strategies for taking charge of your law practice - iclef 2014
DESCRIPTION
The lawyer/client relationship is based on service. The Rules of Professional Conduct contain specific guidance on the following service related topics: Duty to Act Competently, Diligence and Communication. We will discuss these topics in the context of a review of the relevant Rules of Professional Conduct as well as pertinent case law and advisory opinions issued rendered by the Nebraska Ethics Advisory Opinions for Attorneys. By staying organized and running your practice efficiently, you lessen your chances of violating MRPC 1.3 (Diligence) because you will by and large be on top of your work load. I will introduce several practice management and activity mastery strategies that participants can incorporate immediately into their practices as well as day to day personal lives. Tools that will assist with organization and self management will be provided along with a detailed explanation as to how the diligent and persistent use of these tools can help you achieve balance in personal as well as professional lives.TRANSCRIPT
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Presented by Cynthia Sharp• Professional CLE Speaker• Attorney Business Coach
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STRATEGIES FOR TAKING CHARGE OF YOUR LAW
PRACTICE
Event Sponsor:
Featuring
Cynthia SharpThe Sharper Lawyer
March 12, 2014Merrillville, IN
March 13, 2014 Indianapolis, IN
@thesharperlawyer
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Preliminary Thoughts
•I would be really happy if we could cover the
following:
•I decided to attend “Take Charge” because:
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Strategic Skills
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• Manage client expectations
• Create a culture of client
communication
• Deliver top notch client service
• Develop a powerful & loyal staff
• Stay on top of pending cases
• Minimize daily stress & irritation
@thesharperlawyer
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Johari Window
What You Know About Yourself And Everyone Else
Knows Too
What You Know About Yourself But Nobody
Else Knows
What Everyone Else Knows About You But
You Don’t Know
What You Don’t Know About Yourself And
Nobody Else Knows Either
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“Insanity: doing the same thing over and
over again and expecting different
results.”
- Albert Einstein
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Goal Setting Tips
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•Aim high!
•Set specific goals
•Firm deadline
•Don’t allow current results to control
•Know that you are worthy!
•Take action even if you don’t know all steps
@thesharperlawyer
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“A lawyer shall act with reasonable diligence and promptness in representing a client.”
Rule 1.3:
Diligence
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Symptoms of Lack of Diligence
• Failure to timely file pleadings
• Missed court appearances/meetings
• Files have grown mold
• Numerous requests for extension
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Causes of Lack of Diligence• Too much
work
•
Procrastinatio
n
•
Disorganizatio
n
• Incompetency
• Personal
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“Procrastination is a mechanism for coping with the anxiety associated with starting or completing any task or decision.”
- Neil Fiore, Ph.D.
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@thesharperlawyer
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Activity Management Concept - Covey Quadrant
I. Urgent/Important
II.Not Urgent/Important
III.Urgent/Not Important
IV.Not Urgent/Not
Important
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The Ideal Week
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@thesharperlawyer
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The Ideal Week
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@thesharperlawyer
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The Ideal Week
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@thesharperlawyer
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The One Year Challenge
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@thesharperlawyer
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The One Year Challenge
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@thesharperlawyer
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What is Your Most Powerful Negotiation Tip?
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Rule 1.4:
Communication
(a) A lawyer shall:promptly inform the client of any decision or circumstance with respect to which the client's informed consent, as defined in Rule 1.0(e), is required by these Rules;reasonably consult with the client about the means by which the client's objectives are to be accomplished;keep the client reasonably informed about the status of the matter;promptly comply with reasonable requests for information; andconsult with the client about any relevant limitation on the lawyer's conduct when the lawyer knows that the client expects assistance not permitted by the Rules of Professional Conduct or other law.A lawyer shall explain a matter to the extent reasonably necessary to permit the client to make informed decisions regarding the representation.
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Communication with Person Represented By
Counsel
“In representing a client, a lawyer shall not
communicate about the subject of the representation
with a person the lawyer knows to be represented by
another lawyer in the matter, unless the lawyer has the
consent of the other lawyer or is authorized to do so by
law or a court order.”
