Anniversary

Just wanted to say, "Happy Anniversary" to me.

One year ago I opened the law firm, Absolute Legal Services, LLC. We've had some great success, and I'm generally proud of my achievements so far. I started as a litigation/bankruptcy/divorce firm, and have since added services in immigration and social security disability law.

Although there's some lean times, there's also some pretty exciting ones too. I am absolutely happy with my decision, and can't say I regret looking back on anything.

Cheers to another successful year!

I Love "PMS"

You must have Practice Management Software or PMS. This revises my previous opinion, wherein I waffled somewhat in fully recommending PMS for your firm.

Recently, I had the unpleasant experience of dealing with an issue outside of my legal work. I had to resolve the issue by examining my PMS for notes, memos, etc. By having quick and easy access to the information, I quickly resolved the issues and was able to focus fully on my legal work.

Again, MS Outlook is great for managing mundane items (like calendaring) and tasks (like finding contacts) (see here for my praises). However, if you're going to be serious about managing phone calls, tasks, calendaring, voice messages, documents, correspondence, emails, etc., you need a practice management system.

I've tried to use MS Outlook to keep track of client data, such as messages and communications. After awhile, and if the case grows complex, the information gets jumbled. Plus, you have to remember to notate the discussion in the "notes" section, or you'll forget or lose the conversation.

Sure, there are some similar restrictions and flaws with PMS, although I don't think they're as severe. I think it's a little easier because you're already reviewing the file information, and notations are just as easy. Moreover, because all of the information is in a centralized location, you're saving time by not having to open multiple folders to find the right documents.

Finally, and hopefully, if there's ever a need to "save your bacon", PMS may provide that one extra tidbit that your case file and it's 5,000,000 documents is missing.

Name Game

I want to rename and re-theme this blog. Right now it's "Legally Easy: Helping you discover a different perspective on the legal world." I'm not particularly opposed to the Legally Easy name, although the theme or slogan is somewhat less-than-desirable.

I'd like to enlist your suggestions in developing a new name/theme (or whether it's necessary). Feel free to comment or email me your suggestions. I plan to offer a small reward ($25 gift certificate to a national restaurant chain) for the best suggestion. I promise not to use your email for anything other than notifying you if you're a winner.

Ready...set...GO!

The Power of Your Practice

Basically, two companies compete for your business in the note-taking/storage field: Microsoft and Evernote.

Microsoft offers an excellent utility, which I used all through law school, called OneNote. The main idea of the program is that you can clip and paste different stories, articles, pieces of research, etc., into the program, then use those "notebooks" to organize the information you need. My biggest problem with the program is that it ran slow (not dreadful), and that it relied on me to make sure accurate backups were in place to protect my information (never a problem for me, but I know several people who lost their entire semester's worth of notes because of a computer glitch.)

Enter Evernote, an online application that functions much like it's more costly counterpart. I LOVE EVERNOTE! I use it daily in my practice to organize materials, trial notebooks, etc. The greatest feature about Evernote is the price: FREE (although paid upgrades with more features are available). Even the paid or "premium" Evernote service is arguably more affordable and cost-effective than MS OneNote. At $45 per year (versus $99 for OneNote full version), Evernote is bound to save you costs & the time consuming hassles of having to manage your own information.

Evernote features an iPhone and BlackBerry app, a FireFox plugin, and a desktop program. Together, these provide more versatility to the program than it's competitor, OneNote. Where OneNote is designed to function more in the TablePC environment, Evernote's design encourages the familiar desktop/word processing atmosphere.

Using the program to improve your practice is like using any software. The important part is to find the niche for you. I like using the program when I'm researching case law, organizing trial notebooks, and managing the everyday functions of my law practice.

Evernote allows you to create "notebooks" that handle the subjects you'd like to manage. For each case  usually trial or litigation) I'm working on, I create a client notebook. From there, any notes regarding strategy, research, or special information gets placed into the client notebook. I do not use Evernote to manage the daily features of the practice or client matter, rather, Evernote is a tool to organize the big picture. The program is particularly useful in mapping issues and organizing thoughts. I've used it multiple times to organize and prepare for a deposition and trial. The utilities are endless!

Finally, some are critical about the confidentiality or risk of "cloud computing." For me, this isn't a big deal.  I don't store confidential information online, and I like to believe that most judges will recognize the benefits of these systems, and rule that any information released would still be protected by the attorney-client privilege. Maybe that's my naivete, but arguably, a cyber-attack or hacking doesn't result in losing the privilege.

