Practice Management

The 2009 Holiday Gift Guide for Lawyers

Posted on November 16, 2009
The Holiday Gift Guide for Lawyers is back for the fifth year with all new and unique gift ideas for lawyers and law firms. I?ve been gathering ideas from many sources, ripping pages from catalogs and magazines, talking to lawyers,...

The Busy Lawyer's Guide to Success Now Available on Amazon

Posted on November 15, 2009
I am pleased to announce that The Busy Lawyer's Guide to Success: Essential Tips to Power Your Practice is now available via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Chapters (in Canada) and other book e-tailers. Although the book has been available via...

My Fifth Annual Holiday Gift Guide for Lawyers is coming this Monday . . .

Posted on November 12, 2009
I'm busier than a elf at the North Pole, but come rain, sleet, or snow, the 2009 edition of my holiday gift guide will be out on November 16th so look for it before you go shopping for the lawyers...

Verizon's Droid: Not Ready for Primetime?

Posted on November 06, 2009
The Wall Street Journal's Walter Mossberg tries to love the new Motorola Droid, but his integrity shines through his prose and he is really letting readers know the new phone is not ready to take on the iPhone. But is...

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Carolyn Elefant Takes a Final Bow at Legal Blog Watch

Posted on September 20, 2009
After 1,680 blog posts at Legal Blog Watch, Carolyn Elefant has decided to take a well-deserved break from the daily grind of blogging. Blogging consistently is not easy, but Carolyn and her blog partner Bob Ambrogi have not only done...

The Nightmare Left Behind

Posted on August 10, 2009
South Carolina blogger and SC Bar practice advisor, Courtney Kennaday, has posted actual photographs of a deceased lawyer's office recently taken by the lawyer appointed to close down the practice after the solo lawyer died suddenly. This is exactly the...

Recession-Related Ethics: Navigating Tough Times

Posted on July 07, 2009
I am pleased to be a faculty member for this ABA-CLE ethics teleconference on Tuesday, July 28, 2009. In these still-difficult times, it is more important than ever to be confident of the ethical boundaries when it comes to client...

Solos, Please Beware of Scams That Can Cost You!

Posted on June 30, 2009
Several bar associations are warning their members to be aware of financially-devastating scams being carried out against lawyers, especially solo practitioners. According to the ABA Journal, at least one small firm found out the hard way to the tune of...

The Fears of Alternative Billing

Posted on June 09, 2009
The American Lawyer has a short but valuable article today about the role of fear in negotiating alternative fee arrangements: Clients fear they will get shoddy service for their money, and law firms fear they will lose money on many...

Shake Big Savings from Small Practice Management Ideas

Posted on May 20, 2009
That's the title of my latest article published this month in GPSolo magazine, published by the GP Solo Division of the ABA. The theme of the issue is "Small" and covers relevant topics from an interesting perspective. Check it out...

Richard Susskind's ABA TECHSHOW Keynote Should Be Mandatory Listening

Posted on April 21, 2009
Richard Susskind continues to challenge our profession to look at ourselves in our changing world and redefine who we are and what we do in order to meet the future needs of consumers of legal services. In his latest book,...

Our Favorite iPhone Apps for Lawyers--ABA TECHSHOW 2009 Edition

Posted on April 02, 2009
What happens when four lawyers from diverse practices and backgrounds get together to discuss how each uses their iPhone to improve their productivity and reduce a few of life's frustrations? You get a great list of iPhone apps that are...

ReidMyBlog Meets ReidMyBook

Posted on April 02, 2009
I am pleased to announce publication of my new book, The Busy Lawyer?s Guide to Success: Essential Tips to Power Your Practice, co-authored with Dan Pinnington and published by the ABA. The book has a different look and feel from...

Client Security Fund Raided by Connecticut Legislature

Posted on March 17, 2009
Disturbing news is coming out of Connecticut via a Connecticut Supreme Court Justice and the President-elect of the Connecticut Bar: In an unusual power play, the Connecticut Legislature swooped in and grabbed $2 million of the state's Client Security Fund...

Forbidden Fruit: Bill Gates' Wife Can't Buy an iPhone

Posted on March 03, 2009

New Protocol: More Blog References Now Linking to Social Network Profiles

Posted on February 26, 2009

LexThink Innovate is Set for March 29-30

Posted on February 24, 2009
Matt Homann has more good ideas than just about anyone else I know. And when it comes to legal "conferences" there is no one who does it better. I attended the first LexThink event in Chicago a few years ago,...

Smart Phones Are Becoming "Smarter" in 2009

Posted on February 23, 2009
Based on Apple's astounding success with their App Store, several phone makers have or will soon follow with their own versions of on-line application stores. (I have over two dozen apps on my iPhone and I continue to be amazed...

