Tag: law office management

September 2022 Legal Industry News and Updates: Law Firm Growth and Expansion, Industry Recognition, and Spotlights on Women in Law

Happy autumn from the National Law Review! As the seasons change, we hope you are having a safe and healthy year. Please read on for the latest news coverage in the legal field, including law firm hiring and expansion, industry awards and recognition, and continued updates on women in law.

In addition, please be sure to check out Episode 4 of the Legal News Reach podcast: “The Perfect Storm: Law Firm Marketing & Business Development Budgeting with Beth Cuzzone, Global Practice Leader of Intapp.”

Law Firm Hiring and Expansion

Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP has named two new attorneys to lead their growing Public Sector practice group: partner Andy Mayts will serve as the chair of the group, and partner Patrick Duggan will serve as co-chair. Mr. Matts focuses his practice on banking, finance, and construction-related litigation. He handles complex civil litigation for many clients, including large businesses, national banks, and other financial institutions. Mr. Duggan practices employment law and litigation in complex workplace public sector and business disputes, with a specific focus on the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and other prominent legislation.

“It will take unique thinking and creativity to help governmental and public entities meet the growing needs of our communities,” said Shumaker Management Committee Vice Chair Jennifer Compton. “Andy and Patrick are top-performers and ready to meet this demand. With their leadership, we are confident that Shumaker’s Public Sector Practice will have continued growth and success.”

Stephanie J. Blumstein has joined law firm A.Y. Strauss as a partner in the Franchise practice group. Ms. Blumstein has a great deal of franchise litigation experience, including matters related to breach of contract, trademark infringement, fraud claims, business competition, and lease negotiations. She has assisted prospective franchisees as well as veteran franchise owners on all types of issues. Ms. Blumstein was also recognized in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

“I am thrilled to welcome Stephanie to the team,” said Marisa Rauchway, chair of the firm’s Franchise Group. “As a veteran of the national franchise community, her broad legal talents and deep industry knowledge will add immediate value to both existing and future clients of our practice.”

Michael Best added Dan Forest, former Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina, as a senior advisor in the firm’s Raleigh office. Joining the Government Relations practice group, Mr. Forest assists Michael Best Strategies with developing a strong bipartisan team of professionals who are focused on serving clients with public affairs and government relations needs. In his former role as Lieutenant Governor, Mr. Forest also served as President of the North Carolina Senate, Chairman of the Energy Policy Council, and Chairman of the Digital Technology Committee as a member of the State Board of Education.

“We’re excited to add Dan to our leadership team in North Carolina,” said Andy Jones, North Carolina Managing Partner for Michael Best & Friedrich, LLP. “Dan’s record of service and deep network across the State will help us continue to build our entrepreneurial-minded team of professionals and round out our ability to provide full-service solutions to our clients.”

BakerHostetler added Lisa Houssiere as a member of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group and Energy Industry team in their Houston office.  Ms. Houssiere has extensive experience in international disputes and investigations, particularly in the energy sector, and has worked on several high-profile Foreign Corrupt Practices Act cases and advised clients under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the European Commission.

Commenting on Ms. Housssiere’s addition to the firm, W. Ray Whitman, chair of BakerHostetler’s national Litigation Practice Group, stated. “Her range of trial work, including complex energy, antitrust and intellectual property matters, brings additional depth to our internationally recognized litigation practice.”

Venable LLP expanded its Product Liability and Mass Torts team in the Chicago and Los Angeles with the addition of partner John Roberts (Chicago) and partner Karen Firstenberg (Los Angeles). Mr. Roberts assists clients in the areas of product liability, commercial litigation, insurance recovery, and regulatory compliance, with much experience serving as national litigation counsel for a variety of clients. Mrs. Firstenberg provides counsel to life sciences companies on compliance, toxic torts, and product liability, representing clients in all fields, including medical devices, materials science, biotech, and pharmaceuticals.

“We are thrilled to welcome John and Karen to Venable and to our product liability team. Their addition will not only diversify our practice, but further solidify our presence in Los Angeles and expand it to Chicago, a long-standing life sciences hub and the home of some of our most valued clients. John and Karen’s success in the courtroom also deepens our bench of proven products trial lawyers,” said Kathleen Hardway, a co-chair of Venable’s Product Liability and Mass Torts Group.

Industry Awards and Recognition

Steve Adamczyk, partner at Varnum LLP, has been named to the 2022 Gulfshore Business 40 Under 40. This magazine seeks to recognize young legal professionals in the Southwestern region of Florida who have aided the area through volunteer work and philanthropy. Mr. Adamczyk has served on the board of the Florida Southern Gulf Coast to Heartland Chapter of the American Red Cross since 2015. He has also supported local elected officials and long-term recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Irma.

Mr. Adamczyk has a great deal of experience in estate and trust planning services. At Varnum, he broadly focuses his practice on residential and commercial real estate transactions, as well as community association representation, providing counsel and assistance for condominium and homeowners associations across the state of Florida.

Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP was recognized at the 2022 HFM US Services Awards ceremony as the best onshore law firm for hedge fund client services in the United States. Recipients were chosen by a panel of leading hedge fund chief operating officers, as well as chief financial officers and general counsels. Wendy Cohen and Allison Yacker, co-chairs of the firm’s Investment Management and Funds practice, accepted the award on behalf of the firm.

Lance Zinman, Global Chairman of Katten‘s Financial Markets and Funds group, said the following of the award: “Receiving this distinction underscores what clients and others have told us they appreciate about Katten: That we provide excellent and sophisticated counsel in a business-savvy manner that takes into account the practical aspects of our clients’ business; that we analyze complex market and legal issues and close investments and transactions, navigating regulatory issues quickly and comprehensively; and that we quickly see the big picture, to name just some of what we hear.”

Lawmatics, a leading legal client relationship management platform, was named a “Hot Product” in the 2022 TechnoLawyer Buyer’s Guide. TechnoLawyer continues to report on the latest developments in legal technology and law office management; the publication cited Lawmatics’ versatile automation capabilities as a particularly significant feature that set the platform apart.

“We’re extremely proud to be identified as a premier tool for helping law firms grow,” said Matt Spiegel, CEO of Lawmatics. “Our software empowers law firms to spend less of their time on administering the business of their practice, and more time focusing on the clients they serve. We know that firms thrive when they can prioritize people rather than paperwork.”

Thomas F. Zych, co-chair of Thompson Hine’s Antitrust, Competition & Distribution and Emerging Technologies practices, and Privacy & Cybersecurity team, has been selected to chair the American Bar Association’s Antitrust Law Section, through August 2023.

Based in Cleveland, Mr. Zych has over 39 years of experience in a wide range of data protection, intellectual property, consumer protection, social media, competition and antitrust matters. He also represents a full range of business enterprises in their privacy and data security operations.

Los Angeles Business Journal’s 2022 “Most Admired Law Firms” list added Sidley, as one of the most distinguished and “best law firms to work for” in the Los Angeles area. The Los Angeles Business Journal’s list recognizes law firms who are working toward creating diverse, positive, and supportive professional environments.