That being said, I don't believe that Evernote's Terms of Service would cause a heightened concern. Unlike other providers who may claim an interest in your materials, Evernote doesn't, at least to a relevant extent of sharing the information. Evernote's TOS provides, "you retain all of the rights you had in your Content before you submitted it. In fact, unless you elect to enable others to view or have access to the Content you submit to the Service, no one else should see it without your consent." Concern averted. If you can see anything I'm missing, please let me know.

P.S.: I wrote here about using Evernote to build a Practice Manual, in case you're interested.

You ask, I answer

I don't consider myself an expert by any means. However, occasionally I get a variety of emails regarding my decision to go solo. Most of these I'll answer with a simple statement that, "I'm just some guy who got a lucky break, and am now doing what I love."

 

Most of the people asking questions are 3rd year law students who have some considerations to make. One of the most frequent concerns that questioners have is regarding financing. The question invariably goes, "how do you get money?" This is a legitimate concern, and if I knew the answer, I'd hopefully be selling my secrets somewhere else.

While I don't think there's a "magic pill" to calm the financial worries, I think there's a couple different things to ease your worries:

1. Don't be afraid to work from home.  While I'm not a fan of this option for new lawyers, I think it's a viable necessity if you're going to save money. It's harder to make a profit if you're always running a deficit each month.
2. Minimize your overhead. You're going to be tempted to buy flashing products, services, etc., that you think are cool. The problem with a lot of these products is that you're not getting any value without having a lot of expenses. My "minimal" materials are: laptop, cell phone, laser printer/scanner/fax, word processing software, practice management software and Adobe Acrobat Professional. There's others who will argue for more or less (online fax service), but you can get by with these items. Also, using free services like Google Docs can limit your overall expenses. Finally, get a Google Voice number to give you flexibility.
3. Get out and Meet People. There's nothing better than hearing, "I got your number from . . ." The more people you're working with and meeting, the more you're going to improve your financial situation.
   
4. Work Hard. It's your financial future. If you're screwing around and procrastinating, you're not going to survive. PERIOD. Solo practice requires that you make work when you're working. I've seen a couple of attorneys fail because they weren't willing to work.
5. Hard Work Breeds Success. You should absolutely worry less knowing you're in charge. You are going to make yourself successful if you work hard and have a trustworthy disposition.
6. Don't Be Afraid to Seek a Loan. Sometimes the money just doesn't come fast enough. Use some downtime to develop a well-planned business proposal and seek some outside funds. I've already felt this was a last option because of the risk. If you're not making money now, it's hard to add one more expense. However, occasionally by adding some cash inflow you can develop leads and other sources. Don't go overboard!! I'd strongly recommend that you don't get a loan greater than $10,000.
7. Make Yourself a "Specialist" in a Cash-heavy Practice-area. When I entered the business, I quickly became an "expert" in child custody and other family law areas. These practices often paid cash (something that always needed), and I always got an up-front payment. My thought was that I could afford to throw time away, but if I couldn't keep the doors open, the amount of good I was doing wasn't worth squat. Luckily, I priced well, and was able to get the jobs done without much lost time. One other good thing was that I could get an estimate of the value of my services. If I could determine or estimate a time frame, that would make future pricing easier and more profitable.
   

 I love working for myself. Each day I'm excited to go into the office an accomplish everything. I'm still concerned daily about the financial situation, but it's a great motivating factor to work hard and give excellent service.

 

If you're looking at making the plunge, make some careful examinations, then don't ever look back (almost).

Save some money, get GV now!

I love Google. There, I said it. I'm in a passionate affair with all of the lovely features of Google.

Most recently I discovered Google Voice. This revolutionary service offers you a full-featured answering service, for none of the price. I just changed my office number to my GV number, and I LOVE it!

Here are my favorite features:

1. Transcriptions of voice messages
2. Downloading audio messages to specific client files
3. Saving audio email messages to specific client files
4. Being able to answer calls
5. A reliable call log of all phone numbers (inbound and outbound)
6. Ability to call from GV
   
7. All this for FREE!!!

GV is helping to expand my practice with its wonderful features. I'm not sure how this would work for a well-established practice, but since my practice isn't well-established, I was able to utilize the service for a small investment. My biggest cost was ordering new business cards and sending out notice letters to the clients and other contacts who don't use email.

