Crammed?
There are several meanings for this word, but now a new one enters my vocabulary.
The term for bogus charges in a phone bill is cramming! The current issue of AARP's magazine discusses the history of the activity and suggests that there is only way to prevent unauthorized third-party charges on your phone bill:
- Call the phone company (AT&T: 800-288-2747; Verizon: 800-837-4966; Comcast: 800-266-2278; Qwest: 800-491-0118)
- Or send an email to the writer of the article, Ron Burley.
Law School Education
Join us on LawBiz Forum in the discussion about legal education and the current reexamination of its efficacy for teaching management skills for success. Will the law school tumble into the morass of being a trade school (heaven forbib!) by including such skills in its curriculum? Let us know what you think ...
New article on LexisHub
I've written a new article for LexisNexis, which has recently been published on their site. It's entitled, "Teaching Associates about Business Development," and in it I explore two fundamental questions firms need to ask when they're deciding whether to keep an associate: First, is there enough work for the associate to do? Second, does the associate's combination of skill and attitude demonstrate potential for bringing clients into the firm?
Take some time to read the article here, then share your thoughts.
Ed Interviews Jack Newton, President and co-founder of Themis Solutions and the creator of Clio software
31 minutes, 12 seconds
7.1MB
Watergate - Redux
California now has its own Watergate ... Seems it wasn't enough that favorite son Pres. Nixon, became enmeshed with the Watergate scandal that ultimately forced his resignation.
California has imported its own version with Sara Palin ... The shredding of a contract and refusal of a public-related entity to disclose the contract arrangements with Ms. Palin for a scheduled speech at the University of California, Stanislaus in June. The attorney general will investigate whether there was a violation of the State's public entity disclosure laws.
Invitation to breakfast - Boston
On Friday, April 23rd, I'll be in Boston. As I did for Chicago, I'm inviting you to join me for breakfast at 7:30 a.m. at the Boston Marriott Long Wharf, 296 State Street. If you plan to join me, please let me know no later than April 21 by calling at (310) 827-5415 or emailing me at edpoll@lawbiz.com.
Growing Your Law Practice in Tough Times
Remember: The “Growing Your Law Practice in Tough Times” contest is running through the entire month of April, so there’s still plenty of time to enter! Look back at this post from the beginning of the month to learn about all the ways you can participate.
It’s easy (and fun!) – in a nutshell, all you have to do is become a fan of LawBiz Management on Facebook and post a photo with you and the book on the Facebook wall or…for more points, write a review on our publisher’s site and post a link to it on the Facebook wall.
The winnings for this contest are big, so don’t forget to enter! The first place winner will receive a Fujitsu ScanSnap S1300 Mobile Scanner – valued at $295! Second place will get a half hour coaching session with me (which is priceless), and the third place winner will get my set of 4 Special Reports (PDF versions), which retails at more than $200!
But only those who enter will win…
Airstream - Old and New
And here I thought we were a bit off the beaten path! We've taken the Vintage approach to our Airstream trailer and will begin longer trips Legal Pad On the Road in our 1968 trailer. But, even the Hollywood types are catching up with us.
Law practice and golf
If you're a golf fan, you've just witnessed an outstanding competition. Whether you support Tiger Woods or are turned off by his personal challenges, you have to admit that he causes the sport of golf to be viewed by many more people than when he's not playing.
I just read an article about a study that suggests that other golfers do not play to their potential when Tiger plays because they think he will win the tournament. Rather than the competition bringing out the best of everyone, others seem to do worse, giving up before they begin.
And, the same is true in law firms ... when associates "give up," believing the "star associate" will get the prime assignment. This is counter-intuitive to me. What has been your experience?
Lawyers are not the only ones with realization issues
PTinMotion is the magazine for the American Physical Therapy Association, my daughter’s professional association. While reviewing its contents, waiting for her to receive her specialization certification, I read an article entitled “Make-or-Break Strategies for Tough Economic Times.” Perhaps the author read an advance copy of my new book, Growing Your Law Practice in Tough Times.
Here are some of the salient points made by the author:
• Bill Gates started Microsoft in a recession
• Risk is defined as the probability of a financial loss.
