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Ideas to Recession-Proof Your Law Firm

A tweet from Dennis Kennedy yesterday brought my attention to this blog post from Ron Baker of the Verasage Institute about recession-proofing your law firm. I met Ron several years ago at a LexThink event, and have been a huge fan ever since.  Ron is a value-pricing guru, and his post highlights that his philosophy has even more value for firms now than when the economy is humming. Furthermore, I believe that firms that do change their pricing/expense structure along the lines Ron advocates will find themselves in a better financial position when we exit this recession.

Smaller firms will find it easier to implement value-billing, but many lawyers just aren't sure where or how to start this process. It seems too daunting, too risky. However, as Ron points out, firms that take the risks will reap the profits. In other words, if you keep doing what you are doing, you'll keep getting what you are getting!

Ron has a number of articles and books that will help firms get started (and now is the time when we have a few extra hours to fill) on this conversion process. The ABA also publishes one of the best books on this subject, Winning Alternatives to the Billable Hour, by Jim Calloway and Mark Robertson.

Twitter Basics for Curious Lawyers

Twitter seems to be taking the legal profession by storm these days, yet many lawyers have either not heard of Twitter or do not understand the basics of what this free new service is all about.

New York Times tech guru, David Pogue, does a great job explaining what he thinks Twitter is and how to get started--I mean, he is an uber-techie and he was scratching his head about it!  Yet, I am not sure he gets basic enough for many of us.

The "Getting Started" resources on Twitter are helpful to get started, but I still wanted more depth and explanation of what to expect. So I found several more educational posts on Twitter basics:

• A step-by-step presentation on SlideShare that is very helpful.
• A video from Remarkablogger that provides a good overview.
• Good blog posts here and here that are aimed more at the advanced beginner.
• Of course, WikiPedia has good overview information, but not much on how to get started Tweeting.

The jury is still out on the benefits of lawyers using Twitter; however, I like what I see so far. Twitter is another tool to quickly communicate with a large audience that should be added to a lawyer's marketing arsenal. I also look forward to presenting a session on Twitter and other Web 2.0 media with Steve Matthews at the ABA TECHSHOW in April.

Oh, and once you've set up your Twitter account, be sure to follow me on Twitter!

When You Go To Heaven, Will Your Practice Go to Hell?

That's the title of the article I co-authored with Courtney Kennaday that appears in this month's issue of Law Practice Today.  While numerous articles cover what solo and small firm lawyers should do to plan for their unexpected death or disability, we decided to highlight what happens to law practices without any planning. The sudden death or disability of a lawyer while tragic, is even more devastating to clients and family when there is no plan for the practice.

I hope you'll take a few moments to read the article. If you are a lawyer, I hope it moves you to action.

Noteable New Consumer Electronics: Any Ideas for the Practice of Law?

PCWorld released their Best of CES 2009 slideshow, highlighting their view of the best ideas from the annual Consumer Electronics Show that recently wrapped up in Las Vegas. Most of the ideas are just fun and interesting, but a few caught my eye as being applicable to lawyers.

High-definition pocket camcorders like the Kodak Zi6 and Flip Ultra are all the rage for the average consumer, with excellent clarity, ease of use, and the low-cost--priced under $200!  Lawyers should consider purchasing and using these for a range of activities including memorializing certain events, such as will signings, personal property inventories, or recording and uploading short informational videos for clients to access via your website.

The new Palm Pre smart phone, which I wrote about late last year, may soon be the latest phone/web tool to grace your mobile arsenal to keep connected when out of the office.

Pico-projectors--pocket-sized presentation projectors--continue to grab attention because of their bang-for-the-buck capabilities.

Yeah, I love tech gadgets. I gotta get to CES one of these years!

Google Ads Gone Wild

Ok, I almost never look at the sponsored ads and links that appear on each page of my Gmail account, but a set of odd links caught my eye today. I was reading an auto-generated e-mail notifying me that a friend  was now following me on Twitter. The Sponsored Links included an ad for "Effective Hematoma Repair" for dogs--promising "Proffessional (sic) results in minutes", an ad for "Hernia Mesh Products" for humans, and one for an "Hysterectomy Recovery Step-by-Step Guide." Is there something about the word "Twitter" that triggered this avalanche of wasted advertising?

Oh, thank heaven, these advertisers are getting good value for their advertising dollars! (Yes, I did click through to trigger payment to Google!)  I wasn't going to give them extra value by posting the links here, but the one for hematoma repair for dogs is just too weird not to share!

