Artificial intelligence has been shaking up countless industries, and legal is no exception. While many are wary of how much impact AI will truly have, one thing is for certain: its applications will be able to do work normally done by humans in a much faster and efficient way. For lawyers, AI brings about the chance to focus on the … Read More
Question of the Week: Can I use a general accounting program like QuickBooks® to support my firm?
General accounting programs, like QuickBooks®, weren’t created with law firms in mind but that doesn’t mean they can’t be used by lawyers. The biggest concern when using generic software is whether or not they can handle the unique needs of the legal industry and its complex compliance requirements. Lawyers can create workarounds within the program to address many of their … Read More
Tech Tip #263: Integrated Platforms Are Key To Preventing Client Disputes
Client disputes are unfortunately a part of practicing law and can lead to devastating results, such as ruining a law firm’s reputation or even the disbarment of an attorney. However, you can get ahead of this by preventing client disputes from happening at all — and this can be done by implementing an integrated practice management software. Typically, multiple systems … Read More
Letting Go of Work Stress for Lawyers
There’s no way to avoid being stressed as a lawyer – it’s part of the job description. But that doesn’t mean you need to carry that stress with you all the time. Avoiding burnout and maintaining a healthy mindset means you need to learn how to let go of the stress that work brings your way. Impacts of Stress on … Read More
5 Ways to Run a Compliant Law Office
Compliance is mandatory for law firms, but the complex rules and regulations lawyers are required to follow can make it difficult to maintain. To prevent problems resulting from violations, complaints or failed audits, it’s important to take as many measures as possible to run a compliant law office. Implementing specific initiatives and processes can provide peace of mind that you’re … Read More
Question of the Week: How Can I Prevent Embezzlement at My Law Firm?
Running an effective law practice means you can’t always be involved in every single detail of the firm’s operations. If you did, there would be no time left to do actual billable work. So how do you prevent embezzlement without handling the accounting yourself? Employee theft costs U.S. businesses $50 billion every year and due to the nature of their … Read More
Tech Tip #262: Evaluate Security Best Practices of Cloud-based Vendors
As law firms continue to grow their usage of cloud-based tools, it’s important to know what factors to evaluate to remain secure in the cloud. It’s important to do your due diligence and understand the steps that vendors take to secure their data and their systems. Questions you can ask include: How often do they back up their data? Do … Read More
Three Ways to Build Your Referral Network
Generating referrals is an essential part of building a highly profitable book of business. In today’s digital world, word-of-mouth is still how many professionals are hired. Everyone knows it’s important to have a referral network, but the challenge lies in leveraging your existing contacts and creating new ones to build a consistent referral source. Here are three ways you can … Read More
Question of the Week: How Can Our Firm Stay on Top of Past-due Accounts?
You work hard for a client and then they never pay your bill, forcing you to follow up in what can be an uncomfortable scenario. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone – a LexisNexis survey showed over 73% of small law firms deal with past-due invoices. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent this situation from occurring and to streamline … Read More
7 Easy Ways to Improve Client Relationships
Years ago, client interaction took place face to face; but in today’s digital age, you’re more likely to only see your client during the initial consult and at infrequent follow-up meetings. Instead, communication takes place through email and over the phone, making it more difficult to cultivate a strong client relationship. But there are easy ways to create a more … Read More