Category: Law Office Management

How to Realign Your Law Firm Goals this Spring

Around the new year, many law firms become motivated to set or reevaluate goals, plan for the year ahead, and improve current processes. Unfortunately, time moves quickly. The new year may slip away, but spring is another great time to realign your law firm goals, evaluate what went well or needs improvement, streamline operations, and get a “fresh start” for the rest of the year.

Law firms should take advantage of spring cleaning and use it to freshen up and realign law firm goals.

Law Firm Goals Review

Before law firms can make major “spring cleaning” changes, they should check in on the goals set for the new year. Spring is on the verge of a new quarter, so it’s good for law firms to check in with the goals that were set in the new year and the performance of the first quarter.

If the law firm is on track to reach goals by the end of the year, excellent! If not, this is a time to reevaluate needs, priorities, and goals, and get a pulse on the status of the firm’s health as a whole.

Ideally, the year began with SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound). These goals are clear and measurable, meaning they’re easy to assess and evaluate.

The key to SMART goals is measurement. Though it may seem obvious, law firms must measure their goals to see if they’re on track to reach the desired outcome, and what can be adjusted to put the firm in a better position to succeed.

Website Updates

Whether large or small, law firms of all sizes need a functional website to grow and evolve. Websites can become outdated quickly, impacting a law firm’s brand and reputation.

Websites should get a refresh regularly, but if a law firm has grown or made major changes in the past year, an update is a must. Perhaps there’s a new practice area or new office for the firm, or a revision to aspects of the brand like the logo or mission statement.

No matter the change, this is an excellent opportunity for law firms to revamp the website and ensure it accurately reflects the brand.

Record Cleanup

A law firm’s records are important for tracking financial activity and transactions. Without clear and accurate books, a law firm can’t make sound business decisions about the future of the firm or its financial health.

Spring is a good time for law firms to “deep clean” the books. They should review the files and accounts, cancel unused subscriptions, and organize receipts and records. While it may be early in the year, there are things your firm can do to prepare for the end-of-year frenzy. Now is the time to evaluate your need and future goals for the remaining of the year. A law practice management solution, like PracticePanther, offers streamlined billing and online payments, and reporting, making record cleanup a simple, straightforward, and fast process. This not only helps with the spring overhaul, but firms can monitor their books more easily throughout the year.

Marketing Strategy

Like goals, marketing strategies need to be evaluated and revamped regularly to stay ahead. Spring offers an opportunity for law firms to refresh marketing strategies and see what’s working (and what isn’t) to develop more effective solutions.

What worked in the past may not work this year, so law firms should consider changes in the new year like:

  • New marketing trends
  • Social media account updates
  • Automated email template updates
  • New SEO best practices
  • Site audits
  • Marketing analytics and KPIs

All firms need marketing, no matter how small or simple the firm or its business development. PracticePanther simplifies tracking your marketing strategy success with features such as legal CRM to keep track of and tag leads based on a custom source.

Inbox Cleanup

Busy law firms can amass a lot of old files, documents, spam, and client correspondence in a physical or email inbox. Left unchecked, the inbox can become disorganized, overwhelming, and more difficult to tackle in a reasonable length of time.

Cleaning the inbox is always time-consuming, but law firms should set aside time in the schedule to completely clean out the inbox (both physical and digital) to bring it back to a “clean slate.”

This is also a good time for law firms to do some additional digital cleanup, such as deleting old files and folders from the computer, updating apps and programs, and running a cleaner program to remove all the “junk” that can slow an operating system down.

Fee Agreement Updates

Fee agreements are ripe for problems with compliance. In the spring, law firms should review and revise fee agreements to ensure they’re still in compliance with the local jurisdiction’s ethical rules. This is especially true if the law firm has added a new practice area in the past year.

Other changes can prompt an update of the fee agreement, such as changes to the forms of payment the law firm accepts, file destruction policies, and more.

Compliance reporting comes up quickly, and if a law firm isn’t prepared, it can be a mad dash to get everything together. Even if the deadline isn’t until the end of the year, it’s best for law firms to use the spring-cleaning period to check the CLE status.

If the state requires reporting of all courses, and some certificates are available, they can be sent in early. If the state is self-reporting, the certificates should be organized in preparation for a possible audit. It’s important that the certificates are backed up, such as with a cloud-based digital storage solution.

Technology Evaluation

Law firms have a lot of technology at their fingertips, whether in an all-in-one practice management solution or individual apps and subscriptions. All of this can add up, especially if certain apps or features aren’t used enough to make it worthwhile.

Along with the rest of the spring cleanup, law firms should take stock of all technology expenses for the firm and evaluate which options are beneficial. For example, the firm may have tried a subscription service or app on a trial basis (which has since shifted to paid) that no one uses. These costs can slip through the cracks, especially if they’re small.

PracticePanther all-in-one law practice management software eliminates the need for costly subscriptions by keeping many operations in-house. Your firm can process online payments with our built-in payments processor, send documents for signature with native eSignature, and even send text messages to clients with 2-way business text messaging without leaving the platform.

© Copyright 2022 PracticePanther

Article By PracticePanther

For more articles on the legal industry, visit the NLR Law Office Management

A Lawyer’s Guide to Integrated Marketing

Like many lawyers, I did not learn about marketing in law school. I knew nothing about communications or media relations before law school, either. When I graduated and began practicing at a boutique matrimonial law firm, there was no internal or external marketing resource, and no direct conversations or plans about public relations or branding. One founding partner talked about the importance of reputation for connecting with potential clients and how his connections in the legal community resulted in many referrals, but he never mentioned marketing.

Yet, as I tagged along to bar association meetings, drafted articles that the partner published in a legal journal, and received encouragement to network at Inns of Court sessions, I saw this side of legal practice come to light. We didn’t call it marketing, or PR, and it was well before social media, but I understood that the partner was intentionally marketing the practice and generating awareness of the firm’s experience — an effort that resulted in new client engagements.

