When I survey attorneys at CLE and in-house seminars on time management about their top 25 productivity blockers, interruptions almost always comes in at the top of the list. The main categories of interruption are well known and typically include: email and text alerts, phone calls, and drop-in visitors or …Read More
There’s a basic number that far too many attorneys either don’t know or don’t pay enough attention to: it’s their Maximum Expected Annual Revenue (MEAR). Put simply, your MEAR is the full dollar amount of your billable hours target times your published rate/s clients agree to pay when they hire …Read More
As you began to answer that question, your mind probably turned to the client(s) who bring in the most money, prestige, access, or referrals. Like most professionals, I too used to think of these criteria when asked that question. Until I heard the top rain-maker at a successful IP firm …Read More
Maria Pepe VanDerLaan, a partner in the Hartford, CT office of Murtha Cullina LLP, sent out an email alert last week to the firm’s healthcare practice list as well as to her own list. Its title (and subject line) was: Mental Health Parity Lawsuit Filed Against Anthem and Wellpoint. (There’s …Read More
You’ve heard it said that “Insanity is doing the same over and over but expecting different results.” Though the point is clear enough, I prefer a slightly less extreme diagnosis: “Doing the same thing over and over but expecting different results is denial in action.” Sure, on some level it’s …Read More
The most frequent reason clients dispute legal fees (or worse, file grievances) is that they’re unhappy with how they’ve been treated. The second is their feeling that they’re not receiving sufficient value for what they’re paying you. It’s rarely a technical error alone that triggers their complaint. Rather, it’s how …Read More
If you are using one, great. You already know the huge benefits, so no need to read further. If you’re not, please invest 10 minutes after reading this post to get and start using this essential tool. (See which program I recommend in the last paragraph.) Here are the main …Read More
In your interactions with prospects and clients, it’s natural to limit your attention to the specific legal matter at hand. After all, you’ve got other clients and cases in your head and on your desk. And, you tell yourself, you’re not getting paid to go outside that focus so why …Read More
The rate at which people use LinkedIn to search for a service provider is accelerating, so it’s the right time to make sure that you come up at the top of internal LinkedIn search results. And while it’s still critical to optimize your web presence to be highly visible in …Read More
From yesterday’s New York Times (3.12.13): “What he doesn’t realize is if he tried a different style, he’d get a whole lot more cooperation,” [Republican Senator] Coburn said, adding: “He’s really a neat guy. People don’t know that about him.” Irrespective of your large-P Politics, it’s a powerful (though …Read More
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