Of note is the 2022 launch of Sidley’s “Built to Lead,” program designed to help the firm’s associates by equipping them with greater business acumen by partnering with top business schools and helping young lawyers grow their leadership capabilities by partnering with select nonprofit legal and community organizations.

Women in Law

Foley and Lardner Partner Natasha Allen has been recognized on The Recorder’s California Legal Awards “Women Leaders in Tech Law” list. A co-chair of Foley’s Venture Capital Committee and Innovative Technology Sector Artificial Intelligence Section, Ms. Allen guides domestic and international corporations through mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures, with a special focus on cybersecurity, software, and virtual reality firms.

The California Legal Awards celebrate legal innovators who are influential in the ongoing development of technological jurisprudence. Allen and her peers will be celebrated at an awards ceremony on November 3, 2022.

Paula Cozzi Goedert, a leading nonprofit attorney with Barnes and Thornburg specializing in tax, compliance, and strategy, has been recognized on Crain’s Chicago Business 2022 “Notable Women in Law” list. Crain’s annual list illustrates the power of women in law by showcasing leaders with compelling professional stories.

Ms. Goedert chairs Barnes and Thornburg’s Associations and Foundations Group and has served over 300 clients, including the National PTA, American College of Surgeons, American Library Association, and Bank Administration Institute. Goedert’s expertise was invaluable during the COVID-19 crisis, where she guided her clients through challenges including staff furloughs, endowment raids, and insurance claims.

Additionally, Perkins Coie Partners Gina LaMonica and Lucy Park, were included on the 2022 Chicago Business Notable Women in Law list, whose requirements include mentoring other women lawyers, promoting inclusive practices in the workplace, and assuming a leadership role in professional organizations and civic and community service initiatives.

Ms. LaMonica practices white-collar criminal defense and is regularly retained to conduct internal investigations involving employee misconduct, regulatory violations, financial fraud, and is co-chair of Perkins Coie’s Educational Institutions & Services industry group and a co-founder and current secretary of the Chicago chapter of the national Women’s White Collar Defense Association.

Ms. Park  a partner in Perkins Coie’s Trust & Estate Planning group, counsels high-net-worth individuals, families, and family-owned businesses on wealth preservation and transfer, charitable giving, and succession planning and is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee, Strategic Diversity Committee,  and co-chair of the firm’s Women’s Forum, a  resource group, which works to attract, retain, and promote and support the firm’s female lawyers.

Former White House Administrator Sharon McGowan is adding her anti-discrimination background to her new role as partner at nationally-recognized civil rights law firm Katz Banks Kumin. Ms. McGowan has previously worked as Chief Strategy Officer and Legal Director for the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, staff attorney with the ACLU’s LGBT and AIDS projects, and lead attorney for seminal trans workplace antidiscrimination case Schroer v. Billington. During Obama’s administration, Ms. McGowan worked toward ending various forms of discrimination as Principal Deputy Chief at the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and Acting General Counsel and Deputy General Counsel for Policy at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

“Sharon is a brilliant legal advocate who has played an unparalleled role in securing some of our nation’s greatest achievements in civil rights,” said firm Co-Founding Partner Lisa J. Banks. “Her unique perspective and wide range of counseling experience will be a tremendous asset to our clients in the areas of whistleblower law, employment law, sexual harassment law, and civil rights and civil liberties matters.”

Firm Co-Founding Partner Debra S. Katz added: “Sharon’s experience as one of President Obama’s top anti-discrimination attorneys, as well as her deep level of public policy and advocacy expertise, will be invaluable to our clients and the firm’s ongoing efforts to advance civil rights in the workplace.”

Article By Chandler Ford, Crissonna Tennison, and Jennifer Schaller of The National Law Review / The National Law Forum LLC

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

Copyright ©2022 National Law Forum, LLC

What Are the Standards and Procedures for Jury Selection in My Jurisdiction?

As a national trial consulting firm, we are often asked to assist with jury selection in jurisdictions where lead counsel has been admitted pro hac vice and may not be closely familiar with the standards and procedures for jury selection in the trial jurisdiction. Although local counsel can be a great resource for obtaining more information about jurisdictional rules and individual judges’ preferences, there is also a wealth of information available in online publications to help you prepare for what to expect in most trial venues.

Rules of Civil Procedure

The vast majority of states outline their procedures for jury selection, including standards for hardship and cause, within their Rules (or Codes) of Civil Procedure. These days, many states post their statutory Rules of Civil Procedure directly on the court’s website. It may take a little fishing, but a search for the “[State] Rules of Civil Procedure” on any major search engine will often yield a link directly to the table of contents, where you can then locate the sections pertaining to jury selection.

For example, California’s Code of Civil Procedure Sections 190-237 on Trial Jury Selection and Management provides detailed guidance to judges and attorneys regarding juror questionnaires, mini-openings, breadth and scope of voir dire, and the processes and standards for exercising challenges, among other things. Though less detailed than California, Virginia’s standards and procedures are also online. As another example, the Louisiana Legislature posts its Code of Civil Procedure online, with the procedures and standards for jury selection beginning with Article 1751.

Of course, this information can also be obtained through subscription services like Westlaw and LexisNexis, but if you need to access the statutory language quickly from a tablet or cell phone in court, it is wise not to discount these shortcuts.

Handbooks and Articles

Other valuable resources for trial attorneys include handbooks and articles that summarize the pertinent information. These handbooks are sometimes published by the courts themselves, such as New York’s Implementing New York’s Civil Voir Dire Laws and Rules. This 32-page handbook is especially helpful since, in this jurisdiction, voir dire and jury selection is conducted almost entirely outside the judge’s presence and there are bound to be disagreements between the parties. The handbook is written in common vernacular and includes a helpful table of contents for quick reference, along with citations (and corresponding links) to supporting statutory language from the New York Civil Practice Laws and Rules.

Many bar associations also publish articles that summarize the applicable statutes, as well as the subsequent case law, that further define the scope of voir dire in these jurisdictions. For example, this article on the law of jury selection in Missouri state courts, published in the Journal of the Missouri Bar, discusses limits that the court has imposed on the scope and manner of jury selection, including the incorporation of jury instructions, previewing case facts, seeking commitments and rehabilitation—to name a few. It also includes a lengthy explanation of how the courts deal with juror non-disclosure in this jurisdiction.

While we always recommend that counsel review and Shepardize or KeyCite any case law they find in articles such as these, they can be a valuable first step in identifying the important rulings that may be at issue during jury selection in any given jurisdiction.

Incorporate Cause Standard into Voir Dire Questions

Some of the most important pieces of information to know in advance of voir dire are the court’s standards for securing cause challenges. While each judge may have their own “magic words,” incorporating the statutory language into your cause sequence and rehabilitation efforts can be a powerful tool for gaining an edge over opposing counsel.

For example, knowing whether the statute references words such as “fair,” “impartial,” “bias,” “unequivocal,” “assurance,” or “leaning” should guide the language you use when questioning the jurors. Then, when cause challenges are argued before the judge, we advise counsel to first cite the statutory language, followed by the quotes from jurors that mirror such language. While this is not a fool-proof technique—judges can always exercise their discretion—it will be difficult for any judge to deny a challenge that directly reflects the legal standard.

