Law Practice Tips

Start your retirement planning by mid-career. Begin by discussing retirement plans with a bar association advisor, CPA, financial consultant, or life coach. Then prepare a written plan with timeline, strategies, and tactics. Planning can bring positive results for you, your clients, and your firm. Consult the resources listed below for strategies to help you close or sell your practice. Following are tips for closing or selling a smal firm and links to resources for additional help. Tips Advisors - hire an advisor to assist with marketing, negotiation, and valuation. Agreement - use a “Buy Sell Agreement” to plan for the departure of a partner. Alternatives   – options include closing firm, designating a successor, reducing caseload, or selling. Ethics   – review ethical obligations to avoid infractions and pitfalls. Hiring – groom a young lawyer to replace an exiting lawyer. Insuring   - keep malpractice insurance for risks arising after closing or sale. License ...

Unless you use private browsing for your Windows computer, starting in February 2025 you will stay signed into your Microsoft account until you sign out (pr eviously, users were prompted to select whether to stay logged in). Below are tips for protecting your Apple and Windows accounts, browsing, email, and passwords. Tips Authentication - use Two Factor Authentication or an Authenticator to stop hackers. Manage Passwords  - use a password manager to create and store passwords. Physical Lock  - use a physical lock to protect your personal computer from theft. Screen Lock - set your computer to lock when inactive. Sign-Out - remember to sign out when using public or shared computers.  Private Browsing - unless on your personal computer, use private browsing (a/k/a incognito mode) with Chrome, Edge, Safari, etc.  Articles Avoiding Computer Theft Best Practices for a Mac Enabling Private Browsing Ensuring Data Security Locking Computers When Away Securing Your a Win...

Below are tips for responding to emails from clients, lawyers, and prospects, Prompt replies improve goodwill, relationships, and reputations.  For more guidance, see the articles and books listed below. And for examples, see below for sample responses to website inquiries. Tips Attachments - summarize attachments and include a list at the end of  message. Automating  - automate replies to acknowledge receipt and provide timeline. Courtesy - be empathetic, polite, and positive.  Length - keep messages short (use attachments for long messages). Promptness  - respond within 24 hours. Subject - limit to a few words to improve visibility. Articles Accelerating Replies Automating Responses Chat Tools Client Portals Designing a Contact Page Do's and Don'ts Emailing Professionally Ethics of Email Handling Unsolicited Inquiries Responding to Lawyers Sign-Offs and Signature Blocks Using Forms Books Mastering Email Writing Professional Email Samples Family Law Advocates ...

As we age, we get better at some things, worse at others, and reach plateaus. However, exercise and mindfulness can help us maintain abilities as we age.  Below are ages when abilities peak and recommendations for maintaining them.   Aging and Abilities Cognition  - knowledge and thinking skills continue to improve through the 70's. Practice mindfulness and read books to expand knowledge. Emotion  - ability to control emotion peaks in the 50's. Regulate emotions by keeping a mood journal, listening to music, and using meditation.   Recognition  - memory for faces is greatest in the 20's and then declines around 30. Improve recognition skills by looking for facial markings like freckles and scars. Protect eyesight with annual checkups. Memory  - short-term memory peaks by mid-20's and then declines in the mid-30's. Improve memory by eating a brain-healthy diet, using mnemonic devices, and sleeping at least 7 hours every night. Strength  - phys...

Law firm transitions can be accomplished through closure or sale.  Causes include bankruptcy, death, disability, disagreements, and retirement. Regardless of cause, transitions are a complicated process that requires careful planning.  Below are transition tips followed by resources for implementing them.  Contact your local bar association for help from its management advisory service. Tips Closing - Close bank, escrow, and other financial accounts Communicating - Notify bar associations, clients, colleagues, insurers, and employees Billing - Establish procedure for billing work in progress and transferring cases Filing - Establish retention periods for retaining files Insuring - continue malpractice insurance coverage Liquidating - prepare  a list of assets/liabilities and plan for liquidating them Planning - Prepare a detailed plan that sets a closing date assigns responsibility Winding Down - suspend marketing and stop accepting new cases Terminating - ne...

