It's that time of year when law firm administrators must start planning how to invest their resources to meet next year's expectations. And the only way to do that is with a realistic budget. Here are some tasks you can address this month to help you get a sense of where the firm's at now, so that you can realistically plan for where you want it to go. Assemble your 2024 … [Read more...] about TO-DOs: Your October office checklist
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If you’re ignoring these 6 rules, you can kiss your budget good-bye
It's that time of year when law firm administrators need to "calmly and carefully consider how they are going to invest their resources to meet next year's expectations," says business and financial management consultant Gene Siciliano, CMC, CPA, of Western Management Associates in Los Angeles. And the only way to do that is with a realistic and workable budget. Drawing … [Read more...] about If you’re ignoring these 6 rules, you can kiss your budget good-bye
The County Law Library: Don’t overlook this FREE and valuable legal resource
According to just about every legal management article, webinar, or podcast, the landscape of the legal market in the past few years has changed—dramatically. Clients, it seems, are firmly in the driver's seat. And with an abundance of legal service providers, these clients are demanding efficient and cost-effective solutions, leading many firms to rethink their … [Read more...] about The County Law Library: Don’t overlook this FREE and valuable legal resource
Simple ways to kill every tried and true legal marketing effort
The most sophisticated marketing can fall flat from the simplest attorney mistakes. Here are five of them. They are outlined by Deb Scaringi, a Boston marketing and business development consultant to professional service firms. 1. When the follow-up becomes stalking The first mistake is too much zeal, or killing a prospect with too much follow-up. Follow-up is essential. … [Read more...] about Simple ways to kill every tried and true legal marketing effort
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act: Are you and your staff getting the most out of each paycheck?
Sixty-eight percent of employees are not sure how the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) will impact their finances, according to the 2018 "Getting Paid In America" survey conducted by the American Payroll Association. "With recent changes to tax laws, it's more important than ever that employees review their current tax withholding," said Dan Maddux, executive director of the APA. … [Read more...] about The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act: Are you and your staff getting the most out of each paycheck?
4 ways to avoid the accidental attorney-client relationship
By Elizabeth M. Miller bio What is the accidental attorney-client relationship? This is a relationship that is formed most often after the potential client has consulted with an attorney and the potential client leaves the office mistakenly believing that the attorney has "taken their case." The key to this accidental relationship is that the attorney-client relationship has … [Read more...] about 4 ways to avoid the accidental attorney-client relationship
Plan firm’s transition now even if retirement is years away
Many of us daydream of how we'll spend our retirement years; it's the dream we've chased all of our careers. However, when faced with the reality of this life-changing phase of life, retirement suddenly switches from a dream to a touchy subject—and it's a subject every law office administrator must address and properly plan for, because at some point in the life of your firm, … [Read more...] about Plan firm’s transition now even if retirement is years away
Use this one easy chart to track attorney profitability
A St. Louis administrator has developed a simple chart that tracks the monthly and yearly profitability of each attorney. Its obvious benefits are that it allows the firm to address performance issues immediately and that it provides a solid basis for determining compensation and bonuses. But it goes beyond that, says the administrator. It lets the firm see which attorneys … [Read more...] about Use this one easy chart to track attorney profitability
Model Employee Social Networking Policy
Why you need this model policy: This model policy will help you protect your practice from the potential threat posed by employee blogging, tweeting, Instagramming, and other social networking. How this model policy helps you: The key to protecting your practice is by implementing clear and specific policies to establish your right to discipline employees for social network … [Read more...] about Model Employee Social Networking Policy
7 steps to safely terminating an employee
Properly terminating an employee to minimize the chances of repercussions starts with gathering all the facts and considering all the factors, says HR attorney Chris Lessard, J.D. Solution Center Advisor to CEDR HR Solutions. Here are his recommendations on how to do that, in seven steps. Step 1: Separate the relevant from the irrelevant Your first step involves reviewing … [Read more...] about 7 steps to safely terminating an employee