The Magic of Key Performance Indicators (Part 1) – Guest Lecture with Jared Correia

The acronym KPI (Key Performance Indicators) often strikes terror in the uninitiated lawyer. However, they are not only nothing to fear but a simple documentable measure you should embrace. KPIs are simply measurements of performance and they can measure anything you are doing; how many clients you close from leads, your collection rate, the number of cases you handle per month, etc. Once you understand you have all these measurable activities already available to you through the tools you use in your practice today (like your case management software) and actually start using them, your practice will only become more efficient and be more profitable. Put your fear aside, listen and learn.

Need to Protect Sensitive Data? Get it Out of Your Office.

When people think of high-profile hacks, their minds don’t usually drift to the legal world. However, recent security breaches at several large firms, including Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP, have highlighted the vulnerabilities law firms face. In fact, after one such event, Manhattan US Attorney Preet Bharara said the incident “should serve as a wake-up call for law firms around the world: you are and will be targets of cyber hacking, because you have information valuable to would-be criminals.”

Law Firm Cash Flow: You Should Aim for “90 in 90”

As a veteran of nearly 39 years of real law practice (by “real” I mean a broad general practice serving the general public, small businesses, families, and individuals in a myriad of contract, trial, and appellate matters), I know the importance of cash flow.

In my quest for financial security and success, I have perused every bar journal article, attended numerous practice management CLE’s, and varied my approach to billing and collections to see what worked. Find out what I learned.

Want to Charge Higher Fees? Offer Credit Card Payments.

When it comes to credit cards, it’s well established in the field of behavioral economics that people who use plastic are unconsciously willing to spend more than those who pay with cash, a phenomenon known as the “credit card premium.” But there are a few other important behaviors you need to know which will help you retain clients easier if you accept credit cards.

Are You Missing Out on Clients Because You Don’t Accept Credit Cards?

By 2017, it is estimated that 95% of non-cash transactions will be paid by credit or debit cards. That leaves just a mere 5% paid through traditional paper check payments. Many attorneys are beginning to recognize if they don’t accept credit cards already, they may need to reconsider in order to facilitate collection of fees in the very near future.

Are Interruptions Killing Your Productivity? Survey says, ‘Yes’.

I don’t know about you but one of the biggest killers of my productivity is constant disruptions. We can blame it on our poor time management skills or our addictive behavior when it comes to obsessively checking emails or the delusion we are gifted multi-taskers. But at the end of the day, productivity suffers and this means your profits suffer.

A Primer on Business and Trust Accounting for Solo/Small Firms

If you’re a lawyer and clients give you money you must have a system in place for maintaining and properly recording all transactions related to the funds now in your possession. There are absolutely no excuses for not having a system in place. It is required. Here is a primer to help you either get started or make sure the way you are currently managing your clients’ monies entrusted to you are handled ethically.

‘Amaze’-ing Facts You Didn’t Know That Drive Traffic to Legal Websites

The number of people going to the web first before asking for a recommendation from someone they trust is increasing. Once they are online searching they continue to do their research before they decide who to call. Your website may not be doing you any favors if it’s not been optimized to work properly by 2015 standards. Find out how you can improve your website before it ceases to function for you in any meaningful way.

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