Law Practice Tips

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 measurable goals that can be ti

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 Preparing for Performance Reviews Responding to a Negative Review Reviewing Lawyer Performance Books  Attorney Evaluations Coaching Manager's Guide Handbook Performance Management Training Lawyers Forms Ontario Bar Association

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 Project Management Team Management To Do Lists Arti

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 expressing appreciati

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 , Clio Blog, Jun.