how are you marketing your firm? - gla, ala...in gla ala’s continual quest to bring our members...

January 2006Volume 4 • Issue 2

THE RESOURCE FOR LEGAL ADMINISTRATORS

How Are You Marketing Your Firm?

Greater Los Angeles Leadership Exchange • www.glaala.org January 20062

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MARKETING — WHO’S ON FIRST? by Brian Robbins, CLM .................................................................6

President’s Message

Page Directory

QUICK TIPS FOR CREATING SUCCESSFUL ANNOUNCEMENTS. by Paula Ryplewski .....................................................................12

What Do You Want On Your Tombstone?

LAW FIRM DIVORCESDEPARTING PARTNERS - ECONOMICS & ETHICSby Jan Christensen ......................................................................10

Human Resource Challenges

LAW FIRM MARKETINGby Steven Jones ..............................................................................7

Editors’ Note

MAKING WEB WORDS PAY OFF by Amy Spach ..............................................................................14

Web Site Content

Publication Information ................................................... 5

Calendar ............................................................................. 8

SOS - Succeed Over Stress .............................................. 16

Holiday Luncheon ....................................... 22-23 & 26-27

Board of Directors .................................................. 24 & 25

Member Information ...................................................... 29

Technology Tip ................................................................ 34

National News .................................................................. 37

Office Leasing .................................................................. 38

Vendor Spotlight ............................................................. 44

Wellness Zone .................................................................. 46

Monthly Features

LEGAL MARKETING 101 – EDUCATIONAL SEMINARby Teresa Cherman ......................................................................40

Legal Marketing

Aflac .................................................................................. 20

CalToner ........................................................................... 43

City National Bank ........................................... Back Cover

Crowther Consulting Corp. ............................................ 35

Davidson Legal Staffing .................................................. 13

eFax Corporate ................................................................. 45

ESP...The IT Candidate People ....................................... 16

HIRECounsel ................................................................... 17

HOK Interiors .................................................................. 33

Hutchings Court Reporters ............................................... 3

Innovative Computing Systems ..................................... 31

Legal Option Group ......................................................... 15

Matura Farrington Staffing Services ................................. 39

Merrill Corp. ....................................................................... 3

Robert Millard Photography ........................................... 38

Narver Associates .............................................................. 3

Osmio ............................................................................... 19

Overnite Express .............................................................. 29

Praxis .................................................................................. 2

Providus ............................................................................ 41

Robert Half Legal ............................................................. 47

Tra-Co Graphics ............................................................... 43

Typecraft Wood & Jones .................................................. 41

United Document Storage .............................................. 11

WAMS ................................................................................. 9

Vendor Partners

ATTRACTING BUSINESS THROUGH STRATEGIC MARKETING by Sharon Berman ......................................................................18

Your Brand Is Your Promise

SETTING OBJECTIVES IN A MERCURIAL WORLDby Bruce W. Marcus .....................................................................32

Where Are We Going And How Do We Get There?

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CAN BE A POWER-FUL TOOL IN YOUR MARKETING EFFORTS by John Simons ............................................................................20

How Do You Do IT?

ALA MEMBER GAIL C. IVEY TALKS ABOUT BEING AN ADMINISTRATORby Gail C. Ivey ..............................................................................28

Member Spotlight

by Charles A. Maddock ...............................................................42

Is Your Firm Really Marketing?


Publication InfoLeadership ExchangeThe monthly magazine of the Greater Los Angeles Chapter

of the Association of Legal Administrators

Copyright © 2005—All Rights Reserved

www.glaala.org

Steven Jones, Managing EditorLister Martin & Thompson LLP

T: 818-551-6444 • F: [email protected]

Karen Wilson, Publication TeamIrell & Manella LLP


Michelle Liffman, Vendor LiaisonO’Melveny & Myers, LLP


Tracy Dragoo, Layout & [email protected]

Typecraft Wood & Jones, PrintingT: 626-795-8093

The GREATER LOS ANGELES LEADERSHIP

EXCHANGE is published monthly to provide

information for the education and benefit of legal

administrators, law office managers, managing

partners of law firms and of corporate law

departments, and others interested in law firm

management. The Greater Los Angeles Chapter

of the Association of Legal Administrators is

not engaged in rendering legal, financial or

tax counseling through this publication. No

statement in this monthly magazine should be

interpreted as legal, financial or tax advice.

Any article, letter or advertisement published

in The GREATER LOS ANGELES LEADERSHIP

EXCHANGE should not be considered an

endorsement by the Greater Los Angeles Chapter

of the Association of Legal Administrators of the

opinions expressed therein or any product(s)

advertised. Contributing authors are requested

and expected to disclose financial and/or

professional interests and affiliations which may

influence their writing position. All advertising

is subject to approval by the Editor. Advertisers

assume liability for all content of advertisements

printed and assume responsibility for any claims

based upon subject matter.

WE WANT TO KNOW!It is important to us that we provide valuable articles and features for you, our

readers. Please take a minute to let us know your thoughts.

Thank you for taking the time to send your comments and thank you for reading!!

• What would you like to see in future issues?

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Dear GLA ALA Members:I hope everyone had a great December holiday season. We

had a fantastic turnout for the Holiday Luncheon on December

13, 2005 at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Century City. Sorry I was not

able to say hello to everyone personally but it seemed that a

good time was had by all. Thank you to our Programs Team for

arranging this event and the Vendor Team for coordinating with

our multiple sponsors.

While I mentioned the following in my column last month, it

is worth mentioning again. This Chapter of ALA, your Chapter,

like all Chapters, is dependent upon its members to provide

the creativity, talent, perspective, energy, relationships, insight,

and labor required to deliver the highest level educational and

networking opportunities which are at the core of the Chapter’s

mission. Each year members of the Chapter volunteer to run

the Chapter by serving on the Chapter’s Board of Directors.

Participation on the Board is completely open, the only pre-

requisite is having been a member of ALA for at least one year and

being a current member of the Chapter — that makes well over

300 of you eligible!

As you read this we are actively recruiting members for the

2006-2007 Board (April ‘05 – March ‘06). We would like you to

participate. Even if you have never participated on a Board

before, please consider volunteering for the 2006-2007 term.

You may contact any member of the Nominating Committee (or

any Board member) to express your interest or to answer any

questions you may have. See the Chapter’s website home page for

more information, www.glaala.org.

Our topic this month – MarketingWhat distinguishes your firm from another? How do clients

“find” you? How do you measure success? Who pays for the

investment and who reaps the rewards? What is the objective:

keeping existing clients; cross selling existing clients; landing new

clients? Is everyone in the firm involved? Do you need a new

website or is that a waste of money? What works? What doesn’t?

In GLA ALA’s continual quest to bring our members relevant

and useful information on topics of interest, the GLA ALA Seminars

Team organized a meeting on November 16, 2005 to discuss the

kinds of questions noted above. For this seminar, GLA reached

out to members of the Legal Marketing Association to share their

expertise. A summary of this seminar is included later in this

issue of Leadership Exchange.

Roughly 50% of GLA ALA members are with firms of 29 or

fewer attorneys. The marketing resources and approach for these

firms may well be different than for larger firms. Let me suggest

that there are, however, a few things that all firms should hold in

common when looking at their marketing efforts:

* Integrity and Accountability — It is very easy (too easy) to

talk about Marketing. While a little theory is nice, you have to get

beyond that and Just-Do-It. Less talk, more action. For everyone

involved in the process, they need to do what they say they are

going to do (integrity). There also has to be accountability built

into the system. Accountability as used here is not for purposes of

“gotcha” in case an idea does not work out, but rather is a critical

component of a feedback system that enables real debriefing to

take place so the firm can learn from its actions — what works,

what doesn’t. The Keynote speakers at the recent Region 5/6

conference in Las Vegas, Afterburner™, helped drive that point

home using the military’s operational model - Plan, Brief, Execute

and then Debrief. I suspect most firms do a poor job of debriefing

as it is easier to chase the next project than self critique. If not

already done at your firm, consider implementing a debrief

process.

* You can’t do everything well. Pick a few activities that make

sense for your firm and do them, well. Build from the successes.

* Invest where the return is greatest. High yield activities need

not be the most costly. Review all the marketing initiatives in your

firm and then rank them on their likely return on investment. g

New and Upcoming Attractions:• GLAALA Website – the Chapter’s new website (2005 update)

is up and running. Take a look (www.glaala.org)– we think you will love it. If you have already seen it, go back again and explore – there is more there than you might think! Note: Many GLA members (you ?) have still not logged into the “Member Services” section and are, therefore, missing useful features like the Library and the online member directory. If you need any assistance with user identification (i.e., your ALA identification number) or password (i.e., first initial then last name) please contact Debbie Mogren, webmaster, ([email protected]) or Brian Robbins, CLM ([email protected]).

• Annual Labor Law Seminar - January 28, 2005 – Beverly Hills Hotel – This is one of those “don’t miss” events to start the year off with the latest news on the ever evolving world of employment law. The registration materials were mailed in December 2005. See the website for more details.

Brian Robbins, [email protected]

MARKETING – WHO’S ON FIRST?

President’s Message


I’m writing this article at the

eleventh hour. Usually, an idea hits

me rather early in the month on

what to write regarding the monthly

theme. However, this month’s

theme “Law Firm Marketing” eludes

me. Faced with writing an editor’s

note and sharing my experience

with regard to the theme, leads me to depend upon a trusted and

sure-fi re source. Well folks, this month’s writer’s block points

me in one direction…tapping into ALA’s national Legal Resource

Management Center (LRMC) at www.alanet.org.

Legal Resources Management CenterLet me just say that typing in the word “marketing” in the

LRMC search section produced over 1100 articles and tips starting

from the basics of Marketing 101 to the more complicated issues of

strategy and planning in the marketing

arena. I’ve got a lot of reading to do this

year. Usually I don’t make a New Year’s

resolution, but I think it would be a good

idea to start taking advantage of what

the Learning Resource Management

Center offers. An Outlook reminder

once a week will keep me on track. Plus

I like to read whenever I can take a lunch. So, by this time next

year I fi gure I’ll be a little bit more knowledgeable about marketing

including the other areas that fall under the heading of Legal

Administration – Facilities and Operations; General and Financial

Management; Human Resources; Technology and Information;

and Training & Development.

That’s a lot of information

and honestly, I’m very excited and

appreciative that our national

organization provides for us the

resources to effectively manage our

fi rms. And if any of you have had

one of your partners approach you to

work on a project which you were unfamiliar, the Legal Resource

Management Center is the place to go. Not only does the site

provide you with informative articles, but the center also gives

you access to vendors and consultants who are experts in their

fi elds. Just a thought…but this article and the rest of the issue,

presented to your managing partners,

can be a sedge way into highlighting

the importance and benefi ts of our

organization by asking them to support

you in becoming a more effective and

productive manager. It ultimately benefi ts the fi rm when they

allow you to participate and attend in the local, regional

and national events. And yes, that was a little piece of ALA

marketing.

