Some clients make you love working for them. They make you want to excel. They bring out the best you have to offer. DSW is one such client, and I just have to share the experience we had yesterday. In December, we won a trial for DSW. It was the company’s first trial–they want to… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Commentary
Subscribe to Commentary RSS FeedScoring client service–great idea from Matt Homann
Posted in Client Service, Commentary, People, Places and BlawgsI loved this post by Matt Homann suggesting lawyers score their client service on the quality of the client’s experience as well as the quality of the result. Matt’s “scorecard” is included at left. Matt’s suggestion is to ask your clients to show where you fit in the quality of experience/quality of result chart and… Continue Reading
Do you have a muse?
Posted in CommentaryI just read a terrific post on the Harvard Business Review Blog Network, To Inspire Innovation, Get a Muse. Michael Schrage starts his post with this: Yves Saint Laurent and Pablo Picasso — brilliant entrepreneurs as well as celebrated artistes — claimed inspiration from muses.So, apparently, did Steve Jobs. Perhaps the newly-knighted Sir Jonathan Ive… Continue Reading
Auctions, RFPs and wasting time and opportunities
Posted in Commentary, Hourly Rates and AlternativesSix years ago, I ran this post: “Dan Hull has a good post on his What About Clients blog about price competition. His approach is not to compete on price but instead to compete on service, not price. His insight, which I cannot improve on in any way, is that “if clients come to you… Continue Reading
It’s a great time of the year for law firms!
Posted in Client Service, Commentary, Hourly Rates and AlternativesI’ve been away from my blog the past little while. I had a case that was to start trial on October 24th. We finally picked a jury on December 5th and a verdict on December 15. The complete win for our client made this marathon worth it, but the trial occupied my complete attention for… Continue Reading
NY Times Highlights Deficiencies of Law School Education
Posted in CommentaryThe Sunday New York Times contains an unflattering look at American legal education, the gist is of which is reflected in the quote from my friend and client, Jeff Carr, General Counsel of FMC Technologies. The issue is not a new one for most lawyers, particularly those who work in-house and routinely see the issues… Continue Reading
Increasing rates, decreasing realization? Are you getting the point?
Posted in CommentaryThomsom Reuters’ report on the latest Hildebrandt Peer Monitor Index contains several interesting findings. Here is the one I thought was the most interesting: Billing rates were also up — 3.5 percent from a year ago. But that increase is marginalized by the fact that firms’ "realized rate" — the rate they are actually paid… Continue Reading
A passion pursued passionately
Posted in CommentaryDan Hull asks the provocative questions, Did you ever have Neil Young’s passion? For even 5 minutes? Just two nights ago, I was talking with a friend who asked what wish I had for my kids. My answer was this: That they find a passion and pursue it passionately. A passion you ignore is torment. … Continue Reading
Law Departments’ make v. buy decisions favor make
Posted in CommentaryHBR Consulting has issued a report (summary here) of the results of a survey of in-house law departments. Interesting results. More than half the participants report increasing the size of their in-house staff. More than 80% of the participants report increasing legal needs. At the same time: 60% of the participants have reduced external spend… Continue Reading
Trial Tip: simple, compelling stories win
Posted in CommentaryBefore my Dad died, I would use him as a sounding board for my trial theme and story. Not that my Dad was a simple man but he was persuaded by clear simple, stories. The Bob test. Now that he is gone, I have to look elsewhere for feedback, but the lesson is still the… Continue Reading
WSJ Law Blog asks “What’s a First Year Lawyer Worth?
