Solo Practice University®

LinkedIn: You Get What You Put Into It

Rush Nigut — Thu, 17 May 2012 12:30:23 +0000

Recently I gave a speech to over 500 human resource professionals on the use of social media in the workplace. I started the speech by asking how many of the attendees had an account for LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Overwhelmingly the majority of the audience indicated they had both Facebook and LinkedIn accounts. Less than half of the audience used Twitter. When I asked how many used Facebook for work purposes, very few people raised their hands. The vast majority, however, indicated they used LinkedIn for work. But where it slipped for LinkedIn was when I asked the audience how many of them believed they used LinkedIn effectively. Almost no one raised their hands. The majority of the audience members used LinkedIn only to develop a contact list, but never actually took any steps to interact with that contact list or engage with other LinkedIn users. These same people often wonder why LinkedIn and other social networking sites don’t work for them.

Frankly, it reminded me of sage advice I received from a business advisor long ago. I was trying to decide whether to join our downtown Rotary and whether the time commitment would be help me develop new business contacts. He advised me that I shouldn’t worry about whether Rotary would help me develop contacts. Instead, I should be concerned about whether I was committed to the organization’s ideals and willing to participate. That meant I needed to roll up my sleeves and REALLY participate. He explained that if I wasn’t willing to do that, I wouldn’t get much out of Rotary. Just being a part of the group wasn’t enough.

The same goes with LinkedIn. LinkedIn has become a very powerful networking tool for me. I’ve received several referrals recently due to some new groups I’ve joined and networked with some very influential professionals in my area of practice. For the longest time I just responded to invite requests or occasionally invited contacts of my own. But the more I’ve become engaged, the more LinkedIn has delivered for me.

To use LinkedIn more effectively you may want to consider the following:

Identify which groups are best for you. Hands down the franchise groups I belong to offer the best networking opportunities for me. There are a relatively small number of members (a few hundred) but a substantial percentage of those members are actively engaged. Find the group that will work for you.
Target Popular Discussions. If you can add value to the conversation, you will likely become known as a thought leader of the group and start to become “Top of Mind”.
Start Your Own Discussions. My recommendation is that you don’t start discussions immediately. Rather engage in conversations with others and become comfortable within the group. I also advice you not to start discussions for the sake of starting discussions. It should be a meaningful topic and interesting to other group members. Asking for advice is a great way to start.
Start Your Own Group. I haven’t done this personally but one franchise professional I know has done this very successfully. It has elevated his status and he has become almost universally known in social media circles for franchising. Is there something you’re interested in but no group exists? Start it yourself.
Connect Your Social Media Channels: Everything I post on Twitter and my blog go to LinkedIn. This is very easy to do. One of my business contacts told me just last week how much he appreciated the content I put out there. He isn’t a client but at least I appear to be top of mind and that’s at least starting point.

Some resources to help you use LinkedIn more effectively:

Have you found success attracting clients, new business relationships, or anything else positive for your practice since joining LinkedIn? Have you created your own groups? Please share in the comments.

Written by Rush Nigut

Using QR Codes In Your Practice

Susan Cartier Liebel — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:30:30 +0000

QR codes are all the rage. More than 20 million mobile phone users used QR codes in the last quarter of 2011. And mobile user searches on the internet have been growing exponentially.

QR Code is Quick Response Code – a bar code which can bring you to a designated internet location or QR Codes can be programmed to send a text message, call a phone number, send an email, or simply uncover a special text message providing coupons or sending you a treasure hunt.

You see them popping up everywhere you go. Often times it's used incorrectly and so people have gotten a bad taste in their mouth when they've taken the time to snap on it with their smart phone app which is required to read these QR codes. Often times it is simply a link to a company's website or contact information which you could have looked up anyway or asked Siri. This is what annoys people the most because if they've taken the time to read your QR code it should do more than just guide them to your website.

Airlines have used them successfully to expedite boarding and it also eliminates paper. Hospitals are using them to help expedite patient care. Smart companies have created contests and special offers, scavenger hunts and a host of interactive experiences for their customers. The question is, how can lawyers take advantage of QR codes in their practice?

Here are just a few suggestions but the list is only as limited as your imagination and the Rules of Professional Conduct:

1. Put them on the back of your business card directing them to a special page on your website offering a free consultation or a link to a special welcome video only accessible through the QR code.

2. Put QR codes on your written and web-based marekting materials, a printable e-guide, all directing them to special page offering a free consultation or a discount on legal services or a free dowloadable e-book.

3. Provide your contact information which a client can input right into their smartphone so if they lose your business card you're information is not lost.

4. Provide directions to your office and validation for parking if needed.

5. Maybe it is a link to a quick tutorial video on what to do if you're stopped by a police officer for DUI and a quick link to your contact information but placed on bar napkins at your favorite community hangouts.

6. Maybe it is a link to what to do if someone violates a protective order and a quick link to your contact information

7. Maybe you creative an interactive book like Attorney Gerry Oginski who wrote the book, The Secrets of Lawyer Video Marketing. This book has numerous QR codes to scan while reading each chapter and each QR code brings the user to a video where he discusses the relevant topic in the chapter. It's truly an interactive book!

