Tip of the Week Blog
April 2007, Week 3 5 Things That Can Mess Up Your Computer For Staff... Sometimes, users create problems for their computers and for the network. Every law firm depends on their computers to keep the documents flowing and business running. Some common errors that are preventable problems: 5. Keep Disks Full and Fragmented. Disk fragmentation occurs because of the way information is stored on the disk. You can use the disk defragmenter built into Windows, or a 3rd party defrag program to rearrange the pieces of files so they're placed contiguously on the disk. Another common cause of performance problems is a disk that is too full. We hope you enjoyed this short series. Which Is More Effective - Bonuses or Raises? Giving a 1% raise boosts employee job performance by roughly 2 percent, but offering that same money in the form of a bonus that is strongly linked to a job well done can improve job performance by almost 20 percent, finds a new Cornell study on the relationship between pay and performance. According to the Attorneys' Liability Assurance Society, "The first line of defense against unworthy clients is a sound business intake system." What is involved in a sound intake process? 4. Further Due Diligence: If the initial credit check turns up anything questionable, and the firm still wants to pursue the matter, the next step should be a personal background check on the individual client or, in the case of a company, on owners, officers and key shareholders. Here again there are ample resources available online. Alternatively, the firm may elect to engage a private investigator. Though these procedures may irritate partners originating the business, the best advice is: Just say, "Know." If what you find out raises too many cautionary flags, have the courage to say "No," before a risky situation turns into an intractable situation. More about that in the following weeks - or you can read the entire article now. And if you need help in putting these (or any systems) in place, contact us at info@legallylarge.com. We're here to help. We hope you enjoyed this short series.
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April 2007, Week 1 5 Things That Can Mess Up Your Computer For Staff... Sometimes, users create problems for their computers and for the network. Every law firm depends on their computers to keep the documents flowing and business running. Some common errors that are preventable problems: 4. Install and Uninstall lots of programs, especially Betas. The more programs you install, the more likely you are to run across ones that include malicious code or will cause your system to crash. You should install only legitimate programs you really need, and try to minimize the number you install and uninstall. To Be Continued next week... Is Your Firm Saving 20% According to the Economic Policy Institute, the wage gap between college-educated women and their male counterparts has actually gotten bigger since the mid-'90s. A decade ago, women earned 75.7 cents for each dollar paid to a man. Now it's 74.7 cents or approximately 20%. According to a recent article "Why Women Get Paid Less - 6 Tips on Winning a Raise", it appears that women's unwillingness to "rock the boat" is a big reason why. According to the Attorneys' Liability Assurance Society, "The first line of defense against unworthy clients is a sound business intake system." What is involved in a sound intake process? 3. Independent Review of Client/Matter Intake Decisions: Perhaps the most effective procedure is to require a separate review by an independent and disinterested party. That person could be the managing partner, the firm's loss prevention partner, or any other partner not immediately involved with the originating partner's practice. All of this counts for nothing, however, if the independent reviewer lacks the authority or courage to turn down the client. More about that in the following weeks - or you can read the entire article now. And if you need help in putting these (or any systems) in place, contact us at info@legallylarge.com. We're here to help.
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March 2007, Week 1 Desk Organization For Staff... 1. Do you have the things you use daily within easy reach? (That includes phone, stapler, supplies, computer manual, etc.) YES NO 2. Are your daily files at your desk? YES NO 3. Do you have an "IN" and "OUT" box (or "TO DO" and "DONE" box)? YES NO 4. Do you have mail slots for each person you support, plus yourself? YES NO 5. Do you have a separate file for Pending Client Numbers, Reimbursements/ Checks, Incoming Mail, etc.? YES NO If you answered "No" to any one of these questions, you'll want to read this Organizing article. Could Your Firm Be Assessed A Fine? I recently consulted with a law firm on the creation of their website and writing the site text. Many attorneys and administrators don't realize that the State Bar of Texas must approve their firm's text and complete website. While speaking with representatives of the Advertising section, I discovered that they're actively searching out attorney websites that have not been approved and are assessing fines. So... you may want to check on your site's approval. If you're not sure who to call or need help with your website, contact nickie@legallylarge.com and I'll be happy to help.
