nursinglawbandit

ABA article on Recession Proofing Your Law Practice

See this article:

http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/recession-proof_your_practice/

I don't agree with # 8, keep your old clients. Its easier to get more business from current clients. Yes, maybe for corporations but not if you represent individuals and you have a very specialized niche practice like mine.

The majority of articles I read assume most law firm's and practices represent to businesses and organizations. This is not the case.

My clients are individual nurses who hire me for once for representation (although I have represented a few nurses in two or more disciplinary investigations before a State Nursing Boad).If someone isn't paying you, term them. Don't keep someone around as a client hoping they will pay you. Term them and move on.

Most clients I term are for non-payment although I have had a few clients who were extremely difficult to work and I term'ed them.

I started working on my marketing plan for 2009 in October and I hand write my marketing plans every year since 2002. I am going to recommend an excellent book for developing your marketing plan.

Its Successful Marketing Secrets & Strategies by Rhonda Abrams. See http://www.planningshop.com/products/mss.asp. Its over 400 pages of practical marketing information you can apply to any service business.

If you buy the book, tell me what you think.

Do You Agree that Solo Attorneys Are Positioned Better or Worse in this Economy?

See this article

http://www.law.com/jsp/law/sfb/lawArticleSFB.jsp?id=1202426427655.

I would argue it depends on your law practice and your clientele. I think it helps to have a few irons in the fire outside of a traditional law practice also and be more diversified.

Are You a Certified Specialist in a Specialty area of the law?

Are you a certified specialist in a particular area of law?

Does it help with marketing?

Does your state even allow certified specialists?

Do you recommend being a certified specialist?

Present Onto Others as You Would Have Them Present Onto You

http://www.law.com/jsp/law/sfb/lawArticleSFB.jsp?id=1202423103864

I do my fair of presenting and I like this article.

I have found the more comfortable you are with the topic, the better you present.

I present on legal issues in nursing and licensure matters. I also instruct the attendees to jump in with questions whenever because it makes the session more interesting for me and everyone. I don't have a wait until the end of my presentation rule that I see with some presenters.

Are you comfortable with public speaking?

Business Goals for 2008

Have you developed business and practice goals for 2008? I started mine around Thanksgiving. I started producing Business and Practice goals in 2003. I was provided with a copy of marketing guide for attorneys at the Kentucky Bar Association Law Update in the fall of 2002. I read the book from cover to cover.

I am reviewing and reflecting on my marketing, business, and practice goals from 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007. I can't believe five years has passed so quickly.

Are you developing business, practice, and marketing goals for 2008?   

Are you Advertising? If not, Start Immediately!

Are you advertising? When I first started my law practice, I was told the "gold standard" of attorney advertising was a Martindale Hubbell rating and the local yellow pages.

The gold standard for advertising is practice driven and depends on your niche. My law practice is limited to representing nurses so why would I advertise in the local yellow pages? I haven't had a nurse client yet ask about a Martindale Hubbell rating.

You should advertise in the journals and publications that your target audience reads. I was recently asked to consider advertising in a regional nursing journal. I declined for several reasons. The first reason being cost and the second reason being cost.