Open a Firm

There’s more to starting a new firm than just a great legal mind or a great team. There are tons of business considerations beyond being a great lawyer or legal professional. These factors include type of business entity, compensation structure, and all manner of financial tracking and reporting. This checklist makes sure you have the “business basics” in mind when starting your new firm. Use this checklist in conjunction with “New Firm Technology” for a full 360-degree picture of options and possibilities.

The Leadership Conundrum

Simon Sinek may have said it best during his 2014 TED Talk: “In the military, they give medals to people who are willing to sacrifice themselves so that others may gain. In business, we give bonuses to people who are willing to sacrifice others so that we may gain.” While this might not paint a perfectly accurate picture of leadership in all law firms, it strikes a nerve.

If you’ve shopped for a laptop computer lately, you already know that it can be confusing, particularly if you’re looking for a Windows machine (where the options are nearly unlimited). This article explains what to look for, what to avoid, and how to make an informed decision. This article should be helpful regardless of which operating system you prefer. Further, the term “PC,” as used herein, refers to both Windows and Mac computers. PC stands for personal computer, meaning a computer designed for use by one person at a time.

If you’ve shopped for a computer lately, you already know that it can be confusing, particularly if you’re looking for a Windows machine (where the options are nearly unlimited). This article explains what to look for, what to avoid, and how to make an informed decision. This article should be helpful regardless of which operating system you prefer. Further, the term “PC,” as used herein, refers to both Windows and Mac computers. PC stands for personal computer, meaning a computer designed for use by one person at a time.

Strategy For Getting the Best Deals

Follow these steps to identify what to buy and ensure you’re getting the best deal.

Identify the Players

Many times, you’ll know the product category you want (like a scanner), but not which model to choose. Therefore, you first need to determine the significant manufacturers. Google makes this easy. For example, if you Google “document scanner”, you’ll to see a list of brands (Brother, Canon, Epson, Fujitsu, HP, NeatDesk, Ricoh, & Xerox) as well as a few models, photos, and prices. Note the manufacturers you find.

By: Danielle DavisRoe, Esq. and Jeffrey Schoenberger, Esq.

Looking and sounding professional while video conferencing with clients, opposing counsel, and the court requires quality hardware, a quiet location, and the right setup.

Video

Both the video of yourself and any screensharing needs to be done well to appear professional in your next web meeting.

There are many places to find sample policies for the following and a great resource is the SANS Institute.

Internet and Email Usage Policy

There may be (and likely is) a big gap between what you would deem acceptable use of company internet and email and what your employees deem acceptable use of those resources. Thankfully, you can Google "internet usage policy" and find many free examples to start with.

Improve your ability to listen and improve all areas of your life. It’s not easy, but it’s worth working on.

Active Listening Defined

There are many definitions of active listening, but here’s a particularly good one:

Whether your firm handles corporate litigation, contracts, criminal defense, or any other type of law, one thing is true: There is a process to everything you do. And any time there is a process, there are ways to improve upon that process. Change simply for the sake of change isn’t ever a good thing. Still, when you implement changes to make your teams’ jobs easier, help a function to operate more smoothly, eliminate unnecessary activities, and ultimately improve your bottom line… well, then that’s change for the better!

Once you have identified a process in your firm, you can take steps to improve that process. Remember, your processes may vary based on each matter’s circumstances, but a process exists for everything you do. The hard part is figuring out whether your work is efficient and making improvements to help your firm boost that efficiency.