WLJ Legal Cents News

Commentary: Webinars can save time, money

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:04:06 CDT

A couple of weeks ago, my daughters, my dog and myself were all instructed that, no matter how grave the emergency might be, we were not to interrupt Daddy working in his home office for the next hour or so, because he’d be giving a webinar — and we were not on the agenda.

Commentary: Keeping levity in the law office

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 11:01:04 CDT

When I learned our new managing editor’s name is Casey Laughman, I asked, only half-kidding, if he has a sense of humor.

Grasping that baton of a bad joke, a couple of people on the Law Journal staff responded that he’d been administered a battery of tests of his trivia knowledge of Monty Python movies and any movies starring former cast members of Saturday Night Live. Thankfully, he passed.

Adopt a Groups Mentality for free marketing

Mon, 05 Apr 2010 13:35:11 CDT

LinkedIn occasionally e-mails me updates about what the members of my professional network are up to, and I noticed the last time around that the e-mail always informs me about a few of the groups people have joined.

Commentary: Animal cruelty bill in the works

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 13:46:56 CDT

It’s not often I’m given a soapbox. But since David Ziemer suggested swapping columns – he’d write about ways to save money in the law office, and I’d write something voicing a strong opinion, here goes.

Commentary: Can Avvo Answers help you get more clients?

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:08:32 CST

As attorneys and counselors-at-law, you answer questions all day long for paying clients. But have you ever considered answering questions on the Web as a means of obtaining more paying clients?

Commentary: Becoming of counsel a win-win situation

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 10:19:24 CST

The stereotypical of counsel attorney is the former partner who comes into the office to share his wisdom when he’s bored with retirement.

Commentary: Cheap entertainment for the cost conscious

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:24:55 CST

Lawyers are working harder these days. In 1965, associates typically billed 1,400 to 1,600 hours annually, while partners billed 1,200 to 1,400. Forty years later, associates’ hours were up to 2,000 annually, according to an ABA Law Practice Management Section magazine article from 2006.

Commentary: Modernizing your office within your means

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 11:30:16 CST

I can’t tune into HGTV for any length of time because I get too bored, nor can I watch “Extreme Home Makeover” because it makes me cry. I just didn’t get the decorating gene.

Commentary: How to find cheap office space

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:16:12 CST

I was shocked when I learned from attorney Bradden C. Backer that office space in downtown Milwaukee has a vacancy rate of about 20 percent.

Commentary: Law blogs yield big ideas, savings

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:17:52 CST

In my last column, I reviewed ten top practice management blogs. In this installment,

Twitter tools for attorneys

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:58:03 CDT

I’ve been talking to lawyers and searching the Web in my quest for the best free Twitter applications for attorneys. Here’s what I learned.

Should you switch to Linux?

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 11:19:52 CDT

Are you a candidate for Linux? Take this simple test.

Embracing Web 2.0

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:29:49 CDT

So much to your children’s embarrassment, you’re on Facebook for fun and maybe marketing, too. Want to really annoy your kids? Embrace Web. 2.0.

Want to Google something? Try Bing

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:06:50 CDT

Just about every time I interview an attorney and ask what he or she does for fun, the answer invariably is “travel.” If that’s your interest, you might want to visit Bing.com the next time you’re searching the Web.

Google Voice - why you should get in queue

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 13:07:20 CDT

My husband is a lucky man, and it’s not just because he married me. He’s got a Google Voice number.

Consider YouSENDit for sending large files

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:47:08 CDT

Ever have someone say, “I’ll e-mail you my pictures”? Then they end up sending you a series of e-mails, because the file size of the attachment(s) is so large that it exceeds what their e-mail provider will allow? Or it can be sent, but it’s a painfully slow download, especially if you don’t have a lightning-fast Internet connection.

Drowning in e-mail? Give Xobni a try

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:11:29 CDT

Everybody loves free stuff – especially free stuff that has actual value. Periodically, I devote an article to freebies on the Web that may be useful for lawyers. It’s been several months since the last one, so here’s the latest -- Xobni for Outlook.

Navigating unfamiliar waters of online lawyer directories

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 10:33:34 CDT

Death and taxes. And attorneys can now add Avvo and Justia to that list of inevitabilities.

Digta 420 recommended for high-tech dictation

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 10:14:14 CDT

You won’t catch me making fun of you, just because you like to dictate.

Cheap summer travel advice for the vacationing attorney

Mon, 25 May 2009 13:29:54 CDT

With the Memorial Day weekend almost behind us, summer is officially here and it is time to think about making an escape. I am off to Ireland in two weeks, thanks to the the efforts of a colleague and friend of my sister who found a great deal on Travelzoo.com. I paid $1,092 for a flight from O’Hare to Shannon, six nights in a two-bedroom townhouse at the 5-star Adare Manor, a historic Irish castle, and a full-size car rental with unlimited mileage. I’ll be sharing the accommodations...

Law firms take advantage of Craigslists free ads

Mon, 11 May 2009 10:05:05 CDT

You can get good help these days. For free, with Craigslist.org.

Taking your practice paperless can be painless

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 13:53:59 CDT

Nobody’s perfect. Fond du Lac lawyer Kristi M. Fry’s Achilles heel is, “If you put a piece of paper in my hand, I can’t find it five minutes later.”

Looking for low-cost supplies? You better shop around

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 14:02:35 CDT

The question is where can a lawyer get high-quality, inexpensive business cards, envelopes, letterhead, and other office supplies? I posed that to a number of individuals who make a living by knowing the answer to such inquiries. They are legal administrators or office managers.

Cost-effective ways to meet CLE requirements

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 12:21:33 CDT

After more than a decade of interviewing lawyers and frequently asking what they like best about the legal profession, I can say that one of the most common responses is some variation of, “I like to learn.” (Happily, I must add that, “I like to help people” is a strong contender for the top spot, too.)

Smartphones - a smart choice for lawyers on the go

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 10:07:34 CDT

During the Solo & Small Firm Conference last October, Brookfield attorney/CLE presenter Martin L. Ditkof said purchasing an iPhone was his “best technology moment.” (My best tech moment was marrying an engineer/gadget-head aficionado.)