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How to CYA without Looking Like an A

“You never told me that!” Those are words a lawyer never wants to hear, but unfortunately many of us do. That’s why CYA (cover your a$$) can be so important.

Often a lawyer’s interaction with a client occurs during one of the most stressful times of the client’s life. Although it may be a routine matter to the lawyer, it may be the only time the client has ever been in this circumstance. Just when the client needs full brain power to comprehend new and complicated concepts, stress negatively impacts the client’s ability to think and remember. So put yourself in your client’s shoes and see how you can make their experience easier while covering yourself.

How to Create an Email Signature in Outlook

Creating an email signature will automatically put whatever you want at the bottom of every email. You can create different signatures for different emails. For instance you may have a signature for emails that are internal to your organization and another signature for emails that go outside your organization. You could have another signature for emails sent to your family and perhaps another that you use for your volunteer work. There are two ways to create an email signature. Learn how.

The Great “Business vs Profession” Debate

Over the years I have witnessed a few vigorous debates where the point of contention was over whether the practice of law is a business or a profession. I am sometimes taken aback by the positions some lawyers take.

There are those who really do find the notion of equating the practice of law in any way, shape, or form with the running of a business as an extremely offensive position. In the opposite corner stands the attorney who is in it solely for the money and views the very existence of our rules of professional conduct as a personal affront. Thus, the great debate.

My Client Fired Me But It Wasn’t My Fault…Or Was It?

We’ve all been there. We thought we had a great relationship with a client and the next thing we know we’re getting a letter from another attorney asking for our client’s file. You’re surprised, hurt, don’t understand what happened. You may even try to call the client but by this time the client isn’t necessarily forthcoming. So, you get upset for a while, or you celebrate because the client was a pain in the butt. But what you don’t really do is assess. You move on.

Therein lies the problem. You decide it was out of your hands. Wrong. You need to understand why the client fired you.

Falling Back In Love With Your Solo Practice

It’s been five years since I started my solo practice. In that time, I’ve had many ups and downs. I’ve struggles at times – with depression, with stress and burnout, with financial troubles, and with staff turnover that got me labeled “The Hatchet” by a friend in the staffing industry. I’ve thought about packing it in a time or two, going back to work at a Big Law firm, but I never did.

You know what? I wouldn’t change any of it.

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