Gary Chen, Senior Analyst for Yankee Group Enterprise made the following important points in the recent Application Continuity 2007 conference about technology:
- 83% of medium businesses (more than 100 people) have remote or mobile workers
- That means that only 17% of such businesses have no mobile workers at all
- Lifestyles today blend work and personal activities with fluid boundaries between the two
- 15% of our workforce are telecommuters
- 23% of our workforce travel long distance
- 27% of our workforce travel locally
- "Anywhere solutions" can boost productivity and enhance the probability of recovery in the event of disasters
- New technology for unified communications, not yet a driving force, is generally reviewed, if at all, at the time of replacement or updates rather than as an independent purchase now
- One of the greatest challenges facing today’s business is that information is lost or stranded within the head of one individual
That means that technology becomes even more important in the management of a law firm. Technology affects current law firm profitability and becomes essential for survival and continuity in times of disaster. In current terminology, "knowledge management" will be the backbone of the success and survival of a law firm. And knowledge management needs enhanced technology to be effective and readily available. As I’ve said before, I believe law firms of the future will grow or die based on their effective implementation of knowledge management.
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During a discussion amongst law firm chief financial officers that I moderated for the American Bar Association, one of the best practices mentioned was the use of check scanners. Coincidentally, not more than 7 weeks after that event, my bank installed a check scanner into my office.
It is a remarkable instrument that further reduces the bank float from your clients and gives you almost immediate access to "good funds." No more waiting for the "check to clear" or other excuse for delaying your use of funds. (more…)
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Scott Greenfield takes me to task about my comment that a busy lawyer can have a ghostwriter help out in blog posts. He apparently believes that only the lawyer should write the post … and perhaps he further believes (though I don’t want to put words into his writing) that lawyers should not market their expertise … or that blogging is not a marketing tool.
I appreciate the opportunity he gives me to expand my thoughts on this subject further. What follows is my response to Scott:
I truly enjoyed reading your comments on what I did not say; quite amusing. I think, however, that you miss the true value of blawging (blogging). It is to convey value, to convey information and to convey help to the reader. Oh, yes, it can be to vent and it can be to journal, but that was not the context in which I made my comment. Lawyers use the blawging process to communicate their existence to the world – to express their expertise so as to make prospective clients aware of them … and, hopefully, to become clients. If this is true, and I believe it to be and can point to many examples, then it is a marketing tool. Just as large firms have marketing and business development departments, producing quality material that may or may not be written by attorneys (but for which the attorneys/law firm are responsible), so to can blogging be performed under the direction of an attorney though not written by him/her.
Attorneys do not do everything done in a law firm. That doesn’t make the information or the service a “scam.” There are trial briefs written by paralegals — is this a scam? There are deposition summaries written by paralegals — is this a scam? There are many things done for lawyers under the lawyers direction/responsibility that provide benefit for clients .. and enable lawyers to more effectively market their services to new prospects.
Take this out of the context of the law office, there are many books written for famous people that appropriately convey the intent and meaning of the “author.” Are these scams? Does the public not get value in better understanding the character and message of the famous person? Lee Iacoca is one that comes to mind quickly. We learned a lot about him, his life and his message … though he didn’t write the book himself.
Blogging is not the last, great American novel … it is a business tool. As such, one can take a business-like approach to its application. Google certainly does, so I’m not sure why you don’t.
Again, thanks for writing about my belief system and allowing me the opportunity to expand on it a bit more … though I certainly didn’t say all the things you said I said. <g> (more…)
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In his column, Fire Wire, John Tredennick, writes the most extensive and articulate article on the subject of outsourcing I’ve read.
(more…)
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News just hit that the iPhone has been hacked and unlocked! You weren’t supposed to be able to do this — guess what? A 17 year old kid did!
Terry L. Brock tells us the story of George Hotz of New Jersey and then extrapolates some principles from George’s persistence in breaking the iPhone code.
What will this mean for users? Ability to get to other phone companies, not just AT & T? Will this affect the privacy and confidentiality issues uppermost in conversation of lawyers? Will there still be an expectation of privacy when lawyers use the iPhone?
While the legal issues may be argued in court, the market place will make many decisions for users as well as Apple, the manufacturer.
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At the ABA conference in San Francisco last week, I had the pleasure to moderate an outstanding panel of experts about the financial management of their firms and their “best practices.” The panel consisted of Bob Hirshon, CEO of Stoel Rives in Portland, OR (and former ABA president); Marcia Wasserman, COO of Nossaman Guthner Knox & Elliott; Larry Kleinberg, CFO of Munger Tolles & Olson; and Ron Yano, CFO of Loeb & Loeb.
Reid Trautz mentioned his observations from our panel:
“From a terrific panel of firm financial managers moderated by Ed Poll, comes these interesting ideas:
- Firms are taking advantage of the new check scanners offered by some banks to more quickly and securely deposit client checks.
- More firms are closing their billing on the 25th day of each month to get their bills into the “first of the month” billing cycle of clients–both businesses and individuals.
- Law firms are putting more pressure on partners to collect bills sooner (nothing new there!), but they are using automated e-mail and other added technology features now available in many time & billing programs to keep the pressure on, well, automatically!
- Larger firms are doing more to ensure that each new client matter has a signed representation letter or agreement before starting any work. This is a smart practice, and is just one area where large firms tend to lag behind smaller firms.”
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USA TODAY Snapshots tells us, in today’s edition, that certain cities blog more than others. I’m not sure how they get this information, but the number of posts per 100,000 residents in March and April are the following:
Boston 89
Philadelphia 88
Pittsburgh 53
Washington 51
Portland, OR 49
I’m surprised that Western cities (further south of OR) aren’t on the list and, with all the politicians in the area, why Washington didn’t rate higher …
But, it takes a blog to talk about the blogging list, right? 🙂
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Press Release
Contact: Ed Poll
800-837-5880
edpoll@lawbiz.com
Immediate Release August 8, 2007
Edward Poll, principal of LawBiz® Management Co., announces that LawBiz® Blog has gone live! As of today, the complete redesign of the Blog site is active.
(more…)
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BlawgWorld 2007 is a free eBook featuring "77 thought-provoking essays from 77 of the most influential blawgs."
I’m pleased to say we were included.
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