Time management increases productivity, relieves stress, and prevents procrastination. Make time management part of your daily life by delegating, planning, and prioritizing.  Consider using the apps listed below to help get things done. Learn tips and techniques by reading the articles and books listed below.   Apps Calendaring Collaboration Note-Taking Managing Projects Improving Productivity To Do Lists Timekeeping Articles Balancing Work and Life at School  Managing Time in the Workplace Improving Time Management Skills Overcoming Procrastination  Skills Need for Time Management  Time Management Tips for Lawyers Books Checklist Manifesto Habits of Highly Effective People How to Stop Procrastinating Getting Things Done

Make new clients welcome by providing them with a welcome kit. The kit can be posted on firm websites, physically delivered at in-person  consultations or emailed for virtual consultations. Below are tips for creating welcome kits and links to resources to help you welcome new clients.  Tips Benefits - welcome kits create favorable impressions, set expectations, and streamline the onboarding process.    Contents - include a contact page, client questionnaire, firm brochure, retention agreement, and welcome letter. Cover - put the contents in a presentation folder imprinted with the firm's name to make it memorable. Digital - create a PDF or video for the benefit of clients that consult virtually or prefer being paperless. Education - use the ki t to introduce members of the firm, billing procedures, client responsibilities, possible outcomes, and timelines.   Tools - keep clients happy by using additional tools like practice management apps and client ...

The transition to a hybrid workplace can stress lawyers and challenge productivity. Keep hybrid workers connected and productive with the following  tips.  For more resources, see the articles, books, forms, software, and websites listed below.   Tips Amenities - provide beverages/snacks, exercise rooms, and outdoor areas. Engagement  - survey lawyers and staff to determine needs and preferences.  Meetings - keep staff in the loop with memos, team meetings, and firm events. Privacy - set aside conference rooms for individual use. Schedule - encourage teams to select days for working at the office. Training -  provide leaders with training and tools for managing hybrid teams. Workplace - create system for reserving workspace .  Articles Adopting Hybrid Work Schedules Building Successful Work Environments Connecting Hybrid and Remote Workers How Accounting Firms Deal with Hybrid Keeping Lawyers Happy Legal Rules for Hybrid Workplace Lessons fro...

Disasters can be caused by computer hacks, deaths/disabilities, equipment failures, errors/omissions, health emergencies, loss of a key employee, power outages, sabotage, scandals, severe weather, and software glitches. Advance planning can help firms survive disasters and overcome adversities. Following are disaster planning tips and resources for implementing them. Tips Backing Up  - backup data with cloud services and store backup equipment outside of the office. Contacts -  create a communication list with contact details of clients, employees, and vendors. Communicating  -  be prepared with alternative forms of communication (e.g., mobile phones, mobile hotspots, satellite phones, etc.). Delegating  - appoint a leader to take charge in the event of a disaster. Drilling  - stage occasional drills to rehearse roles. Insurance - purchase insurance to cover business interruption, malpractice, and other risks. Inventorying - prepare a list of equipment, su...

Defending a malpractice claim can be expensive and tarnish your reputation. Below are tips for avoiding malpractice claims and a links to resources with additional information. Tips Assistance - seek assistance for cases that require additional time or specialization.  Accounting  - use an accounting app to record client funds and keep them in a trust account separate from firm accounts. Automate  - automate calendaring of appointments, deadlines, and hearings; use software for billing, case management, and client communications.  Communications - use written communications to follow-up meetings and phone calls;  promptly provide case updates;  explain reasons for your decisions and strategies. Disengagement  - use a non-engagement letter to confirm that a lawyer-client relationship has not been created. Documentation  - Retain copies of engagement (and disengagement letters), keep notes of matters discussed with clients; retain research that ex...

Client surveys let your clients know that you care. Surveys can be used to  evaluate satisfaction with services and determine additional needs. They can be  conducted  at the end of an engagement or distributed annually. Conduct the survey by phone, send by mail,  or create a survey page at your website. Design your questionnaire using a template from Google, Microsoft, or Survey Monkey. Provide an incentive for completion and assure responders that their replies will be kept confidential. For more tips see below for a checklist, articles, books, and samples. .   Checklist Amount of time devoted to client Communication and Office Technology Fairness of Fees Friendliness of staff Handling of inquiries Information on invoices Office location and furnishings Promptness of service Quality of legal advice Articles Asking Questions Benefitting from Surveys Building Reputations Client Feedback Programs Collecting Data Creating Online Surveys Handling An...