If you're starting out, GV is a great option. It'll take a bit to get your number/invite, so GET GOING!!! GV is just one of the multitude of programs I use on a daily basis.

Here's a simple list of my daily programs:

1. Google Reader
2. Goog-411
3. iGoogle
4. Google Docs
5. GV
6. Gmail
7. Google Apps
   

Quick Tip

When you're a new lawyer, you're bound to screw up. It doesn't matter whether you work for the world's biggest law firm, or whether you're working on your own. There is just too much to know, and simple things get overlooked. Law school teaches you to think like a lawyer (but there's even an argument against that), while the actual daily grind is much different.

I received two pieces of advice when I first began practicing that have been more valuable than anything else I learned in law school. First, don't worry about making mistakes. There's very rarely an occasion where a mistake is going to be detrimental (statutes of limitations, deadlines, etc., being most important). Although most of the "stuffy" and older attorneys don't like to admit it, they probably did the exact same thing 30 or 15, or 3 years ago. While they're outwardly mocking you, they do have some sense of compassion. It's like that bully on the playground scenario: the kid mocking is probably the one most familiar with the problem.

Second, if you do screw up, don't do it again. People tolerate one innocent act, any more than that is just ignorance and stupidity. Do it too many times and you'll be labeled and your reputation will suffer. Again, there's a reason why some of the kids on the playground took more abuse than other, or why you keep getting mad at your kid for tracking mud into the house. Quite simply, we'll let one mistake slide, but we have troubles allowing more.

The best way to combat this is to create a "how-to" manual. Every time you complete a case or learn something new about the practice of law, you should write the method or rule down. For instance, I once handled a garnishment challenge where I claimed an exemption for my client. Not know true protocol (it was my 1st), I neglected to provide an income calculation and an expense list highlighting my client's burdens. The judge was kind enough not to ream me out there at the bench, although we wasted an additional 15 minutes discussing the client's income. Straight after the hearing I went to my office, pulled out my manual, and wrote: "Judge X requires income calculations for each claim for exemption." and  "DO NOT PRESENT A CLAIM FOR EXEMPTION WITHOUT DOING SOME BASIC MONTHLY CALCULATIONS. Here are the things you must calculate: (list of items)."

Since you'll only handle some cases very infrequently, or appear before some particular judge in some small county, it's nice to have this file to refer to. Be aware that since it's your "practice manual", you can add whatever information you'd like. However, I maintain one rule: never speak poorly about someone, no matter what (I leave that for my other "black book").

Remember too, having this book makes running your office (or practicing with a firm), much easier. Be sure to share the book with associates and staff. This will help create continuity within your firm, and allow you to build your procedures manual.

Finally, one consideration you may make is to utilize online services to manage your practice manual. I started building a MS Word document, but I disliked the lack of portability. Since I purchased an iPod Touch, I've started using Evernote. The program allows you to manage a tremendous amount of information and sync it among multiple computers. I like the handy iPhone app that can be used offline, and synced with the Evernote server when you're back online. 

Evernote is great for other things too. Check it out if you're not already using it.

Pro Bono Attorneys

The ABA's Model Rule 6.1 of the Rules of Professional Responsibility urges attorneys to strive to donate a minimum of 50 hours of pro bono service to community members. States have adopted similar measures.

There has been substantial argument over the necessity of this rule, and it's effect on small firm and solo practitioners. Some bloggers have commented that pro bono service could inevitably lead to your demise as a solo or small firm practitioner (see here and here). More especially, mandatory pro bono service arguably has a greater impact on the solo or small practitioner because those individuals have more flexibility to make decisions to render pro bono service. I think this is certainly true.

An "aspirational" rule can harm the solo or small firm attorney because the attorney already discounts fees or in some cases, provides services at no charge. In my practice, I find that there is a high percentage of tasks wherein the client receives discounted or pro bono service. Moreover, I'm actively involved in the Oklahoma Lawyers for Children program, which assigns lawyers to represent deprived children in state court. In fact, I currently offered legal representation to an individual if they'd agree to cover court costs and other fees.

Thankfully, Oklahoma has a rather robust rule regarding pro bono service. The rule does not mandate any hourly requirements. Rather, the rule encourages the attorney to offer reduced fee or free legal services, improve the community through unpaid service, and financially support legal aid-type organizations.

