
The Mostly Legal Podcast: Season 2, Episode 9 “Never Stop Learning: Continuing Your Education In and Out of the Classroom”
This week, Rob and Amanda have the pleasure of talking to Amylyn Riedling (Paralegal, Office Manager, and Bookkeeper at Robin H. Balsam, P.S.) who went back to school to become a paralegal because her friend was doing it and thought it sounded fun. However, through the course of her career, Amylyn has found that her experiences outside of the classroom have been just as beneficial to her success as lectures and tests. How did her job operating rides at an amusement park when she was 16 set her up to be a paralegal later in life? You’ll have to listen to the episode to find out!

Increase Your Law Firm’s Operational Efficiency With These Important Tips
If you’re the administrator of a small or midsize law firm, you’re probably wearing a lot of hats. In fact, you probably have a closet full! In short, if it’s part of day-to-day legal services operations, and it doesn’t involve the practice of law, it lands on your desk. (There is a desk somewhere under all of the piles, right?) That means when your firm’s leadership team wants to find new ways to increase efficiency and drive law firm profitability, those tasks are automatically yours too.
It’s a daunting task, no doubt. But fortunately, there are legal technology solutions that you can implement quickly so you can demonstrate progress toward your goal. Here’s a list of typical efficiency problems that plague law practices along with some suggestions for how to solve them:

The Mostly Legal Podcast: Season 2, Episode 8 “Building a New Generation of Talent: Applying Strategy When Hiring Legal Support Teams”
Most people start their careers with the dream of changing people and the world. This week’s guests, Julie Logan (Director of Strategic Workforce Planning & Development, Thompson Coburn LLP) and Karen Griggs (Executive Director, Baker Sterchi Cowden & Rice, LLC), have discovered that you can’t necessarily change people, but you can give them the tools they need to succeed. Join us for this discussion on learning to be adaptable in the ever-changing legal administration landscape. Julie and Karen both have unique perspectives to share on mentorship and hiring a new generation of talent. Your mindset will be forever changed after hearing what these two have to say.

Determining the Right Time to Evaluate New Technology
Timing is everything. This old adage holds true even when thinking about upgrading technology. Maybe you’ve been on legacy software for years. Maybe you work entirely on paper. Perhaps you’re still dipping a fountain pen into an inkwell (by the way, if that’s the case – cool). Wherever you’re at, how do you know when it’s time to start evaluating new technology?
When firms begin to think about evaluating new software, two distinct mindsets come into play: reactive and proactive. Which one your firm holds will set the stage for how you kick off this process.

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Your Guide to Legal Accounting Software
Mastering law firm accounting is no easy feat. However, the right legal accounting software can help you streamline these critical accounting functions. Join us as we explore what law firm accounting is and how legal accounting software (with the right features) can resolve your biggest accounting challenges and meet your firm’s needs.

10 Best Practices for Enhancing Your Law Firm’s Cash Flow
No matter the current state of your law practice’s financial health, you’ll always find that there are opportunities to reduce costs, improve lawyer productivity, and get more cash in the door. If you’re struggling to keep your firm’s cash flow consistent, read on to discover ways you can take your law firm’s current cash flow to the next level.

The Mostly Legal Podcast: Season 2, Episode 7 “How a Change in Circumstances Can Shift Your Perspective”
Imagine this… you’re a junior in college and all signs are pointing to you being selected as a top 30 NFL draft pick. Right before the rest of your life is supposed to start, you sustain a life-threatening injury that leaves you with a paralyzed arm. What would you do? Many of us would probably want to give up, but not this week’s guest! We had the honor of speaking with Inky Johnson (Host, Serendipity with Inky Johnson Podcast) about maintaining strength and resilience in the face of adversity, and we can’t wait to share his story with all of you.

Centerbase Acquires Legal Website Content Management System and Marketing Platform, Legalfit
Acquisition enables Centerbase to offer end-to-end client and matter lifecycle management, bolstering the company’s mission to power the growth of law firms. Centerbase, the leading provider of cloud-based legal technology...