A Crash Course In Marketing

Just this past year, I have had the opportunity to supervise

the revision of my fi rm’s new website; prepare multiple Power

Point presentations for the fi rm’s new

and existing clients; produce a fi rm

brochure; and prepare a package

involving a comprehensive industry

update…and yes, this was all done in

one year. So, needless to say I’ve had

my crash course in marketing all the

while still managing the fi rm. Some of the marketing basics came

back to me from my courses I took in college. And the vendors

(where would I be without them), they were very helpful in

providing me with valuable information and guiding me along the

way to producing a very nice product. But ultimately, I credit the

organization – ALA – for providing me with the ideas and resources

to make this happen.

In this issue we’ve got quite a few vendors who graciously

provided us with articles on the topic of law fi rm marketing.

Take a moment to peruse the issue and consider contacting one

of the ALA consultants or vendors. Who knows, one telephone

call can be the key to helping you contribute something valuable

to your fi rm’s marketing plan. g

Editors’ NoteSteven Jones

[email protected]

LAW FIRM MARKETING

“ My greatest strength as a consultant is to

be ignorant and ask a few questions. ”

— Peter F. Drucker


DATE EVENT TIME & LOCATION CONTACT

2 New Years Observance — ALA Headquarters Closed

5 Board Meeting5:00 pm – 9:00 pm Downtown

Allen Matkins

Brian [email protected]

626-440-5200

12Corporate Counsel’s

Demand for Diversity

12:00 p.m. Los Angeles Athletic Club

431 W. 7th Street Los Angeles, CA

Brian [email protected]

626-440-5200

13 Magazine Deadline for January Issue

17 Finance Section Meeting

11:45 a.m.Weston Benshoof

333 S. Hope Street 16th Flr.,Los Angeles, CA

Wayne [email protected]

(213) 576-1159

24 HR Section Meeting

12:00 p.m. Morrison & Forester, LLP

555 W. Fifth Street, Ste. 3500 Los Angeles, CA

Kim Robinson [email protected]

(213) 892-5661

25 Multi-Office Section Meeting

11:45 a.m. Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy

601 S. Figueroa St., 30th Flr., Los Angeles, CA

Susan [email protected]

(213) 633-6800

26

ALA TeleseminarGet a Grip! TM

Overcoming Stress & Thriving in the Workplace

1:00 p.m. CST www.alanet.org

28 Annual Labor Law Seminar

8:00 a.m. Beverly Hills Hotel (The Pink One)

9641 Sunset Boulevard, Beverly Hills, California 90210

Teresa [email protected]

(213) 892-4967

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THESE AND FUTURE EVENTS SEE WWW.GLAALA.ORG AND WWW.ALANET.ORG

January Calendar

Don’t forget to attend ALA’s upcoming

Annual Labor Law Seminar January 28th

at the Beverly Hills Hotel

Speakers — BETH A. SCHROEDER, ESQ. & ANDREW B. KAPLAN, ESQ.Partners – Employment & Labor Practice Group, Silver & Freedman, APLC


CLM Study Group

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Human Resource Challenges

Remember the old adage, “when all else fails, read the

instructions”? Clearly that advice applies when partners or

shareholders announce their intended withdrawal from the

law firm. The legal community has become increasingly more

mobile, and it is very common today in firms large and small for

partners, shareholders or even entire practice groups to change

their affiliations overnight.

A firm’s partnership agreement and/or the buy-sell agreement

will generally detail the governing standards regarding the duties

of the firm to the departing attorney as well as the duties of the

departing attorney to the firm. However, it is the ethics rules

of the ABA, state and local Bar Associations which govern the

protection of the clients’ interest such as: (1) undisturbed follow-

through on existing representations; (2) attorneys’ self-promotion

and client solicitation; or (3) transfer of client property and files.

ECONOMICS — PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTThe law firm’s partnership agreement, the law corporation’s

buy/sell agreement and/or employment agreements will typically

separately address the financial issues under several departure

scenarios: death, disability, judicial appointment, expulsion or

withdrawal. It is the attorney making a lateral move to continue

the practice of law who presents the greatest economic risk to the

firm.

The partnership agreement, buy/sell agreement or other

management documents should provide specific guidance

regarding:

1. Timing and method of returning capital contributions

of the withdrawing partner, or the method of calculation of the

repurchase price of shares held by the shareholder.

2. Any limitations on amounts payable to departing and

former partners during specific periods.

3. Departing partner’s entitlement to funded or unfunded

deferred compensation.

4. The terms and conditions of the departing partner’s

entitlement to any share of WIP, AR, and continuing draws,

salaries or bonuses.

5. Departing partner’s liability for a pro rata share of current

and long term obligations such as office lease, bank guarantees,

etc.

6. Any existing indemnification agreements dealing with

post-withdrawal liabilities incurred by the firm or the individual

partner, malpractice insurance deductibles for claims made

against the departing partner after the departure, or direct and

indirect cost arising from the withdrawal. (LA County Bar

Association Professional Responsibility and Ethics Committee

Formal opinion number 480 provides that “…a law partnership

agreement may impose a reasonable cost on departing partners

who compete with the law firm in a limited geographical area…”)

7. All covenants concerning firm property including trade

secrets (firm financial statements, computer files, client lists,

form files, etc.)

In the case of involuntary termination of a partner or

shareholder, other documentation should also be carefully

reviewed to ensure that firm policies regarding disciplinary

procedures and established precedents are being followed. As

is true with other “employees”, compensation, in exchange for

a general release (employment related issues), should also be

considered for the terminated partner or shareholder.

Management personnel should be assigned to thoroughly

review WIP and AR of the departing attorney. Schedules to bill-

out all WIP should be developed, and a detailed time schedule for

the collection of outstanding bills should be prepared. Procedures

should be established for resolution of future client disputes of AR.

For clients transferring their matters to the departing attorney, a

clear agreement should be reached regarding application of

future client payment to the oldest AR before the departing

attorney accepts payments for services performed after the file

has been transferred.

Partners in a general partnership have always been considered

“fiduciaries” to each other and as such have the duty of loyalty,

the duty of care, and the duty of good faith and fair dealings. It

is often the perceived violation of these “duties” by a departing

partner that has given rise to many recent civil actions against

withdrawing partners who spirited away major firm clients,

associates and staff.

ETHICSThe client’s absolute right to change counsel at any time with

or without cause is considered virtually sacred. Since the practice

of law is about relationships and trust, it is the rule rather than

the exception that clients of a departing attorney will generally

want their files to leave the firm with the withdrawing partner. It

is the client’s right to choose counsel which prevents negotiations

LAW FIRM DIVORCESDEPARTING PARTNERS - ECONOMICS & ETHICS

Jan [email protected]

continued on page 30


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is a business.Your law firmis a business.Your law firm

Law schools generally do not prepare their graduates to understand these types of responsibilities, even though the practice of lawis both a profession and a business. Managingpartners and firm administrators understand thateffective business, management and supervisoryskills for all employees are essential to the success and survival of every law firm.

A Business Skills Curriculum for Law FirmAssociates assists you in developing a trainingprogram that will help your associates best meetthe needs and expectations of your firm and clients.

This guidebook is available for $595 from ALA. Call (847) 267-1252 to order — or log on towww.alanet.org/bsc to learn more about thisexciting and unique product.

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What Do You Want On Your Tombstone?

Professional announcements are often referred to as

“tombstone” ads because they are small, rectangular and brief.

Those confines, therefore, require law firms to adhere to some

strict rules: clarity, brevity and a dose of creativity.

Tombstone ads are meant to inform current and potential

clients — as well as announce to friends, colleagues and

competitors — of changes or outstanding successes within your

firm. Internally, announcements can boost morale and help

retain valuable employees. Externally, they inform the public

about new skills, strengths or achievements.

Pay attention to the details. Design and word choice can mean

the difference between an ad that elevates your firm’s profile and

one that is ignored.

Here are ways to ensure an eye-catching tombstone.

Consistency Is Key. When designing the announcement, it is helpful to have a

brand development plan to guide the design. If the firm has not

yet created a marketing strategy (a logo, style-book, etc.), relying

on the design of previous announcements can be useful so that

people who see your announcements start recognizing your firm

and its successes.

Your firm’s brand is no different than recalling the name of an

acquaintance — it may take a few meetings before you quickly

associate their name. Consistency of design allows you to give the

public as many reminders as possible about who you are.

Less Means More. You don’t want the important elements of an announcement to

be buried six feet beneath an attorney’s biography or description

of the firm’s various practice areas. Fewer words in an aesthetically

pleasing layout will attract more attention than a novel about the

firm’s capabilities.

For example, in a recent tombstone ad announcing a firm’s

relocation, the designer chose a picture of the new building’s

address plaque as the background. The firm could have used a

photo of the new building, but that would likely have diluted the

ad’s message. The announcement was clear: We’ve moved. The

design elements were strong. The result? A clear, concise and

powerful message.

Use a Logo. If your firm does not have a logo, a professional announcement

is a great opportunity to start a conversation about the importance

of creating one. Logos help clients and potential clients and staff

quickly identify your firm.

Include Essential Details. Your firm’s Website address and phone number should

always be included. A street address is not as important

because this information can be found on the Web or by

calling. A physical address should only be included if

promoting office locations is part of the firm’s overall strategy or

you are announcing a move. For example, if you are interested

in showing that you offer statewide coverage, you might include

the names, but not the addresses, of the cities where you have

offices.

For new partner announcements, include the lawyer’s

practice areas. Potential clients will learn what work is handled

at the firm and that those particular areas are growing or being

strengthened.

A short biography of the attorney should be included if you are

announcing a lateral hire or someone new to the firm. But limit

the biography to only a couple of sentences.

By keeping tombstone ads brief, consistent and clear, you

ensure maximum impact and lay down a template for future an-

nouncements.

At many small firms, tombstones are their sole form of

advertising. Make them count. g

About the Author: Paula Ryplewski is a Law Firm Marketing

Consultant for The Recorder & Cal Law, a division of ALM based in

San Francisco. She can be reached at [email protected]

QUICK TIPS FOR CREATING SUCCESSFUL ANNOUNCEMENTS.

Paula [email protected]


is pleased to announce that

John J. Jingelheimersmith&

Toni Chestnuthave joined the firm as associates.

Mr. Jingelheimersmith formerly partner atPeacock, Mustard & White joins our

group of Employment Experts.

Ms. Chestnut brings over 20 years experience to our Business Litigation team.

