LawFuel Interviews ‘The Lifestyle Lawyer’

In a legal world where billable hours often translate to burnout, Laura Cowan, Esq., CPA, has flipped the script with a refreshing approach that’s making waves across a profession that is increasingly focused on the elusive ‘work life balance’ holy grail.

Laura Cowan didn’t just build a successful estate planning practice-she created an entirely new model that’s helping attorneys nationwide escape the traditional law firm hamster wheel.

Laura Cowan’s journey didn’t follow the typical law school-to-firm pipeline. Starting as a CPA at financial heavyweights Ernst & Young and Goldman Sachs, she pivoted to law at age 35. By 2016, she had founded her own firm and achieved a seven-figure practice in just three years.

When the pandemic forced attorneys everywhere to reimagine their practices, Laura didn’t just adapt-she thrived. Sheltering with family in Rhode Island, she completely overhauled her business model for virtual service delivery. The result? Five-figure monthly earnings while working just a few hours daily.

Recognizing that fellow estate planning attorneys were struggling with virtual work realities, she developed a 2-Hour Lifestyle Lawyer™ course that was designed to let lawyers thrive, whether as solo lawyers or refining their existing firm, using a holistic approach prioritizing mental health, work-life balance, and personal fulfillment.

For nearly three years, she’s shared her blueprint for success with hundreds of entrepreneurial attorneys, helping them create profitable virtual practices while maintaining work-life balance.

Her recently published book, “Lifestyle Lawyer Revolution,” extends these principles beyond estate planning, showing lawyers across all practice areas how to define success on their own terms.

Named a Rising Star by Super Lawyers for six consecutive years and featured twice as a “Top Woman Attorney in New York” in the New York Times, she continues to build her impressive resume.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Laura remains committed to community education, speaking multiple times at UN Headquarters about estate planning issues for employees and immigrants. When not revolutionizing legal practice, she enjoys Central Park strolls and New York City Ballet performances.

John Bowie interviewed Laura Cowan

LawFuel: You transformed your practice into a “2-Hour Lifestyle Lawyer” model during the pandemic. What specific systems and processes allowed you to effectively serve clients virtually while working only a few hours per day?

I built everything around clarity, automation, and trust. The first shift was letting go of the office and going fully virtual.

This forced me to streamline every client touchpoint. I created automated intake forms, used Loom videos for client education, and templated my document drafting process so I wasn’t reinventing the wheel every time. I delegated admin work to a virtual assistant and continued to offer flat-fee planning, which eliminated the dreaded billable hour.

By simplifying the backend, I was able to show up fully for just a few clients each month, and still exceed my revenue goals.

LawFuel: What strategies do you recommend for lawyers facing burnout and mental health challenges, particularly given the statistic that 45 percent of attorneys experience depression during their careers?

First; stop pretending it’s normal. We need to stop glamorizing burnout and start designing practices that support our lives, not consume them. I recommend identifying your revenue-producing activities and cutting everything else. If it doesn’t bring income or joy, delegate it, automate it, or delete it.

Structure your calendar around your energy, not just your availability, and set boundaries like you would for court deadlines.

Most importantly, build a community. Isolation is where burnout thrives, and connection is the antidote.

LawFuel: You’ve emphasized the importance of human connection in creating an “AI-proof” practice. How can lawyers leverage their interpersonal skills while still utilizing AI and automation to enhance efficiency?

This is a topic that I cover in my new book, Lifestyle Lawyer Revolution. The approach I  recommend is using AI to support the process, but keeping the relationship human.

Let AI help with marketing, data entry, or summarizing complex laws, but let your humanity lead the client relationship. Be the person who asks thoughtful questions, and actually listen to the answer without interrupting.

Notice what is NOT being said. Clients don’t remember if your intake form was beautiful; they remember feeling seen and heard. That’s what makes a lawyer irreplaceable.

LawFuel: How do you distinguish between tasks that should be automated versus those that require an attorney’s personal attention in an estate planning practice?

