Marketing During Wartime
October 06, 2003
Periods of crisis tend to bring out the best and worst in people. From an institutional standpoint, this is one time when cooler heads need to prevail and stricter attention needs to be paid to the image your firm conveys to the outside world.On the other hand, some law firm marketers also view this period as a time of opportunity for reinforcing client relationships and building business in specialty areas.Gauge The Effect On Long-Term Strategic Plans And Implementation'I'm not familiar with any near-term impact of this war on any law firm's marketing programs,' Norm Rubenstein, partner of DC-based Zeughauser Group, says. 'Nothing has been canceled.'
Ask the coach
October 06, 2003
Q: Our internal newsletter is not well received or widely read. It contains recent wins and case developments, lawyer speaking engagements and articles, and other recent events of note. How can I make it more popular?A: There are only four reasons that people don't read your newsletter: 1) they don't know about it; 2) they don't receive it; 3) the content doesn't interest them or is poorly written; 4) they don't care about the firm at all; they're just collecting a paycheck. You should be able to take care of the first two without too much difficulty; No. 4 can only be fixed by a good recruiter.
AROUND THE FIRMS
October 02, 2003
In the Face of Economic Hardship, Bay Area Partner Classes Fluctuate. Although the faltering economy has been taking its toll on partner classes at many of the San Francisco Bay firms for 2002-2003, some were nonetheless able to award partner status to litigators. The majority of firms polled by The Recorder, an affiliate of this publication, either increased their class size or stayed the same. Most of the firms' elevations were in the areas of business and litigation.
Professional Development: A Key Tool for Law Firm Management
October 02, 2003
Professional development. Bright-eyed law school graduates who need finely crafted orientation programs; seasoned practitioners who require CLE credits; law firm CFOs who need strategies to control the costs of outside CLE courses. Is this all it is? Absolutely not! Professional efforts and opportunities can be used to pursue many of your firm's most important strategic objectives. You simply need to remember to tap into professional development in order to use it to its full advantage.
Why Are These Law Firms Smiling?
October 02, 2003
Savvy law firms smile as clients cut their roster of law firms, chuckle as others feel rate pressure and delight in offering new services and advice to their clients. Client research lies at the core of their success.
The Contingent Workforce: Employer Expectations and Legal Realities
October 02, 2003
Part 1 of 2. It has become common in the legal field for law firms to rely upon the so-called 'contingent workforce,' but even law firms need to be aware of the potential problems that can arise in utilizing 'contingent workers.' The contingent workforce provides a convenient mechanism for employers to fill essential personnel needs quickly, while not (they assume) increasing the ranks of the regular employee population or placing themselves at legal risk under employment laws.
Beware The Temptations of Short-Term Thinking
October 02, 2003
I recently had a discussion with a client about the issue of firms backing away from supporting practices that were hot and now are in the doldrums but are likely to bounce back. He had been vigorously sought after as an information technology and corporate lawyer just a few years ago. Since technology is not bound to disappear from or be less important in our lives, these areas of practice can be predicted to have a sunny future.
Employee Giving In An Age Of Skepticism
October 02, 2003
'Creative' accounting practices ' bigwigs who duplicitously line their own pockets at the expense of workers ' financial mismanagement that leads to reams of bad publicity. If this list sounds like snippets from news stories about corporate scandals a la Enron, think again. It actually refers to public impressions of the charity scandals that have sprung up like dandelions in the past couple of years. And yet, the wave of skepticism that now faces nonprofits feels an awful lot like that generated by their for-profit brethren. So if you're a law firm wishing to institute a workplace giving or volunteering program, what's the solution?
