T
he premise of The E-Myth Attorney is that lawyers are trained in law, but not in how to run a small business. If lawyers want their law firms to function better, they need to work “on” their law firms, and not "in" them. Thus, this book is geared primarily at lawyers who are running large law firms with associates, paralegals, administrative assistants, and other staff members, but they still work as a practicing lawyer. The advice given is that this lawyer should implement changes that allow the lawyer to stop being a legal technician and instead focus on having a role as a legal-manager entrepreneur.
In The E-Myth Attorney, Why Most Legal Practices Don’t Work and What to Do About It, by Michael Gerber, Robert Armstrong, J.D. and Sanford M. Fisch, J.D., (2010), John Wiley & Sons, the authors have written a book that tells us why we should run our law practices as businesses but not much specific information is given on how we should implement this advice if we are starting from the ground floor up and have no staff. Instead, we are given advice such as, “Build your business plan with business language and not practice language.”
If you are interested in building a law firm as an enterprise, these pdf worksheets have helped some to clarify how to do that. Go to northfieldenterprisecenter.com/wp-content/uploads/The-E-myth-WorkBook2.pdf
Also, more worksheets are available if you are willing to give up an email address at go.emyth.com/e-myth-mastery-worksheets
Primarily, this book is geared at getting lawyers to join a coaching program. But there is some information that is useful even if you have no interest in joining the coaching program. If you will be hiring staff, Gerber advises creating systems to get things done that can be replicated with efficiency. Gerber suggests systems for developing leads, answering the phone, greeting clients, setting up the conference room, corresponding with clients, etc. Every function should be documented and turned into a system so that if an employee leaves, a new employee can walk in, read the manual and know what to do and how to do it.
Another good point made is that the cost of attracting a new client is 5 to 12 times greater than maintaining a current client, so if a law practice can keep old clients happy who continue to pay for services, it will likely be more profitable than a law firm that has constant client turnover. Also, by having systems in place that constantly monitor marketing activity, client conversion, deadlines, and financial information, a lawyer can make better decisions.
The book also includes some tips that are useful even if you don’t have a large firm and have no interest in building a large firm, since after all, law is a business. But these are buried in a bunch of other information.
Rating $$$$ out of 5. For some lawyers, this information will help them.
Copyright @ 2016 Christine Esser
Disclosure: You can purchase the book by clicking on the link below which will take you to Amazon. The first link is for the hardcover book. The second link is for audible and Kindle. We may receive a small commission from your purchase that will not increase your purchase price. I purchased this book with my own money and did not receive anything in exchange for this review by the book's author or publisher. Comments are welcome. Thank you.
How do you get people who are using the internet to find an attorney to find your law firm?
In The Lawyer’s Ultimate Guide to Online Leads, Cartwright Publishing, 2016, Ken Matejka,who is a lawyer and runs seminars on how to get online leads for lawyers, shares some of his best tips for getting more business online.
Chapter one focuses on Google because that is where most people begin their search for a lawyer in 2016.
Chapter two discusses how clients select their lawyers. Online reviews of your law practice are important because many people trust them. Your webpage should be consumer friendly. People searching online will not wait very long for a response - later in the book a response time within five minutes is suggested.
Chapter three discusses the “thin” marketplace that we are all well aware of with far too many people providing legal services and too few paying clients.
Chapter four compares what lawyers have done traditionally offline to get clients to how gathering clients online works.
Chapter five has some tips on how to evaluate which parts of your online marketing system are working.
Chapter six shows how we can develop entry points into our website so clients can more easily find us.
Chapter seven explains the two most prominent types of websites: a brochure-type site or one that acts as a lead generator.
Chapter eight discusses some other areas on the web you can use to direct clients to your website, such as YouTube, a Facebook fan page, Twitter, a LinkedIn page, etc.
Chapter nine discusses the entry points to your website, including using Google Adsense, Google remarketing, Google’s call only campaign, traffic through Bing and Yahoo, traffic through Yelp, Yelp advertising, Social Media advertising, Paid directory listings, and other types of advertising such as banner ads.
Chapter ten focuses on Google advertising, showing us how it works and how to use it.
Chapter eleven focuses on search engine optimization: how you can rank higher on a search page.