Posted in Commentary, Hourly Rates and AlternativesThe October 17 issue of the Wall Street Journal contains a terrific article by Ashby Jones, What’s A First-Year Lawyer Worth? The answer, it seems, is not much, at least to some general counsel. Several GCs are quoted talking about how they deal with the "first-year dilemma." Here’s the definition: But lawyers said there is still… Continue Reading
Legal sector experiences job decline
Posted in CommentaryAmLaw Daily reports today that the legal sector lost 1,300 jobs in September. This has to make many people nervous, starting with Managing Partners. Coming on the heels of Citibank’s report showing that expenses were growing faster than revenue for 2011 and forecasting that the economy is in for a period of no or slow… Continue Reading
Lesson from a life ended too early
Posted in CommentarySeveral years ago,my friend John, the Cubmaster of my son’s Cub Scout Pack, died very suddenly. It fell on me to take over his role. At the wake, several of the parents said their sons were distraught, asking why would God make a person like him die so young. It became clear to me that… Continue Reading
“Will Design Be Part of Law’s New Normal?”
Posted in CommentaryMy latest post on the ABA Journal Online–"Will Design Be Part of Law’s New Normal?" Ironically, a discussion of Steve Jobs’ role as a "user-experience savant," written shortly before his death was announced.
New Normal Post:: If Legal Services Value Stats Were Created, Standardized, Law Clients Could Play ‘Moneyball’
Posted in CommentaryMy latest post, a continuance of Paul Lippe’s Moneyball and value analysis, is up on the ABA Journal (online). It’s entitled If Legal Services Value Stats Were Created, Standardized, Law Clients Could Play ‘Moneyball’.
New Normal Post:: Adding Value and Forging Alliances with Non-Firm Firms
Posted in CommentaryMany of you know that Paul Lippe, CEO of Legal OnRamp, and I write semi-regular posts for an ABA Journal column called The New Normal. My latest post is Adding Value and Forging Alliances with Non-Firm Firms.
Are you asking this question?
Posted in CommentaryIf not, you should. Clients ask it all the time.
Great Advice–are you following?
Posted in Commentary, People, Places and BlawgsDan Hull blogs at What About Paris?, occasionally known at What About Clients? WAP?/WAC? is an eclectic mix of things, many offbeat and many thought-provoking. But what separates WAP?/WAC? from many other blogs is Dan’s occasional free advice. It is always worth its weight in gold. For example, in a recent post, Dan discussed the… Continue Reading
Are you irrelevant?
Posted in CommentaryLegal thought leadership. I hate the words because they are buzz words that suggest that being a legal thought follower is somehow okay. When it comes to solving problems for clients, you either do or you don’t. It is not exactly pass fail since some are better than others, solving problems is not a spectator… Continue Reading
Law firm profit squeeze–and what it means for clients
Posted in CommentaryCiti’s mid-year report on law firm profitability is out (reported here). The news is not good for law firms. Which means the news for clients is even worse. Here are a couple of the highlights from the report: "we have seen expenses grow so quickly that they are now increasing at a faster rate than… Continue Reading
Law Firm (indeed, business in general) Growth:lessons from nature
Posted in CommentaryThere level of law firm merger activity continues. No real news there. But I just ran across a post by Tom Peters that makes me wonder about the wisdom of the growth by merger strategy. Tom provides some lessons from nature.
The Chimera That Is Profits Per Partner: Deja Vu
Posted in CommentaryAmLaw Daily is reporting that profits per partner rose "marginally" in the first half of the year at approximately 125 of the country’s largest firms. In the wake of the Citigroup report that many law firms have manipulated their numbers (see my post Captain Renault on the Inflation of AmLaw PPP reports) and related commentary… Continue Reading
Value Tip of the Day–Courtesy of Valorem App
Posted in CommentaryIf you wonder whether you should try using alternative fee arrangements, ask your CEO or CFO. We have a strong feeling on what they will say. Value Tips of the Day are reprinted here from the Valorem App, available for iPad and iPhone users through the App store.
Value Tip of the Day–Courtesy of Valorem App
Posted in CommentaryIs spending time reviewing your outside lawyers’ bills the highest and best use of your (or your team’s) time? Trust us, you’d feel much better if you used a fee structure that allowed you to put that time to more valuable use. Value Tips of the Day are reprinted here from the Valorem App, available… Continue Reading