Employment • Business Insurance • Environmental

415-555-5555 •www.smithsmithlaw.com

Smith &Smith LLP

What To Do

Smith & Smith LLPis pleased to announce that

Mr. John J. Jingelheimersmith&

Ms. Toni Chestnuthave joined the firm as associates.

Mr. Jingelheimersmith formerly partner at Peacock, Mustard &White, received his J.D. in 1984 from Williamette College of Law.He worked in employment law for the law firm of Red Riding &Hood before joining Peacock, Mustard & White in 1990 where he

continued his work in employment matters.

Ms. Chestnut has over 20 years experience in BusinessLitigation matters. She started her career in-house with Widgets

Co. in 1990 before starting her own business litigation firm, Chestnut Law Offices in 1995. Ms. Chestnut will

continue to work in business law.

Smith & Smith continues to practice Employment Law, Business Litigation, Insurance Defense,

and Environmental Law.

11234 Market St., San Francisco, CA 99999Phone: 415-555-5555 Fax: 415-555-1234

www.smithsmithlaw.com

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No lawyer will dispute the power of a well-chosen word. On

Web sites, the importance of written words increases to the tenth

degree. Online information is instantaneous and a law fi rm’s

content has mere seconds to attract potential clients. Choose

your words wisely.

Bad law fi rm Web copy reads like legal litany. Good copy

encourages people to return to the site and to contact the fi rm. It

can generate revenue and offset the expense of overhauling a site.

The following are suggestions for developing strategic Web

content. The focus is not on split infi nitives and other crimes

against grammar. Language guides and style manuals, such as

“The Associated Press Stylebook”, can help on that front. Instead,

consider:

What Not To Write Sometimes knowing what not to do, much like those bossy

women on television who tell you what not to wear, can help clear

the path for good content.

1. Consider Your Web Site an Online Brochure Wrong. Online content differs from its print cousin.

Websites are personal, active, multi-layered and immediate.

Readers scroll, scan and surf simultaneously. Content

should not appear in long, single-colored, static blocks. Ideas

should be easy to locate, eye-catchingly laid out and encourage

site exploration through the use of clickable key words and

colors.

Tip: Headlines, bullet points and white space create

distinctive sections and aid the reader. These clarifi ers

cost nothing and greatly support a site’s navigation

guides.

2. Thus, Keep It Formal Web sites deliver your information to someone’s personal

belonging — their computer screen. Leverage this invitation

into a potential client’s “space” by adopting a less formal, more

personable approach.

Over-capitalization, distancing third person viewpoints

and sentences that meander into paragraphs make the reader

sorry they met you. Speak to people, not at them. Which

description makes you feel as if there are actual people in the

law fi rm?

A. The Firm is fully committed to exemplary service to

its Clientele throughout all its various and distinguished

Practice Areas, which include, but are not limited to,

Banking, Intellectual Property, Labor and Employment,

Mergers and Acquisitions, Business Advice and Counsel,

Bankruptcy (including Insolvency and Creditors’ Committee

representation) and Estate and Tax Planning Matters, before

local, state and federal authorities.

or

B. Whether defending a sexual discrimination suit,

prosecuting a copyright infringement, or forming a

corporation, our fi rm provides complete legal counsel to

business clients. Among our practice areas are:

Banking Intellectual property

Bankruptcy Labor and employment

Corporate Tax

Estate planning

Version B is more personal and encourages people to

delve into the practice areas and site. Cutting parentheses

eliminates visual barriers. Bring parenthetical information

into its own sentence or deeper into a subject-specifi c area.

Tip: Reinventing proper nouns by capitalizing

everything strains eyes and diminishes meaning.

If every thing is of Capital Importance Then Soon

Nothing Appears Important.

3. Superlatives Stink The Most Outstanding service, exceptional results, unparalleled

achievements.

Sound familiar? Leave unsubstantiated puffery for others.

Bombastic boasting distracts and ultimately repels readers.

A few well-chosen case examples are a better illustration

of your fi rm’s excellence. Signifi cant verdicts, precedent-

setting decisions, awards and published articles depict a

fi rm’s abilities more impressively than self-administered chest

beating.

Tip: To determine what is worth boasting about, make

sure the achievement demonstrates a result that a

client needs to know.

4. Hide Behind Generalities If your attorneys excel at litigation, transactional, or

bankruptcy cases don’t just dump that thought on your readers.

And don’t expect them to believe it just because you said so.



Web Site Content

MAKING WEB WORDS PAY OFF

Amy Spach AS Written Communications [email protected]


Gloria Albert, Director of [email protected]

SOS - Succeed Over Stress

Welcome to 2006! This is the time of year when we think

about all those things we want to accomplish, change, do

differently, add, subtract, etc. It’s the time of dieting, exercising,

organizing, saving, relaxing, de-stressing, spending more time

with friends, spending more time on ourselves, spending more

time with our kids. We all say we want a resolution but are you

willing to stick to it? Or are you going to fall off the wagon by mid-

January? Realistic goals are key, experts say. Most resolutions

are trashed in four months. Here are some tips for keeping your

resolutions:

Don’t expect miracles. Breaking habits is hard. We need to learn to layer change, a

little at a time, rather than a one time shot. Start slow and build.

You’re looking at life-style changes rather than a quick fix and that

may take some time.

Keep it interesting. Varying your routine is better for the mind and body. It’s so

easy to get bored doing the same thing day after day after day. Be

creative. Do something different each day. You’ll stay a lot longer

if you do.

Keep it honest. Keep of journal of your goals and what you’re doing to get

there. Keep it up to date. It will help motivate you.

Avoid extremes. Extreme diets and excessive exercise can trigger a panic

response in your body. Slow, moderate, regular changes are best.

Set goals - in baby-step increments. You’ll have a lot more success if you do. Write them down and

remember to look at them on a regular basis.

Share your resolutions with a supportive, nuturing friend. If you lose a bit of ground, don’t despair and don’t give up.

Look at it as another chance. Be gentle with yourself. Change is

never easy. Good luck. g

So remember, slow down, find gratitude in what you have, take

care of yourself.....and remember to BREATHE.

See you in February.

Gloria Albert, Director of WellnessWorks, has been a health

consultant for over 20 years. Her approach to reducing stress and

adding wellness to one’s life is practical, hands-on, pro-active

and fun. To find out more information, request a brochure or

schedule a class please contact Gloria at (phone) 310.393.6078,

(E-mail) [email protected], or visit our website at

http://www.WellnessWorksUSA.com. Please feel free to pass this

information along to co-workers, friends, family. To be deleted

from this SOS tip, just ask

WELCOME TO 2006!

“People become really quite remarkable when they start thinking that they can do things. When they believe in themselves

they have the first secret of success.” — Norman Vincent Peale


What if you need more than just temporary staff? What if you need a lot more? Qualified candidates. Space management. Technical solutions. We cover it all. As legal professionals, we understand your demands and expectations. We provide the best services in the business, including in-depth screening, online timekeeping, and the highest-quality benefits. Our knowledge and professionalism keep qualified candidates, law firms, and corporations returning to us time and again for their recruiting needs. To learn how we can help you, contact us at [email protected]. One call does it all.

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Your Brand Is Your Promise

If you talk marketing with any attorney or practice group

head today, you will most certainly hear the word “brand” early in

the conversation. It’s unlikely that they learned about branding

in law school, although the notion of teaching marketing to law

students is becoming more acceptable. Even more unlikely is the

notion of a bar exam question such as “Define the term ‘brand’

and describe how a firm might brand itself.” Thus, while the

term is bandied about when talking marketing, lawyers and other

professionals are usually at a loss for words when asked to define

it. While most know a brand when they see one, giving a specific

definition is quite challenging.

Branding is currently experiencing a resurgence. Twenty-five

years ago, marketers talked about and taught branding. Then,

the term left the limelight, replaced for a while by other buzz

words and pursuits such as an emerging emphasis on client

satisfaction or pursuit of the Malcolm Baldrige award. Then the

term came back into the spotlight in a big way a decade ago. It’s

not that marketers weren’t branding in the meantime; they were

just not referring to it as such.

So what is a brand and why should a lawyer care about it?

And, even more importantly, how can you use branding to grow

your business?

A brand is comprised of three distinct aspects, which may be

part of the reason why it is difficult to define. The first aspect is

the one that professionals usually think of first when asked to

define the word — that is, the logo or corporate identity. Although

this is a component of a brand, it is really just the graphic identity

that transmits a message.

The message it is transmitting is the core component of the

brand — the brand’s promise to the client or consumer. Your

brand is your promise. When you see the logo, it is communicating

that the firm behind it stands for a promise. The promise may

be — to have specific expertise in a particular industry, to care

about clients or similar commitments. Without this promise, the

graphic is just a pretty picture.

The third aspect is the brand equity, which refers to the brand’s

economic aspect. It represents the difference that people are

willing to pay to get a brand compared to an unbranded product.

It is the reason why there is a business buying and selling well-

known brand names and is literally the bottom line of why we

brand. We brand our firms and ourselves to differentiate us from

the competition in order to attract clients and new business and

to validate our current clients’ decision to do business with us.

So, where do you start to grow your business through branding?

Your first step is to address the core: delineate your promise to

your clients. This should be as specific as possible and can be

a challenging undertaking. Cross the word “responsive,” and

others that you hear over and over, off your list. Think like a

lawyer. If you want to say that you offer responsive service, state

your case and support it. How are you responsive? Calls returned

within how long? On call 24/7? If you offer “proactive” service,

what is it and how do you provide it?

The promise must be one on which you can deliver. If you

cannot do so consistently, you are punching holes in your brand

and damaging your firm’s business. Make only the promises you

can keep, and make sure that everyone in your firm knows what

those promises are.

In order to establish your promise you need to answer several

questions. First, to whom are you marketing today? A fairly

obvious and basic question, but the answers change over time.

Who is your end user? Who does the “buying” — the end user

or referral source? Where are they located? What are their

“buyer” values, in other words, on what criteria do they base

their decision? Occasionally, price is the driving factor, but rarely

so. That’s one of the reasons you brand — to differentiate your

practice enough that it sets you apart from the pack and any price

war. Here, industry expertise often plays a decisive role. And of

course, there’s always “chemistry” and trust.

Also answer the following questions: What are the trends in

your markets? Are clients looking for success billing? Do they

care about whether you are the first on the block with the newest

technology? Or, are they looking for a service “package”?

The more specific the answers you can provide to these

questions, the greater the potential for a return on investment.

Your answers will not only help you brand yourself, but will

focus your marketing to avoid diffusing your efforts. It’s always

tempting to spring into action without a firm foundation, but

building a solid program on a firm footing and strategy can make

your marketing much more powerful.

Before you get too far, you also need to consider how you will

measure your results. It’s important to separate your marketing

measurement from that of sales. Why? In professional services,

marketing brings you the opportunity to be in front of a prospect.

