Asked and Answered

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

Q. I am a member of a three-member executive committee for a 34-lawyer firm in Austin, Texas. We have been in practice for over 100 years. While we have had partners retire in the past with no issues, we are now facing a situation where seven partners are approaching retirement at the same time and each of them controls significant books of business. What can the firm do to ensure that retiring partners properly transition their clients so the firm can continue to flourish after the partners are no longer here? We would appreciate your thoughts.

Thank you for being an ISBA member - 2016-2017 bar association dues are due by June 30, 2016. An invoice has been mailed or you can also pay online here.

We hope you remember that ISBA offers a wide range of services designed to help you be productive and efficient. ISBA provides a services package valued at over $1,300. We are adding new services in the coming year that are outlined below.

To help us continue to provide quality services and to streamline the dues structure, we have reduced the number of dues categories and instituted a modest dues increase - the first one in over 10 years. We are committed to continuing to expand premium benefits for you.

Renew now so you don't miss the exciting new services and continue to enjoy the current line-up.

UPCOMING BENEFITS

• Law Practice Management & Technology Resources: Checklists, Videos, Training & More
• Enhanced Online Lawyer Directory via CloudLaw
• More Versatile Online Section Communities

CURRENT BENEFITS

Registration is now open for the 140th ISBA Annual Meeting. Join us at our new convenient location in Rosemont, IL for three days packed with learning and networking opportunities.

We're offering 2 tracks of Solo and Small Firm Practice Institute programming, focusing on Transforming Your Practice with Technology and Establishing Your New Solo/Small Firm Practice.

We're also rolling out the red carpet for today's new lawyers. Come Friday to hear from The Good Wife's legal technical advisor and stay for an afternoon of improv with our Young Lawyers Division, followed by an all-night party celebrating the profession. 

It's the best ideas merged into one exciting conference, with more than 16 hours of CLE, 58 business meetings, an exhibit hall, and the Chicago Catz Band. It's Annual:Redone, with #moreCLEmoreFUN.

View the schedule at www.isba.org/annual/schedule

Register at www.isba.org/annual/registration

ISBA Director of Legislative Affairs Jim Covington reviews legislation in Springfield of interest to ISBA members. This week he covers FOIA (House Bill 4715), Juvenile justice (Senate Bill 2370), Counties Code (House Bill 4603), IMDMA cleanup (House Bill 3898), Cannabis civil penalties (Senate Bill 2228), Limited Liability Company Act (House Bill 4361), Income shares and child support (House Bill 3982), Land Trust Beneficiary Rights Act (House Bill 4697), Trust law (Senate Bill 2842) and Sex crimes against minors (House Bills 1127). More information on each bill is available below the video.

The Illinois Supreme Court announced Thursday changes to a rule that will slightly modify the deadlines to apply to take the Illinois bar examination.

The amendments to Supreme Court Rule 706, which governs the filing deadlines and fees to take the bar exam, will take effect July 1, 2016. The fees will not change under the rule amendment.

Under the amended rule, the on-time deadline to apply to take the February bar exam will be extended by approximately two weeks, from September 1 to September 15, and the final late deadline to apply for the February and July exams will be moved up by two weeks, from December 31 to December 15, and May 31 to May 15, respectively.

Congratulations to Alexas Collier for winning the Ruby Receptionists Giveaway. Don't forget to check out our Membership Appreciation Month site for upcoming promotions.

The winner receives 3 months of free virtual receptionist service (a value of up to $2,600) from our vendor partner Ruby Receptionists*!

In this quick take practice tip, attorney Erica Minchella discusses dissolution and other considerations when unmarried clients take residential real estate title.

You negotiate every day. In fact, your ability to effectively negotiate may be the most critical skill you possess, yet most negotiate instinctively or intuitively. Don’t miss this Master Series seminar in Chicago on June 22, 2016 that trains you to approach negotiations with a strategic mindset, allowing you to become a more effective lawyer. And make no mistake – no matter how much you’ve negotiated, you can still learn. Adding that one new tactic may be the difference between winning and walking away empty-handed. Topics include: the golden rules of negotiation; gaining leverage with alternatives; using objective criteria and timing to your advantage; techniques for gathering information; generating creative solutions; dealing with “negotiation games”; ethical considerations; and much more.

Asked and Answered

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

Q. I am the managing partner of a six attorney boutique estate planning practice located in Madison, Wisconsin. We had a great year last year financially as we have the last several years. However, this year (2016) we are off to a terrible start. Our new matter intakes are down by twenty-five percent. We have a very proactive marketing program - print advertisements, directory listings, top notch website, and we do seminars for prospective clients. I know other estate planning attorneys that do more seminars than we do. Should we be doing more seminars? I would appreciate your insight.