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Postali Urges Law Firms to Focus on Website Architecture and Planning

Have you ever clicked a link from an old Tweet or Facebook post, only to have it lead to a broken page? Or gone to a website that didn’t have the page with the info you searched for? Maybe you’ve visited a jumbled website that’s just impossible to navigate? So, frustrated and annoyed, you go back to the Google search page. You, my friend, have been a victim of bad website architecture. 

What is Website Architecture?

Website architecture is how information is organized and prioritized on your website. It’s the hierarchical structure of your website pages, as indicated by internal linking. Your law firm’s site architecture should do two things. First, it should help potential clients easily find the information they’re looking for. Second, it should help search engines better understand your pages. You can think of website structure like a rooted tree graph, where the home page and other high-level content pages sprout branches. Then those branches then link to each other. 

Good website architecture can help potential clients have a better user experience. It also helps you organize and plan for growth, improve your site’s search engine rankings, and sets you apart from other law firm websites. Planning your site architecture means you avoid having a jumbled website, broken links, or duplicate content down the line. It can also save you money in the long run.

Before you do anything related to site architecture, navigation, designing your pages, and other elements of your website, you need to prepare. Sit down, plan out, and really think about what you want from your website. 

Planning Ahead

As you start thinking about your website, ask yourself a few questions. What do you really need and what do you need your future clients to understand about your practice? What kind of content do you want to include? How do you want to guide your clients there? What do you need, at a minimum, to launch your site?

Understanding the information you want to structure helps you plan the layout of your site. But to get started, you’ll want to have at least the following pages:

  • A homepage
  • An about page
  • Content (practice areas, blog, etc.)
  • A contact page
  • A results page

How to Structure Your Site: The Basics

Structuring Your Site

Using the rooted tree graph model, or multi-level numbering in Word, start by listing your top-level pages. Think about the pages you may see on a website’s  top menu bar:

  • Home
  • Practice Areas
  • About
  • Results
  • Contact
  • Blog

Then ask, what subcategories would go under those? Practice Areas might include Personal Injury, Probate and Estate, and Family Law. Personal Injury subcategories might include Car Accidents, Premises Liability, and Workplace Accidents. All of these pages have unique and relevant information that should have their own page.

You don’t want to go too deep into subcategories. A good rule of thumb is for users to get to most of your pages within 3-4 clicks. (Advanced tip: This is called having flat architecture rather than deep architecture.)

Is using Word or writing out a tree graph not for you? There is software out there to help you visualize and create your website’s structure. Common options include Miro, Google Jamboard, and Lucidspark, but any whiteboard app can help you map your website architecture. 

Adding Detail to Structure

After you’ve designed your basic structure and pages, it’s time to add detail. Ask, what is the intent of each page? Generally, each page will have one of three intents:

  • Transactional – You want your visitor to take an action
  • Informational – You want to educate your visitor on something
  • Navigational – You want to guide your visitor somewhere else.

Once you’ve determined the intent of your pages, think about the following:

  • What will the page URL for each page be?
  • What content will be on each page?
  • What SEO terms do you want each page to rank in?
  • How do you want the pages to link?
  • What do you want the top navigation to look like?
  • What do you want your website to look like?
  • Do you want to include an HTML and XML sitemap?

Building a Scalable Website

If this all sounds like a lot of work, it’s because it is. Website architecture is not something you can afford to be careless about. Your website’s architecture is important from a user experience and SEO perspective. Good site architecture can mean the difference between getting a new client lead or having that potential client go somewhere else. But you don’t have to do this alone. 

Postali is a full-service marketing agency that works exclusively with lawyers. They offer a host of products and services spanning website design and Development (including website architecture), SEO, content writing, PPC ads, and social media marketing. They also offer video and photo production, and even direct mail campaigns. While you can choose which services you’d like, they also offer packages to help your firm grow based on your firm’s needs.

Postali prides itself on being an extension of your team to achieve the best possible results for your firm. They strive to always provide services and advice that is in the best interest of your goals, regardless of how much they may benefit. So if you’re looking for a reliable partner in structuring, building, and designing a custom site for your law firm, Postali may be a great fit for you.

Demo Video 

Want to learn more about the importance of a results page, how a page differs from a blog, and advanced tips on website architecture? Watch as Jim Christy, CEO of Postali, chats with Legal Tech Advisor Zack Glaser. They talk about how to plan your website for scalability, usability, and with SEO in mind. Take a look at the video below to check out their discussion!

How to Get It

If you’d like to learn more about Postali and how it can help you scale your website and practice, check out postali.com/lawyerist.

Want to learn even more about Postali? Check out our full review, where you can see a features list, other demo videos, and community comments. Remember that Lawyerist readers get an affinity benefit through the review page.

 

Clio Further Integrates Court Calendaring

Since its acquisition of CalendarRules in 2021, Clio Manage has been increasing its court calendaring functionality. Not only does this make for a cleaner user experience, but Clio is continuing to advance the internal functionality with its Court Rules features.

Clio Enhances Court Rules

Court Rules already has specific calendaring for all 50 states. Additionally, users can add their own rules with custom triggers and actions as needed. Users can easily accomplish this within the Clio Manage app.