Similarly, if opposing counsel fails to get jurors to echo the statutory language, you can argue that they have failed to meet the requisite cause standards, increasing the odds that their challenges will be denied.

Prepare for Jury Selection

We recommend researching the applicable rules or code in advance of jury selection and printing them, so they are readily available to cite or hand over to the judge when appropriate. It is also helpful to know your judge’s procedures for jury selection. (Some important questions to ask local counsel can be found in this article.)

Though most jury consultants are not lawyers, selecting a jury consultant with experience in your trial jurisdiction is an important consideration. Your consultant may be able to help you prepare for jury selection by identifying what information you will need to gather in advance and helping you find it quickly.

Article By Christina Marinakis, JD, PsyD of IMS Consulting & Expert Services

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

© Copyright 2002-2022 IMS Consulting & Expert Services, All Rights Reserved.

A Paralegal’s Guide to Legal Calendar Management

Law firms of all sizes are increasingly relying on legal technology to address their day-to-day responsibilities. From family law to criminal law to personal injury law, law practice management software can help law firms run smoothly and efficiently.

The benefits of this legal technology aren’t limited to lawyers — it extends to the paralegals they work closely with.

The demand for paralegals is growing at an average of 12% each year, and paralegal technology can be used to support their efficiency and workflows. Many of the manual tasks that paralegals do, such as creating, organizing, and filing court documents, can be automated to free time to focus on more critical tasks.

What Do Paralegals Do?

Working under the supervision of an attorney, a paralegal’s work is merged with and used as part of the attorney’s work for the client. Paralegals cannot give legal advice or perform any legal duties that fall under the scope of the licensed attorney, and they must be clear in their non-lawyer status with clients and the public.

The typical duties of a paralegal may include:

  • Conducting client interviews and maintaining client contact

  • Locating and interviewing witnesses

  • Conducting investigations and statistical and documentary research

  • Performing legal research

  • Drafting legal documents, correspondence, and pleadings

  • Summarizing depositions, interrogatories, and testimony

  • Attending executions of wills, real estate closings, depositions, court or administrative hearings, and trials with the attorney

  • Authoring and signing correspondence, as long as the paralegal status is clearly indicated and does not contain independent legal advice or opinions.

In a law firm, a paralegal’s time for legal work — not clerical or administrative work — may be billed to clients the same way as an attorney’s time, but at a lower hourly rate.

The paralegal profession originated in law firms, but now, paralegals may be employed by government organizations, banks, insurance companies, and healthcare providers.

Aside from basic technology tools for sending emails, making calls, or creating documents, there are resources specifically designed for paralegal work. Some of these include:

  • Case management software: One of the responsibilities of a paralegal is helping firms track client case information. Case management software supports paralegals and other staff to collaborate on cases in real time.

  • Billing software: Client billing is a time-consuming process at the end of the billing period. Paralegals may use billing software to help automate bill generation, collection, and review. Online billing allows clients to receive bills directly and gets the firm paid faster.

  • Client intake software: With manual client intake, clients fill out paperwork and the information must be transcribed digitally. This process is inefficient and error-prone, even with a fillable PDF. Automated client intake technology captures vital details for paralegals, and forms can be shared with a link. The information can be synced with other technologies to avoid duplicate data entry.

  • eSignature software: Signatures are required for most legal documents. Instead of hand-signing and scanning documents, e-signature technology allows paralegals to collect, sign, and store documents with a click of a button.

Paralegals may use some or all of these legal technologies, depending on the size of the firm and its practice areas.

Calendar management is the systematic process of organizing tasks, meetings, and events with the goal of maximizing the return on investment for the time put in. The work can be time-consuming, but it’s essential to the function of the firm.

A well-managed calendar should support attorneys to ensure success. Calendar management has the power to make or break the attorney’s daily workflow and long-term success, which is why it’s one of the most important skills for a paralegal to perform effectively.

Legal calendar management is a resource that manages deadlines, meetings, and events in a centralized location. Paralegals, attorneys, and other staff can have shared access and individual alerts or notifications to ensure that crucial tasks never fall through the cracks.

Prior to digital legal calendar management, attorneys had to calculate deadlines manually — a time-consuming and error-prone process. Legal calendar management automatically calculates deadlines to expedite the process and ensure accuracy.

With automated workflows, legal calendar management allows legal professionals to build workflows for each type of case or practice area of the firm.

For busy professionals juggling multiple responsibilities and clients, this ensures that important deadlines are not missed.

Just like you would schedule a meeting or task, paralegals should block focus time to manage and organize their calendars. Use these best practices to simplify how you manage your calendar.

Use a Coding System

Color coding creates an organizational schematic for the calendar. For example, using colors for different categories like client, internal, recurring, reminder, and travel helps everyone quickly identify the tasks that are relevant.

Implement a Centralized, Firm-Wide Calendar

Law firms should have a centralized calendar that’s used throughout the firm and managed by an experienced paralegal. This ensures that the firm staff has access to crucial information and deadlines from anywhere.

The calendar should be flexible and allow for different departments to toggle their view of desired information.

Legal calendars have a lot of moving parts that may involve multiple parties. This is why it’s important to create guidelines or rules for everyone in the firm when updating the calendar. For example, who submits case information? Who verifies the deadlines and completes follow-ups?

Incorporating this information in your firm’s workflows will ensure all staff members understand what they’re responsible for, and when. This process should be standardized, to alleviate bottlenecks or help with onboarding and training new staff.

Get The Entire Firm On Board

A new process takes time to implement and may come with learning curves. However, an efficient, organized legal calendar can’t be accomplished without buy-in across the firm.

There can be friction among staff when implementing new technology, especially if the firm has been more traditional. Take a top-down approach that begins with senior partners and managers. They can take the lead to bring everyone on board and get them excited about the capabilities of the new technology. No one likes change, but preparing the team can reduce friction and make the implementation process more efficient.

But remember, the best technology in the world is still just technology. It’s up to your firm and staff to use it to its fullest. Establishing clear roles and responsibilities for leaders and staff, providing training, and both giving and receiving feedback ensure that the legal calendar management software’s features and tools are used appropriately for your firm’s needs.

Article By Kamron Sanders of PracticePanther

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

© Copyright 2022 PracticePanther

Top Legal Industry News Highlights for August 2022: Law Firm Expansion, Legal Awards and Recognition, and the Latest in Women in Law

Thank you for reading the latest edition of the National Law Review’s bi-weekly legal news roundup! In these last weeks of summer, we hope you are remaining safe and healthy. Read more below for updates on law firm hiring and expansion, industry awards and recognition, and spotlights on women in the field of law.

Law Firm Hiring and Expansion

Moore & Van Allen PLLC has added Julianne Farnsworth as counsel and as a member of the firm’s Litigation practice group. Presently based in the Charleston office, Ms. Farnsworth dedicates her practice to complex civil litigation, representing clients in areas such as business torts, environmental law, employment law, and other areas. She has practiced before state and federal courts across the U.S. and is additionally certified as a mediator in the state circuit and federal courts of South Carolina.