Everything You Need to Know About Legal Workflow Automation and Why You Should Have It
What if we told you about a technology that would relieve 50% of the administrative burden from your legal operations professionals… would you be interested in hearing what we had to say? Of course you would!
In this blog, we’ll introduce you to workflow, explain what workflow is, some of its benefits, and the different workflow tools available in legal practice management software to help you streamline your law firm.

Legal Time Tracking 101
It’s time to take your timekeeping to the next level.
We know the process of getting the lawyers at your firm to bill in a timely and accurate manner can be a struggle. By getting the right legal practice management software in place, you’ll minimize friction in workflows, help lawyers enter time more regularly, and save the administrative staff at your firm time and headaches. Plus you’ll increase your firm’s profitability. It’s a win-win-win-win.

The Mostly Legal Podcast: Season 2, Episode 6 “Rise to the Top: What You Learn After 45 Years at a Law Firm”
This week’s guest needs no introduction. As a long-time member and past president of the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA), Teresa Walker’s (CEO, Tennessee Private Trust Services) legacy precedes her. Teresa has been at the same law firm for 45 (yes, you read that right!) years and she’s on the mic this week with lots of knowledge to share.

Matter Management vs. Case Management: Are They the Same or Different?
If you’re looking for new ways to simplify your workload and manage all of your cases, you need a better system than Excel spreadsheets and a desk full of clutter. If you’re ready to look for a technological solution, look no further than a matter management and case management system that helps you keep every important detail in one place. Read on for key features of matter management and case management software that can help you streamline your legal processes – leaving legal technology to do the legwork for you. We like the sound of that!

The Mostly Legal Podcast: Season 2, Episode 5 “It’s Lonely at the Top: Turning Problems Into Opportunity”
It’s not often a podcast guest is introduced via poetry, but this week, you’re going to hear exactly that. Take a trip down memory lane with us as one of our Season 1 guests, Jenna Carter (Director of Administration, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP) introduces us to Maria Stanfield (Founder, My Sister CEO) to the tune of Maya Angelou. A speaker, executive career coach, and bestselling author with a heart for service, Maria’s message is simple: it’s never too late to realize your full potential.

16 Financial Metrics Your Law Firm Should Track With Dashboards
Dashboards help law firm leaders turn data into usable information to inform decision-making. A well-thought-out dashboard can benefit a law firm by driving productivity and helping the overall business development. Every law practice can use dashboards to easily track financial metrics, make informed decisions, and grow their business. Which metrics should your firm be tracking? Read on to find out.

The Mostly Legal Podcast: Season 2, Episode 4 “Building a Successful Law Firm: How Culture, Strategy, and Leadership Collide”
As a consultant in the legal industry, reluctance to change is an attitude Debbie Foster (Partner, Affinity Consulting) knows all too well. This week, she takes the mic and shares her tips for making law firms a great place to work from the top down – one change at a time.

Should Your Law Firm Be Using QuickBooks?
Innovations in legal practice management software have changed the way that law firms do business. Technology is an incredible tool for law firms looking to streamline workflows and increase productivity, but how do you know which one to choose? While some software is fully integrated, others can only perform one function, like billing and accounting, client management, tracking metrics, or generating reports.
Let’s explore the most important features legal accounting and billing software should have. (Spoiler alert: QuickBooks is not the most efficient option.)

The Mostly Legal Podcast: Season 2, Episode 3 “Managing Both Sides: From Paralegal to Director”
In high school, Kyle Weigand (Director of Operations, Brouse McDowell, LPA) wrote letters (yes, back when snail mail still existed!) to 40 law firms in the Cleveland area and got one response. He started in that firm’s mailroom soon after. Kyle’s personal touch paid off; from there, it’s been a steady rise from paralegal to director to helping start a law firm from the ground up for this go-getter.
Join us for this fascinating discussion on why transparency and communication for all levels of employees are crucial to a firm’s success. Kyle brings a unique perspective to this topic and gives us all a lot to think about.

