Professional Appearance

Professional appearance is something every lawyer needs to be aware of. Not only in the office, but also in every day to day activity. When one is a lawyer, they not only need to act professional, but they need to have the appearance of professionalism. This will help their confidence while talking to clients or when in front of the judge. Having this done, it will even let the clients know that the lawyers are not frauds or even not caring. So make sure that being dressed professional and well will help you in the case that you are fighting for.

Communication in the work place

Susan and her boss misunderstood each other and are clearly not on the same page. This cartoon example demonstrates the importance of precise communication so there are no mishaps at the workplace.

How the way you dress is way of communicating

You may not realize it but the way you dress plays a large role in communicating. Your physical appearance is your first impression whether you are the lawyer or paralegal or some other staff member. You should always dress for success. Men should wear a suit if possible, or shirt and tie with dress pants. If you see a a member of legal team in jeans and t-shirt you may think twice about using that firm. Women should wear a dress, skirt, blouse and dress pants. No mini-skirts or belly shirts or you probably won't get far. It is especially important for you to be pleasant and smile. The paralegal is usually the person who greets the clients so they should always dress for success.

Communication with Employee's

If you don't have positive communication with your employee's you could loose valuable assets. It is hard to find good employee's so you should do everything to keep them.

With Webinars becoming so popular, it’s only proper that firms know how to prepare for a successful presentation. These are a few tips that you can follow in order to ensure that disruptions and technical problems won’t ruin your presentation.

Minimize Noise
Devices such as copiers, faxes, cell phones etcetera can all be very noisy and should be turned off before the start of your presentation. You should also take the necessary steps to make sure no one walks in unexpectedly, making any type of distractions. Try posting “Do Not Disturb” signs outside your door or make your presentation in a conference room. Another important tip to follow is to use your mute button when not lecturing or commenting. Ruffling through papers and drinking beverages are noises that can easily distract other listeners.

Speak Clearly
Like with all presentations, speak clearly and take your time with your presentation. By not rushing through your presentation, you make it easier for your audience to follow along and comprehend your presentation.
Take Turns Talking and Identify Yourself
Talking over one another, especially over the phone is hard to understand. Try to avoid interrupting other speakers when in a group discussion or answering questions. Identifying yourself is also key when answering questions and during discussions so everyone knows who is speaking.

Prepare for technical difficulties
Hopefully your presentation will go smoothly, but it’s always a good idea to plan for the unexpected. If for some reason the web presentation gets disconnected or delayed, you should be prepared to have a hard copy of any slides, URLs, or any other visual aids close by so the presentation won’t be interrupted.

Other Tips
Presentations should be typically no more than an hour. You want your audience focused and interested in your presentation. Be sure to change slides about every thirty to sixty seconds to create a smooth pace for the participants to follow.


If you follow these small tips, you will be on your way to a successful Webinar!



http://www.ilinc.com/pdf/irc/ilinc-irc-speaker-tips.pdf

The Internet - A friend Indeed

Many of us take the internet for granted. After having your internet down for a period of time due to whatever reason, one may feel disconnected from one of the greatest sources of information, the internet. As technology advanced, so have the individuals who use it. We have become more fluent in sending and receiving messages, but also quickly looking up information from a database for example, or access a helpful blog. The internet allows people from all fields of practice to freely communicate, work out transactions, share information, etc. at incredible speeds. The new day and age we live in steps up up the bar when it comes to efficiency and being productive.

Communication With Technology

When it comes to lawyers, they really need to know all the up to date technological new things that happen. Lawyers have so much to do in a case that they need to use computers for all the information about cases. So all lawyer firms need to be up to date with their systems. There could be an issue with a lawyer dealing with a case and another lawyer needs to step in. The only way by having all the information at finger tips to each lawyer that needs it; would be by a secure computer system. So it is important for lawyers to be on the same boat about communication and how it is used in technology today.

Webinars Making Communication Easier

Everyone knows that communication is very important. However, for some it can mean spending a lot of money. Law firms are now using web seminars so they can stay connected with clients without having to spend a lot money on traveling.

