Are you thinking like a lawyer or a law business owner? Here’s a quick litmus test: Do your daily thoughts revolve around getting Income or ROI? Most lawyers are not even sure what ROI is, let alone how to focus on it. In a nutshell, ROI or return on investment means that you: “Never spend a dollar unless you can make or save MORE than a dollar.” It’s that simple. Getting income is crucial. Never take your eye off that ball. But do take a moment to examine your strategies for getting additional income because you might find you’ve been focusing … Continue reading »

In law school you learned how to lawyer. Growing your law firm requires that you learn the business of law. Interviewing and hiring are two of the essentials you must learn to turn your law practice into a law business you can count on.  Here are 7 stratetgies for you to use in making your next hiring decision.  1.) Don’t hire for potential – who someone COULD be is not up to you. Hire based on who they are now and the experience, skills and training they already have; and if they grow in their role, all the better! It’s a … Continue reading »

Dear Lawyers: I know you’re buried. Overwhelmed. I know you’ve probably thought about throwing in the towel at least once already this year. We hear it all the time around here. One email I received this week stood out in particular. (I do personally read all your comments & emails, so keep them coming.) She wrote about how she can’t keep up – hearing over and over “how I should be ‘transforming’ my practice while I am also worrying about making payroll, not screwing up cases, and meeting deadlines. PLEASE STOP TELLING ME HOW HORRIBLE IT IS, and give more … Continue reading »

Are you one of the 11% of lawyers who suffer from Lack of Talent in growing your practice this year? We all know the advice summarized from Jim Collins’ influential book Good to Great: Focus on what you’re best at, most passionate about & makes you the most money. The rest, we need to hand off to our team, partners and vendors. This requires trust. Trust should always be earned, never blind. Confidence begins with ourselves:  interviewing & hiring skills compensation plans & accountability operating procedures & training leadership & team dynamics Over the past 10 years I’ve hired dozens of assistants – from … Continue reading »

Last weekend, I attended a fantastic conference last week in San Francisco called The Traffic & Conversion Summit, put on by two marketing entrepreneurs and their attorney partner. Alexis and I met several lawyers taking massive action in their businesses and enjoying the benefits of clear, decisive action amidst everyone else’s paralysis. It’s funny – there are people who are always blaming the economy, and there are people who are always making money, no matter what the economy is doing. I learned years ago during my brief stint as a real estate investor that markets are cycles. When you know … Continue reading »