The degree of devastation does not begin to register. I have been following Ernie the Attorney’s front-line, first-hand posts about living through Katrina and her aftermath. The simple story of his daughter’s 16th birthday party on Saturday and her not knowing where her friends are now moved me to tears because it is clear her… Continue Reading
Monthly Archives: August 2005
Is There A Cost To Change Counsel?
Posted in Hourly Rates and AlternativesWe have all heard (or been heard) inside counsel bemoan the performance of a lawyer or a law firm. Such laments invariably beg the question, “why not change?” One barrier frequently mentioned is the cost of switching counsel. In the vein, I draw your attention to an excellent post by Rees Morrison in his Law… Continue Reading
When Service Becomes Substance: The Merck/Vioxx Trial
Posted in Client ServiceToday’s Wall Street Journal contains a fullsome report on the $253 million verdict against Merck in the first Vioxx trial. Two things jumped out at me as being significant from a client perspective standpoint. First, the jurors referenced the absence of Merck CEO and another senior executive from the courtroom. They gave videotaped testimony. What,… Continue Reading
Advertising to Lawyers Still Pushes Increasing Billable Hours
Posted in Commentary, Hourly Rates and AlternativesDennis Kennedy has a nice post on Intel’s new advertisement for lawyers on the benefits of mobile computing. So I followed the link he provided and went to the right column as he directed. Finally, I hit the “Explore Legal Demo” link and Intel’s ad popped up. And what does Intel say? “You need to… Continue Reading
Email Marketing? What Do Your Clients Think?
Posted in Marketing, Branding and SalesI read several postings this morning about the continued importance of email marketing. Compare this post from Larry Bodine with this one from Tom Kane. In my view both are right in their views, but both ignored the critical common ground of client focus. Tom is absolutely right that clients are innundated with email drivel… Continue Reading
This made me feel good
Posted in Client ServiceWe had just concluded a couple of days of arbitration, with more to go. We met with our clients and some others in the early evening, after which we broke up. Our client and a another were going to dinner at a place where getting a cab afterwards would not be automatic. My colleague immediately… Continue Reading
Joel Hennning disses hourly billing
Posted in Hourly Rates and AlternativesNice profile on Joel Henning of Hildebrandt in the Front And Center column of the Sunday Chicago Tribune business section. Most of it is background or Chicago-focused, but I did like this Q and A: Q: Some attorneys are leaving the profession because they can’t compete against billing cheaters–lawyers who… Continue Reading
Deposition Skills Hindering Effective Law Firm Leadership?
Posted in Leadership and ManagementGerry Riskin, author of the Amazing Firms, Amazing Practices blog picked up on a recent Wall Street Journal article about how depositions require a skill set that leaders don’t use in their normal job. The post is worth your reading. Gerry takes the issue from one of deposition training and makes an interesting observation about… Continue Reading
I No Longer Advocate Client Interviews
Posted in Client Surveys and AuditsI was reading the latest issue of Law Firm Inc. (one of my “must reads”) and stopped at the “On Management” column about client interviews. I started reading, but had to stop. The article made too much sense. Every article about client interviews makes too much sense. We’ve been doing client interviews for nearly five… Continue Reading
What Is Up With The Auto Industry?
Posted in On The InsideCorporate Legal Times reports on the 200 largest legal departments. At the end of the report is a breakdown by industry of the number of attorneys in a company per billion dollars in revenue. For example, in the Aerospace and Defense category, the listed companies average 4 lawyers per billion dollars in revenue. Here are… Continue Reading
Where do you find a representative for this class?
Posted in CommentaryCorporate Legal Times reports in its August issue about an interesting case from Ohio. “The maker of pills that purportedly enlarge penis size and improve female sexual response is appealing an Ohio state court decision to certify a class action lawsuit that alleges the company misrepresented its products capabilities.” Its hard (no pun intneded) to… Continue Reading
Speak Clearly And Understandably
Posted in Client Communications“We’ve got a really good chance of winning the lawsuit,” the lawyer tells his in-house lawyer-client. Asked by the CEO to put a number on what that means, the inside lawyer reports an 8 in 10 chance of winning. Great, except that the outside lawyer meant a 4 in 10 chance of winning. Significant? You… Continue Reading
Manners During Meetings
Posted in Client CommunicationsTURN YOUR BLACKBERRY OFF! My informal survey of 4 clients suggests that lawyers who don’t turn their blackberrys off (phones too) may soon be without clients. Do we need to talk about this in terms of basic manners. It is rude to be in a meeting with someone and not giving them your attention. It… Continue Reading
Eating The Big Guys’ Lunch
Posted in Client ServiceThose who have read my prior posts know that I am a big fan of Tom Peters. His blog is one of my favorites and his posts generally are provocative. As an example, his Rummy in Philadelphia post, talking about Donald Rumsfeld’s recent warning to Iraquis to get the Constitution done timely rather than right… Continue Reading
Mind Your Manners
Posted in Marketing, Branding and SalesMichelle Golden, who writes Golden Practices, picked up on a post in Duct Tape Marketing about saying thank you when you lose out after making a pitch for business. Michelle adds several points to the original post. Her advice is right on the money. Manners count. And most of all, the personal touch counts.
Golden Practices Now Illuminates My Favorite Blogs
Posted in People, Places and BlawgsI’ve quoted or cited Michelle Golden’s Golden Practices blog so many times that I have added it to my blogroll of favorite blogs. Even though Michelle’s marketing firm focuses on accounting firms, her insights apply equally to all professional service firms. Take the time to check out her blog. You’ll be a regular visitor.