What I want new lawyers to know

Transcription

1 What I want new lawyers to know 1 With Jim Calloway Director Oklahoma Bar Association Management Assistance Program jimc@okbar.org Blog YouTube Tips Channel Digital Edge Podcast 2 1

2 For several days, you can download these materials at 3 Our 2014 Opening Your Law Practice Program is set for September 30 in Tulsa & October 7 at the Oklahoma Bar Center 4 2

3 OBA MAP Starting a Law Practice Web Directory StartingALawPractice.aspx or 5 Check out July/August 2013 Big Ideas Issue of Law Practice Magazine 6 3

4 The Law Practice Magazine App is a Truly Great Deal! You can buy the magazine via the app for only $4.99 per issue or $19.99 for an annual subscription You have probably already heard of Richard Susskind 8 4

5 Tomorrow's Lawyers An Introduction to Your Future (2013) Amazon: Book $14.95 E-book $9.89 Professor Richard Susskind is speaking in Oklahoma! 10 5

6 ABA TECHSHOW is worth attending! Check out the links to TECHSHOW s 60 Sites 11 How to Practice Law Today 12 6

7 Marketing Management The four corners of law practice management Finance Technology According to the American Bar Association Law Practice Management Section13 Most tasks that lawyers do involve the creation, processing, analysis and exchange of information. We do not create tangible, physical products. So IT (Information Technology) is huge for us and will be more so every day. 14 7

8 This would offend many excellent lawyers practicing today, but the important thing for law students to understand is, with rare exceptions, you will not be able to practice law effectively during your career without an understanding of technology -- both to effectively advise your clients and to effectively operate your law practice

9 17 Earlier this year, Clio raised $17.9 million in venture capital from Bessemer Venture Partners. This funding puts Clio among not just the most wellfunded legal startups, but all startups. 18 9

10 19 The Future of Law Practice Your fortune teller today is Jim Calloway Director of Oklahoma Bar Assn. Management Assistance Program 20 10

11 Small Firm Law Offices The Next Generation 1. Successful lawyers will continue focusing on providing great client service (aka customer service) in addition to providing quality legal services. 2. To improve efficiency and speed operations we should see more attention on documenting office processes and procedures through checklists and manuals. 3. Data backup is critical for all businesses. 21 Small Firm Law Offices The Next Generation 4. A change in focus on how law firms manage their information is required as our profession moves from using physical client files to managing client data. 5. Digital law practice systems and paperless processes are slowly taking over in law firms of all sizes. 6. Most law firms will be using scanners and using technology based practice management systems in the future

12 Small Firm Law Offices The Next Generation 7. More and more consumers make purchasing decisions over the Internet. Small firms have to pay attention to their online image and Internet marketing. 8. Law firms need to embrace document assembly. 9. Alternative Fee Agreements will become more common. 23 Small Firm Law Offices The Next Generation 10. You have always been required to do conflict checking, but the new standard may become instant conflict checking. 11. The only real Twenty First Century Constant is Change

13 From the Washington S.Ct. Order [T]here are people who need only limited levels of assistance that can be provided by nonlawyers... This assistance should be available and affordable. Our system of justice requires it. The court acknowledged concerns that the plan poses a threat to the practicing family law bar. But protecting the monopoly status of attorneys in any practice area is not a legitimate objective 25 Check out the Checklist Manifesto Inexpensive Great read Better checklists should be an important goal for your practice. 13

14 Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500 is now being replaced by Fujitsu ScanSnap ix500 Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500 The PDF machine $400 $440 street price Bundled with Adobe Acrobat Standard (which can be upgraded to AA Pro for less than $200.) Fast color scanning, up to 20 pages per minute 50 page Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) Scans both sides simultaneously 14

15 Seek Virtual Help When Needed 29 Strategies for the Twenty First Century Lawyer 30 15

16 Build better systems 31 Legal Project Management 32 16

17 Build Paperless Systems 33 Embrace Document Assembly 34 17

18 Implementing document assembly is a critical issue. We cannot continue to spend so much time preparing and proofing documents. 35 Simple document assembly has gotten cheap and easy Installs as MS Word Plug in You can program document assembly only using the Bracket keys 90 day free trial $379 1 st license then $250 for additional

19 Simple document assembly has gotten cheap and easy Installs as Microsoft Word Plug in Easy insertion via Word tool bar Free version $89.00 Pro version 37 Simple document assembly has gotten cheap and easy MICROSOFTQUICK PARTS Select text you want to save Choose the Insert tab & you ll see the Quick Parts in the text group Name it and Save 19

20 Simple document assembly has gotten cheap and easy MICROSOFTQUICK PARTS Choose AutoText and select the entry you want from the gallery or Type the first few letters of the Quick Part name and hit F3 Alternative Fee Arrangements are a Critical Part of the Reinvention of the Law Office 40 20