If a task is repeatable, predictable, and doesn’t require a law degree, it can probably be automated or delegated, including appointment scheduling, intake, and payment reminders. Anything involving complex decisions, grief, family dynamics, or values is in the lawyer’s lane. Devote time and energy to this! That’s where we build trust, and where the real value is delivered. 

LawFuel: You discuss the difference between revenue and profitability in legal practices. Can a smaller, more focused practice be more profitable than a high-revenue firm with significant overhead?

Absolutely! I’m living proof. Revenue is just a number; profit is what matters. That’s what pays your mortgage, funds your vacation, and gives you breathing room. A small, streamlined practice with clear pricing can easily outperform a big firm buried in high overhead and complexity. It’s not about what you make; it’s about what you keep and the freedom it buys.

I think of revenue as the “show muscles” of your business – biceps and triceps that look good from the outside. But if your heart’s failing, what’s the point? High revenue with low profit means long hours, missed dinners, and clients leaving 1-star reviews. Real strength is solid revenue and a strong, sustainable core.

LawFuel: What role has public speaking and live events played in growing your estate planning practice, and how can lawyers effectively use these platforms for client acquisition?

Speaking has been one of my most effective client acquisition tools. I host short, high-value workshops, both virtually and in person, designed to educate, not pitch prospective clients. When you lead with service, trust follows. The key is to speak in plain English, tell stories, and explain why estate planning matters, not just what it is. At the end, offer a no-pressure invitation to book a planning session. It’s simple, authentic, and it works!

LawFuel?: How did you develop and implement your client conversion process?

It started with trial, error, and paying close attention to what clients needed to feel confident saying “yes.” I mapped out every step from the first inquiry to a signed engagement, then refined it into the PRS Model—Principled Relational Sales, which we now teach inside 2-Hour Lifestyle Lawyer.

The core idea is simple: show clients where they are now, help them see what’s not working or what’s at risk if they stay there, and then position our service as the clear, cost-effective solution. We’re not just selling documents; we’re offering peace of mind, and in most cases, it costs far less than the financial and emotional cost of doing nothing.

The process is structured, but relational, not transactional. It works because it’s clear, repeatable, and rooted in service..

LawFuel: What are the most common mistakes lawyers make when trying to transition from traditional in-person services to virtual delivery?

The biggest one is copy-pasting their old model into Zoom. A virtual practice needs new systems, not just digital versions of paper forms. Lawyers also underestimate the importance of clear communication when face-to-face trust is reduced. Your emails, scheduling, and onboarding flow need to do a lot of heavy lifting. And finally, they forget to rethink their calendar. Virtual doesn’t mean available 24/7. Set boundaries early on, or you’ll burn out even faster.

LawFuel: Beyond using technology for efficiency, what other advice do you have so lawyers can better structure their time and indeed their life to avoid the trap of overworking that’s so common in the profession?

Design your ideal week, and stick to it like. Block deep work time. Schedule client meetings only on certain days and reserve the other days for client work. Build in recovery time. Stop treating your calendar like a suggestion. Also, stop hoarding control and trust your team. You can’t be the rainmaker, the drafter, the assistant, and the janitor. Your practice should support your life, not compete with it.

LawFuel: For attorneys contemplating starting their own practice, what were the most important early decisions you made that set the foundation for your success and work-life balance?

Hire a coach! No matter your practice area, the wheel already exists.   A great coach will fast-track your success and move you to the front of the line. Choose a niche and invest in systems from day one. Don’t wait until you feel ready.

You will never feel ready. Just start! Finally, surround yourself with mentors and peers who believe in you and your vision. A community of like-minded entrepreneurial lawyers can make all the difference. 

New York City-based Estate Planning Attorney, Laura Cowan, Esq., CPA, Founder of 2-Hour LIfestyle Lawyer, and author of the new book, Lifestyle Lawyer Revolution, available on Amazon.