Rule 4.2
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@thesharperlawyer
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Strong Case Management System
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Develop Rapport
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@thesharperlawyer
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Ask Open Ended
Questions
@thesharperlawyer
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Listen Actively
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Keep Client Informed
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@thesharperlawyer
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Defining The Terms of Client Service
•Retainer Agreement
•Non-engagement Letter
•Termination Letter
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@thesharperlawyer
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Retainer Agreement
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•Responsibilities of Lawyer
•Obligations of Client
•Scope of Representation
•Lay Out Stages of Case
•Payment of Costs
•Retainer Policy
•Billing and Payment Policies
@thesharperlawyer
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Retainer Agreement
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• Grounds for Withdrawal
• Nonpayment
• Client Misrepresentation
• Failure to Cooperate
• Client Requests Unethical Behavior
• Include Sunset Provision
• New Agreement for Each Matter
@thesharperlawyer
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Non-Engagement Letter
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•Anytime You Don’t Accept Matter
•Recommend Second Opinion
•Be Brief and Polite
•Record of Transmittal
•Anytime You Don’t Accept Matter
•Recommend Second Opinion
•Be Brief and Polite
•Record of Transmittal
@thesharperlawyer
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Termination Letter
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•Reason for Termination
•Conclusion
•Nonpayment
•Conflict Discovery
•Client Terminates
•Failure to Cooperate
•Reason for Termination
•Conclusion
•Nonpayment
•Conflict Discovery
•Client Terminates
•Failure to Cooperate
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Termination Letter
•How to Obtain File
•Status of Fees
•Client Satisfaction Survey
•Ask for Referral
•Ask for Testimonial
•How to Obtain File
•Status of Fees
•Client Satisfaction Survey
•Ask for Referral
•Ask for Testimonial
@thesharperlawyer
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Client Relations
•Welcome Letter
•Client Satisfaction Survey
•Phone Appointments
•Welcome Letter
•Client Satisfaction Survey
•Phone Appointments
@thesharperlawyer
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Attorney Competence
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Rule
1.1
“A lawyer shall provide competent
representation to a client. Competent
representation requires the legal knowledge,
skill, thoroughness and preparation reasonably
necessary for the representation.”
@thesharperlawyer
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Business Expertise• Business Creator
• Business
Operator
• Business
Innovator
• People
Developer
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Improve Your Law Firm’s Bottom Line
“A buck in the hand in worth two on the books.”
- David Farber
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@thesharperlawyer
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Significance of Key Performance Indicators
A KPI is any measurement or statistic that is quantifiable, reflects a firm’s goals, and is viewed as key to its short and long term success.
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@thesharperlawyer
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KPI
•Effective Billing Rate
•Number of hours spent on project by attorneys and professional staff.
•Assists in setting future rates and in ascertaining whether a particular practice area is profitable.
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KPI•Profit/Expense Ratio - This is determined by
dividing gross revenue by partner profit.
•Presume $300,000 gross revenue and $140,000 in expenses.
•Profit/Expense Ratio - 53%
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•Number of New Matters Open This Year
•Presume average matter generates $3,000 in revenue
•Add new matters by increasing conversion rate
•1 new matter per month = $36,000 additional revenue per year.
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KPI
@thesharperlawyer
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•CONVERSION RATE
•Number of Consulting Individuals Who Become Clients
•Increase conversion rate through follow up
•Requires follow up
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KPI
@thesharperlawyer
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•Number of New Matters for Existing Clients
•Do your clients return for other matters?
•Do you maintain ongoing relationships with clients?
•Data Base
•Newsletters
•Informational Pieces
•Seminars
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KPI
@thesharperlawyer
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•Collection Realization Rate
•Percentage of billed work the firm actually collects.
•Divide the amount billed to all clients by the amount of those bills collected.
•Bill 1500/Collect 1200 CRR = 80%.
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KPI
@thesharperlawyer
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•Billing Realization Rate.
•Percentage of recorded billable time actually billed to clients.
