Nashville Tennessee’s renown Music Row has been home to the Gordon Law Group for over 25 years, but its reach extends from Greenville, SC to Charleston, SC, to Nashville TN, and soon to Kissimmee, FL where a new office is about to open. The firm offers exceptional legal services to those dealing with matters involving entertainment law, business law, intellectual property, family law, and estate planning, and prides itself on staying on top of the ever-shifting laws and keeping up with the latest in technological advances that will benefit its clients.
LWP sat down with attorney Adam O’Dell to talk about the Gordon Law Group, which has been an LWP member since July 2017, and about his firm’s experiences with LWP and in his market.
How did you come to work for the Gordon Law Group?
I always knew exactly what I wanted to be. I knew I wanted to go to The Citadel. I also knew that I wanted to be Marine JAG officer and did this until I was injured. I always knew I wanted to be an attorney, too, but more on the business transaction side rather than litigation.
I’ve had both good and bad experiences with estate planning. I’ve seen the fall-out from lack of planning, and how proper planning makes the transitions smooth when someone has passed.
I’ve been with the Gordon Law Group for 3.5 years at this point. When I first started, I was a jack of all trades, and I did what was needed for the firm. I spent time in litigation and family law, but I wanted to get involved with estate planning. I now do all of the legal-technical work and meet with the clients.
What do you believe sets Gordon Law Group apart from your competition?
It’s the care and access that we give to the clients that sets us apart. We also attempt to return all communications within 24 hours. Our competitors charge a lot, and it’s hard for their clients to get a call back from them, whereas we’re known for undercharging and over-providing. I have met with my clients in their homes when that’s what’s easiest for them, and we’ve built a rapport. They are interested in my life, too—now that I’m recently married and have a new home, I have clients who have given me wedding presents and housewarming presents.
What brought you to LWP?
We looked at a few options when making our decision, but everything seemed to be singularly tracked—geared toward offering a revocable living trust. LWP helped us focus on Medicaid planning and asset protection, and I’d had a personal experience with that, so LWP membership was enticing to me.
How tightly do you follow LWP’s systems and processes?
We try to follow the system as best we can, but we’re still working on the workshop portion. We’re not doing them yet. The financial advisors are doing the education. As a multi-practice firm, we are using Actionstep for our estate planning needs, but the other areas of our firm use a different program. Phil’s trying to keep me in check.
What is the greatest success you’ve had since you fully engaged with LWP?
Our biggest success is being able to bring a higher level of competency and services to our community. There aren’t a lot of attorneys in the area that focus on Medicaid. We weren’t doing Medicaid planning before joining LWP. At the time, estate planning was 2% of our offerings, now it’s close to being a third to a half.
To what, specifically, do you attribute your revenue growth?
There have been several things. First, doing RMS changed a lot; unlike a lot of attorneys, we’re not just wait for the phone to ring; we’re actively working to get clients. Having a strong referral source even allowed me to open another office. We now have 3 locations; we didn’t have that 3 years ago. Also, many times our clients are coming in with either no knowledge, or they are ill-advised. We’re setting them straight when they get bad advice.
Do you attend LWP’s TAPER events, and if so, what wowed you there?
We’ve been to every TAPER since joining. My biggest TAPER learning was when we did our first Practice With Purpose in Washington D.C. We’d been a member for 2 months at that time. We had Amanda answering questions, walking us through the software.
What is your favorite LWP tool?
The RMS—getting out there to market yourself, getting the fluidity of meeting with someone, and getting the courage. People have to meet with you multiple times before they’re comfortable referring you. We don’t have workshops; we don’t do retail marketing. Other things have gotten in the way of implementing workshops. We want to do them, but we haven’t been able to do them yet.
Do you have a client success story that you’d like to share?
I was in process of doing a Medicaid qualification for clients for whom it was hard to get away from the house; it’s the wife who needs care. So, I picked up paperwork at the clients’ home, and there were tears of gratitude—they know that I’ve created a plan that helps them. The care that’s needed will be paid for; Medicaid will cover in a year after the penalty period.
It’s rare for attorneys to make house calls, but I meet with clients wherever they need to meet with me. When someone is in a wheelchair, they can’t come to see me. I once drove 8 hours to meet with a client who wanted to work with an LWP attorney.
What kinds of changes, if any, are you currently seeing in your market?
We’re seeing people become more price-conscious than they were 1 year ago, and we’re seeing more people start thinking about Medicaid planning than just a simple estate plan. More are concerned about asset protection. It might be that they’re becoming more aware that bad things can happen, and they want to be prepared.
FUN FACTS:
Share something about yourself that most people don’t know.
Instead of going on my honeymoon, I came to TAPER New Orleans! It worked out, though. My wife enjoyed New Orleans, so I wasn’t in too much trouble. We’re now planning to go to Paris—it will be my first trip out of the country.
What is your favorite book, and how did it impact your life?
I don’t know if I can pick just one. On the fiction side, I like Dan Brown’s novels, but I do a lot of audio books while driving. I’ve read 27 books this year. The Bible is the one that had the most impact. I’m getting a M.A. in Theology currently.