I like Oklahoma's rule because I think it puts reasonable demands on attorneys for providing service according to their means and abilities.

I'd like to hear your views on the issue, so please comment below.

Practice Management Software

There's a debate over at the Solosez list-serv about whether attorneys really need practice management software, or whether MS Outlook can do the trick.

Allison Shields has a great post, which effectively argues for practice management software.

I'm going to throw my hat in the ring, because I used to believe one school (MS Outlook is okay), and have converted.

Although I think you can manage your practice without the use of "PMS", you'll thank yourself if you use it. I recently (about 4 months ago) incorporated PracticeMaster into my business. I chose PM primarily based on price, but also because I tried the software and found it fit my needs.

Here is what I've found:

1. Outlook is a tough way to organize client notes, documents, files, and related parties. PMS allows you to easily document conversations with clients, opposing counsel, and 3rd parties. It eliminates "Post-it Note-taking", and merges the notes into the client file.
2. I no longer have 3 (or more) different documents to help task/track my clients. I used a combination of an Excel file, Word document, and yellow pad to make assignments, track the number of cases, and create necessary tasks. PMS gives me an organized list of my clients, the type of matter, and their contact information, in addition to any other information I need. The great thing too is that my email messages and documents get incorporated as "journal" and "doc" entries to review in the PracticeMaster program. It's unnecessary for me to flip between 3 or 4 different computer folders, files, programs or documents.
3. Cost savings. I purchased the "Basic" version of PracticeMaster because I felt I didn't need some of the extended features. I would recommend going for the Premier version of the program for 2 reasons. 1st: "PM Briefcase" to use on your laptop; and 2nd: Document Assembly. Although neither of these features has been vitally important, there have been times when I wished I had them. I chose the "smaller" version because for under $250 I could have 2 clients running (me and an intern/assistant), and the maintenance package. Talk about money well spent!

"Suddenly Solo"

July's issue of Law Practice Today is phenomenal! If you're not a subscriber, you need to be. Each month's webzine features very useful articles about managing and maintaining a successful legal practice.

July's issues is geared toward those attorneys who are "suddenly solo" because of layoffs. I think law graduates fall into one of two categories: solo/small firm bound (and knew it from day 1), or BigLaw bound (or at least aspiring to such). In my case, I fell into the former category.

My story is probably quite similar to a lot of people. I didn't have a particularly good law school experience, and basically after my first year had decided I was not going to work in any sort of capacity.

During my first summer, I took a legal aid-type job (because everything else was taken and I couldn't get a "law" job) with a small firm specializing in Indian law. That experience changed my life, and I knew at the end of that summer I wanted to be an attorney, albeit, not one of those "stuffy" ones I saw at school or downtown.

I began quickly by assessing my options and formulating my practice plans. Based on my experience, I knew the real action was as a solo or small firm practitioner, thus I slurped up everything I could on the subjects. I joined list-serves, practice management associations/groups, and talked to other attorneys. After all my preparations,I felt I was ready, and I made the leap.

I think the key to my success thus far has been my preparations. I may not know everything (which I freely admit), but I know how and where to find the information. I know this partly because of experience (being thrown into the oven helps one to quickly learn), but because my "Practice Preparation Plan"demands it.

My PPP is a simple statement, one-page in length, that discusses the question, "what would I do if I suddenly lost my job." I created the page because I knew/know that I serve at the will of those around me. It's not secure enough to trust that because I have a law degree, I'll guarantee myself a job. Quite simply, the cliche about death and taxes is the one secure point.

The essence of the PPP is to answer the question and lay a simple ground work for landing a new job (increasingly more difficult in this economy) or venturing on your own (more of an option). There's no magical formula or design template, because it's based on your wants, desires, and goals. However, it should be pin-point focused, offering suggestions that will motivate your broken spirit, develop your drive to rebuild, and give you answers to fundamental questions. Mine happens to have a significant statement about my overall goals and dreams: "I want to spend more time with my family than the office, therefore I will leave the office no later than 5 p.m." Of course, this gets broken every few months, but it's a general statement about my philosphy, and a reminder that some things are more important than my work.

What I knew I needed when I finished my 1st year, is something I believe every attorney must have, regardless and in spite of your present security. The skills you've acquired during your studies and career are meaningless if you can't put them to use. This is the essence of the July webzine. If you're not practicing with your own PPP, I'd encourage you to create one now.