Legal Tweets

Tidbits from the Law Firm Leadership Conference #lflc

nikiblack: #lflc Susskind: As lawyers we tend to romanticize our profession--idealize it. We can continue to uphold dignity of it, but accept reality

Rotenberg: #LFLC Susskind: traditional lawyers will always be needed for deep expertise and complex communication

nikiblack: #lflc Susskind: If you an see ways you can work differently, you should do it bec if you don't, your competitors will

jordan_law21: Susskind: Five-stage progression of legal work: bespoke (customized), standardized, systematized, packaged, and commoditized (free): #lflc

nikiblack: #lflc Susskind: The drive towards commoditization pre-dates the economic downturn

nikiblack: #lflc Susskind: If non-lawyers controlled the delivery of legal services, things would (will) look much different

nikiblack: #lflc Susskind: Disruptive technology--new technologies may not help us as lawyers-they disrupt the way we work-but can't ignore them

ARotenberg: #LFLC: Susskind: need to look at multi sourcing, client facing technology, collaboration, and e-learning

jordan_law21: Susskind: Decomposing legal tasks into divisible blocks, ask: what's best way to execute each block? #lflc

jordan_law21: Susskind: Litigation is: doc review, research, project mgmt, lit. support, e-discovery, strategy, tactics, negotiation, advocacy... #lflc

ARotenberg: #LFLC: Susskind: project management lies at the heart of the legal industry of the future

ARotenberg: #LFLC: Susskind: Axion providing 'lease a lawyer' system. Experienced, cheaper lawyers providing expertise on a contract basis for less cost

ARotenberg: #LFLC Susskind: future of legal services lies in giving access to the firm's internal knowledge systems

nikiblack: #lflc Susskind: Most important business impact 4 lawyers-new ways of delivering legal services-virtual law office, turn knowledge into value

nikiblack: #lflc Susskind: Knowledge management used to be internal issue--now external--sharing knowledge with clients

ARotenberg: #LFLC: Susskind: Firms should take a cue from British Airways- investment in technology is on the client side, not internally

jordan_law21: Lamb: "This will be too hard" is lawyerly response. Ask instead: "How can I be 1st to change and profit therefrom?" #lflc

nikiblack: #lflc Susskind: It's not about pricing differently--it's about working differently. (!!!)

ARotenberg: #LFLC Maclean: innovative law firm fee calculator: http://bit.ly/2h3RJ9

nikiblack: #lflc MacLean: Clients don't care about ur profit, cost--they only care about the cost/value to them

nikiblack: #lflc Susskind: Any lawyer who takes time to research tech agrees that it changes legal practice-those who disagree are reacting emotionally

nikiblack: #lflc Susskind: Lawyers should be responding to new challenges by embracing emerging technologies, not ignoring them

ARotenberg: #LFLC Susskind: new jobs for lawyers will emerge- eg. legal risk managers, legal process analysts, legal knowledge engineers

ARotenberg: #LFLC Susskind: Newbies don't need to do routine tasks hundreds of times in the name of education. Don't confuse exploitation with training

ARotenberg: #LFLC Lamb: Younger third of the firm is less attached to status quo. Give them the opportunity to lead the charge to change

nikiblack #lflc Susskind: e-learning. ... Why don't we use online learning as we should (I say--#SPU anyone?)

nikiblack: #lflc Susskind: Talking about Twitter and its value to lawyers because their clients are on it, if for no other reason.

nikiblack: #lflc Susskind: The enemy who kills you doesn't look like you.

Open source law practice management software products?

stephkimbro: Open source products specifically for law practice management software. What is out there? Would you use open source to run your practice?

• mglickman: @StephKimbro Being a recent Linux convert, I would confidently use open source. Very few types of software I still need Windows (or Mac) for

• paulceaston: @StephKimbro I don't know of any Open Source products specific to law practice mgmt, but plenty of proj. mgmt, CRM, and other handy tools.

• paulceaston: @StephKimbro I would not recommend open source to run a "traditional" law practice. Case management software worth the $$$ IMHO.

• solve360: @StephKimbro it's not open source but secure "project blogs" are a great way to manage work for clients, intro video at http://is.gd/k2XY

• stephkimbro: @paulceaston What if it were open source and you had to option of paying for regular support/maintenance of software or DIY?

• stephkimbro: @mglickman I'm a big fan of open source software as well. Trying to figure out how the software companies make money on it though.

