The legal market is changing rapidly. But much of law firms' marketing activity is based on what the firm is today, rather than what it needs to be tomorrow. The activity centres on `quick wins' rather than addressing how the firm will need to be packaged, positioned, and perceived in the future in order to attract new purchases and the type of client it really wants. This book has been written to show you how to package and position your firm in a way that will allow you to profit from your efforts. We'll cut through some of the marketing-speak that all-too-often either prevents or puts lawyers off getting to the heart of building a viable, relevant marketing strategy. We'll also look at some practical examples of how best to design the right strategy for your firm and, most importantly, how you can implement those ideas easily so that they start delivering commercial success. If you are to pilot your firm, practice, or department through the next phase of the legal industry's development, you need to be cannier in the way you take it to market. The good news is that if you get the packaging, positioning, and promotion right, you are well on the way to winning the work you want at the fee level you want, and that simply has to be the most direct route to profitable growth.

The concept of learning to 'think like a lawyer' is one of the cornerstones of legal education in the United States and beyond. In this book, Jeffrey Lipshaw provides a critique of the traditional views of 'thinking like a lawyer' or 'pure lawyering' aimed at lawyers, law professors, and students who want to understand lawyering beyond the traditional warrior metaphor. Drawing on his extensive experience at the intersection of real world law and business issues, Professor Lipshaw presents a sophisticated philosophical argument that the "pure lawyering" of traditional legal education is agnostic to either truth or moral value of outcomes. He demonstrates pure lawyering's potential both for illusions of certainty and cynical instrumentalism, and the consequences of both when lawyers are called on as dealmakers, policymakers, and counsellors. This book offers an avenue for getting beyond (or unlearning) merely how to think like a lawyer. It combines legal theory, philosophy of knowledge, and doctrine with an appreciation of real-life judgment calls that multi-disciplinary lawyers are called upon to make. The book will be of great interest to scholars of legal education, legal language and reasoning as well as professors who teach both doctrine and thinking and writing skills in the first year law school curriculum; and for anyone who is interested in seeking a perspective on 'thinking like a lawyer' beyond the litigation arena.

The United Nations estimates that four billion people worldwide live outside the protection of the law. These people can be driven from their land, intimidated by violence, and excluded from society. This book is about community paralegals - sometimes called barefoot lawyers - who demystify law and empower people to advocate for themselves. These paralegals date back to 1950s South Africa and are active today in many countries, but their role has largely been ignored by researchers. Community Paralegals and the Pursuit of Justice is the first book on the subject. Focusing on paralegal movements in six countries, Vivek Maru, Varun Gauri, and their coauthors have collected rich, vivid stories of paralegals helping people to take on injustice, from domestic violence to unlawful mining to denial of wages. From these stories emerges evidence of what works and how. The insights in the book will be of immense value in the global fight for universal justice. This title is also available as Open Access.

This unique book offers a practical guide to deconstructing judgments for the purpose of fair criticism and appeal. It shows how judgments are written and examines the style and language of judges expressing judicial opinion. It will assist experienced practitioners, newly appointed recorders and tribunal chairman. The work is founded upon independent research in the form of interviews conducted with judges at every level from deputy district judge to Lords of Appeal in ordinary, and the practical application of existing academic material more usually devoted to the structure and analysis of wider prose writing. It is illustrated by reference to reported judgments, both well-known and obscure, of the past 100 years. Contents include: .The nature of judgment .How to read a judgment .The use of language in judicial opinion .Argument and legal logic .Fair criticism .Writing judgments .How judges decide .The appellate judgment .Problems with law reporting .Judicial style The author is a practising barrister in the UK and a Professor of Mediation for a US university.