• Managing the bottom line or minimizing risk is essential in tough times
• Care for the bottom line: It’s the difference between closing, surviving & thriving
• Perform an internal audit and look at your billing and collection practices
• Identify potential for cost savings
• Risk management is about protecting a company’s assets
• Manage risk in terms of the type of clients accepted
• Lower one’s profit margin in order to attain larger volume
• Review your books twice a month to review your revenue and expenses
• Talk with your staff - they are on the front-line and can suggest improvements
• We have great untapped intellectual and creative capacity. The sky is the limit.
I’m not sure I could have said it better!
Malpractice Insurance Report
In the recent California Lawyer’s Annual Professional Liability Insurance Report, the writer quotes the ABA. Their study shows that 44,000 claims were lodged against insured lawyers nationally within the study’s three year period. Of this group, “...(s)olos and smaller firms were sued the most: 70 percent of all insurance claims were brought against lawyers in firms with one to five attorneys.”
I suppose this was the basis for arguing that lawyers either need malpractice insurance or should disclose to their clients that they don’t have such insurance. Yet, if 70% of the legal community works in the small firm environment, wouldn’t it make sense that 70% of the claims would be filed against this goup?
Despite these statistics, there is no study ever cited that shows how many claims, IF ANY, were filed against the approximately 30,000 (20%) attorneys in California who do not carry malpractice insurance. There is no study to conclude they have claims filed against them; there is no study to conclude they have been unable to negotiate settlements with their aggrieved clients, if any; there is no study to conclude these are “bad” or negligent attorneys from whom the public needs protection.
Despite this, the Bar (now about 23 states) has moved forward in lock-step to punish this group of attorneys by increasing their already marginal cost of operation and forcing them to become adversarial with their prospective clients by having this discussion.
Clever lawyers who may seek to avoid the negative consequences of this new rule can take a number of alternative paths to side-step the issue. They can obtain the most minimal policy, the true net effect of which will leave nothing for the client at the end of any malpractice litigation. They can bury the required disclosure language in a long written engagement agreement, seldom read by clients, thus avoiding the necessity of raising the issue with the client. Among other tactics.
As in other instances, the Bar fails to protect its members who pay their salaries and fails to protect the public by availing attorneys with affordable negligence insurance.
Growing Your Law Practice in Tough Times
I'm very excited about mye new book, just released by West Pub. Co.
West is offering a special new release price. Take a look now!
And, LawBiz has a contest running through this month for the book that includes significant benefits to help take your law practice to the next level of success.
Spaghetti film - April Fool's
See my earlier post and then check out the original BBC piece.
New Book, New Contest
Welcome to LawBizBlog’s new contest in celebration of my new book Growing Your Law Practice in Tough Times. With the book hot-off-the-press, I thought we should have some fun this month and give away some exciting prizes.
What is the contest?
The contest will run for the entire month of April. At the end of the month, participants’ names will be drawn out of a hat raffle style to determine the first, second, and third place winners – and announced here on the blog.
How do you get your name in the hat?
To get your name in the hat ONE TIME:
- become a fan of LawBiz Management on Facebook (www.facebook.com/LawBizManagement)
- follow LawBiz Management on Twitter (www.twitter.com/LawBiz)
- be sure to leave a message on the Facebook wall or send an @ message to LawBiz announcing that you’re LawBiz’s newest fan!
To get your name in the hat THREE TIMES:
- take a fun picture of you with the book and post it on Facebook or Twitter (be sure to @LawBiz Management so we know you posted)
- post the picture on your own blog or website (be sure to post link on our Facebook wall!)
To get your name in the hat FIVE TIMES:
- read the book and write a review. Post it on our publisher’s website. Follow this link: http://west.thomson.com/productdetail/163575/40930118/productdetail.aspx
- post the link to your review on our Facebook.
What can you win?
FIRST PRIZE: Fujitsu ScanSnap S1300 Instant PDF Sheet-Fed Scanner, plus ½ hour coaching session with Ed
SECOND PRIZE: ½ hour coaching session with Ed
THIRD PRIZE: Set of 4 Special Reports, written by Ed (find all 4 at store.lawbiz.com/books.php)
Remember, you have all month to enter (but that doesn't mean you should wait)!
April Fool's
I actually saw it! It was shown on NBC television. I was young (not THAT young) and actually believed it for several years.
The BBC reported on April 1, 1957 that Swiss farmers were harvesting a huge spaghetti crop due to the near-elimination of the spaghetti weevil. Coverage showed peasants picking spaghetti from trees!
This was confirmed by USA Today on April 1, 1995.
