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Boost Your Firm’s Productivity in 2018

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Are you looking to boost your firm’s productivity in 2018? Here are a few easy ways. In today’s competitive market, law firms have learned to work harder for every dollar they earn. Most firms have already cut costs and diversified services to improve profitability. Maximizing productivity on every level is another way to streamline operations and benefit the bottom line. Everyone in the firm gets 24 hours each day. How those hours are spent determines firm productivity which translates directly to profitability. Here are some simple ways to recapture valuable time that may currently be wasted: Assign the right person for the job A law firm’s biggest productivity killer is using attorneys for tasks that don’t earn revenue. If lawyers are answering phones and sorting their mail, the firm is flushing money down the drain. The same can be said for law firm associates who are spending hours on document review; instead, consider utilizing far less costly project personnel like temporary attorneys or other legal professionals to work hourly on this kind of volume-driven work. Automate one thing There are many software programs on the market that help law firms become more efficient with various tasks from administrative functions to research to case management.  Select one area to automate in 2018. For example, if the firm still utilizes a manual billing process then it’s highly likely that time and money is being wasted. Manual billing systems are cumbersome, time-consuming, and prone to errors. Speed up the computers A slow computer can add seconds or minutes to every single task, not to mention frustration and agitation. Those few seconds here and there across the firm can add up over the course of the year. Reclaim lost time by speeding up every computer in the firm. Uninstall programs that aren’t being used.  Run the Windows Disk Cleanup tool to create more free space on the hard drive. Disable programs that aren’t needed at startup since those programs run in the background all day, slowing computers down. A few minutes here and there may not seem like much, but it can add up over the year and across the firm. Reduce meeting times Are all of the firm’s regularly scheduled meetings necessary? Do they drag on longer than needed? Every minute spent in an unproductive meeting is time wasted. Consider eliminating some meetings, limiting them to less than one hour and sticking to the time limit, or switching to some online meetings. Cloud-based collaboration tools can eliminate some meetings. Implement daily “Uninterrupted Time” for attorneys Many lawyers feel that they are most productive late at night or on weekends. It’s during these times that they can fully focus on a project because they are not distracted by ringing phones, administrative tasks, or other staff members. Stress the importance of at least an hour of daily uninterrupted time for billable work. During this time, the attorney should not answer calls or emails or be interrupted by coworkers. Provide food Energy is essential to a productive workday. If your attorneys are low on energy or hungry, they will be less productive or may spend more time than necessary trying to find something to eat. Stock the office with easy to eat light meals or energy and protein-rich snacks foods to help stave off the midday crash. It may also serve to increase productive time in the office if staff members occasionally stay in instead of leaving for lunch. At Collier Legal Search, we understand that your time is valuable. Contact us today and let us help with your firm’s temporary and permanent staffing needs.

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Preparing your Law Firm for 2018

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In just a few weeks we will begin 2018. How are you preparing your law firm? As the year winds down, many law firm partners and management teams are gearing up for 2018. Just as we make New Year’s resolutions to improve our personal lives, management can identify resolutions that the organization should embrace professionally. Here are some ideas to help you set your law firm up for a stronger 2018 and beyond. Here are some tips to aid you in preparing your law firm. Evaluate the firm’s technology Law firms are not known to be early adopters of cutting-edge technology. If you have been waiting to see if this whole “cloud” thing takes off, or if it’s been several years since your firm implemented any technological advances, it is time to take some of the following steps into the modern world. Automate time-consuming and repetitive tasks such as timekeeping and billing. Introduce collaboration tools so attorneys can work together in real-time. Upgrade case management software and train lawyers on how to utilize it. Manage the firm mailing list and database. Create or update the Disaster Prevention and Recovery Plan After the catastrophic events of 2017, neglecting to have a disaster prevention and recovery plan borders on negligence. Every organization should have a comprehensive plan that protects employees, clients, and data when the next event occurs. Having this plan in place will ensure your firm can weather just about any disaster with a minimum of disruption. Evaluate what worked or didn’t work during the last disaster. Update all contact information in the plan. Have both digital and hard copies of the plan available for employees. Schedule a meeting during the first quarter to review the plan with key employees. Build new profit centers The legal marketplace is rapidly changing, and firms must constantly find ways to monetize their services and bring value to clients. Certain legal services are being offered online or by third-party vendors, so it is critically important to continually develop new revenue streams. Look for ways to cross-sell clients. Offer incentives for attorneys who do so. Identify new market opportunities. Add services or practice areas that are frequently requested by your clients which can be accomplished with paralegals and contract attorneys. Examine your firm’s culture For the first time in our nation’s history, four generations are working side by side in the workplace: Traditionalists (70 or older), Baby Boomers (54-72), Generation X (42- 53) and Millennials (23-42). This gap of more than 50 years between the youngest and oldest in the workforce presents new workforce dynamics. Eventually, this will lead to a culture shift within many organizations. Understand your firm’s current generational profile. Create opportunities for different generations to collaborate Understand motivations – Each generation is motivated by different things, whether it’s stability, authority or work-life balance. Update the marketing strategy Is your firm still printing expensive, glossy brochures and running a large schedule of ads in shrinking publications? Are event sponsorships still bringing in new clients? If you haven’t already, take time to review all of the components of the firm’s marketing activities and determine which ones are generating the best results. Determine if marketing activities are simply being repeated year after year. Renegotiate advertising and marketing agreements with media outlets. Refresh the firm website – is it optimized for mobile devices? Review the State Bar regulations on advertising to be sure the firm is compliant. We wish you the warmest holiday season and a prosperous New Year. The professionals at Collier Legal Search can help you make 2018 the best year ever!