Behavioural science comes into play in every aspect of running a legal business, from the way strategic decisions are made, to the way good or bad news is delivered, through to how lawyers interrelate and communicate with clients. Law firms are now implementing human science initiatives to gain a competitive edge as they compete against each other for market share. Leading the Future: The Human Science of Law Firm Strategy and Leadership - provides practical how-to advice and guidance on how human sciences are interacting with the different aspects of leading, managing, and marketing in a law firm. It highlights how law firm leaders can harness human sciences to: + Develop new skills and autonomous ways of working for staff + Examine the best ways of going about formulating strategies + Ensure a high level of staff engagement, flexibility, and innovation + Improve decision making in the legal profession + Build the right culture to drive innovation and facilitate change + Create and inspire high performing teams (HPT) + Listen, discover and communicate what clients' real needs are, persuade and influence them, and target them more accurately + Build and sustain trust and cooperation throughout the firm. + Encourage cross-selling, resolve conflicts, and build collaborative relationships with clients + Hire, promote, inspire, and reward to drive staff performance and engagement Case Studies, Practical Tools and Tips... Each chapter in Leading the Future is supported by illustrative case studies from a broad range of international and regional firms, with tools and tips that you can immediately put into practice. The authors Dr Bob Murray and Dr Alicia Fortinberry (www.fortinberrymurray.com ) have deep experience in applying the latest science to business challenges and are uniquely qualified to guide law firm leaders to shape a successful strategy and drive positive change through the right leadership, culture, business development, and customer relationships for your legal business. "This book will make you think. For those active in the legal sector or with an interest in it, this looks at a number of familiar issues through a different lens. It looks at the various behavioural and physiological elements relevant to people and law firms and how these intersect with getting things done and making change happen in law firms. I found that lightbulbs went off as I reviewed the unfolding chapters - around particular issues that we (and no doubt many others) wrestle with in our businesses. Volatile and changing times call for different ways of thinking to solve and make progress against both the perennial issues and new emerging issues for legal businesses. Some of the lessons in this book can help, especially in terms of interacting with the people that make up our businesses. The authors draw upon both their technical knowledge and their practical experiences to provide helpful insights into things like implementing strategy to make them work; leading clever committed people; implementing change; and unlocking the conundrum of collaboration." Mark Rigotti, Global CEO and Partner, Herbert Smith Freehills

This report is designed as a practical guide to help you and your firm get to grips with process improvement techniques, and to understand their core benefits and practical applications in a legal environment. With contributions from leading law firms, consultants, and internationally renowned experts on legal process improvement and project management, this report: Provides in-depth, strategic, and tactical guidance on the application of process improvement in law firms; Outlines the different approaches firms are taking, and includes case studies highlighting what the results have been for those who have already adopted process improvement techniques; Includes practical guidance on implementing process improvement - from gaining buy-in through to process mapping and devising different strategies; and Explains the relationship between legal process improvement and related disciplines and key methodologies such as Lean and Six Sigma, project management, and KM.

Mit BeitrAgen zum RAmischen Recht in Antike und Mittelalter, zum geltenden Zivil- und Steuerrecht sowie zu den Grundlagen der Rechtsidee ehren Horst Heinrich Jakobs, Eduard Picker, Jan Wilhelm, Wolfgang Ernst, Rainer HA1/4ttemann und Wolfgang SchAn den Lehrer Werner Flume aus AnlaA seines 90. Geburtstages. Zum Inhalt: Horst Heinrich Jakobs, Studien zur Geschichte des Textes der glossa ordinaria; Eduard Picker, MenschenwA1/4rde und Menschenleben - Zum Auseinanderdriften zweier fundamentaler Werte als Ausdruck moderner Tendenzen zur Relativierung des Menschen; Jan Wilhelm, Irrtum A1/4ber rechtliche Eigenschaften und Kauf - 50 Jahre "Eigenschaftsirrtum und Kauf" von Werner Flume; Wolfgang Ernst, Die Vorgeschichte der exceptio non adimpleti contractus; Rainer HA1/4ttemann, Der Grundsatz der VermAgenserhaltung im Stiftungsrecht; Wolfgang SchAn, Die verdeckte GewinnausschA1/4ttung - eine Bestandsaufnahme.

