Law Office Manager

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The joy of the crappy first draft

By Daphne Gray-Grant  bio Every beginning writer I know abhors the idea of a crappy first draft. It's embarrassing, mortifying and humiliating. They know their boss or client is going to hate it. They're going to hate it themselves because they fear it will make them look inept and unskilled. Thus, they don't want to it exist on their hard-drive, even for a … [Read more...] about The joy of the crappy first draft

Assigning secretaries to case types improves litigation work flow

A Tulsa administrator had serious secretarial problems. Work flow was stymied, productivity was down, client service was suffering, and morale was low. The cure, however, was simple. It was nothing more than a secretary reassignment strategy. Now the secretaries still work for specific attorneys but at the same time, each secretary is assigned to handle all the work in a … [Read more...] about Assigning secretaries to case types improves litigation work flow

An easy way to do those dreaded staff job descriptions

It’s not fair to hire someone without fully explaining the requirements of the job—from the very large to the very small. Neither is it fair to evaluate someone without fully explaining what performance and behaviors the office expects to see—again, from the very large to the very small. Many employers don’t have job descriptions at all, and many more have … [Read more...] about An easy way to do those dreaded staff job descriptions

A little stress can be good, but a lot can be disastrous

By Steve M. Cohen  bio There's a big issue that I think is overlooked too often in many offices: job related stress and anxiety. Some stress is good. A certain tension, including awareness of deadlines and the feeling of meeting challenges, is a good thing in any workplace. But too much stress, or stress for too long a time, will overload people. Some handle it … [Read more...] about A little stress can be good, but a lot can be disastrous

Paid sick leave and what law office managers need to know

Currently, there is no federal law that requires private sector employers, including law offices, to provide paid or unpaid sick leave, explains a new report from XpertHR, an online service for HR professionals from Reed Business Information. Without federal legislation in place, however, several states and local jurisdictions have taken matters into their own hands by … [Read more...] about Paid sick leave and what law office managers need to know

5 tricks to surviving and thriving in a highly political office

A law office is filled with many different personalities and many different dynamics. With those differences come office politics. And with the politics the manager can become a casualty. Here are the solutions to five situations where politics and personalities come into play. They are outlined by Margaret Hintz, SPHR, manager of HR services for Insperity, an Atlanta human … [Read more...] about 5 tricks to surviving and thriving in a highly political office

How to negotiate the best possible purchasing agreements

Smart purchasing decisions help a practice run more efficiently, improve the firm's bottom line, and make your job easier. But what should you include in purchasing contracts and lease agreements? As important, how do you negotiate the best possible deal for the firm? Determining requirements Before you solicit bids or attempt to negotiate a contract, it's essential that … [Read more...] about How to negotiate the best possible purchasing agreements

Avoid the lawsuit lurking in your employee handbook

An employee handbook can be more than a document outlining office procedures and standards. In some cases, the handbook can be seen as an implied contract between the employer and employee. And that implied contract could muddy the waters when it comes to firing an employee. An implied employment contract Most offices operate under employment at will—or think they do. … [Read more...] about Avoid the lawsuit lurking in your employee handbook