LinkedIn recently rolled out their new “publishing” feature. It’s pretty interesting, and definitely something to explore. It is not designed to take the place of blogging, but can be a great middle-ground for those not quite ready to launch a blog, but have something to say, or those trying to expand their reach. For lawyers
Leadership’s Lessons: Energy Replenishment
Keith Wewe and I are participating in the SmithBucklin Leadership Institute lead by Henry Givray. It’s a six month program with five in-person sessions, and a lot of reading. We’ve had three in-person sessions so far, and I am just starting to notice how much I have absorbed, so expect several posts over the next few months on the lessons I have learned, and how I am applying them to my life today. One of our recent homework assignments was on time v. energy, and included reading the Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal (learn more at The Energy Project). The authors had me at their first principle:
Full engagement requires drawing on four separate but related sources of energy: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual.”
Two tips to revolutionize your time and project management
I know I am not alone in always trying to manage my time and projects. Truth be told, I do this better on some days then on others. When things get out of hand, and my in-box starts to overwhelm me, I know it is time to get back to basics. I need to declutter,
Legal marketing lessons from the NBA playoffs
I was reading a debate on the NBA playoffs where the commentators were wondering how an older team could beat the better players? And not just beat them, but crush them.
Very simply stated, the San Antonio Spurs played as a cohesive team, competing with the Miami Heat for the title; while the Miami Heat
I don’t follow egg-heads or empty blue boxes on Twitter
If you haven’t been on Twitter lately (Snort. Not even going there with you if you haven’t), you might not realize that they have made a few changes. Like many social networking sites, Twitter is becoming more and more graphically driven. Not necessarily your individual tweets, but your profile and how people see you on
Exceptions don’t make the rule. The business model is broken.
Great debate starting to take place in the legal marketing/business of law world.
Is the business model broken?
At the Legal Marketing Association‘s annual conference, I attended a moderated roundtable discussion on Disruptive Legal Trends. While it began as a discussion of the Axioms of the world, the conversation quickly shifted to the business
Memorial Weekend Reading: Strategic Imperatives for the Law Firm of the Future
Just in case the weather kills your plans to drink, BBQ and surf your way through the holiday weekend, I suggest you download a copy of ILTA‘s new study: Legal Technology Future Horizons, Strategic Imperatives for the Law Firm of the Future (PDF). From the (seven page) executive summary:
At the legal
“Non-lawyer” is NOT a word. More fallout from Opinion 642.
For a profession that can literally live or die by the comma, the word “non-lawyer” is tossed about to describe anyone without (or in some cases with) a JD working in any capacity within a law firm. Yet “non-lawyer” isn’t a word.
Not only is it not a word, it is not a labor category
Dammit. We’re a BUSINESS, Texas Center for Legal Ethics, not just a profession
I was having a perfectly pleasant Friday afternoon until a member of the LME posted about the Texas Center for Legal Ethics’ Opinion 642:
CONCLUSION
Under the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct, a Texas law firm may not use “officer” or “principal” in the job titles for non-lawyer employees of the firm.
The Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct also prohibit a Texas law firm from paying or agreeing to pay specified bonuses to non-lawyer employees contingent upon the firm’s achieving a specified level of revenue or profit. A Texas law firm may, however, consider its revenue, expenses, and profit in determining whether to pay bonuses to non-lawyer employees and the amount of such bonuses.
What is the problem that the Texas Center for Legal Ethics is attempting to correct?
While most likely a plaintiff’s firm or SEO marketing company pissed somebody off, the following questions posed could apply to any corporate law firm:
QUESTIONS PRESENTED
1. May a Texas law firm include the terms “officer” or “principal” in the job titles of the firm’s non-lawyer employees?
2. May a Texas law firm pay or agree to pay specified bonuses to non-lawyer employees contingent upon the firm’s achieving a specified amount of revenue or profit?
In other words, let’s just prevent a law firm from, gasp, attempting to act like a business.Continue Reading Dammit. We’re a BUSINESS, Texas Center for Legal Ethics, not just a profession
Controversial Clients and Social Media: The Donald Sterling Edition
As an LA Clippers fan, I am disheartened and disgusted by Donald Sterling, his wife, and everyone associated with the franchise who have stood by and co-signed this racist crap.
However, just as his wife is currently being represented by counsel in her attempt to retain her ownership of the team, Donald Sterling deserves the