LITigation: Law & Entertainment 101.
STARTING AND RUNNING YOUR OWN BUSINESS IS NO EASY FEAT! EACH MONTH, WE'LL BE HIGHLIGHTING SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AND THEIR TIPS ON HOW TO MAINTAIN AND GROW YOUR SMALL BUSINESS.
Meet Jackie Murphy. Criminal Defense + Family Law + Immigration Attorney. A Vlogger. A Ghanian-American Based in Colorado. A Mom. A Wife. & Devout Christian.
1) With all of these roles, when and how do you sleep?
Well, I wake up before my son and husband. I get up around 5:30 a.m. and I like to work out first thing in the morning. This sets my day. I eat better. I'm a better wife. I'm a better mom. I have more energy and I make better life choices. My day is unpredictable! I'm in court almost daily. But I still make sure that I spend time with my baby every day. So, that leaves me with about 6 hours of sleep.
I thought I was going to enter civil rights law. As a woman from Ghana, I wanted to advocate for equality amongst all genders. I am an immigrant, and as an immigrant, you naturally know a little bit of immigration law. So, the transition to immigration law was natural. However, I never thought that I would be practicing criminal law. In my practice, I still get to push for civil rights. As a criminal defense attorney, I get to help a lot of minorities. We need more people of color in these lawyer roles. Sympathy is needed. To see that most of the people who are charged are Black honestly hurts. I've had a judge even ask me, "Who is your attorney?" while I was in court to represent a client, because he assumed I was there for my own court hearing. But it feels good to represent.
2) How much prep work went into developing your practice? What steps did you take? What did the timeline look like? Isn't it scary working for yourself?
70% of start-ups fail. That's scary! In a firm, you have the safety net of insurance, direction, mentorship, guidance, and other job security. But I've just started a family and I'm young. If I were going to take a risk, now is the time for me to do it. I need flexibility, because I am a mother, then a wife, then a lawyer, in that order.
In order to run a business, you need a lot of discipline, vision, and more importantly funding.
I am incredibly blessed to have a husband whose income can support our family, if all else fails. I've put so much time and money into my education and into my practice. From day one I knew that I would eventually be my own boss. I invest in conferences, legal trainings, and manage all my clients. It is important that you put the work, time, and planning behind your vision.
Right now, I'm building so that I can eventually hire my own legal secretary. I will say that legal secretaries are worth the loss in revenue. I am ALWAYS in court or visiting a client in jail. You need someone to pick up the phone and to submit motions. As attorneys, we bill clients for the hours that we put in on their case. We cannot bill the client for the time spent on administrative work. It's important that you use your time wisely. As an attorney for a small or solo practice, time is your most precious resource.
I also plan on hiring an accountant. Lawyers are notorious for not bookkeeping well. You have to be sure not to commingle funds and report income properly to IRS or you could end up losing your license to practice law. You also want to be sure that you are ethically billing clients for services that are ACTUALLY billable. Mistakes like these can be fatal to a practice.
3) How do you know which clients to take and which ones to decline? How do you ensure customer satisfaction?
It's all about knowing yourself. I went to law school to help people. God has now given me a platform via my practice and my YouTube channel to do just that. Remembering my purpose, gives me the empathy and wisdom that I need to work with clients. It's also important to remember that no one ever comes to see an attorney when everything in their life is going perfectly. When people see an attorney, they are usually coming at the worst part of their lives.
When I walk into court, I am their hope and their voice. So it is important that I take care of their needs. In order to do that I must first assess mine.
I work with about 70 clients at a time. So, I have to make sure I strike an even balance. I want to practice empathy, while at the same time requiring respect.
4) Speaking of platforms and YouTube, tell us about your vlog. How would describe your vlog?
I feel like it's a lifestyle vlog. I share every aspect of my life from my family to Do-It-Yourself "DIY" projects. In a world full of beauty and lifestyle vlogs, the Jackie Murphy channel is different because it offers something no else can - me. My viewers really enjoy my candidness and following my life. I'm glad people find me entertaining and relatable. I also do giveaways for beauty products, talk about my practice, and give love and relationship advice.
[Click Here to See Jackie's YouTube Channel]
5) How did you build your following?
I first built my following after my wedding. I had a traditional Ghanian wedding, and my videographer posted our video on Vimeo. The video got about 250,000 views. I decided since people loved the video so much, I would identify myself on YouTube and give people a bit more of a peak into my life.
6) Have you had any bad experiences on YouTube?
There are people who are cruel. They say I'm too dark or they don't like the fact that Daniel and I are an interracial couple. I usually block those people. I'm all about positivity and respect, so I make sure to respond to all of my YouTube viewers as often as I can to thank them for their kind words and for supporting my channel.
7) On your darkest day, how do you stay motivated?
The fact that I have an opportunity that many do not, is a motivator in itself. Sure I have my bad days or I feel bad. But a bad feel is not permanent. I read Ecclesiastes 3 and remember that there is a time for everything - to mourn and to celebrate. I also make certain to celebrate my accomplishments and my family. It's important to enjoy life and the opportunities that you have in front of you, no matter how small.
8) What advice do you have for someone who might want to start their own practice or create a Vlog?
Do it! Get up! You have your iPhone and Droid. Film something and post it. Don't wait for the expensive camera! Don't wait for the money or for everything to be perfect! Don't wait for the big law firm to hire you. Start by doing pro bono work for a legal organization. Believe or not, you have the resources you need to start to make your dreams come true.