Once in front of them, other skills come into play. You can

generate a great number of qualified leads, but still not see any

increase in revenue if your people fail in the sales process.

ATTRACTING BUSINESS THROUGH STRATEGIC MARKETING

Sharon [email protected]



How Do You Do IT?

Information Technology can be a powerful tool in your

marketing efforts. In order to take advantage of this tool, you

need to understand its capabilities and application, as well as

its limitations. Using IT in your marketing campaign falls into a

couple of applications: presentations/seminars to current and

prospective clients, electronic bulletins and other correspondence,

and a dynamic web presence.

The utilization of Microsoft© PowerPoint and other

presentation software packages has revolutionized seminars

as well as the courtroom. The ability to integrate graphics and

video into a presentation has given fi rms the ability to provide

exciting, informative, and compelling experiences to their

audiences. Progressive fi rms will focus on customer retention as

well as attracting new clients by providing educational seminars

in their area of specialization to existing as well as prospective

clients. A well-designed presentation with the appropriate mix

of pithy content and fi rm promotion will go along way to make

existing clients feel appreciated and informed as well as attract

new clients. A wireless-equipped laptop computer with a bright

video projector can be set up in any location in minutes. The key

is designing the presentation with the right balance of content

and promotion, and not making it too long!

Electronic bulletins, e-letters, and newsgroup subscriptions

are also excellent ways to keep your existing clients informed

and market to new prospects. Like with the presentation, the

pieces should be designed to give existing and prospective clients

pertinent information that they can use along with some low-key

fi rm promotion. You want to make sure that anything you send

out will be in a form that will get past the spam fi lters of the e-

mail servers at a client. Also, be sure that existing and prospective

clients register their interest in receiving the transmissions on

your fi rm’s website. This way, you can avoid your e-mails being

tossed out with the spam that attacks us every day.

Your biggest marketing tool today is the fi rm’s website. A well-

designed, informative website will be the most effective means

of marketing the fi rm. The fi rm’s website should be attractive

and dynamic, but not assault the senses. Spend the money to

hire a professional web-site design fi rm with experience in the

legal market. Also, choose a hosting company that is reputable

and has redundant Internet connections in case of a service

failure. If the fi rm could utilize it, consider the development of an

‘extranet’ on the site to allow for more secure, detailed interaction

with existing clients. With the immense scale of the Internet and

the competition with other fi rms for clients, you will need to

promote your website so prospective clients know who you are

and where to fi nd you. There are several methods of optimizing

search engine placement as well as pay-per-click advertising

campaigns that can be customized for your budget. Without

some sort of website promotion, your fi rm’s incredible website

will be buried on page 89 (or higher) of the search engine. Be sure

to budget some funds for a promotional campaign.

A dynamic website, informative seminars, and e-newsletters

are all powerful ways to utilize IT resources in marketing your

fi rm. With an effective promotion campaign, your website will

help bring in new clients as well as keep existing clients informed

and connected. g

About the Author: John Simons has operated Simons Computer

Services in the greater Los Angeles area since 1987. The company

specializes in network integration services to the small to medium

sized businesses. Our goal is to provide the most responsive and

highest quality IT support so that you can rest assured that your

network is secure and effi cient. If you have further questions, please

e-mail [email protected]

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CAN BE A POWERFUL TOOL IN YOUR MARKETING EFFORTS


John [email protected]

Christine Fisher CA Insurance License #OE14571

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ALA’s Legal Management Resource Center Answers are just a click away.

The LMRC is one of the prime resources youneed for the many responsibilities that makeup your role in legal management.

ALA’s unique online resource focuses specificallyon your profession. The information compiledin the LMRC is from hundreds of Web sites,associations, businesses, libraries and yourinquiries. Always timely, the LMRC is continuallyupdated and enriched to make the process offinding information more effective and efficientfor you and your staff.

The content-rich subject areas:

• Facilities & Operations Management

• Human Resources Management

• Financial Management

• Law Firm Marketing

• Technology & Information Systems

• Training & Development

And, the LMRC is included with your membership in ALA.

http://thesource.alanet.org

alaXXXX LMRC Ad 4/5/05 3:02 PM Page 1

Greater Los Angeles Leadership Exchange • www.glaala.org January 200622 Greater Los Angeles Leadership Exchange • www.glaala.org January 200622

The Greater Los Angeles Chapter ALA Holiday Luncheon

Michael Steiner, CLM and Joan Fraser Angela Moskalenko of Hutchings Court Reporters and Pamela Toro of Davidson Legal Staffi ng

Pat Greene and Elaine Van Rensburg Debra Grey, Michael Steiner, CLM and Joanne Stillwagon

Joel Mendelsohn of Legal Option Group Claudia Galati, Madlen Moris and Dora Barrantes Mary McDonnell, Michael Morales and Brian Robbins, CLM

Mark Verbecken, Morry Schorr, CLM, David Henri and Jim VanDusen, CLM

Michelle Liffman And Teresa Cherman Carlos Garcia of Pitney Bowes and Rosela Marin Kimitra Robinson and Luci Hamilton Viviane Abraham and Don Hoefnagel of First Legal Support Services

January 2006 Greater Los Angeles Leadership Exchange • www.glaala.org 23January 2006 Greater Los Angeles Leadership Exchange • www.glaala.org 23

Janet Shaw and Michael Kosiba Connie Kislow, Susan Woodward, Erin Walsh and Mary McDonnell

Norma Ayala Gail Wilson and Tanya Russell

Isabel Warner, Janan Kleiser Pitta, CLM, and Joel Mendelsohn of Legal Option Group

Vivien Karp and Naomi Haver

Barbara Wood and Wendy Sweet, CLM Checking ID’s at the registration table Harpist - Alfredo Rolando Ortiz

Janette Vella mingling with guests Joan Fraser and Peggy Jo Tashima Iris Stein and Gary Maxwell Susan Seales, Ernie Casas and Jim VanDusen, CLM

Ilona Reddick and Luci Hamilton Rosemary Orrico, Paris de LaRosa of Helping Families First Foundation, Inc. and Bella Serrano

Brian Robbins, CLM, John Bailey and Alison Bodigheimer of HomeAid LA/Ventura

Kimitra Robinson and Steven Jones


Board of Directors

Seminars Co-ChairTanya M. Russell Tyre Kamins Katz Granof & [email protected]

Programs Co-ChairViviane A. Abraham Herzfeld & Rubin [email protected]

Programs Co-ChairMary Holland Jeffer, Mangels, Butler & Marmaro [email protected]

Seminars Co-ChairTeresa ChermanLuce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps [email protected]

Membership Co-ChairRosela MarinKamine Ungerer [email protected]

SecretaryKelly ShultzParker, Milliken, Clark, O’Hara & [email protected]

Membership Co-ChairMaureen Varnes, CLMRodi, Pollock, Pettker, Galbraith & Cahill [email protected]

President-Elect Wendy Sweet, CLMJackson Lewis [email protected]

HospitalityAngela Ungurean Hennelly & Grossfeld, [email protected]

PresidentBrian Robbins, CLMHunt, Ortmann, Blasco, Palffy & Rossell, [email protected]

TreasurerJanet Shaw, CLMWickwire Gavin [email protected]

Managing EditorSteven JonesLister Martin & [email protected]

Past-PresidentLuci Hamilton 310-629-0206 [email protected]

Vice PresidentMichael Steiner, CLMFrandzel Robins Bloom & Csato, [email protected]

Seminars Co-ChairJanet I. Krause, CLM Weinstock, Manion, Reisman, Shore & Neumann, [email protected]

WebmasterDebbie MogrenErvin, Cohen & Jessup LLP 310-281-6358, ext 261 [email protected]

CLM Program Co-ChairMulti-Office Section ChairSusan SealesDavis Wright Tremaine [email protected]

CLM Program Co-ChairMartha Bernard Allen Matkins Leck Gamble & Mallory [email protected]

Chapter HistorianW. James Van Dusen, CLMGursey, Schneider & Co. LLP 310-552-0960 [email protected]

Job Referral ServicesIlona ReddickSilver & Freedman, PLC [email protected]

Technology Section Co-ChairRobert F. Santos Manning & Marder, Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]




Region 6 Director Erica TamblynMilbank, Tweed, Hadley & [email protected]

Region 6 Projects Offi cerJoyce Patrick-BaiSchmeiser, Olsen & Watts [email protected]

Region 6 Communications Offi cerMark VerbeckenJeffer, Mangels, Butler & Marmaro LLP310-201-3565 E-mail: [email protected]

Region 6 Education Offi cerDeborah Piker SandersRehon & Roberts, APC [email protected]

Vendor Liaison Co-Chair Michelle Liffman, PHR O’Melveny & [email protected]

Vendor Liaison Co-ChairNorma AyalaGipson Hoffman & [email protected]

Small Firm Section ChairMary McDonnellClark & [email protected]

Human Resources Section Co-Chair Kelly C. McGehee Reish Luftman Reicher & [email protected]

Corporate/GovernmentSection Co-ChairBella D. SerranoDepartment of [email protected]

GLA ALA MISSION STATEMENTThe Association of Legal Administrators’ mission is to improve the quality of management in legal services organizations; promote

and enhance the competence and professionalism of legal administrators and all members of the management team; and represent professional legal management and managers to the legal community and to the community at large.

Corporate/Government Section Co-ChairIris Stein City Attorney’s Offi [email protected]

Human Resources Section Co-Chair Kim Robinson Morrison & Foerster LLP213-892-5661 [email protected]

Finance Networking Group ChairG. Wayne Mitchell Weston Benshoof Rochefort Rubalcava & MacCuish [email protected]

Region 6 OfficersRegion 6 Officers

Ventura County Section Chair June I. Hilton [email protected]

San Fernando Valley SectionCarolin Eiliya Spile & Siegal, [email protected]

Greater Los Angeles Leadership Exchange • www.glaala.org January 200626 Greater Los Angeles Leadership Exchange • www.glaala.org January 200626

Joel Mendelsohn of Legal Option GroupTim Sheehan of Merrill Corporation Carlos Garcia of Pitney Bowes

GLAALA Vendor Liaison Michelle LiffmanParis de LaRosa of Helping Families First Foundation, Inc. John Bailey of HomeAid LA/Ventura

Raffl e winnerRaffl e winnerRaffl e winner

Rosela Marin and Viviane Abraham hosting the raffl e eventViviane Abraham hosting the raffl e eventRaffl e winner

January 2006 Greater Los Angeles Leadership Exchange • www.glaala.org 27January 2006 Greater Los Angeles Leadership Exchange • www.glaala.org 27

Pamela Toro of Davidson Legal Staffi ng Don Hoefnagel of First Legal Support ServicesAngela Moskalenko of Hutchings Court Reporters

Robert Santos and Viviane AbrahamTracy Dragoo of TraCo Graphics and Alison Bodigheimer of HomeAid LA/Ventura

Host Brian Robbins, CLM - President GLAALA

Holiday Luncheon AttendeesHoliday Luncheon AttendeesHoliday Luncheon Attendees

Holiday luncheon attendees Brian Robbins, CLM passes out great big Holiday Hugs!


