Building the 21st-Century Law Firm

Building the 21st Century Law Firm envisions how to start and manage a legal practice using the latest technology and tactics. Ask lawyer Daliah Saper your questions at AskDaliah@ABAJournal.com.

28 ABA Journal Building the 21st-Century Law Firm articles.

Ask Daliah: Free client consultations can cost you

Dear Daliah: Should I offer free initial client consultations?

Dear Readers: Unless you have a very streamlined process for fielding new clients or can delegate the task to a non-attorney, my recommendation would be to charge.

May 18, 2017 8:00 AM CDT

Building a better law firm takes tech collaborators

More and more often, the answers are that entities that are not law firms can perform tasks at a higher level of quality, at a significantly lower price and faster than any law firm. Better. Cheaper. Faster. Is there something not to like?

May 1, 2017 1:30 AM CDT

Illustration by Monica Burciaga

" />

Ask Daliah: It’s OK to start as a generalist, then choose a practice

Dear Daliah: How did you choose your practice area? Is it better to start out a generalist or a specialist?

(Culled from online questions)

Dear Questioners: There are two philosophies when it comes to hanging your own shingle: Take anything that walks in the door, or focus on a specific area or areas.

Apr 20, 2017 8:30 AM CDT

How a paperless law practice may be right for you

If you’re wondering whether to start a paperless firm, I have a surprise: You already have.

Apr 1, 2017 2:20 AM CDT

Ask Daliah: How to market on a budget

Dear Daliah: How do you find clients using methods that don’t cost more than $1,000 and don’t demand your every-day (every week?) attention? A simple plan to implement a marketing strategy.

Karen Guthrie

Dear Karen: Not all firms are alike, and not all firms can implement the same marketing strategies. However, all firms, regardless of size or practice area, can and should do these three things to effectively attract new clients—without spending lots of money.

Mar 16, 2017 8:30 AM CDT

Really Virtual: Putting a practice online means access, efficiency and upkeep

What is a virtual law practice? It’s a law firm that provides a web-based environment in which the client can communicate with an attorney and access legal services securely online.…

Mar 1, 2017 3:10 AM CST

Ask Daliah: Millennials will let you know how to work with them

Dear Daliah: For the new series on “Building the 21st-Century Law Firm,“ please also address the issue of handling millennials as employees and future partners.

Santiago Concha

Feb 16, 2017 8:30 AM CST

Law firms of the future will give clients an effortless experience

The highest-performing law firms of the 21st century will distinguish themselves along two dimensions. The first is the client-facing dimension: Leading law firms will focus on delivering effortless experiences that…

Feb 1, 2017 1:50 AM CST

Ask Daliah: How can a solo find good contract help?

Daliah Saper, founder of the Chicago law firm Saper Law Offices, is answering reader questions about building a 21st-century law firm. She can be reached at AskDaliah@ABAJournal.com.

Jan 19, 2017 8:30 AM CST

Building the 21st-Century Law Firm

What should a 21st-century law firm look like?

Over the last 100 years, the ABA Journal has been chronicling the legal profession, its changes and challenges.

Jan 1, 2017 1:50 AM CST

Use tech, yes, but your law firm must be client-centric

Richard Susskind, in his book Tomorrow’s Lawyers: An Introduction to Your Future, claims that legal institutions and lawyers are poised to change more radically over the next two decades than…

Jan 1, 2017 1:40 AM CST

8 strategies for constructing your new law firm

It’s 2017, and we are all cyborgs. Don’t believe me? What’s the capital of Kyrgyzstan? You just thought about reaching for your smartphone—your auxiliary brain—to look it up, didn’t you?…

Jan 1, 2017 1:30 AM CST

Going beyond the evidence to spin a story for your jury

Trial storytelling is often highly creative and innovative. It is filled with aesthetic danger and strategic risk-taking—as are all forms of narrative art. But there is far more at stake…

Feb 1, 2015 6:21 AM CST

Part of Donovan’s courtroom performance involved telling jurors what Failla really meant by his recorded statements—that Failla didn’t have homicidal intent. Donovan drew poster-size cartoons to make his argument (shown above).

" />

Building the 21st-Century Law Firm

Ask Daliah: Free client consultations can cost you

Building a better law firm takes tech collaborators

Ask Daliah: It’s OK to start as a generalist, then choose a practice

How a paperless law practice may be right for you

Ask Daliah: How to market on a budget

Really Virtual: Putting a practice online means access, efficiency and upkeep

Ask Daliah: Millennials will let you know how to work with them

Law firms of the future will give clients an effortless experience

Ask Daliah: How can a solo find good contract help?

Building the 21st-Century Law Firm

Use tech, yes, but your law firm must be client-centric

8 strategies for constructing your new law firm

Going beyond the evidence to spin a story for your jury

Topics: Career & Practice

Referral bonuses as high as $50K? One BigLaw firm confirms incentive

Your Voice

A Law Clerk's Transition: From umpire’s apprentice to fighter in the ring

Podcasts

How generative AI can help you market your legal practice

Building the 21st-Century Law Firm

Most Read

Topics: Career & Practice

Your Voice

Podcasts