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By: Zola Suite

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Deborah J. Schaefer
Gerri Martin
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Gail Ruopp
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Latest from The Suite Spot

  Employee engagement is critical to the success of any firm. So, what can law firms do now to increase employee engagement?   In today’s unique atmosphere and environment, it is especially challenging to engage employees. An engaged employee is enthusiastic about his/her work and does positive things to further his/her employer’s reputation and interests. In contrast, a disengaged employee may do only the minimum job requirements or may actively damage his/her employer’s reputation. Prior…
  Many people are working remotely without having signed a remote work policy from their employers. This puts the employer at risk.   In these unprecedented times, many people are working remotely without having signed a remote work policy from their employers. This puts the employer at risk. For protection, employers need appropriate remote work policies in place. Each state has its own specific requirements and regulations regarding types of employees. Please be sure to…
  Keeping accurate track of hours spent working on a client’s case is the most important step to increasing revenue.   There are only so many hours in a day and a finite period of time to work. Therefore, the questions remain: How can billable hours and productivity be increased? How can a timekeeper increase productivity? How can a timekeeper feel more confident about the billable time recorded? To address these questions, first analyze timekeepers’…
As more and more companies are implementing remote and hybrid work models, firms should review the checks and balances established in their internal procedures. Management has an obligation to administer relevant internal policies that will maintain the firm’s financial and professional integrity. Finance and Accounting When it comes to a firm’s financials, basic checks and balances, with duties divided among employees, are absolutely essential. For example, the employee who is preparing checks should not be…
Earn More Without Working More? Sounds like a dream, but the key is collecting. If you work hard but don’t get paid, you’re losing money. Even a delay of 60 or 90 days costs you money. So, how do you improve collections? Get Paid Upfront The best way to improve collections is to avoid them in the first place. If you get a retainer up front, you secure payment before the work is done so…
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Whether your state calls it an “IOLTA account” or an “ILTA account,” attorneys are responsible for any trust/escrow/IOLTA funds. Most bar associations require a three-way reconciliation of the IOLTA account. Depending on the software you use for managing your firm’s trust funds, this could be as simple as pressing a button and reviewing the report; however, even if your process is that simple, it is important that you understand the “magic” behind the report. A…
  Law firms are second only to financial institutions in being targeted for attack.   Due to current events, remote work has now become routine. In this new environment, many law firms have not adequately considered how to attract and retain their clients. One issue that should be of concern to every practice is cybersecurity—law firms are second only to financial institutions in being targeted for attack. Sophisticated clients are much more likely to pay…
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The financial health of a law firm is ascertained by analyzing and evaluating many different pieces of information. Law firms, like many other businesses, sometimes evaluate their success based on the amount of money they have in the bank. Although it is very comforting to carry large bank balances, this represents very little about a law firm’s profitability or financial health. The net profit of a law firm is one very important factor used in…
In these uncertain times, attorney turnover has become more problematic. It is now more important, therefore, for law firms to provide a stable environment to retain their lawyers. It’s equally important to establish a good onboarding experience for new lawyers joining the firm. Management must be flexible, understanding that each attorney will have different requirements, and that no two people or practices will be alike. It takes a lot of time and effort to properly…
Do you often draft the same type of document for different clients? Do you try to use the same one as a base? Remember the last time you had to draft a document? What steps did you take? Find one you did for another client Review and clear out all information from prior client Save as a new version Look up information needed and plug into the new version Reread to make sure you did…