Attorney Time Management Archives

15 04, 2016

Lists Improve Lawyer Time Management

2019-03-20T21:29:08+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on Lists Improve Lawyer Time Management

Attorneys use lists to improve lawyer time management

“Duh! Tell me something I don’t already know,” you might have said to yourself when you read this headline about lawyer time management. I’m sure you already have some kind of list on your desk, on your computer, or on your mobile device right now. And yet, I frequently find myself coaching lawyers about creating and reviewing lists to improve lawyer time management and reduce the overwhelm of modern law practice.

There are many different kinds of lists with different functions and different ways to manage them. This post will include a “list of lists” and a brief description of their benefits or functionality. Check out David Allen’s, best-selling book Getting Things Done and his website of the same name for more elaboration on some of these ideas. I also invite you to share your suggested additions to this list in the comments below. […]

5 05, 2015

Where Can I Find a Virtual Paralegal to Match My Practice?

2019-03-20T21:29:49+00:00By Cathy L Ribble ACP|2 Comments

“There just are not enough hours in the day to do everything myself! I want to improve my work-life balance by delegating tasks, but no one is available. I keep reading and hearing about virtual paralegals and virtual assistants as affordable options, but I wonder: Where can I find virtual support which meets the needs of my law practice?”

Solo and small firm attorneys often share these same thoughts. For both groups, virtual paralegal or virtual assistant support is often the perfect solution provided you find the assistant who matches your needs. The first step is deciding what task(s) you want to delegate. That list will grow quickly if you could find the right person. Your next move will be checking out the following sources to identify the names of virtual paralegals or virtual assistants who have experience in your practice area. […]

5 04, 2015

Overcoming Fears of Virtual Legal Assistants

2019-03-20T21:30:37+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|2 Comments

Is running your law practice growing to more than you can handle, but maybe not enough for full-time help? As a prudent business person, perhaps you aren’t ready to make the commitment to hire more staff or to lease additional space to accommodate them. If you find yourself working too many long hours just to keep up, and doing work that you should be delegating, maybe it’s time to experiment with a virtual paralegal or virtual administrative assistant. Virtual workers can permit you to flexibly expand and contract your office staff as your needs fluctuate on a project by project basis. […]

2 12, 2014

Overcome Bad Habit Loops

2019-02-21T23:25:14+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on Overcome Bad Habit Loops

This year is almost over. As you think about next year, do you have things you want to do differently? Have you started contemplating your New Year’s Resolutions yet? Do you notice some of the same items on your list that you had last year? Perhaps you are a victim of “the power of habit.”

New York Times business reporter, Charles Duhigg, published an excellent book called The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business in 2012. He summarized research by neuroscientists on habits and provided illuminating case studies of how people and companies broke bad habits and transformed their futures. Using the research and principles Duhigg described, I’ll provide some guidance on how you can look at the patterns in your life to design structures for better habits in the future. […]

4 11, 2014

“We Have Met the Enemy, and He is Us”

2019-02-21T23:25:16+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|1 Comment

When you’re searching for solutions to personnel problems in the office, take steps to make sure you have accurately identified the source of the problem.You need to uncover obstacles to good performance by your office staff by being sure they have the necessary training, optimal equipment and clear instructions.

What if you’ve done all of these things, but you’re still getting poor performance? Is it time to terminate him? Perhaps. Perhaps not.

Have you had difficulty finding anyone who could perform these job responsibilities well? Have you had trouble keeping the talent who did perform well? You might first verify that you are paying a competitive salary. If you are underpaying the market, talented personnel may not be attracted to the position, or they may parlay the experience and training they get in your office to a higher paying job. […]

8 04, 2014

How to Get That Thing Done That You Keep Putting Off

2019-03-15T18:27:12+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on How to Get That Thing Done That You Keep Putting Off

Most of us have something that we keep putting off until a looming deadline spurs us to action. Our modus operandi robs us of sleep and our confidence that we did our best work. Some unpleasant tasks don’t have a deadline, so we postpone them until we can’t function anymore without doing something about them. Like when you know you need to get a new computer, but that requires a disagreeable choice between researching to make the right selection, or surrendering to the influence of a salesperson. So you don’t do anything about it until your processing speed slows to a crawl.