Here's a quick tutorial on how to use QR codes and here is a site where you can create your own QR code for free. (There are several sites offering free QR codes.) They are so simple to create. The hardest part is making it worthwhile for someone to scan it. Be sure to scan our QR code in this post for a special offer. (QR codes work beautifully on your website when you can use your smartphone to scan it on the desktop monitor or tablet. It's a little harder to read a QR code online from your smart phone!)

Have you started using QR codes in any of your marketing? If so, please share how you have used it.

Written by Susan Cartier Liebel

Should Lawyers Be Interested in Pinterest?

Susan Cartier Liebel — Mon, 14 May 2012 12:23:13 +0000

I know. Blogging, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, now Pinterest. Can you handle yet another distraction? Well, when you first heard about blogging it was just for people journaling about their everyday problems…until it wasn't. When you first heard about Facebook you thought it was just for your teenagers….until it wasn't. When you first heard about YouTube you thought it was just a bizarre place where Spielberg wannabees posted pointless videos nobody wanted to see….until it wasn't. When Twitter came on the scene you thought it was just about people tweeting what they had for lunch….until it wasn't. Now Pinterest is becoming the rage and you're thinking it is just one more time suck which you have little or no interest in. I felt the same way…until now.

I will certainly not be the first person to write about about how lawyers can use Pinterest. But even in these past few months more compelling information on this Silicon-based company is surfacing explaining why you may want to pay attention even if you are not ready to get involved.

What is Pinterest? 'Vision boarding' is an old concept. It is also called a Treasure Map or a Visual Explorer or Creativity Collage. Typically it is a poster board on which you paste or collage images that you’ve torn out from various magazines. (I remember doing one in college!). Pinterest has taken vision boarding and brought it into the social media space. A Pinterest user’s interests are now accessible to the world in a truly visually gorgeous format. Users collect photos which link to products and services they love, creating their own pinboards (or visual boards). They also follow the pinboards of other people whom they find interesting. But I find even this description very limiting as I'll explain later. Pinterest has the potential for so much more.

As someone just tweeted to me the other day:

How can an attorney use it (Pinterest) effectively? It's difficult when Pinterest is such a visual medium and the law is not.

What I was so happy about with this question was is it wasn't the automatic response, 'what a waste of time!' At least many have now learned their lesson to not dismiss a new platform out of hand but instead ask the question, ' how can I use it effectively if I choose to use it?'

So, why should Pinterest even be on your radar? Pinterest has been one of the fastest-growing social networks to ever hit the web and is now the number-three most popular social network in the U.S. and seems to be dominated by women. It comes up right after Facebook and Twitter, both of which are already known globally and have millions of users. LinkedIn is ranked fourth. Over 80% of 'pins' on Pinterest are repins (think retweets) which shows you how viral content on Pinterest can be. It is also rumored to have surpassed Google+ in terms of referrals. (For those who are dismissing Google+ and calling it a wasteland, do so at your professional peril. There is more to Google+ than meets the eye and there is renewed interest in the platform these past months.) But more importantly, the three founders of Pinterest (really unknown entrpeneurs up until this point) have managed to secure financial backing from Silicon Valley to the tune of $37.5 million in venture capital. Money usually talks…and very loudly. Here is a great infographic on how Pinterest may be a game-changer. And now it's going 'pinternational'.

So, how can lawyers take advantage of Pinterest? I don't think you should jump right in at all. I do think it needs to be on your radar and you should be thinking about if you choose to use it, how can you make the best use of this very user-friendly platform to continue your ongoing online marketing efforts. However, at the very least I would certainly recommend you create an account with your name/business name as you should on all sites of this nature.

Here are a few pointers for using Pinterest:

Repurpose your best online content. The time-conscious smart lawyer will recognize there's no reason to reinvent the wheel. Repurpose your best online content and pin it up on Pinterest. Take advantage of Google analytics or, if your're a blogger, find your posts which have generated the most comments or retweets on Twitter or have been shared on other sites. Then pin it. You've now repurposed content and presented it to a whole new world of potential clients or referrers of clients. The key: this is a visual board. If you have to take some time to add an appropriate image to a current blog post, do so.
Be laster-targeted. Remember your key words. When you create and name boards use profession-related keywords. When you start pinning appropriate content to each board you can write a brief description of what you are posting to highlight the content. This description should also contain those relevant key words. The more you are laser-targeted the easier it will be for your audience to locate and share your information.
Share profession-related content. The same as Twitter and Facebook, share the content of others because, as you already know, in order to be perceived as an expert (and just plain generous, too), you need to show you have the pulse on what is happening in the world, not just your world, and share it with your Pinterest followers. You can have unlimited boards which is what allows you to be so focused within each board. This requires you to truly stay organized, compartmentalize, and share.
Share your interests: There is no harm in creating a board dedicated to an interest or hobby, too. If you're a runner or love movies you should share this. The rules for Pinterest are no different than any other platform. I love to tweet on a variety of topics relating to entrepreurship, demographics, economics, and health. I'm doing so on Pinterest, too, and will probably add more boards as I get the hang of it.
Follow other Pinners and repin their content. It's visual Twitter. The same rules apply. Pinterest has two critical elements to it: visual bookmarking and social networking. While you are busy pinning your favorites, don't forget how important it is to also engage others. One way, and it will take a while, is to find others whose pins you enjoy and showcase them on your site in a dedicated board, very similar to retweeting another's great tweet, or adding them to a 'list' you've created on Twitter of people you follow like 'solo lawyer gurus', 'tech lawyers', 'employment lawyers'. You get the point.
Don't start pinning until you know why you're on Pinterest. This is just good advice for any platform. Know why you are spending time creating a space on Pinterest just as you do with Twitter and Facebook and YouTube. Social Media Examiner also presents a list of the many ways Pinterest can benefit a business. You just need to figure out if and when you are going to spend time here. You can start by checking out Solo Practice University's nascent presence on Pinterest.
Make it easy for others to post to Pinterest. Even if you haven't yet developed a presence on Pinterest, if you have a Facebook, Twitter, Google+ share button on your website already, add a 'Pin It' button so others can pin your content if they want to!
A little caution should be used. We all know Pinterest was highlighted recently because of copyright concerns. However, it appears Pinterest is addressing the issues as users are apparently creating more good than harm for companies as pinners drive traffic to their sites, and I suspect this will be less and less of a concern going forward.