From a master teacher and writer, a fully revised and updated edition of the results-oriented approach to legal writing that is clear, that persuades--and that WINS.
More than almost any profession, the law has a deserved reputation for opaque, jargon-clogged writing. Yet forceful writing is one of the most potent weapons of legal advocacy. In this new edition of "Writing to Win," Steven D. Stark, a former lecturer on law at Harvard Law School, who has inspired thousands of aspiring and practicing lawyers, applies the universal principles of powerful, vigorous prose to the job of making a legal case--and winning it.
"Writing to Win" focuses on the writing of lawyers, not judges, and includes dozens of examples of effective (and ineffective) real-life legal writing--as well as compelling models drawn from advertising, journalism, and fiction. It deals with the challenges lawyers face in writing, from organization to strengthening and editing prose; offers incisive ways of improving arguments; addresses litigation and technical writing in all its forms; and covers the writing attorneys must perform in their daily practice, from email memos to briefs and contracts. Each chapter opens with a succinct set of rules for easy reference.
With new sections on client communication and drafting affidavits, as well as updated material throughout, "Writing to Win" is the most practical and efficacious legal-writing manual available.

This book on Legal Education was written based upon many of the author's experiences as professor and dean. The author noted that there is relatively few literature and research about legal education and felt it was necessary to discuss legal education in present times. The book focuses on many issues such as teaching itself, employability, mission and focus of law schools, the future of law schools in this age of internationalisation, student intake, the link with the labour markets and many other issues. One of the conclusions is that law schools will have to seek their own position and niche and that law schools will have different roles. This book also focuses on the need for law school deans and leaders to set clear missions and strategies and work towards education with all the necessary skills and knowledge, which the students can take with them far into the 21st century. No teaching as we did for many years, but analysing what lies ahead and what is needed for future careers.

"Client listening is the single most important marketing activity." - Paul Amit, Head of Sector and Client Marketing, DLA Piper. Forward-thinking firms know that listening effectively to their clients is crucial for improving client service, value, retention, and, ultimately, profitability. It can also help future-proof your firm by embedding client relationships, and anticipating client needs. Client Listening: Why It Pays and How to Do it, will show you how to design and implement effective client listening programmes and act on the intelligence gleaned to secure these critical benefits for your firm. It highlights the important factors that must be considered before launching a client listening programme, and offers practical advice to ensure its success. Topics include how to: * Identify the role of client listening within your firm's broader CRM and BD initiatives; * Overcome typical objections from individual lawyers to engaging in client listening; * Determine the type of client listening activities which best fit your firm's culture, budget, timetable, and purposes; * Design and conduct effective client questionnaires and interviews (how-to guide included); and * Ensure client feedback is reported, shared, absorbed, and converted into action appropriately. Real-life case studies from DLA Piper, Ashurst, CMS Cameron McKenna, K&L Gates, and KPMG reveal how firms are currently using client listening as a means to deepen client relationships and develop more responsive, value-added services. Useful appendices are also included to assist you with the design, launch, and fine-tuning of your own client listening programmes. These include: * A client listening planner; * A sample client invitation; and * A sample discussion guide for a client service review.

Socio-legal researchers increasingly recognise the need to employ a wide variety of methods in studying law and legal phenomena, and the need to be informed by an understanding of debates about theory and method in mainstream social science. The papers in this volume illustrate how a range of topics, including EU law, ombudsmen, judges, lawyers, Shariah Councils and the quality assurance industry can be researched from a socio-legal perspective. The objective of the collection is to show how different methods can be used in researching law and legal phenomena, how methodological issues and debates in sociology are relevant to the study of law, and the importance of the debate between "structural" and "action" traditions in researching law. It also approaches the methodological problem of how sociology of law can address the content of legal practice from a variety of perspectives and discusses the relationship between pure and applied research. The editors provide a critical introduction to each of the six sections, and a general introduction on law, sociology and method. The collection will provide an invaluable resource for socio-legal researchers, law school researchers and postgraduates.

"The occasional flashes of insight and the unique perspectives of the participants make this book invaluable for students doing research on the judicial process."--"CHOICE"

"Fascinating, spirited, and unique. This unusual book offers fresh illumination about what judges do and why they do it."
--Cass R. Sunstein, University of Chicago

"The format suggests that one has been invited into a special, high-level conversation where we can glimpse the uncensored converstation of thoughtful and seasoned jurists."--"The Law and Politics Book Review"

Law, politics, and society in the modern West have been marked by the increasing power of the judge: the development of constitutional justice, the evolution of international judiciaries, and judicial systems that extend even further into social life. Judges make decisions that not only enforce the law, but also codify the values of our times.

