Law Firm 4.0 Blog

A review of "Decisions that Matter" - a Must-read new book for law firm leaders

The first American law firm opened on September 15, 1783. It still exists today in Philadelphia as Rawle & Henderson LLP, a civil litigation firm. The second and third law firms also still exist, with the third known today as the venerable Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft.

“Decisions that Matter,” by authors Roger Hayse and Andrew Jillson and contributor Eric Fletcher, uses history and more than 50 stories to share lessons about the life-cycle of law firms – celebrated names that many law firm leaders will know, others that you won’t. It doesn’t matter. The tales are as relevant to a millennial lawyer with a dream to start and grow her own firm (who may not know any of these names) as they are to an AmLaw 50 firm chair who recognizes them all and sees challenges, transition or growth in his firm’s future.

The five life-cycles include: firm formation, growth, sustainability, crisis and closure. While the Internet offers thousands of pages of advice, a time-strapped law firm executive seldom has the time, patience and (perhaps) discernment to sift through the rhetoric and land on the much-desired pieces that will actually make a difference.  Practical, grounded advice that you can trust seems elusive. But – it’s not. It’s right here.

For example, in talking about growth . . . We all know that “growth” in and of itself is not a strategy. But, when tied to a specific vision and an execution plan that fortifies the strengths and openly calls out the deficiencies (with no fear of making tough decisions that address them), a firm is on the right track to safely and strategically grow. Smart policies, procedures, not being transfixed by the mirage of financing growth with debt, and understanding that thinking, feeling humans are your greatest assets – clients, lawyers, staff – the answers to your questions about how to proceed and the illustrative case studies that serve as cautionary tales are here. Growing or running a law firm without a complete, disciplined understanding of how to mine, manage and maximize the productivity of your assets will stall or undermine the success you might otherwise achieve.

Has your practice grown stale? Are your lawyers restless? Is your compensation system chipping away at an otherwise cohesive law firm culture? Are you flummoxed by all the change you are seeing in business, government and law, and worried about clients’ increasing array of choices of legal and non-legal providers? History and the stories in this book prove that failure to choose a direction can be as debilitating as choosing the wrong one, that eat-what-you-kill compensation systems can, in fact, kill law firms, and that strong, unwavering leadership is imperative during all five life-cycles, especially in times of transition and crisis.

Watching client and industry trends are the best harbingers of what’s to come for law firms.  BigLaw, MediumLaw and SmallLaw have all closed their doors for a variety of reasons that you will understand after reading this book. Why are some firms immune to closure and others vulnerable to it?

Other than being designed for the legal industry, “Decisions that Matter” is a combination of two best-sellers: Jim Collins’ classic book on leadership, “Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t” and Stephen Covey’s immortal “7 Habits of Highly Effective People.” It reads like a novel – or even better, a Michael Lewis book, such as “Boomerang,” “Moneyball” or “The Big Short.”

When you see this title cross your desk, you might think, “We had a great year last year. We’re exactly where we want to be.” But, as history has proven time and time again, the authors tell us that “…the conclusion of a great year is no assurance that the new one will be equally positive.”

You’ll want to keep this book, earmark pages, highlight and underline passages and advice – you’ll read it and re-read it. Since it covers all five major milestones in a law firm’s trajectory, you’ll want it at different times of your career when you are confronted with different circumstances – some of your own doing, some determined by a changing market.

Buy it and keep it close.

EDI is the new black

Having high standards for your law firm’s equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) is easy. Achieving the results you’re hoping for is hard. There has been more lip service given to this topic than any other in the last decade by law firms and the corporate leaders who hire them. There is a lot of hand-wringing, and we see widespread frustration inside the law firms with their ability to move the needle in measurable ways – and disappointment from buyers of legal services who believe their law firms aren’t trying hard enough.

I am an “expert” in EDI because I am the CEO of Content Pilot, a marketing strategy, design, content and technology company, who wants our office to be highly diverse. Here’s how our numbers stack up:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And our age diversity is covered: baby boomers to millennials.

New clients have told us that one of the reasons they hired Content Pilot is because we are so diverse. That’s terrific feedback and it inspires us to work even harder to find the best people that will help us excel – our goal is to create the most high-functioning and creative workforce possible.

Does EDI matter in the hiring of law firms?

With all other qualifications perceived as being equal, does the scale tip to a more diverse law firm by the clients making hiring decisions? As an outside observer, I’d say yes – but it does depend on the person(s) in the company who is making the decision.

Leigh Dance, President of ELD International, works with top corporate counsel around the world and runs a group called the Global Counsel Leaders Circle. We asked her the value of content about a firm’s EDI efforts specifically in proposals and RFPs.  

Leigh says, “Know your buyer. Buyers from any minority group in the US, including all ethnic groups, LGBTQ and those with disabilities will care more specifically about your diversity & inclusion efforts as they make their buying decisions. They’ll want to know your numbers and how you plan to assemble a high-functioning, inclusive team to interact with them and serve them.”

She continues, “In presenting your approach to D&I, the gender, race and cultural diversity numbers/metrics should NOT be presented in a body of text (unless you’re trying to hide them), but very visibly. 

“Aspirational goals also count—check out Eversheds Sutherland’s commitment to reach equality by a certain year. And Accenture and Coca-Cola both have goals in reaching gender-pay parity by a specified year. 

“Be succinct and prove that your firm is really walking the talk. ‘Blah-blah’ about diversity and inclusion sounds like ‘Blah-blah’ to most buyers and just takes up space.

“Today (and I think this will change over time) buyers that are not from a minority group may be interested in a particular firm’s and lawyer’s activities to increase diversity, inclusion, doing pro bono, supporting human rights, etc., from a perspective of social interaction and knowing their advisers’ interests. 

“But that doesn’t enter into their decision-making on what lawyers/firms they ultimately choose, unless the company or legal department has a specific standard on gender-parity and diversity numbers, and then it’s just a matter of reaching the required threshold.”

We know that law firms of all sizes are investing in improving their diversity numbers. But “equity” and “inclusion” are not getting as much attention. It requires honesty, transparency and a broader vision of what a re-imagined firm could look like. 

That’s what we did.

