Law Practice Tips

Social media impacts careers, discovery, marketing, reputation, and research. ABA surveys indicate that many lawyers and firms are using social media tools like Blogs, Facebook, LinkedIn, Podcasts, and Twitter. Get started or improve your skills by reading the articles and books linked below. Articles  Alternatives Avoiding Over Use Best Practices   Creating Brand Identity Discovery in Legal Proceedings Influencers   Ethics   Marketing with LinkedIn Metrics   Networking Managing Social Media Marketing with Social Media Networking Participating in Online Communities Strategies Using LinkedIn Time Tips   Writing Books  Creating an Online Publishing Strategy Facebook in One Hour for Lawyers Lawyers Guide to Social Media LinkedIn in One Hour for Lawyers LinkedIn Marketing Techniques Legal Ethics and Social Media Marketing on the Internet Social Media Law Social Media Marketing Twitter in One Hour for Lawyers Young Lawyers Guide to Social Media Providers Blogging Facebook Instagram LinkedIn

During the Coronavirus situation, stay healthy by taking daily walks, going on weekend outings, and finding activities to keep connected with family and friends. For more health tips, read articles about exercise videos , eating healthy ,  getting exercise , making friends ,  mental health ,  staying healthy , walking , and  well-being . Also see the ABA's book on Well-Being an d its Mental Health Website , and visit Bloomberg's Lawyer Health Website . 

Dale Carnegie's best-selling book about marketing explains how to win over people by being attentive, friendly, and sympathetic. Titled How to Win Friends and Influence People, over 30 million copies have been sold since first publication about 100 years ago. Click here for an article with tips and resources for using Carnegie’s methods to convert prospects into clients.  Also see articles about addressing unmet needs ,  improving intake , and using  checklists , forms   and software .  

Clients, lawyers, and jurists use the Internet to evaluate your reputation for ethics, knowledge, and trustworthiness. In January 2021 the ABA released ethical guidance about responding to online criticism. Manage your reputation by monitoring references to your name on the Internet to correct errors and supplement information.  Use AAW's Checklist for Reputation Management  and DBI's Digital Branding Checklist .  Read articles about building your reputation ,  editing your Google profile , ethical concerns ,  handling fallout from bad reviews , improving your reputation ,  managing directory listings ,  protecting your firm's reputation , and  responding to negative reviews .

Abraham Lincoln had a successful career as a small firm lawyer for 25 years before becoming America’s 16th president in 1861. In notes for a lecture to lawyers, Lincoln attributed his achievements to diligence, honesty, and time management. Learn more by reading Lincoln's Lecture on Successful Lawyering  and articles  about  Lincoln’s Lessons for Lawyers   and his trial tactics . Also see books about Being Like Abe ,  Lawyering Like Lincoln ,  Lincoln’s Counsel for Litigators , Lincoln's Melancholy , and  The Organized Lawyer . Get entertained by watching Matthew McConaughey in The Lincoln Lawyer  on Netflix.

Managing, recording and tracking time are essential habits for successful lawyering.  Poor time-keeping can result in unhappy clients and lost revenue.  Use automated systems, set alarms, review daily, and record time as you work. Read articles about time sheets ,  time tracking tips and how to use  time technology . 

Consider cost, timeliness, and reliability when selecting the best service for delivering your legal documents. Remember to check court rules and determine preferences of recipients. Read articles about  document preparation  and  management . Learn about electronic delivery alternatives  to email attachments and physical delivery  options like  courier ,  electronic , and  US mail mail .  Be careful to  avoid delays caused by seasonal slowdowns and work stoppages. Alternatives Client Portal - quick and secure, but inconvenient Courier - best for same-day service, but expensive FedEx - best for next-day service, less expensive than courier  Fax - quick and secure, but requires hardware Link Sharing - convenient, quick, and secure UPS - competitive pricing for 2-day and 3-day service US Postal Service - best value US mail