“We are pleased to welcome Julianne who has been a top litigator in the Charleston area for over 30 years,” said Trudy H. Robertson, co-managing member of the firm’s Charleston office. “Julianne’s experience and reputation will be valuable assets for servicing our litigation clients across the full spectrum of business areas and industries.”

Trey Baker, a former senior advisor for public engagement at the White House, has joined Barnes & Thornburg LLP as a partner in the Government Services and Finance Department. In his former role, Mr. Baker specialized in outreach to civil rights organizations and minority communities, focusing on criminal justice and law enforcement reform. He has also served for four years as the city manager for Grenada, Mississippi.

“Trey’s deep well of government experience and strong foundation in the D.C. market will prove invaluable to our clients – both locally and nationally,” said Roscoe Howard, managing partner of the firm’s Washington, D.C. office. “His passion for community engagement, evidenced by the breadth of his work at the local and federal level, brings a unique skill set to our talented group of legal professionals. We’re happy to have him.”

Honigman Law, LLP has advanced its recent growth efforts, announcing the launch of Honigman Law Israel, an Israeli subsidiary focusing its efforts on U.S. mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, venture capital, real estate, and more. For prospective candidates, the subsidiary offers the opportunity to continue practicing complex U.S. legal matters while located in Israel. The HLI team has already added its first five attorneys: Sam Katz, who practices in corporate and capital markets; Inbar Rauchwerger, who practices in mergers and acquisitions; Aviv Avnon, who practices in finance; David Snyder, who practices in tax law; and Rachel Rhodes, who practices in corporate and capital markets.

“We’re honored to bring on these five top-notch attorneys from some of the most prominent law firms in the U.S. and expect to bring in many more highly qualified individuals through this initiative,” said Honigman CEO and Chair David Foltyn. “We have continued to see incredible demand for our transactional counsel, which in turn requires that we continue to grow with the most talented lawyers. With HLI, we have created a win-win opportunity for A+ attorneys who want to reside in Israel for personal reasons but did not have a path to doing so, and for Honigman, which can deepen and expand the great talent we can devote to our clients.”

Much Shelist, P.C. has added three new attorneys: Jonathan Friedland, Jeremy Waitzman, and Hajar Jouglaf. Mr. Friedland joins the firm’s Restructuring & Creditors’ Rights group, and Mr. Waitzman and Mr. Jouglaf join the firm’s Corporate & Finance group. The trio has formerly worked together to represent businesses across the U.S., focusing their efforts on mergers and acquisitions, insolvency, and bankruptcy matters. Together, they counsel clients across many industries, including manufacturing, information technology, retail, and hospitality.

“Jonathan, Jeremy, and Hajar impressed us from the very beginning of our conversations,” said the firm’s Managing Partner Mitchell Roth. “They bring legal prowess and business savvy that will be immensely valuable to our clients, and they share our commitment to top-tier service.”

Steptoe & Johnson PLLC has added Jeffery D. Mulrooney as Of Counsel to the firm’s Business Department. Mr. Mulrooney has a great deal of experience managing intellectual property matters, with particular emphasis on patent, trademark, and copyright applications across all industries, including medical devices, material sciences, consumer products, and more. At the firm, he will focus his practice specifically on intellectual property and transactional matters.

“Jeffrey’s focus on copyright, trademark, and patent law is a great addition to our Pittsburgh office,” said Steptoe & Johnson CEO, Christopher L. Slaughter. “We are always looking for the best attorneys to meet our client’s needs and with the explosive growth in technology industries across our footprint, Jeffrey’s background will be a great asset to our clients and our firm.”

Industry Awards and Recognition

Two Romer Debbas partners, Michael R. Feldman and Alison L. Weisman, have been honored by Best Lawyers. The award is based on peer reviews and feedback and acknowledges attorneys at the beginning of their law careers for “upstanding professional standards and excellence in private practice.” Mr. Feldman and Ms. Weisman were specifically recognized as rising industry stars in the field of real estate law.

Michael Feldman is a partner and manager of the residential real estate department at Romer Debbas’ New York office. His practice focuses on residential and commercial real estate transactions. Alison Weisman is a partner in Romer Debbas’ commercial real estate department. She concentrates her practice on representing buyers, sellers, tenants, landlords, and developers in various real estate and lending transactions. She is also a trained mediator.

Greenberg Traurig was nominated by JUVE Verlag, a business law publisher based in Germany, as the Law Firm of the Year in the Labor and Employment category. The firm was nominated for its “positive, dynamic development over the past year.” The award ceremony will take place on Oct. 27 in Frankfurt where the winners will be announced.

197 attorneys at Ballard Spahr received 330 recognitions in this year’s The Best Lawyers in America guide. Of additional note, 58 Ballard Spahr attorneys have been featured in the Ones to Watch category, which is intended for lawyers at the beginning of their careers. Ballard Spahr attorneys also received 7 recognitions for Lawyers of The Year:

Best Lawyers uses annual surveys to assess lawyers in the field, asking attorneys to evaluate their peers based on professionalism, integrity, and legal skill. Lawyers of the Year receive the highest overall peer feedback for a given practice area and region.

Women in Law

Clifford Law Office partner Sarah F. King is scheduled to present “The Power of Visual Persuasion” at the Society of Women Trial Lawyers’ 2022 Fall Conference in Nashville, TN. A medical malpractice attorney based in Chicago, Ms. King will be sharing her insights on technological innovations and visual storytelling in virtual and physical courtrooms. She has previously presented at events such as the Michigan Association of Justice Medical Malpractice Seminar and the American Association for Justice Annual Convention, and is an active member of the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois and Illinois Trial Lawyers Association.

The Society of Women Trial Lawyers conference provides an opportunity for women practitioners across the U.S. to enhance their trial skillset while building valuable professional and personal connections. This year’s event will be at the Thompson Nashville Hotel on Thursday, October 6, 2022.

The Texas Diversity Council will recognize Foley & Lardner partner Michelle Ku as a 2022 Top Women Lawyers Award winner at a virtual ceremony on September 27, 2022. Ms. Ku is a business litigator known for taking on high stakes trials at the local, state, and federal levels, covering issues related to antitrust, government investigations, class actions, tax, and intellectual property. She and her fellow awardees were selected for their professional success, legal industry impact, integrity, and commitment to supporting other women in the field.

Alyson Brown of Hunton Andrews Kurth has been selected for the National Black Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 for the second year in a row. Inclusion on the list provides access to a national network of leading figures in the Black legal community and requires a reputation for professional excellence and leadership as determined through peer nominations and a third-party research process.

Ms. Brown is a Richmond, VA based employment attorney. At Hunton Andrews Kurth, she handles issues related to unfair workplace practices, labor law compliance, and employment litigation. In addition to her experience arguing before the National Labor Relations Board, Brown is a Program Committee Member of the Richmond Bar Association and Board Member of the Downtown Richmond YMCA. She has recently been listed on the 2022 Virginia Access to Justice Pro Bono Honor Roll.