Web seminars, also known as webinars, are presentations that are hosted by attorneys on the internet while clients, who are logged on, can watch the presentations from their own computers and listen to audio through their telephone.

Attorneys can also webinar with other attorneys from many other offices and can present together while clients follow the presentation online. Webinar technology is inexpensive and neither party incurs traveling costs, saving time and money.

So far, it has seemed to be a hit with the clients as well. Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal has done several webinars in the past and has gotten positive feedback from viewers. A key feature of a webinar is that it allows the parties to interact with each other as if they were in the same room. They are able to give, receive, and discuss information.

Webinars are a better tool to use for communications than teleconferences because teleconferences are not able to have those face-to-face interactions between the parties that webinars do. This makes it harder for both parties to easily follow along with what is being discussed.

Overall, webinars are becoming a big hit with law firms and clients. With this newly popular technology, it is providing the same face-to-face interactions while cutting back on traveling costs.


http://www.law.com/jsp/law/sfb/lawArticleSFB.jsp?id=1202428776613&Law_Firms_Turn_to_Webinars_to_Cut_Costs

What is a Legal Memo

A legal memo or a legal memorandum is a specific type of essay dealing with a legal issue. The legal memo is usually written and researched by a paralegal, a law student, or lawyer. It contains these basic elements: statement of facts, issues, conclusions, discussions of the law pertaining to facts, citations of previous applicable cases, and recommendations based on this discussion.

Order of the information contained in a legal memo can differ. Usually one begins with a statement of facts. This section of the legal memo is usually a brief but succinct paragraph that states the relevant facts at hand. A statement of legal issues that underlie the facts tends to follow the statement of facts.

At this point, a conclusion may be offered which will direct the discussion of previous cases dealing with the stated issues in the legal memo. Alternately, the conclusion may come at the end of a legal memo. Format depends upon the law firm for which one is practicing or working, or the way in which a law school dictates format if one is writing a sample legal memo.

A conclusion can then be followed by a discussion of all relevant examples of law, or rulings that prove a conclusion and suggest logical recommendations. This section involves a great deal of research to show that the lawyer is justified in taking whatever position she does. Everything must be cited according to the preferences of the firm or school.

Based on discussion and citation, the legal memo may conclude with recommendations on how to proceed, and how best to help a client with a legal issue. Generally, the legal memo is just a part of the legal process.

A longer version of the legal memo, which may be presented to a judge when numerous decisions must be made, is a legal brief, citing all relevant sources that “prove” an attorney’s stance on the law. These briefs, like the legal memo, support arguments for certain kinds of rights and rulings accorded to a client.

To the layperson, the legal memo is just one way in which lawyers gather research to effectively argue or settle a case. It is similar to a research paper, but tends to be organized into very clear sections, and is law specific.
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-legal-memo.htm

The Importance of Effective Communication for Attorneys

Without the communication component, attorneys would be obsolete. The important aspects of communication which attorneys must posses are language skills, reading and oral comprehension, oral communication skills, critical thinking skills, as well as computer skills. (Educational Preparation - Necessary Skills, 2004)

Communication is the cornerstone for being an effective attorney. From the time that the student enters law school, and proceeds to work their way towards becoming an attorney, they are taught how to effectively communicate. Communication for an attorney is more than just conversation. The importance of communication is to ensure that the attorney’s are able to represent themselves in a professional mannerism, as well as their clientèle.

The ability to use effective communication in the workplace for an attorney is a learned process. Attorneys must be able to speak clearly and concisely in both writing and verbally. Writing is a skill, which is imperative to the success of an attorney in (his or her) workplace. In the modern workplace, attorneys spend the majority of their time drafting legal documents such as briefs and contracts. For an attorney to be considered effective in their career; they must be able to utilize professional writing and oral communication at all times.

Reading and oral comprehension are also essential tools for effective communication. Attorneys are expected to memorize and recall large quantities of legal material. From this recollection of information, they absorb new information, which expands on their “framework of legal knowledge.” (Educational Preparation, - Necessary Skills, 2004) Communication within this area of practicing law is especially important because of the continually changing laws, statues and codes. Attorneys are responsible for being able to decipher the exact meaning of what these laws mean, and utilize the information to pursue their cases as needed.

