It's no secret that many clients don't like to pay their legal bills, says collaborative divorce attorney Joryn Jenkins. And without having measures in place to ensure payments, law firms can run into huge headaches. In a webinar for Law Office Manager, Jenkins, CEO of Open Palm Law and Open Palm Press in Tampa, FL, and Elizabeth Miller, an independent law firm administrator … [Read more...] about 15 ways to improve your billings and collections
Client relations
Avoid disbarment with a conflict-checking procedure
As you know, a conflict of interest occurs when a lawyer or a firm takes on multiple clients who have conflicting goals or interests. And if your law firm does not have a system in place to check for potential conflicts, you could be courting serious trouble with your bar association, clients, or other attorneys, according to Robyn A. Bonivich, founding partner in Robyn's Law … [Read more...] about Avoid disbarment with a conflict-checking procedure
7 quick ways to jump-start your firm’s business development efforts
By David H. Freeman bio Every so often, you may think, "I could use some fresh ideas to jump-start the firm's business development efforts." Or perhaps the managing partner is looking to you for some input on how to grow the business. I have some resources that can help. Over the years, I've produced very short business development tips designed to trigger new … [Read more...] about 7 quick ways to jump-start your firm’s business development efforts
To-Dos: Your February office checklist
February might be a short month, but there's a lot packed into it. Here are 7 areas you can tackle this month to help improve profits, protect the firm, and boost morale. 1. Review each department's revenues. By now the profit and loss statement for 2022 is in. Review the gross revenues of the firm and the revenues for each department if the firm practices in more than … [Read more...] about To-Dos: Your February office checklist
Communication DOs and DON’Ts
Managers still spend a great deal of time communicating face to face, despite the proliferation of technology. However, because of technology, verbal communication skills sometimes take a backseat to written communication skills. Nevertheless, how you say something can be as important as what you say. With this in mind, here are communication DOs and DON'Ts. DO Make sure … [Read more...] about Communication DOs and DON’Ts
Is this essential ingredient missing from your firm’s customer service?
If you believe that your law firm offers exceptional customer service, you might want to think again, says Kelli Proia, a Rhode Island-based intellectual property attorney and founder of Lawducate, a business education firm for lawyers. Proia says the customer service component is sadly lacking in the legal business as a whole, adding that too many lawyers focus on the work … [Read more...] about Is this essential ingredient missing from your firm’s customer service?
To-Dos: Your January checklist
Make a fresh start this year with a focused team, a financial plan, organized files, and a decluttered computer. Here are some tasks you can accomplish this month to help keep your office running smoothly and profitably throughout the year. 1. Help staff set and achieve goals. Addressing staff issues in January gets people charged up for the year and gives you a roadmap for … [Read more...] about To-Dos: Your January checklist
TO-DOs: Your December office checklist
Congratulations on making it through 2022! We hope it was a successful and satisfying year for you and your firm and that you take some time this month to celebrate your accomplishments. Of course, the work never stops, so here are some reminders for this month. Start thinking about the firm's taxes. Are there any bills you can pay this year to offset any unexpected income … [Read more...] about TO-DOs: Your December office checklist
How to avoid taking on second-hand stress
By Elizabeth M. Miller bio I've been working with the legal profession for nearly 40 years and I can assure you it is one of the most stressful work environments ever. The legal profession as a career choice is stressful because of stringent deadlines, including statutes of limitations, which if you miss one of those you have just sunk your own battleship. Other stressful … [Read more...] about How to avoid taking on second-hand stress
Yes, you can fire a client and still get paid
By Elizabeth M. Miller bio The frequency with which a client fires a lawyer is far greater than the frequency with which a lawyer fires a client. This is because lawyers will have their firm do almost anything to keep a client. But there comes a time in every lawyer's practice where you just cannot please that one client. It does not matter what concessions you make, how … [Read more...] about Yes, you can fire a client and still get paid