By Steve M. Cohen bio Managers can be excused for pulling out their hair over government regulations, but some are more likely to impact your office than others. Every state has a human rights commission that is tasked with investigating charges made by employees against their employers in issues of fairness. The federal government has its own human rights … [Read more...] about State and federal monitoring can make a manager’s life complicated
Risk management
What to do when a lawyer harasses staffers but no one complains
Question: One of our attorneys continuously makes inappropriate remarks to the staff. He thinks the remarks are funny. The staff don't complain, but what's said is obviously inappropriate. Everyone likes the lawyer, and the other lawyers want to keep him on staff. They have counselled with him, but he continues. What should we do? Answer: No office can afford to turn a blind … [Read more...] about What to do when a lawyer harasses staffers but no one complains
Whistleblowers get more protection than you think
By Steve M. Cohen bio Employees who successfully don the cloak of a whistleblower have a surprising amount of protection. Several categories of whistleblower protection exist, depending on the industry and alleged topic of the whistleblower's alarm. But in many, even most cases, whistleblower laws make allegations of organizational wrongdoing a protected … [Read more...] about Whistleblowers get more protection than you think
Protect yourself and your firm with a strong anti-retaliation policy
Most managers are skilled at preventing discrimination claims. But few pay close enough attention to the financial damage that retaliation, resulting from a discrimination claim, can have on a practice. The reality is that retaliation claims have a higher rate of success than discrimination claims. Retaliation claims not limited to victims Retaliation is any adverse action … [Read more...] about Protect yourself and your firm with a strong anti-retaliation policy
Even law offices should think twice before going to court
By Steve M. Cohen bio One of the most difficult challenges I face can be helping office managers and owners or partners resist an urge to "fight it out" in court. There are times when it is necessary to take legal action or aggressively defend action against your organization. But in most cases, it should be your last resort. You may not win the fight … [Read more...] about Even law offices should think twice before going to court
The opportunities, concerns, and challenges related to adopting cloud services
According to the New Jersey Institute of Technology, by 2017 two-thirds of all workload will be processed in cloud data centers. Will your firm’s workload be there? Or are you hesitating due to concerns about security, compliance, or management of the services? This infographic created by NJIT’s Online Masters in Computer Science outlines the scale of cloud services and the … [Read more...] about The opportunities, concerns, and challenges related to adopting cloud services
Two quick tips from a cybersecurity expert
By John W. Simek bio 1. You are the product: default settings to “steal” your privacy data It amazes me that nobody seems to read the terms of service or the permission settings when installing software or configuring devices. In this day of instant gratification it seems as though the normal actions are click, click, click on the “I accept” button. That seems to be what … [Read more...] about Two quick tips from a cybersecurity expert
Model Tool: Client privacy policy
Why you need this policy: As with any other corporate website, law office websites collect and use personal information of site visitors, including "personally identifiable" information, i.e., names and other information that can be traced back to a specific individual. Such use and collection of personal information is subject to requirements under privacy laws. How this … [Read more...] about Model Tool: Client privacy policy
Model Tool: Calendar control self-review checklist
Why you need this checklist: Failure to meet a deadline, such as a statute of limitations, and other related calendaring issues continue to be the cause of the majority of legal malpractice claims in the United States. Yet despite this risk, many law firms still do not have a proper calendaring system in place. How this checklist helps you: This checklist will help you … [Read more...] about Model Tool: Calendar control self-review checklist
Just common sense can ward off disciplinary and malpractice actions
Any attorney's career can be ruined for failure to follow the simplest rules of communication and ethics, says Allison L. Wood, principal of Legal Ethics Consulting, a Chicago company that counsels firms on avoiding disciplinary and malpractice issues. Wood was formerly a prosecutor in attorney disciplinary matters, and she has seen first-hand attorneys "in the tragic position … [Read more...] about Just common sense can ward off disciplinary and malpractice actions