Management

Prisoner’s Dilemma Technique
Against Multiple Claimants

February 1, 2016

Clay Westbrook

Prisoner’s Dilemma: a paradox in decision analysis in which two parties acting in their own best interest pursue a course of action that does not result in the ideal outcome. The typical […]

Management

The Dangers of Texting While Negotiating

February 1, 2016

Steve Mehta

Though not as potentially lethal as texting while driving, the use of texts by attorneys to communicate with the other party, if not done with care, may result in the […]

Plug All Fatal Gaps In Your Lawyers Liability Insurance: Part 4

Management

The Winning Secrets On How To Plug All Fatal Insurance Gaps For Your Law Firm

February 1, 2016

Michael Carroll

Your law practice is no doubt your most precious asset. It doesn’t matter if you are a one-person firm or you are the managing general partner of a large law […]

Management

Five Ways to Work More Efficiently
with Fewer Office Resources

February 1, 2016

Judye Releford

It’s no secret that firms of all sizes are experiencing a shift in the ratio of attorneys to support staff. Attorneys today cannot rely on a dedicated legal secretary being […]

Management

Why Filing an LLC for Your Pro Athlete Client is a Must

February 1, 2016

Brandon Leopoldus

To quote the poet Jay-Z, “I am a business, man!” This should be the saying for any professional or Olympic athlete. Filing an LLC, or incorporation documents for an athlete […]

Management

It’s Seriously Time to Dump Your Office Space and Go Virtual

February 1, 2016

Andres Hernandez

37% of U.S. workers telecommuted in 2015, according to a recent Gallup poll – the highest level yet. And working virtually is only likely to increase. A survey conducted by […]

Management

5 Online Business Development Tips for a Prosperous 2016

January 1, 2016

Larry Bodine

Over the last five years there’s been a sea change caused by cell phones and tablets that affect how clients find lawyers. Today, most clients go online to find a […]

Management

The 3 Apps That You Need
to Use Now for Your Practice

January 1, 2016

Deborah Gonzalez

If you are like me, technology is a constant in my legal practice. From devices to apps, it has changed how I engage with my clients, other attorneys, the court […]

Management

Writing a Brief that
Judges Will Want to Read

January 1, 2016

Christine Kieta

Legal writing – or any writing – intrigues me mostly because you can tell almost all that you need to know about your opponent’s skill from the documents that he […]

Management

Managing Client Emotions
in Tough Cases

January 1, 2016

Clay Westbrook

“The mortgage company told us that we weren’t allowed to file for bankruptcy. They said it wasn’t an option,” the young widow explained. She didn’t realize what this meant. We […]

Management

Powerful New Tools for Attorneys Representing Consumers with Mortgage Loans

January 1, 2016

Marc Dann

Just two years ago when mortgage loan servicers moved forward to foreclose on a homeowner, even though that homeowner was actively engaged with the servicer in attempting to modify their […]

Management

How to Organize Your
Law Firm’s Data to Boost Profits

January 1, 2016

Richard Hugo-Hamman

It is a common misconception among owners of small law firms that growth is measured by the number of people in the business. Over the years I have spoken with […]

Management

Legal Recruiters’ Top Pet Peeves And How They Can Harm Your Career

January 1, 2016

Adam Weiss

It is common enough for lawyers to complain about recruiters—that too many of them call too frequently when times are good, that they are too slow to respond when times […]

Management

How A Year End Review
Helps My Practice and My Sanity

December 1, 2015

Deborah Gonzalez

Around this time I set aside a few days to do some “strategic planning” for my practice – right before the end of the year – usually a time for […]

Management

Sorting Your Clients
into Rankings that Matter

December 1, 2015

Larry Bodine

The Pareto principle applies to your law practice: 80% of your profit is earned from 20% of your clients, and 20% of your clients are responsible for 80% of your headaches. Therefore […]

Management

Why is This Difficult Client So Difficult?

