Law Firm Demystifies Legal, Banking and Finance Jargon With iPhone App

Dec 1, 2010 7:35 AM CST

ABA Ethics 20/20 Commission Ponders its Strategy for Ranking Lawyers

Dec 1, 2010 6:30 AM CST

Law Office’s Dour, Arms-Folded Holiday Message: Be Thankful We’re On Your Team

A Texas law office that sought to send out a memorable holiday card this year has succeeded. On the front, the card features a photo of five dour lawyers, looking grimly at the camera with their arms folded, reports Houston Biz Blog. Inside is the following message of gratitude from…

Nov 24, 2010 9:20 PM CST

Labor Department Partners With ABA in Lawyer Referral Program

Some workers whose complaints aren’t resolved by the U.S. Labor Department will be told of another option: Find a private lawyer through an ABA-approved lawyer referral program. The collaboration between the Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division and the ABA was revealed Friday morning at a White House press conference.…

Nov 19, 2010 3:44 PM CST

Outsourcing, Not Bar Review Prep, Evidently Part of Thomson Reuters’ Strategic Plan

Thomson Reuters, the owner of West Publishing and BarBri, has a new strategic plan, and it apparently does not include the bar prep business. Students taking the BarBri course got an e-mail yesterday evening informing them that BarBri’s parent company is exploring the possible sale of the business, Above the…

Nov 19, 2010 12:07 PM CST

Reporter Overhears Lawyer’s Conversation After Failed Hang-Up

A reporter-turned-media consultant has a tip for lawyers: Make sure you hang up the phone after speaking with a reporter. That advice went unheeded when one of the newspaper’s reporters was speaking with the executive director of a residential youth home where a teen died while he was being placed…

Nov 11, 2010 4:10 PM CST

Am Law 101-200 Firms Out-Blog Their BigLaw Counterparts

According to an informal survey, law firms in the American Lawyer’s second hundred law firms blog more than those in the Am Law 100. Social media consultant Adrian Dayton solicited help and compiled lists of the Blogs of the Am Law 100 and the Blogs of the AmLaw 101-200 at…

Nov 10, 2010 7:26 PM CST

Lawyers Have Incredible Lack of Interest in Changing Legal Marketplace

Editor’s note: The New Normal is an ongoing discussion between Paul Lippe, the CEO of Legal OnRamp, and Patrick Lamb, founding member of Valorem Law Group. Paul and Pat spend a lot of time thinking, writing and speaking about the changes occurring in the delivery of legal services. We hope…

Nov 9, 2010 2:17 PM CST

Lawyer Sues for Humiliation and Lost Business Due to Misspelled Yellowbook Ad

A South Dakota lawyer claims in a lawsuit that a misspelled Yellowbook ad will drive would-be clients away from his law firm. The half-page ad for Sioux Falls lawyer Manny de Castro reads, “The Trial Lawyer Fighting For Your Justics,” the Argus Leader reports. De Castro’s suit says he shouldn’t…

Nov 8, 2010 2:26 PM CST

Does Every Hour Provide the Same Value?

Editor’s note: The New Normal is an ongoing discussion between Paul Lippe, the CEO of Legal OnRamp, and Patrick Lamb, founding member of Valorem Law Group. Paul and Pat spend a lot of time thinking, writing and speaking about the changes occurring in the delivery of legal services. We hope…

Nov 3, 2010 5:00 PM CDT

PI Firm Hopes to Do Well by Doing Good on Facebook & Other Social Network Sites

Lots of law firms advertise directly on social networking sites. But California-based Kershaw Cutter & Ratinoff promotes the personal injury and class action firm’s online reputation indirectly. “Our goal with social media is to listen to what people are saying and respond appropriately,” says partner Bill Kershaw in a press…

Nov 3, 2010 4:34 PM CDT

Are Midsize Firms Losing Their Cost Advantage? If So, Difficult Choices Await

The historical cost advantage of midsize firms may be eroding, presenting some difficult choices, a legal consultant says. Midsize firms made up of 100 to 300 lawyers have relied for too long on their pricing advantage, according to Joe Altonji, a leader of the Hildebrandt Baker Robbins Strategy practice. Now…

Nov 2, 2010 10:30 AM CDT

Lawyer Rating Service Avvo Expands to Include Doctors

The controversial lawyer ratings website Avvo has taken on a new challenge. Today Avvo announced that it has launched a doctor-ratings directory that will offer information on physicians’ backgrounds, experience and disciplinary records. Avvo already rates lawyers on a 1-to-10 scale and includes their disciplinary sanctions. “Yes, it’s true,” Avvo…

Nov 1, 2010 4:38 PM CDT

Law Firms Will Integrate Social Media in Their Websites, Consultant Predicts

Updated: Lawyers using online social media are finding that it is most effective at creating offline relationships. Social media such as Twitter can help lawyers find clients or even other lawyers interested in collaborating on a project, Mashable.com reports. Blogs can showcase expertise and create a brand identity. But it’s…

Oct 27, 2010 10:30 AM CDT

Sting and Sheryl Crow Will Be Singing for PI Lawyers

Two Texas plaintiffs lawyers have hired Sting and Sheryl Crow to sign at their holiday bashes this year. Sting will sing at Mark Lanier’s Dec. 5 holiday party in Houston, while Crow will perform at a Dec. 11 party in Dallas hosted by Lisa Blue-Baron, the widow of Fred Baron…

Oct 25, 2010 4:05 PM CDT