Practice News

By Shamla Naidoo Social networking provides a proven means to reach consumers worldwide, 24/7. The methods are simple to execute and provide cost-effective marketing with increased visibility and industry recognition at minimal cost. While many in solo practice lack opportunities for collaboration afforded to large firm lawyers, social networking creates greater access to peers for learning and collaboration than any firm could. After all, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, blogs, chat rooms, new-groups, message boards, and other social networking sites that specialize in legal topics/practice, are not limited by time zone or geography. Support, information and interaction are always accessible. This is the best of free-speech on the Internet. While this sounds great, what is the price we pay to reach clients conveniently, and to connect with potential clients and peers online? The benefits are so high that you cannot afford to not participate in these forums, however, discretion and thoughtful interaction is essential. Consider the following impact to your law practice as you calculate the cost of your right to free speech on the Internet. Every word you post creates a permanent record. That in itself is not an emerging issue in the practice of law–lawyers create permanent records of most everything we do. The difference is that our permanent record is usually created based on our client’s position and is mostly protected by privilege. In social networking we are generally representing ourselves and personal positions to those we know and/or trust. Web crawlers are specialized programs (popular amongst search engines) which traverse the Internet looking for all available content.

By John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC For the past six weeks I have been discussing the characteristics of successful law firms and introduced the following basic building blocks that successful firms typically have in place:

• Partner Relations
• Leadership
• Firm Management
• Partner Compensation
• Planning
• Client Service
• Marketing

Partner relations, leadership, management, partner compensation, planning, and client service blocks have been discussed. The seventh and final basic building block is marketing. Successful firms have an effective marketing infrastructure and program in place. Gone are the days when attorneys simply practiced law. Today, they face increased competition, shrinking demand for services and increasing supply of professional talent, availability of service substitutes, and marketing of professional services. Marketing can no longer be ignored if small law practices are to survive in the future. Based upon our observations working with client law firms over the past twenty six years we have concluded that marketing is poorly understood and ineffectively implemented in many small law firms. In addition, the following obstacles are at play:

Chief Judge Stephen J. Culliton is accepting applications for two anticipated vacancies resulting from the upcoming Nov. 2 election. The vacancies are anticipated to occur upon the elections of Associate Judges Dortohy F. French and Ronald D. Sutter, who are running unopposed in the general election for Circuit Judge. These vacancies are contingent upon certification by the Illinois Board of Elections of general election results declaring French and Sutter the winners. Applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. on Nov. 3, 2010. Applicants must be a U.S. citizen, licensed to practice law in this state and a resident of DuPage County. Two original applications, submitted on prescribed application form, must be filed with:

• Cynthia Y. Cobbs, Director
• Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts
• 3101 Old Jacksonville Road
• Springfield, IL, 62704-6488

Applications can be obtained from the Chief Judge's Office, the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts or from the Supreme Court's website: www.state.il.us/court.

The Illinois Supreme Court announced today the assignment of Cook County Circuit Court Judge Maureen E. Connors to the Illinois Appellate Court. Judge Connors, who has been a judge in Cook County for 22 years, will fill the vacancy created by the appointment of Appellate Justice Mary Jane Theis to the Illinois Supreme Court. Justice Theis will be replacing Chief Justice Thomas R. Fitzgerald, who announced his retirement, effective October 25. The assignment of Judge Connors will become effective October 26 and expire December 3, 2012. Judge Connors was an associate Judge in Cook County from 1988 to 1994, when she was elected Circuit Court Judge. When she won retention as a Circuit Court judge in 2006, reviewing bar groups and associations all gave her favorable ratings.