Softening the Landing for Employees Caught in a Reduction in Force
March 31, 2009
As uncertainties in the economy continue, many law firms are facing the reality of excess capacity. Unfortunately, "right-sizing" a firm generally means laying off valuable employees. The loss of a job can be traumatic even in good times, when an employee can expect to quickly land a new position. But with cuts coming from businesses across the board, the next paycheck may be a long way down the road.
Centralizing Stores of Information to Make Retention Policies Possible
March 30, 2009
Most law firms understand the need to plan for the implementation of records retention policies, but there has been little agreement on how to achieve this goal. Firms are acutely aware of the rising costs associated with storing physical data and the burden surrounding backup, maintenance and migration of electronic content. When faced with the need to produce information, be it at a client request or when compelled by a court, the more control a firm has over its data, the more efficient and cost effective this process will be.
Law Firm Intelligence: Researching the Economy
March 30, 2009
In the December, 2008, issue of Marketing the Law Firm, we began a series entitled "Researching the Economy." The discussion continues this month with a look at client-potential research.
The Myth of Certainty
March 30, 2009
In the constantly evolving world of e-commerce, legal contracts may be no more credible than tidbits found in the muck of online fact, fiction and plain nonsense that make sites such as Snopes.com so vital to separating Internet reality from Internet fraud. The truth is that no matter how well an attorney writes a contract, or Web site terms and conditions, another attorney can usually find a way to attack what the first one wrote.
e-Commerce Companies v. Hackers
March 30, 2009
The 21st century is clearly the age of cybercrime, and e-commerce companies of all stripes should be especially concerned because there are only two types of computer systems: those that have been hacked, and those that will be hacked.
Improving Your Internal Controls to Protect the Firm's (and Your Clients') Money
February 26, 2009
Managing partners of law firms should ensure that there is an appropriate structure of internal controls in place at their firms to protect their firms and clients against fraud. With the economy in a recession, cases of employee fraud are on the rise, and in many instances better controls and more oversight are needed.