Article By Chandler Ford, Shelby Garrett, and Crissonna Tennison of The National Law Review / The National Law Forum LLC

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

Copyright ©2022 National Law Forum, LLC

How to Practice Law in a Different State

There are plenty of benefits to being a multi-state lawyer.  Besides the most obvious advantage which is expanding your client base, it can also be practical when you live near a border between two different states. So, if you find yourself asking how to practice law in multiple states, you’re certainly not the first.  

In this article, we’ll detail how to become a multijurisdictional lawyer as well as some of the perks and drawbacks involved.

The Benefits of Practicing Law in Two or More States

Greater Client Base

It’s understandably appealing to be able to take on clients in different states.  It’s economically advantageous to generate more business in multiple locations.  Not to mention one state may have more demand for a certain practice area than another which can be practical for tapping into your niche market.

Furthermore, you may have clients that need representation in different states who don’t want to have to hire multiple lawyers.  Being able to offer all-in-one legal services can give you an edge over the competition. Of course, it goes without saying that you’ll need to allocate a bigger law firm marketing budget to market in not just one but multiple states. Or, just be more savvy with marketing strategies, such as familiarizing yourself with email marketing for law firms.

Greater Flexibility

Life events can spring up suddenly, forcing lawyers to relocate to a different state. Some states may only offer bar exams as little as twice a year, and as such, it can cause a significant delay before being able to accept clients. For many lawyers, anticipating the possibility of relocation without the worry of having to lose a second of work is an important advantage. So, ensuring they can practice anywhere is a nice added security to their business.

Ethical Responsibilities of Practicing Law In Multiple States

As more and more lawyers are working remotely since the onset of COVID, many are  accepting clients in other states.  Unfortunately, in many cases, these lawyers are violating the rules.

Rule 5.5 of the American Bar Association Model Rules of Professional Conduct states that lawyers may not practice in jurisdictions where they are not admitted. The consequences of violating these rules can range from a fine to disbarment depending on the gravity of the violation.   That being said, there are some exceptions to this rule.

For example, a licensed attorney may provide legal services temporarily in a different jurisdiction as long as they are associated with a lawyer who is admitted in that state.

How to Practice Law In Multiple States

Check For States That Offer Reciprocity

Some states offer reciprocity if you meet certain conditions.  Usually, these conditions depend on the amount of time you’ve been practicing and they may consider you eligible to practice in their state depending on the state bar that you’ve already passed.

It’s important to note, however, that you should never assume that just because a state offers reciprocity, you’ll be qualified.  It’s always important to contact the reciprocity state bar to ensure you are up to date with the latest policies otherwise you could risk serious disciplinary consequences.

Take the Uniform Bar

You might need to brush up on your legal education to retake the Uniform Bar Exam. The  Uniform Bar exam, also known as UBE, is a version of the bar exam that lets you practice between states with greater ease.  It’s important to note, however, that each state has its own bar admission requirements for the examination, and the passing score may vary by state. So, although it can be a solution in some scenarios, it’s not a sure thing. This is certainly more convenient than taking New York State, North Carolina, or any other state’s bar exam each time.

Take The Bar Exam For The States You Want to Work In

The most practical way to practice in another state is to pass the bar for that state.  However, there are significant costs and challenges involved which may not be ideal for everyone, and taking the UBE or opting for a state that offers reciprocity is much more common.

Take on Federal Court Cases

In theory, if you’re allowed to practice law in any state then you should be able to do so out of state. Yet, there is still some debate around this topic, and it’s still possible to find yourself in hot water with the state bar if you take this route.

Is Getting Licensed in Multiple States Right For You?

In the big picture, it’s much more convenient to practice in one jurisdiction for your entire career.  Yet, lawyers looking to take their practice to the next level may choose to pursue the route of becoming a multi-state lawyer despite the challenges.

The good news is that thanks to advancements like the UBE and reciprocity laws (as well as advancements in law firm technology), practicing law in another state is much easier than it was 20 years ago.  Deciding whether to get licensed in multiple states will come down to your unique circumstances and above all, how much time you have on your hands.

Getting licensed out of state requires a time commitment and administrative pile-up that may be difficult depending on your firm’s current workload.  Putting in the work it takes to acquire additional state licenses will be much easier if your practice is streamlined with the help of modern legal technology like a CRM and client intake software.  Not only can you access your firm from wherever you are thanks to cloud technology, but automation can help you stay on top of your most important tasks, and put your firm on autopilot while you’re focusing on passing the bar in another state.

FOOTNOTES

Shari Davison,  Reciprocity: What States Can You Practice Law?
https://www.onbalancesearch.com/reciprocity-what-states-can-you-practice-law/

Richard J. Rosensweig, Unauthorized Practice of Law: Rule 5.5 in the Age of COVID-19 and Beyond August 12, 2020
https://www.americanbar.org/groups/litigation/committees/ethics-professionalism/articles/2020/unauthorized-practice-of-law-rule-55-in-the-age-of-covid-19-and-beyond/

Article By Sarah Bottorff of Lawmatics

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

©2022 — Lawmatics

Law Firm Specialization: Why It Matters

While in theory, the idea of casting a wider net may lead you to believe that you’ll catch more fish, the truth is it doesn’t always apply to business. When it comes to catching customers, the more you appeal to one specific kind of customer, the higher your success rate, and the more qualified you’ll be at what you do. Practicing law is no exception. In today’s age, more and more law firms are starting to recognize legal specialization as a necessity for tapping into their target market. Not only does it benefit clients, but it also benefits legal professionals. 

Benefits for Lawyers

Better Client Relationships

When you specialize in an area of law, you intimately know your niche, whether that be corporate law, health law, criminal law, environmental law, or international law.  As such, you can provide the best possible representation to your clients and better pinpoint solutions to their problems as a certified specialist. Exclusively specializing also means that you are well informed of all of the latest updates, news, legal issues, strategies, and changes in that area of law. When compared to having a general understanding of the law, this is a tremendous benefit to your clients since you offer tailored legal guidance unique to their circumstances. A law practice that has handled hundreds of cases similar to their clients’ can anticipate and navigate the nuances of such a case on a much deeper level than someone who doesn’t have the same kind of experience under their belt.

Less Competition

As an expert in a very specific area of law, you effectively position yourself as the easy choice to opt for you over a competing attorney with a more generalized approach. In essence, your competitor pool shrinks significantly. General practice attorneys with a wide breadth of practice areas are going to be competing with every other such law office within a ten-mile (or more) radius. Yet, if your law practice specializes in boat accident cases, you’re likely one of few options, if any, in your respective region, thereby lowering your marketing costs, and potentially increasing client acquisition volume for this legal specialization. Assuming your reputation is top notch, the more specific you can be about your legal services, the more challenging it is for competitors to keep up with you.

Improved Visibility

Law firms that choose to specialize don’t just stand out, but are often featured in publications related to their practice area. The more you can partner with local businesses that are related to or adjacent to your area of expertise, the greater your sphere of influence. For instance, if your practice focuses solely on estate planning for the highly wealthy, you’ll likely opt to leave business cards where the wealthy are bound to spend time, like country clubs, civic clubs or auctions. Get creative with candidates in your referral network; it’ll pay dividends over the lifetime of your business.

