Today’s interview is with Brett Burney, Technology Consultant and Chair of the 2015 ABA Chicago TechShow from April 16-18.Rule 1.1 of the Model Rules of Professional Conduct has been modified to include familiarity Brian Powers is CEO and Founder of Pactsafe. Brian made a mid-career shift from law to industry, using the same skills that made him a successful lawyer.
PactSafe is unlocking the who, what, when, where, and how of digital legal agreements you have on your website or mobile app.
This was not an end of career decision for him, but rather the opening of an opportunity.
Today’s interview is with Brett Burney, Technology Consultant and Chair of the 2015 ABA Chicago TechShow from April 16-18.Rule 1.1 of the Model Rules of Professional Conduct has been modified to include familiarity with technology as part of the definition of competence.
Listen and, more importantly, go to the Tech Show.
Gary Kinder, founder and CEO of WordRake® writes the following:
“…Each of us has three vocabularies:
our reading or comprehension vocabulary – by far the largest;
our writing vocabulary – in the middle; and
our speaking vocabulary – the smallest and least grammatical.
When speaking, we use, and tolerate (to a point) others using, ers and uhs and sos and wells and likes, and confusing who with whom and lay with lie because most of us can’t think fast enough when we speak to get it all grammatically correct; plus we have tone of voice, facial expressions, and body language to help us communicate. Our writing must be more precise than our speech because we have only words to convey meaning.
Email is a weird hybrid existing between speaking and writing. In that gap, our email mindset might be loose and informal, but our business recipients do not forgive our typos, grammatical slips, and bloated, unnecessary, abstract, sometimes nonsensical phrasing. That’s where the tension lies: we write it as though the message is impermanent; they judge it and us as though it’s permanent….”
When in business, we know the validity of “dress for success.” So, too, when communicating even in e-mail, write/speak commensurate with your market, the recipients of your communication. “Talking” with personal friends is a different matter.
Toby Brown, a good friend and previous speaker here at LawBiz® Podcast, is a former director of the Utah State Bar and currently the Director of Strategic Pricing & Analytics for Akin Gump, a top 50 AmLaw law firm.
Toby is at the forefront of developing alternative fees — helping his firm set prices — so that the client and law firm are mutually benefited and act as “partners.” Toby has a great combination of executive level skills in the areas of technology, law and economics.
If you have not listened to it already, make sure you listen to our first interview with Toby Brown on “Pricing Practices for Attorneys” from 9/24/13 about pricing and costing required by lawyers in today’s competitive environment..
Also, check out Toby’s new book, “Law Firm Pricing: Strategies, Roles, and Responsibilities. The publisher will provide all listeners of our podcasts a $50 discount by mentioning the following code: LFP-TBPC1. Also check out the pricing discussion in my new book, Attorney & Law Firm Guide to The Business of Law, 3rd ed., released by the American Bar Association in March 2014 on www.lawbizstore.com.
Gary Kinder is the Founder and Creator of WordRake Editing Software. He is also a lawyer and a New York Times bestselling author who has taught over 1,000 writing programs at the most prestigious law firms in the US. He has dedicated his career to teaching legal professionals how to write precisely, vividly, concisely and memorably. Kinder channeled his many years of intelligence about superior legal writing and editing into the software program, WordRake is now being used by thousands of law firms and organizations to tighten their prose and become better writers. Kinder authors weekly writing tips as well as a blog called WriteToThePoint.com.
WordRake, a new software program that enables lawyers to improve their writing and become far more persuasive than without this tool. This is more than checking your grammar; any program can do that. This actually helps you to improve your writing. If you’re an associate needing to have your work reviewed by a senior partner, this tool will enable you present a far better product for review … and of course be viewed as a much better lawyer. If you’re a sole practitioner, you may not have the benefit of a good editor at your elbow. This tool will make you better.
Toby Brown is a former director of the Utah State Bar and currently the Director of Strategic Pricing & Analytics for Akin Gump, a top 50 AmLaw law firm.
Toby is at the forefront of developing alternative fees — helping his firm set prices — so that the client and law firm are mutually benefited and act as “partners.” Toby has a great combination of executive level skills in the areas of technology, law and economics.
Can lawyers use the iPad successfully or are they tied to the PC? Are iPads the future of the profession, or just another fad? Are other products as good as the iPad?
Our guest, Brett Burney of Burney Consultants, is a legal technology consultant who offers iPad training and support for law firms, as well as litigation support technologies with iPad, Mac and Windows. In this discussion Ed and Brett will compare and contrast the Ipad with other available products. Your can read more about Brett Burney at his web site www.burneyconsultants.com.
The new health care law, officially known as the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act, sometimes known as ObamaCare, became the law of the land on March 23, 2010. This law changed the health care conversation as well as the political tone in Washington, D.C., if not the entire country. The Supreme Court in what clearly was a fast track decision sustained the constitutionality of the law. This also altered the dialogue for the presidential election of 2012. Many lawyers received increased revenue in the fight on both sides of the aisle. In the future, lawyers who are familiar with the provisions of this new playing field will, likewise, see increased revenue resulting from advising clients on how to comply with the law’s provisions.
More than 10,000 people daily reach the age of 65, the traditional retirement age; these people face increased health care needs. How will we deal with their needs? Our guest, Brian Sullivan, is a seasoned professional in the employee benefits and health care industry for more than 25 years. He has authored numerous articles in the area of employee benefits and health care, and has delivered dozens of talks around the country to people seeking to understand the complexities of his industry.
This discussion is one of the clearest explanations of the law as it currently stands that you will hear.
Lawrence Wolf, Esq. has been a criminal attorney for over 35 years. He represents defendants accused in criminal matters ranging from drunk driving to sexual abuse. He not only defends them, but helps them put their lives back together. He has used the art of the brochure to effectively promote his practice. Today in this interview with Ed Poll, he relates how his focus with the brochure has changed over the years from attracting clients to attracting those who can refer clients. More information about Larry can be seen at www.YouAreInnocent.com.
What does a paralegal do? Have you ever attempted to type the plural of paralegal in your word processor; what happens? Evidence that few lawyers, let alone others, understand what a paralegal is, does or contributes to the law firm. Find out:
What can paralegals do?
What can’t/shouldn’t paralegals do?
How can lawyers take advantage of the skills that paralegals bring to the table?
What is the best way for lawyers to interact with lawyers?
Can lawyers leverage the skills of paralegals, and if yes, how best to do so?
How can lawyers make money from the work performed by paralegals?
Our panel members, Cynthia Mascio, ACP, CEDS, a leader in the California paralegal movement, and Edward Poll, J.D., M.B.A., CMC, will discuss these issues from the perspectives of both the lawyer and the paralegal.
