The following is a comment from a very successful consultant, Alan Weiss, one who has had experience with both large corporations and individual executives and consultants: "Small businesses employ far more people than major corporations, and they create many more net, new jobs than do Fortune 1000 companies. They are the real engine of the economy. … They are poorly treated at the moment by the banks and the government."
Sole practitioners and small firms comprise between 65% and 80% of the profession, depending on whose statistics you believe. One would think that the Bar would be advocating for these members and focusing their educational efforts to help this group of lawyers improve the economics of their practices. Somehow, as suggested by Weiss above, this body of lawyers is "poorly treated … "
If a dispute over fees every arises in the future (as it did in the Pete Wilson, California Governor era), don’t be surprised if the Bar fails to garner support from this group.
California has new rules. If you’re part of an HMO, doctors will be required to treat patients within 10 business days of the patient’s phone call; and patients seeking urgent care that does not require prior authorization must be seen within 48 hours! Telephone calls to doctors’ offices will have to be returned within 30 minutes!
This is in response to a 2002 law that mandated more timely access to medical care.
Can you imagine the State mandating that lawyers respond timely? That people have timely access to legal care? We now have mandated legal care iin criminal matters where the defendant can’t afford a lawyer. And, California is experimenting with providing the same rights in selected civil matters.
In medical care, it seems that government intervention is required in order to provide timely and effective care. When will lawyers learn to do that which is right … providing effective legal care on a timely basis for their clients … without Bar or government intervention? And when will the Bar understand that its members are lawyers, not clients, and truly seek to help lawyers effectively deal with the economic challenges they face?
In a recent article, I suggested that bar associations offer a specialization certificate in law practice management:
"Specialists and their clients do benefit in some way from the more intensive training, but this really is just a matter of degree from the typical CLE requirements.
What if bar associations took the principle further by offering to lawyers specialist certifications in law practice management skills? How is this different from the specialized training that many lawyers have received by earning their CPA or MBA? These questions are important and need to be answered affirmatively and creatively if CLE training is to meet the real needs of lawyers in today’s marketplace."
I’m glad to say that I’ve received many responsive comments. Let us know what you think.
LIVE WEBCAST TO DISCUSS BUSINESS EDUCATION AT LAW SCHOOLS
Panel Asks: Are Law Schools Preparing Graduates for the Real World?
VENICE, CA January 19, 2010 – Nationally-recognized law firm management expert Ed Poll, JD, MBA, CMC, announced today an upcoming live webcast to discuss how the nation’s law schools teach – or fail to teach – the fundamental principles of business. “Law School: Are Recent Graduates Prepared for the New Era?”, which takes places January 27 at 11:00am PT / 2:00pm ET, will feature four recent law school graduates who will describe how law school did or did not prepare them for them for The Business of Law®. The session is presented in association with West LegalEdcenter®.
“Law practice and all its supporters represent a multi-billion dollar industry that is governed by the same business principles that govern other professions,” explains Poll. “Yet law schools pay little if any attention to these real-world business concerns. The result is that recent graduates enter their new profession woefully unprepared for the realities and the rigors of the industry. It’s time for that to change.”
Over the course of the session, the recent graduates will describe their current environment, relate their experiences in the legal world, and engage in a lively discussion about the state of business education at the nation’s law schools. Moderator Ed Poll will also discuss his top 10 principles to succeed in this era. As Poll explains, law practice is much more than being able to research case law – new graduates need to be educated on client management, billable hours, fee collection, profitability, and business management. Mr. Poll will use the session to demonstrate the importance of these skills, and educate participants on the basics of The Business of Law®.
Those signing up for the live webcast will also be given a unique opportunity to learn more about Poll’s business principles: all participants will be offered a special package deal on books and CDs from the LawBiz® store, including Business Competency for Lawyers (LawBiz® Management Co. 2006) and Poll’s newest book, Growing Your Law Practice in Tough Times (Thomson West, available February 2010). This special package will be made available to attendees immediately following the seminar. In addition, Ed offers weekly insights on his YouTube® channel (YouTube.com/LawBizGuide) and can be followed on Twitter at twitter.com/lawbiz.
About Ed Poll
Ed Poll, J.D., M.B.A., CMC, is a nationally-recognized expert in law practice management. He helps attorneys and law firms increase their profitability by consulting with them on issues of internal operations, business development, and financial matters. Poll brings his clients a solid background in both law and business. He has 25 years experience as a practicing attorney and has also served as CEO and COO for several manufacturing businesses. In 1990, he founded LawBiz® Management Company and is now focused on coaching, speaking, and training law firms.
In this interview, Ed discusses Avvo with its chief marketing officer, Conraad Saam. Conrad has worked his entire career in on-line marketing efforts for children’s products and services. He says that “kids try anything, while lawyers resist change. You have to put the brakes on kids and press on the gas for lawyers.” Today, Avvo puts consumers together with lawyers. Learn about Avvo by listening to this “must hear” discussion.
Congratulations to Phil A. Taylor of Taylor Law Office in Stoneham, MA! He submitted the winning caption, which you can see below. Anthony will receive a LawBiz® Media Pack and a free ½ hour consulting session with me.
Thanks again to everyone who participated. While fewer captions were submitted than before, they were all great nonetheless, and the decision was tough.
Remember, The Business of Law, 2nd ed., along with all of my other books and products, are available for sale at our website.
When I think of the entrepreneurial spirit, I think of the hardy folks of the early 1900s, or earlier, but not the 1960s. Yet, in the Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California, I learned of just such a spirit in the body of Bill Keys.
We (my wife, Bandit, our Airstream, and I) have been spending the last few days in Twenty Nine Palms, home of the largest Marine training base in the U.S., adjacent to the National Park. We joined an Airstream rally.
Among other activities, we toured the ranch owned and operated by Bill Keys and now under the control of the Forest Service. His is a remarkable story. He survived off the land, gained control of water in the area (a rare commodity in this area), filed numerous gold mine claims and leased them to others to do the back-breaking work (perhaps an early franchisor), among other ventures. He sold his land to a friend, making money on the transaction. The friend wanted to create an recreational vehicle resort; this idea had to be abandoned, however, for lack of water. He swapped the land with the U.S. Forest Service for land in the San Diego area, later to be the location of the San Diego Chargers stadium … he parlayed a small investment into quite a fortune!
With a view to the future and persistent effort (and, of course, some luck!), even lawyers can grab the entrepreneurial spirit and thrive!
As you read this on the first working day of a new decade, it is clear that our profession has been buffeted with many challenges. There is considerable discussion about whether we will ever have "business as usual" again or whether change (however great that may turn out to be) will be permanent.. However, it is clear that lawyers who listen to their clients and adapt their approach to the delivery of legal services to their clients wants will thrive. Those who ignore their clients and focus only on their own needs will ultimately fail.
Which will you be? To help you analyze what you’re doing now and what you may want to do to become more effective with your clients, more efficient in delivering your legal services and more profitable, consider engaging a coach. A skilled, independent and objective person working with you can create a shortcut for your success.