Economic Distractions Could Lead to Computer Insecurity

While many of us are distracted with business and economic issues, the techno-bad guys are still out there doing what they do best--ripping off confidential information, infecting computers, stealing laptops and other portable devices, and causing as much mayhem as possible. Despite our current distractions, now is not the time to forget about the security and integrity of our clients' data we carry with us on our ever-changing mobile computing devices. 

I must admit I was distracted during October when this Securing Your Clients' Data While on the Road I co-authored with David Ries was published in Law Practice Today; however, the article is (hopefully) as informative today as it was when it was published just a few months ago.

A Dose of Sanity for Your Inbox

In case you missed it last week, Erik Mazzone shares his practical e-mail management strategy at his Law Practice Matters blog. Heavy on the common sense, I've already adopted several of his ideas. Thanks, Erik!

You Can't Afford Not to Attend the 2009 ABA TECHSHOW

Times are tough, even for many attorneys, but that doesn't mean we can stop investing in ourselves and our practices. One of the best investments lawyers can make is to participate in the annual ABA TECHSHOW. There, lawyers and staff can learn how to improve the efficiency of their services, expand their client base, and deliver higher-quality services through the more effective use of technology.

Whether you are a big firm lawyer going solo, a solo expanding your firm, a corporate lawyer needing to keep up with e-discovery, an immigration lawyer wanting to improve your website, a family law lawyer seeking to streamline your work flow process, or a large firm Chief Technology Officer, there is something at TECHSHOW for everyone.

I have attended and/or presented at TECHSHOW for the past 11 years, and it is always one of the best events each year. (In fact, I liked it so much, they invited me to be on the planning board this year!) In addition to the high-quality learning sessions, there are activities and events to network with other lawyers, visit one-on-one with technology vendors, and toss around ideas with some of the best minds in our profession.

The conference runs April 2 through April 4, 2009 at the Chicago Hilton. Save the date now, but be sure to register before the early-bird deadline on February 28, 2009. And if you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me.

Going Solo Just Got Easier

I am pleased to be presenting my annual starting a law practice seminar in conjunction with the DC Bar on Friday, January 23, 2009. This all-day seminar is highly interactive and full of practical information for lawyers just starting a new practice or who have been in practice a few years, but want to upgrade their marketing efforts, improve their efficiency and profitability, deliver "knock-your-socks-off" client service, and avoid the ethical problems that can trap the unwary sole practitioner.

Joining me this year (my 10th year) on the faculty are Dan Mills, who heads the DC Bar Practice Management Advisory Service, and Heather Bupp-Habuda, adjunct professor of ethics and former Ethics Counsel at the DC Bar.

If you live and work in the DC area (or by chance plan to stay a few days after the Presidential Inauguration), then join us for an informative and enjoyable day of learning and innovation.

YouTube and the Changing Legal Profession

I recently posted an item on the ABA TECHSHOW blog and forgot to share it here. It highlights Professor Michael Wesch's insight and research about YouTube, with links to several of his video presentations.  After watching the videos prepared by Professor Wesch, I can see that YouTube (and other video storage/delivery tools) is not just a toy, but is a viable tool for the legal profession at many levels.

Lawyers and firms should begin to exploit the benefits of this growing technology in order influence debate on law and policy, serve as an educational delivery system to clients and potential clients, gather information to learn more about the flattening world marketplace, and expand law firm marketing. It seems that most of the videos/visuals presently contributed by lawyers and law firms on YouTube are amateurish, boring, and ineffective, so there is plenty of room for others to command a presence.

In fact, a good portion of the contributions from lawyers on YouTube may diminish reputations, not enhance them. Consumers don't want talking heads statically sitting at a desk talking. To make it interesting, firms must add graphics, camera movements, quality sound, and even music. Yes, YouTube is for amateurs, but that does not mean videos can be amateurish. Remember, what is produced and distributed on YouTube (and similar sites) will be viewed by people used to viewing television as well as seeing professional websites on computer screens. Your competition for consumer eyeballs is not just limited to other law firms, but is made up of all other media your potential clients are viewing.

The use of the Internet for the storage, sharing and delivery of visual/video information is still in its infancy, and is certain to grow in importance in 2009 and beyond. Law firms that take the time and initiative to create, share, and promote interesting, professional, and timely videos will certainly have an advantage in the evolving legal marketplace.