Member Spotlight

My main responsibilities are: overall administrative and

financial management of the firm — including accounting, human

resources, facilities management and information systems.

The things I like best about being a legal administrator are: working with intelligent and talented professionals.

The thing I like least about being a legal administrator is: having to deal with some of the more complex personnel

problems. Smaller firms are more like extended family

environments. When a “family” member has an issue and a bad

attitude, it is like having a dysfunctional family. The “cure” is

often a long process for the entire family, yet rewarding when

resolved.

The most difficult situation I have had to deal with was: 1) within months after joining a new firm, having to replace

nearly an entire information technology infrastructure (hardware

and software); and

2) the challenge of learning a firm’s culture, in addition to

taking on new responsibilities.

A major issue facing legal administrators today is: the need

to continually stay abreast of new technology and synchronize

that technology with the demands of the firm’s clients.

To be successful, legal administrators have to: have the

ability to work with all types of personalities and with “keep

abreast of current technology trends.

As a legal administrator, I never thought I’d have to :disassemble, move and reassemble computer equipment. In an

emergency, you have to be to pitch in and do just about anything

to keep the firm running smoothly.

The best advice I’ve received from a fellow legal administrator was: lease scanning hardware and software that

integrates well with a document management system. You have

to be able to search and find all documents that are scanned.

Finding scanned documents in a timely manner is extremely

important to an attorney in the middle of a depostion or trial.

Equally as important is finding software that is user friendly.

I think legal administrators are important to the legal industry because: they focus their efforts on the constantly

changing operational needs of the firm on a daily basis as well as

planning for the future.

I knew I was in the right profession when: the computer

network systems that were installed worked well together.

In the office I try to set an example by: smiling during my

daily office round. Greeting staff regularly and listening to their

problems, personal or firm related, keeps them in touch and

creates a bond of loyalty with the firm.

I try to encourage my staff to report problems as soon as they

become an issue and recommend any solutions that they can

suggest.

If I weren’t a legal administrator I would like to be: running

a worthy charitable organization.

In my spare time I like to: coordinate events with family,

friends, and charitable organizations.

I joined ALA because: it is an excellent resource for meeting

people and provides the opportunity to network with other

professionals who have similar work challenges and needs for

continuing education in legal administration.

I use my membership in ALA by: attending meetings

and talking with and emailing my colleagues for their

recommendations and suggestions regarding various issues.

Activities (other than work) that I’m involved in: My

husband is a National Director of the Navy League of the United

States. We enjoy volunteering time to coordinate, prepare and

entertain sailors during Navy ship port visits to thank them for

their continual efforts to protect our freedom. Additionally, the

USNL fund raises for ships enhancements such as computers for

the sailors to communicate with their families while deployed

at sea.

Three words that best describe me: positive, professional,

and efficient. g

ALA MEMBER GAIL C. IVEY TALKS ABOUT BEING AN ADMINISTRATOR

Gail C. [email protected]


In Between Jobs? You may want to join in on the networking group Carol Leemon has put together to assist out of work members.

Feel free to contact Carol at [email protected] or 213-617-5248

Retired? Retiring Soon? Contact Maureen Varnes, Rosela Marin or Robin D. Thomas-Miles …there are some continuing ALA benefits of which you may not be aware.

Where Are You Now?Has your contact information changed?

Call or e-mail Maureen Varnes [email protected] Marin [email protected] D. Thomas-Miles [email protected]

and remember to notify National at www.alanet.org

Member Information

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Instead, show them.

Did your firm secure a record verdict or save a business from

considerable financial risk? Mentioning a few specifics of how your

attorneys accomplished a great outcome will personalize the firm

and intrigue clients into contacting them.

Everyone likes a good story, and attorneys have an abundance

of great ones. Concerns about revealing a client’s name or violating

confidentiality can be worked around by selecting the right words.

For example, “prevailing at summary judgment for a widget

maker facing a major personal injury lawsuit” can become: “Our

attorneys discovered and presented evidence in a personal injury

lawsuit that cleared a leading industrial manufacturer of all liability.

The company avoided expensive litigation, revised its employment

policies and returned its attention back to making widgets.” This

descriptive phrasing emphasizes helping the client, not a lawyer

winning a motion.

Tip: Lawyers love setting a precedent. And when they do, it’s

an ideal time to be specific. When relating the landmark,

make sure to bring the explanation out of the law books and

explain how it really affects clients

5. Blend in the CrowdIf the business of practicing law wasn’t competitive, Web sites

wouldn’t be necessary. If all your firm needs is an online placeholder

for contact information, don’t worry about writing good copy.

But, if you want to distinguish yourself from the pack, get a

message. It’s more than a tag line, it injects personality in a firm.

Your firm may be distinctive because of its location, the diversity

of its lawyers, or for the amount of trademark violation victories it has

secured.

Whatever distinguishes your firm, say it in your message. Well-

crafted copy should weave your message throughout the content

to persuade clients that you are who you say you are. From the

Homepage and About Us sections to areas covering attorneys,

recruiting and practice groups, all the site content should further and

strengthen your message.

Tip: When developing your firm’s message, conduct research

and talk to some trusted clients about their impression of

your firm. Their responses will likely provide a useful view of

your attorneys and their practice.

One of the best aspects of creating online content is how easy it is

to change, correct or adapt. In fact, the best sites frequently provide

fresh content — you give people a reason to keep returning. Much

like the writing process itself, developing meaningful copy is a fluid

and ongoing activity. Knowing some pitfalls to avoid can make the

effort more enjoyable and effective, and you all the wiser.

About the Author: Amy Spach, principal of As Written

Communication, writes custom Web site content, articles and marketing

copy for law firms. She is communications chair of the LA Chapter

of the Legal Marketing Association. Contact her at 323.876.6374 or

[email protected].

Web Site Content continued from page 14

or agreements, either prospectively or at the time of withdrawal, to

divide up client files.

The California Code of Professional Responsibility strictly limits

the attorneys’ solicitation of persons known to be represented by

counsel. Under certain circumstances, the courts have found that

taking a case from another lawyer may constitute a tort. [Rosenfeld,

Meyer & Susman v. Cohen (1983) 146CA3d200,221-222, 194 CR180,

193] However, there is no solicitation limitation when the departing

attorney has an existing relationship or former relationship [working

attorney] with the client. In other instances, the courts have

found that appropriating active matters from a firm by a departing

attorney constituted a breach of fiduciary duty to that firm.

When a client employs a law firm, the client actually engages the

services of all members of the firm. Thus, for a departing attorney

to take his/her “book of business” to a new firm, the client must

terminate the relationship with the existing firm.

The State Bar of California Standing Committee on Professional

Responsibility and Conduct’s Formal Opinion 1985-6 provides:

“When possible and appropriate, a law firm and withdrawing

partner should cooperate to the end of providing joint notice of the

withdrawal to clients.” Whether the client notification of attorney

departure is a joint endeavor or separate, statements to solicit a

client to stay with a firm or to transfer their matters to a new firm

must be truthful, not misleading or vexatious.

Upon notification by a client of termination of the firm’s

representation, the firm has several ethical obligations to the client

including:

• Duty to PROMPTLY sign substitution of counsel (the firm

remains obligated to act competently to protect the client’s interest

until the substitution has been filed with the court.)

• Duty to PROMPTLY release all property and files related to

the client. Generally the file includes pleadings, correspondence

to and from firm attorneys, investigation and research reports, and

even firm attorneys’ work product if such information might avoid

prejudice to the client’s rights. (NOTE: the client can only be charged

with copying the files if specified in the fee agreement.)

• Duty to PROMPTLY return any unearned fees except “true”

retainers.

Until a client terminates a representation, the firm has the

responsibility to ensure that the client’s interest are protected. The

status of existing cases should be analyzed, and the department

head or a billing partner, other that the departing attorney, should

be assigned to oversee the representation. The assigned partner

should be introduced to the client and information regarding the

assignment circulated to legal and administrative personnel within

the firm. Since un-profitable matters are generally undesirable

to both the departing attorney and the firm, care must be taken

that small or unprofitable matters are also reassigned with clear

communication to the client regarding both matter status and

relationships.

Human Resource Challenges continued from page 10


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It would seem to be a given that no strategic plan — nor

any marketing plan — can be developed without a clear view of

objectives. After all, if you don’t know where you’re going, how do

you know how to get there?

The problem is that too many objectives are flawed by being

unrealistic, unachievable, or just plain wishful thinking. Too

often, the programs that stem from the stated objectives bear

no relationship to the objectives themselves. And strategic and

marketing plans, remember, are really the same thing, simply

because you can’t have a strategic plan except in terms of the

market you serve.

Absent clear goals, efforts to develop a practice become

random, diverse and expensive. But with clearly delineated

objectives, strategic plans and marketing programs become

relevant and focused. They offer a test against which all activities

are measured. If a firm activity doesn’t ultimately serve to meet

a specific objective, it’s usually wasteful, inept, and not cost-

effective. Setting objectives, then, even for the smallest firms, is

not an abstract exercise.

At the same time, it’s important to recognize that objectives are

a context and a direction, rather than a finite measure. They are

not cast in concrete — they are dynamic. Circumstances change,

and if the objectives aren’t able to be responsive to change, they

become unattainable and unrealistic.

In setting objectives, the primary consideration is your vision

of the nature of your practice. What kind of firm do you want

to be? How do you mean the firm to serve the personal and

professional needs of you and your partners (and not to be

overlooked, your staff)? How do you mean to be perceived by

your clientele? And most significantly, how do you mean to serve

the needs of your marketplace?

Setting Firm ObjectivesIn defining firm or practice objectives, two specific elements

are paramount…

• Firm Environment. Nothing — not even profitability

— is more important than the kind of firm you are or want to be.

Without a firm environment that’s satisfying and fulfilling to its

partners and staff, there will be no growth or profitability.

• Market. There are three aspects of a market that must

be considered — its needs, its size, and its location — and all

three must be viewed carefully in formulating objectives. What

are the parameters of the market’s needs — and opportunities

— that you’re prepared to serve effectively? Where is the market

going, and are you in tune with it? How large a market can you

realistically serve? What geographical limitations are realistic?

With these two elements defined, consider, then …

• Size. Businesses rarely grow substantially by accident. It’s

almost invariably a conscious decision by its partners or owners,

who then take steps to implement that decision. However, some

accounting and law firms, fully cognizant of the implications of

growing, may feel that they want to limit or define their growth.

