Tag: lawyers

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Law Firm Management

Managing the Unmanageable

An iguana standing on a rock next to a sign which says not to stand on the rocks

Law firms can be peculiar work environments.  To start with, lawyers tend to be quite intelligent and very independent, and often have very well-developed egos.  Add to that mixture that lawyers are professionally trained to argue with each other and usually work in a high-stress environment for multiple clients with competing priorities.  Finally, keep in mind that law firms typically operate as partnerships, without the more hierarchical and well-established structure of corporations.

read more about why lawyers should not be running law firms “Managing the Unmanageable”
Categories
Client Development

My Brilliant Marketing Mind

A very poorly worded and confusing advertising sign

Young lawyers often think that there is some magic secret to building a client base, and that marketing is a mysterious and complicated endeavour.  I disagree, and I say that as a lawyer who did not really “get” marketing until I had been practicing for quite a long time.

read more about why marketing is easier than you think “My Brilliant Marketing Mind”
Categories
Client Development

Bad Clients Can Derail Your Practice

Old fashioned train looking precarious on a narrow mountain pass

Early in my career, a senior partner in my firm, who I will call Greg, was arguing with the managing partner of the firm because the managing partner wanted Greg to fire one of Greg’s clients.

read more about when it is necessary to fire your client “Bad Clients Can Derail Your Practice”
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Client Development

Marvin’s Fish Theory of Legal Marketing

underwater view of sharks and fish swimming

I once had a law partner named Marvin who taught me what he called the “fish theory” of marketing.  According to Marvin, marketing was simply a matter of throwing a fish back to every referral source who threw a fish to you.  If you were referred a file from someone, you owed that person a file, and so it went. 

read more about the problems with the fish theory “Marvin’s Fish Theory of Legal Marketing”
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Client Development

How Law Firms Drive Associates Crazy – Part 2

Modern Cowboys and Cowgirls on Horses suggesting they are participating in a show.

(About the Marketing Thing)

New lawyers have a lot to learn about both the law, and how to practice law.  Typically doing that will take up their entire workday, and then some.

read more about the challenge of learning to market while trying to meet the billable hours target “How Law Firms Drive Associates Crazy – Part 2”
Categories
Firm Culture

How Law Firms Drive Associates Crazy

Wild Turkeys headed off in different directions implying lawyers are under too much pressure

(Part 1 of Many)

Law firms like to encourage their lawyers to produce as many billable hours as possible.  In order to keep the lawyers ‘motivated’, law firms usually set a target number of hours that they expect each lawyer to bill.  Some firms like to set the target at a number which is higher than they expect the lawyers to bill. 

rEAD MORE ABOUT BEING DRIVEN CRAZY “How Law Firms Drive Associates Crazy”
Categories
Client Development

Lawyers: Take Risk To Have Clients

Man hanging over a horizontal wire under his knees over valley.

I once had a partner named George. George had many very loyal clients, and I asked him to explain to me how he did it.  This is one of the lessons which George taught me and which I integrated into my own philosophy about being an effective lawyer.

read more ABOUT TAKING RISK TO HAVE CLIENTS “Lawyers: Take Risk To Have Clients”
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The Mentality and Attitudes of Lawyers Uncategorized

Who Is The Smartest Lawyer in the Room (or on Zoom)?

Older man with glasses handing down under his nose.
Photo by Rene Asmussen at Pexels.

I am, of course. But I don’t have to make sure that everyone else knows it. Whenever I forget this simple truth, the client ends up paying for it somehow.

read more about how lawyers’ egos get in the way of the client “Who Is The Smartest Lawyer in the Room (or on Zoom)?”
Categories
Client Development Uncategorized

Eating Your Way to A Great Client Base

There is an easy way and a hard way to develop a good client base in the legal profession. The hard way is to work extremely long hours and be phenomenally good at what you do. I have met a few people who have done it this way, but not very many. 

read more ABOUT DEVELOPING A GOOD CLIENT BASE “Eating Your Way to A Great Client Base”
Categories
The Mentality and Attitudes of Lawyers Uncategorized

Our Firm Needs More Lawyers Who Are Just Like Me

I have observed over the years that it is an interesting aspect of human nature (or at least the nature of lawyers) that people tend to value most what they themselves do well. 

read more about how firms and clients benefit when lawyers bring different skills to the party “Our Firm Needs More Lawyers Who Are Just Like Me”