First Half of 2026 Highlights: Law Firm Strategy and Operations

This special roundup episode of the Law Practice Today podcast brings together three conversations from the first half of 2026 focused on helping law firms build stronger, more resilient, and better-run practices.First, Stephanie Everett joins Terrell A. Turner in "Building a Healthy and Profitable Law Firm.” She explains why law firm leaders need to understand their numbers, create systems that allow the business to operate without depending on the owner at every moment, and revisit strategy regularly through quarterly planning, annual reviews, and longer-term vision setting.Next, Shawn Holahan discusses "Disaster Planning for Law Firms.” She emphasizes that professional and ethical responsibilities do not stop during an emergency. From natural disasters and cyber incidents to technology failures and employee disruptions, firms need a clear plan for maintaining operations and communicating with clients when something goes wrong.Finally, Alexander Paykin joins Terrell for "Picking the Right Legal Tech Tools.” He encourages law firms to look beyond polished demos and technology hype by evaluating tools against their actual workflows, practice-specific needs, security requirements, and expected return on investment. The goal is not simply to adopt more technology, but to choose tools that genuinely save time, improve operations, and support the firm.Together, these conversations highlight three important parts of running a stronger law firm: building a sustainable business, preparing for disruption, and making smarter operational and technology decisions.Listen to the Full Conversations:Building a Healthy and Profitable Law Firm — Stephanie EverettDisaster Planning for Law Firms — Shawn HolahanPicking the Right Legal Tech Tools — Alexander PaykinEpisode Chapters00:00 Special Episode Preview00:46 Podcast Intro & Disclaimer01:22 Building a More Resilient Law Firm02:20 Stephanie Everett: Building a Healthy and Profitable Practice03:24 Numbers, Systems & Strategy05:53 Shawn Holahan: Why Disaster Planning Matters07:07 Ethics and Professional Responsibilities During Disasters09:07 Building a Reliable Client Communication Plan10:23 Alexander Paykin: Cutting Through Legal Tech Hype11:54 How to Stress-Test AI & Technology Tools13:27 Evaluating the Real ROI of Automation14:19 Wrap-Up & Full Episode Links