Most legal professionals would agree that the profession is saturated. With so many lawyers out there, there is heavy competition for clients. But as I wrote about in "Representing Rural Clients from a Big-City Office," this is not the case in rural America, where a lawyer shortage has considerable implications for access to justice. There is opportunity in these rural areas, not just for reaching people in need but also for building your law practice. And with today's technology options, you don’t need to set up shop in a small town to meet this opportunity. Online legal services companies are already using technology to provide legal consumers with virtual help, no matter where they happen to live. For example:

Question: "One of my longtime social and professional friends was appointed this year as our newest local judge. We have been social media friends for years. I haven’t appeared before her yet, but expect I will at some point. Are we obligated to “un-friend” and “unfollow” each other?" Our children are friends, too, and participate in many activities together. We share photos online. It appears harmless. Yet I’m thinking it’s not worth the risk. "And, if we do remain online friends, would disclosure of the online connections prevent any perceptions of impropriety?"

In a 1955 essay in The Economist, Cyril Northcote Parkinson, a British historian, described a phenomenon that would come to be called “Parkinson’s Law.” His key insight: “Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” In other words, if something must be done in a day, it will get done in a day. If something must be done in a year, it will get done in a year. Work takes as long as we allow for it. If you believe that achieving success as an associate takes 3,000 hours of work per year, then it will. It’s Parkinson’s Law of being a lawyer. Working hard, working long hours, working late into the night — too many of us accept the inevitability of a life driven primarily, if not exclusively, by work.

Change is exciting … and overwhelming. When faced with change, you must manage all the transitions that flow from it. You can feel adrift, and sometimes alone, as you re-evaluate your circumstances, or decisions, or even your entire life. Whether caused by losing a job or starting a new one, relocating to a new state, or enduring a personal change such a divorce, all transitions are difficult in their own way. It's especially tough when the change is not one you chose to make. But transitions also present great opportunities to reflect and redirect. Here are five ways to manage a difficult transition without losing your way (or your mind).

Today, the question is not whether you should be on social media — it’s how long will it take you to get up to speed. For "Engage! A Lawyer's Guide to Social Media Marketing" we asked top law firm marketers for advice on where lawyers should focus their efforts — and for their best tips on how to up your game.

Making any Microsoft Office application easier to use often involves tweaking the interface to suit your work style. Here's one of the quickest, easiest and most powerful tweaks you can make: tricking out each application's Status Bar.

Not long ago, I was asked to make a presentation at a state bar's Law Practice Management Committee luncheon. Topic? Getting clients, of course. When we opened things up for questions, a gentleman in the back said, “You make it sound like the only way to get clients is to specialize!” Ummm.

Last month, Apple unveiled its new iPhone X to much fanfare. Perhaps what created the most fanfare was its price. It starts at $999 — hundreds more than the older iPhone 7 and the brand-new iPhone 8.  You don’t need a Ph.D. in Economics to understand the logic behind Apple’s pricing strategy. It’s simple. Apple hopes that for many, owning a high-priced phone will become a status symbol, much like owning a luxury car. In short, having an iPhone X broadcasts prestige, prominence and stature.

Yes, it’s already mid-October. No, you’re not the only one asking, “How did that happen?” The holidays are right around the corner, and they seem to come earlier each year. One question I often get at this time of year is, “Are holiday marketing efforts worth it?” The answer is, yes and no. The holidays give you an excellent opportunity to strengthen client relationships and stay top-of-mind. But marketing materials that are too salesy often fall flat or, worse, are a complete turnoff. Holiday cards are not brochures.

Do you know what separates the most successful law firms from the rest? How they spend 10 percent of their time, according to the Thomson Reuters 2016 State of U.S. Small Law Firms Study. Inefficient allocation of your time has a direct impact on law firm success. How can you adopt time-saving routines and improve your time management so you can spend more time on money generating activity and find work-life balance?