Preface | vii |
Acknowledgements | ix |
PART I: Planning for Success | |
The Case for Planning | 3 |
Preparing the Law Firm Business Plan | 7 |
Success: The Top Eight Requirements | 13 |
PART II: Client Relations | |
Tips for Improving Your Client Relations | 19 |
What Makes a Better Lawyer? | 25 |
Bass Are Where You Find Them: Fishing for Clients at Trade Shows | 29 |
Are You Leaving Your Clients on the Sidelines? | 33 |
Client Selection: Help for Avoiding Malpractice Claims and More! | 36 |
Communicate with Status Reports | 40 |
What Clients Hate! | 44 |
PART III: Financial Management | |
Show Me the Money! No Collection No Compensation | 51 |
Accounting for Attorneys: Understanding the Importance of Numbers | 55 |
Deposit That Check! | 59 |
Keeping the Record Straight on Trust Accounts | 64 |
Bankers & Lawyers: The Odd Couple | 69 |
Avoiding the Murky Waters of Unethical Billing | 76 |
The Pros & Cons of Fixed Fees | 79 |
Tax Planning: Sooner Than Later | 82 |
How to Break Through the Time & Income Ceiling | 87 |
The Open Book Revolution | 91 |
Reducing Overhead: Let Me Count the Ways | 95 |
33 Tips to Help Lawyers Keep Their Pockets Full | 100 |
PART IV: Law Office Technology | |
Solving the Technology Dilemma | 111 |
Using WordPerfect for Billing | 115 |
Ethics & Technology | 117 |
PART V: Office & Management Issues | |
Debunking the Myths of Office Organization | 125 |
Who Can’t Afford an Executive Director? | 129 |
Using Compensation to Stimulate Team Lawyering | 133 |
Is Equipment Leasing Right for You? | 137 |
What’s It Worth? Opportunities for Buying & Selling Law Practices | 142 |
MCLE & The Small Firm | 149 |
Partnerships: A Perilous Path? | 153 |
Planning for Disaster | 158 |
10 Most Frequently Asked Questions of a Law Firm Mgt. Consultant | 163 |
About the Author | 169 |
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