjit remnids us that for her the success is about her clients getting their desired results.

Favorite Books:

  • Just Me: A Business Woman’s Personal Branding GuideA collaborative effort by some of the leading visionaries, Just Me gives all women unique insights into the exceptional people they really are. Contributing authors include both organizational leaders and entrepreneurs, providing a branding perspective that addresses women’s needs from multiple views. These women aren’t just familiar with the branding challenges women face in the workplace; they put themselves right in the middle of the fight. Contributors represent organizations such as the Alliance for Women in Media, MBA Women International, American Business Women’s Association, Collective Changes, American Women in Science, National Association of Female Executives, National Association of Women Business Owners and much more. These contributing authors have chosen to continue serving women by offering the lessons they’ve learned with branding and re-branding, all with the purpose of helping women find greater success with strategies that will span their whole career.

Thanks for Listening

This information is coming to you to inspire you and drive you forward. Be bigger than you know yourself to be! If you haven’t already done so, please take a minute to leave a quick 5-star review rating and honest review on iTunes by clicking here.
Miranda McCroskey – host of Lawpreneur Radio

194: Gordon P. Firemark of Power Podcasting for Lawyers discusses ways that Lawyers can leverage new media to get more, better, referrals and clients with us.

Gordon Firemark PhotoGordon Firemark of Power Podcasting for Lawyers is a Los-Angeles based Entertainment lawyer and a mediapreneur. In his law practice he helps creatives and businesses in theatre, film, television and new media to make smart deals that make sense. He’s been a podcaster for almost 10 years, with three shows: Entertainment Law Update, Entertainment Industry Insights, and the Law Podcasting Podcast. His latest adventure has him evangelizing to bring lawyer marketing into the 21st century with modern media strategies and tactics.

Listen to the podcast

Fail fast to succeed faster

  • Gordon tells us that his biggest failure was one of his greatest successes in not finding a job after he left his last firm because it forced him in to becoming a Lawpreneur.
  • Hear Gordon point out that waiting too long to launch a couple of his digital products was a failure because if he had moved sooner he would be that much further along now.

Tell us something good

  • Gordon relates that his biggest successes as an attorney come when he attends opening night of a play or sees a clients name on the silver (or small) screen.
  • Listen as Gordon discusses the success of his digital products and makes a special offer to Lawpreneur Radio listeners.

How do you support a Lawpreneur?

  • Gordon offers a special deal to Lawpreneur Radio listeners that can be found at lawpodcasting.com/lawpreneur.  This will help you make the move forward to using digital media for marketing.

Favorite Resource

Favorite Books:

  • The E-Myth Attorney: Why Most Legal Practices Don’t Work and What to Do About It Many attorneys in small and mid-size practices are experts on the law, but may not have considered their practice as much from a business perspective.  The E-Myth Attorney fills this void, giving you powerful advice on everything you need to run your practice as a successful business.
  • Virtual Freedom: How to Work with Virtual Staff to Buy More Time, Become More Productive, and Build Your Dream Business Virtual Freedom: How to Work with Virtual Staff to Buy More Time, Become More Productive, and Build Your Dream Business is the step-by-step guide every entrepreneur needs to build his or her business with the asset of working with virtual employees. Focusing on business growth, Ducker explains every detail you need to grasp, from figuring out which jobs you should outsource to finding, hiring, training, motivating, and managing virtual assistants
  • The Motivation Manifesto The Motivation Manifesto is a pulsing, articulate, ferocious call to claim our personal power. World-renowned high performance trainer Brendon Burchard reveals that the main motive of humankind is the pursuit of greater Personal Freedom. We desire the grand liberties of choice—time freedom, emotional freedom, social freedom, financial freedom, spiritual freedom. Only two enemies stand in our way: an external enemy, defined as the social oppression of who we are by the mediocre masses, and an internal enemy, a sort of self-oppression caused by our own doubt and fear.
  • The Podcast, Blog & New Media Producer’s Legal Survival Guide: An essential resource for content creatorsThe Podcast, Blog & New Media Producers’ Legal Survival Guide is the first comprehensive explanation of the legal principles, issues and claims that can arise for producers of internet-based media. Written by veteran entertainment and media lawyer, Gordon Firemark, this 114-page guide is designed to help those who write blogs, host & produce podcasts, or distribute video or other media via the Internet avoid the most common mistakes that lead to threats, recriminations and lawsuits.

Thanks for Listening

This information is coming to you to inspire you and drive you forward. Be bigger than you know yourself to be! If you haven’t already done so, please take a minute to leave a quick 5-star review rating and honest review on iTunes by clicking here.
Miranda McCroskey – host of Lawpreneur Radio

193: Robert Ungar of CROSSWIND discusses increasing practice revenue through co-counsel engagements with us.

Robert Ungar PhotoBobby Ungar is the Managing Partner of CROSSWIND Business Divorce Lawyers. Bobby is known for his responsiveness and dedication to his clients, high rates of client satisfaction, and successful outcomes. Bobby has 35 years of knowledge and experience handling business divorce cases, and is the author/editor of California Business Divorce, the only legal encyclopedia devoted exclusively to business divorce law, practice and procedure.

Listen to the podcast

Fail fast to succeed faster

  • Bobby tells us that he has lost trials (he’s won more) and learned something from each one that he has tried.

Tell us something good

  • Hear Bobby tell us about being hired as a very young lawyer to argue a personal jurisdiction motion in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.  The motion was presented in Allentown in THE 1st district court in the nation.  Bobby says it was fascinating to be there in the court, just like it was 1800.

What’s on your desk?

  • Business Divorce covers the range of business litigation involving the dissolution of partnerships and the resolution of disputes or other differences.
  • Bobby says that you really have to be a specialist within the specialty of business law because the Law, both statute and case, is constantly changing.
  • Bobby disucsses his book California Business Divorce which is an electronic volume devoted exclusively to the examination of California law pertinent to substantive business divorce issues, practice and procedure. The tome includes analysis and comprehensive references to statutes and appellate decisions.

Favorite Resource

Thanks for Listening

This information is coming to you to inspire you and drive you forward. Be bigger than you know yourself to be! If you haven’t already done so, please take a minute to leave a quick 5-star review rating and honest review on iTunes by clicking here.
Miranda McCroskey – host of Lawpreneur Radio