But it should be recognized that in order to plan to contain

growth, or to grow larger, determining size must be a conscious

decision.

• Profitability. Profitability, of course, is as much a function

of margins as it is of volume, and so it’s useful to know your

costs as precisely as possible — a particularly difficult task in a

professional firm. It becomes, as well, a function of the kind of

service you’re offering, and the kind of market you want to reach.

• Time Frame. The ability of a firm to meet its objectives

must be defined within a realistic time frame.

• Pricing. Pricing is as important an element of defining a

practice as is advertising or promotion. Pricing affects revenues

and profitability, but it also affects positioning. For example,

do you charge less and go for volume, or do you charge more

and go for a more affluent clientele. What are your prices based

on? Costs? Competition? Custom? Value added? In today’s

competitive climate, pricing has become a tool of marketing. As

in other forms of marketing, pricing is often set by competition,

where it had once been relatively arbitrary.

• Share of market. When a firm is in a rapidly growing

market, or functioning in an era of rapid growth, share of market

is not primarily significant. Growth will come with the market. But

when that market or industry slows its growth, and competition

for existing business is the only possibility for growth, then share

of market is crucial. If the only way to grow is to capture your

competitor’s clients, then obviously, your share of market grows

as your competitor’s diminishes.

• Service concept. As a professional service, your relations

with your clients dictate that they are served personally. But even

within that function, there are degrees and options. A firm may

decide to give impersonal service to each client, particularly those

not on retainer, or it may decide to devote a considerable amount

of time and effort to client relations. It may be a 9-to-5 operation,

Bruce W. [email protected]

SETTING OBJECTIVES IN A MERCURIAL WORLD

Where Are We Going And How Do We Get There?



At this stage of the game, the key is to think of your measurement

in marketing terms. This is challenging, but cannot be ignored.

For instance, are you getting more at-bats in front of qualified

prospects? Are referral sources and prospects commenting on your

marketing? Are you getting more articles placed in industry-specific

publications? The point is that your game plan has to incorporate

how you will capture and measure results.

Once you have identified your promise and answered the

questions above, you can provide effective direction to the

department or company that is creating your firm identity. Keep

in mind that branding is an investment, just as any other form of

marketing. If your image and any vehicle that carries it, such as

your business card, do not scream high quality (e.g., by being on a

solid paper stock), you are communicating that you don’t think of

your firm as a worthwhile investment. Why then should anyone else

believe it is?

As you create your marketing program, keep in mind that your

brand is your promise. You must continuously communicate your

promise to your markets, as well as continuously deliver on it. g

About the Author: Sharon Berman is principal of Berbay Corp., a

marketing consulting firm that specializes in working with law firms.

Your Brand Is Your Promise continued from page 18

ADMINISTRATIVEWhen attorney departures are announced, the associated

administrative tasks can be varied and complex. An attorney

departure could dramatically impact the stability of the firm and may

even necessitate a reduction in associates and/or staff.

Administrative issues to be addressed may include:

• Internal and external notifications of the departure and

addressing resulting firm morale;

• Remove departing attorney as authorized check signer on

firm bank accounts;

• Cancel or transfer subscriptions or publications unique to the

departing attorney;

• Reassign firm administrative responsibilities of the departing

attorney.

• Prepare standard documents related to employment

termination including COBRA notifications, employee benefit

conversion options, etc.

• Inventory personal property being removed from the firm;

• After move-out, cancel building access card, passwords and

parking space;

• Restrict computer access, cancel voice-mail, e-mail electronic

research accounts. Collect office keys, credit cards, notebooks,

Dictaphones and other personal property belonging to the firm;

• Remove departing attorney name from building directory,

websites, letterhead, marketing collateral, etc. Notify Martindale-

Hubbell, the phone company directory listing, state and local bar

associations.

• Supervise the timely review, copying and transfer of client files

on receipt of client instructions. Obtain signed receipt on delivery of

files.

• Instruct reception and office services how to handle incoming

telephone calls mail, and deliveries.

For a whole host of reasons, facilitating a positive departure of

an attorney is extremely important and can have a significant long-

term effect for a firm. This is not always easy. Like domestic relations

“divorces,” partner departures can bring a multitude of emotions to

the surface. After the economic, ethical and administrative tasks

of the departure are addressed, the wise firm elicits frank feedback

from the departing attorney and evaluates the departure causes and

effects with an eye to the future. g

The author is not engaged in rendering legal, financial or tax

counseling through this publication. No statement in this article

should be interpreted as legal, financial or tax advice.

Human Resource Challenges continued from page 30



Technology TipDodie Edelstein Legal Information Systems Training • 707-776-4695 [email protected] • www.aboutlist.com

A CALCULATING TABLE — (All Versions of Word)

Have you ever typed a column of numbers in a table and

then wanted to total that column? Do you reach for the calcu-

lator and punch in all those numbers again? If so, this might

be the solution for you:

Using the Formula Field

Instead of typing in the sum of your column, you can ask

Word to help. Say you need to add a column of numbers:

In your Totals row, where you would normally type in the

sum of that column, click on Table, Formula instead. You’ll

see this screen:

Word automatically wants to add all the numbers above

your cursor (so the formula says “=SUM(ABOVE)” as a default.

The only part you’ll have to change is the Number format or

you’ll get a plain number with no dollar sign or decimal.

Click in the drop down box and choose the 3rd one from

the top (the one that looks like my example above). That

will format the number with dollars, commas and decimals,

just like you want. Repeat this for every column you need to

total.

Now your table looks like this:

Careful! Whenever you add new rows or change the num-

bers, Word does not automatically calculate the new totals.

You’ll have to click in the totals and press F9 (or select the

whole document and press F9 to get the formula to update.

Extra Special Note: If you turn on a feature in Word’s set-

tings that says “Update Fields when Printing” – then your for-

mulas will automatically recalculate each time you print. This

way, you’re never left with a printout that’s incorrect. To turn

on this feature, go to Tools, Options, Print and check the box

that reads Update Fields as shown below: g

Dodie Edelstein is the owner of Legal Information

Systems Training (LIST), which specializes in help-

ing you get the most from the software you have.

She provides customized legal-specific training and

support services for document processing, e-mail and docu-

ment management software. Dodie can be reached through E-

Mail at [email protected], by telephone at 707-776-4695

and on her web page at www.aboutlist.com.


or it may express a willingness to function around the clock. The

service option is the firm’s, but it should be made a specific choice.

• Skills and staffing. The decision to add or develop staff and

skills is a function of both the firm’s partners’ own vision, and the

needs of the marketplace. The decision should be a specific element

of defining objectives. There’s always the danger, too, of successfully

achieving marketing objectives too soon, and thereby outrunning

your ability to serve a new or growing clientele. It makes little sense

to do a successful job of increasing your tax or audit business if you

can’t find a sufficient number of tax or audit specialists to serve your

new clientele.

Consider, as well, those elements that are beyond individual

control. One can’t control, for example, the national economy,

which can throw the best formulated objectives awry. An accounting

or legal practice can be enhanced or diminished by a new law or

regulation, or a new FASB change. Opportunities for professionals

are generated or obliterated regularly. This is why objectives are

never more than guidelines that serve to define a course of action,

whether in marketing or otherwise.

Formulating Marketing ObjectivesIf the marketing program is to succeed, marketing objectives

must stem from, and serve, firm objectives. They must support

and further the firm’s objectives, and are in a sense the guide to the

instruments that fulfill the firm’s objectives. Examples of marketing

objectives, in this context, are …

• To change the structure of the clientele and the nature of the

firm

• To get new clients, or to strengthen relationships with existing

clients

• To sell new services to existing clients, as well as to new

clients

• To introduce a new service or enter a new market for a specific

service

• To broaden a geographic base

• To change a perception of a firm by its market

Within these goals, the key elements to consider in setting

marketing objectives are:

• Publics. The target audience must be clearly defined. But

it must be defined in the context of both the market’s needs and

opportunities, and the service offered, or planned to be offered.

In any market there are several publics. There are existing clients,

whose needs for service must be constantly addressed, as must be

their needs for new services. There are the prospective clients, who

constitute as many publics as there are services you can perform

for them. Your firm may serve one public with corporate services,

another in the same market group with financial services, and a third

in the same market with personal financial services. The three groups

may be contiguous, but each may still be separate and distinct.

Defining a target audience is a function of determining those

universal characteristics of the target group to which your services

are most profitably addressed. The universal characteristics must

include the ability to reach them in a uniform and economical way.

• Client Perception. How do you want to be perceived by your

clientele? It should be remembered that marketing alone cannot

develop images — a perception that belies reality. No marketing

program can convey an image of high service at low cost if, in fact,

you are not delivering high service at low cost. The acoustics of the

marketplace are extraordinary, and what you are speaks so loudly

that people can’t hear what you say you are.

• Time Frame. A practical and realistic time frame in which

to achieve specific goals is essential to establishing marketing

objectives. Marketing must be given a reasonable time to work.

Unreasonable expectations, in terms of both results and time frame,

are a clear danger. In professional services, it can be a long way from

when the brochure or direct mail piece goes out, or the release is

printed or the ad is run, and when the contract with a new client is

signed.

• Revenues and Return on Investment. Presumably, the

objective is to increase revenues by increasing the clientele or

the services to existing clients. But at what cost? In designing a

marketing program, the cost of achieving a revenues goal — the

return on investment — is a primary factor.

Merely to set an arbitrary figure or percentage increase, without

asking pertinent questions about what must be spent to achieve

that goal, is insufficient. Nor is the expenditure in marketing dollars

alone a gauge of expected performance. The increased revenue,

presumably from increased volume, must be serviced. Will new

staff have to be added? How much will new staff add to overhead,

in both salaries and support costs — space, secretarial and clerical

help, support services, and so forth?

It should be noted, however, that diminished effort results in

losing impact. There is no sustaining recollection by the market,

no matter how effective the original marketing campaign may have

been. Other competitors move in, and the value of the earlier efforts

are lost.

At the beginning of a marketing campaign, the return on the

investment is smaller. But if the investment and the effort are

sustained, the penetration of the effort for the same dollar improves,

and so the return on investment is greater.

• Budget. There are a number of techniques for determining

budgets. But it should be remembered that in budgeting,

effectiveness — and therefore return on investment — will increase

as the marketing program gains in penetration.

• Share of Market. If share of market is a significant element

in your growth or competitive picture, then it must be generally

quantified, and marketing plans must reflect the competitive values

in your efforts.

The Final Test The final test of the efficacy of objectives must consider…

• How realistic are the objectives? Can they be achieved? Is

the market really there for what you want to offer? Can the firm

Where Are We Going And How Do We Get There?continued from page 32


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I frequently contact prospective clients and they essentially tell me:

• their office lease is expiring soon

• they plan on staying where they are

• they can handle the lease term extension negotiations

themselves, so they don’t need any help from me

• if the renewal doesn’t work out, they may contact me.

