essential law practice management for gals

Essential Law Practice Management for GALs

Office of the Child’s Representative

March 2014

Reba J. Nance Colorado Bar Association

Director, Law Practice and Risk Management [email protected]

Manage Your Time and Track Projects

Good time management Enjoy your life Get more done Reduce stress – prevent malpractice! Better assist your clients Pursue your higher goals


Understand your relationship to time You can’t control what you don’t understand Figure out where your time goes Outlook’s Journal feature

Do an honest self-assessment


Getting Things Done by David Allen Capture everything you need to get done Discipline yourself to stick to the system Think in terms of “next action” Use placeholders for everything you need to do Do a weekly review to keep on track


Getting Things Done by David Allen Projects You can never just “do” a project If there are many steps, try outlining For recurring projects, create a reusable outline You need a “stake in the ground” for all steps

To Dos are succinct, neat


What do I do now? Context Time available Energy available Priority


Context What could I possibly do, where I am, with the

tools I have? Electronic sorts are invaluable! Could I return calls? (is there a phone available?) Am I currently running errands? (what other errands

are on my list?) If I am at the office, don’t look through “at home” tasks


Time Available How much time do I have before I have to do

something else? If you have given tasks an estimate, you can sort by

the amount of time it takes


Energy Available How much energy do I have? Do I have enough to devote to the analysis of a case? Do I only have enough to do something “mindless?”

Manage Your Time and Track Your Projects

Priority Out of my remaining options, what is the most

important thing for me to do?


Weekly Review Go through all your placeholders “To Do” electronic and paper folders “Projects” electronic and paper folders “Waiting For” electronic and paper folders “Someday/Maybe” electronic and paper folders Last week’s calendar


Summary Capture everything – write it down – get it into the

system One point of entry Do it when you think of it Be sacred with your calendar Review everything once a week


Summary (continued) Be realistic! Keep the big picture goals in mind Don’t be too hard on yourself JUST DO IT!

Common Pitfalls – Solos and Small Firms

Trying to do it all Determine your strengths Outsource Delegate What is my time worth calculator http://www.learnvest.com/2011/02/whats-your-time-

worth/ Enter your salary, how much income you have after

expenses, how much free time you have, is cutting costs or saving time more important

Common Pitfalls – Solos and Small Firms What is my time worth

calculator http://www.learnvest.com

/2011/02/whats-your-time-worth/ Enter your salary, how

much income you have after expenses, how much free time you have, is cutting costs or saving time more important

Common Pitfalls – Solos and Small Firms

Burn out Losing track of projects/to dos Create @Waiting For folder in Outlook

Not taking time for administrative tasks Ignorance of your financial situation Outstanding billables Realization rate

Strategies for Working in a Multidisciplinary Law Office

Maximize use of support staff UPL http://www.coloradosupremecourt.com/Regulation/UP

L_Injuction_Listing.htm Get them to bond with callers Delegate! Guidelines for the use of paralegals http://www.cobar.org/index.cfm/ID/106/subID/23108/CLAS//

Strategies for Working in a Multidisciplinary Law Office

Maximize use of support staff Train them Using email at work Signature Duty to supervise Confidentiality

Strategies for Working in a Multidisciplinary Law Office Software training www.lynda.com www.microsoft.com Google it

Train the trainer

http://www.lynda.com/�

http://www.microsoft.com/�

Docketing and Scheduling Issues

Dealing with the “cattle call” Keep track of To Dos by category @Errands @Calls @Home @Computer

Become mobile Access to your documents, contacts, calendar,

etc.

Docketing and Scheduling Issues

Keep your calendar two ways Electronic or paper-and-pencil Feature calendar tickler to do

Stand-alone vs. integrated

Conflict Management and Morale

Dealing with lay people and non-legal professionals Tell them when you return phone calls Have your staff call them back Tell everyone your expectations Keep track of your promises (and live up to them!)


Dealing with staff Avoid finger pointing What happened? How do we fix it? How do we make sure it doesn’t happen again?

Meet regularly Keep them in the loop “Please” and “Thank You” Share your expectations


Dealing with staff (continued) Speed vs. accuracy Efficient vs. personable Shooting from the hip Accept inevitability of conflict Don’t avoid conflict


Dealing with staff (continued) Stay calm Maintain the moral high ground Partner with HR (if you can!) Document meticulously Don’t think in terms of winning

Conflict Management and Morale Working with inter-generational staff Differences in how they communicate Differences in what motives them Differences in how they view their job Generational Differences in the Workplace

http://rtc.umn.edu/docs/2_18_Gen_diff_workplace.pdf


Work-Life balance List the important categories Health Finances Family Friends Home Self Work

Finding the time Slot it onto your calendar

Constructive Performance Evaluations

Criticism vs. constructive feedback 360-degree appraisals Self-evaluations On-going No news is good news

Constructive Performance Evaluations

3 key elements Clear identification of job standards Consistent, objective measurement of whether

standards are being met Self – evaluation Ranking systems Always-Usually-Sometimes-Seldom-Never-N/A

Provision for clarification and feedback

In Conclusion

Good law practice management means You’re more efficient Your clients are better served You make more money You’re less stressed!

essential law practice management for gals

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