21 Focus on Client Service In the future, the law firms that will flourish will be those who combine great client service with great legal services. People will pay for convenience and quality. Our new goal: Clients for Life. 41 Take care of the most valuable part of your law practice- you!! The unhappiest job in America (April 2013) Associate in large law firm 21

22 Opening Your Law Practice 43 Marketing Management The four corners of law practice management Finance Technology According to the American Bar Association Law Practice Management Section 44 22

23 Marketing 45 Marketing We ve come a long way, baby! On June 17, 1977 the U.S. Supreme Court held in Bates v Arizona that state bar rules prohibiting lawyers from advertising in newspapers violated the First Amendment. Now we grant CLE credit for programs on attorney marketing (although other states still deny that credit.) 46 23

24 When we talk about marketing, many lawyers envision a huckster selling soap. 47 Or Paul Newman s character in The Verdict, pitifully passing out business cards at stranger s funerals

25 Our First Lesson Marketing is not advertising. 49 Where do Lawyers get their best clients? Referrals 50 25

26 The Golden Rule of Effective Marketing Do everything possible to produce satisfied former clients for they will serve as ambassadors and marketers for you for years into the future. 51 The old way: Always do a good job for your clients. The new way: Always do a good job for your clients and communicate with your clients that you are doing a good job for them

27 Remember this basic rule: Your client s perception is your reality. 53 Ever had really lousy service in a restaurant with really great food? 54 27

28 55 Grandma s Rule for the Law Office You never get a second chance to make a first impression

29 A Personal Marketing Plan is a Must position or aspirational statement goals, objectives policies, strategies and a tactical plan to achieve those goals and objectives can be brief for a solo 57 Make Your Goals Realistic 58 29

30 And of course, Internet marketing and networking opportunities abound Your law firm s website BLOGS 59 Management 60 30

31 Management There is a lot to manage in a law firm People & HR issues Supplies/Vendors/Ordering/Payment Physical plant Financial controls 61 Management And then you have to manage all of the things you went to law school to do: Client files and matters Litigation scheduling and docketing Attorney fees and expenses Client relations 62 31

32 Your Best Secure Practice Tool May Come in a Three Ring Binder: Office Policies and Procedures Manuals. 63 Law office management software We ll discuss more in the technology section But this is now a must have

33 Lawyers are NOT intuitively good people managers Don t shoot the messager Lowly bailiffs and clerks can make your life easier or much harder Don t make jokes about firing staff Always treat everyone respectfully 65 Managing yourself is perhaps the greatest challenge Time Management Setting priorities Planning and Goals Getting things done Temperment 66 33

34 Finance 67 Finance The law is a profession. The law practice is a business. You have to run your business like a business or you may not have a business for long

35 Follow the Money Bank statements delivered unopened to you. Compile and review financials at least month (Bi-weekly is better) Consider accepting credit cards

36 More Technology Tools 71 Technology Lawyers are information providers. Almost everything we do involves the management and processing of information. Information Technology (IT) has a huge impact on our professional lives

37 A must have for most lawyers. More than just a PDF printer Document management and full text search Send documents for client comments and corrections even if they don t own Adobe Acrobat 73 Become an Acrobat Pro! On sale from the OBA Management Assistance Program $45 if you pick up at Bar Center $50 if shipped to you 74 37

38 I believe every firm needs PRACTICE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE 75 Software Practice management software is an absolute must. Software designed for law firms is better than making Outlook work (But Outlook is a pretty powerful tool.) This can serve as the assistant you don t have to pay each month. No excuses! 76 38

39 Amicus Attorneywww.amicusattorney.com

40 The Software Technology, Inc family Practice Master 79 The Software Technology, Inc family Practice Master and TABS III

41 Online practice management solutions in the cloud are very popular with solos and small firms. Clio RocketMatter MyCase HoudiniESQ 81 First there was TimeMatters and now there is BillingMatters

42 PC LAW 83 Timeslips

43 There are many accounting packages in the world. They all should work just fine for you. But you still need to consult with an accountant. 85 QuickBooks- The business version of Quicken 86 43

44 PC Law and PC Law Jr Law Office to Go Laptop plus portable scanner plus portable printer equals law office to go Scanner + printer = copier Always buy a brand name laptop If budget allows, a port replicator or docking station saves at least five to ten minutes every single day

45 Disaster Planning: All About Proactivity! The essence of planning is, well, planning! (ahead) What are you protecting your practice from? What are you planning for? Different responses needed for different disaster scenarios The key is avoiding it happens to the other guy mentality 89 Backup is a critical business issue today Here s a law school exam question Lawyer A does a great deal of research and document drafting on a unique matter for Client. Client pays A s bill of several thousand dollars. A s computer network crashes losing all research, notes and documents. The data was not backed up. Who should pay for recreating it? 90 45

46 Keys to backup Understand your stystem Don t rely on only one backup Off-site is a must! Test to see if you can restore 91 Thanks for listening May you all be Oklahoma Bar Association members some day 92 46

47 You can find useful information at my blog Jim Calloway s Law Practice Tips