Greater Satisfaction

As the saying goes, “do something that you love and you’ll never work another day in your life.” When choosing what you want to specialize in, consider an area that speaks to you on an emotional and even philanthropic level. One of the benefits of choosing a niche is doing something that you truly enjoy day in and day out. Not only will you get a real sense of fulfillment on the best days of your profession but clients can easily sense when your practice area originated from a true passion of yours. Plus, it’s always more advantageous to be a big fish in a small pond as opposed to a small fish in a big one.

Increased Expertise

Expertise involves becoming a thought leader in your area of law. Naturally, mastery requires experience. Attorneys who bounce between different types of cases don’t have the same familiarity with the nuances and challenges as someone who handles the same type of legal representation every time. While it’s always a good idea to have legal malpractice insurance, specializing in one niche area of expertise may also lessen the chances of your law firm having to put it to use. When you are recognized as an expert in your specialization area, you don’t just attract more clients, but you also win more referrals through client trust.

Better Efficiency

Completing the same workflows and legal documents over and over again in quick succession equates to faster completion, since you know them inside and out. As such, specialized lawyers can master the administrative side of running their law firm in a fraction of the time.

In today’s legal climate, more and more legal professionals are turning to automation tools to streamline recurring processes such as client intake and billing. Time-consuming document generation, for instance, can now be done in a matter of seconds rather than hours thanks to automated workflows.

Greater Profitability

When your practice is specialized you’ll increase your value thanks to the power of referrals.  Concentrating on one type of case brings extra knowledge and experience to the table that clients yearn for, who will in turn refer you to their friends and family. Since 80% of a law firm’s business typically comes from referrals, the more targeted you are, the more your practice may benefit from word of mouth.

As a result of your greater understanding of the inner workings of certain cases, you’ll develop a strong reputation for getting clients the results they’re after, ultimately increasing your overall profitability. The more you can offer experience paired with efficiency, the more work you can take on, increasing your overall revenue.

Benefits for Clients

Improved Guidance

When a client seeks out a legal professional that is well versed and focused on their particular needs, they in return receive much better guidance for their specific context. Beyond the legal support that a specialist offers, also comes a deeper understanding of the emotional needs of their client. For more turbulent cases such as divorce cases or immigration, a specialized lawyer can be an enormous benefit to the mental well being of those they have trusted with their case.

Increased Network

Specialists have a wide network of other experts that they can use to the client’s advantage. Because they have a more comprehensive list of contacts to support their case, clients have greater access to leading experts who can provide adjacent services and even strengthen their case.

Better Success Rate

There’s a reason why general practitioners in the medical field typically don’t perform spinal surgery — because it requires unique skills. The same logic can be applied to law. Attorneys specializing in a particular field generally have a higher rate of winning cases in court or settling successfully. Specialized lawyers who see the same case types day in and day out can offer a much higher success rate based on experience and dedication. Those who hire specialized attorneys generally are more at ease knowing they’re in good hands when it comes to their legal proceedings.

When is a Good Time to Consider Specialization?

It can be unnerving to dive into specialization from a generalized legal focus, so it’s important that you read the room first. In order to ensure that whatever you choose to specialize in will deliver the kind of demand that you hope for, answer the following questions using the data at your disposal:

  • What trends are you seeing in the types of cases you currently manage?
  • What is your success rate in those cases?
  • How satisfied were the clients?
  • Which cases have been the most lucrative for you?

If you notice that you take on a considerable amount of one type of case that’s yielding happy clients, then it’s a good indication that it would make a great choice to specialize in. If you don’t feel like you have the experience or know-how to call yourself an authority on one particular niche yet, then allow yourself more time to grow.

Ultimately, there is no defining moment that is the same for every lawyer who chooses to specialize. It all comes down to how much knack and drive you have for one kind of legal resource.

How to Identify Your Specialization Niche

1. Create a Vision

Every achievement starts with a vision. Your vision will be the very foundation of your overall success, and how you are perceived as a brand. When creating your vision, take into account not only your skills but also what drives you. How do you see yourself representing your clients and what do you hope to achieve for them? Are you passionate about one type of law specifically, such as civil rights, intellectual property, or family law? What do you love about practicing law and why? Let these answers be your guiding light when forming a vision for how you hope to stand out.

2. Consider Your Experience

First and foremost, it’s ill-advised to choose a niche that you have no experience in. Choosing to specialize in something that you aren’t well versed in would not only be setting yourself up for failure, but it’s a risk to any potential clients who choose to come your way.

One of the greatest tools you have for narrowing down your choices is consulting with other more experienced lawyers and mentors. Ask them for their advice based on personal stories, recommendations, and experience-based guidance.

Talk to other lawyers that specialize in the area you’re considering and pick their brains. Be direct and ask the questions that matter most like:

  • What are the biggest challenges in this area of law?
  • What are the greatest rewards?
  • What is the success rate?
  • What are the long-term implications?

When you hear about the advantages that law firm specialization can offer, it may be tempting to jump in head first. Yet, it’s important to step back and assess all of your choices. Weigh out the pros and cons, and go back to your overall vision.

Rushing in too quickly can lead to prematurely pigeon-holing yourself into something that ultimately restricts you from your full potential and passions.

Pick a Specialization and Pursue it

There are many advantages to becoming a specialized legal professional. If you can manage to pick a niche and master it, you won’t just find yourself with less competition, but you’ll have a greater devotion to practicing law.

Article By Sarah Bottorff of Lawmatics

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

©2022 — Lawmatics

Summertime 2022 Legal Industry News Roundup: Law Office Hiring and Expansion, Legal Industry Awards, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives

Welcome back to another edition of the National Law Review’s law firm news roundup. We hope you are staying safe and healthy – please read more below for the latest updates in law firm hiring and expansion, legal industry awards and recognition, and diversity and inclusion initiatives!

Law Firm Hiring and Expansion

Beveridge & Diamond has added two new environmental litigators and regulatory advisors, Jackson Garrity and Tim Nevins.

Mr. Garrity handles natural resource management and litigation at the firm’s D.C. office, with a special focus on state and federal compliance under the Clean Air Act, Administrative Procedure Act, CERCLA, National Environmental Policy Act, and Federal Land Policy and Management Act. He advises clients on matters such as compliance, litigation, administrative enforcement actions, and more. Mr. Nevins, who works out of the firm’s New York office, practices environmental litigation and provides regulatory guidance to his clients. He has a background in toxic torts, groundwater, administrative rulemaking, and site remediation.

“We are thrilled to have Jackson and Tim as part of the B&D team,” says Paula Schauwecker, Beveridge & Diamond’s Chief Talent Officer. “Their past experiences have enabled them to hit the ground running at B&D. We are excited to see how they will continue to help our clients and contribute to B&D’s long success of being a leading environmental law firm.”

National law firm Dykema has selected Commercial Litigation Practice Group member Isaac Villarreal as Managing Member of the newly established Houston office. Mr. Villarreal is a 13-year complex commercial litigator who frequently works as outside general counsel for midmarket businesses. A highly successful trial attorney, Mr. Villarreal has won a majority of the over 50 cases he has served as first-chair counsel for. He is well-known in the Houston legal community for his work with groups such as the State Bar of Texas Litigation section and Houston Bar Association Alternative Dispute Resolution section. He has been recognized in publications such as Houstonia Magazine, H-Texas Magazine, and Texas Super Lawyers.

