Section Newsletters

Articles From John W. Olmstead

Law Firm Partnership: Implementing a Lawyer Career Advancement Program By John W. Olmstead Law Office Management and Economics, Standing Committee on, July 2024 To be successful, law firms of all sizes must attract both clients and talent.
Improving Productivity and Profitability in an Insurance Defense Law Firm By John W. Olmstead Law Office Management and Economics, Standing Committee on, May 2022 Practical tips for insurance defense practitioners.
Retaining Associate Attorneys: Career Advancement Program and Mentoring Programs By John W. Olmstead Law Office Management and Economics, Standing Committee on, April 2022 Strategies for finding and reaining quality associates in the aftermath of COVID-19.
Law Firm Succession/Exit Strategies: Succession & Transition Plan By John W. Olmstead Elder Law, June 2021 A case study of a nine-attorney law firm whose three founders wanted to retire and needed a succession and transition plan.
Law Firm Succession/Exit Strategies: Succession & Transition Plan By John W. Olmstead Trusts and Estates, April 2021 A case study of a nine-attorney law firm whose three founders wanted to retire and needed a succession and transition plan.
Law Firm Financial Management—Practical Tips and Suggestions: Part 3 of a Multipart Series By John W. Olmstead Law Office Management and Economics, Standing Committee on, January 2020 Practical tips for effective law firm financial management.
Law Firm Succession and Exit Strategies: Implementation of the Strategies and Plans By John W. Olmstead Senior Lawyers, September 2019 Key considerations when managing a succession or transition at your law firm.
Law firm succession and exit strategies: Implementation of the strategies and plans By John W. Olmstead Law Office Management and Economics, Standing Committee on, June 2019 Key considerations when managing a succession or transition at your law firm.
Improving productivity and profitability in an insurance defense law firm By John W. Olmstead Law Office Management and Economics, Standing Committee on, March 2019 Practical tips for insurance defense practitioners.
Law firm succession/exit strategies: Succession & transition plan By John W. Olmstead Law Office Management and Economics, Standing Committee on, November 2018 A case study of a nine-attorney law firm whose three founders wanted to retire and needed a succession and transition plan.
Law firm financial management: Practical tips and suggestions—Part 2 of a multi-part series By John W. Olmstead Law Office Management and Economics, Standing Committee on, May 2018 Part two of a multi-part series of practice tips and suggestions for effective financial management.
Law firm financial management: Practical tips and suggestions—Part 1 of a multi-part series By John W. Olmstead Law Office Management and Economics, Standing Committee on, September 2017 Managing the firm’s finances is one of the most important management roles in a law firm.
Law Firm Succession/Exit Strategies: Small Firm Merger: A Case Study of a Solo Attorney that After Two Unsuccessful Attempts Took a Phased Approach to a Merger with a Small Sole Owner Practice By John W. Olmstead Law Office Management and Economics, Standing Committee on, May 2017 What to consider when you begin to plan for the eventual succession and transition of a solo practice.
1 comment (Most recent May 1, 2017)
Improving law firm profitability: Top 10 cost-cutting strategies By John W. Olmstead Law Office Management and Economics, Standing Committee on, June 2016 You have to spend money to make money. So if cost cutting is the appropriate strategy, cut the right costs. Here are some ideas.
Should you merge with another law firm? By John W. Olmstead Law Office Management and Economics, Standing Committee on, June 2016 While mergers can be a valid option, making them work is often another matter. Consider these tips before your firm makes the leap.
Law firm partner relations: The foundation of a successful firm By John W. Olmstead Law Office Management and Economics, Standing Committee on, May 2016 Getting the right “partner dynamic”—and a positive partner relations culture—is the key ingredient and the core basic building block of a successful law firm. It is the foundation for the firm.
Law firm succession & exit strategies—Firm size and impact upon strategies By John W. Olmstead Law Office Management and Economics, Standing Committee on, June 2015 A look at how the size of the firm can impact the experience it will likely face during retirement succession, transition, and exit challenges.
Law firm succession and exit strategies: Coming to terms with aging By John W. Olmstead Law Office Management and Economics, Standing Committee on, June 2015 Retirement means identifying and having more time to do what you love most. This article provides some ideas for making the difficult transition.
Trapped in an insurance defense practice? Two strategic approaches By John W. Olmstead Law Office Management and Economics, Standing Committee on, June 2015 Insurance defense firms face challenges that are quite different than those faced by other law firms.
Law firm succession & exit strategies—Transitioning client relationships and management roles By John W. Olmstead Law Office Management and Economics, Standing Committee on, April 2015 A look at transitioning clients and managerial roles—the two critical components of any succession/exit plan.
Law firm management roles—Management skills that an owner, managing partner, or administrator needs to have By John W. Olmstead Law Office Management and Economics, Standing Committee on, June 2014 A discussion of the management functions that must be performed in every law form in order for it to be successful. 
Law firm management—Characteristics of successful law firms: Basic building blocks By John W. Olmstead Law Office Management and Economics, Standing Committee on, June 2014 The author describes his Basic Building Blocks of Successful Law Firms.
Five law firm marketing ideas for 2014 By John W. Olmstead Law Office Management and Economics, Standing Committee on, April 2014 Five ideas that might be helpful in your 2014 planning.
Insurance defense law firms: Strategies and best practices By John W. Olmstead Law Office Management and Economics, Standing Committee on, March 2014 As law firms look for additional sources of revenue some have given thought to taking on insurance defense work. This article examines the issues to consider.
Finding, hiring and retaining top law firm associate attorneys: Are you getting the right associates on the bus for the long term? By John W. Olmstead, Jr. Law Office Management and Economics, Standing Committee on, November 2013 Have you really discussed with your associates their interests in equity ownership?
Survival strategies and best practices for a personal injury plaintiff law firm By John W. Olmstead, Jr. Law Office Management and Economics, Standing Committee on, November 2013 Many personal injury plaintiff firms are facing challenging times. In the last few years many firms have had to deal with the impact of tort reform, increase competition from other law firms doing extensive advertising, and weathering the last recession.
How effective law firm leadership practices can help you acquire and keep your clients By John W. Olmstead Law Office Management and Economics, Standing Committee on, June 2013 Law firms that fail to address leadership issues may find themselves unprepared for the future and unable to acquire new clients and retain existing clients.
How to reinvent your law practice in order to prosper in the 21st century By John W. Olmstead, Jr. Law Office Management and Economics, Standing Committee on, June 2013 In order to prosper in the 21st century law firms are going to have to drastically change their models for conducting business.
Law firm partner compensation: Metrics—What is important, what matters By John W. Olmstead Law Office Management and Economics, Standing Committee on, June 2013 An effective compensation system serves as a strong messaging and reinforcement agent that helps you obtain and retain top partner talent and helps align their goals and activities with the strategies and goals of the firm.
Bringing in new law firm partners: Strategies for minimizing your risk By John W. Olmstead Law Office Management and Economics, Standing Committee on, April 2013 Just because the associate has been a good associate does not mean that the associate will be a good partner—the relationship will be different.

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