6 Items to Include in a New Client Welcome Kit to Promote Client Retention
80% of a law firm’s revenue comes from just 20% of its clients. By spending too much time trying to turn unsatisfied clients into repeat customers, law firms ignore the happy, easygoing clients who make them money. This doesn’t mean ignoring other clients and their needs but instead using thoughtful business practices that allocate resources to get the most bang for your buck.
One way to start the client experience off on the right foot is to offer a new client welcome kit. Read on for six crucial items to include in your firm’s client welcome packet:

The Mostly Legal Podcast: Season 2, Episode 2 “Look Beyond the Law Firm, Look Beyond the Desk”
How do you earn the nickname “Major Problem Solver” throughout the course of your career? We won’t say it comes solely from holding a variety of positions in the legal industry, but that’s a great place to start.
Brandi Hobbs (Director of Operations and Process Improvement at Offit Kurman) started her career thinking she was going to be an attorney, but now she’s a strategic change innovator and has a Master of Professional Studies in Law Firm Management from the George Washington University, one of the only schools to offer such a program.
You won’t want to miss this fascinating discussion on the sheer impact marketing can have on law firms. Brandi has some wild insight to share that just might blow your mind!

Give Your Law Firm a Competitive Edge with Legal Analytics and Reporting
The right reporting and analytics tools will undoubtedly help your law firm optimize its performance. Your firm’s leaders will be more empowered to make more strategic decisions because they’ll know just where the firm can and should grow, and where it should scale back. Choosing smart legal analytics solutions and reporting tools makes it easy to develop a competitive advantage and keep your firm running smoothly and efficiently all year long.
Find out how to maximize the value of your law firm data with the right tools here:

The Mostly Legal Podcast: Season 2, Episode 1 “How a Social Media Star is Disrupting the Legal Industry”
The Mostly Legal Podcast is back for season 2 and we’re starting this second go-around off with a bang!
How do you know when it’s time for a career change? Maybe you’re not enjoying the work you’re doing, not happy at your current employer, or perhaps you’re in the wrong industry altogether. Alex Su (Head of Community Development for Ironclad) thinks you’re much more likely to be successful in your career if you focus on doing something that’s aligned with your strengths instead of trying to fix your weaknesses.
Join us for this discussion on what it means to find your own path and be successful, even if it’s not what you initially envisioned.

Billing Tips for Productivity and Profitability in an Insurance Defense Firm
It’s time to take your firm’s billing to the next level.
Since billing is arguably the most important administrative process in the legal profession, it’s a great place to start when you’re looking for ways to increase your firm’s productivity and profitability. In this blog, we’ll discuss some steps you can take to improve your insurance defense firm’s productivity and accelerate client payables.

Season 2: The Launch is Coming!
Once upon a time, an Executive Director and a Chief Revenue Officer set out on a journey to share the untold stories of the people in the business of law. After having climbed to the highest tower, defeating the odds, and rescuing the princess that was Season 1, they decided to forge on to Season 2. With the launch of the new season coming on February 14th, they felt invincible. Until they met their foe, the blinking red light of a camera recording, and this is what happened….

A Law Firm’s Guide to Tax Season Preparation
Tax season can be a stressful time of year for law firm leaders and administrators, but there are some steps law firms can take to help alleviate that stress for a more seamless approach to tax season. The most important components of tax preparation are deadlines, organization, and documentation. With an awareness of potential tax deductions and guidance from a skilled accountant, law firms can successfully navigate tax season.

The Complete Guide to Your Law Firm’s Finances
Financial well-being is an important piece of the law firm operations puzzle. To continue to serve your clients most effectively, your firm must be operating efficiently. You must have a consistent cash flow that allows you to continue marketing campaigns, acquire clients, and hire new lawyers to do the work.
The key to this is a comprehensive financial strategy. Here’s how you should get started building yours:

Why Your Law Firm Needs a Client Portal
While modern technology has changed the way that many lawyers connect with their clients, it hasn’t changed the fact that confidentiality is key when it comes to the attorney-client relationship. So, how can you take advantage of the benefits of modern technology to optimize the client experience at your law practice and maintain your clients’ confidentiality at the same time?
There’s an easy answer: it’s called a client portal.