Mergers Continue at Record Pace, But Firms should still pay attention to the red flags - Guest Post by Bob Denney

Altman Weil MergerLine tracks law firm mergers of virtually any size, and they report that 2017 is a banner year.  Those of us who are embedded in the legal industry knew this, but it's important to have the data supporting all the water-cooler conversations - and happy hours over Pinot Noir or a Sazerac.  MergerLine reports, "There have been 52 combinations announced through mid-year, including 24 in the second quarter, topping the prior mid-year peak of 48 in 2015 and 2016. Cross-border combinations are also on track to reach an all-time high in 2017."

So now we know the numbers for 2017. We hope 100% of them are successful, but statistically, that's not likely. Like marriages, about 50% of them fail.  

If you want your firm to grow and you believe the best way to become more competitive is to merge, pay heed to Bob Denney's post below. This originally appeared in his July 2017 Legal Communique. 

          

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Law firm mergers may set another record this year because, in order to grow in this flat legal market, more firms are merging in other firms, in many cases smaller ones, or at least entire practice groups.  

Yet history reveals that about 50% of all mergers subsequently fail.  In many cases the reason(s) for the eventual failures were issues that were evident beforehand and should have raised red flags about proceeding with the merger.  On the other hand, when firms end merger discussions, whether the potential merger had been announced or not, it is often only after they have spent an undue amount of time trying to resolve red flag issues.

I call these “red flag issues” because they are difficult and, in many cases, are issues that can never be resolved.  These are the red flags that arise most often.

• Although they have agreed to seriously consider merging, one or both of the firms does not make it a high priority item, dragging their due diligence or the discussions on for an extended period of time.

• A major client that represents a significant amount of the revenues – and also probably the profits – of one of the firms announces it is taking its business to another firm.

• There are wide differences in the partner incomes between the firms.

• The firms have different work ethics as indicated by wide differences in average billable hours.

• The acquiring firm requires partners to buy-in and contribute capital while the firm being acquired does not.

• One of the firms has considerable debt while the other firm is debt free.

• One firm has an unfunded pension liability. The other firm does not.

• The practices do not fit. An example from two litigation firms:  One firm’s practice consisted mainly of major, “bet the company” cases for large corporations.  The other firm’s practice was largely commodity litigation with a high percentage of insurance work at low hourly rates.                                                                                                                       

• Legal conflicts can usually be identified and possibly resolved.  However, there can also be business conflicts such as when a major client of one firm says it will withdraw all its work because a major competitor is a client of the other firm.

• A major producer in one firm opposes the merger and threatens to leave, taking his/her clients and even an entire practice group.
  
  
• Different compensation systems. Partner compensation in one firm is based on billable hours or collections while, in the other firm, partners are compensated mainly on origination.  Another example: One firm has a formulaic system while the other firm subjectively evaluates partner performance based on published criteria.
  
  
• The average billable hours in one firm are far below those in the other firm.
  
  
• Management in one or both of the firms has not informed the other partners that it is in the process of negotiating a merger. Then, with little notice or time for discussion, presents the merger to the partnership for approval.

• The name of the new firm. This has been the “deal breaker” in a surprising number of potential mergers that were called off.  When a smaller firm is merging into a much larger one, this is rarely an issue.  However, when it would be a so-called “merger of equals”, this often becomes sensitive because both firms want their firm’s name to survive in whole or in part.

• But the first red flag that can appear is when the firms are drafting the confidentiality agreement. This document should include a stipulation that, if the merger does not occur, neither firm will attempt to recruit lawyers from the other for a specified period, usually one year. This is often referred to as a “cherry-picking clause”.   If either or both firms are unwilling to agree to this, that should raise a huge red flag.

Negotiating a merger is a complex and delicate process.  However, there would be fewer failed mergers, or considerably less time and resources spent on potential mergers that do not occur, if firms recognized and addressed the red flags when they arise.

To paraphrase the old adage:  “Look long and hard before you leap.”

            -- Bob Denney

Bob is a recognized authority on management, leadership and strategy for law firms and companies.  He is on several company boards and has also     served as an Interim CEO in crisis and turnaround situations. He can be reached at 610-804-7850 or at www.robertdenney.com.  

 

Content Pilot Releases the Full Research Study and Report: "How do they Measure Up? 2016 Global 50 Law Firm Websites: Ten Foundational Best Practices"

DALLAS, TEXAS - Content Pilot LLC announced today that it is making public the results of its 6th comprehensive analysis of the websites of the largest law firms in the world, based on Ten Foundational Best Practices.  The 2016 AmLaw Global 50 law firms consist of 40 firms “headquartered” in the U.S., and ten firms in the United Kingdom. 

Content Pilot researchers reviewed 70 attributes for each of the 50 websites for a total of 3,500 total attributes. Websites that launched prior to July 1, 2016 were included in the Content Pilot study.  Prior Content Pilot research studies analyzed the AmLaw 100 firms – done in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010 and 2013. This is the first study and comprehensive White Paper that addresses the websites of these global powerhouse law firms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When asked about the results, Deborah McMurray, founder and CEO of Content Pilot, and Research Director for this project said, “There are a few great innovators – firms that have taken full advantage of their recent redesigns to step out of the pack in both design and content strategies. Yet, only one firm scored “Excellent” – Morgan Lewis (www.morganlewis.com), with a score of 85.4.” 

The websites of 23 firms ranked “Good” and the balance of the websites, 26, ranked “Poor.”  McMurray adds, “There is tremendous room for improvement.  Too many websites are broken from a visitor experience standpoint – in fact, most of them are.”

The White Paper, “How do they Measure up? 2016 Global 50 Websites: Ten Foundational Best Practices,” is a 120-page in-depth picture of Trends and Insights, Do’s and Don’ts, Stand-out Firms and Results for each of the 2016 Ten Foundational Best Practices. It also includes a two-page infographic, “How Well do the Global 50 Websites Communicate the Firms’ Global Growth Strategies and Messages?” – and a “Global Content Marketing Cheat Sheet” prepared by Leigh Dance, President of ELD International (who also served as Global Advisor to this project) and Deborah McMurray, CEO of Content Pilot.

Law firm leaders in firms of any size will have (1) access to data on how to create experiential pathways and journeys for the visitors they identify as “most important;” (2) a snapshot of how leading law firms are doing and an understanding of how their law firm can better compete in their chosen markets and sectors; and (3) a practical roadmap to view their websites more strategically and plan website investments with an eye toward getting a desired return.

Access the White Paper

Content Pilot is offering this White Paper at no cost. Clients of the company received an early preview of the White Paper and results, and it is now available to access  on the company website, http://www.contentpilot.net/Subscribe.