The next area that is of great importance is oral communication. Attorneys must be able to speak in public. The usage of proper rhetoric is key to presenting an effective position, especially for those attorneys who work primarily in the courts. This is primal skill for people who are
involved in such professions as district attorney, public defender or litigator. (Educational Preparation—Necessary Skills, 2004)

Critical thinking skills are equally important as the other aforementioned skills. Critical thinking is intertwined closely with effective communication because it involves reasoning, which enables the attorney to prepare a logical argument, or analyze the validity of a case. Attorneys are expected to solve complex problems, which involve analytical thinking. Without the use of effective communication attorneys cannot do their jobs properly. Attorneys must be able to think on their feet, and ask questions to have a concise comprehension of their responsibilities at hand.

The last essential means of effective communication is that of computer skills. The widespread use of computers has tremendously impacted the legal profession. Most of the research that is conducted by paralegals or attorneys is done via the World Wide Web. E-mail is also common within the work place. Caution must be used when emailing due to the monotone voice that it carries with the message. With e-mail, things can easily be taken out of context if they are not written in a clear mannerism. The use of word processing has also been quite beneficial to the legal profession. Considering that attorneys primarily write contracts, decrees and other legal documents, the use of precision communication is indispensable. Attorneys must be frank and to the point while maintaining the utmost professionalism.

In summary, all of the skills that enable the attorney to do their job correctly are essential to effective communication in the workplace. Attorneys deal with people by representing them, whether it is a whole corporation, the government (local or federal), or a private party. Although effective communication is not limited to those in the legal profession, it is important for all people to convey their messages without confusion.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/31693/the_importance_of_effective_communication_pg2.html?cat=17

Have Fluent Communication Within Lawyer Firm

Communication in the workplace must be fluent when trying to maximize efficiency and productivity. Minimizing simple errors that could occur while communicating will help everyone stay on the same page. Not only is sending and receiving messages important within the firm's office, but between clients as well. Offering clients frequent, thorough and direct information will allow everyone to head for goals in the same direction. Working effectively with others and practicing exceptional communication skills are only some of the factors that play a role in the success of a law firm.

Seven Core Skills and Values to Become a Lawyer

There are approximately seven skills and values that need to be part of a lawyer every time they are on a case. These skills and values are very important to have. Not only does a lawyer need to have them, but anyone who works in a field that deals with people and professionals needs to have them. These are important because they will show how professional one will look in front of the judge as well as their own clients.

Problem Solving Skills
One should engage in critical thinking about important issues, challenge beliefs and improve open mindedness for hesitation. When one is taking classes for legal studies, one will need to evaluate arguments for and against propositions to debates. Problem solving skills for lawyers are really not much different than those of ones who are employed by other professional jobs today. Being in law school will give one the experience and it will help develop these skills.

Reading Abilities
When it comes to reading, everyone needs to know the critical on reading. Lawyers have to cover all kinds of text materials and need to comprehend all of the documents, judicial opinions, and other written materials that may appear. All of the reading abilities should of been taught before coming to law school; therefore, it will not be a new thing that needs to be learned. Reading should come natural when it comes to very important professions.

Writing Skills
"Language is the most important tool of a lawyer, and lawyers must learn to express themselves clearly and concisely. Legal education will provide you with good training in writing, and particularly in the specific techniques and forms of written expression that are common in the law. Fundamental writing skills, however, must be acquired and refined before one enter law school."

Listening Abilities and Oral Communication
"The ability to speak clearly and persuasively is another skill that is essential to ones success in law. One must also have excellent listening skills to understand their clients and others with whom they will interact with daily. As with writing skills, legal education provides excellent opportunities for refining oral communication skills, and particularly for practicing the forms and techniques of oral expression that are most common in the practice of law."

Research Skills
There are many research sources and techniques that are specific to the law. While going to law school, one will experience of doing many projects that require a huge amount of library search and large amounts of analysing information. By searching all of this information it will help one become more aware and easily done.

