Someone recently posed the following question on LinkedIn: Should a new solo attorney rent commercial space or work from home? The majority of respondents suggested she save her money and work from home. But it raised an interesting question. When should a law firm owner move from the home office to a commercial office arrangement? ... READ MORE

With LegalTech New York this week and ABA TECHSHOW on the horizon, legal technology conference season is in full force—a little slice of heaven for technology lovers and PowerPoint geeks. But since the rest of us could probably use a little help navigating what's ahead, for this special Friday Five we posed the following question to colleagues who make it their business to keep up with the latest technology news: "Which new technology development is getting a great big enthusiastic green light from you? And which is prompting you to pause and advise caution?" Here's what they told us. ... READ MORE

Do you get a sinking feeling in your stomach when someone mentions pitching new business to clients? While selling your expertise and your practice's services gets easier the more you do it, having a few formulas to rely on can help get you started and calm the jitters, too. Get ready for your next sales meeting with a current client by asking yourself (and answering) a few good questions. ... READ MORE

Who are these “enterprising lawyers”? Actually, they are easy to spot. Look for the happier, more engaged lawyers. Deeply invested in the power of the work they do for their clients, they have ample interests beyond the practice of law as well. And they seem to have more energy for getting things done than anyone in the crowd. You probably know one or two—you may even be one yourself! In this interview, we talk with Matt Haverstick, Chair of the Public Corruption Team at Philadelphia's Conrad O'Brien PC. Matt has built his practice and reputation representing government officials and institutions in matters ranging from public corruption investigations to the legality of state and local laws. At the vanguard of grand jury practice in the public corruption arena, he has taken clients before grand juries more than 100 times. For fun? It's comic books. Go figure. ... READ MORE

When I think about the changes to social media and social networking in the past year, a variety of changes come to mind. Facebook acquired Instagram. Twitter added cover photos. LinkedIn launched new company pages. Google integrated Google+ into search results and added Communities. The list goes on. Sure, we could talk about how each of these changes might impact how you market your law practice. But in contemplating some of the “stuff you must know,” it seems to me the most important thing is still one of the most overlooked: Being authentic.

I tend to think of lawyers as "brain gladiators," given how we flex our mind-muscles for our clients on a daily basis. But frustration, negativity and the daily grind can bring even the best Russell Crowe look-like to tears. So how can you reframe your professional life and zing your brain back into peak performance? Here are five ways: No battle-axe required. ... READ MORE

The other day I overheard my grandkids talking about me, and lawyers in general. The older one was trying to explain what it is lawyers do by repeating a comparison I'd once made between myself and Indiana Jones: “See, when you go to court, it’s like when Indiana Jones goes into that cave to get the golden statue. He has to avoid all the booby traps and dodge the arrows and falling rocks, and he’s mostly the only one who gets out alive.”

The legal profession constantly struggles to set advertising policies that strike the balance between consumer protection and access to justice.

I confess that I am annoyed when people call Google+ a ghost town. I have to bite my tongue and crack my knuckles to avoid furious screaming and typing "You're doing it wrong!" But wait. Wait. Let me back up a step and explain what Google+ is: It's the future of online search. Remember that Google changed Internet search. And with Google+, it is doing so again, and a whole lot more. ... READ MORE

Question: "Help! I just need to know the right words to use. I’ve got a great network of potential clients and lawyers who could refer clients to me. But I apparently send the message that I’m not interested. How can I ask for business without sounding desperate?" Ask the experts from the Legal Marketing Association ... READ MORE