As enhancements to the Court Rules functionality, Clio has made it easier to connect a Matter while creating a Rule, find specific triggers, and even set specific times on the calendar, rather than an all-day event. Even better, though, Clio has added the ability to bulk change subsequent events when editing a trigger. This means, if a court date is changed which affects the timing of later events, subsequent events can be easily updated.

Clio Court Rules Demo

Check out the demo video where Gareth, from Clio, walks our legal tech advisor, Zack Glaser, through the recent changes to the Court Rules function.

How to Get It

Ready to learn more? Check out our full review of Clio Manage in our Product Reviews. Here, you can read community comments, compare features, and see other demo videos. If you’re eager to jump in, head to Clio.com and get a free trial or demo.

 

The Law Practice Exchange Helps Lawyers Looking to Grow Through Acquisition

The Law Practice Exchange helps attorneys plan to grow through acquisition. While buying a law firm can seem daunting, Tom Lenfestey, from The Law Practice Exchange, outlines tips to help lawyers find focus and more easily determine the right path for their firm.

The Law Practice Exchange on Buying a Firm

Tom suggests lawyers start by defining their firm’s goals. Is the firm looking to grow its practice areas? Are they simply looking to expand on their current clientele? Maybe they’re looking to expand geographically? Understanding where the firm wants to go will help focus on the right path to get there.

Next, Tom recommends that lawyers answer a few key questions. Is the firm ready for a purchase? Does it have the infrastructure in place to allow for an acquisition? Is it prepared to onboard new hires? Are the leaders personally ready to take on the added responsibility? Thinking through the firm’s current capabilities will help determine the right timing of any deal.

Finally, has the firm, or its principals, thought about financing? According to Tom, even if the practice doesn’t need outside financing, it’s always good to get an idea of the firm’s capabilities. Firms can do this well before the search for another practice begins.

Interview with Tom Lenfestey of The Law Practice Exchange

Take a look at the demo video below to see the entire interview with Tom.

How to Get It

Ready to learn more? Take a look at our full review of The Law Practice Exchange. See more videos, hear from our community, and compare products.

 

MyCase Drive Cuts Through Version Control Confusion

Recently, MyCase has been in the legal technology news for its acquisitions. However, the team has also been hard at work extending the capabilities of their platform from within. MyCase Drive is a perfect example of this. As we’ve noted before, MyCase Drive can alleviate many document management stresses. Specifically, though, it can ease version control woes, and streamline document creation workflow.

MyCase Drive Makes Document Management Easier with Version Control

With many cloud-based providers, the creation->editing->saving->storing pipeline can be a rat’s nest of processes. Documents get lost, incorrect versions get used, and local hard drives get clogged with confusing documents. This frustrates lawyers and paralegals alike.

MyCase solves this issue with MyCase Drive. Not only can users easily drag and drop documents into the cloud storage, but they can also create new documents directly out of the platform. Then, when working on documents, there is no need to download them to the local computer to edit. The Office365 integration allows users to edit the cloud document directly as if it were local.

Additionally, because of the Office365 integration, as documents are edited and saved through MyCase Drive, versions are saved just like they are in Word. So, all users can rest assured that they are working on the current version of the document. Although, they could always go back to previous versions if they want.

Learn more about MyCase Drive version control in the video below.

Demo Video

How to Get It

Ready to learn more? Check out our full review of MyCase. There you will find community reviews, additional demos, features charts, and more. Remember that Lawyerist subscribers get additional discounts through the Affinity Benefits offered by our partners.

LEAP Delivers Fully Integrated Experience with Office365 and Forms

As a hybrid law practice management solution, LEAP Legal Software exists in both the cloud and on a local device. This can certainly be an asset when working with documents. And LEAP definitely takes advantage of this with its document and form creation.

LEAP ships with loads of ready-made court forms, although, potential users will want to check their jurisdiction’s availability. LEAP is constantly adding to its repository. Forms and automated documents can also be created within the LEAP platform. 

LEAP Office365 Integration

Where LEAP shines, however, is in the Office365 integration. When working with forms, or documents in Microsoft Word, an add-in allows users to extend the Word functionality. LEAP users can easily track time within the document, save the file directly to the matter, and more.

Take a look at the video below to learn more about LEAP’s Office365 integration, court forms, and document automation.

Demo Video

How to Get It

Eager to learn more? Check out our full review of LEAP. While you’re there, you can read about more features, user reviews, and compare it to other products. Don’t forget, Lawyerist subscribers get a discounted Affinity Benefit.

TimeSolv Expands Reach with Growing Integrations

TimeSolv provides real, workable integrations with document management, payment, email, and accounting platforms commonly found in legal tech stacks. This time tracking and billing software goes beyond the basics. It offers a host of noteworthy features to seamlessly share data, help improve client experience, easily track matters, and more.

Deep Integrations from TimeSolv

As a timekeeping and billing platform, TimeSolv doesn’t necessarily need to integrate with every piece of software out there. Yet, it still boasts an impressive suite of third-party integrations. On top of that, it allows others to connect to its platform through REST API (a common way of allowing platforms to talk to each other).

