Law Practice Tips

Following are Covid-19 precautions for law offices. For more guidance, r ead articles about  best practices , encouraging masking ,  health screening , leading your firm through Covid ,  mandating masks ,  requiring vaccinations , and  when to reopen .  Also see  Covid-19 websites maintained by the  ABA ,  CDC  , SHRM ,  and  WHO .   See   Wolters Kluwer Smart Charts to follow regulations adopted by federal agencies and comply with state and local laws.  Checklist for Covid-19 Safety Attendance - limit headcount in the office with staggered days and times Coordinator  - appoint a  Covid-19 safety coordinator Communication  - email plans to lawyers and staff; video conference for safety training Layout - rearrange furniture to increase distancing; limit capacity of conference rooms Notices  - promptly notify lawyers and staff when co-workers test positive  for Covid-19 Planning - adopt a Covid-19 preparedness plan covering masking, vaccinations, etc. Quarantine - isolate employees w

Listed below are success strategies from the ABA's 75-page  Report on Practicing Law in the Pandemic and Moving Forward . The Report contains results and recommendations from a nationwide survey of the legal profession.  Strategies for Law Firm Success Communication  - use frequent, transparent, and empathetic communication. Compensation  - assess the effectiveness and fairness of compensation systems. Diversity - promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. Families  - provide support for lawyers and staff with families. Hours - set reasonable expectations for billable hours. Policies - adopt policies to promote uniformity and implement change. Remote Work - provide administrative and technical support for remote workers. Well-Being  - adopt programs that promote work-life balance and physical and mental well-being. Work Schedules  - allow part-time and flex-time.

Listed below are masking alternatives adopted by law firms that have reopened their offices. Also listed are masking articles, checklists, policies, and procedures. Masking strategies are complicated by Coronavirus surges, changing mandates, and varying attitudes. Use these resources to help your firm adopt a policy and comply with laws governing masking.  Masking Alternatives 1. Honor System - assume those without masks have been vaccinated 2. Acknowledgement   Procedure - require acknowledgment  that mask wearing is required if unvaccinated 3. Documentation System - require staff to submit proof of  vaccination Articles Advice for Employers American Attitudes  on Masking B enefits  of Masking E ncouraging  Masking Masking Policies Masking P rocedures Checklists Reopening Checklist   Policies Vaccination Requirements Voluntary Use of Masks Mandatory Use of Masks Surveys Survey of State Mask Mandates Charting of Federal Regulations  

Writing articles for magazines, newsletters, newspapers and websites  is sometimes called  content marketing . Writing articles can  help drive traffic to firm websites, attract new clients, and bring media inquiries and speaking engagements . Submit articles to publishers of  print and online and online media. Send articles to clients to attract new business. Select timely topics and avoid legal jargon. Create an editorial calendar so that articles are published on a regular basis. Republish articles at your firm website and in your LinkedIn profile.  For help getting started, consider  hiring writers  or  licensing content from Blumberg  or  Justia .  Get more tips by reading the following resources. Also see samples of article archives at the following law firm websites hosted by Justia:   Articles E-mailing Articles to Clients   Measuring Impact of Articles   Syndicating Your Articles Using an Editorial Calendar Writing Effective Articles   Winning Clients with Articles Writing for

Frequently Asked Question Pages attract prospects, boost rankings, and drive traffic to law firm websites. They save lawyer and staff time by enabling visitors to answer their own questions. FAQ Pages can answer questions about fees, hours, and practice areas. They can also explain common legal problems and how the firm can help solve them. Remember to add a search bar at the top of the FAQ Page and periodically update the answers. Enhance visibility by including a link to the FAQ Page in drop-down menus, footers, and sitemaps. For more FAQ tips, read articles about benefits , content , and design of FAQ Pages. For further study about websites, read the ABA's book about Marketing on the Internet , Clio's Guide to Website Design , and Lawyerist’s Web Site Reviews . Also see below for links to effective FAQ pages. SAMPLE FAQ PAGES Questions About the Firm Dixit Law Firm , Tampa (business and technology) Fry Law Firm , Atlanta (personal injury) Thurman Law Firm , Hillsboro (gener

Websites can attract new clients and improve communications with existing ones. For inspiration, visit exemplary websites on display at  Juris Digital ,  Consult Web , and  Disruptive Advertising . For reference, see articles about Adding a Chatbot ,  Creating Landing Pages ,  Improving Law Firm Websites , Essential Elements of Websites ,  Marketing Tips for Solos  and Search Engine Optimization . For deeper study, read the ABA's Guide to Marketing on the Internet  and Steven Krug's Don't Make Me Think .  Consider using a consultant that specializes in law firm websites like FindLaw , Justia , Lawlytics , and Martindale . Also, see below for a checklist of  essential features to consider for your website. BEST FEATURES FOR FIRM WEBSITES About us - include a page with the firm's history, its focus, and how it solve problems and wins cases Blog - add a page to blog legal tips, news about your firm, and developments in the law Chat - include chatbots and assign responsib

During 2022, Employers started suspending Covid vaccine mandates but many continue to encourage vaccinations and boosters to maintain immunity from Covid.  See below  for resources about requiring and encouraging vaccinations.  Resources Checklists Employer Vaccine Considerations and Checklist Employer Best Practices for Addressing COVID-19 Vaccination Articles Americans Support Vaccination Mandates Bumpy Road for Employers Businesses Treat the Unvaccinated Differently CDC Guidance Considerations Before Asking Vaccination Status Encouraging Vaccinations Federal Vaccine Mandate How Employers Can Reduce Vaccine Hesitancy Law Firm Vaccinations Pros and Cons of Requiring Boosters Reaching Herd Immunity Requiring Staff to Get the Covid-19 Vaccine Responding When Vaccines Are Refused Talking to People Hesitant to Vaccinate  Surveys Map Showing Rules in Every State Support for Vaccination Proof Varies by Activity State Legislation of Employer Mandated Vaccinations Vaccination and V

Working remotely can isolate, harm mental health, and reduce productivity. You can help remote workers by keeping them in the loop with weekly team meetings and monthly firm events.  Encourage remote workers to come into the office for several days each week and make them feel welcome with lockers and systems for reserving workspace. For more remote working tips, see the Mobile Worker Toolkit and  Checklist for Helping Remote Employees . Read articles about adjusting to the new normal ,  avoiding loneliness , building a remote culture ,  engaging remote workers , making hybrid work better ,  managing remote staff , preventing burnout , social isolation , soothing burnout , summer remotes , and  tips remoting tips . For further study, read FM's guide to  permanently switching to a remote workforce  and the ABA's book about Lawyer Well-Being . Also visit well-being websites created by the ABA  and the Institute for Lawyer Well-Being .