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Leading Your Firm After a Disaster: Hurricane Harvey

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Does your firm have a disaster and recovery plan? Here are some items to consider including in your plan.  In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, many business owners have reopened their doors and are attempting to resume normal business operations. However, considering the tremendous impact that the event had in our region, it is probably safe to assume that there may well be a new normal for some time to come. Supporting your staff during and after a catastrophe requires lots of compassion and understanding. Also, be mindful that stress levels will be high during the recovery period. As a business owner, manager or team leader, there are several steps you can take to help your employees manage their new challenges and make the transition back to work as smooth as possible: 1) Assess Basic Needs – By now, management should have made contact with every member of the staff and taken stock of their situations, as well as what they may be dealing with regarding their homes or their loved ones. Some of your employees may have come through the storm rattled, but unscathed. Others may have lost everything.  Find out who may need shelter, food, clothing, transportation, pet care, child care, a rental truck, storage space or any of the many goods and services they need to begin normalizing their lives. Provide them with contact information for aid groups or any support that the firm or coworkers can offer. The sooner they can address their basic needs, the easier it will be for them to try to return to their normal lives. 2) Provide Ongoing Communication – Voicemail, email, company intranet or social media are all useful means to keep employees apprised of any company updates throughout the response and recovery phases. Remind your team that their jobs are important and secure. Provide regular and clear communication with updates on the business’ restoration progress. 3) Make workplace adjustments – Once the office is safe to return to, management may need to adjust some office rules and procedures. Dress codes, rules about children in the office, and restrictions on using telephones and the Internet for personal business may all need to be temporarily adjusted in the post-disaster period. It may be difficult for staff to get to and from work on time with new traffic patterns and gridlock on the freeways. Flexible hours or allowing your employees to work remotely may alleviate some stress around these issues. Employees may also need unexpected time off to address their home and family situations. Compassion and patience about these business interruptions will be remembered and appreciated by team members. 4) Maintain physical health – Exhaustion and stress can lower resistance to disease, decrease alertness, and cause impaired judgment. After an initial crisis period, observe employees for signs of physical, mental or emotional exhaustion.  The same employees who work all day diligently may be returning home to many more hours of work to repair or reconstruct their homes. 5) Encourage mental wellness –  It is important to encourage discussion as survivors of disasters often need to talk about what they have experienced. Consider providing an information break area where employees can gather for lunch or breaks with their co-workers. If your firm offers an EAP program, provide your employees with an update of what it covers and how to schedule appointments. Collier Legal Search is here for you and can help answer any staffing questions you have during this recovery process. We support you and continue to keep you and your families in mind during this difficult time.