Chapter twelve discusses the importance of Yelp and other online reviews.
Chapter thirteen discusses how to network offline and turn it into an online networking campaign.
Chapter fourteen suggests a game plan for putting all the previous chapters into action.
Chapter fifteen provides tips on how to close the deal by getting someone looking for a lawyer online to come into your office and sign a retainer.
Appendix A contains a marketing plan that can be modified to fit your law firm.
This is a book you can use get more clients from online searches. Buy it and use it.
Rating: ***** out of five.
Copyright @ 2016 Christine Esser
Disclosure: You can purchase the book by clicking on the link below. The first link is for the book. If you click on the link below, you will be directed to Amazon. We may receive a small commission from your purchase that will not increase your purchase price.
I purchased this book with my own money and did not receive anything in exchange for this review by the book's author or publisher. Comments are welcome. Thank you.
Few lawyers can tell a story as well as Bryan Stevenson. In these stories, Stevenson compels us to question the current judicial system as it relates to poor people and punishment. For example, does capital punishment mean that "those without capital get the punishment"? And what role should mercy play in punishing those convicted of crimes?. Also, is it fair to shield those who play a role in convicting innocent people of capital crimes from civil liability?
In Just Mercy, published by Spiegel and Grau a division of Random House, 2015, Bryan Stevenson remembers some of the men, women, and children he has represented over the years, all of them poor and many on Alabama's death row. Stevenson is a founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, a non-profit organization that represents poor people with post-conviction appeals. Stevenson represented Evan Miller in Miller v. Alabama ( 2012) 567 U.S._, 132 S. Ct. 2455.
Interspersed with the clients' personal stories are the many ways the legal system has treated these men, women, and children unfairly. Jurors who voice actual bias and an inability to be open minded to listen and consider evidence are seated to judge a case. An innocent, black man who has an entire room full of alibi witnesses is charged and convicted of capital murder. Lawyers conduct no investigation. Counties pay only $500 total for a ballistics expert. People who should have been screened out from receiving the death penalty because of insanity or disability receive the death penalty.
Each story is compelling, especially the two stories of innocent men convicted of capital murder and each story about a child who has suffered These stories deserve to be shared, especially by those who work in the judicial system. In particular, Walter McMillans' story is quite moving.
In reading about how Stevenson has fought for justice and won a string of victories, amid bomb threats and intimidation, we are reminded of other great leaders like Nelson Mandela and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We are also reminded that no one cared about these stories until Stevenson came along and took the time and effort to listen.
Rating: ***** out of 5
Copyright @ 2016 Christine Esser
Disclosure: You can purchase the Just Mercy by clicking on the link below. The first link is for the book. If you click on the link below, you will be directed to Amazon. We may receive a small commission that will not increase your purchase price.
I purchased this book with my own money and did not receive anything in exchange for this review by the book's author or publisher. Comments are welcome. Thank you.
Have you seen images of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on the internet and wondered why young people are sharing her image everywhere?
This book can explain it all to you.
In Notorious RBG, The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsberg, by Irin Carmen and Shana Nizhnik, Dey St., 2015, two young millennial authors present Ginsberg’s family and work history, in a fun, dynamic presentation that borrows from rap music.
The book shows what a cultural icon Justice Ginsberg has become in recent years. Her dissenting opinions in high-profile cases have generated admiration from many for her courage to stand by her convictions.
For example, in a recent case, Ginsburg's dissent states," Hubris is a fit word for today's demolition of the VRA [Voting Rights Act]. Gutting the VRA was like "throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because you are not getting wet."
Further, Ginsburg adds, "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice if there is a steadfast commitment to see the task through to completion."
In an early argument before the Supreme Court as a lawyer seeking equality for women, Ginsburg said, "I ask no favor for my sex. All I ask of our brethren is that they take their feet off our necks."
Justice Ginsberg has become nearly as famous with some young people as notorious B.I.G., the rapper whose estate allowed the young authors to use some of his lyrics in their titles. (Biggie Smalls, aka the Notorious BIG, was born Christopher Wallace and died in an unsolved shooting in 1997.)
