Should Lawyers Ever Follow Clients on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn?

These days, the world is getting smaller and 'privacy' is becoming a word that has a rather ephemeral meaning. Everywhere you go professionally and personally, it seems to be standard protocol to find someone's social media profile online and connect....

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3 Reasons Lawyers Get Sued

Lawyers often give off the impression of being flawless. But lawyers are people too, and people make silly mistakes -- even reckless ones. One really big mistake can even jeopardize your license or cause you to be sued.Keep an eye...

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Tougher Law Firm Interviews Lead to Happier Associates

Here's a fact that's sure to leave some partners smiling: tougher interviews lead to overall happier employees, according to job site Glassdoor. Although this may not be the most welcome news for grads, studies seem to support this tough approach....

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Are you Eating Lunch Alone? You're Losing Business

If you're one of those people who regard lunch as one of the few moments of blessed solace in the day, this piece is not for you. A great man once said, "Food is an unavoidable evil." And by "evil,"...

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Lawsuits Seek Justice for Those Affected by Flint's Tainted Water

When Flint, Michigan's emergency manager switched the city's water supply from Detroit to the Flint River, he saved about $5 million dollars, but also exposed thousands of residents to lead and other contaminants. Lead exposure, even in the smallest...

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ABA to Beef up Ethics Rule on Workplace Discrimination

A new proposal to amend the ABA rules of Professional Conduct is on the table. Its aim is to address workplace discrimination. Not that you weren't being careful about what you said in the workplace before, but the proposed amendment...

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Picking up the PACER: New Tools, New Lawsuits

If you use PACER, the public court records access system, you've probably had your fair share of frustrations. To put it mildly, PACER is not the most user-friendly, intuitive, or even functional legal service around. It's not in the...

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Don't Be Afraid to Use Your Bar's Lawyer Ethics Hotline

Your client tells you he's going to kill his ex-girlfriend and bomb state police barracks. Or perhaps you have an elderly client with limited capacity, who just got a new, very controlling, home health aide. Maybe you took on...

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How to Be More Effective at Telecommuting

Only a few years ago, regular employees yearned to live the dream of working from home. Taking away the hours spent commuting and the dreary environment of the modern office, and life would be perfect! As everyone knows, reality and...

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Boards Can No Longer Ignore Cybersecurity Issues

What level of responsibility does a board owe to a company with regard to the threat of cyberattacks? According to CIO, a very high level of responsibility. And if anything, a board's responsibility is particularly unique....

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3 Top Legal Developments in Health Care Law for the Year Ahead

The health care industry continues to be reshaped by changes in federal law and technological developments. Health care companies are merging at greater rates and putting more attention towards corporate governance. Patients are starting to receive their first video...

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Feds to Go After Lawyers Involved in Secretive Real Estate Deals

If you're a lawyer who helps shady characters invest in high-end real estate or aids anonymous L.L.C.s looking to buy up Manhattan penthouses, the feds may have you in their sights. The Treasury Department announced last week that it...

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Tips for Getting Your First Clients in the Door as a Solo Lawyer

If you're thinking about establishing a solo practice as a young attorney, be prepared to face a number of challenges early on. The most practical issue is this: how to find your first clients?To help you get started, we've compiled...

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What Are White Papers and Should Lawyers Write Them?

Once upon a time, white papers were simply government documents that spelled out government policies and invited comment on them. The Churchhill White Paper of 1922 is one of the earliest such examples. But white papers have changed plenty...

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Does Your Legal Marketing Need to Be ... Adorkable?

Well, this is a trend we weren't anticipating. According to Above the Law, the new biggest thing in attorney advertising is "adorkableness." That's a portmanteau of "adorable" and "dork," if you missed it. And it's apparently replacing cheesy catchphrases...

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Law Firms in the Cross-Hairs of Accounting Scrutiny?

In a recent The Economist piece, Matthew Valencia offered his predictions for the genesis of the next legal-financial scandal. After these last few years of LIBOR manipulation, Volkswagon, and investigation by the CFTC into precious metals manipulation, it can almost...

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Where to Find Legal Interns

If you're not using interns, you're missing out. Sure, interns provide work -- often cheap (but not free) work. But more importantly, they can bring fresh perspectives and energy to your practice. Working with interns is an easy way...

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Study: 'Overqualified' Employees Outperform Colleagues

Next time you hire for your law firm, you might want to take a second look at the resume of that 'overqualified' applicant. A new study suggests that such overqualified applicants are probably a better fit for the job than...

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Lawyer Sues Client Over Bad Online Review, Wins $350,000

One of your most important assets is your reputation. And with more and more potential clients looking to the Internet when researching attorneys, online reviews can have a big impact on your practice. But usually, when a disgruntled client...

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What Will #Twitter10k Mean for Lawyers?

You've probably heard the news, maybe even on Twitter. The microblogging site, struggling to maintain growth and increase its revenue, is looking to shake things up. And that could mean ditching one of Twitter's defining characteristics: the 140-character tweet...

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Should You Join an Independent Attorney Investigatory Panel?

You may have caught the news on Wednesday: a grand jury indicted the Texas state trooper who arrested Sandra Bland, whose death in her cell three days later lead to a national outcry last summer. A few weeks earlier,...

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Small Firm Lawyers: Delegate Your Administrative Tasks!

It's natural for ambitious people to want to do everything themselves. However, be warned that control freaks will not expand because they will eventually get bogged down in administrative issues. Remember, you're a lawyer, not an administrator. Fortunately, there are a...

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Want to Keep Clients Happy? Set Clear Expectations Early On

Want to avoid a disgruntled client, a contested bill, or an unjustified bar complaint? You'll need to do more than just a good job. You'll have to make sure clients have a clear expectation of what to expect from...

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What to Look for When Hiring a Legal Assistant

Finding the right legal assistant for your law firm may not be as easy as you think. The position of legal assistant or paralegal may attract job-seekers with any combination of skills and professional competencies. When hiring for the position,...

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Are You the Last Lawyer Left Without a Data Breach Plan?

Attorneys often hold sensitive, private information on their clients; information which, if lost, can be extremely damaging to both clients and their lawyers. And hackers are increasingly targeting law firms, stealing proprietary information on their competitors, or using ransomware...

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3 Ways to Improve Your Marketing Through Online Content

Last week, we ended the year with some advice on how to improve your online presence in 2016. Central to that is writing. Client-focused legal writing will help you develop expertise in your field, differentiate your practice from others,...

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5 Qualities That Make up a Great Law Firm Culture

Imagine you're a midsized law firm with a bevy of fresh-faced talent ready at the helm. You're going to change the world. Then, a few years into the practice, everybody wants to leave -- including you. What went wrong? Chances...

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