As a company, we care deeply about creating value for content creators. We’re spending a great deal of time reaching out to content creators to understand their needs and concerns. So far, we’ve received overwhelmingly positive feedback and have created both tools for publishers who want to make it easier to pin their content (the “Pin It” button for publisher sites) as well as tools for those who would prefer that their material isn’t pinned (an opt-out code that content owners add to their site that prevents content from being shared on Pinterest).

Our goal at Pinterest is to help people discover the things they love. Driving traffic to original content sources is fundamental to that goal.”

I'm no social media guru and I don't play one on the internet. However, now that I've done some homework, I find there is a lot of potential here. The numbers are playing out, Pinterest is fun and easy to populate if you've already have a body of work on the internet, and we are nation addicted to social media. As solo practitioners, time is precious yet there is a great need to be a part of the environment where potential clients and referrers of clients congregate. It's why 20% of your time is, or should be, devoted to marketing, socializing, networking. I recommend exploring Pinterest at some point in the not too distant future. Figure out how you want to use it because in my opinion the field is wide open on this one. If you're already on Pinterest, let me know so I can follow your boards and showcase what you are doing on ours! If you want to follow SPU on Pinterest you can do so here.

Written by Susan Cartier Liebel

Why Young Solos Want to Partner Up and What They Should Do Instead

Rachel Rodgers — Thu, 10 May 2012 11:30:14 +0000

Should I partner with another attorney when starting my practice?

This is a question often asked by young lawyers who want to go solo. And the answer often given by seasoned solos is either 'no' or the more emphatic 'hell no.' This response is usually accompanied by a horrifying story of a partnership gone bad that wrecked the credit, reputation, sanity, etc. of one or both of the partners. Hence, the response, don't partner up.

Why Young Lawyers Really Want a Partner

Few of the young lawyers seeking a response to this oft-asked question are really looking for a partner. I think what these young lawyers are really looking for (as I was when I was in their shoes not long ago) is confidence.

These young solos are scared. For many of them, every lawyer that they share their solo plans with has negative things to say. Having a partner gives them someone to share their struggles with, someone to review their work and someone else with the seemingly-crazy idea of going solo. It also means instead of just having a solo practice that rests squarely on their shoulders, they have a "real" firm with more than one attorney. This gives young lawyers starting out a sense of legitimacy.

While some young lawyers will greatly benefit from partnering with the right person, having a partner in their solo venture will not solve the ‘lack of confidence’ problem. Additionally, the loneliness, responsibility and work review can be dealt with in a much simpler way.

What Young Solos Should Do Instead

As many a seasoned solo has told a young solo, taking on a business partner is like getting married. Therefore, finding the elusive “right” partner is like finding a spouse - often requiring years of searching. And, of course, maintaining the relationship is just as much work as maintaining a good marriage.

As any married person will tell you, being single is much simpler than being married. And the last thing a young solo needs is to further complicate the process of starting and running a law practice.

The fears that come up when considering the solo life can be resolved with one bold action:

Put yourself out there.

Announce your freaking firm to the world! Tell every lawyer, law student, recent grad, law professor, judge you know that you’re going solo. Attend conferences and other networking opportunities and tell the lawyers you meet that your a new lawyer and you’re going solo. And don’t say you’re thinking about it when you’ve really already decided it. Don’t downplay what you’re doing. Talk about it. Don’t sheepishly hide in your office. Put yourself out there.

Do this, even though you may run into negabots who will not be supportive of your solo plans. In my experience and the experience of many other young solos I know who have done this, you will make connections with colleagues who remember the fear (and exhilaration) they experienced when they went solo. They will support you. They will respond to your emails and send you resources. They will become mentors and friends.

That’s how you obtain mentors who can give you guidance and a boost of confidence when fear comes up. That’s how you obtain solo peers you can commiserate with when things are tough and celebrate with when things are going great. Its also how you get advice and referrals, find out about relevant events and develop a community of cheerleaders and friends in fellow lawyers. Coincidentally, its also how you will find the right business partner, if that is the right path for you.

Written by Rachel Rodgers

Guest Lecture with Jared Correia – Tech for New (and Not So New) Lawyers

Susan Cartier Liebel — Tue, 08 May 2012 11:30:52 +0000

Jared receives countless questions from new solo lawyers and solos who have been in practice for decades but need advice on law practice management. We like to ask Jared what it is on lawyers' minds and (no) surprise…it's technology, cloud securiy, google, and law practice management software. However, you might be very surprised by what Jared has to say. I was. Join us as we discuss these important and timely topics.
If you are a new lawyer in Massachusetts or a paying member of the Massachusetts bar, be sure to connect with Jared. LOMAP's services are free for those who qualify.