•Billable time -1700 hours/ Billed time 1500 hours BRR 88%
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KPI
@thesharperlawyer
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•Billable Hours
•“A lawyer's time and advice are his stock in trade”. Abraham Lincoln
•$250 per hour
•Additional 5 hours per month = $15,000 per year
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KPI
@thesharperlawyer
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• Increase in awareness will improve bottom line.
•Structuring law practice as efficient business increases possibility that practice can be sold in the marketplace, thereby ultimately increasing the attorney’s net worth.
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Building a Practice to Sell
@thesharperlawyer
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Leverage Yourself
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MEMOS
•In Ray James Madison
•In Ray John Smith
•In Ray Millicent Daniels
•In Ray Tammy Curry
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“Leadership is the art of getting
someone else to do
something you want done because he
wants to do it.” Dwight D. Eisenhower34th President of the United States
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“The Buck Stops Here”
Popularized by Harry S Truman
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Delegation Dynamics
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•The Fundamental Process
•Delegation Reluctance
•Problematic Delegation
Problems
•Action Plan - Moving
Forward
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Setting the Stage
•Organization Chart
•Regular Staff
Meetings
•SOP Manual
•Culture of Trust
The Fundamental
Process
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@thesharperlawyer
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Types of Delegation
•BASIC: Expectation is to follow instructions
explicitly
•CHALLENGING: Responsibility for an
outcome
The Fundamental
Process
What can I
delegate?
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@thesharperlawyer
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The Responsibility Shift
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The Responsibility Shift
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•Review the assignment. Loose ends?
•Clearly define the responsibility to be
assigned
•Who is right for the job?
•Team Attitude
The Fundamental
Process
The Preparation
Phase
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@thesharperlawyer
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•Specificity as to end result
•Explicit authority (or lack
thereof)Available resources
Set specific deadlines
The Fundamental
Process
The Explanation Phase
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@thesharperlawyer
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•Confirm understanding of
assignment
•Encourage QuestionsSupport
and Communicate Give
Feedback
The Fundamental
Process
The Conversation Phase
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@thesharperlawyer
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•Discourage Upward
Delegation
•Watch Out for Re-
delegation
The Fundamental
Process
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Delegation Reluctance
“Old habits die hard.”
~ English Proverb
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@thesharperlawyer
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•Nobody does it better
•Not enough time
•Fear of Resentment
•Unclear as to Authority
Delegation Reluctance
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Problematic Delegation Styles
Procrastination
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Problematic Delegation StylesMicromanagement
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Problematic Delegation Styles
Dump and Run
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The Mistake Process“Mistakes are a part of being human. Appreciate your mistakes for what they are: precious life lessons that can only be learned the hard way. Unless it's a fatal mistake, which, at least, others can learn from.”
~ Al Franken, "Oh, the Things I Know", 2002
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The Mistake ProcessDelegator
•Private Discussions
•Support with Corrective
Measures
•What is the “Learning”?
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The Mistake ProcessDelegatee
•Confess quickly (if you find the mistake)
•Ask for support where needed
•Create process to avoid similar errors
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MRPC 5.1 Responsibilities Of Partners,Managers, And
Supervisory LawyersMRPC 5.2 Responsibilities Of A
Subordinate LawyerMRPC 5.3 Responsibilities Regarding
Nonlawyer Assistants
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The Reality FocusSelf Assessment Tool
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Work/Life Balance
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Take Charge Plan
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Four Decisions
•Decide what you want
•Decide what you will give
up to get what you want
•Decide to take personal
responsibility
•Decide what value and
service you are going to
offer
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“If you plan on being anything less than you are capable of being, you will probably be unhappy all the days
of your life.”
- Abraham Maslow
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Moving Forward•Did you learn anything new today?
•Did you gain any insight into yourself or
someone else?
•Do you plan to change any of your behaviors
as a result of today’s session?
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Evaluations
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Connect with Cindy
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The Sharper Lawyer
connect with us
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The Sharper Lawyer now offers
a complimentary half hour coaching session.
Email Cindy for more details!
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The Sharper Lawyerwww.thesharperlawyer.com