Subject Index Law Practice and Office Management

Advance payment retainers in dissolution of marriage cases are subject to disgorgement

December
2013
Illinois Law Update
, Page 612
On October 3, 2013, the Illinois Supreme Court held that advance payment retainers paid in dissolution of marriage cases are subject to disgorgement pursuant to the "leveling of the playing field" rules in the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act (the "Act").

Health Care Reform: Lawyers are Employers and Consumers, Too

By Janan Hanna
December
2013
Article
, Page 616
What does the Affordable Care Act mean to law firms as employers and lawyers as consumers? Here's a thumbnail sketch.

The Ethics of Lost Laptops, Cloud Computing

By Mark S. Mathewson
November
2013
Column
, Page 588
What duty do you have to clients if your laptop is stolen?

Limited Scope, Expanded Opportunity

By Ed Finkel
October
2013
Cover Story
, Page 508
Recent Illinois Supreme Court rule changes enable lawyers to represent clients in litigation for only a portion of a case. Proponents say that's good for lawyers, clients, and judges.

How Not to Be a Victim of Law Firm Embezzlement

By Janan Hanna
September
2013
Cover Story
, Page 456
Employee theft is an all-too-common occurrence. Experts advise lawyers how not to be victims.

New supreme court rules a boon to limited-scope representation

By Adam W. Lasker
August
2013
LawPulse
, Page 386
Amended Rules 11, 13, and 137 create business opportunities for lawyers by making it easier to represent clients for part, but not all, of a lawsuit or transaction.
1 comment (Most recent August 1, 2013)

Rainmaking in Dry Times

By Ed Finkel
June
2013
Article
, Page 288
How do you attract new clients and retain existing ones in this economy? Consultants and Illinois lawyers offer battle-tested tips.

Your “Unsinkable” Law Practice: Checking the Lifeboats

By Karen Erger
June
2013
Column
, Page 314
Make sure your professional liability policy is shipshape.

The Lawyer’s iPad: Using Tablets in Your Practice

By Maria Kantzavelos
May
2013
Cover Story
, Page 232
Can you really use your mobile device to practice more effectively? Tech experts say "yes" and tell you how.
1 comment (Most recent April 25, 2013)

Marketing Your Practice via Social Media

By Maria Kantzavelos
April
2013
Cover Story
, Page 180
You can find clients on Facebook and LinkedIn. Or, more to the point, they can find you. But be sure to go about it the right way or you'll lose business and run afoul of ethics rules.

How Do I Research That? Find a LibGuide

By Tom Gaylord
March
2013
Column
, Page 158
The LibGuide system connects to thousands of free research guides.

Riding the DIY Wave

By Maria Kantzavelos
March
2013
Cover Story
, Page 128
Lawyers should respond to do-it-yourself law sites by serving clients in new ways, an Elmhurst lawyer suggests.
2 comments (Most recent November 1, 2013)

Sharpening Your Pencil: Financial Basics for Law Firms

By Maria Kantzavelos
February
2013
Cover Story
, Page 76
Are your employees getting the tax relief they deserve? Are you? Should you process your own payroll? A CPA tells lawyers a thing or two about the business side of running a practice.

Chicago-Kent’s solo-attorney incubator nurtures new lawyers

By Adam W. Lasker
January
2013
LawPulse
, Page 10
An innovative law school program gives a group of new admittees office space and real-world experience under the guidance of former profs.

For Sale by Owner: Getting the Most for Your Law Practice

By Maria Kantzavelos
October
2012
Cover Story
, Page 524
How much is your practice worth? How can you maximize its value? How do you find buyers? Even if you aren't ready to sell, experts say the time to ask yourself these questions is now.

The Dangers of Litigating in the Media

By Richard L. Miller II
January
2012
Article
, Page 42
A look at the risks your client takes by publicly discussing an ongoing case and why doing so is usually a bad idea.

The Ethical Office: Managing Nonlawyer Staff

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
December
2011
Cover Story
, Page 614
The Rules of Professional Conduct make managing nonlawyer staff a high-stakes business. Find out which rules are most directly implicated and learn how to be a better boss.

Hey, Kids, Let’s Start a Law Firm

By Karen Erger
December
2011
Column
, Page 640
An interview with a lawyer who did just that.
1 comment (Most recent November 23, 2011)

Planning to Succeed

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
November
2011
Cover Story
, Page 560
How many lawyers have a strategic plan, complete with a mission, goals, action points, and a system for measuring success? Here's why you should be one of them.

Does Your Law Firm Need a Virtual Reality?

By Peter R. Olson
October
2011
Article
, Page 516
Is it time to move your practice online? Internet-based legal software innovations offer practitioners ways to cut costs while expanding their potential client base.

OK Computer

By John G. Locallo
October
2011
Column
, Page 488
Technology is changing the world of lawyering. Can we keep pace?
1 comment (Most recent October 14, 2011)

Why Calendars Matter - and Why I’m Going Back to Analog

By Karen Erger
October
2011
Column
, Page 534
Sometimes the best technology is good old pen and paper.
1 comment (Most recent October 14, 2011)

Exile on Face Tweet: Lawyer Networking on Social Media

By John G. Locallo
September
2011
Column
, Page 432
You can't afford not to use Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

The Five Biggest Business Mistakes Lawyers Make

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
September
2011
Cover Story
, Page 444
Too many lawyers - especially new ones - undervalue their services. It's a short-sighted approach that can lead to big trouble, this lawyer argues.

To Tweet or Not to Tweet?

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
August
2011
Cover Story
, Page 396
Don't get Twitter? You're not alone. But lawyers are using it to reach out to fellow practitioners and communicate with the public.
1 comment (Most recent July 29, 2011)

Tweeting the law

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
August
2011
LawPulse
, Page 382
Lawyers, bar associations, courts, and others use Twitter to push out news, cases, job openings, and more.

Experience by Appointment

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
May
2011
Article
, Page 238
Though there isn't much money in it, serving as appointed counsel is a way to gain invaluable courtroom experience and remind yourself why you went to law school in the first place.

Finding Your Way to in the Courthouse

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
April
2011
Cover Story
, Page 184
How to learn those all-important unwritten rules of courthouse and courtroom practice that vary from circuit to circuit.
1 comment (Most recent April 1, 2011)

Hiring How-Tos, Firing Fundamentals

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
March
2011
Cover Story
, Page 130
Recruiting employees and letting them go are both fraught with legal pitfalls. Here's how you can help your clients and your own firm avoid HR missteps.
1 comment (Most recent February 23, 2011)

Selling Out

By Helen W. Gunnarsson
January
2011
Cover Story
, Page 20
The 2010 update of Illinois' ethics rules make it easier to sell a law practice. But what about practical issues like valuation and transition planning? Seasoned solos offer advice.

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