About Content Pilot

Content Pilot is a leading strategy, design, content and technology company headquartered in the U.S., and as such, it is constantly in search of innovations and best practices inside and outside the legal industry. Its clients are global, national, regional and local law firms and other professional services firms – specifically, people who sell their brains and experience for a living.  Content Pilot has three signature products: websites, proposal centers and experience databases.

What lawyers can learn from CBS Sportscasting legend, Verne Lundquist.

I’ve written a lot of posts that start with, “What lawyers (or law firms) can learn from …”  Search by that phrase on my blog and you’ll find posts about fabulous and lousy expensive restaurants, unexpectedly terrific hotel experiences, travel, dentistry, vacuum cleaners, brand launches and more.  It’s always grounded and practical advice – and the common theme is, to be a better lawyer, pay attention to the world around you. 

You can learn something about how to better serve clients (and ultimately how to better serve yourself) in the most unlikely places.  I have linked several of the most popular “What lawyers can learn…” posts at the bottom of this one.

But, today’s post is about CBS Sports legend, Verne Lundquist, and why lawyers of all ages should not just revere his storied and stellar 53-year career, but why you should understand who he is – a passionate, hard-working man who loves his job.  Nicknamed “the Golden Throat,” Verne is the envy of sports fanatics the world over, because he knows all the current and past luminaries in virtually every sport – and he knows them well.

Glen, my husband and I met Verne and Nancy Lundquist on a Baltic cruise in August.  Verne was on board as the “celebrity speaker,” a gig he has done more than a dozen times on luxury cruises – much to the joy of those on board these ships.  I have to be honest, I didn’t know who Verne was (I am really embarrassed to admit this) – in fact, Glen went to hear Verne, and I enrolled in a Black Jack tournament. 15 minutes in, Glen texts me and says, “Verne’s great – you must come.”  I wrote back, “I’m winning,” and stayed at Table 3 in the Casino. 

When I met Glen later over our customary afternoon champagne (I love vacation), he was giddy in his animated retelling – almost verbatim – of nearly an hour of Verne’s stories. Well, I didn’t win the Black Jack tournament and I felt completely cheated having not heard him.  I had to get to know this Verne guy.

The next day our ship was forced to skip docking in Skagen, Denmark because of huge swells, so we had another unexpected day at sea.  Verne was invited to do another program, and Glen and I sat in the front row.  He entertained the standing-room-only crowd with new stories, sharing tales about many of the 20 sports that he has broadcast over the last 50-plus years.

I was rapt – as was the mostly male crowd in the room. Verne approached even the most controversial topics (with professional sports figures, there is plenty of gossip and controversy to go around) with delicacy, humor, no vitriol or snark – he was ever the professional.  Whatever ego Verne has was checked at the door – actually, having shared several meals with him after this speech, he always has his ego checked. He is as interested in you as you are in him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anyone reading this who loves college football (especially Southeastern Conference football) knows and loves him, as Verne has been the play-by-play broadcaster for SEC football since 1999. (He has covered college football since 1974.)  Rabid SEC fans admit to being deeply emotional at the thought that this is Verne’s last season.  Every SEC team has honored Nancy and Verne with more his-and-her swag than they could possibly ever use or wear. But what a touching treat and an honor for him – for them both.

He and I have a lot in common:  born in Minnesota (check), lived in Dallas, Texas (check), loves to sing in the choir (check), is Lutheran (well, I am Methodist and Episcopalian, but I went to a Lutheran college in MN), he adores his spouse (check), he loves food and wine (check check).  Of course I am drawn to him.

So – what can lawyers of all ages learn from Verne?

1. Love what you do so much that you discover stories in your work that are universally appealing. I am not an avid sports fan, but Verne made me want to be one.  I want to belong to whatever club he is in.
2. Once you find your stories, tell them with such passion and enthusiasm that you set yourself apart. But don’t over-shadow others around you.  This isn’t about bragging – that’s the antithesis of Verne.  He is often self-effacing, and his stories combine both historical facts and his color commentary about the people and places he has encountered.  Too many people frame their stories with themselves at the center – don’t do that. Instead, be the observer, the play-by-play person who never forgets an interesting detail.  Humor. Grace. Class.  That’s how he’s always described.
3. Use fewer words and use the right words. Play-by-play commentary is riddled with high emotion moments – people win and lose. Over his entire career, Verne has famously said exactly the right thing – with just the right amount of words.  A favorite Dallas example is in Super Bowl XIII after Cowboys tight-end Jackie Smith dropped a touchdown pass in a painful 35-31 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers . . . Verne spontaneously blurted, "Bless his heart, he's got to be the sickest man in America!"  He has always been known for his genuine compassion and he showed it that day.
4. Learn something new every day that makes you a better lawyer. I said that Verne has covered 20 different sports – all in public arenas, on stage, on air and on television (i.e., there was no concealing what he didn’t know).  He modestly says that whether calling figure skating at the Olympics with Scott Hamilton, PGA golf at the Masters or NFL football with Terry Bradshaw, he was not the domain expert in the room. But, he cared enough to make sure he knew exactly enough to make CBS Sports look good – and to show respect to both the sports and athletes he was covering.
5. Don’t be a fake. Have the highest integrity, truest warmth and stay grounded in the values that you learned from your parents, favorite teachers and gifted mentors. He is always described as “What you see is what you get.” 
6. It’s never too early – or late – to start building your legacy. Verne has been inducted into several Halls of Fame and he won a Sports Emmy for Lifetime Achievement this past May. Treat yourself and take 30 minutes to watch this video of his introduction and remarks at the Emmy ceremony. You’ll learn a lot about how to build a memorable and successful career. https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=verne+lundquist+emmy+youtube&view=detail&mid=61E3B4E44B9E5A869FC061E3B4E44B9E5A869FC0&FORM=VIRE
7. Surround yourself with people who can help you look and feel good – thank them often. And be a great spouse, friend, colleague and volunteer in return.
8. Finally, find joy in your work and exhibit it every day. Your clients and colleagues will notice and be drawn to you. Joy makes everyone more interesting and stimulating.  Have you ever heard Verne’s’ famous laugh?!  Let your laugh be infectious and legendary.

