When I was a salaried associate at a large law firm, I received four weeks of paid vacation every year. And I always took every single day. I was shocked to find out I was in the minority, and that many attorneys hadn’t taken a vacation in years! In fact, according to surveys conducted by Glassdoor and Harris Interactive, only 25 percent of Americans take all of their paid vacation and nearly 42 percent do not take any vacation. I get it: Taking a vacation actually requires a lot of time and effort. Not only must you make travel plans and related arrangements, but work has to be managed. Don’t let those hurdles overwhelm you, though. Here’s how to get away and enjoy it!
June 17, 2016 0 0You should be ... and it’s easier than ever! Here at MyCase, a leading online legal practice management software, we recently announced the addition of a built-in credit card payments feature to our Payments service. MyCase customers can now accept online payments from clients using both credit cards and checking accounts (also known as eCheck or ACH payments) seamlessly through their MyCase account, no third-party integration required
Originally published June 17, 2016The benefits of flat-fee billing arrangements are numerous, from predictability to efficiency to increased client satisfaction. But not all legal matters are appropriate for flat fees. So, how do you know which practice areas are right for a flat-fee structure? The short answer comes down to two words: predictability and repetition.
Originally published June 16, 2016Ah, summertime. Some of us toss things in a bag and answer the siren call of the road, while others are happy staking out a quiet space on the patio for a good read. Either way, a little mellow downtime shouldn’t go to waste. We’ve collected some of our most popular posts — the classics that get quoted, reprinted and shared over and over — to kick off your summer and ignite some creative thinking.
Originally published June 15, 2016The best lawyers are often the most creative lawyers. But that doesn’t mean they are, or even want to be, labeled as “creative.” Creativity has a certain connotation to it — and it’s traditionally been a term associated with, well, creative people like artists, musicians and writers.
Originally published June 14, 2016Each year, Bob Denney’s big fourth quarter report on What’s Hot and What’s Not in the Legal Profession keeps us on top of the most important business trends. But there's no need to wait for year’s end to feel a little smarter about the legal landscape. Around midyear, Bob issues an update reporting on fluxes in the marketplace. So, what’s bubbling up at 2016’s halfway point? Like all previous reports, this update is not based just on law firm surveys but also on information we are continually gathering from legal departments, other providers of legal services, the legal and business press and data compiled by various resources. We are not attempting to report on every development, many of which are obvious and widely recognized, but only on those that we believe are having, or will have, an impact on the profession.
Originally published June 13, 2016Forget juggling. Most of us feel like we're endlessly spinning plates, hoping we can keep all the parts and pieces of our lives from crashing to the ground. And then comes summer, and the promise of a little down time to relax and refresh — or at least remove a few plates from the stack. Assuming, of course, you can squeeze out any time for yourself at all. To wrap up our "Read the Classics" week, we offer five popular Attorney at Work posts that may help you find a little more time to savor the summer.
Originally published June 10, 2016Two of Legal Tech Industry’s Most Influential Players Together Deliver One-Stop-Shop Legal Technology Solutions Abacus Data Systems, Inc. (Abacus), the premier provider of fully managed legal technology solutions, has announced that Amicus Attorney (Amicus), one of the world’s leading practice management solution for lawyers, will become an integrated part of the Abacus family.
Originally published June 8, 2016Nothing But the Ruth! Every law firm has a trust account and an operating bank account and allows clients to pay with a check or cash. But in this day, many clients don’t have paper checks and most of my clients assume that credit card payments are the norm. They are confused that we don’t have a credit card machine at our front desk. There are many options to consider when deciding if you’ll accept credit cards. I researched credit card payment options for lawyers in 2012. My awesome editors at Attorney at Work asked for an update.
Originally published June 8, 2016Lawyer Lists: “Splendid Lawyer” and “Astounding Lawyer” awards are wearing out their value. Ross Fishman says there’s a reason marketers don’t like them. “I’m selling ego to lawyers, Ross. I’m going to make a fortune.” — Actual quote from a marketing friend before starting a vanity directory. Looking back, it turns out he miscalculated. It seems like […]
Originally published June 6, 2016