Jen Sanfilippo

07/11/2019

What do whittling and social media marketing have in common? Find out on the FirmFlex blog

Don't make the same mistakes that your competitors are making! Get ahead of the game by following these tips and avoiding common social media mistakes.

12/08/2019

This is me, shortly after coming off the field at an ultimate frisbee tournament called Chesapeake Open.

I've been playing ultimate for the past ten years, most recently for a Brooklyn based team.

And Saturday, after coming off a particularly difficult point, it occurred to me: lawyers and athletes are the same.

Of course, the battles are different. Oftentimes for lawyers, the very lives and freedom of their clients is at stake. But the process is similar for both.

Both spend a tremendous amount of time, energy, and money, preparing to go to battle. And when the day comes - whether on a field or in a courtroom - we are out there fighting for something.

And possibly the scariest part is this: knowing that you may have done your best, and you still might come up short. You might put in the hours. You might make personal sacrifices. You might give everything you have to the cause - even when your body and mind are screaming to give up - and still not get the outcome you want.

To want something that bad and for it to fall apart isn't something that you can shake off.

I have been there. I have watched a game on the line slip away, seen the other team sprint out and embrace on the field when the final horn blows. I still remember those days, the look on my teammates' faces.

It is the same look on a lawyer's face the day after a trial that does not go their way.

--

There are not many professions where you regularly face this type of pressure and heartbreak. But it forges determination. Fortitude. Grit.

Lawyers, like athletes, like anyone who is trying to master something difficult, are not here to play it safe and make excuses. You are here to give everything you have, to know how devastating it is to fail, how euphoric it is to learn and grow and will yourself to a better outcome next time. It's a process, and it's all connected.

And when you are there, in the weeds, grinding it out, it gives you the chance to say, "Hey. I've been here before. I know how to get through."

02/08/2019

Cozy night writing about writing. . I'll post a link to the finished product. In the meantime, consider three of my tips to become a better writer:

1️⃣ Free write to help you decide what you want to share with your audience, and how.
2️⃣ Read content on the web and analyze best practices.
3️⃣ Practice your craft.

01/08/2019

This is a great way to take advantage of a silly holiday.

Initially, you might wonder what 🥧 has to do with a law firm. But any opportunity to involve your office, make a fun video, and share it with others should be taken advantage of! This video shows a lighthearted and approachable side to Mr. Speeding Ticket, and that's what social media is all about - letting your audience connect with your brand on a personal level.

25/07/2019

Fun day filming 🎥 yesterday with the team! Keep an eye out for our new videos :)

22/07/2019

Check out my new Medium article about why lawyers need to focus on social media in 2019.

The first lawyer I ever freelanced for invited me to his office for an initial meeting.

11/07/2019

Starting July 1, my team decided to post at least once every day to one of our business pages.

The numbers are up in every category ✅

Yes, these metrics are still modest. But don't fall into the trap of vanity metrics. You don't need thousands of views, likes, and followers. You just need a dedicated community of people who actually care about and benefit from your content. These are the people who will think of your brand first if they are ever in need of your services.

When compared to where we started, we've grown tremendously in just one week. Oh, and these numbers are from organic reach. We haven't spent a dime 💵.

Post more frequently on social media and you'll see the benefits in your analytics 📈. I'll check in at the end of the month with more data for you.

09/07/2019

Cheery day at the office 😬

When working in the legal sector, the heavy content can take its toll. Whether you are dealing with disgruntled clients, working on difficult cases, or handling sensitive material, it can be difficult to give 100% day in and day out.

Remember to take breaks and practice self care. Reflect on what you need in order to give your best while at the office, and make time to incorporate those things into your life.

For me, exercise, reading for fun, and spending time with friends and family are musts. Sounds silly but watching the also really helps me unwind 😂.

If I go too long without those things, my energy levels start to deplete and I'm not bringing my A-game to the office.

Tune into the times when you feel relaxed, present, and joyful and remember to incorporate more of that into your life. It's not wasting time - it's a different type of focus that leaves you refreshed and ready to give your all to your professional life.

I'd love to hear what you do in your personal life to keep you healthy and ready to tackle your professional life. Let me know in the comments section!

05/07/2019

The things we do for the perfect shot 😂

02/07/2019

This is a really unique idea to get your name out there and contribute some good to the world 🌎.

Attorney Jill Ruane is a juvenile defense attorney in Connecticut. She also has four kids 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦. Family and children are a passion of hers - so she created an Alexa skill to help families communicate better.

When you can isolate your passion and focus on it, you create things that you are proud of and excited about. This excitement is infectious, and others will become interested in what you're up to as well.

Learn more about Jill's skill here: https://www.rocketmatter.com/podcast/ep-80-jill-ruane-family-conversations-alexa-skill/?fbclid=IwAR0FPWZmMFzSr2s3uNmQpsyTu8XdhhWr9UpFkyBZeKRIlzPXt2AtTINRy5U

And think for yourself:

What are you passionate about?
How can you bring that into your business?
How can you get other people excited about that, too?

On this special episode of the 10 minute Law Firm Podcast, Larry Port speaks with juvenile defense attorney Jill Ruane. Based on her years of experience with communicating with children in court (and having four children of her own), she developed the Family Conversations skill for Alexa-based devic...

25/06/2019

If you only have five minutes a day to work on finding your voice and sharing it on social media, what should you do?

Free write.

Free write about your career.

In a recent episode of the Maximum Lawyer podcast, Attorneys Ryan McKeen, Jay Ruane, and Bill Umansky talk about their commitment to "writing about what hurts".

Robert Frost said, "The best way out is always through". If you're struggling to find your focus, your vision, what it is that you want to say on social media, the best way to figure that out is to reflect on it and write it down.

Take a few minutes, set a timer if you need to, and just start writing.

Write about what it was like to go through law school.

Write about what it was like trying to get your first job.

Write about what it was like on the nights you sat in the dark in your office, working for your clients.

Write about the sacrifices, the doubt, the wild hopes, the triumphs. Just start to let it out.

Over time, you'll see that there are some stories you keep coming back to. There are some metaphors, some phrases, some version of yourself that resonates.

That's how you start to find your voice.

That's how you start to find what it is you want to share on social media, on your website, in your consultations, in the courtroom.