7 ways to make your law firm more efficient
DESCRIPTION
Many law firms can provide better, more error-free service to their clients and bring in more money to their firm by embracing time-tested productivity and efficiency principals. In this CLE, we examine excellent productivity methods to reduce mistakes and wasted time and improve the operations of law firms. In addition, modern office work can be incredibly difficult, with myriad electronic devices competing for our attention. Email, tweets, Facebook - all of these distract us from the work at hand and can leave people feeling anxious and overwhelmed. We’ll examine how to minimize these interruptions, prioritize work, communicate clearly with others, in an enjoyable and hour-long session.TRANSCRIPT
Larry PortCEO and Chief Software ArchitectRocket Matter, LLC
7WAYS TO MAKE
MORE EFFICIENTYOUR LAW FIRM
@larryport
Billable work 30 Office administration 7 Client development or marketing 4 Keeping current on non-billable law 3 Non-billable bar association activities 1 Planned pro bono <1 Other legal matters 5
Average Weekly Hours 50
Source: Florida Bar Economics and Law Office Management Survey
@larryport
Billable work 31 Office administration 6 Client development or marketing 4 Keeping current on non-billable law 3 Non-billable bar association activities 1 Planned pro bono <1 Other legal matters 5
Average Weekly Hours 50
Annual Increase in Revenue: $12,500
@larryport
Billable work 32 Office administration 5 Client development or marketing 4 Keeping current on non-billable law 3 Non-billable bar association activities 1 Planned pro bono <1 Other legal matters 5
Average Weekly Hours 50
Annual Increase in Revenue: $25,000
@larryport
GO TOMATOUSE THE POMODORO TECHNIQUE TO FOCUS AND PREVENT INTERRUPTIONS1
@larryport
Work for 25 minutes
@larryport
Easy, right?No interruptionsCan’t get up.
The tomato is sacred!
5 minute breaks
@larryport
@larryport
NO INTERRUPTION POLICY12.5 MINS ON AVERAGE IS ACCEPTABLE
FOLLOW UP POST-TOMATOTIMER BELL SENDS SIGNAL
@larryport
GO PAPERLESSDITCH THE PAPER FILES2
@larryport
= 200,000 Sheets of Paper1 TON
@larryport
= storage for 200,000 docs
This thumb drive can store 2 million documents
2 GB
@larryport
Of payroll hours spent unsuccessfully searching for information
10Source: Butler Group
%
@larryport
@larryport
‘Nuff Said.
Fujitsu ScanSnap 1500
@larryport
Online Backups...GOOD!
@larryport
Evernote...EPIC!
@larryport
Sign Electronically
Custom Stamps iAnnotate
@larryport
ACT LIKE A GEEKFOLLOW COOL SOFTWARE INDUSTRY PROCESSES3
@larryport
AGILESOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT
@larryport
WHY DOES AGILE WORK?
@larryport
... TODAY... IN MY WAY
... YESTERDAYDAILY STANDUP
@larryport
... STOP... CONTINUE
... STARTRETROSPECTIVE
@larryport
BATCH PROCESSESDON’T HANDLE COMMUNICATIONS CONSTANTLY4
@larryport
@larryport
Multi-taskers are “suckers for irrelevancy. Everything distracts them.”
@larryport
RISKS
ANXIETY
TENSION
SCATTERED THOUGHTSINABILITY TO FOCUS
OVERLOOK INFORMATION
MISINTERPRET INFORMATION
@larryport
Things You Can Batch
@larryport
http://www.slideshare.net/merlinmann/inbox-zero-actionbased-email
@larryport
Things You CAN’T Batch
@larryport
Go GTDDAVID ALLEN’S SYSTEM HELPS YOU GET ORGANIZED & DE-STRESS 5
@larryport
@larryport
CAPTURING
@larryport
@larryport
Inboxes
Inboxes can be virtual...
@larryport
WELL-WRITTEN NEXT ACTIONS
@larryport
capture the very next step...
@larryport
WEEKLY REVIEW
@larryportclose all open loops...
@larryport
EMPLOY MINDMAPSGET IDEAS OUT OF YOUR HEAD AND STRUCTURED6
@larryport
@larryport
@larryport
STANDARDIZEDON’T REPEAT YOURSELF7
@larryport
reliability, efficiency, accountability
@larryport
Invoices should be done consistently, every month
Lexicon, phone handling should be identical
