Here are three questions on the Family and Medical Leave Act. They are answered by Morganville, NJ, management consultant John McNamara. Briefly, the FMLA requires that employers with 50 or more employees allow up to 12 weeks' unpaid, jobprotected leave for medical and family reasons. FMLA time on top of vacation time A staffer returns from a two-week vacation and asks … [Read more...] about Some FMLA questions on using vacation time and counting to 50
3 proven ways to build a more profitable client base
It's always a good idea for any business to revisit its business plan, making sure it's on track with its vision and meeting the needs of its target customers. Usually this review involves asking itself the three big strategic questions: Where is the practice now? Where do we want it to go? How will we get there? But sometimes it's not always easy to clearly identify where … [Read more...] about 3 proven ways to build a more profitable client base
Nine traps to avoid when checking for conflicts
Before a law firm accepts any new file, it must first ensure that no conflict of interest exists. Yet, despite having stringent conflict-checking procedures, conflicts of interest are still a serious problem for many firms. How do your procedures stack up? Do they address these common mistakes? Any firm knows a conflict of interest can result in bad things. … [Read more...] about Nine traps to avoid when checking for conflicts
Failsafe solutions to 3 irritating staff behavior problems
Dealing with unacceptable staff behavior is for most managers the hardest part of the job. Here is a no-fail formula that works in all situations and instructions for how to apply it to three of the most annoying types of people. 1 The ultra-sensitive staffer who can't take criticism 2 The staffer who brings personal problems to work and tells everybody about them. 3 … [Read more...] about Failsafe solutions to 3 irritating staff behavior problems
On Better Communication
Do you freeze up when asked to write something for work? Don't worry. Whether you're writing a letter to a client or a blog for the company website, there are a few simple steps you can take to produce clear and coherent copy. A lot of people freeze when they have to write something. They get afraid they won't know what to say or how to say it. But they do know that. They … [Read more...] about On Better Communication
Personal touch helps win highly profitable corporate clients
It's a first-class presentation, but the corporate business goes to another firm. What happened? The big balloon deflator is that most corporations have their hiring decisions made long before the beauty contest. The winner is almost always the firm that has developed a relationship with the company beforehand, and the selection process is naught but a friendly formality. … [Read more...] about Personal touch helps win highly profitable corporate clients
Marketing your practice: How to attract more clients by positioning your attorneys as “thought leaders”
The attorneys in your practice are more than knowledgeable; they are thought leaders in the legal field. So why not share their expertise, and market the practice in the process? Seeking information People actively seek legal information. Indeed, legal websites are highly popular, books offering legal advice sell well, and television shows like "Law & Order" have found new … [Read more...] about Marketing your practice: How to attract more clients by positioning your attorneys as “thought leaders”
Keep profits on track with this quick 5-point spring financial checkup
It happens every January. The firm makes grand resolutions to improve the financial performance. But by spring, the attorneys get bogged down in their old habits. It's the administrator's job to keep the attorneys focused on their financial resolves, because their abilities and interests lie far more in law than in business. Take a hard look now at what's going on financially … [Read more...] about Keep profits on track with this quick 5-point spring financial checkup
Always ask these 7 questions before you fire a staffer
They are the seven-question solution. They have become the standard for determining whether a firing is justified. A "no" answer to any one of them leaves room for argument that a dismissal was discriminatory. They are the seven questions arbitrators ask when settling firing disputes. They are a valuable pre-termination checklist to determine whether a firing is … [Read more...] about Always ask these 7 questions before you fire a staffer
How a mentor program can improve your associate retention rates
It is the money that gets the first-year associates in the door. But it is the work that keeps them there. Many associates are gone by the third year, and most of them go because the work assignments don't live up to their expectations. To retain the associates it has spent so much money recruiting, the firm needs a mentoring program that stays with each attorney on every … [Read more...] about How a mentor program can improve your associate retention rates