Law Firm Management

Budget season is in full swing at firms whose fiscal year matches the calendar year, and leaders are exercising a newfound scrutiny over every component of next year's spending as they prepare for an uncertain 2021.

The election of Joe Biden as President may clear the way for many changes in the retirement planning landscape.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, law firms have learned that a large number of "essential" services and Standard Operating Procedure rules and assumptions about how an office works are 1950's myths that need to be identified, examined and re-engineered or discarded.

The pandemic has forced law firms to reevaluate their expenses, refine their budgets, and review their overall operations to adapt to an environment of perpetual uncertainty.

One of the keys to success in competitive intelligence is communication. Effective communication builds rapport with your clients, which, in turn, builds trust and instills confidence that you will be able to get what they need to achieve their goals. In the last few months, this element of trust and rapport has never been more important.

The recent move to more remote work environments has prompted many to take a second look at not only e-Signature solutions but also remote online notarization. In order to support transactional practice groups and legal department in making the transition to electronic signing and closings, one must understand the challenges and opportunities of these technologies.

A Look Back from the Future If we look back at 2020 five years from now, what will we point to as the key actions that brought law firms back, and which of those are still in play.

An Integrated Strategy Despite the current uncertainty, though, developing solid plans with accountability, results and measurement can be done. Preparing a comprehensive business development strategy — one that is integrated with public relations — is more critical than ever to avoid being considered pleasant but boring elevator music.