Earlier this week, the Wall Street Journal reported on the changing look of law firm offices. To make more efficient use of space in a down economy, firms are reducing office size, assigning the same sized offices irrespective of seniority and moving lawyers to interior spaces once reserved for administrative staff. Firms are also
2012
Future [of Law] Fridays: Neota Logic is Neat – But Why Not Make It Accessible to Solos?
Update Note 7/19/2012: I had a chance to chat with Michael Mills of Neota two days ago. Neota is doing some really exciting work, and is definitely responsive and curious about opportunities in the solo/small firm market. Stay tuned…
Editor’s note: This is the first of a regular feature, Future of Law Fridays where we’ll…
The Bar Associations Have Their Head In The Clouds When It Comes To The Ethics Of Cloud Computing
In a recent post at Catalyst Secure , my friend Bob Ambrogi not only summarizes Massachusetts’ recent ethics ruling on lawyer use of cloud platforms, but provides a valuable public service with a round up of ethics decisions from 11 other jurisdictions. Like most states, Massachusetts permits lawyers to use cloud based products so long…
Thank You Thursday: “She motivated me to start law school at the age of 42”
So, last week, I wrote about the importance of saying thank you , and noted that I’d be starting a Thank You Thursday column, open to readers who want to thank someone who’s made a difference in their life. The first installment comes from business and estate planning lawyer, Paula Schaefer:
In 1997, I…
Ohio Lawyer Kathleen Havener Launches Woman2Woman Referral Network
Up until this month, if you were looking to hire or refer a woman lawyer, finding one wouldn’t have been as easy as you might think. At one time, the ABA’s Litigation Section Woman’s Advocate Committee maintained a referral network but no longer does. And as I posted here, NAMWOLF, an association for women…
From Quote to Contract: Online Proposal Generators
So, I’ve been thinking and teaching about the 21st Century Retainer Agreement (for those who attended the last event, the ebook is coming soon; for those who missed it, we’re scheduling another webinar in August), specifically ways to streamline the drafting process. Flat fee or one-off retainer agreements aren’t all that tough (my upcoming ebook…
Blogging, Accountability and Changing Course
I’ve been blogging for nearly a decade and during that time, I’ve expressed opinions about the legal profession, legal products and other lawyers’ practices. Ten years is a long time though, and sometimes, it’s not unusual to change one’s mind in light of new circumstances or experiences.
So why are we so embarrassed about changing…
Why I Still Say Nein to Ninety-Nine Designs and Other Contest Sites
Over the years, I haven’t had much luck with branding. Partly, it’s just the Gemini thing; I split my time between my law practice and my practice blog, MyShingle – and even those broad categories are subdivided into various niches. The few times I’ve embarked on attempts to create a logo, I simply settled for…
Thank You Thursdays: You Never Know Whose Life You May Have Changed
This New York Times article about how a 13-year old’s interview with an Olympic hopeful motivated him to snag one of the last berths on the 1976 U.S. Olympic swim team is a reminder of the role of serendipity in our journey in life or law and the power of a genuine thank-you.
Back in…
Happy July 4 – Free yourself to go solo!
I’ve been blogging long enough to know that readership trends way down on holidays, so instead of new material today, here are two previously run July 4 pieces to enjoy. Happy Fourth of July – and if you haven’t already, make this year that you declare your independence!