The Bottom Line

The newsletter of the ISBA’s Standing Committee on Law Office Management and Economics

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2009 Articles

Ask your editor By John W. Olmstead October 2009 A successful law firm competitive strategy requires effective law firm management. Managing Partners and Administrators must keep updated on all aspects of law firm management. In order to assist in this effort we are pleased to share our insights and thoughts.
Can I review my boss? By Melissa Schroeder & Toby Paulose October 2009 The answer to that question is, YES!
The changing face of the legal profession By Sherwin A. Brook December 2009 The U.S. economy has been slammed over the past 18 months. No sector has been spared. Among the professional services providers, attorneys have been the hardest hit. The dynamics of the carnage has left virtually every area of concentration reeling with the possible exceptions of bankruptcy injury and family law.
Culture: Do you have it? By Thomas J. Brannan June 2009 That “culture” is, many times, difficult to see or define. It is, however, or should be, reflective of the core values, beliefs, ethics and rules of behavior of a practice or office.
Electronic discovery: Pay now or pay later! By Alan Pearlman February 2009 The days of paper documents are becoming a faint memory and being replaced with e-mail, instant messaging, video and VoIP. Although these tools make our everyday lives easier, they have the potential to become a serious liability for your company if not managed properly.
How good is your e-mail evidence ?…RPost® Registered E-Mail® gives you the courtroom edge! By Alan Pearlman February 2009 As most attorneys will tell you, an e-mail is a discoverable document that is legal evidence, to be used at any trial and for any discoverable purpose.
More on associates By Donald E. Weihl June 2009 From the very beginning there are guidelines/principles that need to be observed/followed in order to serve the clients efficiently and skillfully to accomplish tasks to generate fees as matters are handled to conclusion. The guidelines/principles are seldom communicated to the new associates in written form, and often the associate is simply expected to know without having been specifically told what to do, not do, how to act, or not act.
Needle in a haystack By Toby Paulose February 2009 An overview of the processes that recruiters use when looking for that special job candidate. Also included are some tips on what to look for in a resume and and the types of questions you should ask to get the information that you are looking for during a face to face interview..
Note from the Chair By Steven C. Lindberg December 2009 On behalf of all the members of the LOME Committee, we would like to wish each and every one of you and your staff a very peaceful holiday season
Pay your law firm employees properly or risk falling into a financial snakepit By James B. Zouras December 2009 As wage-and-hour practitioners who have represented thousands of employees in actions against employers of every size, from multi-billion-dollar corporations to small businesses, our firm is well-versed on the ways employers violate the labor laws.
Pay your law firm employees properly or risk falling into a financial snakepit By James B. Zouras October 2009 As wage-and-hour practitioners who have represented thousands of employees in actions against employers of every size, from multi-billion-dollar corporations to small businesses, our firm is well-versed on the ways employers violate the labor laws.
Relocating a Law Practice (Or How to Survive the Move Without Losing Your Mind) By Mary A. Corrigan December 2009 Lawyers, like most people, are creatures of habit and avoid change at all costs. How then can an attorney or a law firm deal with a major change like a physical practice relocation and still retain their sanity?
Retention of e-mail: Why bother? By Michael D. Gifford February 2009 Does your firm need a policy for managing retention and preservation of e-mail? YES; even the smallest organizations are wise to invest the time and effort to craft such a policy.
A soft real estate market creating opportunities to reduce real estate expense By Gary Fazzio June 2009 The instability within the real estate marketplace, combined with new pricing models, will create opportunities for law firms to renegotiate their leases and reduce real estate expense in return for minimizing landlord exposure to rental loss and rollover risk.
The virtual practice: The what and why By R. Andrew Smith October 2009 The virtual office concept has been around for some time; however, it has not typically been used in the context of practicing law.  
Virtualization and law office computer systems By Alan Pearlman February 2009 Virtualization is a technology that does present some added variables and complexity, but provides features and tools that change the status quo. It is a technology that the legal industry will surely embrace and use to better our service to our ultimate consumer…the client.
What is keeping lawyers awake at night: Asked and answered By John W. Olmstead June 2009 The author answers some of the questions lawyers frequently ask.
Where have all the clients gone? By Donald E. Weihl December 2009 Have your clients stopped calling? Is your daily mail just bills?