Law Practice Tips

Changing jobs can be risky when moving from a law firm to a company or government agency, nonprofit organization. Careers can be stymied by lack of advancement, job loss can result from corporate mergers, and new management can change the standing of in-house lawyers. Following are some tips and resources to help you transition to a successful career as an in-house counsel.    Tips Advancement - confirm that the company organization provides adequate opportunity for advancement within the law department and management.   Assessment - assess the job and yourself to assure that you are a good fit for the position and the organization. Career - pursue employers that have established career paths (e.g. staff attorney, senior attorney, managing attorney, director, general counsel). Networking - continuing your professional network with outside lawyers to share expertise, friendships, and career opportunities. Industry - avoid cyclical industries that are prone to layoffs ...

Abraham Lincoln battled depression during his legal career and Presidency.  Lawyers are especially susceptible to depression due to the rigors of the legal profession. Symptoms include inability to sleep, loss of energy, feelings of worthlessness, diminished ability to think, and thoughts of death. Avoid depression by  setting reasonable goals, prioritizing tasks, and using bar association resources. Consider seeking  medical help if you experience symptoms of depression. For additional tips, see the articles, books and websites listed below. Articles Battling Depression Causes of Lawyer Depression Curing Mild Depression Without Drugs Depression After Medical Procedures Diagnosing Depression Foods to Fight Depression Handling Depression and Stress Seeking Professional Help Signs of Depression Spiritual Will-Being Treating Depression   Books Guide to a Satisfying Practice Lawyer Well-Being Lincoln’s Battle with Depression Models for Happy Lawyers Yoga for La...

Stress is an occupational hazard for lawyers and their support staff. Causes include adversarial work, heavy workloads, and demanding clients. Below are tips for managing stress and resources for implementing them. Tips Acceptance - recognize your limitations and adjust career and lifestyle Attitude - maintain a positive attitude  Communications - improve your communication skills  Counseling - seek help from a therapist or your state bar's Lawyer Assistance Program Health - improve you eating, exercising, and sleeping habits Management - improve time management and technical skills Articles Coping with Age Related Stress Dealing with Stress Exercising to Reduce Stress Foods to Fight Stress Handling Depression and Stress Leading Healthy Lifestyles How to Calm Down Journaling to Reduce Stress Maintaining Mental Health Overcoming Stress Preventing Burnout Protecting Your Attention Relieving Stress with Music Seeking Professional Help Using Meditation to Manage Stress Books Guid...

QR codes look like an ink splotch and have data that point to a website or app. QR codes link to a unique webpage that can be bookmarked, emailed, or left in the form of an open page on a phone’s web browser. Join other professionals who use QR codes to attract prospects and improve client relations. Following are tips for using QR codes and links to resources with more information. Creating  – generate QR codes with an app or ask your stationery provider to create them.  Colorizing  – use colors to help your QR code stand out from others. Linking   – link QR codes to useful information like announcements, articles, and bios.  Logo  – insert a logo or photo in your   QR code to make it eye-catching.   Placing  – insert QR codes onto brochures, business cards, flyers, and pamphlets. Sizing  – QR Codes should be at least 1 inch in size or larger to make them readable. Tracking  – use data analytics to track cl...

Every day provides an opportunity to improve careers, finances, and lifestyles. Start by doing a y self-assessment and then create goals to achieve during the year. Use the following tips to inspire your tactics for a better life. Consult the resources below the list to help implement your strategy.  Tips Get Automated  —Use practice management software to automate accounting, billing, communications, dockets, and intake.  Keep a Calendar  —Keep track of appointments with a calendaring app, day planner, or desk calendar. Consider cloud-based apps that can be shared with others and viewed on your personal computer, smartphone, and other devices. Create group calendars for work and home. Reduce Distractions —Switch off the notification feature on devices to stay focused and reduce anxiety. Use the do-not-disturb feature on cell phones to avoid interruptions from calls and texts. Curate news on social media to limit time spent viewing them.  Set Goals  —Set me...