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February 2007, Week 4 Organizing Your Work Environment - Quiz For Staff... SELF-TEST 1. Is your desk and work space organized enough that someone can literally walk in and find whatever they need? YES / NO 2. If you had a temp or floater sitting in for you, would they know what to do and who to contact? YES / NO 3. Do you know how to successfully complete a large and intricate project? YES / NO 4. Think franchise - is your system of operating easily understandable and transferable to someone else? YES / NO If you answered "No" to any of the questions, then you need help organizing! Go to our Organizing article to get a few ideas. As Time Goes By... If you didn't know, the change to Daylight Savings is happening earlier this year. Actually, you need to change your clocks on March 11 (three weeks earlier than usual) and end on November 4 (1 week later than usual). This affects you because your computer is affected. Don't Be a Nitpicker... We all occasionally forget common manners - but it can hurt your practice. The same true scenario from last week with an added insult: A paralegal was asked to draft a cover letter ("due yesterday") for a name partner. He quickly drafted the letter and sent it out with the important documents. However, he was scolded a few days later by the partner because the salutation was followed by a comma instead of a colon. The insensitive partner further admonished him that in the future, he should consult the 'secretarial manual.'
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February 2007, Wk 2 Organizing YOUR Way ('Pack Rat' Types)For Staff... If you're a Pack Rat, getting organized can be difficult. It takes a lot of energy and commitment to part with things that have resided with you for a lifetime. What you have to remind yourself of, though, are the eventual rewards of having more free space, fewer possessions to clean or keep track of, and the feeling of liberation that comes with the knowledge that you're in control of your belongings and not the other way around. You can achieve this if you: 1. Find, use, and enjoy what you want to save. 2. Dispose of or pass on what has outlived its value or usefulness. 3. Refuse to be controlled by stacks of reading material. 4. Teach your children how to evaluate what has meaning to them over the years. 5. Reserve space for new items in your life that serve a function or bring you pleasure. From How to be Organized in Spite of Yourself by Sunny Schlenger and Roberta Roesch (pp 163-178).
Gossip - Raising Its Ugly Head Expect a certain amount of gossip in any firm; people want to know what is going on in their workplace, and they like to discuss work issues. The key is to know when the gossip is out-of-hand. You need to act if the gossip is: Productive Use of Legal Assistants & Paralegals Don't Put Legal Assistants/Paralegals "On Trial". Instead, make it obvious that you have confidence in their abilities until proven wrong. Just because they lack a law degree doesn't mean they lack intelligence. In fact, they're usually some of the smartest people in the firm.
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February 2007, Week 1 Organizing YOUR Way ('Right Angle' Types)For Staff... Right Anglers are compulsive straighteners. If someone moves something from its 'correct' spot, a Right Angler puts it back immediately without even thinking. But keeping things neat doesn't necessarily mean that you're keeping things organized. Systems have to make sense, so if you're a Right Angler: 1. Stay on top of what you are keeping and where you're keeping it to make sure that your arrangements are working for you. 2. Examine your needs carefully and know that it's all right if systems are unorthodox, as long as they're functional. 3. Look for products that will keep things both neat and efficient. 4. Realize that the organizing process takes time, but that it can be accomplished without too much upheaval if you tackle a little bit at a time. From How to be Organized in Spite of Yourself by Sunny Schlenger and Roberta Roesch (pp 156-163).
What To Do? How do you handle a staff person that is not performing well but believes that they're a top performer OR even the best person on staff? Productive Use of Legal Assistants & Paralegals A lawyer's communication of the task to the legal assistant/paralegal is of the utmost importance. Don't be hurried in communicating the details or make the work appear trivial. A few minutes of thought given to explaining the task can be the difference between an average and exemplary work product.
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