A Family Law Firm’s Guide to Client Intake
Family law clients are facing some of the most trying situations of their lives when they find themselves in your law office. One way that family law firms can make the client experience easier for prospects is to offer a client intake form that helps prepare clients for the information they need to share, so they can organize their thoughts and documents in advance.
Read on to discover how an online intake form can help you make the most out of the intake process – and download our suggested template to get started on your own form today.

Ten Trends That Will Shape the Legal Industry in 2022
It’s no secret that the last two years have been filled with unprecedented challenges. Moving into 2022, the legal industry is taking the lessons learned from navigating these challenges and turning them into resources to support a successful year to come.
Firms want tools to help them handle routine tasks in a more efficient manner so they can save time and drive revenue. Keep reading to explore some of the trends that will drive these concepts and shape the legal industry in 2022.

What is a Legal Operations Manager?
You know that your law firm is a business, but only recently have firms started focusing on how to improve their business. By spending time now to build a strong legal operations team headed by an experienced, tech-savvy legal operations manager, you can modernize your firm and situate it to capitalize on future trends in legal operations. Join us as we uncover what a legal operations manager does and how having one at your law firm can increase efficiency.

Your Guide to Building a Strong Legal Operations Team
A recent study from Bloomberg suggests that a third of law firms don’t have a dedicated legal operations function. If you’re considering whether your firm needs a dedicated legal ops professional, you may be wondering how deep to go down the rabbit hole in forming your team. Let’s take a closer look at what a legal ops team does and how you should go about building yours.

Closing the Books for the 2021 Fiscal Year
Every law firm should start 2022 with accurately balanced accounting that is ready for all that the new year will bring. This year-end closing process comes together through reconciling bank accounts, adjusting entries, and preparing financial statements for analysis.
The following are some annual bookkeeping processes to help your law firm set the foundation for financial success in the coming year:

Answers to Your 7 Biggest End of Year Attorney Compensation Questions
Evaluating end-of-year compensation for your attorneys may be the last thing (or, we’ll say it, most dreaded thing) on your to-do list as you work through closing the books for 2021.
There is some good news – you don’t have to go it alone. We were lucky enough to be joined on a webinar by Amanda Koplos, Executive Director, and Stephanie Donaldson, Controller, at Shuffield, Lowman & Wilson, P.A. They were gracious enough to share their own theories and best practices surrounding end-of-year compensation for attorneys. Here is what they had to say:

How Your Law Firm Can Give Back to the Community This Holiday Season
Tis the season for law firms to give back and expand on their charitable endeavors! Giving back helps firms solidify themselves as members of their communities with a vested interest in their people and their wellbeing, and also provides a powerful brand-building tool.
Join us as we explore the various aspects of law firm humanitarianism, including the benefits of giving back and some ways your law firm can serve its community this holiday season and throughout the year.

Embracing a New Level of Excellence
April Campbell (Executive Director at the Association of Legal Administrators) and Judy Hissong (President at Nesso Strategies) discuss everything from diagnosing firm culture to the shifted focus on mental health. These two ALA royalties discuss how the world as we know it is changing, and there are quite a few noticeable differences coming out of the legal industry because of it.

Accounting for Lawsuit Settlement Payments: Tips for Handling Client Funds
If you’re like most people, managing your clients’ funds is unfamiliar territory. Most of us don’t have an accounting background, and accounting isn’t a subject that’s included in law school curriculums.
In this guide, we’ll give you an overview of the basics of attorney trust accounts and describe how you should manage settlement proceeds and other funds on behalf of a client.

The Secret to Successfully Using Legal Technology
Melissa Chambers and Mike West give us some great insight on what firms should be doing once they implement new software. From continuing vendor relationships to leaning into training, check out their best practice tips, and suggestions to help you utilize your new system to the fullest.

9 Tips for Setting Your Law Firm’s 2022 Budget
By thoughtfully creating a budget ahead of the coming fiscal year, you can better align anticipated revenue and expenses with your law firm’s goals. Successful budgeting involves critically thinking about your financial expectations so that strategies can be implemented to promote greater profitability and prevent financial pitfalls. These nine tips will help you build a solid budget for your law firm as you wind down this year and prepare for 2022:

Remembering That You Belong
Jenna Carter and Chassidy Deckard are here to give their thoughts on providing inclusive environments for every stage in the life cycle of law firm management.

