Over the years, I’ve conducted thousands of client interviews to gather feedback on outside counsel. The discussion frequently turns to how a firm first started representing the client, leading to stories about what lawyers do well — or not so well — when trying to pitch for business. Mistakes range from not doing enough to doing too much in business development meetings. Let’s assume you have an opportunity to meet with a prospective client to discuss helping with a company’s legal work. Here are do's and don’ts to make the most of your opportunity.

Unfortunately, there is no template or set of instructions that works for every lawyer. I have seen a lot of tactics executed with varying degrees of success. What seems to work best is engaging in an activity that is natural to you. What do I mean by "natural"?

Since 2009, the number of legal malpractice suits has escalated along with the costs to defend them, according to annual surveys by Ames & Gogh, an insurance broker. They say insurers have paid claims of $50 million or more in 2016, and that malpractice claims are most commonly triggered by conflicts of interest and cybersecurity issues. Business transactions result in the most claims, which tend to center around improper preparation, filing and/or document transmission. If you want to do everything possible to ensure you’re never among the firms accused of malpractice, take advantage of law practice management software, advises Nerino Petro, technology co-editor for the ABA "GP|Solo Magazine" and CEO of a legal consulting firm. Here are four reas

Will artificial intelligence be "bigger than fire"? Is anything hotter than cybersecurity? For this edition of Friday Tech Tips, we asked Larry Bridgesmith, Christy Burke, Andrea Cannavina, Sean Doherty, Justin Hectus and Rebecca Sattin for their top three takeaways from Legalweek 2018, which took place Jan. 30-Feb. 1 in New York City. Here are the legal tech pros' perspectives on the big event.

In last month’s post, “Kick Off the New Year with a Practice Renovation,” we discussed starting the year with a renewed ethics drive and addressing common problem areas like advertising, insurance and file closures. Picking up where we left off, here are four more trouble spots many law firms stumble over — along with tips on how to shore up weaknesses. The reason we do this is simple: The more streamlined and efficient your practice, the more likely you will plug the holes that often lead to ethics trouble.

My "Get to the Point!" columns talk about writing and speaking. But you communicate another way, too — through body language. Studies show that your gestures may speak more loudly than your words and can even contradict them. You may have learned to closely observe a witness giving a statement or in deposition. You may have even taken a CLE class on the subject. But what about your own non-verbal signals?

ALM Media’s Legalweek events in New York, which wrapped up Feb. 1, brought together legal professionals and technology providers to address issues facing the legal industry. In addition to technology, programs covered the business of law, legal marketing, CIOs, and diversity and talent management. ... Takeaway: Acquire and use new technology to profitably deliver legal services. But understand why you’re acquiring it and have a plan to deploy and use it, whether on-premises or in the cloud. To help you identify technology to consider, here are select product upgrades and news updates from the conference.

If you can't afford a marketing agency or a full-time SEO professional, Google Trends can give you valuable insights into search trends — and generate ideas for your website, blog and social media content. While it’s not the best tool for in-depth keyword research, it is easy to use and can help guide your marketing strategy. Here are five ways to use Google Trends for your law firm

One fact that's always acknowledged in this column is that good content requires effort. It requires yours (which equals time and money) or someone else’s (which equals less time but more money). When speaking, I’ve railed against random acts of content and one-offs. Everything you publish needs to adhere to your content strategy. To do otherwise is an exhausting waste of resources.

You passed the bar and got your first job in a law firm. Congratulations. Now it’s time to start becoming a rainmaker lawyer. “Whoa,” you say. “Slow down. Become a rainmaker lawyer? I still have to become a real lawyer. You know, one whose work clients will actually pay for.” Calm down. I didn’t say […]