In all cases, review the firm's technology to evaluate if it allows the firm to deliver services better, faster, and cheaper. Break the time treadmill Use computers for information management Use technology to bill effectively Managing the Firm As much as lawyers hate the concept, strategic planning allows the lawyer or the firm to plan for the future. Every law firm should craft a mission statement. This process will help the firm focus on what is important. If the strategic plan does not allow for a reasonable number of billable hours, consider alternative methods of billing or value billing to see if goals can be accomplished with less hours.
Time is only one ethical measurement of the value of the service provided to a client.
It is fair to factor in the firm's unique skills, knowledge of the law, and experience when setting a fee. If an alternative billing method is adopted, make sure that firm representation agreements are modified to reflect the billing arrangement. If you have more than five people in the office, hiring an office manager or an administrator might make sense. Delegation is an effective law office management technique that reduces stress and enhances the quality of life for everyone. Not all legal work must be performed by an attorney, so spread around the workload.