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How Law Firms Can Create Positive Workplace Culture | Explore Law Firms and Legal Advice

6Dec

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How Law Firms Can Create Positive Workplace Culture | Explore Law Firms and Legal Advice

When law firm leaders make changes to create a more positive, productive culture, those upgrades can improve employee sentiment and the company's bottom line. Company culture is an issue every firm leader should be addressing as law firms are known to be unforgiving environments, and many attorneys buckle under the strain. The good news is that firms that have taken steps to improve the workplace culture have learned lessons that can benefit the larger legal community.The Catalysts for Cultural ChangeThere’s usually a reason why a law firm decides this is the time for change in workplace culture. That inflection point will guide the process in enacting change.For example, Clark Hill, one of the nation’s 200 largest firms, acquired several smaller firms around the country. Following that, ...

Marketing Tips for Estate Lawyers | Explore Law Firms and Legal Advice

22Nov

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Marketing Tips for Estate Lawyers | Explore Law Firms and Legal Advice

“The biggest challenge is that the entire world is a prospective client if you’re an estate planning lawyer,” says Sally Schmidt, president of Schmidt Marketing Inc. and one of the founders of the Legal Marketing Association.Although nearly everyone needs a will, few have them. According to one 2023 survey of more than 2,400 people, about 66% of American adults don’t have a will. However, the sheer size of the potential client base – i.e., the majority of Americans – may overwhelm wills and trust attorneys, which is why marketing experts’ insights can be crucial in helping wills and trust attorneys thrive.Marketing Starts by Having a Business Development Plan Begin each year by making a business development plan, then create a marketing plan customized to meet the new business development...

18 Tips to Successfully Interview at a Law Firm | Explore Law Firms and Legal Advice

15Nov

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18 Tips to Successfully Interview at a Law Firm | Explore Law Firms and Legal Advice

For a successful law interview, lawyers may benefit from tips on how to best make the case for themselves – why they’d be right for this firm. Particularly, since the way they approach meetings in their practice of law can backfire in an interview. A job interview isn’t a deposition, after all.Here are 18 tips for successfully interviewing at a law firm.The Interview Is About Them, Not YouMost candidates think interviews are about them, but “it’s about the employer. It’s not about you,” says Tony Waller, assistant dean for career development at the University of Georgia School of Law.The real, if unsaid, questions an interviewer asks are: “Are you a good investment for the firm?” “Can we put you in front of clients?” and “Will you turn out quality work product for us?” says Waller, who cu...

How to Borrow Money from Friends and Family | Personal Finance

15Nov

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How to Borrow Money from Friends and Family | Personal Finance

Whether you’ve run into unexpected expenses, want some help with a large purchase or need cash to move your business idea forward, there's a variety of reasons that you might consider turning to friends or family members to borrow money.The Federal Reserve benchmark interest rate is at 5.4%, its highest level in 22 years. That puts the prime rate, available to the most qualified borrowers, from most financial institutions above 8%.While borrowing money from friends and family can be a lower-cost way to access funds – or the only way, if you have a poor credit or no credit history – it can also create challenges for relationships.If you are planning to borrow money from your friends or family, keep these five tips in mind:1. Be Transparent About Why You Need the CashAsking a loved one for ...

How to Recruit Exceptional Lawyers at Your Law Firm | Explore Law Firms and Legal Advice

9Nov

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How to Recruit Exceptional Lawyers at Your Law Firm | Explore Law Firms and Legal Advice

Across the country, many law firms face a competitive market for attorneys. For example, the number of attorneys in the District of Columbia is almost half of what it was a decade ago. Alabama lost 19% of its attorneys and Ohio lost 9% of its lawyers between 2020 and 2021. That’s why, when it comes to recruiting exceptional attorneys, there’s more to legal recruiting than compensation and want ads.“Money is an important factor, but it’s rarely the real driving factor,” explains Carol Morganstern, a partner at Major, Lindsey & Africa, a global legal executive search firm, who specializes in placing lateral partners in San Francisco Bay Area positions.“People are really looking for success, and then the money follows,” she says.Recruiting is as much about a firm’s culture as it is about...

