The Modern Firm, LLC

Attorneys are widely perceived as successful in life and many would affirm their satisfaction with their careers. But lawyers who can claim they “couldn’t be happier” are rare, and far more common are those who don’t take time to consider how making changes might yield greater satisfaction.

Some of you may remember the movie, City Slickers, starring Billy Crystal. He plays a radio ad salesperson who is going through a rough stage in his career. Like most, he complains to himself and others about his predicament, but unlike most, he is given a chance to reflect upon where he is in his career and where he’d like to go. The opportunity presents itself when he is asked by his son to talk to his elementary school class about his career. He begins his speech by saying, “value this time in your life. This is the time in your life when (more…)

One of the most commonly asked questions regarding our Law Firm Merchant Account service pertains to the rules surrounding trust accounts. The rules and requirements vary state by state, so you should check with your local bar to determine which of the following scenarios will work for you.

Scenario 1:

Tie the trust account directly to the merchant account and have discount fees withdrawn in a separate transaction.

With this configuration the entire deposit will be placed into the trust account. A separate transaction will withdraw the discount/processing fee from the trust account. Often the merchant can configure the (more…)

Law firms of every size and discipline face growing exposures with respect to breaches in their computer security and information systems, with increasingly sophisticated attacks occurring more frequently. Due to rapidly changing policy coverages and premium in this area, it is important that you frequently review your firm’s exposures and options for handling them. And just because you don’t handle web-based transactions it doesn’t mean you are insulated from a problem. Certainly, if your firm keeps records or information on-line or stored locally on hard-drives, (more…)

Several weeks ago a friend, the executive director of an organization, confessed that his office is a disaster. Professional journals pile up, phone messages are unanswered. Projects remain half completed. The in-box has become a storage box. Every meeting ends with additional paper and tasks to complete. E-mails arrive fast and furious begging for immediate response. He stated that he used to be very organized and had a handle on everything. Now, things seem to be overwhelming, spinning out of control. He wonders, “Is this just me?” and asks if I have seen this before with other professionals whom I coach. (more…)

There is a common misconception in a large segment of the legal profession that marketing equates to advertising and spending a lot of money. That couldn’t be more wrong. Marketing in law firms is all about sweating the details. The details cost you a little extra time and attention, but can deliver big dividends to your firm down the road. It is the best way to differentiate your firm from others.

Most important for every law firm are your relationships with clients. It’s the trust your clients develop in you, your knowledge of their business and industry, your responsiveness, anticipation of client needs, and, of course, the results you deliver. (more…)