Suddenly Solo? There’s Help Available!

Many lawyers, particularly recent law school graduates, are finding themselves preparing to hang a shingle as the economic downturn has resulted in law firm layoffs and deferrals of new hires. Fortunately, there are some good resources out there for those who are thinking about starting their own practices, or have already taken the plunge.
On [...]

Get Your Hand Out of My Pocket!

There have been several recent news reports of municipal and county court clerks here in Alabama embezzeling fees and fines that they handled in the course of their work.  Theft in the workplace goes on all the time, but it’s likely gotten worse as a result of the recession.  And it’s not just confined to [...]

How Good Lawyers Survive Bad Times

The final version of a new book just landed on my desk this morning. How Good Lawyers Survive Bad Times by Sharon Nelson, Jim Calloway and Ross Kodner is a must-read for any lawyer who has seen his or her business decline during the recession or, even worse, lost a job. But more [...]

More Recession Survival Tips

Speaking of Law Practice Magazine, the July/August issue is centered on the idea of Managing Change and contains, among many intresting pieces, a great short article with 15 Recession-Response Tips for Solo & Small Firm Lawyers by Linda Oligschlager, Membership Services Director for the Missouri Bar.  Her tips contain practical ideas you can put to [...]

Some Tips on Getting Paid

Bad economic times tend to be compared to the proverbial rainy day, but when business gets slow I’m reminded more of the old expression to “make hay while the sun shines.” When things are slow around the office you have the perfect opportunity to patch up that leaky roof and generally put things in [...]

ABA TECHSHOW: An Affordable Investment – Particularly in a Down Economy

I have to disclose right up front that I might be just a little bit biased since I’m chairing this year’s ABA TECHSHOW, presented by the ABA Law Practice Management Section (April 2-4), but even if I weren’t, I’d still feel this is one of the best CLE investments any lawyer can make given the [...]

Crisis Averted! – IOLTA Accounts Now Fully Covered

On Friday the FDIC issued a final rule which now classifies IOLTA accounts as non-interest bearing accounts for the purposes of the Transaction Account Guarantee Program. So, why is this important to Alabama lawyers?
Recently, a few very smart lawyers who had taken the time to think about it realized that under the interim rules [...]

Weekend Audio – Financial Planning: What’s Your Number?

All the hoopla in the news right now about the “financial crisis” has everyone, lawyers included, on edge about the safety of their retirement assets. Which raises the question of how much is enough when it comes to putting money aside for retirement. Many lawyers, particularly those who practice as solos or in [...]

Fraud Alert! Georgia Lawyer Caught in Trust Account Scam

The globalization of business has provided many opportunities for lawyers in Alabama to use an Internet web site to attract potential business clients from around the world. Unfortunately, globalization has also opened many lawyers up to the possibility of being caught in an attorney trust account scam that’s making its way across North [...]

Need help with your practice? Get expert administrative advice now from ALA Referral!

Every day I talk to lawyers who are either making plans to leave an established firm and strike out on their own or have already done so. And I continue to be surprised that almost none of them have thought much beyond acquiring space and appropriate furnishings and equipment to set up shop. [...]