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Hiring for Diversity

Employers /

Diversity in Houston law firms is an upward trend. Hiring for diversity has become a commitment for many firms. Check out some great resources on how to best hire for diversity. Diversity in the corporate world has moved from a trendy concept to the accepted standard of operation, with most major corporations touting a comprehensive diversity policy. Below are some trends we see in the Houston market and how you can be hiring for diversity. Upward Trending According to a recent National Law Firm Diversity Study, minorities represent: 17% of lawyers at law firms 9% of partners 25% of associates 13% of counsel 9% of management and executive committee members 26% of new hires 32% of summer associates Diversity in Houston Law Firms On a local level, a Gender Fairness Commitment Statement was signed by 60 local and national law firms with offices in Houston, as well as the Harris County Attorney’s Office. The statement asks the firms to increase the number of women partners and firm leaders using objective and unbiased criteria to evaluate them for those positions. The Gender Fairness Committee of the Houston Bar Association will follow up with the firms in 2020 to see the progress made in accomplishing the goals of the commitment. To see the full list of firms, click here. How to Hire for Diversity The recruiting channels of the past may not produce the diverse talent that law firms and corporate legal departments are currently looking for. Other available resources include: Most law school campuses have bar associations for underrepresented groups, including women and minorities. Reach out to these students and encourage them to apply to your firm. Check out the Bar Association meetings of the various minority bars. Attend their student-recruiting opportunities, to meet with students who are interested in exploring opportunities with your firm. Recruit for diversity at different levels within the firm: at the entry level with summer associates, at the mid-level through lateral recruitment of associates, and at the partner level by recruiting qualified women and minority partners to your firm. Hire a diversity consultant. Partner with a legal recruiting professional and discuss your firm’s goal of becoming more diverse. An experienced and well-connected legal staffing firm will be able to advise and hire accordingly.

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Hiring In-House Counsel | What to Consider

Employers /

What you need to know before hiring in-house counsel Some startups immediately start hiring in-house counsel and launch a legal department, while other businesses operate for many years before bringing a single GC on board. A general counsel under the company roof acts as an advisor and company representative, in addition to being the primary legal service provider. Whether you are motivated to reduce attorney costs,  improve legal outcomes or enhance the quality of your legal advice, an in-house legal department with expertise in both the law and your particular business can be a strategic partner in your company’s long-term success. Let’s look at when to consider hiring in-house counsel, what to look for, and how to find them. When to consider hiring in-house counsel Several factors that can determine if hiring a GC makes sense for your company: High volume of legal work – If your company’s annual demand for legal services exceeds 1000 hours, an in-house attorney may reduce the outsourced hours. As a general rule, for each in-house attorney, there should be an additional 1000 hours of legal work. Type of legal work –  If the majority of your company’s legal work is in a particular practice area, for example, employment, then a GC who specializes in that area of law could be a valuable asset. Project Management – If your company works with numerous outside counsel, juggling the projects and attorney relationships can become all-consuming. Hiring in-house counsel as a project manager ensures that all of the legal services your business contracts with are on task and efficiently managed. Type of business – A specialized in-house lawyer might make sense if your business consistently produces document-intensive work such as licensing or real estate, or if your company is in a highly regulated industry. Whom to Hire Candidates considered for an in-house position must have a proven track record and the required expertise. This is not a position that allows for on-the-job training! For a company looking to hire their first GC, but unsure about a full-time, permanent employment, here are some options to consider: Outsourced GC – An increasing number of law firms offer to bundle their legal services and set monthly payments for general counsel services. Your company may have access to one or several attorneys, depending on the agreement. Part-time GC – If your company wants to hire an in-house attorney but doesn’t have the workload to justify the expense, then a part-time position may be a viable alternative. Employing a part-time GC can save money in salary and benefits, and a flexible schedule may attract highly qualified candidates who are seeking a work-life balance. Contract-to-hire – Bringing someone in on a temporary status before making a final decision allows time to determine if a candidate has the qualifying skills and also if the company truly needs a GC. During the contract period, the staffing firm assumes responsibility for benefits and administrative costs. Flexible skill set – Many attorneys often have transferable skills, such as facilitating real estate transactions or summarizing complex non-legal documents. By hiring an attorney with a flexible skill set, your in-house counsel can take on other duties within the organization. Where to Look Whether you are looking to add one lawyer or build an entire legal team from the ground up, hiring legal talent is a tremendous undertaking for a company that doesn’t specialize in law.  Legal recruiting is very different from corporate recruiting, and your company’s HR department may not have the relationships or knowledge to find the best candidates. If your company works with an outside law firm, they may be able to provide advice and direction on finding a qualified candidate. Another option for finding general counsel candidates is to work with a legal search or staffing firm. A professional legal recruiter has the resources, connections, and discretion to identify candidates that will best serve your organization. Let Collier Legal Search be your primary resource for hiring in-house counsel.