In the summer of 2000, an esteemed group of judges and legal scholars met in Provence, France, to consider the role of the judge in modern society. They included Robert Badinter, former president of the Constitutional Council in France; Stephen Breyer, Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States; Antonio Cassese, the first president of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia; Dieter Grimm, former vice president of the Constitutional Court of Germany; Gil Carlos Rodriguez, president of the Court of Justice of the European Union; and Ronald Dworkin, formerly of Oxford University, now professor of philosophy and law at the New York University Law School. What followed was an animated discussion ranging from the influence of the media on the judiciary to the development ofan international criminal law to the judge's consideration of the judge's own role. Judges in Contemporary Democracy offers a rare and intimate glimpse into the powers and the role of judges in today's society.

The success or failure of your firm is determined by how your clients and employees view your brand - simple. An effective brand strategy that is clearly understood and supported throughout your firm is crucial if you want to attract and retain profitable clients and sustain a talented workforce. Brand Strategy and Management for Law Firms report provides a comprehensive framework and guidelines for developing a brand strategy tailored to your firm. Packed with key concepts, practical tools, tips and advice this report will give you an understanding of brand and how it can be developed and strengthened as your firm's most invaluable asset. Specifically, this report will help you to: * Understand the key elements of personal brands, firm brand, and the employment brand - and how they relate to each other; * Align your brand strategy with your overall firm strategy, vision and values; * Realise the importance of brand names, icons or logos, design and aesthetics; * Understand the key brand considerations when using online channels - websites, blogs, LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook; * Create a customised brand stress-test and make improvements to strengthen your firm's brand accordingly and ensure its success; * Get partners and staff on board to support and grow your brand; and * Avoid brand mistakes and overcome the common challenges - including recommended steps for managing your brand before, during and following a merger. Brand Strategy and Management for Law Firms features insightful case studies, examples and expert contributions from the likes of Norton Rose South Africa, DLA Phillips Fox, Lex Mundi, Lex Africa and more - They reveal practical tips, lessons learned and mistakes made that will prove invaluable in the development and management of your own brand strategy.

Increase your efficiency, profits and client approval through the use of clear, modern English. This unique book debunks the myth that legalese is precise. Using many before-and-after examples, this book explains how you can increase your efficiency, profits and client approval while making your documents more readable and reliable. This third edition covers online communications and includes updated chapters on the common law rules of interpretation and: * what is good writing * how misunderstandings arise * translating and interpreting * an outline of how software can improve the clarity of your writing * the common law rules of interpretation. With a foreword by Lord Neuberger, this practical book also contains a number of useful precedents written in plain English to help you work better with clients and avoid potentially costly misunderstandings.

Court reporters--those who record courtroom legal proceedings and then transcribe them into writing--are a growing subspecialty in the field of legal administration. With the increasing volume of litigation in U.S. courts, the duties of all reporters have become more complex and their ranks increasingly professionalized. This book serves as an introduction to the business of legal reporting and a guide to those involved in managing reporters--both those who work for court jurisdictions and those who work on a free-lance or contract business for independent firms specializing in legal reporting services.

This critical report provides the most up-to-date and detailed guide to the practical, regulatory and ethical considerations that must be reflected in your partnership agreement. Extensively revised, the second edition features new case studies and real-life examples, including a sample agreement precedent and comprehensive updates to reflect how new legal and regulatory developments will affect your deed. Key subjects covered include: *The impact of the Legal Services Act on partnership agreements; *Discrimination in partnerships, in particular, age discrimination; *Outcomes-focused regulation; *New business structures; *Distressed partnerships; *Current trends in mergers; *Profit-sharing arrangements and management structures: *The equality system *Profit share by capital contribution *Seniority (lockstep) *Merit or performance systems *Hybrid profit sharing systems *Retirement annuities *Performance measurement, supervision and disciplinary measures; *De-equitisation: provisions for expulsion from the partnership; *Expulsion, retirement and dissolution; *Good faith, arbitration and mediation; *Drafting for the future, avoiding early revisions and much more - Ensure you understand the necessary considerations of an agreement that not only fulfils legislative requirement, but ensures the attraction, retention and motivation of the best talent for your firm.