Is there anything wrong with what this person is telling me?

The answer is yes. Their approach will probably work out, but

they may very well end up with some or all or the following bad

results:

• pay too much in rent

• get less than the best terms and conditions

• end up moving to less than the best alternative location.

There are two primary reasons for the above bad results.

Reason #1 – no negotiation leverage. The key too getting low rent is having negotiation leverage.

Leverage is not using negotiation tactics such as starting low and

only moving in small incremental moves (although these and

other tactics can be helpful). Leverage is best achieved by your

current Landlord having a reasonable belief that you may relocate,

so they must offer you the best possible deal to keep you. This can

be achieved by having a Broker notify your Landlord that they are

in a competition with alternative locations for your business.

Reason #2 – if too much time is wasted in unsuccessful negotiations with the existing Landlord, there may not be enough time left to get the best alternative deal.

It can take many months to find the best alternative space;

possibly do tenant improvements; and negotiate a lease. If a

Tenant has been unsuccessfully negotiating with their current

Landlord and they are now only a short time away from their lease

expiring, they may have little time left to get the best alternative

deal. Additionally, Brokers may be reluctant to work with the

Tenant, as the Tenant may end up staying where they are and that

Landlord may not pay the Broker a commission.

I suspect that the reason that many Tenants are reluctant to

have a Broker help them negotiate an extension with their existing

Landlord is because they think that they will end up paying higher

rent to cover the Broker’s commission. It is my belief that this is

unlikely, because Landlord’s should be trying to get the highest

possible rent from you, restrained only by what their competition

is charging. Further, if a Landlord reduces the rent they charge a

Tenant by just a few percent, that could mean that the value of the

Landlord’s entire building is correspondingly reduced.

The bottom line — using a Broker will likely save a Tenant money. g

For more Information or Help:When it’s time to renew or relocate, do you want free help

doing the above and all the other tasks that need to be done?

Do you want more information?

Do you want to receive a monthly e-mail Newsletter regarding

the latest that is going on in the Downtown Los Angeles Office

Market?

If so, e-mail me at [email protected] or call me at

(213) 949-4824.

About the Author: Scot McBeath is a Commercial Real Estate

Broker and runs his own business — Scot McBeath Realty. He

specializes in representing office tenants in Downtown Los Angeles

and surrounding areas. He has 23 years of negotiation and project

management experience, plus a BS and an MBA.

CAN A BROKER HELP YOU, IF YOU JUST RENEW YOUR LEASE?

Scot [email protected]

Offi ce Leasing

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On November 16, 2005, GLA ALA presented a panel discussion

on Legal Marketing at the Beverly Hills Country Club. Combining

forces with our friends from the Legal Marketing Association

— Los Angeles Chapter, our panelists included Cynthia Kaiser,

Director of Marketing for Ervin, Cohen & Jessup and David Fish,

Director of Business Development for Polk Prober & Raphael.

Moderating the discussion was pubic relations expert, Eric Miller

of Weber Shandwick Worldwide.

The panelists shared their experiences with the group and

provided advice to legal administrators who are tasked with

developing marketing and business development strategies for

their firms. Several areas were covered including branding,

websites, external communications, client relationship

management databases, building credibility among firm

partners, use of outside consultants, internal vs. external clients,

public relations and the strong dynamics between marketing and

information technology in law firms.

A special thank you Paula Ryplewski and Jim Tamietti from

Cal Law and The Recorder, for traveling to Los Angeles from

San Francisco to sponsor the event. Thank you also to the Legal

Marketing Association — LA Chapter for developing this program

and providing our speakers. g

Teresa [email protected]

LEGAL MARKETING 101 – EDUCATIONAL SEMINAR

Legal Marketing

Jim Tamietti & Melissa BaileyDave Fish, Cynthia Kaiser, Eric Miller & Teresa Cherman

Angela Ungurean & Maureen Varnes, CLM

Tanya Russell & Gail WilsonMichael Steiner, CLM & Janet Krause, CLMJoshua Roberts & Susie Johnson

Dave Fish, Cynthia Kaiser & Eric MillerJim Tamietti, Teresa Cherman & Paula Ryplewski

Wendy Sweet, CLM, Diana Intal & Kelly McGehee


really deliver what it plans to market?

• Does the firm really understand the cost of meeting those

objectives, in terms of staff? Dollars available? Professional staff

time? Risk of failing in any particular marketing effort or activity?

• Has the firm realistically assessed its commitment to its

strategic plan, and to marketing, in terms of supporting the creative

effort, the staff, and the program?

Not facing these realities, and not understanding what’s involved

in moving into the marketing arena, can be wasteful and expensive.

When the firm’s objectives are clear, then there can be a clear

view of the marketing program itself. Only then can there be valid

assessment of the marketing mix — those several tools of marketing

that together, move the program forward, and of the blueprint to

accomplish it. And only then is a strategic plan valid. g

About the Author: Bruce W. Marcus is a Connecticut-based

consultant in marketing and strategic planning for professional firms,

the editor of THE MARCUS LETTER ON PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

MARKETING, (www.marcusletter.com) and the co-author of CLIENT

AT THE CORE (John Wiley & Sons, 2004) . His Email address is

[email protected]., Bruce W. Marcus. All rights reserved. A

pioneer in professional services marketing, he has served many of the

major law firms and accounting firms in marketing strategy.

Where Are We Going And How Do We Get There?continued from page 36

Is your firm really marketing? If you think marketing is

nothing more than seminars, communications materials, a clever

theme line and a website, you’re only part way there. Worse, if

you think marketing is doing good work and waiting for clients to

call, you’re still waiting to hear that tree fall in the forest.

Sure, doing good work is vital to the health of your firm. But,

according to client surveys conducted by Altman Weil, almost all

clients believe their lawyers do good work — or admit that they

can’t really tell the difference. Having a communications package

that lets clients and prospects know about the firm, its lawyers,

size and services is important, but most brochures and websites

are so interchangeable in tone and content that it’s little wonder

that many buyers of legal services feel firms are fungible.

No, marketing is much more than buying a rowboat and

waiting for the fish to jump in. When you think about it, your

firm’s two biggest assets are its lawyers and its clients. Attracting,

retaining and building both of these valued properties requires

strategic thought and action that touch upon every element of

the firm: its governance, practice management, recruitment,

compensation, brand management and more. Most of all, it

requires guts: the courage to listen to clients, to learn from

mistakes, to change course when needed and to inspire lawyers to

make even bigger contributions to the firm and to their clients.

To see if your firm is really marketing, spend ten minutes to

candidly answer the survey below. Think about what’s important

to clients as well as to the firm when framing your responses.

Ready?

1. ☐ Yes ☐ No Our firm is known for something

important in the legal community that attracts clients, and

everyone inside the firm and all of our clients can name it.

It is:_______________________________________

2. ☐ Yes ☐ No Our firm name is memorable and has not

changed in the last three years.

3. ☐ Yes ☐ No We have identified a limited number of

existing practice areas for growth and investment, and every

lawyer in the firm can identify them. They are: _________________

__________________________________________________________.

4. ☐ Yes ☐ No We have more than one multi-specialty group

focused on a particular industry or type of client.

5. ☐ Yes ☐ No We actively market our practice outside our

traditional geographic marketplace.

6. ☐ Yes ☐ No We spend over two percent of our revenues on

business development.

7. ☐ Yes ☐ No We regularly conduct

research on current and possible geographic markets,

industry types, competitors, trends and other factors, and use

this information for planning our growth.

8. ☐ Yes ☐ No We have an ongoing strategy for cross-selling

practices and it has been successful.

9. ☐ Yes ☐ No We regularly survey clients to determine their

satisfaction with our service.

10. ☐ Yes ☐ No We understand the unique personality

characteristics of lawyers and how to best use these traits to

market the firm.

11. ☐ Yes ☐ No Our position in relation to our major

competitors, in terms of firm size, economics or reputation, has

improved in the last year or two, and we can prove it.

12. ☐ Yes ☐ No We have marketing professional(s) at the

firm whose mission is clearly understood and valued by the

partnership.

13. ☐ Yes ☐ No Associates have a clearly defined role in

marketing the firm.

14. ☐ Yes ☐ No Partners have written individual marketing

plans and are evaluated for their marketing performance at least

annually.

15. ☐ Yes ☐ No Our firm-wide marketing plan is articulated

in a written document less than ten pages long, it is revised at

least annually and has been communicated formally to all lawyers

and staff.

Now you’re ready to score the results. For each “yes,” give your

firm two points. For each “no,” deduct one point. For blanks

uncompleted or more than ten words per blank, also deduct one

point. Now you can rate your firm’s marketing acumen: 25-30

points Marketing geniuses. Raise your rates immediately. 20-24

points Getting there. Ask clients where you can improve. 10-19

points Still learning. Take in a good seminar. 9 points or less Bad

news. The fish aren’t going to jump into the boat.

Is Your Firm Really Marketing?Charles A. [email protected]


Conference Give Aways • Client and Staff Gifts • Mugs • T-Shirts • Buttons • Widgets • GadgetsConference Give Aways • Client and Staff GiftsConference Give Aways • Client and Staff GiftsConference Give Aways • Client and Staff GiftsConference Give Aways • Client and Staff GiftsConference Give Aways • Client and Staff GiftsConference Give Aways • Client and Staff GiftsConference Give Aways • Client and Staff GiftsConference Give Aways • Client and Staff GiftsConference Give Aways • Client and Staff GiftsConference Give Aways • Client and Staff Gifts • • • • Mugs • T-Shirts • Buttons • Widgets • GadgetsMugs • T-Shirts • Buttons • Widgets • GadgetsConference Give Aways • Client and Staff GiftsConference Give Aways • Client and Staff GiftsConference Give Aways • Client and Staff GiftsConference Give Aways • Client and Staff GiftsConference Give Aways • Client and Staff GiftsConference Give Aways • Client and Staff GiftsConference Give Aways • Client and Staff Gifts • • • Mugs • T-Shirts • Buttons • Widgets • GadgetsMugs • T-Shirts • Buttons • Widgets • GadgetsConference Give Aways • Client and Staff GiftsConference Give Aways • Client and Staff GiftsConference Give Aways • Client and Staff GiftsConference Give Aways • Client and Staff GiftsConference Give Aways • Client and Staff GiftsConference Give Aways • Client and Staff GiftsConference Give Aways • Client and Staff GiftsConference Give Aways • Client and Staff GiftsConference Give Aways • Client and Staff Gifts • • • Mugs • T-Shirts • Buttons • Widgets • GadgetsMugs • T-Shirts • Buttons • Widgets • GadgetsMugs • T-Shirts • Buttons • Widgets • GadgetsMugs • T-Shirts • Buttons • Widgets • GadgetsMugs • T-Shirts • Buttons • Widgets • GadgetsMugs • T-Shirts • Buttons • Widgets • GadgetsMugs • T-Shirts • Buttons • Widgets • GadgetsMugs • T-Shirts • Buttons • Widgets • GadgetsMugs • T-Shirts • Buttons • Widgets • GadgetsMugs • T-Shirts • Buttons • Widgets • GadgetsMugs • T-Shirts • Buttons • Widgets • GadgetsMugs • T-Shirts • Buttons • Widgets • GadgetsMugs • T-Shirts • Buttons • Widgets • GadgetsMugs • T-Shirts • Buttons • Widgets • GadgetsMugs • T-Shirts • Buttons • Widgets • GadgetsMugs • T-Shirts • Buttons • Widgets • GadgetsConference Give Aways • Client and Staff Gifts

January 2006 Greater Los Angeles Leadership Exchange • www.glaala.org43

While the rating scale above is meant to be lighthearted, your

firm’s approach to marketing should be anything but. Marketing

is one of the most important strategies your firm can undertake

— possibly the most important — and needs to be treated as such.