Whatever you tend to procrastinate on, that increases your stress and lowers your self-esteem. Go through this list of suggestions and look at your practice with new eyes to find one thing you can do differently now. […]

18 03, 2014

The 4 R’s for Solving Dilemmas

2019-02-21T23:25:22+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on The 4 R’s for Solving Dilemmas

Do you have a dilemma, a persistent worry, a recurring aggravation, or a deep concern? As lawyers we are trained to apply logic and rigorous analysis to solve problems. Some issues, however, call for a different approach – one of creativity and inner guidance. Here’s a little formula, “The 4 R’s,” for finding a solution: Rest, Relax, Reflect and Receive.

1. Rest

Many of our problems arise out of the stress created by the very busy-ness of our lives. Studies have shown that the average person needs eight hours of sleep per night, but today many of us cheat our bodies of some of that needed rest. In his book, The Promise of Sleep, William C. Dement, M.D., Ph.D. describes studies showing that if you are only getting 6 hours of sleep per night during the work week, by Friday night you have accumulated 10 hours of “sleep debt” that must be repaid. Dr. Dement says, “As your debt grows, your energy, mood and cognition will be undermined.” Dr. Dement warns that you cannot work off a large sleep debt by getting one good night’s sleep. No wonder you find yourself sleeping late on the weekend and then still wanting a nap in the afternoon. […]

20 12, 2013

Ready, Set, Goal!

2019-03-20T21:36:32+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on Ready, Set, Goal!

“History informs us of past mistakes from which we can learn without repeating them. It also inspires us and gives confidence and hope bred of victories already won.”

~ William Hastie (1904-1976)
Civil rights attorney, law school professor and first African-American federal judge

As we wrap up one year and begin the next, it’s a good idea to engage in a “Lessons Learned” process before we make plans. By analyzing the results we obtained, we can avoid repeating our mistakes and be blessed to repeat our successes. To get real value, it needs to be a thoughtful process covering all aspects of your life. From my years of experience in helping clients through such an analysis, I have identified a few guidelines that can help you.

1. Give yourself full credit.

First, take a look at what was successful. Allow yourself all due credit for your accomplishments, breakthroughs and wins, no matter their size. Don’t just look for cases you won or big deals closed. We tend to gloss over our small victories, even when they took real effort or perseverance to achieve. We rarely let ourselves live down a shortfall, however, so give equal time to your successes. If you finally got those files taken care of, or your office organized, include that accomplishment on your list. If you gained back 5 of the 10 pounds you lost last year, acknowledge yourself for keeping off 5 pounds. […]

6 08, 2013

How Your Daily Routine Can Help Keep Your Law Practice Cutting Edge

2019-03-08T00:13:31+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on How Your Daily Routine Can Help Keep Your Law Practice Cutting Edge

Introducing guest blogger – Chelsea Wilson

Chelsea Wilson is the Community Relations Manager for Washington University School of Law’s online LL.M. degree program, @WashULaw, which provides foreign trained attorneys with the opportunity to earn a Masters in Law degree from a top-tier American university from anywhere in the world. Join the @WashULaw Community on Twitter.

Are you an attorney that has trouble managing time? If not, do you know someone who does? This post is for attorneys or people you may know who struggle to fit everything—online marketing channels, pursuing bar association activities, reading legal books, and participation in other professional and business development strategies—into their day. […]

9 07, 2013

How Legal Management Software Can Make Your Firm More Efficient

2019-02-26T19:32:30+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on How Legal Management Software Can Make Your Firm More Efficient

Introducing Guest Blogger Paul Simms –

Paul Simms is Sales & Marketing Director for Reflect Digital, a digital marketing agency based in the UK, who specialise in design, development and marketing for legal websites.

In the past, lawyers and solicitors relied heavily on paper-based systems, and whilst many professionals coped dealing with their workloads in this manner just fine, few would argue against the contention that computer based systems such as legal case management software have made life easier for all concerned. When a law professional has so many clients to bill, it can be a tough juggling act working out just how much time has been spent on a case and what to charge. Law firm software is designed to put an end to all that, providing enhanced levels of efficiency and accuracy. […]

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