“Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.” – Anthony Bourdain

So last week, I took my first business trip since March 2020. Venturing out in the brave new world to give a law practice management presentation to an industry group in Chicago. To be honest, I approached the event with excitement but not without a fair amount of fear and trepidation. I was not sure what to expect. And of course, even though I’m fully vaccinated, the threat of Covid still loomed large.

Continue Reading What I Learned From My First Trip in 18 Months

The annual Law360 Pulse Diversity Snapshot was recently released, and the numbers are once again depressing. The fact is that the practice of law remains the province of white people. (The Survey did not look at how women are faring, although a coming Law360 Survey will. But I would guess it would be accurate to say the profession still belongs primarily, if not exclusive, to old white guys). I had a chance recently to talk to Kerry Benn, Director of Series, Surveys & Data at Law360, about the Survey.

Benn told me Law 360 has been doing the Survey annually for seven years. For 2020, the Survey was completed by some 276 law firms of various sizes, so it’s pretty representative.

Continue Reading Law Firm Diversity: The Continuing Oxymoron

The International Legal Technology Association (ILTA) will kick off its annual in-person Conference on August 22^nd in Las Vegas. But it will be without the presence of many of the world’s leading legal tech journalists. ILTA has invited and waived registration fees for a select number of legal tech journalists to attend in person. The rest must attend virtually.

The International Legal Technology Association (ILTA) will kick off its annual in-person and hybrid Conference on August 22^nd in Las Vegas. But it will be without the presence of many of the world’s leading and most influential legal tech journalists. Why? ILTA, its infinite wisdom, has chosen only to invite and waive registration fees for a select number of legal tech journalists to attend in person. The rest? ILTA says it was “thrilled” to allow the rest to attend only virtually.

(Most legal tech organizations, like other industry groups, waive conference registration fees to journalists).

Continue Reading ILTA Shuns Legal Tech Journalists

Instead of overthinking and overanalyzing associate return to office policies, why not let associates decide where and when they should work based on what needs to be done, the type of work they are doing and the needs and demands of the client and the partner with whom they are working?

Lots of chatter recently about how big law firms and, to a lesser extent, in-house legal departments should manage the return of their associates to the office as the pandemic ebbs. Should everyone be “strongly encouraged” to return to work every day (wink, wink, nod, nod)? Should the policy be work in the office so many days per week? Per month?  And one firm, in its benevolence, says it will allow associates to work one whole week at home per year. Per year.

Continue Reading Return to Law Office Policies? How About Good Work, Timely Done

I was reminded through a couple of examples this week of the importance of listening to your customers if you are a product or service provider. It’s stating the obvious: if you want to sell something to someone, you ought to know what they think, Duh…

Yet, lots of lawyers seem to resist the notion of asking their clients what they think of the lawyer’s work, the lawyer, and the law firm. Like its somehow beneath the lawyer to ask what can be done better? What was done poorly?

Continue Reading Duh. Its Called Listening to Your Clients

The more things change, the more they remain the same.

LexisNexis recently announced the release of its 2021 Enterprise Legal Management Trends Report. In its eighth year, the Trends Report, according to LexisNexis, is based on an analysis of more than $40 billion in legal spending, almost 8 million invoices, and more than one million matters.

This year’s report provides updates on its six critical billing related metrics. It is based on 2020 charges billed by outside counsel. And it includes an analysis of the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis. The report pulls from several granular subcategories of matters to provide more meaningful comparisons. These subcategories include litigation, intellectual property, mergers and acquisitions, etc.

Continue Reading LexisNexis 2021 Law Firm Billing Survey: Same Old, Same Old

Factor, one of the largest and more well known alternate legal service providers (ASLPs), recently announced the launch of something called the Legal Transaction Optimization service. Up to now, Factor has focused its offerings and products to in-house legal departments and law firm clients. But Legal Transaction Optimization is designed to provide law firms tech-enabled transaction management, due diligence, and documentation support to deal teams. In other words, Factor is asking law firms to buy services that would replace work that is being done by support staff and junior associates.

Continue Reading Factor Takes Aim At Junior Associate Deal Work

Continue Reading Data Breach and Standing: The Supreme Court Speaks. Finally