business

Small law firms can level the playing field in the pursuit of new business by using social media to check for relational opportunities and conflicts. ... Read more

The blogosphere and Twitterverse were abuzz last week, first with the news that a girl named Amina, a popular blogger living in Damascus, had been kidnapped by a group of men, allegedly for being a lesbian and outspoken democracy advocate. ... Read more

I’ll be honest – I definitely can’t see the future. If I could, I would have started gambling long ago. However, I can say with certainty that I do know what reporters will write about and what they will care about covering this summer.

... Read more

In this Internet era, the art of handwriting is nearing extinction. Who even uses proper cursive these days? Despite what our Mothers (and Miss Manners) always told us, no one seems to take the time to write thank you notes anymore. When is the last time you sent or received one?  Exactly.

... Read more

Sales is not a job for the timid nor the meek. (Luckily, most lawyers aren’t saddled with either of those afflictions). Just as Col. Kilgore from Apocalypse Now was passionate about battle, I get a rush from cultivating relationships and helping clients find new business. I cut my teeth in sales 25 years ago. Real sales. Cold calls, hot leads and walk-ups. ... Read more

A few months ago I had a conversation with my father, an attorney in Buffalo, NY with his own small firm, about how he markets his practice. His answer, somewhat typical of lawyers of his generation, involved word of mouth referrals and face-to-face networking at various legal industry and political events. ... Read more

I read the news that Newsweek is being sold with a combination of disappointment and acceptance. Yes, while we have witnessed in recent years the sale and closure of many magazines and newspapers, somehow I didn’t think Newsweek would fall to the same sad fate. Its regular arrival at my house on Monday seemed to encapsulate what was on the nation’s collective mind. ... Read more

Though it may seem as if everything about the way lawyers market themselves today is changing, one thing remains constant - work is still gotten based on authority.

... Read more

When I was a kid I derived great pleasure just from knowing the name of the largest corporation in the world. General Motors was the answer. So what happened? I think a few things happened along the way to today. Rising gas prices happened, energy efficient cars happened, foreign competition happened and internal complacency, internal politics and greed happened.

... Read more