The audio is about 45 minutes. Listen or download directly below.
Guest Lecture with Jared Correia

Jared D. Correia, Esq., is Law Practice Management Advisor at MassLOMAP (Massachusetts Law Office Management Practice). Prior to joining LOMAP, he was the Publications Attorney for the Massachusetts Bar Association (“MBA”). He was the first Publications Attorney for the MBA, and established the continuing legal education publication protocols and standards. In addition to overseeing the MBA’s CLE Publications, he also managed the MBA’s version of Casemaker, an online legal research product provided free of charge to MBA members. Prior to joining the MBA, Mr. Correia was a private practice attorney, working in the areas of general practice and disability law, in small firms on the Southcoast, North of Boston and just outside of Boston. Mr. Correia’s general practice encompassed a diverse range of legal subjects, including the handling of administrative hearings, personal injury law, family law, tax law and property law matters. Mr. Correia is active in raising funds for cancer research and has founded a charitable organization to benefit autistic children. He is a graduate of Suffolk University Law School and Saint Anselm College, where he was a captain of the Saint Anselm College Debate Team that finished second nationally in 2000.

Connect with Jared on Twitter . You can also follow LOMAP on Facebook, visit the website or read the blog.

Written by Susan Cartier Liebel

What Are You Doing To Help Your Business In This Troubled Economy?

Susan Cartier Liebel — Mon, 07 May 2012 11:30:30 +0000

John Jantsch wrote a terrific piece a few years ago called "7 Time-Tested Ways to Dig Out From a Recession". My position, however, is a little different. You should be doing these things ALL THE TIME.

While you can read all seven ideas on John's great site, I'm going to highlight numbers three, six and seven because I know the first two are the hardest for me and the last should be done religiously:

3) Get out from behind the computer – Building personal relationships is always in style. It’s very tempting to sit and write blog posts and participate on social networking sites, and while these aren’t always bad things – sometimes you need to go out and shake some hands. Make it a point to go to several industry conferences every year. Join an industry or chamber type group and go to events where you can make connections with prospects and partners. Join a referral group such as (fill in the blank) and participate. Go visit your customers and ask for referrals.

It is very easy to get comfortable communicating solely on the internet. It's fast, fun and you are not locked into a schedule. However, if you are reading my blog or any blog on a regular basis, subscribe to RSS, sync your e-mail with your IPhone, the fact is you are in the distinct minority of all your potential clients. Most people are simply not as up-to-speed technologically and by the time they figure out what you already do effectively, you will have moved on to something even more advanced.

And while we socialize with like-minded professionals on the internet, the fact is there is a huge gap between us and the many potential clients and referrers of potential clients out there who could use your services. Get out, mingle, physically meet others, professionally socialize even if it is just a few select times a year.

6) Repackage your products and services with offers to act- This goes along with differentiating really, but sometimes you’ve got to give that tired old dog a new look. Find simple ways to relaunch yourself, your people, your products, your services, your packaging, to give yourself a new start in your market. You don’t need to start from scratch, look for innovative ways to repackage, reprice, redeliver, re-guarantee and re-communicate about what you do. Make them an offer they can’t refuse, make it so bold they must rehear you.

This is so true. Give your blog a face lift, create some excitement about a change in your services or products. Promote if you are switching over to a Virtual Law Office or offering unbundled legal services or revamping your pricing from billable hour to value pracing. Try to attract your market in a novel and exciting way. It will not only invigorate your potential client base, it will also invigorate you. Practicing in the same rut only gets you deeper into the ground. When you eventually try to step out you will feel like a neanderthal and overwhelmed at the changes you will now first have to make.

7) Fix the marketing gaps – In every way, shape, and form that your business comes into contact with your prospects and customers it is performing a marketing function – good or bad. You must look at all of your customer touchpoints and turn them into positive, brand-building opportunities. Tear down the lead generations touches, sales touches, service touches, delivery touches, follow-up touches, transaction touches, and billing touches and make sure that every single one of them is a performing a killer marketing function for your business.

Every word you write, every syllable you utter, every piece of paper with your name on it is a touch point with your brand and a business opportunity. You just have to realize it. Once you do you will see all the unconscious marketing opportunities you have available to you and will understand the phrase "you are on 24/7."

Time to take inventory of all your touchpoints with clients and fellow attorneys including your use of social media like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube. You will be amazed how many marketing opportunities you may very well be missing or using incorrently which, when used correctly, can help fill the client pipeline…especially when times are tough.

Written by Susan Cartier Liebel

Are You Audaciously Humble? ReZoomers – Take Note!!

Debra Vey Voda-Hamilton — Thu, 03 May 2012 11:30:06 +0000

Audacious Humility

I first heard this term, having the right amount of audacity and humility, last weekend as I attended my son, Drew's final comps in film. He is graduating in May from Occidental College in Los Angeles, California with a Bachelor of Arts in Film. As a requirement of graduation he had to create an original film. His first idea was shot down by his professor and Drew was less then pleased. His second attempt was accepted and he did a beautiful job. Ok well maybe I am prejudice, but it was placed last in the order of films to be viewed and I'd like to think it was because they saved the best for last (proud parent interpretation!)