Even though Justice Ginsberg is in her 80's and has the appearance of a school marm from an earlier era, her image can be seen on college campuses across America, tattooed on many young people, and in cartoons all over the internet. This level of popularity of a U. S. Supreme Court Justice is unprecedented in recent times.
The book contains a pictorial timeline of the major milestones’s in RGB’s professional and family life. These occur every few years. RGB was married and raising a son and daughter while she simultaneously taught at major law schools, published casebooks, was nominated to the U.S. Court of Appeals by President Carter and later nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court by President Bill Clinton. Mostly, the book demonstrates Ginsberg’s stellar work ethic and her commitment to achieving justice for everyone, both men and women.
Chapter one explains why Justice Ginsburg has become famous for her dissents.
Chapter two outlines some famous landmarks in women's political history and the contributions Justice Ginsburg has made.
Chapter three outlines Justice Ginsburg's family history, her education and her early work history.
Chapter four contains Justice Ginsburg's women's rights cases argued before the Supreme Court. Some analysis of Reed v. Reed, as well as a few other cases are included, shedding light on why certain passages were included.
Chapter five focuses on Justice Ginsburg's nomination as a federal judge and her appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Chapter six "real love" focuses on Justice Ginsburg's marriage.
Chapter seven "my team supreme" focuses on the collegial nature of the U.S. Supreme Court.
Chapter eight, "Your words just hypnotize me" contains some of Justice Ginsburg's dissenting opinions.
Chapter nine, "I just love your flashy ways," shows how Justice Ginsburg has
become a fashion icon.
Chapter ten, "But I just can't quit" explains Justice Ginburg's determination to stay on the court.
This book is similar to a fan book. It is not meant to be a serious biography. The authors compare and contrast the ancient customs and traditions observed at the Supreme Court with the dynamic world inhabited by the millennial authors where the opinions of the Court could have an impact for many years to come. In doing so, they explain why Justice Ginsburg inspires young people throughout the U.S.
If you are looking for a fun read to understand what all the hype is about, this is it. If you are looking for a serious book that examines RGB’s philosophy and insight into why each her decisions and dissents were written in the manner they were written, wait for RBGs’s autobiography which is expected to come out soon.
Rating: **** out of 5.
Copyright @ 2016 Christine Esser
Disclosure: You can purchase the Notorious RGB by clicking on the link below. The first link is for the book. . If you click on the link below, you will be directed to Amazon. We may receive a small commission that will not increase your purchase price.
I purchased this book with my own money and did not receive anything in exchange for this review by the book's author or publisher. Comments are welcome. Thank you.
Do you need more clients or better-paying clients? Renegade Lawyer Marketing can help you develop a marketing plan to find them and sign them up.
Renegade Lawyer Marketing by Ben Glass, III, Word Association Publishers, 2015, is directed at solo and small law firms who serve the general public to help them to more effectively market their legal services. Glass is a lawyer.
For me, the book did not get interesting until about Chapter 20 where Glass begins to disclose what should be included in a marketing plan. These are Glass's five components of a marking plan:
(1) Create a marketing message that will provoke both those who are ready to hire a lawyer and those who are not quite ready to contact you;
(2) Write a book that you can send potential clients;
(3) Use internet marketing effectively;
(4) Create and manage a marketing database;
(5) Completely think through the entire marketing cycle and the steps you want potential clients to take along the way.
In Chapter 21, Glass advises lawyers to think about what your ideal client would look like and act like and create a marketing plan that will attract those types of clients. Also, consider which clients are a huge drain on resources and rid yourself of them by creating systems that exclude those types of people from becoming clients. But should they get through your screening process, refer them to other lawyers (and collect a referral fee if your jurisdiction allows this).
In Chapter 22, Glass advises firms to hire a marketing director or assistant director to focus on client acquisition so that your time can be directed to other aspects of your law practice.
Chapter 23 focuses on creating a marketing system. Glass advises that by attracting a large number of potential clients this allows you to select from the cream of the crop to become clients at your firm. Glass believes the best way to do this is by creating information products, such as books, newsletters, and information pieces that help to answer common client questions.
An attorney can write the book alone or create a bullet list of potential topics and record someone interviewing the attorney on those topics and then transcribe this and polish it to create a book. The book can be used to send to potential clients and other referral partners.
