The Bottom Line

The newsletter of the ISBA’s Standing Committee on Law Office Management and Economics

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2002 Articles

Client fee agreements: it’s time for a review By Carl R. Draper January 2002 The past 12 months have seen three decisions from the appellate court that have provoked alarm, concern, and a review of law office practices concerning fee agreements with clients.
Disgruntled employees in your law firm: The enemy within By Sharon D. Nelson & John W. Simek December 2002 Scary, but it is all too common for disgruntled employees to strike at their employer by causing technological calamity.
“The electronic lawyer” ™ By Alan Pearlman June 2002 Last month I told you about an exciting new scanner to take care of all your business card needs.
“The electronic lawyer” ™ By Alan Pearlman June 2002 There are some products in the market place that we can do without, while others just keep getting better and better. Iomega Corporation is one such company that keeps coming up with the best in storage and containment products for both the PC and MAC world!
Engagement letters By Donald E. Weihl October 2002 This article will discuss the reasons engagement letters are utilized, the benefits they provide, and examples of the content of portions of engagement letters that are commonly in use.
Get organized—use a checklist By Paul J. Sullivan April 2002 Everyday, people in all walks of life use a checklist to get themselves going into their daily routines.
How would you rate the morale in your office? Diagnosing the problem By Joseph Dailing April 2002 When you walk into your office in the morning, what does it feel like? Is your office a place where people greet one another politely or even enthusiastically or is your office a place where no one says "Good Morning" and where people quietly pass in the hallway without acknowledging each other?
It’s time By Donald E. Weihl January 2002 In the October, 1991, poll conducted by the section council, articles on efficient use of attorneys' time ranked high in the responses as a desired subject of attention in the newsletter.
The large-client dilemma By Donald E. Weihl December 2002 Law firms of all sizes represent large clients on a day-to-day, month-to-month, and year-to-year basis.
Lawyers work hard for their reputation—But they don’t deserve it! By Thomas J. Brannan October 2002 "Shyster," "ambulance chaser," "mouthpiece," "one with silver-forked tongue"...the number of disparaging words about lawyers seems to run the gamut.
Office morale, Part II Making things better—twenty things that you can do or begin today By Joseph Dailing April 2002 Developing or keeping good morale in a law office can often be an elusive goal. Deadlines are frequent, stress is always present and people occasionally make mistakes.
Oh where, oh where has my back up gone? By Maximilian M. Prusak January 2002 Have you ever sung the Back Up Blues? If you haven't, you will be probably feel quite content and a bit overconfident.
Out of control By Maximilian M. Prusak October 2002 Has your practice ever been "out of control"? Have you become a "crisis manager"? Has your spouse told you that your work life is out of balance? If so, read on.
Part-time employment—Does it work? By Jeffrey A. Rouhandeh December 2002 Part-time Employment--does it work? Is this a rhetorical question? I want to go on record and state unequivocally, maybe.
Presenting the bill By Donald E. Weihl April 2002 While the practice of law is an honorable profession, a lawyer, like anyone else rendering services, is entitled to be compensated for those services.
Reinventing your law practice: 25 tips for implementing change By Dr. John W. Olmstead December 2002 During the next 10 years, law firms will either undergo dramatic change and transform themselves or they will cease to exist. Present business and management practices will no longer serve practitioners well in the global electronic marketplace.
Stop! I want off! By Thomas J. Brannan January 2002 If you practice law--you know the feeling. At best, it is a monthly event, at worst, a daily event.
What lawyers want, need and should obtain when it comes to information about law office economics and technology By Paul Bernstein June 2002 Technology is more complicated then ever before.