The Evolving Role of Legal Operations in Law Firms
Are you running your law firm like a business? If yes, you’re ahead of the competition. If no, enter legal operations.
Law firms are starting to embrace legal operations, realizing it has value for improving client service while driving down costs through better practice management.
Let’s learn more about the evolving role of legal operations in law firms.

Everything You Need to Know About Wellness in the Legal Community
Studies show that mental, emotional, and physical health issues have become more common among legal professionals as they struggle to deal with the demands of their chosen careers. Wellness is not a one-size-fits-all concept because different people need different strategies to help them feel healthy and at their best. Wellness includes an improved work-life balance, better stress management, and a positive mindset that prioritizes self-care.
Firms are uniquely situated to address these issues by making wellness an aspect of their overall firm culture. Learn strategies to promote wellness here:

Getting the Most Out of the Technology You Already Have
Debbie Foster has been a pioneer in the legal technology industry for a long time. And we had the opportunity to sit down with her and hear her thoughts on the legal landscape and what firms must do in order to remain competitive.

Your Guide to Preventing Law Firm Cyberattacks
In this digital age, technology has become essential to the delivery of legal services. Law firms use tech tools for a variety of reasons, including matter management, calendaring, client communications, and billing. While this reliance on technology has helped law firms improve client relations and the provision of services, it has also made the legal industry a common target for cybercriminals looking to steal valuable client data.
When law firm leaders fail to plan, implement, and enforce strict cybersecurity protocols, they are potentially exposing the firm to costly and damaging attacks. Though it will take some time and money to get adequate plans in place, when done correctly, it is one of the best investments a firm can make to deter fraudsters and keep client data secure.

Centerbase Wins the NetDocuments Inspire 2021 Partner of the Year Award
Centerbase, a legal practice management software company that provides mid-sized law firms with a cloud-based platform to streamline operations, has been awarded the NetDocuments Inspire 2021 Partner of the Year Award.

Learning How to Pivot in the Legal Industry
You all know Holly Pulido and Eric Hightower. Their enthusiasm and radiant smiles are hard to miss, but that isn’t everything they have to offer. Share some laughs and grab a takeaway or two as Holly and Eric dive into the challenges and obstacles that come with career changes and how to navigate moving to a new law firm.

How to Navigate the World of Law Firm Accounting
Most law firm leaders do not enter the legal industry with an accounting background, but a basic understanding is important to ensure the proper management of your firm’s finances. Decisions about billing processes, the acceptance of payments, and trust accounting form the foundation for a firm’s financial success. Therefore, it is critical for law firms of all sizes to properly position their financial systems. It will not only save time and boost profitability but will also prevent several potentially serious compliance issues.
A lot goes into navigating the world of law firm accounting. Let’s explore some of those vital components:

Getting Your House in Order: Building a Law Firm Strategy
Chris Sims and Chrissie Eastin (shoutout to Chrissie for being our fill-in for Tina Terrian) share their thoughts on law firm strategy and the change that has come to the industry due to the pandemic. From recruiting hurdles, getting your house in order, to finding the spotlight, Chris and Chrissie give us a lot to think about.

The Evolving Dynamics of Recruiting and Retaining Law Firm Talent
The landscape of law firm recruitment is changing dramatically. Whether seeking to attract new attorneys out of law school, entice lateral hires, or retain current members, law firms are taking unprecedented steps away from tradition in hopes of engaging and keeping top legal talent.
Conventional considerations like compensation, promotion potential, and bonuses remain part of the equation, along with some new metrics of comparison. Let’s take a closer look:

Susan L. French Emerging Leader Fellowship Program 2019 Recipients
The Susan L. French Emerging Leader Fellowship Fund was established by GLJ Benefit Consultants in memory of former ALA President Susan L. French. In 2019, Jess Beyer and Emily Spehar were bestowed the honor of the Fellowship and for the last two years, have had the privilege of experiencing the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Join co-hosts Rob Joyner and Amanda Koplos as they sit down behind the mic with Jess and Emily and get a first-hand look at what the Fellowship meant to them and how their career trajectory changed.