Posts

Texting Tips

Texting has become an increasingly popular form of communication. Lawyers are using texts to communicate with clients, co-workers, and opposing counsel. Texting can  schedule meetings, send links, and give status updates. Improve your texting with the following tips, articles, and books.    Texting Tips Applications - Communicate with clients, family and friends using personal messaging apps like  WhatsApp, Signal, SnapChat, Telegram and iMessage. Collaboration  -  Collaborate with others  in your firm  by  using Google Hangouts, Microsoft Teams,  and Slack.  Distractions - avoid distraction by d isabling notifications ,  filtering texts  from unknown senders, and  blocking spammers .  Filtering - use the filtering button to view messages in categories like know sender, unread message, etc. Marking  - mark important texts as unread or add a star to avoid forgetting them. Privacy - protect privacy b...

Email Etiquette

Email etiquette establishes your credibility and helps communicate your message. Etiquette is essential whether your email is a short message or a complex legal analysis. Below are emailing tips and links to articles and books for further study.  Tips Abbreviations - avoid abbreviations Addressing - use bcc instead of cc for long distribution lists.   Brevity  - keep messages short Caps - don't use all caps  Calling - substitute calls with meetings to avoid misunderstanding or controversy Subject  - use appropriate subject lines Articles Avoiding Email Mistakes Best practices Getting past spam filters Things to consider Sending Emails When to Use Email Writing Emails Books Digital Manners Business Etiquette Online Etiquette Email Risk Legal Ethics .  

Managing Email

Many lawyers are overwhelmed by the volume of incoming emails and texts. Below are tips for managing email and articles for implementing them. Tips Avoid stress by turning off notifications and alerts Create a burner address to use for sign-ins Determine client preference for email and texts Secure communications using apps, encryption, portals, and restricted access Label messages and organize into folders Prioritize emails for response  Use electronic email to send reminders and marketing communications Articles Comparing Apps Electroninc Communications Eliminating Mess and Stress Managing Email Sending Reminders Books Digital Manners Online Etiquette Email Risks Legal Ethics Microsoft Outlook Time Management

Being a Better Lawyer

For many years, companies like Nestle and Toyota have used an improvement strategy known as Kaizen to make better products and increase market share. Focus on improvement can also help individuals boost their careers and well-being. For inspiration, read famous quotes about being your best. For in-depth study, read books about  practicing law  and  creative lawyering  and design thinking . Advance your career by reading articles about critical thinking ,  lawyering skills and  how to improve yourself . Use the Massachusetts Bar Association's free  5-workbook series  to be a better lawyer.

Protecting Your Office

Law offices are subject to several security risks - burglary, sabotage, theft, unauthorized access, and workplace violence. Learn how to protect your firm by reading articles about office security  and best practices . Use a security checklist to assess your firm's security and then adopt a security policy . Follow-up with a safety meeting to insure that lawyers and staff are made aware of safe practices and firm policy.