When I decided to leave law after a few years, I enrolled in a New York University course about marketing for professional services. As luck would have it, the instructor was Deborah Brightman Farone, an extraordinary legal marketer then and now — she was inducted into the Legal Marketing Association’s Hall of Fame at the organization’s 2022 annual conference. Deborah introduced me to the field of law firm marketing, and since then, I have worked with hundreds of lawyers and professional marketers on business development and integrated marketing plans, and have helped them make marketing part of their daily practice.

Most lawyers need to understand what this marketing thing is all about. I see firsthand their appreciation for the importance of building client relationships, cross-selling expertise within the firm, and networking. However, I don’t see an understanding of the terms and tactics of legal marketing as often. I think that with so much to learn in law school, there just isn’t time to learn the business side of law. Once a lawyer is practicing law, there may be little direction about how to reach prospects and referral sources, stand apart from other lawyers doing similar work, and find time to “market oneself.”

I frequently read articles where lawyers describe their routes to becoming partner or managing a practice or office. The words “PR” or “marketing” may not appear in their answers, but as someone who has advised lawyers about practice growth for more than 20 years, I know that positioning themselves as knowledge leaders played a role in the success of their relationship-building and practice development. And that, of course, is marketing.

This article will take you through five steps I always examine with lawyers who are just getting started with marketing, or participating in a firmwide marketing program.

  1. Acknowledge the Need for Education

Earning a JD and passing the bar exam prepare a lawyer for the practice of law, but not the business of law. My colleague Vivian Hood recently wrote, “Law schools focus on teaching the art of law, and not so much on the art of connections.” Courses about marketing, public relations, or social media are not part of the law school curriculum. Rather, law school teaches students to read cases and apply precedent, analyze facts and frame arguments, and spot the real issues and see the red herrings. Likewise, legal writing courses, moot court competitions, internships, and other hands-on work prepare them for practicing law. Their understanding of marketing may extend to billboards they see on their way to work, law firm ads in legal journals, or networking events with bar associations.

Lawyers know how to practice law, but do not know what marketing is or how it supports business development and revenue. Education is the first step to heightening awareness. On many occasions, I have explained how PR works so lawyers understand the events that result in being quoted in a trade publication, or the behind-the-scenes steps that go into earning a speaking engagement at an industry event.

  1. Discuss Perceptions of Marketing

The only way to know how an attorney perceives marketing is to ask, and then provide guidance about worthwhile and suitable marketing efforts.

Lawyers often shy away from marketing because they associate it with sales. My colleague Glennie Green explains, “Most attorneys envision some sort of sales when the idea of marketing and business development comes up. They see car salespeople, or aggressive pitches for timeshares. But that is the wrong mindset. Business development is not sales. Business development is cultivating and nurturing relationships.”

Relationships can be built in many ways. A common misconception is that marketing success is based on the ability to be a natural rainmaker who can walk into any room and instantly make connections for the firm. That belief can create unrealistic expectations and undue stress, because rainmakers are few and far between. Relationships can be built and nurtured without that unique rainmaker quality. Everyone adapts to situations differently ­— some of us are introverts, others extroverts, or a combination of traits.

  1. Assess the Impact of Previous Experiences

Lawyers may base their perceptions of marketing on prior experiences. Lawyers have told me, “I wrote many articles in the past, and they never amounted to any new business.”

“I traveled to speak at a conference, and not a single attendee turned out to be a new client.”

“I did an interview with a reporter who misquoted me.”

“I have a LinkedIn profile, but I’m not interested in doing anything with it; it’s just like Facebook.”

Many people fear failure, and many transactional lawyers and litigators are driven by winning. It is no surprise, then, that lawyers question the value of something that has not been a winner in the past. Understanding and acknowledging these hesitations can lead to productive discussions about marketing and, more specifically, about techniques that may be better suited for the lawyer.

  1. Discuss the Time Commitment

The billable-hour model of legal practice can affect a lawyer’s availability to market their practice. Too many business-driving commitments will inevitably frustrate a lawyer and diminish the success of marketing. It’s better to work with a distinct set of action items that can take only a few minutes a day rather than many hours each week.

Glennie Green has helped lawyers identify their advocates — assistants, paralegals, the firm’s librarians; people they can partner with to achieve their action items. One managing partner with a busy practice serves as an example of this effort. “He has made a commitment to conduct a certain number of meetings a month with current and potential referral sources,” she says. “He enlists a paralegal in the office to help schedule those meetings, as well as maintain his ‘marketing’ calendar. This allows him to keep his focus on his practice and manage the firm. He regularly checks his calendar for new appointments, and he says he looks forward to seeing whom he will meet with next. Once he realized that he didn’t have to do it all and enlisted some help, his plan and marketing goals became not only manageable but systematic.”

  1. Find the Comfort Zone

Marketing efforts must be tailored to a lawyer’s personality and interests. Everyone has a different comfort level. Some lawyers love to speak at conferences, and others would rather research a case and write an analysis for a journal. One lawyer may already enjoy engaging on social media, and another may feel crushed for time but would be amenable to doing a 30-minute interview with a reporter. Perhaps a lawyer may enjoy participating in an association’s events or committees. Green explains, “Knowing a lawyer’s areas of confidence, and recognizing what causes any discomfort, is crucial to establish the right marketing plan with the flexibility to change direction as needed.”

The avenues for marketing include website content and branding, social media posts and engagement, media relations, published quotes and articles, rankings submissions and awards, conferences and speaking opportunities, networking, events, and more. The questions and conversations I’ve provided lead to more precise choices of marketing tactics, as well as more informed expectations of results. An integrated marketing and business development program offers lawyers a selection of tactics, with deliberate matching to their preferences and the flexibility to change as needed.

Article By Liz Bard Lindley of Jaffe

For more business of law legal news, click here to visit the National Law Review.

© Copyright 2008-2022, Jaffe Associates

How Businesses Can Use LinkedIn Company Newsletters in Their Marketing Efforts

LinkedIn has added what I think is the most helpful tool in a long time for businesses to engage with and bring value to their followers – the ability for LinkedIn Company Pages to publish email newsletters right through LinkedIn.