Defamation, Libel and Slander: What Do They Mean and How Do They Differ? | Explore Law Firms and Legal Advice

27Sep

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Defamation, Libel and Slander: What Do They Mean and How Do They Differ? | Explore Law Firms and Legal Advice

The terms defamation, libel and slander may be used interchangeably in popular culture, but they are different in important ways. Some of these differences date back to medieval times, but they still have a real impact on how modern-day Americans can speak, write and broadcast. What Is Defamation?Defamation is the umbrella term that describes statements someone makes about another person, which hurt their ability to function in society, says David Partlett, Ada Griggs Candler Professor of Law Emeritus at Emory University.Whether it is true or false, a defamatory statement “impugns someone’s reputation,” says Ken Paulson, director of Middle Tennessee University’s Free Speech Center. “It’s the act of making someone’s reputation less pristine.”What Is Slander? What Is Libel?Slander is a fals...

Money Apps to Keep Your Retirement Planning on Track | Retirement

27Sep

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Money Apps to Keep Your Retirement Planning on Track | Retirement

If you're like most people, your life is so busy that you have little time to dedicate to your finances. Ensuring that you’re on the right track with your retirement goals can be tough, but it's important. A 2023 Fidelity report found that the typical American household has saved just 78% of the amount necessary for retirement. Meanwhile, 52% of households may have saved so little that they won't be able to manage their essential expenses when they stop working. To hit your target, you'll need to monitor your spending and manage your credit as you make proper saving and investment decisions. It can be challenging, but technology can help. These nine apps can reduce the time you spend budgeting, net worth tracking, credit monitoring, managing debt and investing – and help ensure you're doi...

Avoid Becoming One of These Retirement Statistics | Retirement

26Sep

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Avoid Becoming One of These Retirement Statistics | Retirement

Saving for retirement is a long game that rewards the early birds. Here's a look at six unfortunate retirement statistics and tips on how to avoid becoming one of them. 1. Social Security Benefits Provide Retired Workers With an Average of Just $22,044 Per Year Retired workers in 2023 are receiving an average of $1,837 per month – or $22,044 per year – in Social Security benefits. While Social Security benefits can be a helpful part of a retirement plan, the income is often not enough on its own – especially amid record inflation rates in recent years. 2. More Than 1 in 4 Adults Who are Still Working Aren't Saving for Retirement About a quarter of American adults who are still working (28%) say they don't have any retirement savings, according to the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households...

10 Marketing Tips for Criminal Defense Lawyers | Explore Law Firms and Legal Advice

20Sep

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10 Marketing Tips for Criminal Defense Lawyers | Explore Law Firms and Legal Advice

The age-old advice given to brick-and-mortar businesses looking to succeed is “location, location, location.” The criminal defense attorney’s equivalent is “reputation, reputation, reputation.”But how do potential clients find out about you and your reputation?Criminal defendants aren’t out networking with attorneys, building relationships in case they eventually need representation. They often need an attorney now, and their search is an emotional, fraught process.At the same time, “no one can hire you if they don’t know you exist,” says Jessica Aries, founder of By Aries, a digital marketing consultancy specializing in services for legal professionals.So how will a prospective client find you? And what evidence will convince them that you’re the best attorney for their case?Identify You...

Can You Use AI to Write Your Will? | Explore Law Firms and Legal Advice

13Sep

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Can You Use AI to Write Your Will? | Explore Law Firms and Legal Advice

“Can AI draft a will? Absolutely. But the better question is: Should you use it?” says Vanessa L. Kanaga, an estate attorney and CEO of InterActive Legal, a company providing estate law software to law firms. “At this stage of AI, I would not recommend to anyone to rely on AI for their will.”Kanaga qualifies her comment, saying that, for very simple cases, an AI-generated will might be better than nothing – as long as it's valid.Your AI-Created Will Might Not Be EnforceableMany homeowners take on do-it-yourself projects, but at a certain point, they know when to call in a professional. “It’s the same thing with drafting a will,” Kanaga says. “It looks straightforward, but you don’t necessarily know all the pitfalls that could lead to the will being invalid or challenged or not doing what ...