At a little cocktail party before the film premier started, I had the opportunity to speak with Drew's professor. Professor Broderick Fox said to me, "Drew is the right balance of audacity and humility." He went on to explain that Drew took criticism well, learned from his mistakes, stood his ground when he felt he was right which resulted in a product the entire film department was proud of. Professor Fox recommended Drew's film for an award in the student division of the British Film Academy (BAFTA).

As my husband and I proudly stood there, I realized this comment had much more meaning to me then just a nice comment about my son. He had learned something so valuable. As our careers re-zoom, we have to have a great deal of audacity to enter a room full of practicing attorneys, partners and corporate big shots and speak about what we do. We always have humility, in spades and sometimes, to our detriment. Audacity is something we re-zoomers need to gain, regain and exude in proper measure with the humility we bring in buckets full. It is that part of us that lights up a room, attracts people to us for ongoing discussions about our services, or that leads to affiliations we can use in our practice.

How do we get the right amount of Audacious Humility?

By trial and error I presume. When we miss a client opportunity to another equally qualified attorney we should examine how we offered our services. Did we seem tentative? Was our message clear? Was our 15-second pitch pithy and welcoming? Have we branded ourselves in a way that speaks to our strengths as a 'must have' person in their corner? If we are not as clear and welcoming as another, maybe we have to amp up our audacity. If we are too full of ourselves and didn't listen to the clients needs in a meaningful way, perhaps we need to add a dash of humility.

In the end, having audacious humility means finding the perfect blend of our rezooming expertise. Get out there and put your life experience to work, learn from your mistakes, take correction well and stand your ground when you feel you are right.

In the perfect world, your colleagues will refer to you as Professor Fox referred to my son Drew, "the perfect blend of audacity and humility.” You have to be out there to practice it. Rezoomers get the heck out there and have Audacious Humility.

Written by Debra Vey Voda-Hamilton

NY’s New Lawyer Mandatory Pro Bono is Indentured Servitude

Susan Cartier Liebel — Wed, 02 May 2012 12:28:00 +0000

New York just passed mandatory pro bono hours for all new lawyers before they can be admitted to practice law. This is indentured servitude, not pro bono.

Beginning next year, the 10,000 or so prospective lawyers who pass the New York State Bar exam every year will be required to perform 50 hours of pro bono legal services before they are approved to practice law.

New York judicial system is quite proud of itself for creating this new mandatory requirement feeling it will give new law grads a chance to try out their skills while relieving the state of expanding programs which will actually hire lawyers to provide legal services to the indigent.

The Legal Aid Society, the nation’s largest provider of free legal services, turns away eight of every nine people seeking help with civil legal matters, said Steven Banks, the New York group’s attorney in chief. Since the economic downturn began in 2008, Mr. Banks said, requests for assistance have jumped 40 percent for health care issues, 54 percent for unemployment insurance and work-related problems, 16 percent for domestic violence and “a stunning 800 percent” for foreclosures.

How brilliant. How oppressive. How typical. Add another obstacle to new lawyers before they can earn money with their degree and while they are drowning in debt instead of funding legal aid.

But his (Judge Lippman) latest measure may prove more controversial, some of his admirers said, because it wades into a fierce debate among lawyers over whether mandatory pro bono service is the right solution — and because it could hit the pocketbooks of young lawyers at a time when they are struggling to find jobs. Judge Lippman and the court administrative board have the power to do so because, unlike in many other states, the New York court system, and not the bar association, sets the requirements.

Cloaking it in a shroud of benefit to all appeases those who are so far removed from the reality of today's new lawyer struggles it's crazy!! And it relieves law schools of their obligations, once again, to produce lawyers who can actually practice law. It creates this unacceptable purgatory between law school and a real job. I won't even begin to try and lay out the scenarios which could impact a new lawyer from performing those fifty hours between bar exam and finding out results. And it definitely does not fit the description of pro bono. It is classic indentured servitude.

This is a slippery slope as I've written about before. And what's worse, New York hopes this will be revolutionary and other states will jump on board.

Lawyer's Services Should Be Theirs To Give Away…Not the ABA's

Connecticut Law Tribune – June 8, 2007

(This column comes on the heels of the recent Second Circuit Decision regarding pro bono fees, as a I promised.)

It's been a year since I read an Illinois Supreme Court ruling regarding mandatory pro bono reporting and I'm still feeling claustrophobic as the legal universe we are permitted to function in gets smaller and smaller.

That state's new rule, celebrating it's one year anniversary this month, requires lawyers to "annually report their pro-bono activities, including hours worked and any money contributed to pro-bono efforts." The rationale behind the rule is that, by having to report what they do (or don't do) by way of pro bono work or financial gifts to recognized legal aid organizations, lawyers will somehow be shamed into actually doing some, or do more than they're already doing.

It doesn't take a genius to see where this is really going. Although structured as simply a confidential reporting program for the purpose of accruing an aggregate total of pro bono hours, lawyers who fail to report their numbers to Illinois authorities face possible suspension of their law licenses. With this framework in place, if actual pro bono hours do not increase in a voluntary fashion, is it really a stretch to see pro bono work being mandated in order to continue practicing in the state of Illinois? (Note: Illinois is home to the American Bar Association.)

