File Notes Live in Austin: 3 takeaways for law firm owners

Attorneys everywhere face the same challenges, but don’t often get the chance or the space to step back, ask questions, swap stories, and share what’s actually working.

That’s what we saw recently in Austin, when we hosted our latest in-person File Notes Live event with LT Global Practice Management at Soho House.

We brought together law firm leaders, tech partners, and operations managers to dig into the realities of running a law firm and some of the most complex challenges facing the legal industry right now.

We hosted the event in Austin the same week as 8am’s Kaleidoscope conference. Both rooms surfaced the same themes: how firms adopt tech, align their teams, and build businesses that don’t rely on one person. If you’re curious about Kaleidoscope and what it means for firm owners, check out our recap here.

What is File Notes Live?

File Notes Live is the real-world version of the File Notes podcast, a show about building better law firms and the leaders who run them.

Each event brings together a small, curated group of owners and operators for open, off‑the‑record conversation.

“Being in leadership roles can be lonely. Having the opportunity to connect with other experts and leaders is always enriching, motivating and reaffirming.”

— Karolina Gonzales, Austin File Notes attendee

Guiding the conversation was Lucine Aghajanyan-Cohen, founder of LT Global Practice Management.

Lucine helps law firm owners eliminate operational chaos, tune systems (think VXT and 8am MyCase) and build teams that can run without daily oversight.

From boutique practices to national firms, she’s helped leaders focus not just on survival, but also on growth, profit and living up to her trademark mantra: “my practice makes millions.”

Three big themes from Austin

At the Austin dinner, Lucine broke down what high-performing firms actually do. She tackled the tough questions firm owners brought to the table and shared insights you’d usually pay a consultant thousands for.

Here’s three themes that stood out:

1. People and culture

Succession planning

Your firm shouldn’t rise and fall on your shoulders. A lot of talk centered on succession planning and developing someone who can eventually take over your role.

That way the firm doesn’t rely on just one person, and you can step back from the day-to-day without the wheels coming off. It’s smart risk management and better for your life outside of work.

Using tools before adding headcount

A practical point from the room: you don’t always need to hire more admin staff straight away. Smart tools can take care of a lot of the busywork.

For example, VXT automates call notes and time capture. That means avoiding all manual paperwork that comes from communications and gives leaner teams the capacity to do more with less.

In other words, the right tools can prolong the point at which you need to hire extra admin staff, helping firms stay efficient and cost-effective for longer.

Culture = clarity

Firm culture was another hot topic. Guests shared how simple habits like making expectations clear, celebrating wins, birthdays and milestones, weekly shout‑outs, and even a gratitude wall can help keep teams aligned.

As Lucine put it, culture is about clarity: as a firm owner your team should always know who you are, what you’re trying to build and how their work fits into the bigger picture.

Balancing purpose with business

You can care deeply about clients and still run a disciplined business.

While purpose matters, firms need to be upfront that they’re also running a business. You’re helping people, yes, but you also need to charge for your time.

2. Sales and marketing

“Front-end” vs. “back-end” attorneys

The group talked a lot about how not every lawyer is a natural “closer.” Some are great at bringing in new business (front-end rainmakers), while others shine at delivery (back-end work).

The takeaway: not everyone needs sales training. Play to people’s strengths.

Lead response times

Response times were another sticking point. Too many firms still wait 30+ minutes before responding to new leads.

In today’s environment, that’s too slow. Think minutes, not hours.

3. Billing and cash flow

Shorter cycles

We dug into how billing models are shifting. More firms are moving from monthly billing to two-week cycles.

It makes it easier for clients to pay and smooths cash flow for the firm.

Fees and payments

Some firms are introducing flat late fees (easier than percentages), and testing new payment methods.

Zelle (similar to Venmo) is picking up with clients, though adoption is still low. A few firms are even experimenting with Bitcoin (cautiously).

Unpaid and overdue

Around 60% of firms are still dealing with unpaid or overdue bills. Tighter operations and shorter billing cycles help, but only if you actually stick to them and make sure your team do too.

“My biggest takeaway was that as a law firm owner I need to start viewing my firm from a business lens rather than an attorney lens as I scale up.”

— Oscar Escoto, attendee

Change starts with conversations like these

File Notes Live isn’t about theory. It’s about real stories, practical insights, and ideas you can apply in your firm the very next day.

Want to join the next File Notes Live?

We haven’t locked in our next city yet. Got somewhere in mind?

Send me an email and let me know where you’d like us to host the next one.

Want to be at the next one? Sign up for the File Notes newsletter below to be the first to know when invites go out.