Billing Your Client? Think Branding In The Process
July 28, 2005
The foundation of marketing is branding. Although branding drives most attorneys crazy because brands resist logical definitions, your firm's brand is an essential element of marketing legal services. In essence, brands are an array of impressions and beliefs that surround your firm, and create expectations about the kind of attorneys the firm has and the work it performs. Since brands create an emotional connection between attorneys and their clients, your brand can be considered your firm's personality.
<b>Meyerowitz on Marketing:</b> Beyond The Rolodex
July 28, 2005
In the past, when lawyers at Duane Morris L.L.P. decided that they wanted to hold an executive briefing for clients, they would ask their colleagues to provide the names and addresses of the people they thought should be invited to the event. The process took weeks and was often incomplete. Now, though, the firm has streamlined the process through its use of "client relationship management" (CRM) software.
Finding Where The Work Is
July 28, 2005
Each calendar year, attorneys with private law firms are charged with the unique challenge of creating and realizing a target number of billable hours. In a quieter moment, perhaps late at night, we ask ourselves: "Where will this work come from?" <br>Searching for, qualifying, and closing new or additional business is as important to building a successful practice as your numbers this year for annual hours worked, billed and realized. So, how do we do that?
'Plane' Speaking: In-Flight Networking
July 28, 2005
I don't have time to network." "There's no way I can spend time at all the events people tell me I should go to." Does this ring true for you? If so, consider this: Networking doesn't just happen when you take time out of your busy schedule to appear at an official "networking" event. In fact, networking can happen anytime, anywhere. Every minute you're around other human beings is a chance to network. Self-made billionaires are known for their tendency to network everywhere and all the time ' on the golf course, but also at the doctor's office, at the health club, or on a plane.
AbacusLaw: Practice-Specific Case Management
July 28, 2005
Over the years, case management software has become more and more refined. However, there are still several programs that don't take into consideration the fact that most attorneys need a program that is more adept at their particular area of practice. <br>I practice in the area of family law, and needless to say, most of the case-management programs floating around don't account for the language and the rules involved in my practice area. That is to say, not until now.
<b>Practice Tip:</b> Network On The Go
July 28, 2005
It seems like wireless, or Wi-Fi, hot spots are popping up everywhere, except in the very places where you need them most ' like hotel rooms. After a long day of dealing with flights and rental cars and out-of-town meetings, you want to be comfortable. But you still have a handful of e-mails that need replies before you retire. But to get online, you practically have to chain yourself to a cold hotel room desk. Wouldn't it be great if you could lounge on the bed or sit on the balcony? <br>A new breed of tiny, portable wireless routers have appeared on the scene in the last few months to help you realize that very scenario.
Lexis Closes Research Gap/LiveNote Acquires RealLegal
July 28, 2005
For years one of the major distinctions separating Westlaw from LexisNexis was West's headnote integration. Well, this gap in the capabilities of the two major legal research providers has apparently been closed with Lexis' recent announcement that its Shepard's Reports citation tool is now completely integrated with LexisNexis Headnotes. This integration of LexisNexis Headnotes into Shepard's will permit faster and more effective validations as well as "looping" Shepard's into the research process via Headnotes.
Converting Raw Data Into Meaningful Business Intelligence
July 28, 2005
During our installation of the Hummingbird Enterprise suite, we discovered Hummingbird BI, the suite's business intelligence component. We originally purchased BI in hopes of providing clients with simple financial snapshots of case related expenses and fees via the extranet. However, we quickly realized our expectations were inadequate and found that BI was the unexpected gem of Hummingbird Enterprise.
How To Choose An EDD Trainer
July 28, 2005
Even the most seasoned techie, not to mention litigator, may be puzzled by such arcane terminology as deduplication, metatags, blowbacks and concept querying. To make sense of the electronic-data discovery (EDD) process in general, and to further ensure that the litigator is adept in using the selected litigation review and production tools, selecting a trainer with the appropriate skills and pedagogical technique, combined with "real world" experience in setting up review workflows and meeting production deadlines, is nothing short of critical.