This underscores the importance of having a company page and how it can be used as a content hub for marketing and recruiting your business.

Linked Company Page newsletters are available to businesses with more than 150 followers that actively maintain their LinkedIn presences.

You can create a LinkedIn Company Page newsletter in three simple steps:

  1. Create: Start writing an article on and select “Create a Newsletter.” Give it a title, add a header image (it prompts you with the dimensions) and cut and paste your text. You can add hyperlinks and images for each article too.
  2. Publish: When you publish your newsletter it will post to your feed and LinkedIn will notify your followers. They can opt in to receive email and in-platform notifications when you publish new content.
  3. Review performance: View the analytics of each newsletter sent out and see the number of subscribers. The number increases pretty quickly which is awesome. And it’s opt in so you don’t have to worry about GDPR rules.

There’s a lot of opportunity here because it is a new feature (for companies – it’s been available to individuals for a short time) and most companies don’t know about it yet (and certainly aren’t using it yet), so being an early adopter is to your benefit.

Even if you send out an email newsletter, you should still utilize the LinkedIn platform to send out a newsletter because you will reach a different audience and cast a wider net for your content.

In addition, people are opting into this newsletter, so it’s not building an audience from scratch, and if you haven’t ever sent out an email newsletter, this is a great way to start. If email marketing programs and CRM management tools overwhelm you, this is a great way to test out the waters.

It’s also really easy to repurpose content you already have. I would include hyperlinks to your website or blog with the full text (in order to keep the newsletter short and to drive traffic to your site).

You can embed links from YouTube into the newsletter to play. Check out my LinkedIn newsletter to see how it looks.

Here are some content ideas for what you can include in your LinkedIn Company Page Newsletter:

  • Article snippets with links to your latest blog posts or client alerts
  • Links to past webinars (provide a synopsis too)
  • Links to recent podcasts and videos (with shownotes)
  • Recent case studies
  • Q&As with your employees
  • Highlights of your community service/pro bono work
  • Announcements of your recent hires
  • Recent press coverage (this would be the only place where I would recommend including self-promotional items in the newsletter – the rest of it should be client-focused)
  • Upcoming events/webinars – this is a great way to promote them
  • Open jobs – why not promote them through this newsletter? It’s a competitive job market
  • News about your diversity and women’s initiatives programs – clients care a lot about this

Check out this new feature and let me know what you think of it. With nearly 800 million people on LinkedIn and the fact that your competitors are very likely not using it yet, it’s at least worth trying out.

Article By Stefanie M. Marrone of Stefanie Marrone Consulting

For more business of law thought leadership, click here to visit the National Law Review.

Copyright © 2022, Stefanie M. Marrone. All Rights Reserved.

Law Firms Respond to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine: How the Legal Industry & the Public Can Help

On February 21, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered ground troops into the eastern Ukrainian provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk. Invading under the guise of establishing independence for the region on February 24, Russia started bombing key points of interest around the country, including the capital city of Kyiv. At the time of writing, the skirmishes remain ongoing, with Russia expanding its invasion force as the days go on.

The ramifications of Russia’s war are widespread. In Ukraine, infrastructural damage is considerable, an estimated 2 million civilians are evacuating or have been driven from their homes. The death toll remains uncertain at this time, but the Ukrainian health ministry estimates that hundreds of citizens have been killed as a result of the violence. Globally, financial markets are in a state of rapid flux, seeing huge rises in inflation, a strained supply chain and plummeting stock prices.

Law firms in the United States and abroad have responded to the conflict by offering pro bono services in anticipation of resultant legal complications and organized means by which money can be donated to Ukrainian humanitarian efforts.

How Have Law Firms Responded to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine?

In some instances, firms have also closed offices in Ukraine to protect workers, and severed ties with Russian businesses. Law firms that have closed offices in Ukraine include Dentons, CMS and Baker McKenzie, which have closed offices in Kyiv.

“Dentons has established a taskforce to monitor and manage the crisis situation, with a primary focus on protecting our people,”  Tomasz Dąbrowski, CEO of Dentons Europe, told the National Law Review. “We are in regular contact with our team in Kyiv and are providing our colleagues and their families with any possible assistance, including transport, relocation and accommodation assistance in the neighboring countries. Furthermore, we have seen a wave of kindness and generosity from our people across Europe, who have volunteered to provide accommodation in their homes for Ukrainian colleagues.  Furthermore, in addition to the financial support our Firm is providing to our Ukrainian colleagues, we have also received financial donations from around the world to help them resettle.”

Many law firms have announced they are closing offices in Russia, including Squire Patton Boggs, Latham & Watkins Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld and Morgan Lewis & Bockius, among others. Norton Rose Fulbright announced March 7 that they are winding down their operations in Russia and will be closing their Moscow office as soon as they can, calling Russia’s invasion of Ukraine “increasingly brutal.”

“The wellbeing of our staff in the region is a priority. We thank our 50 colleagues in Moscow for their loyal service and will support them through this transition.”

Norton Rose Fulbright said they “stand unequivocally with the people of Ukraine,” and are taking steps to respond to the invasion.

“Some immediate actions are possible and we are taking them. We are not accepting any further instructions from businesses, entities or individuals connected with the current Russian regime, irrespective of whether they are sanctioned or not. In addition, we continue to review exiting from existing work for them where our professional obligations as lawyers allow. Where we cannot exit from current matters, we will donate the profits from that work to appropriate humanitarian and charitable causes,” the statement read. “We are working with our charitable partners in every region to raise funds to help the people of Ukraine, as well as providing pro bono support to those Ukrainians and others who are being forced to relocate.”

Law firms have also stepped forward to offer pro bono assistance to those affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Law Firms Offering Pro Bono Assistance to Ukraine

Akin Gump Partner and Pro Bono Practice leader Steven Schulman explained how the legal industry is collaborating and working to provide assistance:

“So what we often do in these crises, we will self organize, [and] say who’s a point person who knows what’s going on, and then we will share information so that again, we’re lightening the load on the legal aid organizations.”