“It’s been an absolute thrill to be a member of the group establishing Dykema’s Houston office,” Mr. Villarreal says. “The firm’s culture, strong national presence, bench strength of top-notch attorneys, and its pragmatic approach to building upon that foundation in a market where I have practiced extensively throughout my career have helped make the launch of the Houston office an early success.”

Michael Kornak has joined the Partner Recruiting Practice Group as a Managing Director at Major, Lindsey & Africa, in order to assist with the international firm’s legal search and lateral recruitment efforts. Mr. Kornak joins the Chicago office after more than two decades of experience as a litigation and hiring partner, managing professional reviews, work allocation, and various business law practices.

Expressing excitement for Kornak’s arrival, Partner Practice Group Executive Director David Maurer said, “We are thrilled Mike decided to join the Chicago Partner Practice Group. He has extensive firsthand knowledge of all aspects of partner recruiting, including compensation and conflicts analysis, and can adeptly identify opportunities as well as potential issues for both partners and firms.”

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips has added two tax incentive financing experts to the firm’s Impact Investing and Community Development practice. D.C.-based Corenia Riley Burlingame and John Dalton each have over a decade of experience managing tax credit construction and preservation projects for stakeholders interested in benefiting communities through low-income housing, historic preservation, and energy-efficiency investments. Ms. Burlingame assists clients with issues related to resyndication, scattered-site portfolios, and year 15 properties, while Mr. Dalton assists with energy and New Markets tax credits, Opportunity Zone investing, and post-closing asset management concerns.

“As developers, lenders and investors place greater emphasis on social impact investment opportunities, Corenia’s and John’s deep understanding of the nuances within each respective transaction, and their impressive backgrounds guiding clients through these sophisticated matters, further solidifies Manatt’s position as a leader in these types of tax credit deals,” said Neil Faden, leader of Manatt’s Impact Investing and Community Development Practice.

Industry Awards and Recognition

Frank E. Schall of Moore & Van Allen PLLC has been recognized as a leading litigator by Benchmark Litigation. Mr. Schall, who focuses his practice on white-collar, internal investigations, and regulatory defense work, is listed in Benchmark Litigation’s 40 & Under guide to the nation’s most notable up and coming litigation attorneys. He has significant experience in a wide range of matters, including healthcare litigation, commercial litigation, and financial services.

“We congratulate Frank on being recognized by Benchmark Litigation as one of the top young litigators in the country,” said John A. Fagg, Jr., Co-head of Litigation and White Collar Defense & Investigations practice. “We are very proud of Frank’s successes and achievements for our clients.”

ArentFox Schiff LLP was awarded the Chapter 11 Reorganization of the Year by The M&A Advisor at their 16th Annual Turnaround Awards. Of more than 250 participating companies, The Turnaround Award nominees were judged by an independent panel of industry experts. ArentFox Schiff LLP was selected for their work as counsel to CoverFX, a high performance, vegan, and cruelty-free cosmetics company. Partners George Angelich and Justin Kesselman, and Associate Patrick Feeney served as counsel.

Roger Aguinaldo of The M&A Advisor said, “The award winners represent the best of the distressed investing and restructuring industry in 2021 and earned these honors by standing out in a group of very impressive candidates.”

Los Angeles Business Journal has recognized Partners Roland Juarez and Anne Marie Mortimer of Hunton Andrews Kurth in the 2022 Leaders of Influence: Top Litigators & Trial Lawyers list. The list recognizes 76 litigators chosen by the LABJ as “lawyers who go to the proverbial mat to fight for their clients before judges and jury [and] have their own unique set of skills.”

Notably, Mr. Juarez was recognized as a top litigator, handling high-stakes labor and employment cases for California’s largest and most high-profile employers. He has served as Chief Counsel of the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for nearly a decade. At Hunton Andrews Kurth, he developed two mentorship programs for minority lawyers.

Diversity and Inclusion in the Legal Field

In conjunction with CT Consultants, Shumaker Advisors has awarded $10,000 worth of scholarships to three minority college students for the Fall 2022 semester. Since 2008, Shumaker and CT Consultants have offered more than $100,000 to minority engineering students attending accredited Ohio universities; this year, the organizations were able to offer the $5,000 Edwin B. Hogan Memorial Scholarship, as well as two $2,500 Ohio Minority Engineering Student Scholarships.

“We are extremely proud of this year’s awardees,” said Ami Williams, Shumaker Advisors Director of Client Relations and Administrator of the CT Scholarships Program. “The field was highly competitive and we look forward to supporting these well-deserving students as they continue their education.”

Foley & Lardner LLP has been awarded with the 2022 Gold Standard Certification for promoting gender diversity in the legal industry. The Women in Law Empowerment Forum, which issued the award, grants Gold Standard recognition to major firms that meet specific objective criteria regarding the number of women among equity partners, in firm leadership positions, and in the ranks of their most highly compensated partners.

Foley has now been recognized with this honor for three years in a row. In order to meet 2022’s certification metrics, firms had to satisfy two mandatory criteria: 25% of equity partners or, alternatively, 40% of the attorneys becoming equity partners during the past 12 months are women, and 10% of women equity partners are women of color or 4% of women equity partners are LGBT. Firms additionally had to meet two of the following for criteria:

  • 20% of the firm and U.S. branch office heads are women.
  • 25% of the firm’s primary governance committee are women.
  • 25% of the firm’s compensation committee or its equivalent are women.
  • 20% of the top half of the firm’s equity partners in terms of compensation are women.

Yvette Loizon, a partner at Clifford Law Offices, has been recognized by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company as one of the Top Women in Law in 2022. On July 20th, the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin and Chicago Lawyer Magazine recognized Clifford’s Ms. Loizon at the 2022 Salute! Top Women in Law Awards Celebration.

The honorees were chosen by the Law Bulletin Media selection committee for their noteworthy efforts in the legal field, more specifically their “work to mentor and promote other women in the profession, their success in the legal community, and being a shining example of leadership.”

Article By Crissonna Tennison, Chandler Ford, and Shelby Garrett of The National Law Review / The National Law Forum LLC

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

Copyright ©2022 National Law Forum, LLC

Three Ways to Use LinkedIn’s Notifications Tab to Build Your Network and Business

Here’s an easy and effective way to leverage LinkedIn for business development and networking – use information and updates about your connections from the Notifications tab to build stronger relationships.

LinkedIn gives you many reasons to reach out to people in your professional network through the Notifications tab

These reasons range from new business, networking, jobs, referrals and branding opportunities.

Prompts from the LinkedIn Notifications tab about your connections’ birthdays, work anniversaries and new jobs can serve as powerful catalysts to get back in touch with your connections.

I have seen these prompts lead to new business and reignited relationships many times.

I call these notifications “low hanging fruit” because they require very little effort on your part and they’re easy to do, and can yield major benefits.

Marketing strategies don’t have to be complicated to be successful. We often overlook them when it’s so basic.

So how do you leverage them?

