Airplane air is "dirty"
USA Today reports today that Boeing's Dreamline 787 will have better cabin air when released in 2008. Until then, we have to suffer air that makes passengers dizzy, fatigued and induces headaches.
Did you know that today's cabin air comes from the plane's jet engines? The new 787 system will draw air from the outside. The outside air is cold, dry and clean at cruising altitude, according to the article. But, we can't have that until 2008!
25% of the current U.S. commercial fleet does not have special air filters that remove most dust, pollen, bacteria and viruses. While we get little protection in the other 75% of the fleet, we get no protection from this 25%. So, if you get sick after leaving your flight, you may not have to look further than the airplane that transported you to your destination.
Global Tech Leaders named
Citytech, a London-based publication, just named its Top 100 Global Tech leaders. Among those mentioned were Monica Bay, editor of Law Technology News, Tom Collins of Juris, Inc., and Dennis Kennedy.
Congratulations to all!
Airstream Saga continued - Test run
If I didn't see it before, I'm beginning to understand the universality of life. Lessons I've learned in business also apply in my personal life, and vice versa. Thus, as my wife and I begin to travel the road in our Airstream trailer, I'm seeing how the lessons I'm learning also apply to the effective running of a law office.
Rather than compel you to read this saga in order to learn the lessons I’m seeing as we begin our new adventures, I’ve decided to list the lessons first. Then, if you want to enjoy the saga, read on.
OK, so what are the lessons to be learned for the law practice. After all, why else would you be interested?
Continue Reading...Recognition for LawBizBlog Posting on Firing
Alan Childless and Stark County Law Library Blog recognized and mentioned our posting on terminating an associate.
Continue Reading...How much you bill or How fast you collect?
What’s more important financially – how much you bill or how fast you collect?
Continue Reading...Flat fee billing increasing in popularity
Alternative billing is being talked about by more lawyers, though many cynics don't believe changes will be made. Flat fee billing is perhaps the first step in the direction of change. It is more easily understood and embraced.
The challenge with any alternative fee approach is that lawyers, generally, don't know their costs of operation. Thus, the fee figure chosen often is a "by guess, by golly" fee, not one based on a cost benefit analysis.
Continue Reading...How to fire an associate ---
In one of my coaching sessions today, I was confronted with a question that doesn’t arise often, but often enough to merit some review.
An associate was “guilty” of not attaining and remaining at the level of quality desired by the firm. The precise details are not important for our purposes.
The associate was with the firm only 6 months and had previously been warned to address the issues of client service and quality performance of legal services. My client, the managing partner, decided that the time had come to dismiss the associate rather than wait for the eventual malpractice suit, Bar disciplinary action, or loss of client(s).
Continue Reading...Airstream Demonstrates Need for Strategic Plan
We now have the Airstream, a vintage 1969 Overlander.
My wife’s due diligence enabled us to buy a very good unit at a fair price, a price far less than a new unit would cost. She now has found an RV Show on the DIY (“do it yourself”) Network. And they have devoted a number of shows to restoring/refurbishing a 1970 Overlander. Can’t get any closer to our unit than that. The host of the show is doing an incredibly great job – I recommend watching it just for the joy of seeing a creative person demonstrate how one can implement a vision of beauty that others can’t even imagine.
Continue Reading...The Long Tail
A new term for me, "the long tail," a book by the same title.
What is the principle of The Long Tail? The summary provided on their website suggests the following:
"The Long Tail equation is simple: 1) The lower the cost of distribution, the more you can economically offer without having to predict demand. 2) The more you can offer, the greater the chance that you will be able to tap latent demand for minority tastes that was unreachable through traditional retail. 3) aggregate enough minority taste, and you'll often find get a big new market."
Excuse me, but isn't this the primary principle of capitalism? Lower the price of any goods or services and you'll increase the volume. With increased volume, you'll attract new customers... Although this isn't necessarily so in all cases.
But the book lends for interesting discussion nevertheless.
Airstream - An Adventure!
Traveling the country has always been an exciting adventure. Most folks do so either by car or plane and stay in hotels/motels, see the sites and move on.
At this time in our life, my wife has decided we need to see the USA, not in a Chevrolet as I did earlier in life, but in an Airstream vintage trailer. After my wife’s “due diligence,” (I knew there would be an analogy to law practice! :-)), we bought a 1969 Airstream. And now comes the fun part: Doing all the things we need to do in order to start our new journey, part by part.
Continue Reading...MAC attack
Monica Bay writes about two articles, one positive and one negative, that appeared in Law Technology News, the publication she edits for ALM. She describes the hateful responses from MAC users to Larry Bodine's column concerning his bad experiences with a new MAC.
