lawyers Archives

5 09, 2012

Systematize to Optimize Your Legal Practice – Part 1: Why?

2019-04-01T20:57:54+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on Systematize to Optimize Your Legal Practice – Part 1: Why?

In this issue of “Raising the Bar“, Debra L. Bruce presents the first of a three-part series addressing the creation of law office systems for increased efficiency, improved quality control and cost reductions. As a bonus, systems help lawyers to focus on and enjoy their law practice more.

Image credit: thingamajiggs / 123RF Stock Photo

Why Law Office Systems Matter
Increased competition, downward pressures on fees, and elevated client expectations require lawyers today to respond faster while maintaining high quality. Law firms and individual attorneys need structural aids to improve productivity and assist in quality control. Systems let lawyers spend more of their time on the high level, challenging work they enjoy most. […]

26 04, 2011

Do Bar Associations Really Benefit Solos?

2019-03-21T19:53:56+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|1 Comment

“The hierarchy of the State Bar is not at all concerned with solos.”
“The truth is that the [state bar] is just not relevant to the majority of …lawyers.”
“Solos have been left out.”
“The ABA doesn’t do anything for solo and small firm lawyers.”
“Solos have a tight operating budget and I haven’t seen the ABA as a huge value for the money.”

These quotes come from statements in online articles and discussion forums, as well as comments made to me. Attorneys complain about bar dues and their perception that bar associations pander to big law firms, providing very little value to solos. When I delve into the subject with them, however, they often come away surprised at the extent of resources available that they were unaware of.

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1 03, 2011

Blogging Can Make the Difference in a Landing a Law Job

2019-03-21T20:14:35+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|6 Comments

Jack Whittington posted his tips for law students on getting that dream job out of law school at the Solo Practice University Blog. Jack credited blogging and using Twitter and LinkedIn with helping him nab a rare opportunity at a sports law firm. He submitted his resume to the firm as a result of some networking. When he finally got a call to interview, Jack says “the attorney already knew a great deal about me just from reading my blogs and information I had broadcast through social media.” Read here to get Jack’s in-depth story.

Last year I did a little coaching with NYU law student John Strohmeyer as he searched for a job in a tough market. […]

21 02, 2011

On Presidents Day: Abraham Lincoln’s Advice on Lawyering

2019-04-01T20:43:35+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|3 Comments

Around 1850 Abraham Lincoln wrote some sound advice to lawyers and those contemplating becoming lawyers. Over 160 years later, his advice is still worth heeding. Hat tip to Tom Adolph, a partner at Jackson Walker L.L.P., for sharing this with me. Here are Lincoln’s words:

“I am not an accomplished lawyer. I find quite as much material for a lecture in those points wherein I have failed, as in those wherein I have been moderately successful. The leading rule for the lawyer, as for the man of every other calling, is diligence. Leave nothing for to-morrow which can be done to-day. Never let your correspondence fall behind. […]

15 12, 2010

Before You Make New Year’s Resolutions…

2010-12-15T18:11:03+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|1 Comment

There’s an old story about a guy who walked down the street and fell into a giant hole. He yelled for help for a long time, but no one came. Finally he managed to scratch out some notches in the wall, and with some difficulty, he clambered out.

The next day he walked down the same street and fell into the same hole. He didn’t yell very long before he remembered the notches he had scratched before. He dug them out a little more, and then climbed out much more quickly.

When he walked down that street the third day, he caught himself as he teetered on the brink of falling into the hole again. He walked gingerly around the hole and went on his way.

On the fourth day… […]

20 10, 2010

How New or Re-tooling Lawyers Can Get Experience They Need

2019-02-10T23:05:52+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|7 Comments

Many lawyers today find themselves in the unexpected position of trying to practice law in an area where they have insufficient experience and are finding it necessary to develop a new area of proficiency due to not being hired after graduation, downsized in the recession, a slow market for their existing expertise, or just wanting to make a change into a different type of practice. Here are a number of ideas on how to gain the needed experience through Texas programs (other jurisdictions have similar options) when you don’t already have the support system to provide it.

21 09, 2010

How Lawyers Can Capitalize on Foursquare and Geotagging

2019-04-01T21:31:01+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on How Lawyers Can Capitalize on Foursquare and Geotagging

Jim Calloway posted about The Dangers of Photo Geotagging. He referenced a New York Times story describing how a television personality accidentally revealed the location of his home when he posted a photo on Twitter, because of the geotagging embedded in the photo. Geotagging adds geographical metadata to some media such as photos, videos, websites, and social media postings.

Calloway posited a few circumstances in which photo geotagging might be relevant to a lawyer’s case, such as evidence of “harboring a fugitive” based on a photo geotag. Posting a geotagged photo on Facebook could result in the arrest of someone with an outstanding warrant. Remember, other people can post photos on Facebook and tag them with someone else’s name, unless they have blocked that feature. And, if you think fugitives would not be foolish enough to post their own photos on Facebook, check out this Huffington Post story. […]

8 06, 2010

Can Parenting Tips Improve Your Client Effectiveness?

2010-06-08T14:54:47+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on Can Parenting Tips Improve Your Client Effectiveness?

Recently one of my lawyer clients described to me how he handles things with his high-strung child. As he described his process, it reminded me of how really effective family lawyers handle clients in the emotional throes of a divorce or custody battle.

In this time of economic turmoil and uncertain futures, today every lawyer has a stressed out client to deal with. See if this parent’s process might help you be more effective in managing both yourself, and those you advise, in stressful situations.

1. Prep them for everything. Let them know in advance what the two of you will each do, and what Plan B will be, if Plan A doesn’t work.

2. Prompt them during the process. As you engage in the process and things get a little scary, remind them that this is what you were expecting. […]

16 03, 2010

Nice Guys Are Good for Business

2019-02-10T23:15:57+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|2 Comments

Back in 2005 I wrote Who Says Nice Guys Finish Last? The post recounted how attorneys have generated more business by putting their focus on helping others, even in ways that have nothing to do with the law. It also discussed the psychological underpinning of their success.

In the wake of the financial meltdown, there is growing evidence (cited by Time magazine, Fortune magazine and Harvard Business Review) that the “do well by doing good” philosophy is gaining a foothold in the corporate world. Maybe we are getting beyond the Gordon Gekko/ Ivan Boesky philosphy that “greed is good.” I hope more of our legal colleagues take note, too.

At least one Harvard Law grad is leading the way. Dov Seidman, author of the bestseller HOW: Why HOW We Do Anything Means Everything … in Business (and in Life) opines that “winner-take-all” strategies are obsolete. He partially credits the increased difficulty in hiding unethical and greedy business behavior in this era of bloggers, YouTube, Twitter and other social media.

Fortune Magazine recently published Why Doing Good Is Good for Business about Seidman’s rise as a management guru from providing training in ethics and legal compliance. The Fortune article says he
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15 02, 2010

Social Media Primer for Lawyers (Part 1)

2019-06-25T16:26:43+00:00By Debra L. Bruce, JD, PCC.|Comments Off on Social Media Primer for Lawyers (Part 1)

Unless you live in a cave, you have probably been hearing about social media lately. Many lawyers dismiss social media as just something that kids do. Others recognize that many adults use social media, but claim that it’s a waste of time for lawyers. Some lawyers even concede that using some social media might benefit their practice, but assert that there are too many risks associated with it.

Lawyers made similar claims about the internet and email in the 1990’s. Today many attorneys can’t even practice, if their access to internet and email goes down. To help reduce the concern and confusion of newcomers to social media, this article provides an overview of the types of social media lawyers are most likely to use. […]

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