Organization and Management Skills
One needs to be able to organize large amounts of information and create structural information to achieve desired outcomes. To prepare all of the information, it needs to be done in an effective and efficient manner. Practicing organizational skill will always help the outcome of the lawyers ability.

Values of Serving Others and Promoting Justice
"Each member of the legal profession should be dedicated both to the objectives of serving others honestly, competently, and responsibly, and to the goals of improving fairness and the quality of justice in the legal system. Participation in public service projects or similar efforts at achieving objectives established for common purposes can be particularly helpful."

All of these skills and values on becoming a lawyer as well as being one will help in each and every case. The most important one is the writing skills. By having writing skills it will show how professional the lawyer is. The other ones are also important for lawyers because it will smooth the process of winning in a professional manner.

http://www.abanet.org/legaled/prelaw/prep.html

Identify Your Audience

As seen in the above cartoon strip, it is very important to identify your audience before trying to communicate to them. You have to think of your topic from the audience's point of view. Ask yourself questions like "How much does my audience know?" this way you can easily communicate to them on their level using the same language. Identifying your audience is important because you can't talk to a client using the same technical terms as you would with another lawyer.

The Importance of Professional Writing and Communication Skills

The environment of a law firm must expect to be well organized and the communication between individuals should be fluent, sending and receiving messages. For current lawyers and lawyers in the making, developing your writing skills is an essential tool when representing your clients, formulating important documents, and communicating between officials, fellow lawyers, and clients. The lawyer position requires the individual to be very informative and insightful to their clients and others who must be involved, including state officials and even other lawyers. With exceptional communication between these individuals, the clients can feel confident in the lawyer representing them. There is almost nothing more frustrating than not being on the same page when trying to progress in your job, or from a client perspective, when your lawyer is trying to try your case.

Many factors influence the success in your law firm, but professional communication and writing skills can only enforce your goal of success and accomplishment. The fluent transaction of important information helps everyone. The communication must have clarity so all parties are on the same page, especially in a field of law.

Should You Set Fees Higher Than You Expect and Then Discount Them as A Way Of Psychologically Preparing The Client to Pay The Bill

The collecting of fees is a very touchy subject in today’s market and economy. Most clients (and attorneys) are feeling the burden of the failing economy and in our experience it has been noted that no matter the situation it has been difficult to psychologically prepare clients to come up with any amount of money for their legal matters I don’t think you should set fees higher than you expect and then discount them as a way of psychologically preparing the client to pay the bill. One of the best ways to get more clientele is to have a price that beats the competitor. If you give a client at an initial consultation a price that is high, it may and will most likely be higher than the competitor. Hearing this, the client will most likely go back to the competitor for the cheaper deal. You want to tell your client a fee that fits their case in general, without low-balling your price. If the case involves a lot of work, then obviously your fees will be higher in which case you have to tell the client anyways. But if it is a regular case, you should not tell them a price that is higher than you know it will end up being, that will make the client question whether or not they want your business, and you can possibly lose a client and a check in the meantime.

I feel the best way to prepare and nurture the client-attorney relationship is to be completely honest and upfront with the fee that you are quoting them. Before quoting them a price, the attorney should do extensive research on the client’s case, and should also consult with competing attorneys to determine an accurate fee for the client.

It is somewhat unethical to set a fee higher than what you expect and then discount the price just to make the client feel better about the money that he/she is spending. The relationship that you are attempting to build with the client is a very delicate relationship and should be basted on complete honesty. Honest begets trust! The outcome of the relationship that you form with each of your clients is the foundation and ultimate success of your business. If a client feels that you are not being honest, their suspicion of the attorney, and your business will rise. You will ultimately hurt your relationship with that client and potentially with other clients. If you can show your client exactly what they are being billed for then in most cases we believe that they are going to pay without any sort of psychological trickery.

Professional Confidence in a Lawyer

A lawyer not only needs to have the ability to obtain a professional writing skills, he or she also needs to have the confidence in communication. Every day a lawyer is faced with communicating with clients, either in their office or in court, and they are also faced with presenting their case to the judge, jury, and witnesses. A professional lawyer that has confidence in themselves with presenting each case to show their client that they are interested and professionally ready to win their case. Not only will confidence show in the lawyer, but it will also make their client feel more confident in the case and in the client themselves.

