Have you been avoiding a potentially difficult conversation with a client for fear of it going badly? The good news is that you are in solid company — some of the best and brightest lawyers procrastinate and avoid conflict. Introverts — and research finds a majority of lawyers are introverted — are especially prone to avoiding confrontation, according to Sondra Vansant in "Wired for Conflict." Dr. Larry Richard has written and spoken extensively about the typical lawyer personality type based on Caliper test scores from thousands of attorneys. Resiliency is one of the measured traits, and many lawyers score on the low end of the bell curve for the ability to recover quickly from setbacks. So if you have had a difficult or unpleasant conversation with a client in the past and are a lawyer with low resiliency, you may be especially keen to avoid a repeat of such a conversation. Whatever your personality type or personal style, the bad news is that fretting about the conversation while avoiding it won't make the issue go away. A better approach is to map out a strategy that maximizes the possibility of a favorable outcome. ... READ THE REST

ABA TECHSHOW just marked its 30th anniversary. The traditional gift for a 30th anniversary is pearl — and that's appropriate since I have received many pearls of wisdom in my years at the conference. I attended my first TECHSHOW in 1999 and I haven’t missed one since. After that first year I was hooked ... READ THE REST

Case management systems are like so many baby rabbits right about now; but, like individual baby rabbits (and snowflakes), each is a little bit different. All the major case management systems offer the same basic features — calendar, email integration, time and billing — so, the devil becomes the details. Therefore, making a coherent decision on a case management platform requires a deeper dive, to differentiate between systems that are generally useful and those that would be truly usable in a specific law firm environment: yours. Thomson Reuters’ Firm Central is a cloud-based case management platform that does everything you’d expect — and a whole lot more. Thomson Reuters recently relaunched (read: refined) the entire suite, which includes the integration of advanced time and billing tools .... READ THE REST

In the past, “outsourcing” brought to mind images of large offices filled with workers on telephones, most likely overseas, fielding customer service center phone calls. That it is not what I have in mind when I suggest using outsourcing in your law firm business. Outsourcing today includes very different types of services, from contract lawyers to virtual receptionists.

One of the nicest things about Attorney at Work, from our perspective, is getting to know so many really smart and dedicated people. Those who serve as our Advisors are among a select few who set and predict trends in the business of practicing law. We've known some of them for decades, and they always teach us something new. Once in a while, we like to share with you what they've been doing or writing. To that end, today's Friday Five relates several intriguing articles from around the web. ... READ THE REST

I bet this has happened to you. You show up at the office with the best intentions. You’re finally going to get that marketing project — or some other large project — done so you can reap the rewards. You sit down at your desk. Your voicemail light is flashing. Your inbox is loaded with unread emails. And the fire drills begin. A few hours later, you skip lunch. Then it’s dark outside. You have no idea where the day went. Tomorrow? Same drill, different day. ... READ THE REST

Book Review | “The Lawyer's Guide to Succession Planning: A Project Management Approach for Successful Law Firm Transitions and Exits.”

A while back, the Wall Street Journal ran an article that posed a critical question worth considering. A CEO of a highly successful company was challenged by a friend to sit still for 15 minutes in complete silence. And he bet him $15,000 that he couldn’t do it. And he couldn’t. “I never expected it to be so hard,” he said. “I found myself reaching for my smartphone every minute. I couldn’t shut down.” Could you? And why does it matter, anyway? ... READ THE REST

Video has become one of the most effective — and flexible — online marketing tools available to lawyers today. Whether you’re looking to stand out from the pack, build client confidence, connect emotionally, or simply attract and convert new viewers into clients, video can help give you a marketing edge. Video can be used for your website, YouTube, social media, television, newsletters — and even as part of your email signature. Here are a five video marketing tips to help beginners and veterans alike. ... READ THE REST

Last week ABA TECHSHOW celebrated its 30th anniversary in Chicago. With a whopping 18 program tracks, 80-plus sessions and 100-plus companies in the expo hall, it was quite a party. Couldn't make it? No problem. For this week's Friday Five+, Heidi Alexander, Natalie Kelly, Tom Lambotte, Sharon Nelson, Catherine Reach, Nora Regis and Reid Trautz fill you in on their favorite tips and takeaways ... READ THE REST