  1. For a work anniversary notification, you could say, “Hey Jim, I can’t believe it’s been X years since you joined your company! Time sure flies. How are you?” Then take it a step further, suggest an off-line conversation either in person, over the phone or via zoom.

  2. For a new job announcement try, “Congratulations on the new role – how is it going so far?” again offer to take the conversation off-line and have a separate conversation either in-person or virtually.  (Many people don’t send an email when they get a new job anymore – it’s up to us to do the due diligence to find out where they landed and then take the initiative to congratulate them on their job move).

  3. Wish your connections a happy birthday.  Just saying a simple “Happy birthday – I hope you’re having a great day – would love to take you for lunch or a drink to celebrate” is a great way to make someone’s day. Adding your birthday into LinkedIn works – I had about 200 LinkedIn birthday well wishes and one of them actually led to a new client.

Sometimes the basic actions that take just minutes are the most impactful.

Having reasons to reach out to your connections is powerful versus the dreaded “just checking in” email.

LinkedIn has made it even easier now to stay updated on others’ notifications by enabling us to follow certain individuals by clicking the bell on their profile.

No one knows who you are following, so use it strategically and follow your clients, referrals, VIP connections and even your competitors. You should also follow content creators whose information you find useful.

I’d love to hear how the Notifications section has worked for you.

Article By Stefanie M. Marrone of Stefanie Marrone Consulting

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

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

Erasing the Stigma—Michael Kasdan [PODCAST]

Men often hide their mental health struggles deeming it not manly for them to acknowledge weakness. Michael Kasdan was there at one point in his career, but he’s long since learned better. Today, Michael is an active member of the Good Men Project, sharing his personal struggles with depression with others in the legal profession and beyond. Now, he shares his story and perspective on the state of men’s mental health with Mark Yacano in this episode of Erasing the Stigma.

Michael Kasdan is a partner in Wiggin & Dana’s Intellectual Property Group. He focuses on all areas of intellectual property law, providing his clients with full- service IP expertise that ranges from patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret litigation to IP-related transactions – including licensing and monetization – to helping companies to protect and reap maximum value from their own innovations and brands.

Michael was listed as one of the world’s-leading IP Strategists in the 2103 and 2017 – 2021 editions of IAM Strategy 300 – The World’s Leading IP Strategists and has regularly been listed in Super Lawyers. Clients describe him as creative, energetic, and easy to work with and seek his insight into the business, technology, and legal facets of their IP issues.

Michael writes and speaks extensively. His articles have appeared in Intellectual Asset Management (IAM) Magazine, LEXIS, Thomson/Reuters, Practical Law Company, IP Law360, Bloomberg/BNA, Managing IP Magazine, The National Law Review, and elsewhere. Michael is the sole author of Practical Law Company’s Practice Note on Patent Law and the Lexis Practice Advisor on Patent Licensing and is a co-author of Practical Law Company’s Practice Notes on Global Patent Litigation and Licensing and on Tracking and Privacy.

A member of the firm’s Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Committee, Michael has been the keynote speaker at conferences addressing topics such as diversity and mentorship. He is also a passionate advocate for mental health and wellness in the legal profession and the world at large and serves on the Communications Committee of The Institute for Well-Being in Law.

Michael serves as on the Board and as Director of Communications and Development of the nonprofit MyChild’sCancer and on the Board of the SouthNextFestival. He was formerly Chairman of the Board of the nonprofit CityScience, which focuses on improving STEM education in cities. He is also the Director of Special Projects and Sr. Sports Editor for The Good Men Project.

Michael received his J.D. magna cum laude from New York University School of Law. He was a member of the NYU Law Review and the Order of the Coif, was Fish & Neave Fellow for the Engelberg Center on Innovation Law and Policy, and served as President of the Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law Society. After law school, he clerked for the Honorable Judge Roderick R. McKelvie in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware. Michael received a B.S.E. in electrical engineering magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania, with a minor in mathematics. He was a member of Eta Kappa Nu, Tau Beta Pi, and the Penn Parliamentary Debate Team.

©2022 Major, Lindsey & Africa, an Allegis Group

How to Market Your Firm When You Don’t Need an In-House Hire

Law firms of any size need some level of marketing for long-term growth and sustainability. To be successful, every law firm must focus on its marketing. In an ideal world, lawyers would have the time to do what they do best and also market their business so it can grow. However, lawyers are inherently busy individuals, and it often doesn’t make sense to try to do it all themselves. Trying to do it all alone is overwhelming, and your time is best spent helping clients.

The simple answer to this time crunch dilemma is to hire someone in-house to take over the marketing efforts. But for many firms, that has a laundry list of drawbacks, such as additional time and expense. Perhaps you don’t have the marketing needs or budget to hire someone to market your law firm on a full- or even part-time basis. Hiring someone in-house means you need to have enough work and room in your budget to keep them busy. So, what are your other options?

Do it Yourself

Continuing to market your law firm yourself is one option. But let’s be realistic; you cannot do it all. With your busy schedule, you might only have one to three hours per week to dedicate to your marketing efforts. If this is the case, pick one or two marketing elements to be consistent with. For example, focus on your blogs or social media posts. If you need more help, as this tiny sliver of weekly time is not likely to move the needle or be sustainable, it’s time to outsource.

Hire an Agency or Freelancer

One viable option could be hiring an agency or freelancer to take over all or most of your marketing tasks. Outsourcing can help take some of this pressure off. Leaving your marketing in the hands of an experienced and knowledgeable agency or freelancer gives you peace of mind that it’s being done optimally. It also lets you focus on your clients and practicing law—which is what you went to school for, after all.

Identify Your Marketing Goals

If you decide to go this route, determine what your primary marketing goals are and go from there:

  • Do you want more leads?

  • Do you want to see more conversions?

  • Do you need to get more referrals?

  • Do you need a better ROI for your marketing dollars?

By listing your marketing goals and dreams and what you’re already doing, you can visualize your marketing gap and identify when it’s time to work with a professional. The more significant this gap, the more likely you need to hire a professional as soon as possible. In the meantime, you could be missing out on signing new clients.

Get an Outside Opinion

When you work with a freelancer or marketing agency, you will have a professional on your side who can also audit your marketing plan and tell you what your marketing is missing. Having another person, especially a marketing expert, lay eyes on what you’ve done to market your law firm and your future plans can help you identify your weaknesses and course correct to the right path. Marketing professionals can take what you have already started and turn it into something bigger and more successful.

Benefits of Working with a Marketing Agency or Freelancer

Working with a marketing agency or freelancer can provide your law firm with the following benefits:

  • Increased brand awareness

  • Greater ability to be found on the internet

  • More website traffic

  • Building trust and credibility with your audience

  • Improved online presence and engagement

  • Conversion rate optimization

  • Cost efficiency

  • Tracking and interpreting marketing efforts

  • Strategy and creativity – for example, creating targeted campaigns for niche clients

Last but not least, they allow you to focus on obtaining optimal outcomes for your clients instead of trying to market your law firm.

Article By Meranda M. Vieyra of Denver Legal Marketing

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

© 2022 Denver Legal Marketing LLC