The third step of the marketing system should be geared at following up on potential leads by providing them with more great information. Infusionsoft is a database marketing system that is used by many lawyers and recommended.
Fourth, the lawyer can publish a monthly newsletter that contains some information about the firm but also interesting articles about the local community.
Step five is to create online and offline marketing systems that drive potential clients to request your book(s).
Step six is to create a “shock and awe” package for potential clients that contains these six items:
(1) your book(s),
(2) a CD which usually is an interview with the lawyer,
(3) a book or report on how to find the right lawyer for a typical case in your practice area,
(4) testimonials by happy clients,
(5) an information DVD,
(6) a cover letter emphasizing why prospective clients are smart to ask for this information.
A later chapter emphasizes the importance of getting law firm staff to use scripts that also “sell” and promote your law firm to potential clients and to closely monitor this so that your marketing efforts are not sabotaged by a receptionist or another law firm employee who sounds busy and preoccupied while answering the phone, which is likely to turn off potential clients.
Additionally, Glass mentions the importance of referrals and training happy clients to act as referral sources for your law firm. Glass also addresses the importance of maintaining your website, and your law firm’s favorable presence on online attorney websites, such as Avvo, Superlawyers.com, and Bestlawyers.com.
The book also contains a CD of an interview with Ben Glass where he discloses his business philosophy. If you purchase the Kindle edition of the book, the audio can be downloaded from a website using a code. Additionally, a list of recommended books is included on both marketing and business in general.
Rating: $$$$ out of 5
Although this book contains a lot of non-essential information, only one $ is deducted because the information that is included is priceless and can help lawyers to do a better job of marketing their law practices.
Disclosure: This book can be purchased by clicking on the link below. The first link is for the paperback book and the second link is for the Kindle edition that can be viewed on a computer if you don't own a Kindle. If you click on the link below, you will be directed to Amazon. We may receive a small commission that will not increase your purchase price. I purchased this book with my own money and did not receive anything in exchange for this review by the book's author or publisher. Comments are welcome. Thank you.
If you read ten different legal briefs from ten different lawyers in California you will likely find ten different ways that they reference the material being cited in the briefs. But they can’t all be correct.
I wrote trial briefs for about ten years before I even heard of the California Style Manual, Fourth Edition, by Edward J.W. Jessen. This book provides the correct citation style to use when writing to a California court. Although it may not matter if you are writing to a trial court if you use the correct citation style, if you want a brief to be taken seriously in the appellate courts, this book is essential.
The California Style Manual contains a lot of useful information, too. Most lawyers know how to cite a case, but many do not know many of the stylistic rules that are preferred in California, like proper capitalization of the names of courts, how to address Judicial officers in a brief, how to deal with omissions when quoted material is being used, etc. This book provides the answers to these issues and many others.
Take your writing to a new professional level and get this book.
Disclosure: If you click on the link below, you will be directed to Amazon, and if you fill your cart with items and buy them today, we will receive a small commission, 3-4 percent, that will not increase your purchase price but will allow us to bring more book tips to you. Thank you. I purchased these products with my own dollars. The review is NOT in exchange for a free product.
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These three books can help lawyers prepare to start a law practice or improve the one they already have.
(1) Solo by Choice, Second Edition: How to Be the Lawyer You Always Wanted to Be by
Carolyn Elefant.
This is an up-to-date guide on the actions you should take to start your own law practice. This book is highly recommended.
(2) How to Start & Build a Law Practice: (Career Services/American Bar Association) by Jay G. Foonburg.
This book is a little out of date, but it has an amazing amount of information and can serve as a good reference book for lawyers who want to get started in solo practice.
(3) The Practice: Brutal Truths About Lawyers and Lawyering by Brian Tannebaum
This book focuses on everything that you wish they had taught you in law school but was not a part of the curriculum, like law practice management, getting clients, etc. This book has something to offer to even seasoned practitioners now that the legal landscape is changing so fast. It is highly recommended.
These are the books that I think are useful but I am certain others have their own favorites. If you do, please share it in the comments section below. Thank you.
Disclosure: If you click on the Amazon link below, you will be directed to the Amazon website. We may receive a small commission that does not increase the amount you pay. We appreciate your support. These reviews are not in exchange for a free product. Thank you.