Our last evening with Verne and Nancy was at a terrific restaurant in Stockholm. I felt sad when we walked away from them after dinner. But I think of them often and know we will see each other again.  Certainly, I’ll see and hear him the next few weeks of college football – then we’ll just have to get their cruising schedule and make sure we’re on board.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below are the other “What lawyers and law firms can learn” posts.

http://lawfirm4-0.typepad.com/law_firm_40_blog/2013/05/what-law-firms-can-learn-from-my-experience-with-the-strangest-dessert-in-san-francisco-maybe-the-wo.html

http://lawfirm4-0.typepad.com/law_firm_40_blog/2013/08/what-lawyers-can-learn-about-messaging-from-an-unlikely-source-dentistry.html (which includes one of my favorite lines I’ve ever written here:  Everyone is one tooth away from ugly.)

http://lawfirm4-0.typepad.com/law_firm_40_blog/2012/01/a-toast-to-differentiation-what-law-firms-can-learn-from-blue-hill-at-stone-barns.html

http://lawfirm4-0.typepad.com/law_firm_40_blog/2015/03/what-law-firms-can-learn-from-opentables-new-brand.html

http://lawfirm4-0.typepad.com/law_firm_40_blog/2014/01/what-law-firms-can-learn-from-our-new-years-eve-dining-experience-at-betony-in-new-york.html

http://lawfirm4-0.typepad.com/law_firm_40_blog/2012/02/what-law-firms-can-learn-from-my-wonderful-experience-at-davios-in-philadelphia.html

http://lawfirm4-0.typepad.com/law_firm_40_blog/2013/04/what-lawyers-can-learn-from-passage-des-crapeaux.html

http://lawfirm4-0.typepad.com/law_firm_40_blog/2012/05/what-law-firms-can-learn-from-dysons-think-vacuum-cleaners-anti-branding-slur.html

http://lawfirm4-0.typepad.com/law_firm_40_blog/2014/09/what-law-firms-can-learn-from-perfect-food-and-wine-pairings-at-beausoleil-in-baton-rouge.html

http://lawfirm4-0.typepad.com/law_firm_40_blog/2014/02/alice-died-last-week-what-law-firms-can-learn-.html

http://lawfirm4-0.typepad.com/law_firm_40_blog/2012/06/one-of-the-most-important-lessons-that-connected-lawyers-must-learn.html

http://lawfirm4-0.typepad.com/law_firm_40_blog/2012/07/back-in-america.html

http://lawfirm4-0.typepad.com/law_firm_40_blog/2012/02/what-law-firms-can-learn-from-my-disappointing-experience-at-del-friscos-in-new-york.html

Marketing Technology is the new Black – but success in a law firm requires some rules

I just spoke at the sold-out-standing-room-only LMA Tech Midwest (#LMATech) conference in Chicago. It was the first Legal Marketing Association tech conference held in the Midwest, but it followed in the very successful footsteps of its older brother, LMA Tech, which takes place in San Francisco each year.

The audience was comprised of hungry, passionate marketing tech and other legal marketing/business development professionals, and those providing services and products to this crowd. If you are interested in quickly immersing yourself in the terrific content, search for #LMATech on Twitter and read the seriously good nuggets consumed and shared by tweeting attendees.

I moderated a panel on experience management, “Demystify Experience Management and Turn it into one of your Most Powerful Allies,” with panelists: Mikala C. Stewart, Global Director of Business Intelligence and Global Director of Litigation Development for Kirkland & Ellis; Deborah R. Grabein, Director of Business Development for Andrews Kurth; and Adam Stock, Chief Marketing and Client Services Officer for Allen Matkins.

Our premise, which is fueled by both many years of experience and passion, was that experience management is one of the most strategic – yet paralyzing – “initiatives” in today’s law firm.  (See my earlier Law Firm 4.0 post, “Experience Management is not an ‘Initiative’ – it’s got to be in your Firm’s DNA.”) It’s a universal problem for firms of every size, but it’s obviously a more painful concern for global and other multi-office firms. 

Every law firm shares the same over-arching and unifying problem:  they all want to win more profitable work. And the only way to get on the short list to win more and better work is to quickly present a list of specific deals or cases with a lot of detail that is relevant to the buyer of the legal service.  Buyers want to know: what have you done, for whom you have done it and what you can do for them.  This formula is predictable and simple. You have to win this short list test before you can make it to the actual hiring phase.

Experience management requires the perfect marriage of marketing and information technology (and oftentimes finance, too).  For too many years, these functions in a law firm have been impenetrable silos, where the different races or classes seldom mix, let alone respecting each other’s contributions.  CRM started the need for convergence, but even that is typically managed exclusively by the marketing/business development team. However, building a strategic and powerful experience database requires a comfortable union between marketing and IT – and in the last few years, we’ve seen the rise of the hybrid and "bridge" professional – marketing technology specialists.

Harvard Business Review projects that by the end of 2016, 89% of large companies will have a Chief Marketing Technology Officer. Two years ago in an article called “The Rise of the Chief Marketing Technologist,” HBR quoted Gartner research that said, “… by 2017, a company’s chief marketing officer would be spending more on technology than its chief information officer was.” 

The HBR authors (Scott Brinker and Laura McLellan) wrote, “Acting as the connective tissue between different constituencies, these executives engage with four key stakeholders: the CMO and other senior marketing executives, the CIO and the IT organization, the broader marketing team, and outside software and service providers."

All fine and well, but how do they do that?  Ted McConnell, a featured contributor to Media Post OnlineSpin, in his June 23, 2016 post called “The Marketing Technology Culture Clash Prevention Guide,” describes the marketing technologist as: “scientist, marketer, tinker[er], politician – not exactly a typical skill mix.”  His next statement, “it’s hard to find people that can respect the old and imagine the new, but that’s what it takes,” precisely applies to law firms.  THIS is what’s required – and expected – of these marketing technologists in organizations where people sell their brains for a living. I might add “nerd” and “geek” to this list, a' well as “sales person.”

McConnell says, “You will need a big thinker to help identify the new opportunities, a diplomat to calm the waters, and a pilot to turn the ship. With luck, the triumvirate plays well together."  He devised a rule-book of sorts that speaks directly to every marketing technologist, which I have included in its entirety below.  Note to these MTs – if you are naturally more scientist than you are marketer, then you should identify the skills you must develop to elevate your role even further. Likewise, marketers – if you are a creative visionary, but behind when it comes to your geekiness, climb in and learn about the top software products and vendors, and how they can help save your sanity (and help your lawyers be more effective and competitive).

