Law Office Manager

Managing the office

How to handle the Christmas bonus

By Elizabeth M. Miller  bio Do you know the Christmas movie classic National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation? Chevy Chase plays Clark Griswold, a corporate grunt who is so sure he will get a Christmas bonus that he puts down a non-refundable deposit on an in-ground swimming pool for his family. However, Griswold discovers on Christmas Eve—when his bonus arrives a few days later … [Read more...] about How to handle the Christmas bonus

Why your last hire failed and how to ensure success next time

It can be exasperating. After all that time spent interviewing and onboarding, your latest hire still didn't work out and now you find yourself facing the process all over again. Why? What happened? Well, according to recent research from Robert Half, aside from poor performance, failed hires are most likely a result of a mismatched skill set. Nearly four in 10 CFOs … [Read more...] about Why your last hire failed and how to ensure success next time

10 rules for getting good press and new clients along with it

To get new business, your law firm has to be the first place the client calls. To make the call, the client has to know your firm's name. To know your firm's name, the client has to see it over and over in the media. Media coverage is good free marketing, says Pam Lontos, president of Pam Lontos Consulting in Orlando. But to be of any value, it has to be repeated. "Because … [Read more...] about 10 rules for getting good press and new clients along with it

Holiday gift-giving guide: office edition

To gift or not to gift at work? That is the question many employees ask during the holiday season. In a survey from staffing firm Accountemps, the majority of human resources (HR) managers said it is acceptable for employees and managers to exchange presents in the office. Sixty-three percent of respondents noted it's appropriate for supervisors to give their staff a holiday … [Read more...] about Holiday gift-giving guide: office edition

The new overtime rules are put on hold. What does that mean for you?

By Mike O'Brien  bio As most of you know by now, I'm sure, the United States Department of Labor (DOL) has finalized a new Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) rule that, among other things, raises the minimum salary threshold required to qualify for a "white collar" overtime pay exemption to $47,476 per year, which is $913 per week. This basically doubles the minimum salary … [Read more...] about The new overtime rules are put on hold. What does that mean for you?

5 trust account errors that will get a firm in trouble

By Elizabeth M. Miller  bio There have been recent reports of law firm trust accounts being involved in money laundering. Maintaining and managing a trust account is regulated by local bar rules. The main reason for this is that the funds do not belong to the firm. Trust monies are client funds deposited with a law firm intended to be used for the benefit of the client. I … [Read more...] about 5 trust account errors that will get a firm in trouble

This year’s craziest excuses for calling in sick

While calling in sick, when you are feeling just fine, is not a new phenomenon in the office, fewer workers say they have done it over the last 12 months, says a recently released survey from CareerBuilder. Slightly more than a third of workers (35 percent) said they have called in to work sick when they were feeling just fine, down from 38 percent last year. More than 3,100 … [Read more...] about This year’s craziest excuses for calling in sick

Law firms promote more women to partnership in 2016

The Diversity & Flexibility Alliance recently announced that the percentage of women promoted to partnership in 2016 in the U.S. offices of many of the nation's largest law firms has reached a five-year high of 37.3 percent. This number has steadily increased from 33 percent in 2012, aside from a one-year dip to 32 percent in 2014, and is up nearly 3 percentage points from … [Read more...] about Law firms promote more women to partnership in 2016