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The Dilemma of Mid-Sized Law Firms

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Mid-sized law firms are getting squeezed by these external and internal factors. Sustaining a successful mid-size law firm in today’s legal market is challenging. In 2016, many mid-sized firms decreased in size, became unstable or simply dissolved. Surviving firms in this category realized only a minuscule increase in gross revenue. The most recent Am Law 200 figures show that the Second Hundred, as the Am Law 101 to 200 are known, struggled in 2016. This group includes mid-sized national players, regional firms, prestigious specialist firms, as well as local law firms whose operations are focused on their home state. For nearly half of these Am Law mid-sized firms, growth has evaporated, and profits are declining. Here are some of the external and internal factors that are squeezing the mid-sized law firm: EXTERNAL FACTORS Client pressure Clients are demanding greater value and transparency for their legal service expenditures. This has led to shifts in the traditional billable hour pricing model as clients insist on fixed or flat fee work, or enlist third-party billing review companies to reduce their legal fees. Additionally, corporate clients often require their law firms to add administrative staff to comply with more complex billing, reporting, and compliance requirements. Fundamental market shift Certain consumer market segments are substantially reduced or simply gone. Estate plans and incorporation documents are frequently provided by legal internet services rather than an attorney. Corporate clients are increasingly likely to divide responsibilities for different aspects of a single matter to various law firms, in-house lawyers, or non-traditional vendors. In-House continues to grow More and more corporations are expanding their in-house legal departments, a trend that has been accelerating for years. The growth of in-house capabilities and the work these groups are prepared to handle has significantly reduced the role of outside legal representation. There are fewer publicly traded companies With fewer publicly traded companies, there are fewer potential clients. Landing an account with a large corporation today is more lucrative and will involve more work, but there are fewer such accounts to go around, and they are overwhelmingly represented by the large firms. INTERNAL FACTORS Partner Problems Many firms have too many partners and not enough work. Some partners do not contribute equally to revenue generation and some should have already retired, but can’t or won’t due to financial constraints. For a mid-sized law firm, this kind of top-heavy structure severely hinders profits. Losses are managed by cutting support staff and associates, making it even more difficult for the firm to compete. Escalating Costs Rent, health care, insurance, utilities, taxes, and compensation are just a few examples of costs that creep up each year. In the past, law firms would raise their rates to cover annual increases in expenses. In today’s market, these rising costs can’t always be recouped by higher legal fees because clients will demand savings or services in other areas. Not running the firm like a business. While some firms have management committees with strong business backgrounds, many do not. Most mid-sized law firms are started and led by attorneys who are dedicated to the practice of law but may be lacking in business experience. While this traditional law firm structure may have worked in the past, it is no longer compatible with today’s fiercely competitive market-driven environment. Avoiding change and continuing to think that the market will one day recover to pre-recession levels is a recipe for failure. Local Firms Are the Exception One bright spot within the Am Law Second Hundred shows 90% or more of their lawyers located within their home state, and was also among the strongest performers within the Second Hundred, even outperforming national firms.

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Pathway to Partnership: What You Need to Know

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Dreaming of the day you’ll achieve partnership at your law firm? You’re not alone. Making partner is one of the primary goals of many associates. The competition is fierce and requires years of careful planning, persistence, and dedication. Here are some things you should know before pursuing a pathway to partnership: What, exactly, is a Partner? Being a partner isn’t just a weighty title for your business card. It means that you become an owner or shareholder of the firm and will be required to make a capital contribution. You carry the risk and responsibility for the firm’s success with managerial, voting, and decision making powers. You will no longer be salaried but will earn a percentage of whatever the firm brings in that year. Types of Partnership Partnerships can take on many forms. Some firms offer tiered partnerships with equity partners at the top; others offer partnership in title only. Equity – Equity partners own a portion of the firm’s assets, as well as its liabilities. You become a part of firm leadership and help direct all operations. Non-equity – With a nonequity partnership, you participate in profit sharing and gain the prestige of the partner label, but you don’t own a share of the firm. At some firms, this is a stepping stone to full partner status. How to Get to Partner Know the process – There is not one uniform way to achieve partner. Every firm will have its process which may or may not be formally communicated. Learn everything you can about your firm’s particular path to partnership. Hit your numbers – Bill no fewer than 2,000 hours a year, establish expertise in your practice area and produce a strong book of accurate and challenging work. Pick a partner, or two– These partners will generate most of your assignments, and the relationships will be paramount in your quest for partnership. Attorneys sometimes switch firms so if you work exclusively w just one partner and he or she leaves, you could be left without an ally. Join panels and groups – While time-consuming and sometimes tedious, legal groups, associations, and professional panels are important. Your involvement on these panels brings recognition and prestige to your firm and builds your network. Bring in business – A partner is expected to generate new business. If you begin doing this as an associate, you’ve already shown that you can pull your weight. Be open to outside opportunities – Making a move to another firm may get you to that coveted position faster than toiling at one firm indefinitely. A skilled legal recruiter can help you identify outside opportunities. Even if you’re not looking to move, it’s a smart strategy to be in a recruiter’s database as a networking source. Follow our blog for additional tips for your firm and personal development and pathway to partnership.

