Staff members do a tremendous amount of work for your firm, and they interact directly with clients in numerous ways. And by the way, Model Rule 5.3: Responsibilities Regarding Nonlawyer Assistants is in play. So you will be on the hook for any slip-ups they make, right? Right. After all, a staff member's error or omission can lead to a malpractice claim or disciplinary complaint just as readily as a lawyer’s. And then there's the damage dissatisfied staff can do to your client base—and, ultimately, your wallet. Given this, perhaps a few staff-related risk tips are in order. ... READ MORE

When you finish up a big case or put the final signatures on a long-time-closing contract, things can get slow around your office. You might begin feeling a little panicky. It's dangerously easy at that point to slip into thinking you'd take any old legal work you could lay your hands on—just to keep the cash flowing. And sure enough, that's what you do—jump on your horse and gallop off in all directions looking for work. And, sure enough, you bring in "any old legal work."

Studying for the LSAT’s, more years ago then I care to count, I recall learning about "if-this-then-that" statements. These were the questions geared toward testing our understanding of logical concepts and our analytical reasoning skills. Who knew, years later, there would be a company called If This Then That (IFTTT) geared toward completely automating and streamlining how we get things done? IFTT is a free web service that allows you to connect two web apps together to perform automated tasks. It's incredibly easy to use—and the automatic integration that is possible between apps seems almost endless: Evernote, Gmail, Google Calendar, Dropbox, Google Drive, Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, RSS feeds, Instapaper and so many more.

ABA TECHSHOW 2013 starts this week in Chicago, April 4-6, so for this "Product Beat" we have a preview of some wares being demonstrated in the exhibition hall—including highlights from announcements released just in time for the conference. If you’re in town, stop by the Chicago Hilton to run these new products through their paces—expo-only passes are free. Watch for special giveaways and—whether or not you attend—be sure to take advantage of all the free trials.

When you're an associate receiving positive feedback for your intelligence, diligence, and impeccable work product, it's hard to fathom the need to start learning an entirely different set of skills for the later phases of your career. But success as an associate does not guarantee long-term success as a partner. Unfortunately, most law firms don't do much to prepare associates for their eventual role as part­ners; rather, they encourage the skills and attributes that make them valuable in supporting roles, primarily legal skills. Although your status increases and there may be some pay (and billing rate) increase associated with becoming a partner, this increase is bestowed upon you not so much because you are suddenly more valuable to the firm, but rather because the firm is investing in you and betting that you will grow into your new role. Promotion to partner is much more a forward-looking decision—a leap of faith based on what the firm thinks you can contribute as a partner—rather than a backward-looking decision to reward you for being a good associate. This is an important distinction to recognize because you will remain relatively vulnerable until you fulfill your perceived potential. ... KEEP READING

I sat in court recently listening as the plaintiff’s monotonous lawyer droned on about trivial irrelevancies. I watched the judge pretend to pay attention while most likely checking his Twitter feed. The few others in the room nodded off intermittently as the hearing dragged on. I myself began to ponder the zombie apocalypse. Was it possible it had already arrived ... and we just hadn’t noticed? I watched the empty eyes of the judge as the zombie attorney droned on. Was I becoming one of them?

A shocking number of ethics complaints stem from a very simple problem: lawyers not communicating with their clients. Clients pay for our time and effort, and they deserve to hear from us. Plus, our ethical obligations require that we be in touch. So, beyond it being bad business to ignore a client, it can be very bad for your career if disgruntled clients complain to the bar. To deliver great service and create positive client relationships, take the following simple steps to improve communications. ... KEEP READING

It was a 40-timekeeper firm with four name partners. For a long time, a senior partner had been giving his top clients massive volume discounts on top of rate discounts, and then staffing his matters with only the most senior staff. He racked up more than 3,400 billable hours every year. The firm paid him more than any other timekeeper, based purely on two metrics: billing revenue received and personal time receipts. Every year, volume grew and he requested more lateral hires to handle work he couldn't cover. But everything was not as it seemed. Volume was increasing year after year, but the name partners were taking home less and less money. Finally, management decided to investigate. The problem, of course, was simple profitability. ... READ MORE

By now most everyone is familiar with the “Bring Your Own Device,” or BYOD, trend—meaning the proliferation of lawyer- and staff-owned personal mobile devices used for firm business. But apart from being the latest buzzword, BYOD has distinct security implications for law firms. Let’s look at the way the profession’s use of technology has evolved over […]

Your clients have been talking about you since well before Al ... I mean Sir Tim ... brought us the global tubes. But the Internet continues to change the way those conversations spread. Admittedly, the process that people use to choose toasters and hotels can be quite different from that which they use to hire lawyers. But while specific paths may vary, be it toaster, hotel or lawyer, people gather information. And much of that information gathering is done online.