You've hired the associate. Brought on the paralegal. Maybe even added an assistant. And yet you're still the one answering emails at 11 p.m., still the last one making every decision, still the one who can't take a real vacation. Delegation was supposed to fix this. Why hasn't it?
In this episode, Gary sits down with Gina Cotner, founder and CEO of Athena Executive Services, to unpack why delegation fails at the leadership level and how attorneys can finally build teams that let them focus on their highest and best use. Gina works just 10 to 15 hours a week running a multimillion-dollar firm, and she shares the mindset shifts, systems, and accountability practices that make it possible for any lawyer to do the same.
"World peace is not in the balance here. We're just delegating." — Gina Cotner
Key takeaways:
- Recognize why lawyers are trained to grip control tightly, and learn how to loosen that grip without sacrificing quality or client outcomes
- Ask "given everything on your plate, when can you have this done?" and watch your team's follow-through transform
- Stop asking "any questions?" and start asking "what questions do you have?" because one assumes questions are good
- Trust your team before they've fully earned it, because more often than not people rise to the level of belief you place in them
- Book a standing golf game, tennis match, or dinner that costs money and involves other people, and let that constraint force your calendar into alignment
- Identify the first task you should offload tomorrow morning to start building real freedom into your practice
Gina Cotner is the founder and CEO of Athena Executive Services, one of the top virtual executive assistant firms in the country. Her elite EAs partner with attorneys, executives, and entrepreneurs to take ownership of the work that isn't their highest and best use, freeing leaders to lead. Gina is also a dynamic speaker and workshop facilitator known for her practical approach to delegation, accountability, and building teams rooted in trust.
Special for listeners of The Free Lawyer: Receive 5 free hours of service added to your first full month of work with Athena Executive Services, a $275 value. Just mention this offer during your first call. Learn more at athenaexecutiveservices.com.
If this episode moved something for you, share it with a colleague who needs to hear it. Subscribe wherever you listen, leave a review, and visit garymiles.net to explore how coaching can help you practice with purpose and live with freedom. You can also reach Gary directly at gary@garymiles.net.
TIMESTAMPS
[00:00] Introduction and episode preview
[01:35] From EA to firm founder
[04:31] Better done than perfect
[07:08] Why lawyers struggle to let go
[09:12] What Athena does differently
[14:31] How delegation has evolved
[17:09] AI, human EAs, and the future
[19:55] The trust and accountability blind spot
[28:06] Applying the accountability framework
[31:34] One thing to do tomorrow morning
GUEST BIO
Gina Cotner is the founder and CEO of Athena Executive Services, one of the top virtual executive assistant firms in the United States, specializing in delegation and accountability for high-performing leaders. She serves swamped attorneys, executives, and entrepreneurs by pairing them with elite Executive Assistants who take ownership of the work that isn't their highest and best use. A dynamic speaker and workshop facilitator, Gina spent 25 years leading transformational programs at Landmark before building Athena into the firm it is today. She now runs her business in just 10 to 15 hours a week, spending the rest of her time on tournament pickleball, golf, and life at the California coast.
Would you like to learn what it looks like to become a truly Free Lawyer? You can schedule a complimentary call here: https://calendly.com/garymiles-successcoach/one-one-discovery-call
You can find The Free Lawyer Assessment here- https://www.garymiles.net/the-free-lawyer-assessment