Go through the survey again. Each “yes” answer is a strength.

Write out the benefit(s) to your lawyers and clients of these strengths

and determine the ways that they need to be communicated to both.

Conversely, each “no” is a weakness and the firm needs to develop

a strategy to counteract it. In both cases, the firm will be thinking

strategically and developing its own proactive marketing plan, one

that is tailored to the needs of its clients and lawyers — and one that

can be measurably more successful.

Is your firm really marketing? If you and your lawyers understand

that marketing is central to the firm, not just an add-on or something

you’ll get to later, you’re a long way there.

About the Author: Charles Maddock is a principal at Altman Weil,

Inc., with extensive experience in strategic business and marketing

planning for service organizations and Fortune 100 companies. He

has worked with over 300 law firms in the U.S., Canada and the

U.K. in the areas of strategy, branding, client relations, training and

marketing. Mr. Maddock is a speaker and well-known author on

law firm strategy and marketing topics, having been published in

prominent periodicals, including The American Lawyer, National

Law Journal, ALA’s Legal Management, ABA’s Law Practice and scores

of bar journals. He has been quoted in The New York Times and The

Wall Street Journal, among other publications, and has spoken before

the ABA, ALA, LMA, DRI, FICC and numerous other legal associations.

He has spoken to law firms in the U.S., Canada, Latin America and

the U.K.

Mugs • T-Shirts • Buttons • Widgets • GadgetsMugs • T-Shirts • Buttons • Widgets • GadgetsMugs • T-Shirts • Buttons • Widgets • GadgetsMugs • T-Shirts • Buttons • Widgets • GadgetsMugs • T-Shirts • Buttons • Widgets • GadgetsMugs • T-Shirts • Buttons • Widgets • GadgetsMugs • T-Shirts • Buttons • Widgets • GadgetsMugs • T-Shirts • Buttons • Widgets • Gadgets

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CONTACT INFOYira JonesCorporate Account [email protected]

323-860-9203 tel.

323-395-0886 efax

6922 Hollywood Boulevard

Hollywood, CA 90028

BIOAfter graduating from the University of Southern California

with a B.S. degree in Business, emphasizing Marketing & Sales, Yira

began her career in corporate consultative sales. Over the course

of her eight-year career, she has gained extensive professional

sales and marketing experience by working with well established

and successful companies, who lead their field. Formerly, she

was a District Manager with Automatic Data Processing, payroll

service provider, and focused on evaluating and recommending

payroll, timekeeping, and HR services to mid-size companies in

the greater Los Angeles area. She is excited at the growth and

quality of service at eFax Corporate and looks forward to growing

with it.

COMPANY PROFILESince 1995, eFax Corporate, a division of j2 Global

Communications, has offered electronic desktop faxing

solutions that maximizes productivity, increases uptime, and

saves money. The eFax division represents 94% of j2 Global’s

$145M projected annual revenue for 2005. Our inventory of

14 million eFax numbers ensures the availability of a local

eFax number in over 2000 cities, within the 25 countries where the

service is available. The eFax worldwide network is made up of 55

data centers delivering over 1 million faxes each day.

Users send and receive faxes anywhere they can access email.

eFaxes are received as email attachments, and you can send over

40 different types of documents by simply attaching them to

an email. eFax even works wirelessly with a PDA. Although no

client software is required to use eFax, an optional client can be

installed and linked to the Client Matter ID for tracking and bill

back purposes.

Customers use a web-based interface for real-time account

provisioning and usage reporting. Adding a new eFax user

occurs instantaneously by entering their email address and

the desired area code for their eFax number. The administrator

can view up to the minute reports to monitor the sending and

receiving of faxes or download detailed reports in Excel format

that show usage on a weekly or monthly basis.

eFax Corporate has developed two premium secure fax

routing options. The first, utilizes Transport Layer Security

(TLS), which already exists on most Exchange servers

and requires a minimal amount of time to implement. TLS

provides private, authenticated communications over the Internet

and gives a firm the ability to protect its communications

from eavesdroppers and attackers. The second options allows

eFax Corporate customers to set up a Virtual Private Network

(VPN), so that all messages are encrypted and then routed over

a dedicated, encrypted tunnel to and from the eFax Corporate

messaging network.

Customer support for the eFax solution is available 24 x 7

x 365, via an 800 number. In addition, a new system has been

implemented that enables eFax to keep you informed of issues

that may occur within the network. This Corporate Notification

System (CNS) will automatically alert you to issues that arise and

let you know when they are resolved.

eFax Corporate is dedicated to providing a fast, easy-to-use,

reliable, and cost effective service for sending and receiving your

business critical documents and messages. We therefore are

continually evolving our strategy to retain our leadership position

as The World Leader in Digital Faxing.

Visit us at: www.j2global.com and www.efaxcorporate.com

What do you believe is the most important component of the vendor-client relationship?

Outstanding service and reliability! We are committed to

providing exceptional service and support for the long run.

When you entrust us to manage your fax communications, we

strive to deliver flawlessly.

What characteristic do you possess that helps you to be successful?

I am very professional and friendly with my clients. I

am committed to helping my clients automate and become

more efficient as quickly as they can. You can trust that I will

provide you with a great service and an easy transition at a very

affordable cost.

What makes eFax Corporate awesome?eFax Corporate is focused on growing its business to reward

shareholders and growing its employees. The company has built

its success by developing the best electronic faxing product.

This success is translated down to its employees by providing

an environment that nurtures creative thinking and a winning

attitude. g

Up Close & Personal with. . .

Vendor Spotlight


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If this article or any article could truly provide a quick solution

or ten-step program for balancing your professional and personal

life, management personnel around the country would form

endless lines to get a patented copy.

In the ‘60s and ‘70s, most workers, even management

personnel, could pretty much count on working only a five day

week and eight or nine hours a day. Today, all too often, the line

between work lives and families are blurred. E-mail, Blackberrys,

DSL lines, and the globalization of businesses bring work issues

into homes, hobbies and families. Current studies show that work

weeks of managers and executives exceed sixty or more hours,

and that a five day work week is a relic of the past.

Lawyers and those who run the business of law are no

exception to this pace. The 18th century writer Samuel Johnson

said, “…the law is a jealous mistress.” The “billable hour” clock

is ruthless in its unceasing demand for evenings, weekends, and

holidays for many of the 1,084,504 active U.S. attorneys, leaving

less and less time for aging parents, child rearing, spouses, and

recreation .

EVALUATING ALIGNMENTThe reason that experts have been unable to provide guidelines

for achieving balance is that balance has a different look for every

individual. Does your life feel out of control? Are you chronically

tired; do you have trouble sleeping; do you feel guilty no matter

what you are doing because you are not doing something else?

Symptoms of stress — yes, but it may be a signal that you need to

check your balance alignment. How?

1. Begin by making a list of everything that you are proud of

such as relationships, educational accomplishments, community

service, career achievements, etc.

2. Differentiate between your wants and your needs. Set

realistic goals for accomplishing both. (You may want to be a

millionaire by the time you are forty, but realistically you may

only need to earn $90,000 per year to pay the mortgage and car

payment.)

3. Evaluate the demands on your time and prioritize them

into two categories- “have-to’s” and “want-to’s”.

4. Assess your network of relationships. Are you investing

in building the support network you need for personal and

professional fulfillment?

5. Examine your health habits (rest, nutrition, exercise): are

they supportive of the pace of your life?

Bill Cosby said, “I don’t know the key to success, but the key

to failure is trying to please everybody.” Are you a perfectionist?

Can you relinquish control (as in delegate)? Can you forgive

others and yourself for mistakes. Can you rethink your cleaning

standards and accept the insignificance of an unmade bed or a

dirty car? Can you laugh at yourself? If you can retrain yourself to

accept imperfection, if you can learn to delegate (even though the

task might not be done as well as you could do it), if you can focus

more on your priorities even when everyone else may not be

pleased, you have started addressing the challenge of achieving

a balanced life.

STEPS TO FINDING BALANCEPerhaps the most important step in bringing balance to

your personal and professional life revolves around the issue

of PASSION. Do you have a passion for and a commitment

to what you do—at the office and at home? Nothing can fight

stress, or burnout, or the feel of a life out of control like a sense

of accomplishment and satisfaction. From knowing that you’ve

just produced a critical report that has a positive impact on your

firm, to successfully potty-training a beaming two year old, these

enriching experiences are not dependent on the number of hours

invested but the reward of accomplishment. No matter where

you spend the twenty-four hours in your day, the objective should

be achieving a sense of fulfillment, completion and happiness.

However, even when you love your career and your home-life,

there will still be frustrating overlapping demands. How can you

achieve balance?

1. Make a weekly sacrosanct date with a spouse/significant

other.

2. Plan a monthly girls/ boys night out with one or two good

friends to share good news and bad in order to strengthen your

support network.

3. Give 100% focus to the task at hand whether it is bonding

with a friend, listening to a child describe their day, or conducting

a business meeting. Share career successes and failures with

family so that time away from home is a part of their life.

4. Make time to nurture yourself—be it a walk on the beach,

listening to music, a trip to the gym or watching an old re-run of I

LOVE LUCY.

Life is a journey with many, many stages. And, anyone who

has ever played on a see-saw knows that “balance” is imperfect

and short-lived at best. There will always be days when work

devours more than its share of time and energy, and other days

when home life is all consuming. The balance between personal

and professional life is a continuing process enriched by your

passion for everything you undertake. g

BALANCING PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LIVES

Wellness ZoneJan [email protected]


Informedlegalhiringdecisionsstart here.

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Steven Jones • Lister Martin & Thompson • 700 N Brand Blvd, Suite 630 • Glendale, CA 91203-1238

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