Another law firm offering assistance to Ukraine is  Covington & Burling, which the country hired to help pursue its claim against  Russia at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Specifically, Ukraine asked the court to order Russia to halt its invasion. Covington filed a claim on behalf of Ukraine to the ICJ.

Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are providing emergency aid in Ukraine, as well as in neighboring countries, such as Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania to help people displaced by the war as they come across the border, Mr.Dąbrowski said. These organizations are providing food, water, hygiene supplies and other necessities, and urgent psychological counseling. Specific NGOs on the ground in Ukraine include Mercy Corps, Fight for Right, Project HOPE, Hungarian Helsinki Committee, and  Fundacja Ocalenie, among others.

However, NGOs need cash donations in order to keep providing aid. Mr.Dąbrowski detailed what pro bono work Dentons is doing, and how the firm is supporting NGOs:

“Our Positive Impact team is in touch with numerous NGOs and lawyers from our firm to identify opportunities for pro bono legal advice, mainly in the countries which share a border with Ukraine.  We are already working with NGOs in Poland and Hungary which are helping Ukrainian refugees displaced by the war. We are assisting with issues related to employment law, contracts, establishment of charitable foundations, etc… We are also in discussions with an international relief agency which is looking to set up operations within Ukraine.

While men between the ages of 18 and 60 are currently prohibited from leaving Ukraine, as of March 10, 2022, the conflict has created one of the largest refugee crises within the last few decades.

“We have activated our registered charitable foundation to collect donations from our people around the world to support Ukrainian families – and particularly children –  displaced by the war, including some of our own people from Kyiv.  So far, our colleagues from around the world have donated or pledged close to €300,000,” Mr.Dąbrowski said. “We have already distributed €60,000 of that to eight NGOs in Poland, Hungary and Romania, which are providing emergency aid, food and water, hygiene supplies, transportation, medical and psychological care, shelter and schooling to Ukrainian civilians fleeing from the war”

Concerns with immigration and refugee asylum is the next expected complication. In the short-term, the Department of Homeland Security is prioritizing Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designations for those already in the U.S.

For the public, there are a number of actions to take to support Ukrainians. However, those wishing to help should make sure to do their research before making any donations in order to ensure the funds end up in the right hands.

How Can Members of the Public Help Ukraine?

Possible scam organizations and outreach programs are common during international crises, so it’s important to know the signs of fraudulent charities. Some best practices for providing support include:

  • Giving directly to an organization rather than through shared donation links on social media

  • Being wary of crowdfunding efforts

  • Doing a background check on an organization and its donation claims using Charity Watch, Give.org, and Charity Navigator.

Some examples of charitable organizations focused on Ukraine relief include:

Informational resources for those affected are provided below:

Conclusion

Law firms and the public alike have stepped up to offer assistance and financial help to those most affected by the Russian invasion. Law firms cutting ties with Russian businesses and closing offices in Russia shows that the legal industry is standing behind Ukraine as the conflict continues to escalate.

In upcoming coverage, the National Law Review will be writing about how law firms are helping clients handle Russian sanctions, as well as the immigration implications of refugees displaced by the war in Ukraine.

*The quotes and input of interviewees reflect the latest information on the Russian invasion of Ukraine as of March 7, 2022. Readers can find the latest legal news from around the world on The National Law Review’s Global Law page.*

Article By Chandler Ford, Jessica Scheck, and Rachel Popa of the The National Law Review / The National Law Forum LLC

Copyright ©2022 National Law Forum, LLC

February 2022 Legal News Roundup: Women in Law, Promotions & More

Happy belated Valentine’s Day from the National Law Review team. Please read on for new legal industry hires, promotions and awards.

Firm Recognition & Awards

Much is included on the 2022 Top Workplaces USA list, which recognizes organizations with a people-centered culture.

“At Much, our culture centers on people: our employees, our clients, and our community partners,” said Managing Partner Mitchell Roth. “We work each day to support a collaborative, kind, and service-oriented environment, so to be recognized for our culture on a national level is a tremendous honor.”

The rankings are based on employee feedback from a survey administered by Energage, an employee engagement technology partner. The survey gauged various aspects of workplace culture, including  alignment, execution, connection, and more.

Womble Bond Dickinson is one of the Best Places to Work for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) workplace equality, earning a perfect score of 100 percent on the 2022 Corporate Equality Index (CEI).

The survey is administered by the Human Rights Campaign, and acts as a benchmarking tool to track how businesses are adopting equitable workplace policies, practices and benefits for LGBTQ+ employees. Womble Bond Dickinson earned perfect scores every year since 2015.

“We are honored to be named one of the HRC’s Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ Employees once again,” said Betty Temple, Chair & CEO of Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP. “We at Womble Bond Dickinson have worked hard to promote diversity and inclusion. These efforts include earning Mansfield Rule 4.0 Certification. The goal of the Mansfield Rule is to boost the representation of historically underrepresented lawyers—including LGBTQ+ attorneys—in law firm leadership, partner promotions and lateral hires by broadening the pool of candidates considered for these opportunities. We have much more work to do, but we are proud to be recognized for the progress we have made.”

Lawdragon recognized Foley & Lardner partners Daniel Kaplan, John (Jack) Lord, Jr., and Rachel Powitzky Steely on its 2022 edition of 500 Leading U.S. Corporate Employment Lawyers, an annual recognition of the nation’s top advisors on workforce issues. Lawdragon selected the honorees based on submissions, editorial vetting and journalistic research.

Lawdragon said that this year’s honorees “specialize in defending corporations in everything from wage and overtime claims to trade secret disputes, while helping companies maintain global workforces throughout a pandemic.”

Law firm Hiring & Additions

Varnum LLP expanded its intellectual property practice with the addition of Timothy D. Kroninger. Joining the firm’s Detroit office as an associate, Mr. Kroninger focuses his practice on copyright law, trade secret law, patent and trademark prosecution and more. He also has experience in drafting design patent applications, as well as participating in United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) trademark opposition proceedings.

