By Mike O’Brien bio Jan. 1, 2020 was the deadline to comply with new FLSA overtime rule. At the end of September the Department of Labor issued its long-awaited final rule updating the salary level test for white-collar overtime exemptions under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Under the new rule, the minimum salary level for exemption is raised from $455 a week to $684 a week, … [Read more...] about New overtime rule now in effect
Risk management
4 bad financial habits that may increase your policy premiums and your malpractice risk
Ineffective billing and collections practices affect more than the bottom line. They ultimately may determine what the firm has to pay for malpractice coverage. To an underwriter, poor financial habits are just like poor legal habits—they spell high risk for malpractice claims, says Dan Knise, president and CEO of Ames & Gough, a McClean, VA, specialty insurance broker. If … [Read more...] about 4 bad financial habits that may increase your policy premiums and your malpractice risk
Hiring and firing risk factor: careless words
Innocent remarks spawn claims Today's administrators need to be aware of the casual – albeit well meant – words that are bringing on claims of discrimination. Legal risks of both hiring and firing include careless words, says employment law attorney Donald W. Benson, a partner with Hall Booth Smith in Atlanta. The friendly hiring remark The dangers start with the … [Read more...] about Hiring and firing risk factor: careless words
5 benefits of rules-based calendaring software
1. Use of automated rules-based calendaring software may entitle your firm to discounts for malpractice insurance coverage. Talk to your provider; 2. Automated rules-based systems reduce human errors; 3. The software adjusts for local court rules and holidays; 4. Some programs come with predetermined reminder dates for different types of entries. When the calendar date is … [Read more...] about 5 benefits of rules-based calendaring software
To-Dos: Your September office checklist
Now that the summer is over and you're facing the final quarter, it's time to roll up your sleeves and get to work. Here are some important tasks you need to address now to ensure that you finish the year strong and are realistically prepared for next year. 1. Plan your staffing Start thinking about your staffing requirements for the coming year. Will you be adding another … [Read more...] about To-Dos: Your September office checklist
How to reduce the risk of in-office theft
Theft in law firms comes from all corners, from staff to partners. "It happens more than people realize," says legal management consultant John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC. In fact, his own experience of working with law firms leads him to estimate that one in nine firms has experienced some type of theft. Every firm needs theft protection. But that protection needs to do … [Read more...] about How to reduce the risk of in-office theft
10 ways to spot a phishing email
By Jay Stromberg bio There is no such thing as a 100% fool-proof security system that can protect your law firm from phishing emails. And that's pretty alarming because phishing is now one of the top ways that criminals infiltrate companies with malware and ransomware. These schemes are developed by cybercriminals to steal your firm's sensitive information or to … [Read more...] about 10 ways to spot a phishing email
Trust account errors that could get you disbarred
As a law firm administrator, trust accounting issues need to be your primary concern, according to Joryn Jenkins, a collaborative divorce attorney, author and CEO of Open Palm Law and Open Palm Press in Tampa, FL. Elizabeth Miller, an independent law firm administrator in Tampa Bay, agrees, adding that of five trust account errors that could land you in serious trouble with … [Read more...] about Trust account errors that could get you disbarred
How and why you need to carefully screen cold calls from potential new clients
What's your firm's process for dealing with a potential new client? What happens when someone sends the firm an email asking for a quote for a real estate transaction or when a frantic caller leaves a long, detailed voice mail message about why she wasn't to blame for the fatal car crash being covered on the morning news? Who takes the call? How are calls prioritized? And is … [Read more...] about How and why you need to carefully screen cold calls from potential new clients
How to investigate an employment-related complaint from a staffer
Got a complaint from an employee? Investigate it. If that complaint turns into a legal claim, part of the allegation of wrongdoing may well be that the office "didn't take it seriously and failed to investigate," says employment law attorney Ingrid Culp of Fredrikson & Byron in Minneapolis. The law doesn't require that an employer investigate a claim, she says. But it is … [Read more...] about How to investigate an employment-related complaint from a staffer