Of all the Microsoft Office applications in law offices, Outlook is hands-down the most frequently used. But lurking in the shadows of your email routine are dangerous Outlook features that could jeopardize your law practice. Here are two that trip up even seasoned Outlook users. Auto-Complete. You probably use the Auto-Complete feature every day, and take it totally for granted. ... READ THE REST

The Eagles are one of the best-selling bands of all time. "Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975)" is the third best-selling album of all time. The Eagles also kind of suck. Don’t believe me? Listen to "Disco Strangler" or "James Dean." Now, granted, some of the Eagles’ songs are downright fantastic, like "Already Gone" and "Take It Easy," though those are the exceptions, and not the rules. But if the Eagles suck, how did they achieve such staggering monetary success? ... None of the Eagles’ success occurred by accident. The primary reason the Eagles made so much money is because they set out to make it, and the band was run accordingly: like a business. ... READ THE REST

Last week at ABA TECHSHOW in Chicago, Allison Shields and I chatted with lawyers about shaping their online narratives.

It's clear that legal marketers continue to be an ever-growing force for change at law firms of any size. With more than 1,300 attendees from around the globe, this week’s Legal Marketing Association (LMA) annual conference in San Diego was the group’s largest to date. For such a specialized gathering, the conference covered a wide and impressive variety of topics interesting to marketers and lawyers alike. Here are John Byrne's top takeaways ...READ MORE

There’s a tricky balance that lawyers need to strike: staying focused on the "task at hand" while keeping an eye on the future. The task at hand involves acquiring technical skills — drafting, negotiation, deposition-taking — at a relatively early point in your career.

Your referral network is a living thing. If you don’t feed it and water it, it will die, and if you don’t prune it back occasionally, it will collapse under its own weight. If you’ve developed a network by identifying good sources and asking them for referrals, and you’re getting and giving referrals, then you’re already doing basic maintenance. Because good referrals are built on strong relationships, though, you’re going to need to do more than the basics to keep a consistent stream of business going. And, because you’re dealing with the ethics trifecta of clients, fees and getting business, you’re going to need to perform your maintenance within ethical boundaries. ... READ THE REST

Apple does something amazing. Of course, they do a lot of amazing things as they weave their technology into our personal and professional DNA, but they've nailed one thing for sure: the services side of their products. Just walk into an Apple Store and you’ll see how they’ve taken a product and made it so much more. Although they’re simply selling you beautiful gadgets, they’ve done a masterful job of transforming a product purchase into an experience that builds a relationship around their products and other things they do so well — the services and experience. Why? Because they know that a customer-oriented, service-driven culture is what turns a product buyer into a lifelong brand advocate. ... READ THE REST

Have you ever left a phone charger behind in a hotel room even though you carefully looked before checking out? Returned from grocery shopping only to remember you forgot the milk? Operated on someone, sewed them up, and then realized you left a sponge inside? (Oops, wrong profession.) Given a closing argument without having introduced a key piece of evidence? When this kind of thing happens in the context of an important decision, you may pay a stiff penalty. And forgetfulness is just one of many glitches that get in the way of good choices. ... READ THE REST

If you are proficient in social media basics and looking for a new online community, I recommend checking out Reddit. Reddit is a social media community made up of thousands of bulletin boards — called “subreddits” — on almost any topic you can imagine. Millions of people all over the world are active on Reddit. On each subreddit, users who are logged in (“Redditors”) can post a link to a relevant article or create a text post. The other Redditors can up-vote or down-vote your post, leave comments, and up- and down-vote others' comments. It is a very interactive community. ... READ THE REST

With ABA TECHSHOW 2015 taking place April 16-18 in Chicago, we're scoping out some of the most intriguing product updates and launches so far this year — including highlights from the announcements crossing our screens as the legal tech companies rev up for the big week ahead. ABA TECHSHOW draws scores of practice management technology experts and innovative companies — watch for expert tips and more news here after the conference. Practice Management Software Updates. Here's a sampling of the latest news ... READ THE REST