“The secret to getting ahead is getting started.” — Mark Twain
Twain’s words ring abundantly true with the beginnings of Lawyer Minds. Hatched by Ryan Raplee, a veteran web developer and creator of online communities along with trial lawyers and entrepreneurs Tad Thomas, and Mike Campbell, Lawyers Minds is an ambitious idea to create an ever-growing ecosystem for all of the resources modern lawyers need.
To begin, Lawyer Minds provides interviews from the brightest minds in the legal industry. These interviews are laced with countless years of experience from lawyers who have built successful law practices, created novel new legal theories, donated thousands of hours to pro bono work and obtained impressive trial results on behalf of their clients. More importantly, the interviews will not just share what does work, but also what hasn’t. As you parse through the interviews, you will see common themes regarding what actions have proven successful and what actions have obtained mixed results. The goal of these interviews is to provide valuable lessons so that you can put them immediately into practice.
“If you don’t know where you are going. How can you expect to get there?” – Basil S. Walsh
As we grow, look for several series of podcasts covering topics ranging from law firm management to focus group strategies and a dissection of some of the top verdicts and settlements in the country. You’re going to hear from some of the top lawyers in the country who will impart information to you that you can use in building your practice and in your next trial. We are going to take the lessons we gleaned from the initial interviews and dig deeper into what makes successful lawyers tick and how they manage to repeatedly obtain high verdicts and maintain a strong reputation among their peers. But, this isn’t just a chance for them to showcase their attributes —this is a chance for you to take these lessons even further as you build your own professional career.
By the end of this year we hope to have regular contributors to the site covering topics ranging from the day-to-day grind of lawyer’s life to tips on how to stay sane with all the stress you have on your plate. Eventually, we’ll have community for lawyers to share ideas with one another, share answers to problems we all face, and create networking relationships that will last a lifetime.
And that’s just the beginning. Stick around and see what happens next. You won’t be disappointed.
About The Creators
Over the years, the three of us have been fortunate to have people come into our lives and provide us with wisdom, guidance and inspiration that has led us each to achieve some modicum of success. If you know us, then you know we are each committed to paying it forward, as many did for us, by sharing whatever knowledge we have that might assist others in their professional and personal lives. Lawyer Minds has been created in that spirit.
Tad Thomas has a history of building successful businesses, including his own law firm which has now grown to have offices in Kentucky, Ohio and Illinois. But, Tad is not just a businessman, he is a devoted father, husband, and boss. He has also obtained significant verdicts on behalf of his clients and is going to use the same passion he’s employed to build businesses and cases to Lawyer Minds, a site he believes will be utilized by lawyers across the country.
Mike Campbell is passionate about trial law and is absolutely committed to the idea that a rising tide raises all boats. As a result, he lectures throughout the country on how to manage a law practice and how to apply practical trial skills in your daily life. He is married, lives on a small rural farm in Mid-Missouri, and loves every aspect of lawyering. Through Lawyer Minds, Mike aims to share the knowledge he’s learned, as well as extract the knowledge of the best lawyer minds in the country for you to learn from.
Ryan Raplee is one of the most sought after website developers in the country, which is technically his second, third, or maybe even fourth successful career. After spending years creating popular web platforms and communities, Ryan has shifted his focus to using his development knowledge and business acumen to help lawyers across the country grow their businesses. Husband, father, businessman, and bourbon lover, Ryan is eager to grow Lawyer Minds into a tool that can be used by all lawyers alike.
But, no matter who we individually are, we are all united by a common cause — to create an ecosystem where lawyers can come to learn, create, and share.
And know this: We’re eager to get you the resources you need to grow professionally and personally. Keep coming back — we’re just getting started.