They send us books. Boy, oh, boy do they send us books! Some good, some not so good. The Busy Lawyer's Guide to Success: Essential Tips to Power Your Practice was plunked down on my desk this week. A tiny little book, 5 x 7 1/2", 135 pages, this guide promises to improve your practice through practical tips used for decades.
The pocket guide is written in a clever, easy-to-reference and implement format and focuses on 8 key topics of interest to lawyers:
- Client service
- Marketing and client development
- Technology
- Coping with e-mail
- Making money
- Ethics and professionalism
- Firm management and operations
- Strategy and planning
Unfortunately, none of the chapters are long enough to give you a thorough briefing. The book, however, is excellent for those lawyers just starting out in practice or those who somehow skipped over the basics (which is easy to do, frankly.)
Some of the tips may cause you want to scoff, "Give me a break. Who wouldn't know that?" On the other hand, it may be a tip written exclusively for you. For example, "Be courteous at all times," would seem like a no-brainer. On the other hand, when I think about how I've been treated at times by so-called professionals, it's not a bad idea. Problem is, those who need that tip don't think they do.
On the whole, the book gives common sense and practical tips you might not even be thinking about. Some of my favorites are "Let clients have more than 60 seconds to leave a voice-mail." "Don't ever use "Remember Me" on the web." "Don't sugarcoat how long the work will take." "Avoid bargain hunters." Good advice.
The technology and marketing sections are light but if you're just starting out, you may not know exactly where to begin. The guide makes a good gift. Or, if you're in the mood for a little light reading on the train or a Saturday afternoon, it will take your mind off more complicated issues. It's a bit pricey at $69.95, so maybe you can read it and pass it along to others in your firm.
On a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being best, we'll give it a 4 in the light reading category. Available at www.ababooks.org.
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