When you're working in a high-stress environment, it's not uncommon for tempers to flare and words said that shouldn't be. It's unfortunate and, often, unprofessional. And it needs to be corrected as soon as possible. If you've directed an outburst at the boss or made a hurtful remark to your staff, damage control is in order. Mostly, that means an apology—either for what … [Read more...] about Wish you’d never said that? Here’s how to save the day and perhaps your job
Managing the office
Paying too much office rent? Try these 7 rent-cutters
Can the partners live with less space? After payroll, office space is the firm's second highest expense, in most cases eating up from 7% to 10% of the revenues. With the bite that big, every office needs to look for ways to cut the office cost. Here are some good ways to do just that. And along with them are some lease negotiation factors the firm can use. 1 The same … [Read more...] about Paying too much office rent? Try these 7 rent-cutters
9 ways your firm can avoid the downward spiral of debt
By Elizabeth M. Miller bio When it comes to debt, I believe that less is more. And it makes me shake my head when I hear about firms going into debt to finance their service business. Borrowing money to finance a law practice is opening the door to unending debt that will self-perpetuate as the borrowing and re-paying continues endlessly. There are always cash flow problems, … [Read more...] about 9 ways your firm can avoid the downward spiral of debt
How to detect a lie, especially when it comes from a job applicant
Lots of lying goes on in job interviews. Some management professionals estimate that as many as 70% of job applications carry some sort of misrepresentation. And business losses to fraud from dishonest applicants have been shown to be as high as $600 billion a year. Besides verifying the resume, the best way to separate fact from fiction is to know the signs of a lie, says … [Read more...] about How to detect a lie, especially when it comes from a job applicant
What’s overshadowing your partnerʼs big revenues?
Any firm can lose money to the very partners who are bringing in the most of it. That's because firms measure partner profitability by revenues only, and that doesn't show the full financial picture, says practice management consultant Andra Watkins of Positus Consulting in Charleston, SC. There's also a subjective side to evaluating each partner's contribution. And that … [Read more...] about What’s overshadowing your partnerʼs big revenues?
Nine traps to avoid when checking for conflicts
Before a law firm accepts any new file, it must first ensure that no conflict of interest exists. Yet, despite having stringent conflict-checking procedures, conflicts of interest are still a serious problem for many firms. How do your procedures stack up? Do they address these common mistakes? Any firm knows a conflict of interest can result in bad things. … [Read more...] about Nine traps to avoid when checking for conflicts
9 ways to stay neutral (and sane) when reporting to multiple lawyers
The job of managing a law office can be unpredictable, because you often don't have the luxury of answering to just one boss. Instead, there are as many bosses as there are lawyers, and the lawyers don't always get along with one another. For that reason, your survival rests on neutrality, says management consultant Donna R. Gary of Legal Administrative Services in … [Read more...] about 9 ways to stay neutral (and sane) when reporting to multiple lawyers
10 ways managers are improving their law firms
Ah, the woes of running a law office. You know them well: Reams of reports, scheduling squabbles, technology tangles, and so much more. It takes a lot of skill, patience, and strategy to make a law office run smoothly—plus a little bit of help from others who know your pain. That must be why the Reader Tips section of our website is so popular. It contains dozens of solutions … [Read more...] about 10 ways managers are improving their law firms
Use straight talk to solve 4 common people problems in your firm
The key to success as a manager is being up-front with employees. Yet that is what managers are most reluctant to do. They don't want to sit down with a staff member and say, "You are messing up on this, and I cannot allow it to continue." That reluctance is a normal human trait. People don't like confrontation. In fact, one human resources consultant says most of her clients … [Read more...] about Use straight talk to solve 4 common people problems in your firm
4 ways to get the most out of slow summer days
By Elizabeth M. Miller bio Summer is here, and with that the inevitable slow-down of the court dockets as judges and judicial assistants make their escape over summer vacation. There are many ways to make efficient use of this downtime that will benefit the firm and keep you on track to end the year on a successful, and profitable, note. Here are 4 ways to make efficient and … [Read more...] about 4 ways to get the most out of slow summer days