In 2016, reputation and relationships remain fundamental to client development. If anything’s changing, it’s the tools at our disposal to create, nurture and solidify our relationships.

The more I conduct client feedback interviews, the more I realize how few quality contacts lawyers make with their clients outside the substantive legal work being done. The number of times clients fumble for the name of a lawyer who is actively involved in one of their matters is pretty astounding. Recently, one client said, “I can't remember who it is and I've never met him.”

Without the right management tools in your firm, chaos, stress and confusion often reign. If you feel out of control (and plenty of lawyers do), getting a grip on your law practice will require these three things.

Lawyers writing books is certainly no grand innovation on the marketing front. If you can write a legal brief, you can write a book. But why should you? There are a number of reasons: 1. Authority. A book on a subject you practice daily with your name listed as the author creates a perception of authority […]

Incorrect pronunciation can signal there’s something not quite right about the speaker. The speaker means to sound impressive, but incorrect pronunciation is a sure way to undercut a message. Generally, only your mother will correct you, so you could be embarrassing yourself unknowingly. A rich vocabulary allows you to communicate precisely and efficiently. Here are five words that pack a lot of meaning, so long as you say them correctly. ... READ THE REST

Clients hire lawyers, not law firms, so it’s no surprise that attorney bio pages are the most frequently visited content on most law firm websites. People come to your website to vet a referral, check on some desired experience or expertise, or put a face to a name. Put simply, a great bio has the power to help turn prospects into clients. In fact, 85 percent of 209 firms surveyed by LexisNexis said attorney bios were the most visited pages on their sites. A bio with strong search engine optimization (SEO) can increase your visibility when prospects search for your kind of expertise, and it helps them evaluate your qualifications more quickly. ... READ THE REST

A law practice in chaos is nearly every lawyer's biggest fear. (As if you needed to be told, right?) In the first post in his three-part series "Getting a Grip," Dustin Cole explained how a law firm can easily slip a gear. This second part brings four powerful ways to regain control — and come back strong.

As a blogger, I often have random inspirations for posts. They can hit me at any time — when I’m going for a run, talking to colleagues, reading my Twitter feed. The one time my brain goes blank is the moment I sit down to actually write a post, especially if I have a deadline. All those brilliant ideas are nowhere to be found in my memory banks. It’s so frustrating. Recently I stumbled on a simple way to alleviate this problem. ... READ THE REST

It is drilled into us during ethics classes, studying for the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination, and in continuing legal education courses: When a client requests it, you must hand over “the file.” But have you ever stopped to think, “What exactly is the file?” The question is a lot more complicated than we are led to believe. ... READ THE REST

In this edition of "Ask the Experts from the Legal Marketing Association," Elizabeth Lampert, Jeff Scalzi and Katie Gilmore answer the question, "Where does content marketing fit in the law firm?" Read their answers for ways savvy lawyers can use content marketing to support business development and marketing activities — and stand out in a crowded marketplace. KEEP READING