Who will have the hardest time meeting these requirements? Not large law firms that use their pro bono efforts as a tool for self-promotion. How much does it really cost them, anyway? At most large firms, it's low-level associates who do the majority of the firm's pro bono work. The firms write it off as a loss. At their worst, they take on high-profile cases in an effort to gain incalculable publicity. Mandatory pro bono wouldn't hurt large law firms. Rather, they will profit on many levels.

Solos, however, will be the ones injured. They will look ungenerous and self-serving, as they single-handedly face the everyday struggles to stay in business.

As the pro bono numbers generated by solos, the largest body of lawyers out there, fail to increase appreciably, what will be the next logical step? Forcing them to take on a minimum number of pro bono hours or face suspension? It is certainly plausible.

And as word is spread to the general public regarding an attorney's obligation to do pro bono work, is it unreasonable to believe that lower-income clients will demand lawyers represent them for free or at sharply reduced rates?

Yes, mandatory pro bono would be a great image enhancement for the legal profession, particularly large firms. But for solos, it would be a daily migraine.

Shouldn't Illinois officials be looking to catalog aggregate results rather than aggregate hours if the stated goal of this self-aggrandizing exercise is to actually help indigent clients? If painters took two days instead of two weeks to paint your house, wouldn't you applaud their speed and efficiency? We should be measuring effectiveness through results, not inefficiency through racked up hours.

And, of course, we can't let Illinois get all the glory for being so benevolent when giving away our services. All the states will want to jump on board for fear of looking mercenary and uncaring. They, too, will want to crack the whip and give away our time and money.

As a lawyer, I believe the role of the judiciary and national and state bar associations should be to provide a de minimus framework of what we can't do in order to avoid risking our law licenses. Outside of that, they should be a source of professional support and information.

It is not their job to legislate or mandate how I should aspire to be a better person or lawyer. Nor should they tell me that I must give away my services.

But that is where they are heading. Please don't order me to tithe to the Church of the American Bar Association. I still believe in freedom of professionalism. •

This 'solution' has been approached in many different ways by many different groups. It was inevitable someone would find a politically palatable solution taking it out of the hands of the ABA and putting it in the hands of the judiciary. The tanking economy gave the perfect opportunity to implement this scheme and it has now found its supporters. Shame on them.

What do you think about this 'mandatory pro bono'.

Written by Susan Cartier Liebel

Taking Care of Clients and Baby

Rachel Rodgers — Wed, 02 May 2012 11:30:58 +0000

"Our bodies are well adapted to this state of affairs and respond appropriately when conditions deviate from their optimal state. This ability of an organism to maintain equilibrium (balance) by adjusting appropriately to the external environment is known as homeostasis. And there in lies the key to understanding balance. Balance is the taking of appropriate action when circumstances dictate so as to maintain equilibrium." – Stephen Cox, Pick the Brain

I have two babies. One is almost 2 years old. The other is 6 months. One is a virtual law office. The other is a smiley baby girl. Both come with much responsibility and joy (although, admittedly, my little girl is usually more fun than my VLO).

VLO + Baby = Wonderful but Crazy

Needless to say, life can get very messy when you're a stay at home parent and work from home lawyer . . . all at the same time. That being said, I always intended to be a mom that flitted around the world with my child. I pictured myself managing a career with a baby on my hip. Of course, its not quite as glamorous as it was in my pre-parental fantasy (the clothes are not as nice!) but it is pretty awesome.

So far I have taken my daughter to 5 business lunches, 2 business trips and 1 conference. I have found that toting around a cute baby can be a great way to connect with people. And somehow I manage to actually accomplish quite a bit of work each week, to boot. I am very lucky to have some clients who are also parent-entrepreneurs, so it can be a point of commonality.

Of course, it ain't all roses. I have been sleep deprived for so long that 5 hours of sleep feels like a good night's sleep at this point. There have also been times that I've had to make tough work versus baby decisions. For example, I had to bow out of being a presenter at LexThink.1 (formerly Ignite Law) and miss the ABA TechShow because my childcare plan did not work out.

That said, as tough as some days are (and trust me somedays are really killer!), everyday my heart overflows and I feel so grateful to have such an amazingly full life.

What Keeps Me From Pulling My Hair Out

If there is a baby and law office in your future, here are the three things that have prevented me from pulling my hair out lately:

1. A Balanced & Productive Day = Breaks + Eating + Napping + Movement + Actual Work. The hardest part of working and taking care of baby is being interrupted. Its difficult to be efficient when you are in your zone and baby suddenly needs a diaper change. After the diaper change, you've got to get back into your zone. This can go on all day. What works for me is to accept those breaks and use them as opportunities to eat, take a short walk or even a cat nap. Despite the frequent breaks, I keep getting the same amount of work done by the end of each week (much to my surprise, at first). When you're a parent with so much to manage, you can become extremely productive at times because you know there may not be another opportunity for a while. And as a fellow lawyer-mom told me recently, you do start to get used to switching between mom and lawyer all day.

2. Delegation For The Win! I have a virtual paralegal who is amazing and really helps keep work moving along in my practice. I also have a fantastic virtual assistant to whom I delegate administrative tasks and some of my marketing and technical needs. I haven't hired anyone to help me with childcare yet but I plan to in the near future (like next week!). Even if you feel you don't have much money for delegating, sometimes you can work out a trade of services or payment terms (like being billed at the end of the month after you've been paid by your clients) that don't create cash flow nightmares. Even delegating just one or two activities can make a big difference. Delegation is my sanity saver!