In our society, which has become more polarized and more hateful than at any time in my memory, lawyers must be the bastion of civility and reasoned opinion. If we go off the deep edge, there will be no hope for a sustained civilization of any real quality.
Marketing Teleseminar -- Successful Series Continues
For Immediate Release
October 17, 2006
Venice, CA
Teleseminar Series Continues
Edward Poll, principal of LawBiz Management is conducting a 6-part series with the South Carolina Bar Association on how to successfully operate a law firm.
The next in the series is: "How to create a marketing plan that will spell success." It will be held at 1 p.m. ET; 10 a.m. PT.
A good marketing plan will show you the path to get from where you are to where you want to be, from your current position in the legal community to having achieved your goals. What will it take to get you there and how much will it cost, both in time and in money? How can I calculate my ROI (return on investment)?
• Overview of goals
• Your comfort zone for marketing
• How to use specific tactics to your advantage
• ROI (return on investment) of your efforts
• Where do I get the time to do all this marketing
Lawyers "leave money on the table"
Venice, CA
October 16, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Successful Lawyer-Banker Relationship: A LawBiz Special Report
Edward Poll, principal of LawBiz Management Co., announces the release of The Successful Lawyer-Banker Relationship: A LawBiz Special Report. This is the second publication in a series of Special Reports on topics of practical and major importance to the effective and profitable management of The Business of Law®, has just been released. The purchase price is $29.00, the price of all LawBiz’ Special Reports.
Howard Putnam, former CEO of Southwest Airlines and author of Winds of Turbulence, introduces the Special Report, by declaring: “Banks are looking for profitable new niches and law firms and banks are natural allies in this new competitive world. Ed Poll’s Special Report provides attorneys with straightforward information to understand the in’s and out’s of how to build a mutually beneficial relationship with one of the most important players in any business equation, Your Banker.”
The Successful Lawyer-Banker Relationship offers guidelines on how lawyers with sole practices, small firms or mid-size firms can build mutually beneficial and effective banking relationships that are critical in helping any law firm become a more successful business. Topics covered include choosing a bank and banker, establishing creditworthiness, securing a loan, managing cash and trust accounts, and using merchant banking and other bank services efficiently.
“With our first Special Report on Business Competency for Lawyers, LawBiz began a new kind of book,” Poll states. “It’s intentionally condensed to 60 pages, an easy thirty-minute read for any busy lawyer on the go. The content is practical yet sophisticated, and provides basics for managing and running a successful law business without getting into too many nitty-gritty details, numbers, and long examples.”
Poll adds that future Special Reports will address other areas of practical and significant importance to the effective and profitable management of The Business of Law®, including work-life balance, disaster preparation and recovery, and setting legal fees.
Ed Poll is a leading authority in the field of law practice management and the Principal of LawBiz Management Co., a firm that consults with and coaches lawyers and law firms throughout the United States, Mexico, Australia and England. Poll is a Board Approved (SAC®) Coach to the Legal Profession. For more information, contact Ed Poll at edpoll@lawbiz.com or call (800) 837-5880; also, please see http://www.lawbiz.com and http://www.lawbizblog.com. He is the author of several best-selling books on the topics of law practice management, including his new book, Selling Your Law Practice, released in September 2005. (http://lawbiz.com).
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More Outsourcing
Another announcement of a major law firm going to India, this time in a very big way. Not just for legal services, but for staff functions. Lawyers normally want these functions right "next door" where they can get the information they request immediately ("instant gratification").
Continue Reading...Taking Electronic Passwords to the Grave
Attorneys advising clients on estate planning should ask them to determine who they want to have access to their computers when they die. So starts an article with a whole new concept for me. And a great new tool for marketing in your Estate Planning or even General Practice law firm.
Continue Reading...How to Survive & Thrive in the Practice of Law
Ed Poll will be conducting a 6 week Teleseminar Series for the South Carolina Bar. Starting October 12th, and each week thereafter for 6 sessions, key aspects of operating The Business of Law(r) will be discussed. Sign up now! Or call Ed Poll for more information.
New law for lawyers: Get older, get fired, sue for millions
I'm glad to see that the UK is not unlike the US!
Today, a new Age Discrimination Act goes into effect in England. With the millions of dollars to be involved, much litigation is expected.
Continue Reading...How to Romance and Retain Your Best Customers
Alan Weiss, founder of Society for Advancement of Management, issued a press release about nourishing customers.
Continue Reading...
