Here are a few tasks that should be addressed this month. Do a first quarter evaluation with employees who have a billing quota. Assess where they are in terms of reaching the annual goal and discuss any changes that need to be made, adjustments in procedures for capturing time or time management skills. Review the firm's profit and loss statement as it compares to the … [Read more...] about To-Dos: Your April office checklist
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Inside your practice: Communicating, leading, & managing amid change
The only thing that is constant is change, said the Greek philosopher Heraclitus. And although he never managed a law practice, his words certainly apply to today's workplace. The case for transparency Change is a constant for the legal industry. Mergers, acquisitions, and new technologies—it's hard enough just to keep up let alone keep your staff apprised. Regrettably, … [Read more...] about Inside your practice: Communicating, leading, & managing amid change
Marketing your practice: How to attract more clients by positioning your attorneys as “thought leaders”
The attorneys in your practice are more than knowledgeable; they are thought leaders in the legal field. So why not share their expertise, and market the practice in the process? Seeking information People actively seek legal information. Indeed, legal websites are highly popular, books offering legal advice sell well, and television shows like "Law & Order" have found new … [Read more...] about Marketing your practice: How to attract more clients by positioning your attorneys as “thought leaders”
Redesign the office to keep up with industry and technology changes
Take a look around your workplace. Does it reflect the traditional image of a law firm—a somber place of serious business with an abundant supply of mahogany furniture and thick, intimidating books? Is there a field of empty workstations once filled by staff members now long gone? Is it cluttered? Is it sterile? Is it pleasing to the eye? Is it time for a change? The … [Read more...] about Redesign the office to keep up with industry and technology changes
Want to improve your bottom line? Encourage your partners to delegate
By Elizabeth M. Miller bio Law firms are unique in that unlike most other businesses that sell a product, lawyers sell time. Their time is, for a better description, "their stock in trade." Based on this concept, to be profitable and generate sufficient revenues to carry the firm, lawyers should be spending their valuable time doing client billable work. The exceptions to … [Read more...] about Want to improve your bottom line? Encourage your partners to delegate
How to ensure your firm can weather a disaster
Many law firms are not well prepared to weather a disaster, whether it's a physical one such as a flood or fire, or a technological one such as a data breach, says Catherine Sanders Reach, director of law practice management and technology for the Chicago Bar Association. In extreme cases, such as a terrorist attack or a hurricane, Reach says the damage done to unprepared law … [Read more...] about How to ensure your firm can weather a disaster
For personal success, get beyond the words and metacommunicate
Meta means beyond. And though it has varying definitions, in its simplest form, metacommunication means going beyond regular communication to get the full point across. It means making sure everything—spoken or unspoken—gets communicated to, and from, both sides. Most employment situations are rife with unspoken expectations and assumptions, says Barbara Kay, LPC, RCC, a … [Read more...] about For personal success, get beyond the words and metacommunicate
Quarterly “four column” reviews to improve staff performance and reduce manager stress
"I'm getting an ulcer dealing with these people!" That's the lament of many a manager and it comes from a traditional office practice. It is the result of the standard once-a-year evaluation that winds up as a litany of each staffer's faults and proves worthless for improving performance. Beyond its ineffectiveness, the annual appraisal is not fair because the staffer has not … [Read more...] about Quarterly “four column” reviews to improve staff performance and reduce manager stress
4 ways you are apologizing wrong
By Stacey Hanke bio Apologies are something we love to receive and hate to give. And especially as a leader, they are tough. They require a great deal of humility, which challenge your pride and ego. They are an open admission of failure and wrongdoing, but when delivered with sincerity, they hold power with your team. Unfortunately, too many leaders give superficial … [Read more...] about 4 ways you are apologizing wrong
15 ways to improve your billings and collections
It's no secret that many clients don't like to pay their legal bills, says collaborative divorce attorney Joryn Jenkins. And without having measures in place to ensure payments, law firms can run into huge headaches. In a webinar for Law Office Manager, Jenkins, CEO of Open Palm Law and Open Palm Press in Tampa, FL, and Elizabeth Miller, an independent law firm administrator … [Read more...] about 15 ways to improve your billings and collections