Thanksgiving is traditionally a time to take a step back and reflect on what we have to be thankful for. For busy lawyers, taking the time to do this doesn’t come naturally. So I’m going to make it easy for you. I’m here to remind you of some things you should be grateful for. ... READ THE REST

Cloud-based file-sharing services like Dropbox, Box and Google Drive may help streamline the way we store and share sensitive documents, but they require an additional layer of security to ensure that confidential files stay safe. Recently, I was chatting with a forensic psychiatrist who consults on criminal and civil cases. He told me that lawyers regularly send him clients’ medical records, sometimes 100+ page documents at a time, without protecting the information and preventing it from falling into the wrong hands. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requires that health records be strictly safeguarded, with security measures put in place to store and transmit electronic medical information. Lawyers who are not compliant with these rules could expose themselves to liability. ... READ THE REST

Similar-sounding words can have very different meanings. Sound-alike words have tripped up many a scribe. Because you may be spelling the word correctly but misusing it for the context, spell-check is of no help. Watch out! Incorrect usage will reflect badly on your legal writing and distract the reader from your message.

How long have you been a subscriber to Attorney at Work? Those of you who have been with us from the very beginning have been receiving “one really good idea every day” since December 2010. By our count, today marks 1,000 really good ideas in your email inbox! While we’re not the kind who stop to celebrate just anything, 1,000 posts seems a worthy achievement. To celebrate, we’re taking time out from our regularly scheduled Friday 5 programming to send out a great big THANK YOU to all of our subscribers, contributors and sponsors — and do a little bragging. Here are five things you may not know about Attorney at Work. (Turns out these are about you, too.) READ THE REST

In the first post in this series, attorney and MyCase Director Nicole Black introduced the concept of law practice management software platforms with built-in client portals. In part two, she outlined the benefits that web-based client portals offer lawyers. Today, she runs through the pluses from the client’s side — with an infographic on the many communications benefits […]

Question: “I’m a young female lawyer working in a midsize law firm. It’s fairly obvious that women are treated as second-class citizens around here. Are there ways that you have seen to effectively battle this bias — or do I just need to start looking for another job?” In this edition of "Ask the Experts from the Association of Legal Administrators," law firm HR experts Kelly Diewert and Shari Tivy have smart advice for women battling bias in their jobs. ... READ THEIR ANSWERS

Businesses of all shapes and sizes set aside time at year's end to review their mission statement, strategic plan and operational plan. Unfortunately, few solo and small law firms see the value in using these particular business-planning tools. No matter your law firm’s size, there is value in knowing who you are as a business and where you are headed. Simply put, if you have no clear direction, isn’t your long-term success being left to the whims of fate? It certainly is ... READ THE REST

Lawyers often need to use persuasive skills in their work — convincing a judge or jury with an argument, persuading another party in a contract negotiation, convincing a client to pursue a realistic path. Yet when it comes to marketing, many resort to indistinguishable promises or generalizations. They say they are “accessible,” “responsive,” “experienced” or, my personal favorite, “provide quality services in a cost-effective manner.”

In some high-volume practices, a typical engagement can be very small. Some solo lawyers make a practice out of hundreds of single-hour consultations. For lawyers in these consultation-heavy practices, it should be routine to have clients sign a simple engagement agreement that clearly lays out the limited nature of the representation. In practices where larger engagements are the norm, though, lawyers may not even think to have retainer agreements in very small matters. Not having one could be a costly mistake, regardless of practice size. ... READ THE REST

One of the biggest challenges a solo practitioner has is managing the anxiety of not having a guaranteed steady income or client work. I’ve had open client files all year, but there are definitely lulls in work — when I’m waiting to get feedback on the latest draft of a client's contract, or for the USPTO to review a client’s trademark application. Those days, I literally have zero client work to do. That’s when the fearful thoughts start rolling through my brain ... READ THE REST