3. Good Enough is the New Perfect. When my daughter was just a few weeks old, I listened to Susan Cartier-Liebel's audio interview of Holle S. Temple, the author of Good Enough Is The New Perfect: Finding Happiness and Success in Modern Motherhood. Thank God I did! This provided me with some perspective and started me down the path of letting go of my vision of perfect parenting perfectly balanced with a perfect career (that's a lot of perfect!). While it was hard to accept that making organic baby food from scratch everyday was SO not gonna happen, it was also liberating. Changing my mindset has given me the freedom to just deal with life as it comes and be okay with things not going according to plan (most of the time). At the end of the day if baby is well taken care of and clients are well taken care of, that's one for the win column despite what else remains undone (like the pile of dishes currently in the sink).

Taking care of a baby and running a law practice is not for the faint of heart (or the perfectionist) but it is definitely doable and can make for a wonderfully full life. I recommend embracing flexibility, having a good sense of humor and a little wine (after the children and the clients are asleep, of course).

Written by Rachel Rodgers

SPU Classes in February, March, April …and Much More

Susan Cartier Liebel — Tue, 01 May 2012 11:30:46 +0000

April Showers bring May Flowers… that's how the old saying goes. I truly believe this is a “blooming” time for solo practitioners because of all the changes in the economy. There are jewels to be mined. You just have to dig for the opportunities. This past March Solo Practice University celebrated three years of helping solos go solo….and we have only just begun! These are very exciting times. So, what has been going on at SPU?

Recent Classes

Stephanie Kimbro shared some valuable information in her posts: Building the Branch of a Virtual Law Firm and Update on Ethics Rules Impacting Virtual Practice
Jonathan Ginsberg shares great Practice Tips in his classroom – Winning Arguments When Your Client is Impaired by a Stroke and Mental Health Cases.
David Schnurman commences Building Blocks for Successful Entrepreneurship with Lesson 1 – Are you an Entrepreneur?, Lesson 2 – Crafting your Vision and Lesson 3 – Building Your Brand.
In the Labor Law classroom Michael Brown gave us Lesson 9 – Setting Up an Employee Rights Practice (Part 2) in his in-depth Employment Law course.
Entertainment Law Update Podcast 29 can now be seen in the Entertainment Classroom from Gordon Firemark as well as Entertainment Law Update Podcast 30.
Marc Garfinkle rolls out Class 5 Bail Hearing and Class 6 – Representing a Criminal Defendant in Court in the Criminal Law 101 Classroom
Gene Goodsell introduced his International Sports Law Course with Class 1 – What Is International Sports Law and followed up with Class 2 – Gambling with Sports.
The new class from Richard Maseles keeps providing great information in Real World Legal Research: New Chapter (Finally) Regulations.
In the Everything Google classom with Martha Sperry, she engages us with Lesson 4 – Intro To Google Documents & The Documents Word Processor and Lesson 5- Google Spreadsheets and Presentations. Google is free and simply awesome!
Susan Cartier Liebel continues How to Hang A Shingle Right Out of Law School…or Shortly Thereafter with her Lesson 9 – Business Plans (Part 2).
Chris Hill has shared two classes: Class 25 – Wrap Up & Preview and Class 26 – Why You Should Help Make Legislative Sausage in his popular Construction Law course.
Gerry Oginski's latest in Creating Online Videos for Lawyers is his newest release 90% of Online Content Will Soon Be Video.
Celeste H.G. Boyd returns to the Footloose and Fancy-Freelancing: Lawyering on your own terms Classroom with her latest her Lesson # 3 - Part 1 – Networking and Part 2 – Marketing.
In the Unemployment Appeals classroom we have a Lesson 6 – Fighting With Honor – UI Appeal Hearing Board Review – Tactics & Style, Lesson 7 – Getting Paid for Your Work followed by Lesson 8 – Starting and Building a UI Appeals Practice by Bruce Godfrey
Deborah Gonzalez continues her Social Media and the Law classroom with Lesson 4 – Employee Mishaps & Policies, Lesson 5 – Badvocacy, and Lesson 6 - Intellectual Property.
Greg Yaghmai updates his Trial Techniques Classroom with his latest Lesson 14 – The Fit Lawyer and Lesson 15 – Closing Arguments
In Introduction to Immigration Law Lessons 1, 2, and 3, Vonda Vandaveer delves into – Big Picture: Immigration, Non-Immigration, & Tourist Visas, Nonimmigrant Visas (Part II), and H-1B Temporary Work Visa.
Allison Wood kicked off Legal Ethics with Lesson 1 – Managing the Attorney-Client Relationship.
Brian Herrington discusses What's Wrong With Walmart in his Class Actions course as well as The Proffer of Proof: This is How We Will Try The Case.
What Are You Willing To Suck At? is the question Mark Merenda asks in Lesson 14 in his Smart Marketing Course
Trippe Fried addresses an interesting approach in his Business Law Class – Employment Law & Military Strategy

New Faculty Announcements, Guest Bloggers & Guest Lectures

New Faculty:

Anne-Marie Rábago joined SPU. Anne-Marie is a tax attorney in San Diego. She will teach the course, "Introduction to Taxes for the Solo/Small Firm Attorney" at Solo Practice University®. This is a course which we believe every solo practitioner should take!
"Building Blocks for Successful Entrepreneurship" will be taught at Solo Practice University® by David Schnurman . David will share his passion for being an entrepreneur and the mindset solo practitioner's require to succeed.
Allison Wood has joined SPU. Allison partners with solos and firms to provide ethics counsel. She will teach "Legal Ethics" at SPU.