Beyond his practice at Varnum, Mr. Kroninger works as a supervising attorney in the Trademark and Entrepreneur Clinic at University of Detroit Mercy College of Law. There, he instructs law students on copyright registration, drafting corporate documents, and protection of trademarks.

Beveridge & Diamond PC elected four new principals: Eric Christensen, located in Seattle; Allyn Stern, located in Seattle; Michael Vitris, located in Austin; and Gus Winkes, located in Seattle. Mr. Christensen practices in energy law, assisting companies and consumers in navigating the legal and regulatory landscape. Ms. Stern, former U.S. EPA regional counsel, helps clients develop environmental compliance strategies. Mr. Winkles practices in a variety of fields, providing solutions-oriented legal representation in the areas of enforcement defense, regulatory compliance, and contaminated site cleanup. Mr. Vitris, former litigation attorney with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, defends companies in class actions and environmental mass torts.

“Each of these Principals’ talents, skills, and expertise deepen and enhance B&D’s dynamic regulatory compliance and litigation practice as environmental and energy law continue to evolve,” said firmwide managing principal Kathy Szmuszkovicz. “They’ve proven their ability to deliver top-notch service to clients and to serve as thought-leaders at a particularly exciting time in our practice. We look forward to their continued success and contributions in their new roles.”

Barnes & Thornburg LLP added five new attorneys and legal professionals across various offices. Associate William Choi  joined the firm’s Los Angeles office, and associate Albert D. Farr joined the New York office. Mr. Choi focuses his practice on product liability and complex civil litigation, and he is well-versed in all aspects of pretrial case management. Likewise, Mr. Farr practices in transactional tax law, counseling multinational strategic and private equity clients on transaction tax structuring, tax diligence and more.

Furthermore, legal professionals Amit Datta, Al Maloof, and Soyoung Yang joined Barnes & Thornburg’s Chicago, Indianapolis, and Washington D.C. offices, respectively. Dr. Datta, a business transaction advisor, provides targeted legal advice and strategic insight for European clients conducting business in the U.S. Mr. Maloof, a client relationship specialist, provides strategic consultation among the firm’s government services, compliance and regulatory attorneys. Ms. Yang, a legal fellow, aids attorneys and clients on matters related to international trade, customs and the supply chain.

William L. Nimick  joined the Construction Litigation and Counsel practice group at Goldberg Segalla LLP. An experienced litigator, Mr. Nimick is located in the firm’s Raleigh office, where he counsels insurers, contractors, subcontractors and corporate entities in liability claims including but not limited to property damage, personal injury and construction defects.

Previously, Mr. Nimick worked as a civil litigator across North Carolina, representing clients in areas such as wrongful death, workers’ compensation, and subrogation. Specifically he  handled subrogation claims such as motor vehicle accidents, product liability lawsuits and large fire losses.

Women in the Legal Industry

Angela Bowlin of Frilot LLC law firm has accepted a position serving on the International Association of Defense Council (IADC), an organization for attorneys who represent corporate and insurance matters. Ms. Bowlin focuses her practice on mass torts and class actions, with experience in asbestos and other toxic tort cases.

“I am honored to have been selected as a member of IADC and look forward to working on the many important committees related to the law and its many facets,” said Ms. Bowlin.

Nicole Archibald joined Foley Hoag LLP as their Director of Legal Recruiting. Ms. Archibald will work alongside the Foley Hoag team to attract and promote a diverse group of attorneys to help the firm achieve its diversity and inclusion goals.

“We’re very pleased to welcome Nicole to Foley Hoag, and are confident that she will be a great asset to the firm and its culture. Her considerable prior experience as a director of recruiting, legal search consultant and practicing litigator will prove a valuable asset as we look to 2022 and beyond. Our executive committee, practice leaders, hiring committee and I are excited to begin working with Nicole to attract new talent and strengthen our market-leading practices,” said Foley Hoag Co-Managing Partner Kenneth Leonetti.

“I look forward to collaborating with Foley Hoag’s management, department chairs and practice leaders, and hiring committee to develop, implement and execute proactive recruiting initiatives to further the firm’s hiring goals and strategic growth plan,” said Ms. Archibald.

Norton Rose Fulbright appointed New York partner Robin Adelstein as the Co-Head of Commercial Litigation, joining Houston partner Andrew Price. Ms. Adelstein brings extensive experience in litigating complex commercial disputes and advises companies with respect to antitrust issues regarding mergers, joint ventures and more.

“Robin has long been respected as a leader within the firm as our Global and US Head of Antitrust and Competition, and she is a highly-recognized practitioner in her field. I look forward to seeing the great work that our commercial litigation group will do under Robin’s and Andrew’s leadership,” said Jeff Cody, Norton Rose Fulbright’s US Managing Partner.

“Our firm has a longstanding reputation for advising clients on their most complex and significant matters. It is an honor to head Norton Rose Fulbright’s commercial litigation group along with Andrew; I am proud to be leading such a talented group of lawyers,” said Ms. Adelstein.

Article By Rachel Popa, Hanna Taylor, and Chandler Ford of The National Law Review / The National Law Forum LLC

For more on the business of law and legal news, click here to visit the National Law Review.

Copyright ©2022 National Law Forum, LLC

Bouncing Back with Justice Leah Ward Sears [PODCAST]

Former Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears had to overcome multiple systemic barriers including racism and misogyny, but a personal setback – divorce – is something that profoundly shaped her. In this episode of Bouncing Back, Justice Sears shares with Rebecca Glatzer how she came to terms with her divorce and to accept that she could not control—or fix—everything in her life.

With decades of experience as an attorney, a jurist and an elected official, Justice Leah Ward Sears, a Partner in the Litigation Section of Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP, brings a powerful combination of strategy, analytical thinking and tactical action that gives her clients a compelling edge in complex litigation, appeal, and arbitration and mediation.