December 1, 2015

Steve Mehta

All attorneys have difficult clients at some point in their careers. What’s the best way to deal with them so, despite themselves, they can get the best outcome possible and you can […]

Management

When to Take On An Unwinnable Case

December 1, 2015

Clay Westbrook

A bank served our client, a business owner with several bad loan problems, with an $800,000 deficiency lawsuit on a shopping center the client lost to foreclosure. The center’s occupancy […]

Management

4 Essential Steps to
Keep Your Law Firm Relevant

December 1, 2015

Dan Jaffe

If you’ve been reading the news lately, things haven’t been looking up for law students. Job prospects aren’t great, and neither is the pay, which makes the thought of paying […]

Management

Managing the Media in High Profile Cases

November 1, 2015

James Nguyen

In today’s 24/7 news cycle attorneys must be cognizant of media attention and how to handle high profile cases that end up becoming newsworthy. Nowadays, you can take a case […]

Management

4 Critical Steps to Become a Rainmaker

November 1, 2015

Larry Bodine

Management

Does Your Social Media Profile Say the Right Things to Hiring Managers?

November 1, 2015

Deborah Gonzalez

There are many reasons why you would put yourself out on the job market again. Relocation is one of them or perhaps you’ve been at your firm for a while […]

Management

How to Orchestrate A
Bidding War As A Lateral Candidate

November 1, 2015

Adam Weiss

As anyone who has ever sold a house (or a car, or any item of property) knows, having multiple bidders is the best way to receive a higher sales price. […]

Management

Early Employment Mediation:
Timing Matters

November 1, 2015

Steve Mehta

Why do some early employment mediations not end in resolutions? After all the parties have good intentions to come to mediation, they want to settle, but at the end the […]

Management

Home Security Considerations for Your Pro Athlete Client on Game Day

November 1, 2015

Brandon Leopoldus

What should a professional athlete do to protect his/her home on game day? The answer is more nuanced than most lawyers imagine. The game schedule for professional athletes is posted […]

Management

11 Secret Career Moves
That Every Lawyer Should Know

October 3, 2015

Clay Westbrook

When you spend enough time around lawyers, you learn that lawyers love to complain. Maybe that’s why a lawsuit is called a Complaint. What complaint do we hear most often among unhappy lawyers who […]

Management

The Power of Identity Management
for Legal Practices

October 1, 2015

Robert Doswell

Contrary to what you might think, a legal office could well be compared to a care institution. Both types of organisations deal with many changes to their staff composition. Care […]

Management

Are Ghostwritten Blog Posts Really Ethical?

October 1, 2015

Dan Jaffe

To build a successful law firm website, you need lots of high quality content that engages your potential clients and referral sources. The content must do more than advertise, it […]

Management

Enemy at the Gates: The New Normal
For Law Firms and their Data

October 1, 2015

Dawn Reshen-Doty

Rapid and dramatic changes in technology are continuing to challenge businesses of all kinds, including those of attorneys and other professionals. According to the article,” The New Normal: The Challenges […]

Management

10 Tips When Mediating with a Business Entity

October 1, 2015

Jill Switzer

As a former inhouse counsel who mediated many cases during those days, both plaintiff and outside defense counsel (if there is indeed one of those) are usually clueless about the […]

Management

Rookie Mistakes That Can Cost You A Lateral Offer

October 1, 2015

Adam Weiss

Ask any recruiter what the most frustrating part of his or her job is, and you’ll likely receive a response along the lines of: “Keeping candidates from screwing themselves.” (Many […]

Management

The 5 People You Should Never Partner With

October 1, 2015

Toni Long

Starting a business with another person is like getting married and should be taken just as seriously. Most people would not commit to spending the rest of their lives with […]

Management

Three Ways to Motivate
Your Law Firm Employees

September 1, 2015

RJon Robins

Your people are an important part of your law business, for better or for worse. Talented, motivated, and engaged employees provide excellent client service. They execute systems and procedures consistently. […]