Columnists & Guest Bloggers

Annie Tunheim, a savvy solo, wrote about her newly transplanted life in Australia in A Solo (A)Broad – Three Months into My Journey.
Suzanne Meehle’s column on flat fee billing, Are You On Your Client’s Side sparks a passionate debate. It also raises a lot of questions on exactly how she sets her fees. So she followed it up with Are You On Your Client's Side (Part 2) and tells you how she does it.
What Clients Want by Debra Bruce introduces while clients have many differences, there are a few things that almost all clients want, providing some tips on how to give them what they want.
Robert W. Minto, Jr. writes passionately about Retirement and the Solo Practice – A Gold Mine for a Young Lawyer. Bob Minto discusses says lawyers should take advantage of the old adage "old lawyers never die they just lose their appeal." But older lawyers are a new lawyer's best friend.
When Lawyer Meets iPad It’s Good Lawyering is the latest column by Rush Nigut. His column educates the solo on how to utilize the many capabilities of the iPad. More importantly is the unwritten implications, not using the latest technology can be the difference between winning and losing your case, keeping or losing clients. What conclusions do you draw?
Douglas Greenberg discusses how legal insurance referrals offer another source of revenue, a reliable albeit moderate one for the budding Solo in Generating Business Through Legal Insurance Referral Programs
ReZooming – The Tortoise and the Hare is Debra Vey Voda-Hamilton's lastest installment of "The Rezooming Attorney". It is an interesting choice. A worthy read, whether you’re newly minted, ReZooming or already a savvy Solo.

If you are interested in becoming faculty or guest posting, or contributing as a monthly columnist, please e-mail susan (at) solopracticeuniversity.com.

Faculty News and Accomplishments

Stephanie Kimbro is going to be speaking at Stanford Law School, sponsored by CodeX on May 2: She also just had her new book ' Limited Scope Legal Services' released. You can check it out as it is located under SPU’s Co-Op. The book is "must reading" for solo practitioners who want to expand the reach of their legal services to serve an expanding latent market for legal services plus provide innovative and responsive legal services to existing clients
Recently, Virginia Business Magazine announced its 2011 Legal Elite. The magazine received 1,483 completed ballots nominating nearly 3,900 lawyers. Of that number roughly 20 percent, made the cut for the Legal Elite. That being said, Christopher Hill was announced by his peers in Virginia as Legal Elite in the Construction category. Chris has been given this honor for the past 5 years!
ReZooming columnist Deborah Vey Voda-Hamilton was featured in the Wall Street Journal discussing mediation of pet disputes, her ReZoomed practice area. Congratulations to all!!

Best of the Season Blog Posts

SPU Keeps Growing

Our Bridges Program is expanding steadily! You will see more ‘public’ announcements soon as we grow our strategic partnerships with forward thinking law schools who recognize Solo Practice University® is an excellent resource for their law students and alumni who are or will be going solo.

Where's Susan?

Susan just spoke at University of Georgia Law School in March having the opportunity to meet up with two faculty members, Jonathan Ginsberg and Deborah Gonzalez, as well as a group of passionate law students who discussed the challenges they face graduating into this economy. The SPU Meetup was a blast.

If you're going to be in Orlando May 18th attending the Barry University School of Law 'How to Hang A Shingle' day long CLE, let me know so you can connect. She will be teaching her favorite topic, once again – How to Hang A Shingle! And, of course, there will be an SPU Meetup that evening. Details to follow.

Testimonials

"I'm so happy I joined! I can't get enough of the lectures that I've listened to so far. The information has been so much more relevant to my immediate needs than anything I've learned at traditional CLEs or in law school. I've always wanted to work for myself. Thank you for showing me the way." – Josh Kesselman.

Ready to Enroll?

Don't need CLE? Want a monthly tuition less than your cell phone bill? Check out our new monthly program. Stay just for the classes you need…or as long as you like. Tuition is never more than $45 per month after the first month. Check out our Tuition Prices, pick your plan and get started!

Written by Susan Cartier Liebel

Solo Practice University®

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Guest Lecture with Jared Correia – Tech for New (and Not So New) Lawyers

The audio is about 45 minutes. Listen or download directly below. Guest Lecture with Jared Correia

What Are You Doing To Help Your Business In This Troubled Economy?

Are You Audaciously Humble? ReZoomers – Take Note!!

Audacious Humility

How do we get the right amount of Audacious Humility?

NY’s New Lawyer Mandatory Pro Bono is Indentured Servitude

Taking Care of Clients and Baby

SPU Classes in February, March, April …and Much More

Recent Classes

New Faculty Announcements, Guest Bloggers & Guest Lectures

Faculty News and Accomplishments

Best of the Season Blog Posts

SPU Keeps Growing

Where's Susan?

Testimonials

Ready to Enroll?

The audio is about 45 minutes. Listen or download directly below.
Guest Lecture with Jared Correia