Subject Index Law Practice and Office Management

Do you have to give clients their files?

November
2015
Article
, Page 24
In Illinois, clients own briefs and other "end products" of the matter, but lawyers control early drafts and notes.

Top Tens for Client Satisfaction

November
2015
Column
, Page 50
Making clients happy isn't just about good legal outcomes - it's also about good customer service.

The looming court-reporter shortage

By Matthew Hector
October
2015
LawPulse
, Page 12
Seventy-five percent of the state's licensed reporters could be eligible for retirement before the end of the decade. Will there be qualified candidates to replace them?
1 comment (Most recent October 6, 2015)

Rethinking Email Encryption

By Charles J. Northrup
October
2015
Column
, Page 46
Evolving ethics standards make it more important than ever for lawyers to understand encryption.

Securing Your Electronic Client Communications

By Timothy A. Slating
October
2015
Column
, Page 50
A look at ways to ensure that your clients are the only ones reading email you send them.

The ABCs of LLLTs

By Ed Finkel
September
2015
Cover Story
, Page 20
Proponents say limited license legal technicians provide legal representation to people who couldn't otherwise afford it. Critics argue they'll compete with underemployed lawyers and lower the quality of legal services.
1 comment (Most recent August 22, 2015)

Best Practices for Billing, Robot Lawyers?

September
2015
Column
, Page 50
5 tips for better billing; will a robot take your job?

New York ban on nonlawyer ownership upheld

By Matthew Hector
September
2015
LawPulse
, Page 12
A federal district judge issues a strongly worded rejection of Jacoby & Meyer's challenge to New York's rule banning nonattorney ownership of law firms.
1 comment (Most recent August 22, 2015)

Making the Ask

By Ed Finkel
August
2015
Cover Story
, Page 20
What can female attorneys - and firms that want to hire and keep them - do to ensure that their compensation and opportunities keep pace with their talent and commitment?
2 comments (Most recent July 31, 2015)

Solos’ Shrinking Income, Getting Along with the OC

August
2015
Column
, Page 49
Solos' incomes take a deep dive; it pays to get along with opposing counsel.
1 comment (Most recent August 10, 2015)

Get Encrypted, Get Referrals…and Get a DUI App?

July
2015
Column
, Page 51
Protect clients' digital information; use post-engagement review calls to get client referrals; a new DUI app?

Rule change makes it easier to clear ‘mystery money’ from IOLTA accounts

By Matthew Hector
June
2015
LawPulse
, Page 10
Unidentified funds rattling around in your IOLTA account? Effective next month, amendments to Illinois Rule of Professional Responsibility 1.15 make it easier to dispose of them.

Sleepless in the Corner Office

By Karen Erger
June
2015
Column
, Page 48
Sleep is a necessity, not a luxury.

We’re All in This Together

By Richard D. Felice
June
2015
Column
, Page 8
Oregon and California could join Washington in authorizing LLLTs.

Plan to Grow

By Ed Finkel
March
2015
Cover Story
, Page 24
Lawyers and practice advisers explain the importance of strategic planning to long-term success.

The sting of IOLTA overdraft alerts

By Matthew Hector
March
2015
LawPulse
, Page 14
Since 2011, banks have been required to report IOLTA-account overdrafts to the Illinois ARDC. The resulting investigations often uncover bookkeeping mistakes that get lawyers into trouble.

Feeling Secure in the Cloud

By Ed Finkel
January
2015
Cover Story
, Page 20
You're probably already using the Internet to access remote servers - aka cloud computing - whether you know it or not. And you should be. But make sure you understand the risks.

The Rise of the Freelance Lawyer

By Ed Finkel
December
2014
Cover Story
, Page 576
More solos and small-firm lawyers are hiring stay-at-home moms and others on a project-by-project basis as the need arises. The lawyers they hire are trading full-time employment for freedom.
3 comments (Most recent November 22, 2014)

2014 Compensation & Benefits Survey: 5 Key Findings

By Timothy A. Slating
November
2014
Cover Story
, Page 528
How much do ISBA members earn? How many hours do they work? What are the most popular practice areas? Survey respondents answer these and other questions.

Alternative Billing Comes to Main Street

By Ed Finkel
October
2014
Cover Story
, Page 476
Firms that serve corporate clients are no strangers to non-hourly billing strategies. But other attorneys are finding that consumer-friendly pricing can be lawyer-friendly as well.
1 comment (Most recent September 24, 2014)

Accepting credit-card payments? Mind your trust-account ps and qs

By Mark S. Mathewson
September
2014
LawPulse
, Page 418
Make sure retainer-fee payments by credit card are going into your trust account and not your general office account, an ISBA ethics opinion admonishes.

The Powerful Practice Technology You Already Have

By Ed Finkel
September
2014
Cover Story
, Page 428
The technology that can transform your practice by dramatically saving you time and money may already be in your office - if you'd just learn to use it.

Make Your Personal Style Work for You

By Ed Finkel
August
2014
Cover Story
, Page 380
Afraid you're too shy to get up and do what needs to be done to market your practice? Fear not. Good marketing is more about listening than talking.

A Family Lawyer’s Guide to Tending Client Relationships

By Janan Hanna
May
2014
Cover Story
, Page 224
Choosing the right clients and managing their expectations may be the two most important jobs for any family law practitioner.

Good Is Not So Bad

By Karen Erger
April
2014
Column
, Page 198
Perfectionism won't make you perfect. In fact, it might actually inhibit your performance.

The Business Case for Disability Diversity in Legal Employment

By Cheryl L. Anderson
March
2014
Article
, Page 132
Legal employers increasingly recognize that diversity in their workplace is important to success. Yet many overlook disability diversity. Here's why that's a mistake.

The Ratings Game

By Janan Hanna
March
2014
Cover Story
, Page 124
Sites like Avvo that rate lawyers and encourage consumer reviews are evoking reaction positive and negative in the legal community – and posing interesting ethical challenges.
1 comment (Most recent February 24, 2014)

Practice-Launching Tips for Solos and Small Firms

By Ed Finkel
February
2014
Cover Story
, Page 72
Time to strike out on your own? Veteran practitioners help you get off to a good start - and avoid common missteps - with tips on marketing, billing, retainers, client management, and more.

Low Cost Technology for Highly Productive Lawyers

By Ed Finkel
January
2014
Cover Story
, Page 20
Now more than ever, great technology tools - many especially designed for lawyers - are amazingly affordable if not free. But don't forget the crucial difference between "frugal" and "cheap."
1 comment (Most recent December 31, 2013)

Advance payment retainers in dissolution of marriage cases are subject to disgorgement

December
2013
Illinois Law Update
, Page 612
On October 3, 2013, the Illinois Supreme Court held that advance payment retainers paid in dissolution of marriage cases are subject to disgorgement pursuant to the "leveling of the playing field" rules in the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (the "Act").

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