BE THAT LAWYER

Jim Coogan: Interacting with Non-Lawyers in a Way They Understand

Episode Summary

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Jim Coogan discuss: How Jim’s childhood interest in medicine lead to his career in personal injury law. Listen to what the questions really are. Engaging your audience when you speak. How AI is changing legal practice with communication clarity and efficiency. Key Takeaways: In law school, there’s a mentality that you want to speak like a lawyer. Once you’re working with clients, however, they are not (typically) lawyers and will better respond to you translating the law to what they need to know and understand. No matter what area of law you are in, your area of law is going to be connected to other areas depending on your client and their situation. As you practice, you will get better at appreciating and connecting with the audience you are speaking to. But it does take practice and analysis of what you said previously. Your job is to interpret and build trust with your clients so they have a reason to believe what you’re saying as things get more complicated. "It’s just a matter of gauging who's listening to you, and whether what you're saying is making a difference and whether it makes sense in the first place." —  Jim Coogan Get a free copy of Steve’s book “Sales-Free Selling” here: www.fretzin.com/sales-free-selling Thank you to our Sponsors! Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/ Overture: https://overture.law/ Get Visible: https://www.getvisible.com/ Episode References: Cautionary Tales - Tim Harford Podcast: https://timharford.com/articles/cautionarytales/ About Jim Coogan: Jim Coogan has been representing injured people his whole legal career. He is a partner at the law firm Coogan Gallagher in Park Ridge, Illinois. He is the host of the "Coogan Knows the Law" podcast. Connect with Jim Coogan:  Website: https://cgtrial.com/ Podcast: https://feeds.captivate.fm/coogan-knows-the-law/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jecoogan/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/coogan-gallagher/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/james_coogan_ Twitter: https://twitter.com/coogangallagher Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jim.coogan.1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coogangallagher/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jimcoogan.atty Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coogangallagher/ Connect with Steve Fretzin: LinkedIn: Steve Fretzin Twitter: @stevefretzin Instagram: @fretzinsteve Facebook: Fretzin, Inc. Website: Fretzin.com Email: Steve@Fretzin.com Book: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more! YouTube: Steve Fretzin Call Steve directly at 847-602-6911 Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

Episode Notes

In this episode, Steve Fretzin and Jim Coogan discuss:

• How Jim’s childhood interest in medicine lead to his career in personal injury law. 
• Listen to what the questions really are. 
• Engaging your audience when you speak. 
• How AI is changing legal practice with communication clarity and efficiency. 

Key Takeaways:

• In law school, there’s a mentality that you want to speak like a lawyer. Once you’re working with clients, however, they are not (typically) lawyers and will better respond to you translating the law to what they need to know and understand. 
• No matter what area of law you are in, your area of law is going to be connected to other areas depending on your client and their situation. 
• As you practice, you will get better at appreciating and connecting with the audience you are speaking to. But it does take practice and analysis of what you said previously. 
• Your job is to interpret and build trust with your clients so they have a reason to believe what you’re saying as things get more complicated. 

"It’s just a matter of gauging who's listening to you, and whether what you're saying is making a difference and whether it makes sense in the first place." —  Jim Coogan

Get a free copy of Steve’s book “Sales-Free Selling” here: www.fretzin.com/sales-free-selling

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Get Staffed Up: https://getstaffedup.com/bethatlawyer/

Overture: https://overture.law/

Get Visible: https://www.getvisible.com/

Episode References: 

• Cautionary Tales - Tim Harford Podcast: https://timharford.com/articles/cautionarytales/

About Jim Coogan: Jim Coogan has been representing injured people his whole legal career. He is a partner at the law firm Coogan Gallagher in Park Ridge, Illinois. He is the host of the "Coogan Knows the Law" podcast. 

Connect with Jim Coogan:  

Website: https://cgtrial.com/

Podcast: https://feeds.captivate.fm/coogan-knows-the-law/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jecoogan/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/coogan-gallagher/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/james_coogan_

Twitter: https://twitter.com/coogangallagher

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jim.coogan.1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coogangallagher/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jimcoogan.atty

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coogangallagher/

Connect with Steve Fretzin:

LinkedIn: Steve Fretzin

Twitter: @stevefretzin

Instagram: @fretzinsteve

Facebook: Fretzin, Inc.

Website: Fretzin.com

Email: Steve@Fretzin.com

Book: Legal Business Development Isn't Rocket Science and more!

YouTube: Steve Fretzin

Call Steve directly at 847-602-6911

Show notes by Podcastologist Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.