Ted McConnell’s rule book to bridging the cultural divide between marketing and IT is below.

1. “Do ban buzzwords. 'Analytics' is a way to describe any activity that might involve math. It does not describe a business outcome or process. 'We need analytics' is a poorly formed request, and 'We have analytics' is equally lame. Sharpen your vocabulary and insist that others do the same.
2. Do focus on the 'so what.' The most useful information feeds the processes closest to the place where decisions are made. Does IT know how communications planning or media buying decisions are made? Each side can guide the other. Be gentle.
3. Do calibrate risk to reality. The IT world is filled with Sarbanes-Oxley-driven horrors -- go-to-jail stuff. But I’m not aware of anyone who went to jail for a bad marketing decision, or sending an ad to the wrong person.
4. Do know the size of the prize. Is a claimed 20% efficiency improvement for an item that’s 10% of your budget worth falling on your sword for?
5. Don’t dismiss agency capability. Brands often look to their agencies to make the right decisions regarding creative and media. Most agencies have measurement people and analytic teams. Advertisers might need the internal IT people and the agency to collaborate -- which doesn't seem to happen very often. 
6. Do invest in talent. Top talent might come from either marketing or IT, or both, or from the outside. Require top talent, enable them with tools, and constrain them to solving your most important problems. Find practitioners. Take them under your wing. They come in all shapes and sizes.
7. Don’t boil the ocean. Systems thinking often leads to the urge to design the perfect machine. That’s dangerous. Get real-world experience with people, platforms, and agencies that already do this before designing your own thing. Plan to evolve. 
8. Don’t nod as though you understand if you don’t. The current level of misunderstanding (both ways) is significant.  Worse, the risks of getting a market wrong are significant. 
9. Apply startup rules. Fail early and often. Use 'minimum viable product' thinking. Be market-aware. Favor real world over PowerPoint.

"The people who can bridge the cultural divide are curious, eclectic, articulate, humble, and thoughtful. They might not speak up. They might not come in the package you are used to, but that’s a risk you can live with.”

I couldn’t be more excited about this development in our industry.

Content Pilot Announces "2016 Global 50 Law Firm Websites: Ten Foundational Best Practices"

Content Pilot announced that it has begun the research for its next study, "Global 50 Law Firm Websites: Ten Foundational Best Practices." This is the 6th such study, which focuses on identifying and establishing foundational best practices that matter to visitors, and that, based on client interviews, move the needle with buyers of legal services.

Deborah McMurray (that is, me) created the research in 2005, believing that the legal industry desperately needed a roadmap for improving law firm websites. Law firms were spending millions and millions of dollars on their sites and not making visitors any happier. I analyzed the then-AmLaw 100 firms based on ten Foundational Best Practices (FBP), each which had several defining attributes. These were selected based on broad web industry best practices, known expectations of visitors, and stated goals and desires of buyers of legal services.

After I founded Content Pilot in 2006, I transferred the responsibility of the research study to the company, and hired or recruited subject matter expert volunteers for different segments of the research. After the initial Study, Content Pilot has sponsored the last four AmLaw 100 studies, 2006, 2007, 2010 and 2013 – and there have been numerous articles and presentations about the research results for the Legal Marketing Association (LMA), ILTA, ALA, ABA, TerraLex, Lex Mundi and other organizations.  Content Pilot is a strategy, design, content and technology company that serves the legal industry and other professional services firms.

In 2016, we wanted to go even more global and see how the largest international firms are doing, so we are analyzing the AmLaw Global 50. The research will be conducted during June 2016 and the findings will be ready by September 1, 2016. Please email me at [email protected] if you want a free copy of the Executive Summary.

The Ten Foundational Best Practices change with each new study, as do the attributes under each one.  Although there are certain important features and functionality that remain constant from year to year; I have noted those by each FBP below.

The ultimate goal has always been to make visitors happier, have them spend longer on your site and to view more pages each visit.  Ultimately, the goal is for them to contact you with a specific question, issue or opportunity.  Your websites should drive revenue – and adhering to these Foundational Best Practices is one way to help that happen.

The AmLaw Global 50 law firms will be analyzed based on these 2016 Ten Foundational Best Practices:

1. Communicating your Message (in the #1 position on every previous study)
   1.  Clear and differentiating positioning strategy, feel and brand
   2. Practice and industry strengths are easy to see when you land on the site
   3. Geographic reach is obvious
   4. Contact information is easy to find, such as a link on each page
   5. Site features foreign language translations (enough detail in other languages & relevant coherent information)
      
      
2. Design (A part of every study, but the attributes are a mix of repeat and new)
   1.  Bold, distinctively branded layout and style
   2. Strong imagery reinforces and advances the firm brand and “story” - and is fresh and unique
   3. Site is responsive with deliberately designed views for phones, tablets and desktop
   4. The design is uncluttered and presents an intuitive information hierarchy
      
      
3. Navigation (Also a part of every study, but different defining attributes)
   1. Global and local navigation styles are consistent. The visitor doesn’t have to relearn new styles throughout the site
   2. It’s easy to navigate across multiple devices - the navigation remains intuitive and easy to use regardless of device
   3. The site does not use multiple expand/contract features that hide the most valuable content (i.e., experience)
   4. The site has a Global Footer with relevant clickable links
      
      
4. Professional Bios (Formerly called “Lawyer Bios,” but we have expanded it to include other important professionals)
   1. First 140 characters of the bio are current, compelling and relevant for SEO and reader benefit.  Is the reader immediately engaged in the meatiest content?   
   2. First 2-3 sentences of the Overview are descriptive of the lawyer’s practice, the type and size and industry sector of clients represented, and the geography of the practice
   3. Bio does not use Mr. or Ms. - it uses the lawyer’s first or nickname
   4. Photos are current and consistent - they convey personality...the firm’s and the lawyer’s
   5. Full contact information is easy to find
   6. The professional is highly accessible: social media links, email this page, print, vcard, they list their assistant/contact info
   7. Bios crosslink to practices/industries/news/events, etc.  Firms get points off if they list articles, etc. that don’t link.
   8. For lawyers and other timekeepers, bios include detailed experience/matter lists that are well organized with line breaks, sub-heads, etc. Avoids repetition of words and phrases, particularly at the beginning of bullet-points; e.g., Represented, Advised, etc.
   9. Page design supports elegant content organization that enables visitors to quickly scan and consume what they want - e.g., containers, boxes, heads and sub-heads, bullet lists, etc. No long, dense, unbroken blocks of text
   10. Associates and professional staff (such as the CFO, CMO, COO, etc.) have full biographies
       