In Praise of Lawyer2Lawyer Podcasts

Posted on February 22, 2009
I regularly subscribe to just two podcasts--This Week In Technology (TWIT) and Lawyer2Lawyer from the Legal Talk Network. Although I have been a faithful subscriber, I have not been a faithful listener as of late. (The short mea culpa story...

Thinking Beyond Tomorrow: Why Entrepreneurs Are Headed to the ABA TECHSHOW

Posted on February 18, 2009
The current economic recession is having an impact on the legal profession, but like in any financial turmoil, those who plan ahead get ahead. Despite a natural reaction to cut expenses and hunker down to weather the economic storm, entrepreneurial...

"Web Site" or "Website": Spelling Isn't Black or White in the Internet Age

Posted on February 12, 2009
Is it just me, or are the spellings of Internet-related words changing before our very eyes? I mean, let's start right there with the word "Internet". In the early days, the "Internet" was the Internet. It was a proper noun....

The Joys and Pains of Social Networking

Posted on February 10, 2009
I recently posted this to the ABA TECHSHOW Blog, and cross-post here: They seem to have exploded around us: those new profile-housing, connection building, relationship highlighting, social and business on-line networks, such as LinkedIn, Legally-Minded, Plaxo, Facebook, and others...

Will On-Board Wi-Fi Make the Skies Less Friendly?

Posted on February 09, 2009
After years of debate, Wi-Fi Internet has come to commercial air travel. Although the technology has been authorized by the US government for several years, and Virgin America Airlines has used it for their own on-board entertainment system, several airlines...

Ideas to Recession-Proof Your Law Firm

Posted on January 27, 2009
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...

Twitter Basics for Curious Lawyers

Posted on January 26, 2009
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,...

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

Posted on January 23, 2009
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...

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

Posted on January 22, 2009
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...

Google Ads Gone Wild

Posted on January 19, 2009
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...

Economic Distractions Could Lead to Computer Insecurity

Posted on January 17, 2009
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...

A Dose of Sanity for Your Inbox

Posted on January 14, 2009
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

Posted on January 12, 2009
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...

Going Solo Just Got Easier

Posted on January 07, 2009
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...

YouTube and the Changing Legal Profession

Posted on January 06, 2009
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...

Google Docs Turns Emails Into Documents in a Snap

Posted on January 02, 2009
Gmail users should be pleased to learn about this new feature that makes it easy to take the text of an e-mail and turn it into an editable document. Such is the word via the official GMail blog.There are times...

Are Reports of Palm's Impending Demise Greatly Exaggerated?

Posted on December 30, 2008
I still have my Palm IIIxe--my first personal digital assistant (PDA). It's larger form and B&W screen may seem ancient by today's standards, but it was once the best of its kind. So was the Palm Treo. It was once...

Beware of Costly New Scam Involving Law Firm Websites

Posted on December 29, 2008
For the past year there has been a rise in the number of sophisticated scams against lawyers, including virus-laden e-mail subpoena, fraudulent bank drafts, and other banking schemes, resulting in costly monetary losses, embarrassment, and potential disciplinary problems...

2008 Holiday Gift Guide for Lawyers

Posted on November 24, 2008
I am pleased to present the 2008 Holiday Gift Guide for Lawyers to help the friends and families of America's Greatest Lawyers find the perfect gift for their favorite and deserving lawyer! Started in relative obscurity in 2005, I now...

Take the ABA Journal Survey on the Impact of the Economic Recession on Lawyers

Posted on November 18, 2008
The ABA is creatively reaching out to blawgers to help publicize their survey to gather opinions about the effect of the current economic recession on lawyers. Interested lawyers can take the survey and watch for the results in the January...

Increasing Office Productivity & Security

Posted on November 17, 2008
Recently, I have reviewed several monitor logs for employee use of an employer's computer network, and it is amazing how much time during the workday people spend doing personal work over the Internet, searching dating sites, updating MySpace pages, streaming...

iPhone Has Its Own Magazine as iPhone Life Premiers

Posted on November 16, 2008
With the iPhone surpassing the Motorola RAZR as the top selling handset in the US, and with sales surpassing 7 million world-wide, it makes sense that several smart entrepreneurs have launched a magazine for iPhone users. I recently picked up...

Change We Really Need: Microsoft Unveils Vista "Replacement"

Posted on October 29, 2008
Every legal technologist I know warns law firms to stay away from Windows Vista because of the headaches and lost productivity caused by a host of problems. These technologists are recommending firms stick with XP and "downgrade" to XP when...

SuperSaver Tips to Lower Shipping Costs

Posted on October 28, 2008
I almost passed over this article from PCWorld with tips to save on shipping costs. But with the economy what it is and Christmas just around the corner, I thought I would sneak a peak. Sure enough, the article has...

