If you hate numbers, this episode is exactly for you. Sarah Prevost and Steven Libhart make the case that the attorneys and firm owners who avoid their financial reports are the ones who end up in the biggest messes, and that understanding your numbers does not require loving them.

The conversation covers KPIs, AI as a financial tool and its very real limitations, partner compensation planning, labor costs, and why your firm administrator is probably making you more money than you realize.

00:31 Why Numbers Matter
01:45 Entrepreneur Mindset Shift
02:28 AI Needs Context
05:14 Garbage In Garbage Out
07:39 KPI Case Study
10:04 Finding the Real Issues
12:55 Hidden Admin Money Leaks

Accountants Law Pod is hosted by Lynda Artesani, Sarah Prevost, and Steve Libhart and directed/produced by Teaira Burge and The Proper Trust. Music by ComaStudio from Pixabay - Edited by audiovideo_uk

Disclaimer: The content presented in this podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as legal, financial, or professional advice.

Evergreen retainers are one of the most powerful tools a law firm can use to protect cash flow and reduce accounts receivable headaches — but only when they are set up and monitored correctly.

In this episode, Sarah Prevost and Steven Libhart break down exactly what evergreen retainers are, how they work, and the nuances that attorneys, bookkeepers, and accountants need to understand before putting them in place. From engagement letter requirements and bar rules to dispute management, milestone billing, and the tickler system trick.

If you work with law firm clients or are an attorney managing your own billing, this one is worth a listen.

00:39 Episode Topic Evergreen Retainers
01:30 Why Evergreens Help Cashflow
04:00 Definition and Simple Example
06:07 Tracking and Tickler Systems
06:49 Client Communication and Budgets
08:46 Disputes and Reconciliation Risks
11:11 Complex Cases and Outside Costs
13:44 Tools Payments and Transparency
15:31 Wrap Up and Call to Action

🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes covering law firm bookkeeping, legal tech, and accounting practice tips.

📩 Have a question or topic idea? Email us at info@accountantslawpod.com

🧑‍💼 Join the Accountants Law Lab Mastermind: accountantslawlab.com

🌐 Visit us at accountantslawpod.com

Accountants Law Pod is hosted by Lynda Artesani, Sarah Prevost, and Steve Libhart and directed/produced by Teaira Burge and The Proper Trust. Music by ComaStudio from Pixabay - Edited by audiovideo_uk

Disclaimer: The content presented in this podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as legal, financial, or professional advice.

Why do law firms still rely on side spreadsheets?

In this episode, Lynda Artesani, Sarah Prevost, and Steven Libhart dig into the real reasons attorneys lean on manual spreadsheets for trust accounting, compensation tracking, and client costs, and what can go wrong when those spreadsheets are riddled with broken formulas, missing data, and no audit trail.

The team also gets into data migrations gone wrong, the power of Google Sheets over Excel, MyFirmData as a reporting game-changer, and why asking the right questions at onboarding can save you weeks of cleanup work.

00:52 Why Spreadsheets Persist
02:15 Common Spreadsheet Uses
04:06 Empathy and Client Habits
09:44 Audit Trails and Google Sheets
12:40 When Spreadsheets Help
13:42 Parsing Costs and MyFirmData
17:06 Setup Data and Migration Risks
22:35 Banks Security and Vulnerabilities
25:37 Grid Paper Throwback
26:36 AI Restaurant Story

🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes covering law firm bookkeeping, legal tech, and accounting practice tips.

📩 Have a question or topic idea? Email us at info@accountantslawpod.com

🧑‍💼 Join the Accountants Law Lab Mastermind: accountantslawlab.com

🌐 Visit us at accountantslawpod.com

Have a spreadsheet story of your own? Drop it in the comments. We would love to hear it.

Accountants Law Pod is hosted by Lynda Artesani, Sarah Prevost, and Steve Libhart and directed/produced by Teaira Burge and The Proper Trust. Music by ComaStudio from Pixabay - Edited by audiovideo_uk

Disclaimer: The content presented in this podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as legal, financial, or professional advice.