Recognized as one of Georgia’s leading legal luminaries and role models, Ms. Sears broke numerous barriers in her swift rise to the highest court in Georgia. When she was elected to the Superior Court of Fulton County, she became the first woman to ever serve on that court. Later she was appointed, and then elected, to serve as a Justice on the Supreme Court of Georgia — again, the first woman as well as the youngest jurist ever on that court.

She rose to Presiding Justice and in 2005 her colleagues elevated her to Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court, where she served until retiring from the bench in 2009. During her tenure at the Georgia Supreme Court, Ms. Sears spearheaded an effort to establish the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution, which is a policy-making body under the auspices of the Georgia Supreme Court that oversees the development of court-connected alternative dispute resolution (ADR) programs in Georgia. She also chaired the Judicial Council of Georgia and was a member of the Board of Directors of the National Conference of Chief Justices.

Since returning to private practice, Ms. Sears has concentrated on prosecuting appeals in both the state and federal courts in many jurisdictions across the United States. This often means embedding with the trial team to develop and execute pretrial and trial strategy, build credible evidence, and begin positioning for an appeal while the trial is underway by preserving evidence and proactively looking for narrowly focused issues at trial that will help protect a hard-fought victory or overturn an unfavorable outcome.

Ms. Sears earned an advanced degree (LLM) in Appellate Judicial Studies from the University of Virginia Law School, and she completed a Juris Doctorate (JD) at Emory University School of Law. She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University.

©2022 Major, Lindsey & Africa, an Allegis Group Company. All rights reserved.
For more articles about legal leaders, visit the NLR Civil Rights type of law page.

Why Lawyers Should Never Pay for Awards or Honors and Never List Those on Their Web Site

I’m honored/humbled/excited/thrilled to announce that I’ve been nominated for a “lawyer of distinction” award but there’s just one problem, I’m not a lawyer!

And this is exactly why I have an issue with so many of these lawyer “awards.” They’re scams.

My PSA to all lawyers – I promise that you DO NOT need these spammy fake pay-to-play awards.

They actually undermine your credibility.

If a client sees them on your website or on your LinkedIn profile they’re going to question your credentials.

Much to the chagrin of many legal marketing professionals, these organizations reach out directly to lawyers which creates confusion and also hope on the part of the lawyers who are excited for being recognized, and then it’s up to us to break the unpleasant news that these are actually scams, which is always fun for us /p>

There are plenty of reputable awards in the legal industry that involve references, research and submissions with your client work, so focus on those, if you must.

And those awards don’t ask you for a dime.

A pay-to-play award is one where the defining characteristic of who gets “honored” is paying to be listed, not actual skills or expertise.

Real awards honor exceptional lawyers without caring whether they pay or not.

I can give you 10,000 things on which you should spend your money when it comes to marketing and business development that are better value versus these spammy awards.

So lawyers, please don’t pay for a profile for these bogus awards, use their badges on your website or pay for a plaque, especially if you know it is a scam, or if you have a nagging suspicion.

Also you don’t need a plaque anymore because you’re probably not really going into the office that much and even if you were in the office isn’t it a little much to have a bunch of plaques about yourself hanging on the wall? I always thought that was weird when I walked into a partner’s office and it was all about them…

Put these phony award solicitations where they belong – in your spam folder or right in the trash.

And if you’re unsure whether an award has merit, reach out to your marketing person, reach out to me or reach out to Igor Ilyinsky who put together a running list of the spammy awards to watch out for.

Just know that you don’t need one of these awards to validate how good you are at what you do. And you certainly don’t have to pay anyone to tell you that.

These awards are going to bring you new clients. What will is superior client service, referrals and strategic marketing and business development.

It was nice to have that Esq next to my name for a second though

Copyright © 2022, Stefanie M. Marrone. All Rights Reserved.

Article By Stefanie M. Marrone of  Stefanie Marrone Consulting

For more articles on legal marketing, visit the NLR Law Office Management section.

January 2022 Legal News Roundup: Law Firm Moves, Hiring & Recognition

Happy 2022 to all of our readers! We hope you all had a safe and healthy New Year. Read on for more legal industry updates.

Recent Law Firm Moves and Hiring

Van Ness Feldman law firm elected three new partners in their Seattle office:

“Clara, Steven, and Chris have distinguished themselves not only through their professional accomplishments, but by their relationships with clients and colleagues. They reinforce the firm’s collaborative culture,” said Van Ness Feldman Seattle Managing Partner Tadas Kisielius.

Stubbs, Alderton & Markiles (SA&M)  have expanded their firm with the additions of Apparel and Fashion lawyer Mark Brutzkus and litigator Nick Rozansky to their office in Southern California.

Mr. Brutzkus represents consumer product companies in various e-commerce and sourcing issues, and has advised apparel, textile and consumer product clients during various stages of the corporate process.

“SA&M is an excellent platform for me to expand my consumer product practice, particularly because the Firm has unparalleled experience working with venture-backed emerging growth, middle-market public, large technology, and entertainment and digital media companies, as well as investors, venture capital funds, investment bankers, and underwriters. More and more of my clients are asking for ancillary practice areas and specialized attorneys who can help with long term, holistic goals,” said Mr. Brutzkus.

Mr. Rozansky advises corporate clients on various issues including litigation matters, risk avoidance, IP protection, and more. When necessary, Mr. Rozansky handles more high-stakes cases such as infringement issues, contract cases and shareholder disputes.

“This move provides my clients with much needed corporate and M&A expertise, and greatly expands my litigation capacity by joining three renowned litigation partners and several extremely capable litigation associates,” said Mr. Rozansky.

“Mark and Nick share the values that make up our unique and coveted culture at Stubbs Alderton, and we look forward to Mark and Nick making immediate and lasting contributions to our Firm,” said Scott Alderton, SA&M’s Managing Partner.

Gilbert LLP elected Heather Frazier to the firm’s partnership, effective January 1, 2022. Ms. Frazier focuses on insurance recovery in mass-tort proceedings, complex alternative dispute resolution, and other matters. Ms. Frazier has been with Gilbert since 2015.

