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Tech & Web

Techno-powered Ethical Oversight for Lawyers – What Do You Think?

February 12, 2013 by Carolyn Elefant

Last month, Docracy , a slick  form-sharing platform launched a  Terms of Service  (TOS) tracker that monitors the TOS at over 900 social media sites.  Docracy’s new tool (which you can subscribe via  RSS feed ) is indispensable whether you’re a lawyer reliant on sites like Facebook or Twitter to market your practice or who [...]

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The Age of the Poly-platformy

February 11, 2013 by Carolyn Elefant

Once upon a time, a law firm committed to a practice management system for life.  Whether TimeMatters, Amicus, Abacus, Needles or a paper-based numerical filing system set up by a law firm secretary, most firms opted for a single system, invested heavily in consultants to customize as needed and continued using the system for the [...]

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The Dangers of the 19th Century Retainer Agreement

February 4, 2013 by Carolyn Elefant

OK, maybe this Engagement Agreement sample, extracted from a Start Up Law Firm Toolkit published by Lawyers Mutual North Carolina isn’t as outdated as the Pony Express.  Still, the engagement letter provision below, which seeks express client authorization for use of any modern day method of communication is so antiquated and short-sighted made me seriously [...]

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Are data-driven matches between lawyers and clients always made in heaven?

January 30, 2013 by Carolyn Elefant

With the dawning of the Age of Big Data, increasingly, we’re seeing the rise of the data-driven match.  Yesterday, I came across a primitive example of this concept (primitive because it’s based on user-input rather than analytics); a new matchmaking site, Same Plate.com where users can select dates based on food preferences. Likewise, some colleges [...]

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Continue Your Education with Skillshare.com

December 26, 2012 by Carolyn Elefant

When it comes to post-law school learning, most lawyers think of continuing legal education or CLE.  And while it’s important for lawyers to stay fresh on law-related developments in their respective practice areas, in these dynamic times, lawyers — and particularly solos — need to learn other skills as well.  While large firm lawyers or [...]

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Quick Thoughts on E-Newsletters and E-Annual Reports: Time to Send is Now

December 18, 2012 by Carolyn Elefant

Because I’m an avid blogger, for years, I resisted sending an electronic newsletter as part of my law firm marketing portfolio.  If potential clients wanted a sample of my legal analysis, they could follow my blog, I reasoned.  Plus, I assumed that my newsletter would get lost in the hailstorm of big firm client alerts [...]

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Understanding Technology to Save Clients from Themselves

December 17, 2012 by Carolyn Elefant

On several occasions, I’ve described myself as a practical technologist, mastering and adopting new technology tools on a strictly need-to-know basis to serve clients.  So for me, having the latest, greatest gadget was never as important as being an early adopter of tools like client portals or webinar platforms or blogging so that I could [...]

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Free Products in Your Law Practice: Work Them or Shirk Them?

December 13, 2012 by Carolyn Elefant

Free Stuff for Going Solo; an excerpt from Launching a 21st Century Law Practice from Carolyn Elefant Free stuff abounds for lawyers starting or running a practice.  From document sharing platforms to conference call services to websites to legal research, the cost of running a law firm is nosediving.  Free products are also proliferating; my [...]

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Coolest Business Plan /Brainstorm Tool Ever!

December 5, 2012 by Carolyn Elefant

For those who are regular readers, you know that I don’t believe in business plans. In my own case, when I started my firm, even my best predictions suggested that I’d go belly up in three months and had I memorialized my reality in a business plan, I’d never have had the nerve to launch. [...]

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Web’s Best Online Profiles…Or Pick Up Lines?

November 26, 2012 by Carolyn Elefant

Damian is the litigator God would have invented if He’d thought that at all a good idea. Chaz is  the lawyer with the best name.  Owen can tell you how it feels to fall off a cliff- because he’s done it. And don’t forget Kim, the firm’s Style Queen and who possesses both the sense [...]

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