Improve lawyer performance with periodic reviews.  Use reviews to clarify expectations, identify areas for improvement, and monitor progress. Below are tips for conducting performance reviews and resources for further study.  Tips for Performance Reviews Avoid being confrontational Conduct reviews at least annually Don’t compare other lawyers or staff Establish firm-wide criteria Invite feedback and listen carefully Meet in a private location Schedule a time convenient date and time Set goals and dates for follow-up Take notes on performance  Articles Assessing Partner Performance Conducting Performance Reviews Do’s and Don’ts for Effective Evaluations Improving Lawyer Performance Managing Performance Maring Reviews Better Market Impact on Performance Reviews Performance Improvement Plans Preparing for Performance Reviews Responding to a Negative Review Reviewing Lawyer Performance Books  Attorney Evaluations Coaching Manager's Guide Handbook Performance Management T...

Managing, supervising, and motivating lawyers is critical to law firm success. The following tips and resources can help you lead a successful team.   Tips Assigning - don't micromanage, but do provide guidance and support Changing - encourage creativity and be open to new ways of doing things Coaching - develop skills by coaching and suggest articles and CPE for self-study  Collaboration - promote collaboration with activities and communications Courtesy - respect and show interest in every member of the team Criticizing  - give frequent feedback, mentioning both strengths and weaknesses  Directing - provide guidance and directions when assigning a new case or client Flexibility  - be flexible by allowing part-time and remote work Praising - recognize team members for their work with gift cards, praise, etc. Technology - use apps to assign cases, monitor performance, and track progress Apps Calendars Performance Appraisals Projec...

Gift giving is a way to show appreciation and make a connection with clients. Personalizing gifts can keep your firm’s name in front of them. Consider using an assistant to help select promotional items and distribute them to clients. Consult bar association staff to confirm that there are no ethical issues with gifting or personalization (for example, state bar regulators in North Carolina recently gave a green light for promotional products). Below are additional tips for giving promotional items and resources with additional information. Tips Budgeting  - Budget about $1,000 to give away low-cost items like pens or calendars to your top 100 clients. Carefully consider order quantity since the cost per item usually reduces based on quantity ordered. In addition to the price for giveaways, remember to budget for the cost of personalizing, handling, and shipping to clients. Cards  - Include a card with a handwritten note thanking clients for their relationship and express...

A good reputation helps persuade clients, colleagues, and the judiciary. It attracts cases, adds authority, and improves interactions. Following is an action plan and resources to manage reputations for successful firms and careers.     Action Plan Branding - use a tagline on business cards, brochures, and websites. Listing - list in legal directories and social media; update at least annually. Monitoring - conduct weekly searches for inaccurate and negative information (e.g., Google, Bing, and social media). Planning - create a personal development plan to improve knowledge, skills, and abilities. Publishing - publish articles on blogs, periodicals, social media, and websites. Reviews - encourage reviews, reply to negative ones, and report fakes. Surveying - survey client satisfaction and respond to comments. Volunteering - pursue volunteer opportunities to develop your reputation.   Articles Willie Peacock, Strategies for Efficient Lawyer Reputation Management , C...

Landing pages are web pages that visitors find by following links in an ad, email, or social media post. They can be used a s a destination for blogs, bios, client events, and marketing campaigns. Landing pages help convert prospects into paying clients and track the results of advertising.  They can be made accessible by inserting links in online advertisements. They can also be publicized by using QR codes on print materials like brochures and business cards. For additional tips, read the articles and books listed below. Also see the samples of landing pages used by law firms with their pay per click advertising.  Articles Benefits of Landing Pages Creating a Lawyer Landing Page Designing Websites Improving Websites Marketing with QR Codes Sample of Law Firm Landing Pages Using Landing Pages for Marketing Books Getting More Clients Law Firm Marketing Tactics Marketing Firms on the Internet Standing out from the Competition Samples Edwards Law Firm  (Family Law, Atlanta)...