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Implementing Temp to Perm successfully

Blogs, Candidates, Employers /

Utilizing a temp to perm hiring opportunity is resourceful. Temporary or contract workers are a valuable source of talent for law firms and hiring from temp to perm position can be resourceful. A temporary or contract worker can fill in short term vacancies, such as when an associate or paralegal is off on maternity or medical leave, they can bring in expertise on a particular practice area, and they can be hired to handle volume increases related to new casework. Lawyers, in particular, are uniquely suited to temporary or contract work because they are trained to quickly analyze a situation and act accordingly. In contrast to temporary or contract workers,  a “temp to perm” employee is brought on to work for a predetermined period, during which time the firm decides whether to offer a permanent position to the employee. With the failure risk as high as 50% for new hires, temp to perm has gained popularity among hiring managers as a way to reduce the risk of a bad hire. Benefits to law firms include: Enables partners time to observe attorneys and legal support staff to see if they are a fit for the firm’s workload and culture. Avoids wrongful termination and unemployment costs – With a temp to perm arrangement, there’s not a guarantee that the position will become permanent. Therefore, the employee is not eligible to claim wrongful termination or file an unemployment claim against the law firm. Reduces the cost of administration and benefits, since these are all covered by the staffing agency until the worker becomes a full-time employee of the law firm. Here are some things law firms should consider when implementing a temp to perm hiring strategy: Pick a reasonable timeframe for a temp to perm trial period. Too long and the candidate may pass up your firm. Too short and you won’t get a good idea of the fit. Confirm the time period with the staffing service and have them explain this to the employee prior to their start, so everyone is clear of the guidelines. Treat temp to perm workers just as you would a permanent employee, providing them with the support, training or resources they may need to perform their duties. Introduce them to the partners, associates and support staff that they will be working with. Include temp to perm workers in firm-wide initiatives such as training and team building. This will give them the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and align with the firm’s culture. Have a transparent process in place to ensure that the firm is being fair. If the firm exhibits a constant cycle of letting workers go before they reach permanent status, the firm’s reputation will suffer, and it will be increasingly difficult to attract quality candidates. If there are any issues, ask the staffing service in to deliver the information. Until the worker becomes a permanent employee of the firm, the staffing service can manage the temporary employee for you. Full-Service Legal Staffing You Can Depend On Collier Legal Search is a full-service legal staffing company that specializes in placing well-credentialed partners, associates and legal professionals at every level in law firms and corporations. Our experience in the industry and our unique approach to building our candidate database consistently delivers results that clients can depend on. We are committed to maximizing success for our clients and our candidates.  Contact us at 832-239-5253 to give us the opportunity to work with you.

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Tips to Avoid Staff Turnover