Blackberry Storm to Take On Apple iPhone

Posted on October 08, 2008
Research in Motion has launched a new phone to do battle with the iPhone and the recently released Google phone from T-Mobile. The Blackberry Storm, soon-to-be available on the Verizon network, includes a touchscreen, 3.2 megapixel camera, web browsing, GPS...

Time to Raise Your Rates!

Posted on May 30, 2008
Over the past several years, I have noted that large firms continue to raise their standard rates while smaller firms have raised rates modestly, if at all. At least part of the reason is that big firms have higher cost...

Lawyers Mourn the Death of Earle Hagen

Posted on May 29, 2008
Earle Hagen was, I am sure, a good client for his intellectual property lawyer, but lawyers everywhere are mourning his death earlier this week. Mr. Hagen, unknown to most of us by name, is the composer and whistler of the...

Just Posted from ABA TECHSHOW 2008: All 60 Sites in 60 Minutes

Posted on April 29, 2008
All 60 Sites in 60 Minutes from ABA TECHSHOW 2008 are now posted on the TECHSHOW website. I was pleased to be one of the three presenters at this signature TECHSHOW finale with Tom Mighell and Craig Ball, and I...

White House Blackberry Breach Yet Another Lesson for Lawyers

Posted on April 24, 2008
USA Today reports that several Blackberries belonging to White House aides were stolen by a Mexican diplomat in what may be the most audacious bit of espionage in a long time. The Blackberries were left unattended on a table outside...

Pay Less in Taxes, Sleep Better at Night, and Enjoy Life a Little More

Posted on April 07, 2008
I have forgotten to post this article I authored for GPSolo magazine last year, but with the April 15 tax deadline looming, I remembered to post it now. The title may sound a bit overly-ambitious, but it has many useful...

An Ethical View of the Business of Law

Posted on April 04, 2008
Thanks to DePaul Law second-year, Megan Bosau, for pointing me to DePaul's upcoming symposium Lawyers, Law Firms, and the Legal Profession: An Ethical View of the Business of Law, being held on Thursday, May 1, 2008 at the law school...

Techshow 2009

Posted on March 26, 2008
Techshow 2008 is over and done, and plenty of other blogs have done a terrific job of recounting the best of the 2 1/2 day conference, while I headed out for a family vacation. Interestingly, planning for the 2009 edition...

Techshow 2009

Posted on March 25, 2008
Techshow 2008 is over and done, and plenty of other blogs have done a terrific job of recounting the best of the 2 1/2 day conference, while I headed out for a family vacation. Interestingly, planning for the 2009 edition...

ABA Techshow 2008 Keynote Discusses Privacy Issues

Posted on March 13, 2008
Marc Rotenberg, Executive Director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) just finished his keynote presentation at ABA Techshow 2008, and from the reactions of the audience it was a homerun. He provided timely insights into on-line privacy using the...

See You at Techshow 2008

Posted on March 11, 2008
I'm headed to Chicago for the ABA Techshow--my ninth time to attend this fun and informative event. Late last week, I shared my thoughts with Rob La Gatta of Kevin O'Keefe's Real Lawyers Have Blogs. As I explained to Rob,...

Nominate Your Firm for an InnovAction Award

Posted on March 05, 2008
The College of Law Practice Management is seeking nominations for the 2008 InnovAction Awards, to recognize law firms, law departments, and other legal services providers who are engaged in extraordinary innovation efforts. According to the College, "the awards are meant...

Nominate Your Firm for an InnovAction Award

Posted on March 04, 2008
The College of Law Practice Management is seeking nominations for the 2008 InnovAction Awards, to recognize law firms, law departments, and other legal services providers who are engaged in extraordinary innovation efforts. According to the College, "the awards are meant...

A Lesson From Starbucks

Posted on February 26, 2008
In case you hadn't heard, Starbucks is closing all of its stores today at 5:30 to retrain their baristas and enhance the customer experience. It is another in a series of steps initiated by CEO Howard Schultz to "revisit the standards of quality that are the foundation for the trust that our customers have in our coffee and in all of us...

Must-Read Essay on Our Changing Profession

Posted on February 20, 2008
I encourage every lawyer?especially young lawyers?to read this outstanding article about the evolution of law practice over the past fifty plus years.  Author Abe Krash, a 50-year veteran of the legal profession, does a terrific job of recounting the changes he has witnessed?both good and bad--from his vantage point in what is now a large D...

My iPhone Rocks!

Posted on February 19, 2008
In neglecting my blog for the month of January, I=ve not had the opportunity to brag about my Apple iPhone that I received for Christmas.  That month away from blogging gave me a chance to learn my iPhone and put it to the test.  The verdict?  I=m in love with my iPhone...

