Power Up Your Practice

Recorded live at #NeoSummit2026 in Fort Lauderdale, Ruby Powers sits down with Brian Mayer, VP of Product at Neostella, for a candid conversation about one of the biggest frustrations in legal tech: why the tools still don't work together — and what it's going to take to fix that. Brian leads the product team behind Neostella's enterprise case management platform, built from the ground up to be open and connectable in a market full of platforms that want to lock you in. In this conversation, he breaks down what a real legal tech stack looks like, what AI agents actually mean for how firms work, and why the biggest challenge ahead isn't the technology — it's the humans. What we explore: ✅ The All-in-One Trap: Why most legal platforms are designed to keep you locked in — and what a truly connected tech stack looks like instead. ✅ AI Agents & the Bridge Time: How firms will need to orchestrate work between humans and AI agents — and why that transition is going to take longer than most people think. ✅ The Legal Engineer: The role emerging inside law firms to manage it all — and why it doesn't require a technical background, just someone who deeply understands your processes. ✅ Document Everything: Why documenting your processes is the single most practical thing any firm — solo or enterprise — can do right now to prepare for AI. ✅ Scalability in Practice: Where workflow management breaks down as legal teams grow, and what actually separates firms that scale from those that plateau. 📣 SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:  🚀 Law Firm Retreat: Design Your Future – August 2026: Stop the daily grind and start architecting your next era. Join Ruby in Denver for an intimate, 15-firm-only strategic laboratory.  👉 Secure your spot: https://powersstrategygroup.com/law-firm-retreat-august-2026/  📊 We Love Your Feedback! Help us design the next year of the podcast. Take this 2-minute audience survey: https://forms.gle/EgMgxd3tbXCsmqgp9 📌 Join the conversation in our Power Up Your Practice community! Hosted by Ruby Powers, your guide into the heart of law practice management. Each week, learn insights from leading legal minds, trailblazing attorneys, and expert guests who provide you with actionable advice, out-of-the-box solutions, and a fresh perspective on running your firm more effectively and efficiently. Prepare to open your mind, be inspired, and power up your practice to the next level. Watch more episodes of Power Up Your Practice on:  🌐 Website: powersstrategygroup.com  📺 YouTube: @powersstrategygroup  💬 Join our Skool Community - Power Hub: https://www.skool.com/powerupyourpractice  Connect and learn more from your host, Ruby Powers:  🔹 LinkedIn: /rubypowers  🔹 Facebook: /poweruppractice  🔹 Website: rubypowers.com  🔹 Ruby's Book: Power Up Your Practice on Amazon Trusted Resources from Our Toolkit: Stafi https://calendly.com/d/csbk-3y4-35w/staffing-strategy-session-stafi-ruby-powers?month=2025-07  Filevine https://www.filevine.com/partner/powers-referral/  CandleAI https://www.trycandle.ai/powers Vonage https://share.vonage.com/zones/friend_landing_experience_microsite?extole_share_channel=%5C%22SHARE_LINK%5C%22&extole_shareable_code=wzq4f&referral_id=wzq4f&source=%5C%22direct%5C%22&utm_source=Power+Up+Your+Practice+by+Power+Strategy+Group&utm_campaign=a7c6feafe9-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_04_13_07_58_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3b4d3388ea-a7c6feafe9-746189731

In this episode, Ruby Powers sits down with Christine J. Alden — immigration attorney, shareholder at Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, and past president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association South Florida chapter — for a conversation most law firm owners never get to hear: what actually happens when you merge your boutique practice into a big firm. Christine has run the full gamut — solo practice, boutique firm, fifty percent business owner, and now shareholder at a national firm. Eight years in, she hasn't looked back. But she's also refreshingly honest about the trade-offs, the diligence process, the questions you should be asking, and what nobody tells you before you sign. What we explore: ✅ The Real Pros: From 24/7 IT support and document services to a deep bench of partners across practice areas — the resources Christine didn't even know existed until she got there. ✅ The Real Cons: More layers, more approval processes, less lone-wolf decision-making — and why that's actually a relief for some and a dealbreaker for others. ✅ The Decision Framework: Will your clients follow you? Will you be comfortable there? What the due diligence process really looks like — and why you should never feel rushed. ✅ The Billing Conversation: From flat fee to hourly — why joining a big firm changed how Christine saw her own rates, and what the billable hour debate looks like right now. ✅ Leadership as Strategy: Why Christine has led bar associations and business councils — not just for the referrals, but for the growth she never expected. If you've ever wondered what it would look like to merge, sell, or go big law — this episode is the honest conversation you need first. 📌 Connect with Christine J. Alden: LinkedIn: search Christine J. Alden Firm: Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney 📣 SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:  🚀 Law Firm Retreat: Design Your Future – August 2026: Stop the daily grind and start architecting your next era. Join Ruby in Denver for an intimate, 15-firm-only strategic laboratory.  👉 Secure your spot: https://powersstrategygroup.com/law-firm-retreat-august-2026/  📊 We Love Your Feedback! Help us design the next year of the podcast. Take this 2-minute audience survey: https://forms.gle/EgMgxd3tbXCsmqgp9 📌 Join the conversation in our Power Up Your Practice community! Hosted by Ruby Powers, your guide into the heart of law practice management. Each week, learn insights from leading legal minds, trailblazing attorneys, and expert guests who provide you with actionable advice, out-of-the-box solutions, and a fresh perspective on running your firm more effectively and efficiently. Prepare to open your mind, be inspired, and power up your practice to the next level. Watch more episodes of Power Up Your Practice on:  🌐 Website: powersstrategygroup.com  📺 YouTube: @powersstrategygroup  💬 Join our Skool Community - Power Hub: https://www.skool.com/powerupyourpractice  Connect and learn more from your host, Ruby Powers:  🔹 LinkedIn: /rubypowers  🔹 Facebook: /poweruppractice  🔹 Website: rubypowers.com  🔹 Ruby's Book: Power Up Your Practice on Amazon Trusted Resources from Our Toolkit: Stafi https://calendly.com/d/csbk-3y4-35w/staffing-strategy-session-stafi-ruby-powers?month=2025-07  Filevine https://www.filevine.com/partner/powers-referral/  CandleAI https://www.trycandle.ai/powers Vonage https://share.vonage.com/zones/friend_landing_experience_microsite?extole_share_channel=%5C%22SHARE_LINK%5C%22&extole_shareable_code=wzq4f&referral_id=wzq4f&source=%5C%22direct%5C%22&utm_source=Power+Up+Your+Practice+by+Power+Strategy+Group&utm_campaign=a7c6feafe9-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_04_13_07_58_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3b4d3388ea-a7c6feafe9-746189731