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  • October 21, 2015 | Practice News
    Best Practice: How to stand out in a crowded legal market

    Asked and Answered

    By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC

    Q. I am the managing partner of a 16 attorney business transactional firm in Chicago. Over the last five years, we have lost several core clients due to consolidation of their outside law firms and mergers of the clients themselves. Competition is getting fierce in our market, our services are being viewed as commodities, and it is getting harder to stand out. What can we do to differentiate ourselves from everyone else? We welcome your thoughts.

    A. Creating a competitive advantage that is sustainable over time is difficult at best. It is so easy for your competitors to copycat your recent innovations. Clients of law firms advise us that they hire the lawyer - not the firm. However, this is only partly true. The firm - its image and brand - provides a backdrop for the individual attorneys marketing efforts as well and provides backup and bench strength that many clients require before retaining a lawyer.

    In general the law firm is faced with the dual challenge of developing a reputation (brand) at both the firm and the individual lawyer level. In general, client delivery practices and behaviors that are part of the firm's core values and have been burned into the firm's cultural fabric are the hardest to copycat.

    Areas in which you can consider differentiation strategies:

    1 comment (Most recent October 22, 2015)
  • October 20, 2015 | Practice News
    CARPLS seeks volunteers for legal hotline

    Volunteer hotline attorneys wanted to give advice to Chicago-area low-income clients in the areas of landlord/tenant, consumer debt, and family law. Day and night shifts are available. Daily hotline shifts are Mondays-Fridays 9:00 a.m.-1 p.m. or 1-5 p.m. A minimum commitment of 1 shift per week over a 10-week session is requested. Evening shifts are Mondays and Wednesdays from 5:30 p.m.–8 p.m. We seek a minimum commitment of 36 hours over a one-year period. Training (with CLE credit and dinner!) and malpractice insurance provided.

    Our next training cycle begins Wednesday, November 4, 2015 from 4 p.m.-8 p.m.  For more information, contact Leslie Wallin at 312/421-4427 or lwallin@carpls.org or go to https://www.carpls.org/getinvolved/pro-bono-opportunities/

  • October 15, 2015 | Practice News
    Illinois Supreme Court updates rules due to technology, practice developments

    The Illinois Supreme Court announced today the adoption of several rule changes designed to bring attorney ethics rules up to date with advances in technology and developments in global legal practices.

    During its September Term, the Court approved amendments to the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct and Supreme Court Rules 705 and 716. The Supreme Court Rules Committee recommended the changes to the Court after reviewing the proposals and holding a public hearing on July 22, 2015, in Chicago.

    All of the rule changes take effect January 1, 2016.

  • October 14, 2015 | Practice News
    Best Practice: Law firm challenges - managing people

    Asked and Answered

    By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC

    Q. I am the managing partner of an eight-attorney firm in Austin, Texas, that was formed last year when several of us left another firm. The most frustrating part of the managing partner job is managing the people - this includes other partners, associates and staff. How do I deal with people that are not following firm policy or doing things they should not be doing?

  • October 9, 2015 | Practice News
    Thorne appointed U.S. Bankruptcy Judge

    Chief Judge Diane P. Wood of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit is pleased to announce the appointment of Deborah L. Thorne to a 14-year term as United States Bankruptcy Judge for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. She will take office on October 22, 2015.

    Ms. Thorne earned her bachelor's degree from Macalester College, her Master of Arts in Teaching degree from Duke University and her law degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago Kent College of Law. She was admitted to practice in Illinois in 1983.

    Ms. Thorne is a partner in the Chicago office of Barnes & Thornburg LLP. She is Vice President of the American Bankruptcy Institute for Communications and Information Technology and serves on the Executive Committee. Ms.Thorne is a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy and is also a member of the Federal Bar Association, Turnaround Management Association, International Women's Insolvency Confederation, and Decalogue Society.

  • October 8, 2015 | Practice News
    Quick takes on Thursday's Illinois Supreme Court opinions

    Our panel of leading appellate attorneys review Thursday's Illinois Supreme Court opinions in the civil case Nelson v. Artley and the criminal case People v. Stapinski.