Companies, Employers /

Do you experience high staff turnover? Staff turnover is an unavoidable, natural part of the hiring and employment cycle. Staff turnover is an unavoidable, natural part of the hiring and employment cycle. Economic turmoil, industry fluctuations and attrition can cause unexpected spikes in turnover, but if your firm has regularly lost talent across a number of practice areas and positions in recent years, that’s an indication that there may be more serious issues.  Warning signs can include a mass exodus of associates and support staff, clerical positions that are continually open, or a particular partner who can’t seem to retain talent. Law firms with high turnover can suffer significant data, knowledge and client loss, not to mention the cost of salaries, benefits, and time invested. When a lawyer leaves, a significant investment is lost. Aside from salaries and bonuses, law firms can spend thousands of dollars recruiting and training, sometimes paying for bar exam prep courses, moving expenses, and CLE. Here are some of the major factors that can contribute to high turnover, and how a temporary hire might be the right solution: Poor selection process– When staff turnover at the firm seems unusually high, one of the first things to investigate is the firm’s selection process. If a firm continually hires extremely over or under-qualified applicants, it will simply be a matter of time before workers become frustrated or disillusioned and look for something better matched to their skill set. Take a realistic look at the firm’s expectations: Is management seeking out Ivy League or top tier attorneys to handle work that could be done by a paralegal? Does the firm really require someone with more than 5 years of experience, or is in-house training possible? If it is evident that the organization is always hiring the wrong people, a temporary firm can help define what the job description should be and assist in finding a prospect that is the right fit for the position and for the firm. Firm Culture– Many older workers may be satisfied to put in the required hours, work hard, and collect a paycheck regardless of firm culture.  However, millennials tend to place much higher importance on the firm’s core values as well as their employment experience. If the firm seems to have difficulty retaining younger talent, it may have something to do with the lack of company culture or clearly stated mission.  While the management team addresses the core values and firm culture, temporary workers can replace workers that have left. Difficult Personality – If rampant staff turnover seems to be concentrated in a certain department or under a particular partner, there may be personality issues at play. A brilliant attorney who is constantly screaming at associates or expecting support staff to handle his personal affairs will always have a revolving door of talent. It is critical to address the nature of the issue to ensure that the firm is protected from any liability arising from bad behavior. In the meantime, utilize the broad reach of a staffing firm to find prospects who have the temperament, experience, and willingness to work with a challenging personality. Less than competitive packages– Take a look at similar-sized firms to see if the firm’s compensation and benefit plans are competitive. When the plan is not competitive with the market, there is a virtual guarantee that talent will be lost as soon as a better offer comes along. If raising compensation and adding benefits is not possible, then a staffing firm could be the best option because the prospect will be compensated by the agency, not the law firm. When an organization experiences high employee turnover, it may be time to seek assistance. Collier Legal Search is a qualified and reputable staffing firm and we can help place the right people in the right positions. Furthermore, the firm can avoid the high costs associated with multiple new hires because all risks and obligations are assumed by the staffing firm. Taking advantage of temporary hires or temp-to-permanent employees will allow the firm to address the root cause of high staff turnover while remaining fully staffed and productive.

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Legal Staffing in an Uncertain Economy

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Are you planning to grow your legal staffing team? Here are a few options to consider. Achieving sustainable growth in a shifting legal market is one of the biggest challenges faced by firm management. Some law firms increase the headcount in their practice groups to attract more clients. Other firms secure new clients before hiring more attorneys and support staff. This tricky balancing act is a dilemma that managing partners must carefully consider because having too much or not enough manpower at critical points can drain a firm’s time, talent and resources. By looking beyond the traditional hiring process, growth can be accomplished through a myriad of levels from temporary to permanent, short-term, project-based, hourly or even virtual – each with its merits. Successful firms will take advantage of and fully utilize all available avenues to secure the right legal staffing mix. Here are some things to consider when growing your base of legal talent: Temporary Whether your firm is trying to attract a huge client or confronted with a litigation project that your current manpower does not support, the most expedient solution is often temporary attorneys and support staff. Hiring temporary legal staffing is a solution that allows firms to take on new projects that would otherwise be too large for their regular team to manage alone. The recruiting agency, not the law firm, is the temp worker’s employer and is responsible for payroll expenses, paperwork, withholding taxes, unemployment and workers’ compensation insurance, healthcare and any other employee benefits. As a result, the cost of temp workers is often cheaper than hiring permanent employees with benefits. Law firms can often realize immediate profits with temporary legal staffing since the billable rate can be higher than the temp’s rate. Savvy businesses will incorporate temporary staff, not just during busy times, but as a fixed percentage of their workforce. Temp to Permanent From competence to culture, there are many aspects that can’t be gleaned from an interview or resume. Being able to test-drive a potential new hire can give both the firm and the employee an opportunity to evaluate if the match is a fit for both parties. Temporary to permanent employees are placed in the firm for a specific period, during which time all benefits, expenses, and liabilities are the responsibility of the recruiting company, not the law firm. At the end of the prescribed period, the firm has the option to hire the employee on a full-time basis with zero additional fees. Sometimes a partial fee is owed if the prescribed work-out period isn’t completed. Permanent Full-Time Hire In many circumstances, nothing less than a full-time, permanent employee will fit the bill. Staffing a new office, adding notable names to a practice group or taking on long-term projects may all warrant the hiring of full-time staff. A permanent employee with benefits is a considerable investment and firms should do everything possible to ensure that they will see a return on that investment. Enlisting the services of a reputable legal staffing firm will save considerable time and effort in the search for the right talent. When choosing a placement firm, be sure and evaluate their guarantees – Collier Legal Search offers the best in the business. Part-time or Flex-Time There are many compelling reasons for a firm, corporation, or another workplace to offer alternative work-time options. The crushing hours and tremendous workload are expected by law firm management, but more and more attorneys at all strata of the firm are questioning a culture of working long hours to the detriment of child-rearing, personal interests, pro bono advocacy, community involvement, and care for aging parents, to name a few. Offering part-time, flex-time or job-sharing options can keep valuable employees from taking their skills elsewhere and reduce career burnout. Virtual/Telecommute or Work-at-home Temp While not yet commonplace, the increased connectivity, technology, and cloud-based applications all point to an increased potential for utilizing the off-site talent that has been carefully screened and qualified. This option allows a staffing company the leeway to expand their search to find the candidates best suited for an assignment, regardless of location.