       
5. Content (other than bios) (The same category as the 2013 Study, but with revised attributes)
   1. The content is visitor-focused - not “it’s all about me” - and is available in multiple languages (note how many languages per firm).  It also faces the client (e.g., describes benefits to the client, not just the firm’s features.)
   2. Page content has a clear information hierarchy and is well-organized for today’s scanning reader (i.e., uses sub-heads, bullet lists, containers and boxes, and the like).
   3. Practices and industries are broken out separately - by the services that clients buy. Geographic regions is a bonus.
   4. Service descriptions include experience specifics, including client locations, names or alias descriptions of clients (answering the questions: what have you done, for whom have you done it and where?)
   5. Video and multimedia content is featured, produced well and short
   6. The landing page for news/articles/events, etc., is well organized and easily sorted by topic, author, date. Nothing is listed that isn’t linked to a details page
   7. The site has a statement of core values that relate to clients, the profession and the markets the firm serves
   8. The site highlights its commitment to diversity and inclusion
   9. Charitable and civic commitment is described and evident. Does it highlight the leadership shown by the firm and its lawyers?
   10. Pro bono commitment is described in detail, highlighting stories and specific matters.
   11. Does the site use every landing page as an opportunity for value-to-client messaging?  For example, does the professionals page say something about the kinds and quality of the people who work there?  Does the contact us page say something about how accessible these people are?
       
       
6. Interactivity, Engagement and Social Outreach (This was added in the 2010 Study, but the attributes continue to evolve)
   1. Client extranet is offered and accessible.
   2. The site includes a link to an alumni community (LinkedIn or a separate website).
   3. Includes a newsletter subscribe feature, event registration, other sign-up opportunities.
   4. Links to firm/lawyer blogs on home page, bios, practice/industry and other relevant pages.
   5. Offers educational webinars, videos, podcasts
   6. Site links to social media sites and has an active/current presence on these sites.
   7. Share functionality is present throughout the site.
   8. Site offers PDF “Binder” or “Build a Brochure” functionality.
      
      
7. Site Search (A part of every Study, but the attributes have evolved as buyer expectations have changed)
   1. Site offers easy-to-find full-site keyword search.
   2. An advanced search link or option appears on all pages and enables visitors to narrow or refine the search in multiple ways.
   3. Search results are clear and well organized, and the most relevant categories (bios, experience) appear first.
   4. The site offers predictive, “did you mean,” highlighting search terms in annotated results, exact phrase searches.
   5. The site offers a separate experience search.
      
      
8. Site Optimization and Online Awareness (Also a part of every Study –  as search engine features change, so do our attributes)
   1. High quality backlinks and link relevancy throughout the site.
   2. Strong, properly structured HTML content on the home page and interior pages (H1, H2, H3, etc. for headings/subheadings, doc type, no image-based navigation or other text, etc.).
   3. There are content feeds from external sources (blogs, social media, videos, etc.)
   4. HTML sitemaps are present and include all pages organized in a clear hierarchy.
   5. Smart URLs with appropriate syntax are used in all sections.
   6. Page titles, meta-descriptions and natural keyword usage are used throughout the site.ww
   7. Images have alt tags that provide alternative text when images can’t be displayed.
   8. Tabbed bio and practice/industry pages all have the same page URL
   9. Utilizes correct schema mark-up throughout the site.
   10. Site speed: Fast page load - less than 4 seconds.
       
       
9. Mobility / Responsive (This was added in the 2013 Study – the question then was simply, “Is there a dedicated mobile site?” The AmLaw 100 average for this FBP in 2013 was 34.5 – some of the mobile sites were so poor that they scored low, even though the firms had them.)
   1. Brand integrity/personality is not lost on smaller devices.
   2. The user experience is superior regardless of device.
   3. There are intuitive, well-spaced navigation tools.
   4. Content and images resize correctly and information hierarchy is maintained.
   5. Mobile site is available in non-English languages - with the ability to return to English.
      
      
10. Site “Hygiene” and Usability (This has been the 10^th FBP since the very beginning, but the attributes have blossomed a bit since the 2013 Study.)
    1. Site functions perfectly on all the latest browsers.
    2. No error pages are found on spot check.
    3. No broken links or images are evident with spot check.
    4. Pages print and email easily.
    5. The site offers dynamic print to PDF option on most pages.
    6. Content has been checked for spelling.
    7. All appropriate domains are active, including https.
    8. The site meets the W3C Level 1 accessibility standards.

SCORING

Each attribute is scored on a 100-point scale and each attribute is reviewed and scored separately. For example, Site Hygiene and Usability has eight attributes - each will be scored, and then we will average those scores to get the total score for that Foundational Best Practice. Once each FBP has its average score, those will be added together, divided by 10 and that will be the law firm’s total score.

The scoring methodology and ranges have remained the same since the original 2005 Study.

• Excellent: 86-100
• Good:       71-85
• Fair:          50-70
• Poor:        26-49
• Unacceptable: 0-25

You might be interested in how law firms have fared in past studies -- not great, is the short answer.  The AmLaw 100 firms in the past five studies have had a lot of room for improvement. In the 2013 Study:

• 2% of the firms scored "Excellent"
• 23% scored "Good"
• 69% scored "Fair"
• 6% scored "Poor"
• And, no firms ranked as "Unacceptable"

We have our fingers crossed that the Global 50 websites will perform much better in the 2016 Study!

Special thanks to Leigh Dance, President of ELD International, who is serving as our global advisor.

When millennials become law firm leaders, how will they communicate to clients?

It's no surprise that millennials like to text. I do, too, and often I prefer it - and the more deliberate emailing - to speaking on the phone. It just depends on what I need to accomplish. My goal of effective communication (i.e., understanding and being understood) always trumps the medium - if it's a quick logistical issue that needs clarification, great. A quick text or email is perfect.  If there is a problem to solve, an opportunity about which to brainstorm, or if my fellow communicator simply prefers a phone call - the phone wins.

In a recent OpenMarket survey, conducted nationwide, which polled millennials on their communication preferences, it was found they have an overwhelming desire to text. According to the recap by Center for Media Research, which reported on this survey, "75% of responding millennials would rather lose the ability to talk versus text."