By being confident it shows how professional a lawyer can be. There are many different controversies with being a cocky lawyer verses a confident lawyer. Many can see the difference between the two when they are presenting a case. A cocky lawyer tends to have too much confidence and shows/thinks that they are the best for the client to win the case. A confident lawyer shows professionalism and political correctness. This is shown by a lawyer who cares about their client as a person who wants to win a case, over a client who to the lawyer is just another case of money.

When looking for a lawyer, one should look for professional confidence in that lawyer. We as clients need to feel that we will win the case; therefore, one should choose wisely when looking for a lawyer.

The Components of a Case Brief

The significance of court decisions can be shown by writing case briefs which is a summarization of the case and decisions surrounding it. Writing a case brief effectively is important for students and others in order to better read and understand the main points of a case quickly.

The Components of a Case Brief

There are many different ways you can organize a case brief but there are five basic sections usually found in a brief: Case Name, Facts, Issues, Court Holdings, and Reasoning. With other cases, such as appellate court cases, there may be additional sections.

Case Name/Title
The name of a case will show the two parties involved in the case. Usually the first party is the government while the second party is the defendant. However, in an appellate case, the roles are switched and defendant is the first party name shown while government follows.

Facts
This section is the summary of the incident that ultimately brought the case to court. There is usually a lot more information than needed so you should only state the important information needed to understand the case you are briefing.

Legal Issues
Legal Issues are the questions that the court is trying to answer for this particular case. Many court opinions are lengthy not to mention wordy so it would help you and undergraduates to understand the issues better if you were to put it into your own words.

Court Holdings
The court’s decision of the case should be expressed in this section.

Reasoning
In this section, you should explain why the courts reached their decision and what arguments they used to rationalize the holding.

Knowing how to write a case brief will make reviewing a case much easier. With these main components addressed, the reviewer, an attorney or student, will be able to read the main points of the case quickly and easily.

Should Lawyers Know Much About Marketing Firm

It is widely understood that lawyers in larger firms will certainly have more resources given that a larger firm will have access to marketing professionals more so than a smaller firm. However, it is very important for each lawyer in any firm be somewhat familiar and involved in the marketing strategy that the firm has in place. Although most attorneys are not adequately educating in marketing a business or business strategies, it is critical for the attorneys to self educate themselves regardless of the resources available to them. It is important to note that marketing is the product of marketing yourself and the services that you will provide to your client.

Hiring a marketing professional could certainly reap rewards given their expertise, but it is critical to have the knowledge of what marketing is and to have some basic knowledge of developing a marketing plan so that if you decide to hire a professional you can relate the exact marketing direction you wish to take. The only way to do this effectively is to have some basic knowledge through self education in basic marketing strategies.

After all, when clients retain an attorney’s service, those clients are hiring the attorney as a trusted advisor. It is therefore required that the attorney be someone who is knowledgeable, trustworthy, and experienced in not only law and it’s application, but familiarity with business practice as well.

Marketing Professionalism as Lawyers

Marketing consists of the strategies and tactics used to identify, create and maintain satisfying relationships with customers that result in value for both the customer and the marketer. Marketing is huge in any kind of business, and as the years are getting more technologically inclined, the strategies and creations need to be just as up to date.

There are many different things that lawyers need to know to have their market succeed. Not only do they need to make it look professional, but colors, themes, and style is a big factor. The most important part of the market that will make it succeed to the fullest is the way it comes across. The proper and professional writing strategies one must have.

By being successful in writing as a lawyer, lawyers need to know the basics and more of professional writing. Lawyers need to know the ethics of legal writing. There are classes that one needs to take to upon graduation, but there are also many books available to always at hand. The books explain ethics into legal writing, as well as all of the basics. This all is needed to show the professionalism in their marketing. If professionalism is not shown in the marketing, than who would want to have that lawyer representing them?

It is very important as a lawyer to know all of the powerful, professional ways to do things in the market and as a representation. The best one for to put a lawyers marketing in public would be a secretary or even an intern. This will help out the lawyers because than they can concentrate on their professional daily duties. Organization will be a big help to your business.

