Nicole Black
BridgeTower Media Newswires
Running a small law firm isn't easy. Practicing law is a full-time job in and of itself, and as a result most small firm lawyers don't have the luxury of letting others run the back-end of their law firm. Instead, they're often responsible for many of the day-to-day tasks involved in managing the business end of their practices, whether it's hiring employees, managing the books, invoicing and collecting payments from clients, or marketing their practice.
And then there are the administrative and IT functions that small firm lawyers take on themselves. These can include handling client intake, managing calendars, drafting documents, choosing and maintaining computer hardware, and selecting software for the firm.
No wonder you sometimes feel overwhelmed! Because you singlehandedly take on so many different roles, there's too much to do and not enough hours in the day. You need all the help you can get! Fortunately, there are lots of books available designed to do just that: provide you with the guidance you need to run your small law firm efficiently and profitably. What follows are a few of my top recommendations.
First, there's “Solo By Choice: How to be the Lawyer You Always Wanted to Be” and the “Solo By Choice, the Companion Guide,” both written by lawyer Carolyn Elefant. These books walk you through the ins and outs of starting your own law firm and cover everything you need to know about starting and managing a successful solo or small firm practice.
Next up is “The 2019 Solo and Small Firm Legal Technology Guide,” written by Sharon D. Nelson, John W. Simek, and Michael C. Maschke. In this book, which is updated and revised annually, you’ll learn all about how to make smart technology decisions for your law firm. This book will help you sift through your technology choices, which range from hardware options to legal software tools designed to simplify the lives of solo and small-firm lawyers.
Speaking of technology, if you have senior lawyers in your law firm who are either resistant to technology or are struggling to keep up, make sure to invest in a copy of “Technology Tips for Seniors, Volume 2.0,” written by Ashley Hallene and Jeffrey M. Allen. This book includes a mobile device app guide and offers lots of other useful information that will help senior lawyers improve their productivity by learning about, understanding and using technology.
Another book to consider if you’re seeking ways to innovate and stand out in today's increasingly crowded legal marketplace is “Legal Upheaval: A Guide to Creativity, Collaboration, and Innovation in the Law.” In this book, author Michele DeStafano explains why the legal industry is in the middle of an unavoidable transformation, and he provides ideas to help lawyers innovate in order to succeed in the new world order.
“How to Capture and Keep Clients: Marketing Strategies for Lawyers, Second Edition” is another book to read for advice on how to successfully market your law firm in 2019. This book is edited by jennifer j. rose and includes chapters from more than 27 lawyers and legal marketing experts who offer lots of great legal marketing ideas and advice.
As you put all of your learning into action and your firm begins to thrive, you’ll no doubt seek to grow your firm by hiring new employees. That's where “Effectively Staffing Your Law Firm, 2nd Edition” comes in. This book is also edited by jennifer j. rose and each chapter is written by experts -- many of whom are lawyers -- and covers everything you need to know about hiring staff, firing staff and everything in between.
And last but not least, as you begin the process of hiring new employees, you’ll most likely encounter a millennial or two along the way. If so, you may be struggling to understand your new hires. That's where “What Millennial Lawyers Want” comes in. In this book, author Susan Smith Blakely explains what makes this generation tick and how managing law firm partners can change their outlook and embrace the many qualities that make millennial employees a unique and valuable asset for law firms.
So what are you waiting for? Invest in a few of these books today and then put your newfound knowledge to work. In no time, you’ll be reaping the benefits of your investment and will be on the path to a successful and profitable law practice!
—————
Nicole Black is a director at MyCase.com, a cloud-based law practice management platform. She is also of counsel to Fiandach & Fiandach in Rochester and is a GigaOM Pro analyst. She is the author of the ABA book “Cloud Computing for Lawyers,” coauthors the ABA book “Social Media for Lawyers: the Next Frontier,” and co-authors “Criminal Law in New York,” a West-Thomson treatise. She speaks regularly at conferences regarding the intersection of law and technology. She publishes three legal blogs and can be reached at niki@mycase.com.
