Q&A with Jack Zinda: Trial vs. Settlement, Budgeting & Legal Myths
02/25/25 • 22 min
Summary
In part two of this Q&A series, Zinda Law Group CEO and founder Jack Zinda answers your questions about trial vs. Settlement, budgeting & legal myths.
Discussed in this Episode:
- Trial vs. settlement strategy
- Budgeting for growth
- Biggest legal myth
Trial vs. Settlement Strategy
“How do you decide when to push for trial versus taking a strong settlement offer?” - Most offers never leave the table, so don’t be afraid that the money will be reduced if you choose to go to trial. Be realistic and ask yourself if the initial offer is as much or more than a jury would award to your client. Would that amount of money make a meaningful difference in your client’s life? If going to trial is something the client wants, make sure to explain the risks involved and additional case expenses that can be incurred.
Budgeting for Growth
“What percentage of my revenue should be reinvested into marketing and operations?” - “First, you have to know where you’re going if you’re going to get there.” Jack lays out how Zinda Law makes marketing decisions and how you can decide what’s best for you. If you’re unsure how to make the numbers work, don’t hesitate to ask someone or hire a professional to lay the map out for you.
Biggest Legal Myth
“What’s the biggest misconception people have about personal injury law?” - “What we do is easy.” If it were easy, everyone would do it. That’s what makes personal injury lawyers so important. “What does working with clients in a personal injury case mean?” Jack talks about psychodramas and their importance to understanding the complexities of your client’s life. “How much money do personal injury lawyers make?” Just because you see large numbers on billboards doesn’t mean that that money gets paid out. A plaintiff lawyer can get a large verdict, but no actual dollar value is exchanged if the defendant can’t pay it.
You can reach Jack at:
512-246-2224
Summary
In part two of this Q&A series, Zinda Law Group CEO and founder Jack Zinda answers your questions about trial vs. Settlement, budgeting & legal myths.
Discussed in this Episode:
- Trial vs. settlement strategy
- Budgeting for growth
- Biggest legal myth
Trial vs. Settlement Strategy
“How do you decide when to push for trial versus taking a strong settlement offer?” - Most offers never leave the table, so don’t be afraid that the money will be reduced if you choose to go to trial. Be realistic and ask yourself if the initial offer is as much or more than a jury would award to your client. Would that amount of money make a meaningful difference in your client’s life? If going to trial is something the client wants, make sure to explain the risks involved and additional case expenses that can be incurred.
Budgeting for Growth
“What percentage of my revenue should be reinvested into marketing and operations?” - “First, you have to know where you’re going if you’re going to get there.” Jack lays out how Zinda Law makes marketing decisions and how you can decide what’s best for you. If you’re unsure how to make the numbers work, don’t hesitate to ask someone or hire a professional to lay the map out for you.
Biggest Legal Myth
“What’s the biggest misconception people have about personal injury law?” - “What we do is easy.” If it were easy, everyone would do it. That’s what makes personal injury lawyers so important. “What does working with clients in a personal injury case mean?” Jack talks about psychodramas and their importance to understanding the complexities of your client’s life. “How much money do personal injury lawyers make?” Just because you see large numbers on billboards doesn’t mean that that money gets paid out. A plaintiff lawyer can get a large verdict, but no actual dollar value is exchanged if the defendant can’t pay it.
You can reach Jack at:
512-246-2224
Previous Episode
Q&A with Jack Zinda: Scaling Success, Culture & Leadership
In part one of a three episode series, Zinda Law Group CEO and founder, Jack Zinda answers your questions about managing your law firm.
Discussed in this Episode:
- Scaling a firm
- Firm Culture
- Leadership skills
Scaling a Firm
“I’ve hit a plateau with my firm’s growth. What strategies do you recommend to scale beyond the 7-figure mark?” - The first question you need to ask yourself is “what number am I trying to get to? There are dozens of ways to scale a law firm but if you don’t have a firm number or end goal, you won’t be able to build a map to get there.
Firm Culture
“How do I build a culture where my team is as invested in the firm’s success as I am?” - The short answer is: you can’t. No one will be as invested as the founder and that is because of a myriad of reasons including the financial commitments and pressures to succeed. That being said, there are still ways to improve the level to which your team cares. Some questions to ask yourself are: What is it about your firm that makes you special? Do your employees enjoy their work? What are their struggles? Jack’s final word of advice: “Don’t have jerks at your company”.
Leadership Skills
“What’s the #1 leadership skill that helped you grow your firm?” - Learning to communicate complicated messages in a simple way is the most effective way to keep your team motivated and moving forward. Before you can even do that you need to go back to the beginning and make sure that you have your map laid out and ready to be communicated.
Resources:
The E-Myth by Michael E. Gerber
You can reach Jack at:
512-246-2224
Next Episode
AI, Learning & Your Firm’s Superpower
In this episode of The Effective Lawyer, Jack Zinda dives into three key topics that impact law firm growth, efficiency, and leadership. Host Jack Zinda answers listener questions on the best books for personal and professional development, the role of AI in modern law practice, and what "superpower" sets successful law firms apart. Packed with insights from years of experience, this episode offers practical takeaways for lawyers looking to scale their firms and sharpen their skills.
Discussed in This Episode:
Essential Books & Learning Resources for Lawyers
- The E-Myth by Michael Gerber – A foundational book for understanding law firm management and scaling.
- The Effective Executive by Peter Drucker – Key insights on productivity and decision-making.
- The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss – Practical strategies on delegation and efficiency.
- Getting Things Done by David Allen – A framework for reducing stress and improving task management.
- David Ball on Damages – Trial strategy essentials.
- Ongoing CLEs and jurisdiction-specific training to stay ahead in legal practice.
- The importance of always reading a business book, an advocacy book, and a tactical resource to continuously improve.
AI & Legal Tech: Streamlining Law Firm Operations
- The evolving role of AI in intake, case management, and marketing.
- Experimenting with AI-driven case summarization for improved efficiency.
- Using AI for content generation, legal research, and internal workflow automation.
- Best practices for AI integration, including compliance with ethical and data privacy regulations.
- Encouraging team-wide AI adoption to boost productivity and leverage emerging technologies.
What Is a Law Firm’s Superpower?
- The defining trait is empathy – The ability to deeply understand clients, opponents, and decision-makers.
- Understanding the real-life impact of injuries on clients beyond just legal damages.
- Empathizing with insurance adjusters and defense attorneys to negotiate more effectively.
- Recognizing what motivates judges and tailoring trial strategies accordingly.
- The power of emotional intelligence in case strategy, client relations, and firm culture.
Connect with Us: Have a question for Jack?
512-246-2224
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