With rising competition putting pressure on law firms to raise their performance levels, Alan Hodgart's much anticipated report on Performance Measurement for Law Firms could not have come at a better time. Hodgart, an acknowledged industry expert, provides practical step-by-step guidance on how to effectively measure the performance of your fee earners, core support functions and overall firm. Hodgart highlights the key challenges many law firms face when measuring performance and provides critical advice on how to tackle them successfully through the development of an effective performance measurement system. Key topics covered include: * Measuring performance in law firms - what it means and what to measure; * The key financial measures of profitability and how to calculate them - cost, profit, revenue; * The data and financial information required at firm and practice-group level; * The effective use, and abuses of financial data; * Aligning the economic structure of your type of work to maximise profitability; * Implementing an effective performance measurement system; * How to measure the performance of your fee earners and support staff - finance, IT, Marketing, HR, KM and other; * Client profitability, project management and much more - The report focuses particularly on profitability and demonstrates how it can be used to monitor and compare the outcomes of working with different clients to project future revenue and profit levels. It also includes a useful appendix - an 'Economic Template' which demonstrates how to assemble the relevant data to manage the financial performance of your firm. Performance Measurement for Law Firms is essential reading for any firm looking to measure and enhance all areas of their performance.

In a highly competitive fee-focused environment, project management can be your law firm's lifeline. Project Management for Lawyers report provides a structured approach to planning, pricing and managing legal work that will boost profitability and deliver superior value to your clients. It aims to: *Demonstrate the value of applying project management to a legal practice; *Explain basic project management principles and how to apply them within your law firm; *Provide a simple legal project management framework; *Describe key tools and techniques to support the framework; *Discuss legal project management as a pricing and business development strategy; *Show how lawyers can manage matter profitability and demonstrate value to clients; *Guide lawyers in overcoming the challenges in managing a matter profitably (time, scope and cost); and, *Share practical advice on how to develop and implement a legal project management programme within your firm. Real-life in-depth case studies provide valuable insight into the successful legal project management programmes of Dechert LLP, Eversheds LLP, Seyfarth Shaw LLP and McCarthy Tetrault. A case study from the Royal Bank of Canada is also included to provide the a client's perspective on the value of legal project management. Project Management for Lawyers also comes with a complimentary CDRom packed with useful forms, templates, checklists and frameworks that can be used immediately in planning and executing your own project management programme. These include: *A generic work plan; *A sample staffing profile; *A sample agenda for a project kick-off meeting; *A sample roles and responsibilities sheet; *A client satisfaction review questionnaire; *A project risk log; *A sample change request form; *A sample monitoring worksheet; *An example of an agenda for a lessons learned session; *An example of how to calculate leverage on matter profitability; *A completed monitoring worksheet; and *A work plan for an asset purchase.

So you AZre in A C or striving to be in A C The Lawyer AZs top 200. But are you being measured on what your clients actually find attractive? With increased demand for efficiency, value added services and effective governance, a ranking based simply on revenue is not sufficiently compelling. Having an effective governance model and the right measures of success in place are now vital to secure sustainable profitability for your firm. AZs report on Law Firm Governance and Measurements of Success provides a vital examination of: New governance models for law firms of different sizes and complexities; Law firm growth stages and the structural changes necessary to succeed; Overcoming the cultural barriers/issues involved with changing your governance and/or measurement systems; Current measurements of success A C internal and external; New medium and long-term success metrics to better support long-term thinking, and payment and reward structures; Attracting clients and external investors through effective reporting of your firm AZs success; and more Peter Blair, former first chief operating officer of Field Fisher Waterhouse provides cutting-edge analysis on The Lawyer AZs top 200 firms by examining what creates their success. Peter evaluates whether the measures used are effective and demonstrates how by using alternative metrics you can boost your rankings. Featuring real-life case studies this invaluable report provides a vital insight into current law firm governance models, examines where they are going wrong and how they can be improved to secure sustainable growth.

