Law Practice Tips

Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia impact over 6 million Americans and their families and caregivers. Risk factors include age, genetics, and lifestyle. Although  more common over the age of 65, dementia can also affect people in their 30s, 40s, and 50s.   The percentage of people with Alzheimer's increases with age from about 5.0% for people aged 65 to 74, approximately 13% for those 75 to 84, and 33% of people 85 and older.  Below are resources for counseling clients living with dementia, including articles, books, and webinars. Articles Action Plans Activities Dementia vs Alzheimer's Death with Dignity Determining Testamentary Capacity  End of Life Decisions Impact on the Legal Profession FAQ's About Dementia Early Onset  Dementia Lawyer’s Guide to Dementia   Legal and Financial Planning Reducing the Risk of Dementia Safety Considerations Warning Signs Books Assessment of  Adults with Diminished Capacity Counseling Clients with Dementia Checkli...

Knowing your clients can help attract business, detect conflicts, screen risks, and win cases. Asking the right questions can help you assess client needs and set expectations. See below for tips and articles to help you implement them.  Tips Ask for feedback on your invoices and website Meet clients at their place of business  Regularly meet with clients in-person, online, and by phone Review comments submitted on your blog and social media Send out surveys to get feedback Take clients to lunch to develop rapport Use data analytics to assess client needs Articles Alternatives for Learning About Clients Importance of Knowing Your Client Conducting Client Surveys Managing Clients Questions to Ask Your Clients Screening Cases and Clients Strategies for Understanding Your Clients Types of Clients Understanding What Makes Your Client Tick Understanding Your Client’s Business Using Data Analytics in Your Marketing What Makes Your Client Tick Books Coaching Your Client Positive Prof...

Cloud services can be used to backup, process, share, and store documents and data . Cloud storage reduces the need for hardware and keeps lawyers and staff  in sync whether working from home, the office, or on the road. Cloud services can be used for document preparation, legal research, and practice management. See below for a list of cloud benefits and resources for implementing them at your firm.   Benefits Eliminate equipment Increase Productivity Reduce Costs No Upfront Investment Save Time Work From Anywhere Articles Advantages of Cloud Computing Apps for Cloud Computing Choosing a Cloud Storage Service Cloud Computing vs Cloud Storage Cybersecurity in the Cloud Google vs Microsoft Moving Your Firm to the Cloud Preventing Data Breaches Public vs Private Services Trends in Cloud Computing Ways to Use the Cloud Books Cloud Computing for Dummies Cloud Computing for Lawyers Cybersecurity for Lawyers Legal Technology Guide Paperless Law Offices Software Licensing and Cloud C...

Below is a list of personal productivity tips from the ABA Guide to Doing More in Less Time .  The book was written by two lawyer/consultants who explain easy to implement steps each to improve your practice and well-being. The detailed Table of Contents facilitates adopting of strategies one-at-time.  Set a goal of reading a chapter every month to work smarter. For additional study, see check the apps, articles, and books listed below.   STRATEGIES Create Systems Eliminate Distractions Delegate to Others Eliminate Clutter Schedule Tasks and Use Calendars Plan Meetings Remove clutter from desktops Set goals and priorities Use technology tools Apps AI Tools Calendars To Do Lists Productivity Articles Being More Efficient Boosting Personal Productivity Increasing Employee Productivity Improving the Workplace Keeping Time Self-Improvement Using Calendars to Manage Tasks Books Collaboration Tools   Organizational Skills Project Management   Time Management ...

Lawyers can improve outcomes and prevent problems by educating clients about the law and firm procedures. Client education attracts clients, creates an atmosphere of trust, and empowers informed decision making. See below for a list of education alternatives and resources for implementing them.   Alternatives Blogs Guides Newsletters Pamphlets Seminars Videos Websites Articles Apps to Manage Events Benefits of Educating Clients Creating Blogs Education Alternatives Emailing Clients Guide to Educating the Public About Law Hosting Seminars Making Money with Videos Marketing with YouTube Producing Online Content Questions to Ask During Seminars Topics to Cover Using Webinars Writing Newsletters Checklists Webinars Providers ABA -  booklets ,  content , and  newsletters Blumberg - client education pamphlets Lexicon - content Google - blog publishing Legal Talk Network - podcasting Paper Street - personalized newsletters Postcard Mania - postcards...

