Center For Practice Management

Popular Articles from the CPM ICYMI Newsletter (May 2022 – August 2022)

Every week subscribers receive the ICYMI enewsletter from the NCBA Center for Practice Management. The newsletter highlights tips, tools, trends, and techniques to help your law practice. Following are a few popular links from the past issues of the newsletter.

How to Make Google Chrome Faster (May 20, 2022)

If you are a Google Chrome user, you probably started with it because it was fast and stable. If you find that the browser is now lagging this Groovy Post article supplies a list of steps you can take to speed your browsing back up, including seeing what is pulling all the power by checking the Chrome Task Manager.

Requesting Files from Clients (Without Email) (May 27, 2022)

There are many times you need to ask that your clients send you files. Most everyone knows how to attach files and send via email, but is there a better way? Are there a lot of files? Large files? Do the files hold sensitive information like bank records, taxes, or insurance claims? There are many ways to securely request files that will make it easier and more secure for you and your clients. And you probably have the tools to do so already!

Associate Retention: 4 Ideas to Keep Lawyers from Leaving Your Law Firm (June 3, 2022)

Retention and recruitment are extremely hot topics these days. Wendy Merrill, writing for Attorney at Work, suggests four strategies to keep your associates from leaving for greener pastures. Her suggestions include Invest in professional development, help foster community, assign mentors, and encourage personal goals.

Backlash Follows Lawyer’s Recorded Celebratory Comments About How He Won His Case (June 10, 2022)

An attorney was recorded at an internal staff meeting discussing his recent victory in a med mal case. His comments were perceived as “bragging about how his client negligently killed the plaintiff”. As unfortunate as the situation is, this begs the question – who recorded and posted the video and why? It wouldn’t seem necessary, but firms may want to enforce those discussions held within the firm should be strictly confidential.

Two Choices to Make A PDF – Save Or Print? (June 17, 2022)

Did you know that the resulting PDF document is different depending on how it was created? Whether you convert a document to PDF with PDF creation software, save a document to PDF using Windows/Office, or print a document to PDF, the resulting documents have slight variations in size and functionality. Know the difference because you don’t want your hyperlinks to disappear!

Form Builder Spreadsheet – Document Assembly / Automation Using Microsoft Excel and Word (June 17, 2022)

CPM ICYMI subscriber Michael Dew shares this incredible how-to instructional resource on how to solve a common problem – typing information into Word forms anew. The Form Builder Spreadsheet stores data in Excel and fills in your Word templates. Best of all, other than the time it takes to set this up, these are tools you already have on your desktop. Step by step instructions, examples and video tutorials are included. Thanks for sharing!

What Is Masked Email? Try This Security Practice Now (June 24, 2022)

Strong, long, unique passwords and multi-factor authentication can do a lot to stop the bad guys. Another tool in your arsenal is to use an alternative email instead of your real one. By using a masked email address, you make it harder for an intruder to get access to your accounts and can also help guard against spam. Many websites require an email address as one of your login credentials – but you don’t have to use your real one!

Ten Tips for Time Management (July 1, 2022)

You cannot manage time. You can’t make it faster, slower, or create more of it. However, you can manage yourself, your focus, and your priorities. What results are you trying to achieve by controlling how you use the time you have more effectively? From triaging priorities to task management to controlling interruptions, we will explore some techniques to leverage how to effectively use time to reduce stress and fulfill commitments.

LinkedIn Profile Update | How to Stand Out in 4 Simple, Achievable Steps (July 15, 2022)

If you only read one article about how to leverage LinkedIn it should be this one. Coach and consultant Tea Hoffmann gets to the heart of what makes a good LinkedIn profile and how to engage with others to get the most out of this powerful social platform.

An “I Have a Rule” Method for Saying No to Requests (July 22, 2022)

Thanks to Dennis Kennedy for sharing how to say “no” to requests. We know we should say “no” for a variety of reasons, but it feels personal. This method, and his examples, require that you take a bold approach (and apparently blame your partner for your decisions). But you may find some useful nuggets in enforcing your “no”.

Law Firm Lost Nearly $200,000 in Scam: Bank Not Liable (July 29, 2022)

A Pennsylvania law firm agreed to collect debt for a tool company in Florida. The firm demanded payment from the “debtor” and received a (forged) check. The firm deposited the (forged) check at the ATM because of COVID-19 restrictions. The next day the firm’s account showed the full amount was available and wired the money per the “client” instructions, which turned out to be a bank in Nigeria. The firm’s bank, Wells Fargo, is “protected by its deposit agreement, which says its duty to exercise ordinary care doesn’t require it to examine deposits processed by automated means”, ruled U.S. District Judge McHugh and not liable for damages.

Client Service – Alternatives to Keeping Original Documents (August 5, 2022)

Returning original documents to clients is now the best practice in law firms. However, when a family member contacts the firm and says, “do you know where my mom’s will is?” or a small business asks “do you have my articles of incorporation” most firms want to be helpful, but the matter is literally out of their hands. There are many services that a firm can suggest to clients that store important digital assets and record the location of original documents for succession and estate planning.

Each week the ICYMI newsletter from the Center for Practice Management provides the latest practice management news in a digestible format. We do the curating, so you don’t have to!

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