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Your Firm’s Professional Development Program

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It is important to create a strong professional development program that benefits the attorney, the client, and, ultimately, the firm. Corporate clients expect attorneys working on their cases to be well versed in law, business, finance, and other substantive issues in today’s legal environment. On the flip side of the matter, millennials and new associates place a high value on training and professional development and want assurances that their career will progress successfully. Training and professional development have become an important issue for firms of all sizes. Some large firms have the resources to create training universities, mock trial boot camps or comprehensive programs that include a wide range of organized activities and courses. Smaller firms that offer little more than informal mentoring or an email reminder about mandatory CLE requirements. Here are some practical areas of professional development that benefit the attorney, the client, and, ultimately, the firm: Mentoring Programs – Most law firms tout a mentoring program, often pairing up new attorneys with a partner on their first day with promises of career guidance, training and networking connections. Many of these relationships are abandoned within months and are unproductive for both parties despite good intentions.  A successful mentoring program must have clearly outlined objectives and accountability. Many firms have successfully introduced group or team mentoring programs instead of the traditional one-on-one system. Career Coaching – Millennials are keen to have a roadmap that outlines their path to success. Career coaching can assist in identifying short and long-term ambitions and goals, strategize the necessary steps to achieve those goals and create a framework for success.  It is important to periodically revisit the career plan and fine-tune the details as needed whether the career coach is a partner at the firm or an outside consultant. Sales & Marketing – New associates will eventually be expected to procure business for the firm and must be proficient in a myriad of marketing activities including network building, pitching, RFPs, gathering business intelligence, delivering excellent client service, managing client relations, and cross-selling. Even seasoned attorneys may benefit from a refresher class on marketing their skills and closing business. MBA Knowledge for Lawyers – Corporate clients expect their legal team to know how their business operates and the challenges of their industry. New lawyers need to quickly learn the language of business and finance to communicate effectively with clients. Some law firms have turned to training programs and give their associates crash courses in business or a mini-MBA. Your firm’s professional development program must be strongly supported and initiated by the leadership of the firm to be an effective tool. Management must commit funds, time and other resources to allow partners, associates and support personnel to actively participate in training programs.

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The Benefits of Hiring A Legal Recruiting Firm

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There are many benefits to hiring a legal recruiting firm that may save you time and money.  Choosing to use a professional recruiter, or headhunter, in your job search is an individual and important decision, and it can make or break your career. Legal recruiters are used by large and medium firms and corporations to find candidates who closely match the required qualifications and experience that they are looking for in a position.  Firms that use legal recruiting companies will pay a fee to gain access to competitive candidates that they may not get to recruit otherwise.  Professional recruiters maintain a vast network of contacts and may save the firm time in their candidate searching process. What are the Benefits of using a legal recruiter? At Collier Legal, we have a track record for success in placing a job candidate at every level. For our clients: Our team consists of attorneys and legal professionals who understand the legal field. We are flexible for our client’s project needs. We give a hands-on, thorough and personal orientation of the candidates we place. We thoroughly screen our candidates to ensure that we find the best match for our clients’ needs. We offer weekly troubleshooting and Q&A time for our project employees. Our Internal payroll process means no wait time for project employees. We have a unique database of applicants ready to match our client’s specific project needs. We are on call 24/7. For our candidates: There is a dedicated team member who advocates for the candidate and manages the candidate’s project, from beginning to end. We open up job opportunities at companies and law firms that you otherwise may not have an opportunity to work. We diminish some of the stress of the job search since Collier Legal will do the work of finding you a good fit. We have access to a job database that may host jobs that are not publicly posted.   Full-Service Legal Staffing You Can Depend On Ready to get started on your job search? Collier Legal Search is a full-service, legal recruiting company specializing in the placement of partners, attorneys and legal staff in both temporary and full-time positions in Houston, Texas.  Our team works on the placement of legal professionals and attorneys at every single level.  We have produced unparalleled results with legal placement for the last decade.  If you are ready to get started on your job search, contact us.  We look forward to working with you.

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