Everyone makes assumptions. You might be surprised, though, at how many malpractice claims result merely from a lawyer working under a false assumption. Take the attorney who allows her workload to grow beyond a reasonable level — she might not worry because she assumes that somehow she'll find the time to get it all done. Or, she might assume a colleague will be available to pitch in, or that someone else is properly trained to assist her. The problem? What if there really isn’t enough time to get it done? What if no one else is available? What if the person asked to help out doesn’t know how to do the work correctly? All kinds of assumptions come into play in any law practice. Here are two examples of how assumptions can cause you trouble, based on actual claims, and a few ways to address the problem. ... READ THE REST

If you are an attorney in your own firm, you have made the leap — you are an entrepreneur. You probably started your firm because you wanted that feeling of autonomy and control — you wanted to call the shots. But how much control do you really have? When a client calls, you have to answer. When you start a new marketing campaign, you have to wait for results. And when the calendar says it’s tax time, you have to collect your numbers and get your papers ready. Taking Control of Your Business: The Three-Legged Stool. If you are like most attorney entrepreneurs, you make most decisions reactively. Instead of running your business, your business runs you. Like so many other things, tax season is something that just happens to you — something painful you just hope to survive. If you’re constantly scrapping to keep up, it’s time to take a deep breath. It can get better and you can take control, even with taxes. But first you need a working system for managing your finances — all year-round. ... READ THE REST

Okay, don't get your knickers in a knot. We're not talking about illicit affairs steaming up the supply closet, or after-hours trysts with clients. Today, in the first of a two-part series, Christy Cassisa is talking about an entirely different sort of love — it’s called companionate love, and new research shows it is good for employers, employees and even clients. What Is Companionate Love? Companionate love refers to a type of emotional culture found in the workplace, one in which employees care for one another and relationships are based on warmth, affection and connection. ... READ THE REST

At a recent Marketing Partner Forum, organizers presented the results of a Thompson Reuters survey of law firm marketers. Two points in particular jumped out at me: (1) The “most-important initiative” for the law firms was improving business development; and (2) the top challenge to business development was lawyer engagement. The longer I work with lawyers, the more I am convinced that the problem firm management has engaging lawyers lies with the marketing/business development side of the house, not the other way around. Sure, there are some skeptical or even downright recalcitrant attorneys when it comes to marketing. But for most, I believe the lack of engagement comes because they haven’t found a way to be comfortable in their business development skin. ... READ THE REST

The modern world is a raucous symphony of noise. The squawks and pings of mobile devices are only the latest additions to a cacophony of rings, bells, announcements, conversations and other noises producing distractions, even stress, in our daily professional lives. Interestingly, getting things done — being productive — is largely a result of silence. In fact, the quieter we can make our internal and external worlds, the more productive we become. Here are five ways to leverage short periods of silence during the frenetic day. ... READ THE REST

Last week, we asked a handful of legal technologists to be our reporters at LegalTech New York. The scoop? Cybersecurity topped the hot topics list (made hotter still with news that another big health-care company had been breached). But security shared the LTNY headlines with Monica Bay — the long-time Law Technology News Editor-in-Chief announced her retirement. As for new product bombshells, it's relatively quiet out there, with upgrades, tweaks and collaboration among technology companies filling the news. Keeping things interesting, though, the ALM and the Stanford Center for Legal Informatics collaborated to bring in seven start-up exhibitors — and some fresh air. Now, in their own words, here's what our LTNY reporters found most intriguing. ... READ THE REST

I shocked my contacts at the beginning of the year when I announced that I joined another law firm. (I know, I never thought it would happen either.) I am now of counsel at an IP boutique firm called Venjuris in Phoenix. I still have Carter Law Firm, though, for professional speaking and writing purposes. Shifting from solo life to a multi-lawyer firm has been quite a change. ... READ THE REST

Contrary to what some social media pundits would say, conferences where people show up and interact in person have not gone away. Not only are they around to stay, but most legal marketing pundits (including yours truly) agree that attending conferences can offer valuable business development opportunities. But how do you know whether a conference will be really valuable, especially since an out-of-town conference will likely cost a few thousand dollars and the loss of billable time? Your best bet is to weigh several factors. ... READ THE REST

One of the great story lines from the movie "Caddyshack" is Carl Spackler's (Bill Murray) epic battle with the pesky golf course gopher. While the gopher proved to be a tougher adversary than Spackler expected, and ultimately outwitted the hapless greenskeeper, Spackler learned a few important lessons in his quest to rid Bushwood of the "varmint." One of them — which I discuss below — actually has relevance to this article.

The proliferation of smartphones and tablets in the workplace has dramatically changed how business is conducted, and the legal profession is no exception. Nearly everyone has a mobile device, but how many of us use these devices to their full potential? Think about how you are using your smartphone in your daily affairs. Can that same technology do even more to help you give your clients the best possible representation?