Law practice management

Home Daily News Here are tips to uncomplicate litigation… Legal Technology By Nicole Black Posted May 24, 2018, 7:15 am CDT Nicole Black Complex litigation is just that: complex. Cases involve in-depth fact patterns, ever-growing lists of parties and witnesses, multiple attorneys and firms, convoluted legal issues, and reams of documents. Lengthy depositions result in stacks of transcripts that need to be reviewed, annotated and analyzed. Similarly, documents and evidence produced in response to discovery requests also require extensive review, and findings then need to be shared across an entire litigation team so that each team member can do their part in moving the case forward toward a successful conclusion. Certainly the digital age has reduced (but not eliminated) the sheer volume of paper documents. But just like physical evidence, digital evidence must also be reviewed and scrutinized. The good news is that as evidence becomes increasingly digitized, software tools are … [Read more...] about Here are tips to uncomplicate litigation fact management software

Millennials now make up the largest single generational group at big law firms, according to a report by the American Lawyer. While most millennial attorneys are still associates, it is only a matter of time before they become the majority of partners. And millennials are likely to have a very different take than previous generations on what a partnership is and what they want out of their careers. A recent Financial Times article noted that after a Cravath partner dies, the past and present Cravath partners form a procession at the funeral and chant: “The partner is dead. The firm lives.” As a millennial, it is hard to imagine this ritual, and the organizational loyalty that it celebrates, appealing to many of my peers. That organizational mindset made sense for generations that saw law firms (and other businesses) as stable and secure, the object of a lifetime commitment. But millennials are the product of a different world. The past three decades have seen monumental … [Read more...] about How one millennial and his firm see law practice today

Bruce MacEwen is both a doctor and an epidemiologist in the world of BigLaw firms. A Legal Rebels Trailblazer, he can diagnose structural illnesses, including aspects of the partner-as-owner model, and he can point to unhealthy customs and practices, such as when aversion to failure becomes its cause. He also can give advice and guidance for getting better and surviving or, in some instances, provide a dispassionately detailed autopsy. MacEwen’s authoritative blog, Adam Smith, Esq., provides plenty of examples and a wealth of analysis and advice. The titles of his books illustrate the curve of his interests: Growth Is Dead: Now What? (2013), A New Taxonomy: The Seven Law Firm Business Models (2014), and Tomorrowland: Scenarios for Law Firms Beyond the Horizon (2017). MacEwen worked as a big-firm securities lawyer, and then he worked in-house at Morgan Stanley for about 10 years. Although his expertise grew, “the longer I practiced, the more my interest in—frankly, … [Read more...] about Bruce MacEwen diagnoses and prescribes for law practice ills (podcast)

John Tredennick started a focus on legal technology in 1988—back when law firms saw it as something limited to fancy computers and adding machines. He asked Holland & Hart, the Denver-based firm where he was a partner, to add the words chief information officer to his title. Inspiration came from an American Bar Association conference. “You need a leader, not just somebody on staff but somebody who understands the bigger vision of the firm—where we fit in the legal landscape and how we can harness technology to get us where we want to be,” Tredennick told partners. “I said, ‘I want to be that leader,’ and they made me the technology partner.” To be taken seriously, he knew he had to keep trying cases while he worked as his firm’s chief legal officer. “That’s probably why I succeeded,” says Tredennick, 64. He also helped start Trial Partners, a Holland & Hart business that provided other lawyers with trial … [Read more...] about John Tredennick of Catalyst took the lead in the ’80s to bring tech to his law firm (podcast)

Home Daily News Here's the legal lowdown on document management… Legal Technology By Nicole Black Posted February 16, 2018, 8:30 am CST Nicole Black Choosing the right technology tools for your law firm can be a confusing endeavor. After all, there are so many different types of software products available and so many choices to make when it comes to features, pricing and security. Sifting through the maze of information can be a time-consuming process that can quickly become overwhelming. That’s why my goal with this new monthly legal technology column is to get lawyers up to speed on their legal software options. In each column, I’ll focus on a specific type of software—such as billing or contract analysis software—and explain the choices available, including features built into software suites and stand-alone platforms devoted to handling a particular law firm function. Most of the software tools discussed will be those aimed at small and midsize … [Read more...] about Here’s the legal lowdown on document management software