Management

Six Critical Things to
Effect Change in Your Law Firm

September 1, 2015

Jana Schilder

There is a graphic that folks frequently re-post on LinkedIn and elsewhere, about what it takes to actually implement change in an organization—assuming it wants to change. In the category […]

Management

If it’s a Rounded Number,
The Price May Be Right in Negotiations

September 1, 2015

Steve Mehta

Many factors come into making an offer to settle. One of them may be the basis upon which the other party will decide whether or not to accept it. Recent […]

Management

Practical Problems and
Advice for Lateral Partners

September 1, 2015

Adam Weiss

Partner-level lawyers who switch firms-or who simply wish to explore the possibility of switching firms-confront many practical problems. From identifying and researching which firms to contact, to making the time […]

Management

Should You Sue
Because of A Negative Review?

September 1, 2015

David Gittelman

You just received a negative, anonymous review on Avvo, Yelp, lawyerratingz, or some other legal (or quasi-legal) review site. You’re angry, because you think it’s unfair, inaccurate, or (worse) fabricated […]

Management

Mirroring Speech
Patterns Can Help You Succeed

September 1, 2015

Steve Mehta

Have you ever noticed that some people share similar speech patterns with one another? This is not a coincidence. It is a way that people subconsciously communicate that they have […]

Management

Winning the Battle for
Legal Talent for Your Firm

August 1, 2015

Adam Weiss

Law firms’ fortunes rise and fall with the quality of their partners. And by “quality” I do not mean partners’ brilliance, articulateness, or ability to win cases and close successful […]

Management

How to Best Use A Forensic
Psychologist in Your Practice

August 1, 2015

James Nguyen

Forensic psychology is the psychological application of scientific solutions to resolve legal issues. Properly using a forensic psychologist in your legal practice may help you win your case or prove […]

Management

Non-Bankruptcy Options
For Student Loan Debtors

August 1, 2015

Jay Fleischman

We’ve all had it happen – a client comes to you for help with his or her debt problems. We listen as they detail their financial hardships, confident that we […]

3 Essential But Overlooked Programs Every Practice Needs

Management

3 Essential But Overlooked
Policies Every Practice Needs

August 1, 2015

Dawn Reshen-Doty

I sat down with Richard P. Terhune, Jr., CLTC, LUTCF of New York Life to ask him the top 3 things that our clients, including attorneys, don’t realize they need […]

Management

How to Accurately
Assess Damages in Litigation

August 1, 2015

James Nguyen

The topic of determining damages is one of the most important parts of litigation. How is the harmed person going to be made whole again? Damages. Once somebody has been […]

Management

How To Plug All Fatal Gaps In Your
Lawyers Liability Insurance: Part 4

August 1, 2015

Michael Carroll

As I shared in last month’s issue, I am continuing with examples of how you can make certain that you are properly protected on your Lawyers Professional Liability. Why, you may […]

Legal Marketing

Would YOU Hire Yourself As Legal Counsel?

August 1, 2015

David Gittelman

You know you’re a great attorney. You win your cases, you have impressive credentials, and your former clients always say nice things about you. So, how come you don’t have as […]

Management

Thoughts on Staffing
A Successful Law Firm

August 1, 2015

RJon Robins

There are several different business models for building a successful law firm. Most of them require some level of legal staff be hired, trained, managed motivated and measured for productivity […]

Management

How Much Do Attorneys Really
Make in Los Angeles

August 1, 2015

Alison Lindy Higgins

Los Angeles is filled with attorneys representing actors and athletes, those handling high profile divorces, prenuptial agreements and domestic abuse cases, and Hollywood paints a not-so-realistic version of how much […]

Management

Access Management and Your Practice

August 1, 2015

Dean Wiech

Access management: What is it and how can it benefit your practice? Law firms of all sizes often deal with highly sensitive client data, which needs to be kept secure. […]