The National Creditors Bar Association Law Practice Management Blog

Maybe the most important activity that you can engage as a business owner, is to convert leads into clients – because, with out that process being successful: you don’t really have a business . . . what you’ve got is a hobby .  Now, ever since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, law firms have been far more attuned to intake, than previously – but, there are still some refinements that can be made, to that process.   First, law firms should endeavor to create a ‘universal intake form’ – that can be used by any staffperson or outside vendor, in any context .  In order for that to work, attorneys will need to build intake forms that include document logic – so that requires that specific answers generate unique pathways .  For example, if the completer of the form selects a specific practice area, a different set of questions generate than would appear for a different practice area selection .  If you can map this all out correctly, your in-house o r outside intake person could com

Most attorneys should probably be ruled by their calendars, with law practices running on deadlines.  That’s especially true for litigation firms, which take direction from court rules and judges about when and how things get done.  Of course, the problem with just taking a final deadline, and dropping that onto the calendar ( like: attend a hearing, send a document), is that you’re usually left just triaging everything , at the very last minute.  And, nobody wants that mental anguish, when you end up breaking out in a cold sweat, getting ready to battle against the clock.     The good news is that there are some pretty basic calendaring tips you can use, to set things straight, massively improve your process and reduce stress.     The first thing you can do is to create ‘self-imposed deadlines’ – so, simply: not deadlines that other people require from you .  As an estate plann ing attorney, there’s no settled time frame for when you need to complete your clients’ documents,

For B2C lawyers, understanding their clients and the industries in which their clients participate , is essential for being able to convert leads and manage the attorney-client relationship .  The good news is that business intelligence information is more readily available tha n ever before .  It’s simply a matter of making the effort : to find it, and analyze it.   The sources for business intelligence are staggering .  On social media platforms, you can find information about businesses and business owners – helpfully, that is content that they curate and publish, which means you can get a better sense for what they value .  Directory profiles online also offer helpful business information – both content aggregated by vendors, as well as content that can be added by business owners .  Company websites are more robust, and packed with information , than ever before.  Setting up a Google Aler t for people and organizations gets you the latest news, automatically.     The more