The ABA's 2021 Tech Survey reported that a majority of firms use non-lawyers to administrative and marketing activities.  Preserve billable time by using  an assistant. Delegate activities like client intake, maintaining websites, publishing articles, posting to social media, and updating directory listings.  Use the resources listed below to affordable find help for administrative tasks and law firm marketing. Alternatives Associations - seek help from the ABA or local bar associations  Consulting - use a website developer or public relations firm Delegating - assign marketing responsibilities to an assistant or associate Hosting - subscribe to a service that host law firm websites  Staffing - hire a marketing assistant; consider using an intern or student worker Vendors - seek advice from vendors of software for client relations and practice management Websites - visit websites with marketing resources  Articles Benefitting From a Marketing Assistant Dail...

PC's, smartphones, and tablets enable users to add images like emojis and emoticons to their messaging. Users started putting these images into personal messaging during the 1980's  and usage soon spread to business writing.  Despite the popularity of emojis and emoticons, exclamation points remain an important element in writing. Exclamation points can express emphasis, emotion, and excitement. They are less distracting than images. Below is a checklist of things to consider when deciding whether to use exclamation points in emails, papers, pleadings, posts, and texts. For further study, read the articles and books that follow the checklist. Checklist Acceptability - exclamation points are more universally acceptable than emoticons and emojis, but usually not appropriate for pleadings. Audience - consider demographics (age, profession, etc.) when deciding whether to use emojis, emoticons, or exclamation points. Frequency - consider using powerful words to avoid the need for e...

Marketing activities are essential activity for a successful firm. Start by selecting low-cost activities like attending luncheons and handing out business cards. Measure results to focus on activities that bring more cases. See below for a list of marketing alternatives and resources for implementing them.    Activities Adopt slogan Distribute business cards Email Marketing Messages Give gifts Improve websites Issue press releases Offer checkups Maintain Firm Websites Mail Postcards Make speeches Participate in Online Communities Planning for Marketing Request Feedback Send pamphlets Staying Social Update directories Use social media Write articles Articles Action Plans for Law Firm Marketing Broadening Your Client Base Cost Effective Marketing Techniques Comprehensive Marketung Plan Creative Marketing Strategies Daily Marketing Activities Email Marketing Future of Marketing by Lawyers Getting New Clients Guide to Marketing Activities Managing Client Relationships Market...

Below are strategies for getting workers back to the office and resources for implementing them.  Strategies   Amenities - offer amenities like snacks, meals, social events, and upgraded workspaces. Apps  - alert employees to apps for for ordering meals, scheduling meetings, and communicating Fitness  - provide time and space for exercise during the workday Flexibility - accommodate  those with medical or personal needs by allowing them to continue working remotely. Makeover - upgrade offices by adding a lounge area, exercise equipment, and outdoor space Health - protect health by improving air quality and providing anti-microbial office supplies Policies - adopt  policies to allow remote working a few days a week. Articles Air Quality at Work (NY Times, Sep. 13, 2021) Bosses Want Workers Back (Washington Post, Aug. 31, 2022) Dispensing With Masks (Fortune, Aug. 31, 2022). Encouraging Workers to Return (ABA Journal, Oct. 26, 2021) Enticing Workers B...

Many Americans are choosing not to answer their phones because of a deluge of robo and spam calls. Legislation has been adopted to stop the unwanted calls, but the problem is likely to continue. Below are strategies to block unwanted calls and articles with additional tips.  Strategies Apps - use an app like Hiya or NoMoRobo to block robocalls Complaining - submit a complaint to the FCC or FTC  Do Not Disturb - send calls to voicemail  Notifications - turn off notifications on smartphones to stop alerts from texts and calls Privacy  - keep your phone number confidential and/or use a second number Registering - register your phone number with the National Do Not Call Registry Screening - use settings to silence unknown callers and send them to voicemail, or hire an answering service to screen incoming calls Setting  - use smartphone settings to silence unknown callers, block unwanted calls and stop spam texts  Voicemail  - use Live Voicemail to Scr...