It’s telling that only a handful of my clients have been asking for advice on how to market during Covid. Most of them are still trying to figure out how to be more productive with a workforce that is still at home at least part of the time. But for those who are ready to [...]
I’ve taken advantage of the relative quiet of the end of summer to take the free University of Alberta Indigenous Canada course. The course provides a summary of life and history in Canada according to those where were here first. I’m about halfway through as I write this blog post, and I’m finding it both [...]
I recently received an email from an organization in which I used to be quite active. The purpose was an announcement of an amalgamation of segments of the organization. The message was well-written in a technical sense. It included a summary of the change, some of the activities leading up to the decision for the [...]
(This article first appeared in SLAW) The line between bad strategy and a law firm collapse is as thin as a noose. Yet law firms practice bad strategy on a regular basis. Take heed from the lessons of a very public breakdown. A client recently gave me a copy of Norman Bacal’s book “Breakdown, the Inside [...]
It’s official: we are headed into a recession and possibly a depression. And we’re headed into this abyss while still in quarantine, which may last until there’s a vaccine and the time needed to inoculate everyone. Government assistance – for those who qualify – helps, but can’t last forever. How do we get out of [...]
(This article first appeared in SLAW) Business decisions – especially those involving marketing and branding - require careful consideration. But they also require timely action. Are law firms hurting themselves by being too slow and cumbersome in making business decisions? Within administrative and outside provider circles, law firms are notorious for their slow reactions and [...]
Having worked in or with law firms for over 30 years now, I can say that in my experience, law firms have a hard time being honest about certain things. I’m not for a minute suggesting that lawyers do not tell the truth. The foundation of every firm I’ve worked with is the personal integrity [...]
The retiring baby boomer generation includes lawyers who were founding partners of their firm. It’s understandable that as they bow out of the profession, they would want to protect the legacy they spent so many years building by ensuring their clients would be well taken care of in the future. It also makes sense that [...]
Most law firms I know are very giving from a charitable perspective. This could include altruistic monetary donations, support for client events, support of charitable initiatives involving the firm’s lawyers or staff, or in-house events in support of a charity. I’m always interested to see where in the budget these activities reside. It says a [...]
Over the next ten or so years, we will see a marketplace-shifting change in law firm ownership as baby boomers retire and decide what to do with their practice. This is a time of high angst for those about to leave the law, and potentially a remarkable opportunity for the more entrepreneurial and thick- stomached [...]