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Law Firms Flock to Houston

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Here are some of the most notable moves and acquisitions from law firms. Houston is currently the fourth largest city in the country and is on track to bypass Chicago for third by 2025. Houston has a growing and diverse population, a global energy hub, 25 Fortune 500 companies, and the world’s largest medical center. It is a lucrative and active legal market, and nobody wants to be left out. In recent years, the city has seen an influx of law firms entering the Houston market. Some outside law firms lure partners, attorneys, support staff and entire practice groups from locally established firms; others buy out or merge with existing practice, renaming the firm but leaving the staff intact. All of this activity results in a high-stakes game of musical chairs for Houston’s legal talent. For well-connected, proven and experienced attorneys and support staff, opportunities can arise whenever a new firm moves in – whether at the new legal firm itself or at a local firm that lost key staff to the newcomer. Here is a look at some of the notable moves and acquisitions of the past 18 months: Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe, a 150-year old global firm based in San Francisco, entered the Houston market in January 2016. The powerhouse firm pulled 20 partners from approximately a half dozen local firms. The Houston office is the firm’s 25th worldwide and will expand its energy & infrastructure, Latin America, litigation and IP, and public finance practices. Polsinelli, a Kansas City, Missouri-based firm, opened in March 2016 after acquiring Houston-based IP law firm Novak Druce Connolly Bove + Quigg and its 14 attorneys. Polsinelli’s move into Houston was driven in large part by the presence of the Texas medical center. The acquisition supports the firm’s focus on the region’s biotech, medical device, software, engineering, and healthcare industries. Bradley Arant Boult Cummings, based in Alabama, opened its first Southwest location in Houston in October 2016 to serve construction and energy clients. The incoming firm lured away from a longtime partner from Coats Rose who took with him another partner, six attorneys, three secretaries, and two paralegals. The Houston location brings the total number of Bradley offices to nine. Kelley Drye & Warren, based in NY, merged with the environmental litigation boutique, Jackson, Gilmour & Dobbs, in December 2016. The merger brought fourteen local attorneys under the Kelley Drye umbrella. Through its new Texas presence, Kelley Drye intends to strengthen its energy practice and grow its national presence. Holman Fenwick Willan, based in London, merged with the energy and maritime firm Legge Farrow Kimmitt McGrath & Brown after several years of collaboration. The Houston office opened in January 2017 and established the firm’s first office in the USA. According to the firm’s website, Houston is a key touchpoint for several of the firm’s chosen sectors, including energy, marine, and insurance. Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, a 1,300-lawyer firm from Los Angeles, opened a Houston office in March 2017 to expand its energy practice. Initially, Gibson Dunn lured away two top local energy lawyers: a partner from Latham Watkins and another from an energy company. Then, in April, six Baker Botts partners left their firm to join the new office. We keep the pulse on the growth of Houston law firms. Let Collier Legal Search help you expand your legal staff as you grow.

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Legal Hiring Trends / 4th Quarter Outlook

