As a law office manager, you wear many hats, from overseeing administrative tasks to ensuring client satisfaction. One of the most challenging aspects of your role is dealing with difficult clients. Handling such clients effectively is crucial for maintaining the firm's reputation, ensuring smooth operations, and fostering a positive work environment. This article provides … [Read more...] about 9 effective strategies to handle difficult clients
Working with lawyers
Spreadsheet savvy is vital to law office administration
In the dynamic landscape of legal administration, adept management of data and information is paramount. Law office managers serve as the backbone of law firms, ensuring smooth operations, client satisfaction, and adherence to regulatory requirements. Amidst the myriad responsibilities they shoulder, proficiency in utilizing spreadsheets emerges as a cornerstone skill, … [Read more...] about Spreadsheet savvy is vital to law office administration
Firms put the brakes on lateral hiring in 2023 – falling 35% from 2022
The lateral hiring market showed continued signs of a course correction in 2023, with lateral lawyer hiring down 35% overall, following 2022’s decline of 11.5%, according to the latest analyses from NALP’s 2023 Lateral Hiring Survey. NALP is an association of more than 3,000 legal career professionals who advise law students, lawyers, law offices, and law schools in North … [Read more...] about Firms put the brakes on lateral hiring in 2023 – falling 35% from 2022
To-Dos: Your July office checklist
According to best-selling author Regina Brett, "Summer is the annual permission slip to be lazy. To do nothing and have it count for something. To lie in the grass and count the stars. To sit on a branch and study the clouds." You wish! That might happen on the weekend—if you're lucky—but Monday to Friday, there's still plenty of work to do at the office. Here are some … [Read more...] about To-Dos: Your July office checklist
Fostering a business development mindset: Empowering lawyers in your office
Business development is not typically the first thing that comes to mind for many lawyers, whose primary focus is often on legal expertise and client representation. However, in today's competitive legal landscape, developing a business mindset is essential for both individual career growth and the success of a law office. As a law office administrator, you can play a pivotal … [Read more...] about Fostering a business development mindset: Empowering lawyers in your office
Flex-retirement: A win-win strategy for employee retention
Employee retention is not only a cost-effective strategy, but it also helps maintain institutional knowledge and ensures a smoother transition when team members retire. One innovative approach that can facilitate this transition and keep experienced staff on board is "flex-retirement." What Is Flex-Retirement? Flex-retirement, also known as flexible retirement, is a workplace … [Read more...] about Flex-retirement: A win-win strategy for employee retention
Model Client Engagement Letter
Why you need this Model Engagement Letter: An engagement letter is protection—for both the firm and the client. It prevents argument on what the firm is expected to do for the client and what the client is expected to do for the firm. So it needs to be clear, brief, and readable. How this Model Engagement Letter helps you: Use this Model Engagement Letter to educate your … [Read more...] about Model Client Engagement Letter
Model Policy: Office Room Temperature
The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines for maintaining a comfortable and productive work environment for all staff and clients by regulating the temperature in the law office. By implementing this office temperature policy, the law office aims to maintain a comfortable and productive work environment for all staff and clients. Consistent communication, … [Read more...] about Model Policy: Office Room Temperature
Cost-cutting strategies for law firms
By Elizabeth M. Miller bio After much resistance, kicking and screaming, lawyers are finally facing the reality that the business of practicing law is separate from the practice of law. What exactly does this mean? It means that a law practice is a business and from a management standpoint it needs to be run like a business or the practice will fail. We all know that the … [Read more...] about Cost-cutting strategies for law firms
How and when to ask a client for a referral
A new client should be a planned event, not an accident. And the most productive way to get a continuing stream of planned events is to follow an established process for generating referrals. Referrals are the highest producing form of marketing. In fact studies have shown that as many as seven out of 10 referrals turn into new clients. By contrast, cold calls for … [Read more...] about How and when to ask a client for a referral