Law Practice Tips

Legal careers are a journey that starts with law school and ends at retirement. Stops along the way include new jobs and firms, practice specializations, career pivots, and partnerships. To assure career success, read articles about career strategies ,  creating a checklist , doing a makeover , getting a mentor , specializing ,  and professional development.  For in-depth study,  read career books  like the ABA's Guide to Building a Successful Law Career , NALP's Guides to Legal Specialties and  Managing Careers , and Thomson's Career Management Handbook . F or more information,  visit  career blogs  and  websites  like the ABA Career Center . 

Set aside time in your daily schedule to check developments in law, news, and technology. Keep current on legal news by visiting legal news websites . Stay alert to general news by subscribing to top ranked aggregators , associations ,  blogs , newsletters , newspapers , podcasts ,  twitter feeds , and websites . U se social media posts for quick updates and scholarly journals for deeper learning.  Use  podcasts ,  social media , and webinars while commuting, exercising, or travelling. Consult a bias checker to view a  bias chart . Avoid information overload by curating news sources and limiting media use, and switching off alerts. For more strategies, read articles about  checking facts ,  preemption checking ,  publications for lawyers , and staying current on legal news and  current events .  Also check resources at websites maintained by law libraries at universities of  HK , USF , and  UW .

Legal blogs contain concise articles about developments in law , marketing , management , and technology . Publishers include associations , individuals , law firms , and  research organizations . Subscribe to a blog's RSS Feed or newsletter  to  stay current  with  top blogs .   Research blogs using  t he ABA's Search ,  Justia's Directory , and Lexblog’s Channels . Also see Duke's  Resources , NYU's Tools , the Law Professors Blog Network  and NLRG Archive . Remember  to consider the source and check the author to avoid using inaccurate information .

Bar journal and law review articles save time by providing analysis, explanation, and leads to key primary sources. Visit Harvard Law Library's website for an article about finding articles . And  click here for the ABA's free tool for searching law journals.  

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 .