This infographic pretty much sums up how millennials feel:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are 77 million millennials in the U.S., now having surpassed the Baby Boomers as the largest population group. The brightest rising stars will run companies (or they already do) that hire law firms, and the millennial lawyers will soon become the largest population practicing law in their firms.  C0nsider these questions:

• What does their privileged client communication look like?  
• How do they form enduring client relationships where they can serve as the "trusted advisor" (the term that still so many lawyers hold up as the gold standard for their practices), when they find a voice call "disruptive?" 
• And, what do their clients do when they get the millennial lawyer's voicemail - leave a message knowing the call may never get returned?

The practice of law and delivery of services continues to evolve.  Just this week, Baker Hostetler announced that it has hired IBM's AI "Ross," the world's first artificially intelligent attorney, to be a part of its 50-lawyer bankruptcy team.  Artificial intelligence is coming fast, whether law firms are on board or not. Ross will monitor the law around the world and around the clock - something that's hard for even the most ambitious and sleep-deprived lawyers to do. Clients have to love this. 

And I imagine the millennials will love it, too. Ross is really the perfect millennial. No talking, just doing.

"Don't Waste a Perfectly Good Crisis"

"Don't waste a perfectly good crisis, " is what I heard from a law firm managing partner whose firm has recently gone through some challenging times. It's not just a great lesson in optimism, it's important for us all to remember as we encounter and confront challenges - and identify the best ways to climb through them.

There is such a missed opportunity if we don't take the 30,000-foot view in a crisis, where the view and horizon are more expansive and brighter.  Elevate above the crisis to see where the opportunities for change lie. Perhaps it's time to restructure:  your team, responsibilities and accountability, your compensation system, other systems -- such as marketing, business development, finance, technology.

In the May 2016 of Harvard Business Review, author Vijay Govindarajan writes about "planned opportunism." He says:

"The idea starts with recognizing that the future is unpredictable, shaped by nonlinear changes and chance events—the 'opportunism' part. How you as a leader respond is the 'planned' part. Planned opportunism requires sensitivity to weak signals—early evidence of emerging trends from which it is possible to deduce important changes in demography, technology, customer tastes and needs, and economic, environmental, regulatory, and political forces. Attention to weak signals gives rise to fresh perspectives and nonlinear thinking, which help an organization imagine and plan for various plausible futures."

Every leader should work on developing an uncanny sensitivity to weak signals - they're endemic in our organizations.  We  lull ourselves into believing that our organization is immune to all that, we want to ignore the signals, and hope our firms and colleagues are copacetic.  And then we're surprised and really disappointed when key employees depart, when major clients fire the firm, when financial markets tumble and lines of credit dry up - as examples.

Govindarajan defines planned opportunism:  

" . . . a systematic process not only for recognizing impending changes and ascertaining what opportunities they may offer but for developing experiments to distill and scale up promising nonlinear business ideas. It accomplishes three exceptionally important things for the enterprise: (1) It creates a circulatory system for new ideas; (2) it develops the capacity to prioritize, investigate, and act on those ideas; and (3) it builds an adaptive culture that embraces continual change. It will enable your organization to be proactive rather than reactive. To be sure, planned opportunism can accommodate scenario planning and other conventional tools and cultural aspirations, such as a flatter organization and a more empowered workforce. But it is not just an event, an activity, or a tool. It is a discipline encompassing processes and behaviors across many functions that will strengthen resiliency and lead to growth."

This is all good, but it really requires a full-on reorg and a complete overhaul of firm leaders' thinking.  If you take nothing away from this article other than, "Don't waste a perfectly good crisis," you'll be well on your way to better managing change and identifying the weak signals in your firm that you can conquer. Start there.

He concludes:

"Businesses and CEOs often don’t know how best to think about the future, much less to act on it. Although they rightly concede that it is unpredictable, they may think of it as a far-off point on the horizon—a reality they’ll deal with when the time comes. But the future is not a far-off point. Rather, it is like a software program that is continually updated: It arrives in daily doses that must be noticed and understood. Only by working toward the future day by day can your enterprise respond resiliently when it encounters nonlinear opportunities or, equally likely, menacing threats.

"Planned opportunism is a strategy for exerting some control over unpredictable circumstances before they occur. Of course, this involves one of life’s most persistent conundrums. As Elizabeth Gilbert writes in her memoir Eat, Pray, Love, 'We gallop through our lives like circus performers balancing on two speeding side-by-side horses—one foot is on the horse called ‘fate,’ the other on the horse called ‘free will.’ And the question you have to ask every day is—which horse is which? Which horse do I need to stop worrying about because it’s not under my control, and which do I need to steer with concentrated effort?'

Though Gilbert is writing about personal conduct, her metaphor applies equally well to organizations and their leaders. Across every activity a business must continually ask itself, 'Which horse is which?' The horse of free will can be steered, but the horse of fate cannot. Planned opportunism demands that leaders spend their energies and attention on the former.

 

 

Lawyers and CPAs - This January, resolve to make your bios move the needle - Make them 3-D

Doing anything that moves the needle is hard.  All the "I resolve to do this and that (eat more kale / break a sweat / cook more / drink less)" business requires so much diligence and determination that, by now, most resolutions are on the cutting room floor.  I used to have a cartoon on the magnetic face of an old file cabinet, "At least I am protected by the goodness of my intentions." You know what?  No, I'm not - and you aren't, either.  Good intentions do not move any needles.

According to the analytics we track, your website biographies are by far the most visited pages - averaging 40-70% of total visits.  What kind of an impression does your bio make on these visitors who are taking their valuable time to check you out?  Most biographies for lawyers and CPAs are stale, not engaging or dynamic, and don't tell a compelling and relevant story about what these people have done.  In the latest (2013) "AmLaw 100 Websites: Ten Foundational Best Practices" research study conducted and sponsored by Content Pilot, the AmLaw 100 firms scored 75 (or a mid-range Good) on a 100-point scale on the 4th Foundational Best Practice, "Lawyer Biographies." In the prior study (2010), they scored 66 or Fair. A good improvement, but every firm should score 100.

