time management

Outsource Tasks to Increase Productivity

February 24, 2010

Many attorneys at big firms have the luxury of having a secretary, a paralegal, and other support staff to them through their day. Most solo practitioners are all-in-one shops, and do everything from their own bookkeeping, to mailing motions, and answering phones. If you operate a successful solo firm, outsource some tasks to free up [...]

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Run Meetings Like Google

February 17, 2010

Intra-office meetings are notoriously considered tedious exercises in futility, drags on productivity, and generally annoying. If you are fortunate enough to have input on how meetings are run at your firm, suggest running the next meeting like Google.

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Use a Calendar App to Manage Time in Law School

January 22, 2010

Setting up a calendar and scheduling specific times for all of your in- and out-of-class tasks and appointments is an obvious yet useful way to get the most of the time squeeze that is law school.

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Carefully Track Time

January 19, 2010

Whether you bill clients at an hourly rate or work on cases with attorney fee awards, you need to keep track of your time very carefully. Many firms have established increments for billing time, and some firms have even assigned increments for certain tasks. However you do it, make sure every entry has sufficient detail [...]

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Dual Monitors Do Not Double Productivity

December 31, 2009

This past fall I used two monitors for about two months. At first, I thought it was awesome and would help me organize my screen and my day. After a week or two, however, I felt myself using the second monitor just for the sake of using it. At the end of the day, I [...]

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Make Time for Outlines

December 22, 2009

Considering lawyers tendencies to procrastinate on most tasks, outlines are seemingly never an option. But whether you draft an outline weeks before, or just prior to drafting a memorandum, it is worth your time.

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Make Your Emails More Productive

December 17, 2009

Sending emails probably takes up a decent portion of your day—get the most out of your efforts.
Be concise. There is nothing worse than receiving a four-paragraph email that contains two thoughts and one question that needs a reply. Sending concise emails will generate faster responses (along with guaranteeing the other person will actually respond).

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Tricks for Timeliness

December 10, 2009

Other then a random earthquake, there is no good reason to be late for appointments and meetings. Try a couple of these tips to ensure your timely arrival.

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Stop Bad Work Habits

November 23, 2009

Identifying bad habits and consistently repeating alternative actions can help you break out of bad routines.
The first step to any change is acceptance—recognizing that something needs to be changed. If you are constantly late for work, maybe traffic is not to blame. Consistent procrastination might be the result of laziness, not an abundance of work. [...]

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Bailiffs Packing iPods

November 21, 2009

A new proposal suggests requiring bailiffs to carry iPods or iPhones to make them more productive.
The proposal targets bailiffs because they are one of the few court positions that has not been impacted by new technology. Carrying the device could help in a number of ways, such as: allowing clerks to communicate to bailiffs without [...]

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