“I am thrilled to join the partnership at Gilbert alongside the most innovative and dynamic lawyers I have had the fortune to know. I look forward to continuing to contribute to the firm’s growth and unique culture in this new role and assisting our clients in resolving the unresolvable,” said Ms. Frazier.

“In her time with us, Heather has established herself not only as an excellent lawyer, but also as an outstanding Gilbert citizen. She has been a true asset to all of us, serving our clients and our community with talent, dedication and tenacity.  We look forward to a long, exciting and mutually satisfying relationship with our newest partner,” said firm founder Scott Gilbert.

Bernstein Shur law firm announced the election of four attorneys to shareholder:

“This is an outstanding group of lawyers. They’ve each shown impressive dedication not only to their clients but also to our local communities and the legal profession. I’m confident they will continue to use their deep knowledge and skills to deliver high-quality legal counsel to help our clients meet their business goals,” said Bernstein Shur CEO Joan Fortin.

Legal Industry Recognition and Awards

Polsinelli’s intellectual property department recently ranked in three of Patexia Inc.’s reports: ANDA Litigation Intelligence Report, IPR Intelligence Report and CAFC Intelligence Report.

The firm received multiple awards, including ranking among the Best Performing and Most Active Law Firms in several categories in Patexia Inc.’s 2021 ANDA Litigation Intelligence Report. Polsinelli also ranked among the Best Performing and Most Active Law Firms, which evaluated 243 law firms and 1,471 attorneys on activity and performance within the Hatch-Waxman/ANDA space.

“Our team continues to work hard and provide excellent client service, which is on display as we continue to rank highly in Patexia’s various reports,” said our Intellectual Property Department Chair Pat Woolley. “As one of the nation’s largest IP practices, our commitment to focusing on our clients’ businesses and service needs has again enabled us to earn recognition as one of the best performing firms.”

Dinsmore earned a diversity award from Crain’s Cleveland Business in its issue recognizing seven “notable businesses championing diversity and inclusion.” Dinsmore recently earned Mansfield Rule 4.0 Certification Plus for the 2021 iteration of the diverse leadership hiring initiative.

The firm also launched a  Pre-Law Minority Program to help students of color at four Kentucky universities, as well as creating a fellowship with Procter & Gamble and the Ohio Innocence Project at Cincinnati Law for a recent diverse law school graduate to gain experience in civil rights litigation and policy.

Everyone has a customer in the business world, and the customer population is becoming more diverse,” partner Richik Sarkar told Crain’s. “Look around your company. If everyone seems the same, especially in leadership, you’ll have a problem serving your customer, and if you don’t take steps to understand your customers, you’ll face failure sooner rather than later.”

Six Wiggin and Dana attorneys are included on the Best Lawyers in America® 2022 Family Law Edition.

They include the following partners:

And one associate is included on the Best Lawyers 2022 “Ones to Watch” list:

Chief Justice Stuart Rabner and the Supreme Court of New Jersey appointed Stark & Stark Shareholder Bhaveen Jani to the Supreme Court of New Jersey to the Supreme Court Committee on the Unauthorized Practice of Law.

“I am honored to have just been appointed to an important Supreme Court Committee where I will be able to protect the people in New Jersey and the legal profession from the unauthorized practice of law,” said Bhaveen. “Great responsibility comes with being an attorney, especially for our clients and the community, and this committee will work to protect those we serve.”

Mr. Jani’s three year term began January 1, 2022, and will end on December 31, 2024. Mr. Jani is part of a number of professional organizations in New Jersey, which qualified him for the position. These organizations include the New Jersey State Bar Association, the South Asian Bar Association of New Jersey, the New Jersey Association for Justice, the American Association for Justice, the Hunterdon County Bar Association and the Mercer County Bar Association.

The committee performs three major functions, including supplying advisory opinions, inquiry into complaints and investigation of the unauthorized practice of law.

Shumaker attorney Melanie Griffin was appointed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as the Secretary of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). Ms. Griffin has advised businesses in a variety of commercial law issues and also has substantial employment law and trust and estate experience as well. Ms. Griffin has been recognized by many organizations over the years for her outstanding leadership efforts.

“I’m so pleased for Melanie to have this opportunity to service the citizens of the state of Florida,” said Ron Christaldi, Shumaker’s Tampa Managing Partner and President of Shumaker Advisors Florida. “With her depth of experience and her understanding of the business community, she will be an excellent leader of this important state agency.”

Shelli Erffmeyer and Renee Stallions, employees at Varnum LLP, were recently named Unsung Legal Heroes by Michigan Lawyers Weekly. The publication’s award recognizes non-attorney legal professionals who frequently surpass expectations and go above and beyond in their roles. Ms. Erffmeyer, a legal assistant supporting Varnum’s Litigation practice group, has been noted for her outstanding initiative and dedication, especially through the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Ms. Stallions, a senior systems applications analyst in the firm’s Information Technology Department, has been noted for her considerable flexibility and work ethic, ensuring Varnum’s technology continues to operate efficiently across all offices.

“Both Shelli and Renee are very deserving of this recognition. Their exemplary service and commitment to the firm was especially appreciated this past year throughout the challenges of the pandemic,” said Scott Hill, Varnum Executive Partner. “As we congratulate Shelli and Renee, we are once again reminded of the vital role of our support staff. Their contributions are critical to the success of our firm.”

Much Shelist, P.C. has announced its new membership in the Law Firm Antiracism Alliance (LFAA). The LFAA, which seeks racial equality and systemic change in the law, helps to coordinate allied law firms in order to enact change that benefits underserved and oppressed communities. Previously, Much has assisted the LFAA in filing an amicus brief before the Supreme Court, which argues that the Court should consider the retroactive application of Ramos v. Louisiana (which holds that non-unanimous jury verdicts are unconstitutional).

“We’re proud to join the nearly 300 Alliance firms working together to address systemic racism in the law,” said Steve Blonder, chair of the firm’s social responsibility initiative, Much Community. “It’s our privilege and our responsibility to continue working for the rights of marginalized people.”