With all of this knowledge, the marketing and professionalism should be easier. Remember that as a lawyer you want to be as professional and correct on what you are trying to accomplish. So hire someone with the qualities that would want to professionally market all of the information about your company.

Why Writing Is Important and Helpful Tools

Writing is an important part of Lawyer’s profession and it surrounds every case whether you are writing a case brief, a letter to client, or a settlement proposal. In today’s legal profession, it is a lot more than arguing a case in court, now you have to make sure that you can apply and analyze law in a coherent manner. It is crucial for lawyers, new and old, to show that they know more than just the ins and outs of the law.

A study conducted by the American Bar Foundation asked 1200 lawyers to rate skills at which oral and written communication topped the list. If you are a lawyer starting out, there are some things you may want to know before or after graduating.

Employer Testing
Writing effectively is a must and something you will be tested on time and time again. According to the Michigan Bar Journal, employers may start testing prospective employees to test a lawyer’s ability to analyze and apply the law in a clear and logical manner. An example of a performance test would be the Multistate Performance test (MPT). Employers may not test as extensively as the MPT however, they are still looking for the same skills and may even give something in a similar format.

With the Multistate Performance Test, developed by the National Conference of Bar Examiners, test takers will get a case with all the relevant information needed and given 90 minutes to write. Examples of the types of writing can include a letter to clients, settlement proposals, persuasive memorandum, or briefs etc. Along with testing for skills such as problem solving, legal reasoning and analysis, and factual analysis, test takers must effectively evaluate viewpoint of recipients of communication, and organize and express ideas with logic and clarity.

Helpful Tools
Some basic tools that may help with clarity and organizing your ideas are the same helpful hints that you learn in your writing classes. A few techniques you can incorporate in legal writing are establishing your audience, using informative headings, and organizing your ideas to make the best use of your reader’s time.

Whom you are writing for is perhaps one of the most important things you should figure out before you begin to write. Lawyers write many documents such as case briefs, letters to clients and memorandums. After you figure out who it is you are writing to, you should determine what they need to know and how you can fill in the gaps for them. You certainly wouldn’t write a letter to a client in the same way as you would to another lawyer.

Organizing information is just as important as the information you are writing about. When dealing with many cases, lawyers want to be able to easily read relevant information of that case. Whether you are a lawyer writing a brief for a case or just writing a letter to a client, you should give the bottom line first. Begin with “What” and explain with “Why,” this allows the reader to understand the essentials of what the document is saying.

Informative headings can also be used for case briefings. It allows the reader to navigate the document so other Lawyers can quickly find out the legal issues and the ruling on the case. Headings should be specific and concrete so it helps the reader figure out what comes next.

With these few tools accomplished, writing should be easier. Just remember to establish who your audience is and what they need from you. Organize information in a way that will be easy for your audience to read and that would save them time. Informative headings can also be helpful with making your ideas clear and to the point. Writing is an important part in a Legal profession and you should be able to effectively communicate and organize ideas with clarity.

Observing Qualifications When Employing Lawyers

When trying to fill positions for a Law Firm, reviewing potential employee qualifications is important. Showing professionalism within your Law office is key when looking for clients to represent. Before hiring for positions in the firm, a thorough analysis of qualifications of the individuals applying for your office will help thread out professionals you may seek.

Generally, qualifications may vary slightly depending on regions, but a common list of requirements are understandable:

• High school diploma
• Four year course of study within university
• Entrance exam for Law at university
• 2 year period of being "Law Clerk"

When you are called to "the Bar", all of these qualifications have been met and you are able to practice law within your field.

Of course to have a competitive advantage in your Law firm, a further analysis of the potential employees is suggested. Showing professionalism and the ability to represent your clients is important in the success of your practice. Going beyond the bare minimum when hiring future lawyers will help you find the best employees for the position and ultimately help you accomplish your goals and be successful.

Hello everyone

Hey guys. Sorry I am new to this whole blog deal so just making sure it is working.

Peace,

Jon

Testing--

Just testing this post.

Hi everyone!

Kristin