Nobody likes talking about money with clients. Nobody. But the conversation gets a whole lot easier when you are confident in what you do, and what you're worth. Right? Maintaining the needed level of self-assurance, though, might be the hardest part when talking price. Well, at WordCamp Chicago last month, Chris Lema and Steve Zehngut offered their philosophies on fees during "15 Tweets About Pricing" — along with some great stories that were right on point. WordCamps are community-organized meetups where developers, coders, designers and "casual users" hone their skills and share advice on improving their businesses. Not exactly the place you'd expect practice tips for lawyers. But Lema, who is VP of Software Engineering at Emphasys Software and a popular blogger, and Zehngut, who heads Zeek.com, had advice on fee setting that any enterprising lawyer can use. ... READ THE REST

Whether or not you consider yourself a mobile lawyer, we’re all part of a professional community and society that embraces mobile technology. That means our clients and opposing counsel expect us to be able to access files and research at any time and anywhere — just like they do. Once I would have called myself “old school” with respect to technology, but my practice and work habits have evolved, by necessity, to suit a mobile world. These days, if I get a call from a client or opposing counsel, it's simply not acceptable for me to say, “I don’t have the file.” I've had to take my practice to a new level. And now, thanks to my smartphone and iPad, I am able to work any time and be much more productive. If I am waiting for a deposition to begin, for my case to be called, or even to pick up my kids’ carpool, I can be drafting a quick memo or returning calls because I can get what I need and I'm prepared. ... READ THE REST

I recently read an article, Why old school attitudes to technology are hitting law firm profitability, by Neil Cameron, who beautifully sets out the profitability argument for lawyers and staff to properly use the legal technology at their disposal. I recommend you head there and read it (don’t worry – it’s not very long!).

Question: What’s the best way to deal with staff performance problems? It seems like attempting to work them out during performance evaluation discussions between the assistant and the lawyer she works for is just going to erode their working arrangement. Is there a better way? In this edition of "Ask the Experts," Attorney at Work's Merrilyn Astin Tarlton joins Rick D'Aversa and Natalie Wagner, from the Association of Legal Administrators, to offer excellent pointers. READ THE ANSWERS

No one needs to reinvent the wheel every time a new project comes through the door. It’s the reason document management and document assembly programs exist. But no matter how good your forms are, or how cutting-edge your software is, they won't save you from the real work that remains after you’ve finished the initial draft: Editing. I’m not talking about the simple review you do to avoid turning out a disaster that looks as if you've cobbled it together from three other agreements, an old form book and a hazy memory of what these things are supposed to say. I’m talking about editing the documents you've drafted with care and thought in the first place. READ THE REST

Here’s the reality of the digital age: YOU are your brand. Not just your work, not just your reputation, not just your resume. What you look like and how you present yourself online has become a critical piece of your image. Having the right headshot can go a long way in reinforcing it. Says branding expert Allyssa VandeLeest, President and Strategy Director of Chicago-based Prosper Public Relations, “The photo on your website or LinkedIn account may be the first glimpse a prospective client gets of you, so it is important that it is both professional and that it clearly conveys your personal brand.” ... READ THE REST

There is no single path to a successful law practice. Over time, paths become blocked and new ones emerge. What worked 10 years ago may not work today. What works for some will not work for others. It's said business development is a relationship game. That's true, and likely always will be. But the manner in which meaningful, beneficial client relationships are formed and sustained is constantly evolving. Technical proficiency is table stakes. Today, more is required.

Practice innovation — at least in terms of pricing, project management and process improvement (the three "P's") — is the focus of the Legal Marketing Association’s P3 Conference, which just wrapped its second year. We asked Steve Nelson to report back on the highlights of P3 2014 — an eye-opener — held last week in Chicago. Here are five things he learned. READ THE REST

Previous Attorney at Work posts have discussed how to use Twitter for maximum effect while assuming you have an interest in it as a marketing tool. But some lawyers say they do not have Twitter accounts because it is irrelevant to their practice.

Accepting credit cards is just about the easiest way to ensure clients have no excuse not to pay your bills.