Copyright ©2022 National Law Forum, LLC

Article By Hanna Taylor,  Rachel Popa and Chandler Ford of The National Law Review / The National Law Forum LLC

For more articles on the legal industry, visit the NLR Law Office Management section.

How Does SEO Help Law Firms? 10 Benefits

How Does SEO Help Law Firms?

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is one of the most effective marketing strategies for law firms. Think about it: What better way to reach potential clients than in Google?

After all, people use Google to search for lawyers and legal service providers in their area – more than any other platform. SEO empowers law firms to rank high in the search results and attract clients who are already looking for services like theirs.

But SEO doesn’t just help law firms attract new clients. There are many benefits to adopting a law firm SEO strategy.

1. Organic Traffic

SEO is first and foremost focused on improving a website’s Google rankings and driving organic traffic. Most often, the goal is to rank high, consistently, in Search and earn organic visitors for the long term.

Lawyers can optimize their website for the search terms (“keywords”) people are using to search for their services. For example, if you are a family lawyer in Denver, you can attempt to rank for “denver family lawyer,” “family lawyer in denver,” “family law attorney denver” and the like.

Organic (unpaid) marketing is great because it doesn’t require a hefty ad spend in order to yield results. You can adopt your own SEO strategies to rank your website or choose to hire an SEO professional to aid the process.

2. Improved User Experience

Believe it or not, SEO is not just about pleasing the Google gods. In actuality, your goal should be to provide the best website experience, content, and information to your prospective visitors. Google’s algorithm serves to rank content that best matches what users are searching for.

SEO necessarily improves user experience (UX) because UX is included in Google’s known ranking factors. The speed, interactivity, and accessibility of your website are all important in terms of pleasing visitors and letting Google know your website is optimized.

A great UX keeps users on your website for longer and encourages them to “opt in” (contact you) rather than going to your competitors.

3. Faster Website Speed

Google assesses a website’s Core Web Vitals in order to determine that a website is fast and that its content is easily rendered to users. In other words, it wants to ensure that when users land on your site, it doesn’t take decades for your content to load.

Slow website speed can be a huge deterrent to potential clients. If your website takes too long, they are likely to go elsewhere. Also, slow website speed often means you have “heavy” images and code on your site, which can essentially glitch out or fail to load when users interact with them.

An effective SEO strategy works to improve your website’s Core Web Vitals across the board so you’re sure to provide a fast, user-friendly website experience to your visitors.

4. Better Content Marketing

The success of your SEO is largely driven by content. The content on your web pages and on your blog posts work to attract the right kinds of users to your site, improve your site’s authority, and so much more.

When you care about SEO, you care about your content, and in turn, create better content for users and for search engines. Better content not only ranks higher in Search, but it is more readily shared by users. Plus, your written content is often what ultimately convinces people to hire you.

5. Earned Links and Authority

Backlinks (links from other websites) are essentially votes of confidence from outside sites that your website is informative, factual, and valuable to users. Every SEO strategy aims to earn these authority-boosting links to show Google your website is legit.

Earned authority can improve your website’s appearance in search. At the same time, links from other websites can drive additional traffic to your website. Blogging, content marketing, and outreach are just a few ways law firms can earn backlinks for SEO.

6. Referral Traffic

Referral traffic is traffic that comes in via outside links or from other websites. SEO can help drive referral traffic to your site, because other sites begin to notice your content and want to link to it.

At the same time, most law firms adopt a localized SEO strategy that involves submitting their business information to local directories. These directories can then send more visitors (and leads) to your website.

Also, publishing expert-level content can grab the attention of other blogs and publications, which may then choose to feature you. Then, you can get this referral traffic via interviews, podcasts, and guest posts.

7. More Phone Calls

Law firm SEO often requires a localized strategy in order to target users in a specific service area. To do this, law firms can produce geo-specific content on their websites, submit to local directories, and even create a Google My Business listing.

Local SEO helps law firms get noticed in local search. With local listings, law firms can share their business contact information to drive more phone calls and leads.

In short, visitors don’t even need to visit your website if they are able to find your phone number directly from Google!

8. Improved Client Intake

Website optimization makes it far easier to collect lead information and file it away for better client intake. By including contact forms and contact information on your website, you can generate more digital leads and save this information to your client management system.

If you are strictly relying on phone calls, you’re likely missing out on a ton of potential leads. Contact forms, chat bots, and opt-ins make it easier than ever to gather lead information in real-time. You can even automate text messaging or email follow-up to reach potential clients faster.

9. Local and Foot Traffic

Local SEO also makes it easier for potential clients to find your physical office. You’re able to post your address and other business information so people can visit you in person, without ever having to go to your website.

Localization also sends geo-specific “cues” to Google telling it where your business exists and the areas it serves. If you have this information, it makes it more likely you will appear in the right local search results for the right audience. This is especially true if you work in a competitive market, but your competitors have not implemented SEO.

10. Reviews and Ratings

Reviews and SEO present a “chicken and the egg” situation; great reviews influence SEO, and SEO helps law firms earn reviews. There’s no way to go wrong!

Positive client reviews indicate to Google (and users) that your law firm is trustworthy, real (important!), and highly revered. SEO, in turn, encourages law firms to reach out and generate more positive reviews so they can improve their rankings.

Think those 5-star ratings don’t matter for Search? Think again! Not only do potential clients want to see those shining reviews, but Google values your business’s reputation as well. So don’t forget about reviews when it comes to your SEO.

SEO helps put your law firm on the map

SEO helps law firms beyond just traffic and lead generation; it provides a well-rounded marketing strategy that improves your business’s overall digital presence. And a better digital presence means more opportunities to attract new legal clients!

Every law firm should adopt SEO in order to improve user experience, website speed, content, and local visibility. This is one of the best ways to drive sustainable, organic traffic and put your website on the (Google) map.

Copyright 2022 © Hennessey Digital

Article By Jason Hennessey of Hennessey Digital

For more articles on SEO, visit the NLR Law Office Management section.