According to just about every legal management article, webinar, or podcast, the landscape of the legal market in the past few years has changed—dramatically. Clients, it seems, are firmly in the driver's seat. And with an abundance of legal service providers, these clients are demanding efficient and cost-effective solutions, leading many firms to rethink their … [Read more...] about The County Law Library: Don’t overlook this FREE and valuable legal resource
Managing the office
The top five reasons firms lose money and go out of business
"Lawyers become lawyers because they want to help people and practice the art of law," says Los Angeles financial consultant Gene Siciliano, CMC, CPA, author of Finance for Non-financial Managers (McGraw-Hill, New York). And once in practice, lawyers focus exclusively on their technical expertise, not the essentials of running a business successfully. "They think they can get … [Read more...] about The top five reasons firms lose money and go out of business
Plan firm’s transition now even if retirement is years away
Many of us daydream of how we'll spend our retirement years; it's the dream we've chased all of our careers. However, when faced with the reality of this life-changing phase of life, retirement suddenly switches from a dream to a touchy subject—and it's a subject every law office administrator must address and properly plan for, because at some point in the life of your firm, … [Read more...] about Plan firm’s transition now even if retirement is years away
Follow the example of the Navy SEALs and build the framework of an excellent training program
By Michelle Spencer bio Recently, an article appeared in The Harvard Business Review entitled "How the Navy SEALs Train for Leadership Excellence," written by Michael Schrage, an educator and research fellow at MIT Sloan School's Center for Digital Business. In his article, Schrage wrote, "As an educator, I fear world-class business schools and high-performance … [Read more...] about Follow the example of the Navy SEALs and build the framework of an excellent training program
Just how truthful is that applicant’s resume? Here’s how to find out
There's always tough competition for a good job. And sometimes, to beat out the competition, people do more than brush up their resumes. Some fabricate the facts to get in a better position for winning a job. But there's a way to sort out the facts from the fiction, says Michelle Taylor, PhD, of Taylor Consulting in Huntington Beach, CA, a company that provides psychological … [Read more...] about Just how truthful is that applicant’s resume? Here’s how to find out
How to make sure your intake consultation covers all the services your firm provides
In a law firm, service counts. In fact, it's often the service more than the legal abilities that brings in repeat business, says practice management and marketing consultant Allison C. Shields of Legal Ease Consulting in New York City. For that reason, the service needs to be covered in the initial consultation so the client knows what to expect and the attorney knows what … [Read more...] about How to make sure your intake consultation covers all the services your firm provides
To-Dos: Your August office checklist
The middle of summer is a great time for tackling projects that you can't get to during the rest of the year. Here are a few suggestions: Ensure that data security is covered in your employee handbook, employee training, and BYOD policy. Include computer files as part of your summer office clean-up. Start planning for the last quarter of the year in terms of collections … [Read more...] about To-Dos: Your August office checklist
How to hold on to clients when a partner retires
Partner retirement is a watershed event, particularly when the partner has originated a large portion of the business or is dominant in the firm's management or practice development. Many firms go through a wrenching period of adjustment when a partner retires. Often the fallout is lost clients, unsettled management and even the breakup of the firm. Retirement is a sensitive … [Read more...] about How to hold on to clients when a partner retires
How to implement a leave-sharing program
"How can I help?" It's a question that many employees ask when a co-worker or a co-worker's family member is facing a serious medical issue. And one way that employers can facilitate assistance is to allow employees to donate time off to their co-workers who have exhausted all available leave. At first glance, a leave-sharing program appears to be a win-win-win … [Read more...] about How to implement a leave-sharing program
How to be a better proofreader
When hours of work are spent crafting a compelling legal brief, contract, or report, it can be very disheartening, not to mention embarrassing, to have all credibility instantly erased with one misspelled word. Of course, typos happen. Human beings make mistakes. And we can't rely on technology to save us either, unfortunately. For example, spell check would not have … [Read more...] about How to be a better proofreader