    CIVIL

    Nelson v. Artley

    By Alyssa M. Reiter, Williams, Montgomery & John Ltd.

    The liability of a rental car company who obtains a certificate of self-insurance from the Secretary of State is limited to the same minimum coverage provisions applicable to rental car companies who meet their financial responsibility obligations through purchasing an insurance policy. 

    Mr. Nelson was injured by an Enterprise rental car driven by Mr. Artley, who was uninsured. Nelson sued Artley, resulting in a default judgment of $600,000.  Nelson brought a supplementary action against Enterprise.

    Enterprise asserted various affirmative defenses, the most pertinent dealing with its financial exposure.  Enterprise argued that because it was self-insured, its total financial responsibility per occurrence was $100,000 (the statutory minimum coverage requirements for insurance).  Because $75,000 already had been paid or allotted to other claims arising out of the same incident, the circuit court issued a turnover order of $25,000 to Nelson. 

  • October 7, 2015 | Practice News
    Hirsch appointed associate judge in 22nd Circuit

    Michael J. Tardy, Director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, announced today that the Twenty-Second Judicial Circuit judges voted to select Jeffrey L. Hirsch as an associate judge of the Twenty-Second Judicial Circuit.

    Mr. Hirsch received his undergraduate degree in 1991 from Indiana University in Bloomington and his Juris Doctor in 1994 from The John Marshall Law School in Chicago. Mr. Hirsch is currently affiliated with The Gitlin Law Firm in Woodstock.

  • October 7, 2015 | Practice News | ISBA News
    It’s Time to Celebrate Pro Bono!

    National Celebration of Pro Bono is October 26-30, 2015

    By Michael G. Bergmann, ISBA Standing Committee on the Delivery of Legal Services, Executive Director of the Public Interest Law Initiative 

    Coordinated by the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service, Pro Bono Week is intended to inspire even greater pro bono participation by lawyers throughout the nation. This initiative provides an opportunity for legal organizations across the country to collaboratively commemorate the vitally important contributions of America's lawyers and to recruit and train the many additional volunteers required to meet the growing demand. The Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service undertook this initiative to provide a format for showcasing the incredible difference that pro bono lawyers make to our nation, to our system of justice, to our communities and, most of all, to the clients they serve.

  • October 7, 2015 | Practice News
    Best Practice: Is it better to grow firm through associates or acquisitions?

    Asked and Answered

    By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC

    Q. We are a two-partner firm located in Rochester, Minn. We have been approached by a solo practitioner that wants to sell us his practice. The price and terms seem fair, but we are concerned about staffing and managing the other office. His practice consists of himself and two staff members. We would have to maintain a second office, hire an associate or two for the office, and then manage both operations. We have recently tried to hire an associate without success by reaching out to targeted lawyers that we knew in our local area. Frankly, acquiring this practice is a little daunting. We would appreciate your thoughts.

    A. I believe the first issue is whether you are looking to grow the firm and are willing to undertake the additional management responsibilities that comes with growth. Some firms are ready for growth and others are not. Larger is not necessarily better. 

    I would not let your unsuccessful associate hiring attempts discourage you from acquiring the practice if you desire to grow and the price and terms are acceptable. You may need to cast a wider net and be more focused in your efforts. Recently a two-attorney firm in Mid-Missouri hired an associate from St. Louis. A two-attorney firm in Central Kentucky hired an associate from Lexington, Kentucky. It may take some time but a concentrated recruiting effort usually pays off regardless where you are located - even in small communities. 

    Click here for our blog on career management

  • October 1, 2015 | Practice News
    Justice Burke announces vacancy in 13th subcircuit

    Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne M. Burke announced today an application process for a vacancy in the 13th Judicial Subcircuit of Cook County.

    The vacancy will be created by the retirement of Cook County Circuit Judge Thomas P. Fecarotta Jr., who served as a judge since 1998. His retirement took effect September 30, 2015.