If you were to liken your firm to a restaurant, would it be a Rules? A Nobu? A Fat Duck? A Pizza Express? Or a McDonald AZs? All of the above have a successful business strategy based on the needs of their target market. Could you say the same for your firm? In an increasingly competitive and changing legal market, knowing where and how to compete through the implementation of a clear strategy is crucial to ensure a profitable future for your firm. AZs report A C The Strategic Law Firm A C will help you analyse your firm AZs core strengths and capitalise on them by developing a coherent business strategy for success. Specifically this report will help you: Identify your strengths and priorities; Understand and implement the key elements of a successful strategy - value proposition, client segments, client relationships, provision of services, revenue, key resources, key activities, cost structure, partners; Visualise, understand, review and tailor your business model; Build the right focus for your firm (industry, client or transaction based); Align your teams and leaders to target the right clients and industries; Understand disruptive models; and more The report further sets out the practical details of how a strategy planning day should be organised - before, on, and after the day, including: A series of nine potential exercises ranging across values alignment through to market segmentation and scenario analysis; Specific worked examples of ways to calculate team financial and contribution measures; Capturing the outcomes into one page plans, which can be utilised at firm, team and individual level to drive your ongoing agendas; and Useful examples, checklists and templates for immediate implementation. This uniquely practical report will help you devise an effective strategic vision for your firm, and provides the tools to ensure that vision is achieved.

Want to know how to - Successfully market, brand and sell yourself in this digital era? Generate GBP500,000+ of new client work enquiries in a year? Have more choice, change and control in the direction of your career, business or life? And be entertained whilst being informed? If your answer is YES then the naked lawyer is essential reading for you - Packed with examples, case studies and 'to do's' focusing on 10 key elements (with hundreds of proven successful steps, tips, hints and secrets) this inspirational book will show you how to get more clients, sales, referrals, income, value, growth and success. Within the report, author, lawyer and entrepreneur, Chrissie Lightfoot reveals the ROAR (Reach Out And Relate) model, a successful blueprint detailing how, as a trainee solicitor and newly qualified lawyer (during the 2009 recession), she achieved GBP562,000 of new client legal sales generation enquiries and referrals. From start to finish the naked lawyer will provide you with a complete strategy and skills toolkit for brand, career and business development - covering key areas including: Devising an effective personal brand; Using social media to build brand, win business and enhance relationships with clients; Innovation; Getting referrals and winning business; Creating a strategy and mindset for success; Communication; Client relationship management; and much more...

With the introduction of Alternative Business Structures fast approaching and more and more partnerships converting to LLP status to meet the new requirements and remain competitive - now may be the time to start considering the benefits of conversion for your own firm. The conversion process can be a challenging one with wide-reaching implications. But a successful LLP conversion can provide the ideal opportunity to review your core business operations, allowing you to plan positive change and growth in an increasingly competitive and changing market. Managing Partner's new report on LLP Conversion for Law Firms provides a highly practical, step-by-step guide specifically taking into account the unique considerations that are raised by today's economy and evolving legal marketplace. It highlights the key questions that need to be asked during the preparation and transition stages, as well as how to deal with the complications that may arise after conversion has taken place. Key topics covered include: + Converting from a partnership to an LLP - key considerations and trends; + Advantages and disadvantages of converting from a partnership to an LLP; + Preparatory work and practical issues involved; + The default provisions and their drawbacks; + Tailoring the LLP agreement to reflect the needs of your firm; + Transferring the existing partnership business into the LLP - key issues and contractual obligations; + The general tax treatment of limited liability partnerships - possible complications that may arise after the conversion and how they might be handled; + Management and technical resources involved in the conversion - Is outsourcing an option? + The implications of the Legal Services Act 2007 and the introduction of Alternative Business Structures. LLP Conversion for Law Firms includes valuable behind-the-scenes access to existing LLPs and the common pitfalls and successes they encountered through the conversion process. In addition, you will also find a precedent for an LLP agreement within the Appendix. Whats more ...this publication comes complete with a complimentary CDRom containing all the required forms for an LLP agreement in an easy to access format. About the author Nicholas Wright is chief executive of Wright Son & Pepper. He has specialised in LLPs and professional regulation for over 15 years and has been a member of the Solicitors' Assistance Scheme for most of that time. He has acted for a number of substantial firms in dealing with regulatory issues, as well as dealing with drafting, restructuring issues and disputes.