Law Practice Tips

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

Anger can cause problems with health, relationships, and work.  Below are Healthline's tips for getting immediate relief from anger. For more ideas, see articles about causes and management  of anger ,  stress and burnout . Also see Dr. Nerison’s article for more tips and her ABA book about Dealing with the Stresses of the Legal Profession . Calming Strategiews Eat - eat chocolate and/or drink tea to relieve stress Chew - chew gum to boost mood Listen - listen to music for its calming effect Toy - interact with a rubics cube, stress ball, or worry beads Social - vent to a co-worker, family member, or friend Pet - take your pet for a walk to boost your mood Walk - walk outside to relax Watch - watch a funny video for laughter therapy Write - write negative thoughts in a journal to get them out of your head

Humor and storytelling can attract clients, improve presentations, persuade jurors, and win negotiations. Below are tips for storytelling and resources for improving your skills.  Tips Audience - know your audience and tailor you story to it. Content - tell   who, what, when, where, why, and how.  Delivery - make your presentation entertaining and interesting. Duration  - keep your story short and simple to avoid losing audience attention. Personality  - connect with your audience by telling a personal story from your past. Theme  - select a theme that relates to your audience and case.  Articles Being a  Storyteller Building Relationships Do's and Don'ts of Storytelling How to Tell a Story Humor in the Courtroom Lessons from Mark Twain   Persuasion with Storytelling Public Speaking with Humor and Stories Storytelling for Lawyers Using Humor at Work Books Art of Storytelling Making Your Case    Powerful Storytelling Speaking Outside...

Below are tips for supervising lawyers and keeping them happy. Also included are links to articles, books, and checklists for implementing the tips.  TIPS Apps - use apps to facilitate communications and productivity Availability - be available to employees by chat, email, and text Collaboration - use social events, business meetings and newsletters to promote productivity Communications - Emphasize communication between team members and focus on listening Managing - resist the urge to micro manage Planning - use policy statements to set expectations about working hours, reimbursement for supplies, and tech support. Meetings - shorten meetings and reduce the number of them  Praise - compliment employees and celebrate their milestones  Tracking - use apps to track  productivity and progress APPS Asana ClickUp Google Tasks Monday Teamwork ARTICLES Hybrid Teams Law Firm Management Managing Associates Managing Remote Teams Remote Law Firms Tips for Managing Empl...

Working after retirement age can boost savings, improve well-being, and increase Social Security benefits. Consult your financial advisor and family members to assess the benefits and disadvantages of continuing to work. Below are alternatives for working after retirement and resources for pursuing them.  Alternatives Continuity - continue working at your firm; consider a reduced schedule or change in responsibility. Mentoring - mentor younger lawyers at your firm or participate in bar sponsored programs. Part-timer - pursue part-time or contract work for existing clients, former firms, or new prospects. Pro Bono - serve the community by participating in volunteer activities or pro bono programs. Teaching - stay connected to the profession by teaching law or leading a seminar. Articles Career Paths for Retired Lawyers Jobs for Retired Lawyers Leverage your JD in Retirement Redefining Retirement Teaching Law in a Business School Things You Should Know About Working...

Going back to school can help advances careers and achieve personal fulfillment after retirement. Education can also be used to develop specialties, improve skills, and learn legal developments. Below are tips for continuing your education and resources for implementing them.     Tips Benefits  - use educational programs to add specialties, change careers, improve skills, and expand social networks. Costs  - consider free and low-cost programs offered by online providers and community colleges. Disciplines  - options include practice management, law office technology, and legal specialties like environmental, estate planning, international, maritime, and tax law. Providers   - search programs offered by bar associations, CLE organizations, online providers, and universities. Style  - select the learning style that suits your needs (e.g. in-person, online, or podcasts). Teaching  - give back to the profession by teaching at an undergradua...

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 ...

Chatbot apps enable firms to effortlessly answer client questions. Chatbots respond to questions with text and voice. The apps are affordable and easily added to law firm websites. Firms can select the data provided by chatbots, including information about the firm and legal problems it can solve. The apps can attract new clients and improve service to existing ones. Use the resources below to help add a chatbot to your firm's website. Articles Applications for Legal Chatbots Attracting Clients with a Chabot Benefits of Chatbots and Live Chat Chatbots for Law Firms Chooisng a Live Chat Provider Ethical Implications Improving Chatbots Guide to Chatbots Using Chabots on Websites Why and How to Create a Chatbot Books Designing Bots Guide to Making Chatbots Using Bots to Grow Firms Providers Codal Reviews Law Next Directory Samples Ashmore Law Firm  (Dallas, TX - General Practice) Burbank Law Firm (Fullerton, CA - Estate Planning) Phillips & Associates  (New York City - Discr...