Demonstrating how we improve our clients' lives: The goal for 2006
The Chief Marketing Officer for Intel said in the current issue (January 9, 2006) of Business Week, "I tell people they're not just about making silicon. They're helping people's lives improve, and we need to let the world know that," says Eric Kim.
The question then, is: What are you going to do in 2006 to change how you are perceived by your clients and your prospective clients? How are you going to communicate to your clients how you help improve their lives?
Schiavo - A tale of incompetence and conflicts
The attorney for the parents of Florida's famous Schiavo case is getting an award for distinction. Yet, the North Country Gazette details the incompetence and fraudulent conduct of both this attorney and judges involved in the case.
This is fascinating reading ... and highlights areas of common sense that lawyers must address. Conflicts of interest and incompetence are not to be taken lightly! It is when one or both of these transgressions occur that clients justifiably sue lawyers, not because they've been charged too much!
Legal Fees: Increasing Fees in 2006
December 27, 2005
Venice, CA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Legal Fees: Increasing Fees in 2006
Lawyers have experienced a 5% to 10% increase in revenue during 2005, according to several recent studies. Much of this growth, says Edward Poll, a nationally recognized law firm management consultant and coach to lawyers, has come from increasing hourly rates or acquiring lateral partners rather than by attracting new clients.
Continue Reading...2006 - Some thoughts on the future
The Society for Advancement of Consulting has canvassed its global membership and developed a consensus on these business predictions for 2006. Here are several for your consideration:
Continue Reading...Averages don't control
The question was asked: What percentage of revenue is normally spent on marketing? While some studies apppear to provide an answer to this question, I'm not enamored with studies that show averages of costs of operation in a law firm. I think they must be taken with a grain, a large grain, of salt.
Continue Reading...The Remote Control CEO
Another lesson can be learned by lawyers from industry: Empower your staff to make decisions. We're talking about process, obviously, not legal advice. There is much in the running of a law office that paralegals and other staff can handle without the lawyer. This involves, among other things, the delegation of authority from the lawyer to the staff ... without micro-managing the process.
Continue Reading...Make Hay When the Sun Shines
"The time to fix the roof is when the sun is shining ... " (from the Memphis Business Journal)
When business is good, that's the time to market your services, the time to make sure that your target market know what you do and that you're available to serve their needs and the time to shore up your infrastructure for additional work.
By the time it rains, and cash flow is tight, it's too late -- There seldom is an umbrella laying around.
It's this philosophy, among others, that made Jack Welch an effective CEO for GE.
Press Release
December 12, 2005
Venice, CA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ed Poll Appointed to Law Journal Newsletter Editorial Board
The publication becomes the first of the Law Journal Newsletters to go to 12 pages from its standard 8 pages.
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Disaster Recovery -- Part III
One of the primary and most essential ingredients to disaster recovery is communication - communication with associate lawyers and with staff. Don't forget vendors and clients and the courts, and others who make your business work.
But, setting up a good communications system must be in place before the disaster occurs.
After a disaster ...
Continue Reading...Word Perfect vs. Word ..... again
I recently responded to a comment on Technolawyer, suggesting that WordPerfect is still a powerful word processor. And the argument that our clients use Word is no longer sufficient to migrate to Word. We work with WP, save as an .rtf (Word) or even better, a .pdf file. Then send that file, all the while having created the document in WP.
... this is one response to my comment:
"I just had to say Bravo for your succinct comments on WP v Word. As a WP advocate who does not "get" Word and finds it anything but intuitive, your comments made the most sense of any I've heard. It's a cost benefit analysis. And like you, I can readily convert from one format to another when the need arises. I also try to send out everything as a secured PDF regardless, as I don't want others to mess with my documents."
Arthur
D.C. Court says lawyers are not covered
D.C. Circuit Uses Scalia Analogy: Lawyers Not Covered under FTC Privacy Disclosure Rule
(The ABA Journal, in an article written by Terry Carter, tells us about the new ruling in favor of the BAR.
The Federal Trade Commission engaged in "attempted turf expansion" beyond its authority when it sought to regulate lawyers through a statute requiring financial institutions to send privacy disclosure notices to customers, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit said Tuesday.
Continue Reading...Your prospects for 2006?
The American Lawyer(R) reports that managing partners of the nation's largest law firms are bullish on their prospects for the upcoming year, predicting that their revenue and profit increases will outpace the economy in 2006.
Continue Reading...Is client service unprofessional?
My recent experience with the Bar is covered in the current issue of the ABA's Law Practice Today.
The Bar tells us that we should not be concerned about marketing; marketing is broadly defined as communication with clients and prospects. And then lawyers are disciplined for failing to communicate with clients!
Something is wrong with this picture! The Bar needs wake up. The Bar, and particularly the larger firms that control the organized Bar, needs to put their fear of advertising (already permitted by Court order!) on the shelf and not confuse real marketing with education about communications with clients, a skill law schools and the Bar fail to provide.
Wanting remote access?
Are you wanting remote access while on the road, away from the office?
I just came across this review in PC Mag. It is a great comparison of the benefits of each of several options.
Skype - another technology innovation
Check this out: http://yoursuccess.blogspot.com/
Terry Brock, a technology guru with marketing skills, to boot, talks about the benefits of using Skype (recently purchased by e-Bay for $2.6 billion) as a phone when you travel.
An interesting idea. And, check out his comment about using the video concept available on Skype via e-Bay!
Business acceleration - Asking the right questions
In planning for next year, ask yourself the following questions:
1. What are the two most important business outcomes we are working to achieve in the next six months?
2. What behaviors will be necessary in order to increase the chances we will achieve those desired business outcomes?
3. Whom do we need to influence in order to get both the desired behaviors and the desired business results?
4. How will we influence these people?
5. Who will specifically provide the influence to the various individuals?
(Courtesy of Dan Coughlin, corporate & career catalyst)
If you want help in answering these questions, see our classic guide (called the "Bible of running a law practice"), Attorney & Law Firm Guide to The Business of Law, 2nd ed. (Pub. ABA 2002).
