Mitch Albom, who has been regularly employed as a sportswriter for the Detroit Free Press, has written songs for Warren Zevon and penned a few books, one of which is "The Five People You Meet in Heaven." Now, I’ve never read that book (per my mostly ironclad rule that I don’t read any books published after 1952 — what’s up Thomas Hardy?), but its title has given me some inspiration for this post. In fact, I like the idea so much, I’m doubling down on it: Imma give you 10 clients you’ll meet at the vestibule of Hell, Virgil describing the paces to you. (So, I guess I got next Friday covered, too, then.) The envelope please ... top 10 worst clients ... READ MORE

Question: Must we really spend money on a slick print brochure for our law firm when nearly everyone gets their information via the Internet? How can we use printed pieces most effectively? Law firm marketers Tina Emerson, Jim Jarrell and Kevin Sullivan — this month's experts from the Legal Marketing Association — fill us in on how law firms are using brochures these days. ... READ MORE

In her "Get to the Point" columns, Teddy Snyder has led us all to question our writing and speaking habits (and our hot dog acumen). In particular, "Lawyers' Top Three Grammar Goof-ups" inspired a lively LinkedIn discussion around the writing mistakes that irritate you most. So, with apologies to David Allan Coe, Steve Goodman and John Prine, here's another grammar issue that sets readers’ teeth on edge.

We are so used to instant gratification when it comes to communication — instant messaging, texting, all-access all-the-time smartphones. We can’t even get away from it when we travel, especially now that more and more flights are Internet connected. For goodness sakes, Parks Canada is even talking about making Wi-Fi available at national parks!

Perhaps you’ve found yourself asking, at some point, “Just what is ‘NewLaw’? More importantly, why should I be remotely interested in it?” Having recently set out to catalog dozens of entities that have been or could be described as NewLaw, I came up with a working definition. “Any model, process, or tool that represents a significantly different […]

Ah, spring is in the air! The flowers are blooming, the birds are chirping and I have just received annual invoices from the two business organizations to which I belong. Between the two, I just paid about $500 for the opportunity to list my firm as a member organization and attend their events to shake hands and exchange cards with strangers. As a solo firm owner, about half of my job is networking. Like many lawyers, I’m constantly talking to people — in-person and virtually — in the hopes that I will be top-of-mind when they need legal advice. As I've said here before, networking is a process, not an event, and you have to keep showing up to build the relationships that will eventually turn into business. To renew or not renew? ... READ MORE

It was my worst nightmare as a young lawyer.

Anyone who's seen movies like "The Terminator," "Minority Report," "Ironman" and beyond has seen the marriage of technology and fashion. There’s a giant laundry list of wearable gadgets that grace the silver screen. Only now, wearable technology is becoming part of everyday reality. But are we ready to adopt? In general, the promise of wearable technology is huge. Smartwatches, health monitors, security devices, media gadgets and high-tech eyewear are popping up everywhere. Hundreds of other wearable concepts, including remote control eyelashes, are on their way, too. But to catapult wearable technology into widespread use, items need to combine function with fashion at an affordable price point. ... READ MORE

No doubt, at this moment, armies of hackers are dreaming up diabolical new ways to cash in on our identities, crash our sites and disrupt our favorite pastimes. ("Smishing!") But really, the biggest threat to your online security is ... you. Yes, you, with the "1234" passcode for your iPad and Post-it covered monitor. You, with the cleverly disguised "Vital p-word information" emails-to-self. You, who absent-mindedly clicked the email link from your bank's "Costumer Service." So Let's Get a Little Smarter with Passwords. Since we're stuck with passwords (for now), might as well attempt outsmarting the bogeymen. So what's the best way to deal with passwords — and remember them all? We asked digital forensics and information security experts Sharon Nelson and John Simek to dispense some commonsense advice to help reduce our online security risk. READ MORE

What do Apple, McDonald’s, Nike and P&G have in common? Besides spending more than a billion dollars on advertising annually, these "B2C" (business to consumer) companies are turning to "B2B" firms for marketing inspiration. They do so with good reason. We have entered the "Relationship Era," with relationships doing more to attract the attention and loyalty of clients than traditional mass media marketing. Relationships have always been an important part of the law business, and you might think that puts you on the leader board in the relationship game. While you may have an edge, it doesn’t mean you’ve won quite yet — especially when building relationships online. Consider these truths, and how you might apply them to your business development efforts. READ MORE