At Attorney at Work, we propose that 2011 is the year to explore kindness as a universal business principle. Acts of kindness not only bind clients and colleagues to you, they can be the key to improving employee (and practice) performance. Trendwatching.com even identifies “random acts of kindness” as the number one consumer trend for the coming year. It's a pretty easy concept to embody.

Don’t be the victim. Scammers have become more brazen in their attempts to lull unsuspecting lawyers into trusting them, and bad check frauds targeting lawyers are on the rise. But you don’t have to let it happen to you. Learn how to recognize a scam and avoid becoming the defrauded victim. ‘Tis the  season to be […]

There’s no way to avoid it: holiday parties with goodies loaded with sugar, fat and calories. Even the uber-disciplined may find themselves a few pounds heavier at this time of year. But now, according to a new study, there is a smart, simple way to combat holiday excess: Set your alarm early, drag yourself out […]

Are you making yourself sick just trying to keep focused on the work at hand and not click over to Facebook to check on your “friends?” Struggling with the guilt you feel two hours after googling a single address, once you realize that you’ve followed the rabbit down the hole and are now tagging photos […]

The other day, I took one of our new aggressive associates with me to meet my oldest client, who was bringing along his 20-something son. Over lunch, the talk turned to Twitter and Facebook, and the two kids discussed how far behind the technology curve the old fogies were. "Dinosaurs," I think they said. My associate was particularly critical of the partners at our firm and how they use, or don't use, technology. Afterward, I got to thinking about all the new communications options I have, and what they could do for me. Then I talked to different lawyers I know who use them well, to see what they get out of each one. Here’s what I learned.

You already know how to break the ice. You want to surpass the small talk, to get to know the other person. And if that person is a potential client, you hope a genuine and compelling conversation will cultivate a relationship and perhaps lead to new business.

Stop the insanity! Give yourself, your productivity and your jangled nerves a break and just turn off the new e-mail message pop-up. You will be surprised, even awed, by how much more work you will get done without pop-ups and beeps interrupting you all day. Here's how to do it quickly in most versions of Microsoft Outlook.

You’re overbooked, overworked and overwhelmed. You need help from an associate or two, or perhaps a team of lawyers. You need to delegate. Here are a few key things to keep in mind.

Do you have a tech-savvy friend who always seems to know things days before everyone else? RSS readers, whether web-based like Google Reader or application-based, allow us to consume the exact information we want, faster. Here are tips on what you should be monitoring.

Okay. Really. You know you've got to get more aggressive about bringing in new clients. As Mom used to say, "Those bills aren't going to pay themselves!" But where to start?