Topics
The mysterious magic of routines
As a child, did you step carefully over every sidewalk crack? Tap each post of the hockey net before settling into the crease? Wear your lucky socks to every law school exam? Even those of us who scorn superstition rely on routines and rituals for our own protection: we swallow a daily multivitamin, fasten our… Read More »
Categories: 2017 August Managing Change, Articles, Communications Errors, Content Type, LAWPRO Magazine, LAWPRO Magazine Article Type, Practice Tips, TopicsOutsourcing your law firm’s cybersecurity
According to a survey¹ of UK law firms, a quarter of them have been the victims of cyberattacks, as have almost a third of US firms according to the ABA Legal Technology Survey Report. While there has not been a similar survey done of Canadian firms, the numbers are probably similar. And the high-publicity hacks… Read More »
Categories: 2017 August Managing Change, Articles, Cyber dangers, Firm Management, Legal Technology, Tech TipsRetirement, identity, and mental health: It’s an adjustment
Lawyers often pay lip service to looking forward to retirement. However, when pressed on the subject, many admit that their true feelings are mixed. Those who equivocate may have good reason: for many professionals, the adjustment to retirement can be psychologically challenging. A 2013 study¹ showed that retirement increased the risk of clinical depression in… Read More »
Categories: 2017 August Managing Change, Articles, Content Type, LAWPRO Magazine, LAWPRO Magazine Article Type, Legal Careers, Succession Planning, Topics, Wellness, WellnessBook review – The Lawyer’s Guide to Succession Planning
No one likes to think about getting older, and lawyers may tend to put off thinking about the day they have to retire from the profession they love and the firms they have spent a lifetime building. However, the fact is that there is a wave of Boomers hitting retirement age (90 million in North… Read More »
Categories: 2017 August Managing Change, Articles, Book Review, Content Type, Firm Management, Legal Careers, Solo and Small Firm, Succession PlanningLimited Scope Representation Resources
The information and resources on this page are intended to help you understand some of the risks inherent in providing limited scope legal services, and how you can reduce your exposure to a claim when working for a client on an unbundled basis. At its very simplest, the “unbundling” of legal services, also commonly called… Read More »
Categories: Limited scope retainer/unbundlingManaging Practice Interruptions
Foresight, along with some planning and preparation beforehand is critical to minimizing the impact of any accident or disaster, large or small. This booklet (Download PDF) provides a comprehensive review of the steps you can take to prepare for unexpected minor and major practice interruptions, and how you should respond to them. It reviews what… Read More »
Categories: Disaster Planning, Managing BookletsLaw Firm Business Plan Outline
If you want to be successful, you should consider how your law firm will operate well before you open your doors. A business plan is your roadmap to the future – you can show it to banks, suppliers or others whom you deal with when starting your practice. A business plan tells them that you… Read More »
Categories: Finances, PrecedentsLaw Firm Budget Precedent
Budgeting and managing your cash flows are a big part of staying in business. It is an old adage that what gets measured gets done: if you have set out straightforward financial goals and expectations that are to be met within a reasonable timeline, you will be able to judge if you are meeting, exceeding… Read More »
Categories: Finances, PrecedentsFraud and Cybercrime Dangers
Frauds targeting lawyers and their clients are getting more sophisticated. Law firms, particularly real estate firms, are sought-after targets for cyber hacking and phishing scams because they tend to have large sums of money in their bank accounts and are involved in transactions in which funds are regularly wired to outside parties. Our Fraud Watch… Read More »
Categories: Cyber dangersManaging the Security and Privacy of Electronic Data in a Law Office
[Note: this booklet was published in 2004. While it still contains valuable content, we refer you to our Cyber Dangers page for a more up-to-date assessment of cyber security issues facing law firms.] Clients, lawyers, and law office staff routinely work with electronic documents and data. Protecting the security and confidentiality of that information is… Read More »
Categories: Cyber dangers, Managing Booklets