If this sounds like a thinly veiled excuse to write an article about "The X-Files" that is only tangentially related to law practice management, well, it is. So, sue me. (See what I did there.) It worked out with the Eagles, right? This is, after all, kind of my specialty. Hang in there.

Last week in "Blurred Lines, Part One: Using Macs at Work and Home," Tom Lambotte explained the reasons your firm needs a mobile device management policy. In Part Two, the Mac IT pro explains why you need to embrace full disk encryption. Tom will be speaking at the session "Home-Mac; Work-Mac" at ABA TECHSHOW this month. Just because you use a login password on your laptop does not mean the data is secure. You must also fully encrypt your Mac's hard drive. Why? A standard password-protected computer leaves the contents of its hard drive accessible to anyone with the patience to remove the drive. ... READ THE REST

I work with a lot of solo lawyers, both in my client base (unfortunately, ethics cases arise more frequently in solo practice), and in my network of professional colleagues. My colleagues in the ethics defense bar are frequently solos, and I cultivate a network of other lone wolves to compensate for the fact that I do sit alone in my office much of the time and have no one to bounce ideas off of, commiserate with when things go wrong or celebrate with when things go right. Being thus figuratively surrounded by solo lawyers, I'm always curious about where other lawyers work and why — partly because people set up shop for reasons I have never considered, and partly because it helps me better understand the solos I advise. Here's what I've learned when I ask about where a colleague works. ... READ THE REST

A year ago, we thought social media couldn't get any hotter as the marketing mode of choice for lawyers. Comparing results from the recent "Attorney at Work 2016 Social Media Marketing Survey" to last year's shows we may have been right. In our second annual survey, we again asked lawyers about their social media habits, preferences and attitudes. Still hot? Sure, but ... READ THE REST

The following is an excerpt from the MyCase e-book “Starting a Law Firm: Never a Dumb Question” by Edward Poll. “There is no such thing as a dumb question.” This has been the commonly repeated mantra of teachers everywhere. This sentiment is true in the legal context, too, when starting a law firm. In fact, you are encouraged to ask as many questions of yourself as you can think of to make sure that your business is successful. ... READ THE REST

Your prospects and clients are interacting daily on social media channels, regardless of your opinion on the matter. It’s time to get over yourself and invest a little time and money in this marketing platform, because it’s about your prospects — not you. A healthy marketing strategy does several things at once, like growing brand […]

If you use a Mac, your laptop, iPhone and iPad probably do double duty as your personal devices. Should you worry? At ABA TECHSHOW 2016 this month, Tom Lambotte will be speaking at the session "Home-Mac; Work-Mac." So we asked the Apple IT pro what Mac-using lawyers need to keep in mind when it comes to securing client information. First up, why you need a mobile device management policy ... READ THE REST

Those of us who love language and value the ability to be well-spoken have every reason to feel, like, depressed. I fear we have lost the battle with mass culture regarding articulate speech. Witness the ubiquity (a wonderful word that feels good to enunciate precisely) of filler words and noises such as "um," "y’know" and especially the infectious "like." It’s not just kids, teens and young adults who pepper their palaver with these annoying and unnecessary sounds ... READ THE REST

Upon factoring together the number of appointment-based businesses and the average no-show rate across all industries, I estimate the American economy loses at least $66 billion each year due to missed appointments. You’ve likely seen how no-shows can hurt your law firm’s bottom line. So how can you make sure people stick to their appointments? While ending no-shows entirely is unlikely, there are tactics you can use to increase the likelihood your clients will show up — and that they show up on time. The key? Automate. ... READ THE REST

Applied well, technology can make any task more efficient and cost-effective — and that includes your marketing activities. Whether it's tracking those marketing dollars to find out where they are best spent, managing the minutiae of client relationships or riding herd on multiple social media accounts, there are apps that can make it better. This month, we asked the gurus for their favorite marketing automation tips. Today Mike Ramsey, Gyi Tsakalakis, Jim Calloway, Nora Regis, Heidi Alexander and Tom Lambotte share their secrets … READ THE REST