In the age of COVID-19, we have struck an uneasy balance with being work-from-home pioneers. We’ve figured out a lot about how to be productive, how to manage relationships with clients and coworkers, and how to get court cases moving along when we can’t actually be in the courtroom. While technology lets us do all of these things, there are … Read More
Growing Your Firm In Changing & Uncertain Times
You don’t want to hear us say it, so we won’t. (Okay, we have to, sorry.) We’re living in changing and uncertain times. Four months ago, we all hoped that the pandemic would be a short, weird blip on our national radar, but COVID-19, like a bad neighbor in the apartment next door, is here to stay for the foreseeable … Read More
Utilizing a Mid-Year Accounting Checklist
Taking stock of your accounting isn’t just an end of year task – although it would be nice to only have to do it once a year! These days, it’s more important than ever for lawyers to be aware of their financial standing and make sure they’re keeping accurate records. Doing a mid-year accounting check will leave you with a … Read More
How to Calm an Angry Client
No matter how good you are with your clients, no matter how much you prioritize client service, it’s inevitable: you WILL have angry clients. Angry clients are a fact of doing business but in the legal profession, it comes with the territory. Here’s another thing to consider: while public perception of lawyers as being adversarial and conflict-driven is a common … Read More
Alternative Free Legal Research Tools
Legal research has gotten easier than ever thanks to the proliferation of online, access-anywhere-anytime databases. However, many law firms find that the price of utilizing multiple, full-featured legal research tools can quickly add up. For those offices looking for a less expensive option, you’re in luck. While there are definitely some great, high-powered tools out there to fuel your legal … Read More
Ask an Expert: Security Basics for Law Firms
Security is critical for law firms, especially with so many people working remotely these days. While the where of work may be changing, the need to be clear on security procedures and tools hasn’t changed. We spoke with Henry Dicker, Senior VP of Client Engagement at Lowers Forensic International. Serving for more than 20 years as ALM’s Vice-President of Global … Read More
Cloud Computing Ethics for Lawyers
At some point in the early to mid-2010s, jokes about “the cloud” were common. What’s “the cloud” mean? Where is it? Does anyone even know? These days, most of us are pretty familiar with what cloud computing is and all the benefits that it offers. What’s less clear, though, is the ethical pitfalls that it poses. Yes, cloud computing is … Read More
Top 5 Security Vulnerabilities Your Law Firm Should Know About
Law firms deal with sensitive information day in and out. Keeping this data confidential, especially anything related to a case, means you have to worry about more than what you’re doing – you also need to think about what you’re not doing. Ignoring potential security vulnerabilities could leave your firm, its data and its reputation exposed to risk. There are … Read More
How to Fight Fraud in Your Law Firm
When you think about fraud and law firms, it’s easy to focus your attention on the work lawyers do to prosecute fraud cases. But just because law firms are usually on the prosecuting side of the bench doesn’t mean that they aren’t susceptible to fraud. In fact, law firms make appealing targets for fraudsters, given the wealth of personal information … Read More
Strategies for Building a More Diverse and Inclusive Law Firm
Although events are still playing out nationally through protests and political engagement, what’s clear to many law firms is the need to proactively implement change. Businesses, institutions, and organizations have thrown their weight behind discussions of how they can contribute to dismantling systemic racism in our country. The legal field remains among the least inclusive industries. There’s much that law … Read More