By Lynne Curry bio On June 5, 2017, John Neumann Jr. brought a semiautomatic pistol and a hunting knife into his former workplace. He killed five people before turning his gun against himself. It's become chillingly commonplace for us to learn that a terminated employee has stormed into his former workplace and killed those he holds accountable. Each time, the rest … [Read more...] about Protecting your employees from workplace violence
Working with lawyers
The 5 key skills that a managing partner needs to achieve success
It's easy to name a managing partner. It's difficult to name a right managing partner. A firm can succeed or fall apart depending on who's at its head, says Stephen Mabey, a chartered accountant and managing director of Applied Strategies, a law firm management consulting company in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The job can't automatically go to the highest producer or the most popular … [Read more...] about The 5 key skills that a managing partner needs to achieve success
What’s hot and what’s not: A midyear update on the legal profession
By Bob Denney bio As in all our previous annual reports and midyear updates, this report is based on information my colleagues and I continually gather from many sources —law firms, other providers of legal services, legal departments, surveys and both the legal and general press. Some of our findings are obvious, while others are not but we believe they may become … [Read more...] about What’s hot and what’s not: A midyear update on the legal profession
Fish & Richardson adopts The Mansfield Rule to boost diversity in law firm leadership
Fish & Richardson recently announced that it has partnered with Diversity Lab to pilot the "Mansfield Rule," which requires law firms to consider women and attorneys of color for at least 30% of the candidate pool for leadership and governance roles, equity partner promotions, and lateral positions. Fish is among the first 30 U.S. law firms to adopt the Mansfield Rule, … [Read more...] about Fish & Richardson adopts The Mansfield Rule to boost diversity in law firm leadership
Monthly events show appreciation for both employees and employer
At Rosenthal, Levy, Simon & Ryles in West Palm Beach, Fla., both the employees and the employer get their share of appreciation during monthly events designed to boost morale. Lori Ann DeMayo, the office administrator, explains how it works: As a small firm we are always looking for economical ways to show our appreciation and to boost the morale of the staff. Each … [Read more...] about Monthly events show appreciation for both employees and employer
Why your best talent is leaving and four ways to win them back
By William Schiemann, Ph.D. bio Most leaders of companies today recognize the importance of having engaged people at work. Yet research from the Metrus Institute, Gallup, and others say that between 50 and 80% are not fully engaged. For many organizations, a majority of employees are only partially engaged, which a lot of research has shown reduces performance and … [Read more...] about Why your best talent is leaving and four ways to win them back
Associate salaries rise in some markets, but national median remains unchanged
The National Association for Law Placement (NALP) has released its 2017 Associate Salary Survey report, showing that the overall median first-year salary as of January 1, 2017, was $135,000, the same as in 2015, the year of the most recent previous survey—with both survey years reflecting response pools in which offices in firms of 251+ lawyers accounted for about 70 percent of … [Read more...] about Associate salaries rise in some markets, but national median remains unchanged
8 Traps to Avoid When Investigating a Sexual Harassment Complaint
Sexual harassment is a related problem that all employers must proactively address and prevent. While most managers are well aware of the need for sexual harassment policies, just having a policy isn't enough. If sexual harassment allegations arise, you need to know how to appropriately respond. Here are 8 potential mistakes your practice should be alert to and avoid making … [Read more...] about 8 Traps to Avoid When Investigating a Sexual Harassment Complaint
Is your website violating ABA’s ethical guidelines?
A good website is valuable 24-hour marketing. But underneath it lies another web—one of ethical concerns, the main ones being misleading information, unwanted client relationships, and confidentiality breaches. For that reason, the American Bar Association set out guidelines for attorney websites, Formal Opinion 10-457 developed by the ABA's Standing Committee on Ethics and … [Read more...] about Is your website violating ABA’s ethical guidelines?
Discrimination at work: Prevalent yet subtle workplace bias erodes productivity and engagement
A recent study by VitalSmarts, a Top 20 Leadership Training Company, has found that more than a quarter (27 percent) of those who experience discrimination at work report the bias to be common, impactful, and beyond their ability to manage. The result of this triple threat of factors leads to frustration, stress, depression, and helplessness on the job. To measure the impact … [Read more...] about Discrimination at work: Prevalent yet subtle workplace bias erodes productivity and engagement