Google Phone Preview Set for Monday

Posted on February 09, 2008
Google's entry into the smartphone arena is set for a sneak preview on Monday at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Google's open-source alliance of more than 30 companies world-wide is developing the Android platform to challenge Apple's iPhone and...

Google Phone Preview Set for Monday

Posted on February 08, 2008
Google's entry into the smartphone arena is set for a sneak preview on Monday at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.  Google's open-source alliance of more than 30 companies world-wide is developing the Android platform to challenge Apple's iPhone and Nokia--which is positioning itself as a leader in content as well as device manufacturing...

Still Time to Register for Techshow at Early-Bird Rate

Posted on February 05, 2008
The ABA Techshow is less than six weeks away, still plenty of time to register and make travel arrangements to be there; however, if you want the low early-bird rate, you must register by February 8. Techshow remains one of the best legal conferences in North America today, providing terrific educational sessions, an opportunity to see and evaluate the best in law office technology, and maybe the best of all, to network with other lawyers from across the U...

Law Firms Top Forbes Profitability Survey

Posted on February 05, 2008
Citing the low cost of entry and a steady flow of lawsuits, Forbes.com lists legal services as one of the most profitable businesses to start in America. Statistically, says Forbes, "[b]ean counters trumped all, with a 25% average pretax margin....

Law Firms Top Forbes Profitability Survey

Posted on February 04, 2008
Citing the low cost of entry and a steady flow of lawsuits, Forbes.com lists legal services as one of the most profitable businesses to start in America. Statistically, says Forbes, "[b]ean counters trumped all, with a 25% average pretax margin. Next came the legal-service firms, at 21...

Road Warriors Beware--New Flight Restrictions on Batteries

Posted on December 30, 2007
Starting January 1, 2008, the TSA has new limits on passengers carrying lithium batteries when traveling on commercial airlines.  Lithium batteries are used in most laptop, cell phone and video cameras. Basically, you can travel with batteries loaded in your tech device, but spare batteries cannot be transported in checked baggage--they must go through carry-on...

2007 Holiday Gift Guide for Lawyers

Posted on November 20, 2007
My Holiday Gift Guide for Lawyers is back for the third consecutive year, with an expanded array of noteworthy recommendations for the lawyers in your life. Not a tie, gavel, or kitschy brass scales on this list, just gifts that any self-respecting, hard-working, red-blooded American lawyer wouldn?t love to have?if they had the time to find it themselves and tell you about it! Once again, I?ve compiled this list as a public service for my learned professional colleagues and their time-sensitive, gift idea-starved family, friends, partners, associates and, dare I say, appreciative clients? Yep, that means that once again I make no money on this guide...

Travel Intelligence for Busy Lawyers

Posted on August 26, 2007
PCWorld, known best as a technology publication, sometimes ventures out of that sphere, as in this article about the best hotels for business travelers.  It references recent surveys by JD Power & Associates and Consumer Reports to gauge overall satisfaction with dozens of hotel chains, from budget chains to luxury "collections"...

Plan to Attend the 2nd Annual National Solo and Small Firm Conference

Posted on August 23, 2007
I am excited to be going to this year?s National Solo And Small Firm Conference in Philadelphia on October 5-6, 2007. Sponsored by the ABA GP Solo Division, this conference is becoming one of the premier networking and educational events in the country for lawyers in smaller firms...

Congratulations to Jay Foonberg

Posted on August 16, 2007
My congratulations to Jay Foonberg, author of numerous books to help lawyers, including "the bible" for new law firms, How to Start and Build a Law Practice, for receiving the ABA Sam Smith Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2007 ABA Annual Meeting. I was pleased to be part of the crowd honoring Jay at the City Club of San Francisco, and to watch the presentation of the award...

Best of the ABA in San Francisco

Posted on August 15, 2007
I just returned from the 2007 ABA Annual Meeting in San Francisco, so thought I'd share a few thoughts, comments, and new ideas: I had the pleasure of presenting Technology for the Rest of Us with the incomparable Tom O'Connor of the Legal Electronic Document Institute...

The World?s Greatest Balancing Act: Creating a Vacation Communication Policy

Posted on August 06, 2007
   I recently returned from a glorious two-week family vacation in the mountains of Montana. It has only been in the last several years that I have allowed myself the annual luxury of a two-week vacation. The value of the second week is immeasurable...

BlawgWorld 2007 eBook is eAwesome

Posted on July 30, 2007
Technolawyer publisher, Neil Squillante has hit a homerun with the launch of his latest eBook, BlawgWorld 2007. This free downloadable book is a hand-selected collection of 77 essays from around the world of legal blawging, including a post from yours truly...