What if the very thing that’s draining you could become the key to your power?

In this second episode of our Built to Lead Series, host Bridgit Norris is joined by Emily Logan Stedman, partner at Husch Blackwell and a commercial litigator who’s reshaped what it means to thrive in big law.

Emily takes us deep into the billable hour, not to condemn it, but to completely reframe it—as a tool for control, clarity, and even creativity. You’ll learn how she’s reclaimed her time, set boundaries without guilt, and used systems and mindset to scale her career without scaling her burnout.

Whether you’re running a solo practice or rising through the ranks, this conversation will challenge everything you thought you knew about productivity, client demands, and what it means to lead well in law.

Because if you don’t take ownership of your time, something else will.

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Key Takeaways from Sam and Neil:

1. Rethink the Billable Hour as a Business Tool

Instead of viewing the billable hour as a burden, use it to audit how time is spent, identify inefficiencies, and ensure your value is visible to your firm, your clients, and yourself.

2. Autonomy Over Balance

To take control, reverse-engineer your billable hour goals by first mapping out vacation days, holidays, and planned time off.

Then, break those goals down into manageable monthly, weekly, and daily targets.

3. Build Systems Early to Reduce Burnout

Incorporating daily time tracking helps eliminate guesswork and emotional resistance, making it a seamless part of your routine, like brushing your teeth.

4. Client Expectations Thrive on Communication

Similarly, managing client expectations is about clarity, not being overly available.

By setting clear communication on when clients can expect responses, you reduce pressure while maintaining trust.

5. AI Is a Tool, Not a Replacement

Finally, use AI to handle repetitive tasks and assist with ideation, but always review the output.

Think of it as a helpful junior associate—fast and useful, but in need of your guidance.

"If you shift to thinking about [the billable hour] as a tool for your business, your small piece of business within a larger firm, or your entire firm for yourself, it can help you start changing your mindset." — Emily Logan Stedman

Get in touch with Emily Logan Stedman:

Show: The Grace Period: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-grace-period-shining-a-light-on-lawyer-wellbeing/id1739417829

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

Are you a high-achieving woman in

You're not here to survive—you’re built to lead.

This powerful kickoff to the Built to Lead Series, hosted by Bridgit Norris, My Legal Academy’s Director of Client Services, opens with an unfiltered conversation featuring Bridgette Williams, Esq., an award-winning personal injury attorney and owner of BLW Legal Group.

With a background that spans from criminal law to managing her own practice, Bridgette turned burnout into a blueprint for sustainable success. She shares how she evolved from juggling every role in her firm to becoming a confident CEO with clear systems, a strong team, and a business that supports her life, not one that controls it.

If you’ve ever questioned whether you can grow your practice and reclaim your time, this episode gives you the strategy and the permission to lead differently.

Through real-life wins, hard lessons, and candid truths, you'll see exactly what’s possible when women stop apologizing for how they want to lead—and start building a practice that reflects their vision.

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Key Takeaways from Bridgit and Bridgette:

1. Find the work balance that protects your energy

Reaching a burnout point is often the wake-up call to stop doing everything yourself.

Focus on building a practice that supports both your well-being and your goals by prioritizing flexibility and clarity in your daily work.

2. Let go of control so your firm can grow

Holding onto every task might feel safe, but it prevents real growth.

Identify what you love doing and delegate the rest to free up bandwidth and elevate your leadership.

3. Build your practice around how you want to lead

You don’t have to follow outdated models of success.

Make decisions based on your values, your lifestyle, and what makes you a more effective leader and human.

4. Design your CEO role with intention and vision

You can still love the law and lead the business, just not at the expense of your sanity.

Step into the CEO seat by hiring for strength, not just cost, and create space for strategic growth.

5. Create systems that evolve as you scale

Good systems are essential, but don’t be afraid to pivot when something isn’t working.

Your ability to adapt and refine is what makes your firm resilient and future-ready.

"You're not able to scale... if you're still trying to be the case manager, the lawyer, the intake specialist, the billing person—all at an A-plus level." — Bridgette Williams

Get in touch with Bridgette Williams:

Website: https://texascrashlawyers.com/

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

Instagram:

"Are You Still Doing That Manually?" — Real-World Automation for Law Firms with Mike Smith & Matthew Adams

That one question could be costing your law firm countless hours and missed opportunities.

Today, we’re welcoming two powerful voices in legal automation to the show:

🔹 Mike Smith, a seasoned estate planning attorney and My Legal Academy Ambassador who has embraced automation to reclaim his time and scale smarter.

🔹 Matthew Adams, CEO of MapMatix, an agency helping law firms unlock serious efficiency through automation, integration, and AI strategy.

If you’ve ever felt buried under repetitive tasks or frustrated by tech that doesn’t talk to each other, this is your wake-up call.

You’ll hear how real firms are slashing inefficiencies, how automation and AI actually work in practice (not theory), and how even small firms can compete at a higher level.

If you're ready to rethink what’s possible in your law practice, this episode is your roadmap.



Key Takeaways from Mike and Matthew:

1. Automation Is an Equalizer, Not a Replacement

Automation isn't here to steal jobs—it’s here to make your team more creative and efficient.

Instead of fearing tech, firms should view it as a way to level the playing field with larger competitors.



2. Consistency Is Key to Effective Automation

Automation works best when processes are repeatable and well-defined.

If your workflow changes every week, focus on standardizing before automating.



3. AI Has Promise, But Use It Strategically

AI can enhance client communication and marketing, but it still "hallucinates" and lacks consistency, making it risky for critical legal tasks.

Use it as a copilot, not a pilot.



4. Most Firms Are Underutilizing the Software They Already Have

Many law firms are unaware that tools like Clio or NetDocuments already support automation—no custom code needed.

Optimizing your current stack can sometimes yield quicker wins than buying new software.



5. Don't Over-Automate Untested Processes

Newer firms often make the mistake of trying to automate workflows they haven’t validated yet.

Manual testing first ensures your automation won’t amplify bad processes.

"[AI is] a prediction engine. That's really all it is at this point." — Mike Smith

"Automation is unlikely to replace lawyers... we're helping lawyers and paralegals and other staff to be more efficient, to be able to work on more creative, thoughtful tasks." — Matthew Adams



Get in touch with Mike Smith and Matthew Adams:

Mike’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhsmithsav/

MapMatix Website: https://www.mapmatix.com/

Matthew’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-adams-mapmatix/

Matthew’s Email: matt@mapmatix.com

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