The attributes on which these firms - and on which you should measure your basic bio effectiveness - are:

1. First 150 characters of the bio are current, compelling, and relevant for SEO benefit. Count all letters, punctuation and spaces and ensure that your most important keywords about your practice are appearing first. Avoid starting your bio like this: John Smith is a partner and chair of the labor and employment practice at ABCXYZ law firm. This is likely what will appear in the Google and other search engine results when searching by that lawyer’s name. These details are not important – don’t waste this valuable real estate on your titles (your titles will appear elsewhere in your bio). Rather, tell what you do for clients and who they are. The AmLaw firms’ average score was 77 out of 100 on this attribute.
2. Overview paragraph – first two to three sentences are descriptive of the work the lawyer does and the types of clients the lawyer represents. After the 150 characters, focus on enriching your bio with additional keywords, such as types of clients, industries, and subject matter strengths. If you are a noted expert in SEC enforcement matters, Family Medical Leave Act claims, or SBICs and BDCs, this is where it should live. The AmLaw average score was 84.
3. Bio does not use Mr. or Ms. Lastname throughout – it uses the lawyer’s first or nickname. What is more unfriendly than forcing a visitor to call you Mr. Schwartz or Ms. Davison? The AmLaw average score was 35. East coast, white-shoe firms are the biggest culprits in protecting this tradition.
4. Photos are current and convey personality. It is critically important that your photos look like your lawyers today, not 20 years ago. The AmLaw average was 87.
5. Full contact information for the lawyer is easy to find and links to a v-card. Make it easy for people to contact you. But – avoid the large, blinking buttons that scream “CALL ME!” Personal injury law firms often think these are a good idea – but they aren’t. The AmLaw firms do much better here than accounting firms – the AmLaw average was 100.
6. Bio includes links to the lawyer’s social media profiles and pages. This creates relationship “stickiness”. Understand your state bar rules about social media, but having the links on your bio page so visitors can easily connect with you is smart. The AmLaw average was 32. These firms are not taking advantage of the relationship leverage and syndication strength offered by social media.
7. Bios list and crosslink to practices/industries, articles/ news/ events. These encourage visitors to easily dig deeper into your qualifications. The AmLaw average was 84.
8. Bios include detailed experience and matter lists. The reason that bio views are so high in all the analytics is because buyers of legal services want to know what you have done, for whom, and what you can do for them. You must answer these questions before you can advance to the shortlist and ultimately get hired. Period. Use client names if you have permission to do so, and be as specific as your state bar rules allow. The AmLaw average was 74.
9. The page technology supports elegant content organization that enables visitors to quickly scan and access what they want (e.g., Ajax, jQuery, javascript). The AmLaw average was 93.
10. Associates have full biographies. It was a many-year trend for New York and certain other East coast firms to list associates’ names, but not include a bio for them. In client interviews, buyers complained about paying $600 per hour for a senior associate that they could not even find on the firm website! This has changed, and most firms now include them, with the AmLaw average being 88.

OK - these are the basics. Let's take it further.  Last year - for a panel presentation at the 2015 Legal Marketing Association conference in San Diego - I created a concept called the "3 Dimensional Bio" or "3-D Bio."  I swear that this is the answer (at least one of the answers, the start) to you being more successful in your business development in 2016.  Don't hesitate and don't delay.

Given that the majority of your visitors are going to these bio pages, a firm’s goal should be to keep visitors on your professionals' bios longer – and convert visitors to viewing more of them each visit. This is where the cash lives in your firm. Study Google Analytics or whatever tracking program you use and see how many different bios any one visitor opens, and check the average length of time a visitor spends on your bios. Then, focus on improving this number and duration.

In today’s landscape where competition among professionals is stiff, lawyers and CPAs must provide more insight into why they should be hired. Why are they the expert? What makes them the perfect fit for a client’s problem? You must prove you are the right fit, and there are three ways to do this.  Create "3-D Bios" and focus on the following:

1. Demonstrate expertise
2. Prove relevancy
3. Show humanity

All three “dimensions” must be present for your biography to work hard for you.

Dimension 1:  Demonstrate expertise:

1. Show specific experience: Remember the three questions: What have you done? For whom have you done it? What can you do for me?
2. Include client case studies or stories that prove what you know and your approach to getting things done. This often gets into how you did what you did, not just what you did.
3. Depending on the nature of your practice (for example, if you represent a lot of start-ups or technology companies), include client logos, with their permission, of course.

Dimension 2:  Prove relevancy:

1. Important keywords that are relevant to your practice should appear in the top 150 characters (characters, not words) of the bio overview. When someone is Googling, or otherwise searching for your name, it is important that the 140–150 characters that show up in the search engine description are those most relevant to your practice– and the expertise that people are buying from you –  today. Consider the disconnect for your future buyer if you are supposed to be the expert in global trademark protection and your Google search description does not even mention it.
2. Feed current blog and Twitter posts into your bios. Social media that proves you are current and on top of the subject matter in your practice gives the people evaluating you comfort and confidence in your intellect and grasp of today’s issues.
3. Feature a book the lawyer has written—or something else notable, such as white papers, an important speech, a short video about a trending topic.
4. Design an infographic, which highlights trends in the lawyer’s practice or industry. For example, number of patents in the energy industry over a ten-year period of time, or a US map showing the number of states in which the lawyer has handled litigation.

Dimension 3:  Show humanity (to get hired, look for ways to short-cut the pathway to trust):

1. Shoot new lawyer photos – “magazine-style” (large format) photos that show personality and approachability. Some lawyers do not like getting their photos taken, so they use the same tired photo decade after decade. In today’s world of selfies, where current photos are pervasive, it is critical that the firm website posts current photos that actually look like the lawyers who work there.
2. Include a short video that tells a memorable story about a case and how you handled it. Of course, do not name a client name unless it is public record and you have your client’s permission, but do discuss unique issues or circumstances. For example, did the case come in at 8pm on a Sunday night and the court filing was due Monday morning at 10?
3. Include an “after hours” tab or feature – content that describes the lawyer’s passions outside the office. This can include community board service, volunteer work, travel, sports and events, books you are reading, the fact that you are training for a triathlon, or your family and pets. Show how interesting you are!
4. Prove accessibility – include your assistant’s name/info, your team’s contact names/info (if you aren’t reachable, it ensures that your client has access to team members without you being a bottleneck), and instant messaging contact information. Law firm and CPA firm technology staff will sometimes prohibit instant messaging, but certain types of clients rely on it – and they want their lawyers to use it.

If you want to move the needle early this year, change your bio by January 31. You still have 20 days. . . I am counting.