Courtesy of JD Supra, I get data every month on how many times my posts are read. I thought it might be an interesting exercise to identify the 5 most-read posts of 2017 and see if there is any common thread. It turns out there is. Here are the most-read posts:
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Valorem honored to be named to BTI Client Service A Team for 6th Straight Year. Why it matters to us.
For the 6th straight year, Valorem was named the BTI Consulting’s Client Service A Team. We were recognized in these areas:
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Renter v. Investor? Buyer v. Builder?
I have been a renter. I have been an investor in homes. I have been a buyer of homes and I have worked with a builder to design and build a home. Each experience has its pros and cons. The critical thing to making each role a successful one is to decide in advance what role you want to play. The same lesson holds true for operating a business and for operating a law department.
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Justifying shadow billing as promoting diversity? Much better ways exist.
Earlier this year, Vincent Cordo, the Global Sourcing Officer for Shell, and Casey Flaherty, a consultant to law departments, wrote an article for the ACC Docket, Shell Legal—Shadow Billing. Let me begin by disclosing that I have enormous respect for the work Vincent Cordo has done at Shell and that Casey is a friend whose work I also respect greatly. However, respect and friendship do not translate into complete agreement on all issues, and this article presents an area where I disagree. I know Casey won’t be surprised.
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Getting to where you want to be–it’s like going on vacation
If you want to take a vacation, there are a few basic steps.
- Figure out where you are. Travel requires a starting point.
- Figure out where you want to go. Tropical paradise? Check. Ski chalet? Check. Great wall of China? Check.
- Figure out how to get from 1 to 2. Plane? Check. Train? Check. Automobile?
Is Time Really The New Black? Hardly.
I just finished reading Mary Juetten’s post in Above the Law, Time Is The New Black. I was struck by this statement:
“Also, all should reject the value billing theory that recording time is unnecessary.”
Since there are few statements with which I would disagree more, I decided to parse the article and respond
HAL 9000, washing machines and AI in Law
I read this and immediately started thinking about my Saturday morning encounters with our washing machine. Walk by, put the towels in and then feed the dogs. Swing by later after grabbing morning coffee, put the towels in the dryer and put the whites in the washing machine. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. Episodic encounters with the
The importance of learning what does NOT need to be done, and other things.
I just read an article in Law360 discussing Microsoft’s commitment to shift 90% of its work to alternative fee arrangements. Michael Rynowecer of BTI Consulting is quoted as saying the move is “one of the most aggressive” adoptions of AFAs he knew of. “Ninety percent is on the leading edge. It’s an enormous step; it’s
Nicole Auerbach honored as one of Chicago’s most influential women lawyers
Kudos to our very own Nicole Auerbach, who was recognized by Crain’s Chicago Business as one of Chicago’s Most Influential Women Lawyers. Here is how Crain’s summarized Nicole:
After concluding that the billable hour model for pricing legal services needed to change, Nicole Nehama Auerbach helped form Valorem Law Group in 2008 to
The importance of understanding context.
Jeff Carr sent me a link to a post by Richard Smith of Sydney, Australia. I don’t know Mr. Smith. He is a “business development expert with over 20 years’ experience.” He works to develop and implement “successful business strategies for leading professional services firms; including working closely with stakeholders to maximise revenue potential from