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As job growth outpaces the rest of the nation, here is the local legal outlook and legal hiring trends in Texas. According to the fall figures released by the Dallas Fed, 2018 Texas job growth outpaced the rest of the nation, rising to 1st place, up from 9th in 2017. The hot local economy has also impacted the legal arena with law firms setting up shop and expanding operations in Texas at a frenzied pace. Dozens of firms opened offices in Houston between 2001 and 2018, lured by the strong economy, the high-profile energy sector and the growing list of corporate headquarters. Some of the fastest-growing practice areas in Texas include energy, corporate, real estate, international, employment, environmental, and immigration law. This explosion in law firms has created a frenetic lateral market and a near-constant churn in support staff. The growth has brought several recruiting and legal hiring trends into the forefront: Higher compensation To recruit candidates and improve retention rates, employers are increasing the starting salaries for attorneys. Some law firms seek tenured associates with proven track records; others are taking the opposite approach and recruiting attorneys with two to three years of experience and offering training. Amped up Benefits While salary will always be one of the top considerations, more firms are finding that attractive benefits and perks package can tip the balances in their favor. Some of the less traditional benefits and perks include holistic health and wellness programs, gender-neutral family leave, work-from-home options and paid volunteer hours. Focus on Firm Culture Large law firms are seeing Millennials leave to work at smaller law firms with a better work-life balance. Diversity, community service and how associates are treated are all essential aspects of firm culture. Personality Profiles Degrees and experience are essential, however, hiring managers must also determine whether someone will thrive in the organization’s culture. Hiring the right fit can dramatically reduce turnover and increase productivity, translating into higher profits for the firm. Personality assessments are becoming more common to gauge interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence. Tech-Savvy Support Paralegals who can perform multiple duties are in high demand since they can deliver some of the work traditionally handled by associates. Hybrid paralegal/legal secretary roles are more common as clerical responsibilities have become streamlined by technology. Non Lawyer Professionals To remain competitive and innovative, many law firms have realized that they must operate more like a business. Non-lawyer professionals are increasingly hired to handle key marketing and development operations. Some new positions in law firms include chief talent officer, chief pricing strategist, director of practice management and director of business development. Staffing Flexibility Even in a booming market, successful law firms must be flexible and agile. Many are turning to legal staffing firms to quickly scale up talent when projects demand and then reduce when the project is completed. Temporary hires can also be thoroughly evaluated for personality and skill before making a permanent, and expensive, final offer. This option allows firms to increase manpower without increasing payroll expenses. Full-Service Legal Staffing You Can Depend On Collier Legal Search is a full-service legal staffing company that specializes in placing well-credentialed partners, associates and legal professionals at every level in law firms and corporations. Our experience in the industry and a unique approach to building our candidate database consistently delivers results that clients can depend on. We are committed to maximizing success for our clients and our candidates.  Contact us at 832-239-5253 to give us the opportunity to work with you.

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Preparing Your Firm for the Holiday Season

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Are you preparing your firm for the holiday season? Here are some ways to maintain productivity through the holiday season and beyond. The holiday season will be here in a matter of weeks. For law firm management, it can be a challenging and stressful time. Some law firms experience a slowdown in December, whereas others are busier than usual in the final weeks as they strive to make year-end deadlines. In addition to the myriad duties that must be handled to close out the year, predictable concerns usually arise that can impact the profitability of the firm. For a law practice, productivity almost always comes down to the billable hour. Here are some ways to maintain productivity through the holiday season and beyond: Maintain an Accurate Vacation Calendar Vacations are an important and critical way for your legal team to recharge their batteries. Allowing and encouraging attorneys and support staff to take their earned time off will reduce burnout and result in a healthier, productive workplace. It is critical to keep track of who will be out, what they are working on and how the work will be covered. The earlier a vacation schedule is finalized, the easier it will be to identify problem areas and plan for them. Remind staff which days the office will be closed and communicate the firm’s policy regarding vacation requests. Use Collaborative Tools Multiple attorneys and support staff may work on a document which needs to be revised several times. During these collaborative efforts, communication can break down; attachments are emailed back and forth, someone works on the wrong version or the email thread is difficult to follow. This can be even more problematic during the holidays when key people are out of the office or on different schedules. Consider using collaborative tools that allow parties to simultaneously work on documents online via the cloud.  Whether it’s a platform designed for business use or one specifically for the legal field, working in the cloud allows multiple people to work on the same document from anywhere in the world, without wasting precious time with the arduous back-and-forth of email. Take Advantage of Holiday Networking Opportunities The season of celebration and festivities means that partners and associates are attending various holiday parties and events with clients, prospects and other industry professionals. Remind staff that their attendance at these events is still an extension of their professional representation of the firm. While holiday parties can be a recipe for disaster and embarrassment, they can also be excellent opportunities to build client relationships, meet potential new prospects, and network in a relaxed and festive environment. Bring in Extra Help An attorney on vacation translates into fewer billable hours for the firm. During the holidays, this impact on the bottom line can be significant. Part-time or temporary associates and support staff can cover the workload and maintain profitability. The temporary attorney’s work can be billed out at the normal firm rate, without the costly salary, benefits and tax implications of a full-time hire. The strategic use of temporary legal staffing can help your firm remain productive throughout the holiday season and beyond. Let us know how Collier Legal Search can help keep your team productive during the holidays. We have contract attorneys ready and available.

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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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