• stephkimbro: RT @econwriter5: New blog post: Understanding Pieces before Understanding Open Source http://gwynnemonahan.wordpress.com/

• mglickman: @StephKimbro OpenSource not always = free as I'm sure you know. Enterprise deployments and support are typically where the cash comes from.

• paulceaston: @StephKimbro I have paid for hosted&supported open source solutions; I just haven't seen any good open source law practice management apps.

• gfiremark: @StephKimbro I'd use open source to do any task in my practice as long as the "cost" in time and learning curve makes sense.

• gfiremark: @StephKimbro I already use open source word processing,email client, browser, etc. Would love an open source practice mgmt / billing app.

• bmcameron: @StephKimbro I'd have no problem with open source LPM tools. love to know if anything is out there

• econwriter5: @StephKimbro If I had a practice, I'd use as much open source as I could to run it. I use as much open source as I can with my company.

Marketing Professionals Forum Tweets

melby_az: This session should be good. ACC Value Challenge. #MPF

• melby_az: Challenge is not to call out the outside counsel. It is also calling first the responsibilities of in-house too. Collaborative change. #MPF

• corporatetool: How about this for a value challenge - align with my level of risk aversion. No goldplating or handwringing. #MPF

• tcorcoran: One #MPF attendee is "holding on until business picks up." Reminds me of the Dad in Pleasantville baffled by change. "Where's my dinner?"

• LarryBodine: Michael Gruskin, GC of GM: Firms are deaf as to how their performance is being received by the client #MPF

• pjfuller: Communication is what's received not what's sent. #MPF

• lancegodard: Will be interesting to see what ppl take away from #ACC #MPF convos - all I see reinforces my view that the billable hour isn't the problem

• melby_az: Atty walked into GM to say "I drive a Focus" Nice but thats a Ford. Oops. Know ur client. #MPF

• LarryBodine: Ex Stanford GC: Most brochures and newsletters go straight into the wastebasket. #MPF

• melby_az: Law firm dissolution numbers for 08 were not out of the norm. Always a few big ones. #MPF

• LarryBodine: Counter-cyclical practices will do well in 2009: bankruptcy, regulatory (in capital mkts), contracts related to govt stimulus #MPF

• melby_az: This recession will change firm econ model. Different than past recessions industry has faced. #MPF

• melby_az: Some things that may change: assoc comp; rethink staffing models; rethink delivery of services model #MPF

• melby_az: Some things that may change: assoc comp; rethink staffing models; rethink delivery of services model #MPF

• melby_az: Firms who make changes could actually come out of recession better than where they were when went in. - Who's going to take advantage? #MPF

Alternative Billing for Family Law Matters?

RebeccaLong: @LegalTweets If anyone can figure out a better billing structure for family law cases other than a billable hour- PLEASE share the idea!

• MelisaLRockhill: @legaltweets flat fee per series of lit mot w/res cl if exceeds x app or stage in lit. u usually know what ur in 4 based on who opp atty is.

• MelisaLRockhill: @legaltweets I did something sim as a cert law clerk who found attys for clnts to supervise what i did.

• SpinDr: @nikiblack On straightforward family law cases we charge a flat fee. Makes life simpler for atty & client. Doesn't work in every situation.

• sShap: @rebeccalong & @nikiblack, you need to talk to my colleague, @marstonesq. Chris has a friend doing alt billing for family law.

• andypmiller: @legaltweets I use flat fee billing in my fam law prac. I also am implement "phase" billing.

Internet-Based Practice Management Solutions

dtoddsmith: just found out his Texas Bar Journal article on internet-based practice management solutions is available at http://is.gd/eEeq

stephkimbro: TX Bar Journal - Internet-Based Practice Management Solutions by @dtoddsmith Mentions @vlotech & @rocketmatter http://tinyurl.com/7n3kcf

TheHRLawyer: @dtoddsmith Really nice article. Congratulations. http://is.gd/eEeq

dtoddsmith: New at TALB: "Internet-Based Practice Management Solutions" (http://is.gd/eGSQ (expand)). @rocketmatter, please forgive the pricing error.

JayFleischman: @nikiblack I use RM - love it. Was a beta tester for Clio, dropped it because their support and feature rollout was sub-par.

timothyevans: @nikiblack I luv @rocketmatter! It's very responsive; most days can't tell it's an online app, esp if use in SSB like me. Great interface.