TimeSolv Integrations

As shown below, TimeSolv has integrations with document management platforms, online payment software, Office 365 Outlook, and the most common accounting software for lawyers, including QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online.

These integrations allow users to reap the benefits of TimeSolv as a stand-alone legal timekeeping and billing platform without siloing law firm information. Users can still get the benefit of Zero A/R and online payments while using QuickBooks or Xero to manage their accounts payable. They can customize their invoices and set-up follow-up automations while using LexCharge or LawPay to run ePayments. And they can run their communications through Outlook while seamlessly tracking their time for each matter.

More importantly, they can use TimeSolv’s hard-to-find features while managing their firm’s accounting in familiar business accounting software. Firms can track split-billing in TimeSolv while managing payroll taxes in Xero. Firms can credit multiple teammates with file origination while importing business transactions into QuickBooks Online. And they can invoice co-clients with split-invoices while their accountant stays comfortable in a familiar accounting platform.

TimeSolv and QuickBooks Integration

One of the most thoughtful integrations TimeSolv has is with QuickBooks—both online and desktop. The platform offers bi-directional transfer of information (when appropriate) and discrete, specific synching choices. This allows firms to use both platforms in tandem to supplement each other.

Dedicated Sync Tool

First and foremost, TimeSolv manages its QuickBooks sync with a dedicated tool that firms download from their account. This allows for more discretion than the common “sync what the platform thinks is important” approach. Importantly, this tool works for both QuickBooks Online (QBO) and QuickBooks Desktop.

When running a sync, users can choose the direction of the information (from QuickBooks to TimeSolv, or from TimeSolv to QuickBooks), as well as the time period to sync. This means that users are not necessarily “synching all” each time they run the tool. This can allow for cleaner records in QuickBooks and TimeSolv alike.

Bi-Directional Sync

Since QuickBooks and TimeSolv are intended to run in tandem, it is important that much of the information can travel in either direction. Reimbursable expenses can go to TimeSolv from QuickBooks after they are paid, or they can move from TimeSolv to QuickBooks in order to cut the check. This allows users to work out of whichever platform their workflow calls for. The tool also allows for bi-directional sync of Customers and Jobs, Employees, Service Items, and Other Charge Items.

Customers and Jobs

Customers and Jobs in QuickBooks translate directly to Clients and Matters in TimeSolv. This will naturally cut down on double entry of information into both platforms. Enter a Customer into QuickBooks, and simply import the information about that Client directly into TimeSolv. Or, as arguably more important, import information from one platform to another on initial set-up.

On the initial import, the sync tool allows for very specific, granular choices. One can choose to import only active customers into TimeSolv, while determining whether or not to include the contact information (address, phone number, etc.) of those clients. One can even choose whether or not to include the opening balance of that Customer in the sync. 

Although this will save your office from double entry, the real benefit of this bi-directional sync is in the initial set-up. If a firm has been using QuickBooks for a long time all of their efforts to customize the customers and jobs will not be thrown away. On the other hand, if a firm is adding QuickBooks to its tech stack, their TimeSolv Clients and Matters will help them initially set-up QuickBooks.

This is, however, not a process to be taken lightly. Which is why TimeSolv provides a dedicated account representative for the initial sync. It is suggested that users bring their accountant or bookkeeper to this meeting.

Other Bi-Directional Sync

Beyond Customers and Jobs, however, one can sync Employees, Expense Entries, Service Items, and even Other Charge Items. Much like Customer and Jobs, Service Items and Employees will save firms time instead of recreating what was previously done in one platform. Import Service Items in as TimeSolv’s Task Codes, and bring Employees in as Professionals, or even Users.

With Expense Entries and Other Charge Items, though, it becomes clear where QuickBooks and TimeSolv can be used in tandem. One can create Vendor Payments in QuickBooks and bring them into TimeSolv, or make Expense Entries and export them to QuickBooks for payment. Firms can determine which platform  to work out of based on its own workflow.

TimeSolv Training

TimeSolv is not a plug-and-play product that requires no set-up to get started. Frankly, what quality product really is? As such, the team at TimeSolv provides a lot of training for its users. As mentioned above, firms can easily get help from an account representative at initial set-up, or can peruse the TimeSolv knowledge base for instructionals, videos, and demos on a whole host of topics.

TimeSolv Demo

If you’d like to see more about TimeSolv’s QuickBooks integration, take a look at the video below where one of TimeSolv’s QuickBooks gurus walks our Legal Tech Advisor, Zack Glaser through an overview of the sync tool.

How to Get It

Ready to learn more? Head on over to TimeSolv.com to see how their integrations and features like Zero A/R can help your firm. Go ahead and get a demo of your own, and dig into TimeSolv’s advanced features with a free trial.

 

Connecticut Trial Firm Recognized on Inc. 5000 List

Lawyerist Lab Coach and law firm owner, Ryan McKeen, always knew he was building something special at Connecticut Trial Firm. Now, however, he can point to his definitive success. This week, the firm was named to the 2022 Inc. 5000 list of the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. Connecticut Trial Firm ranked 23rd in the legal category and 3,452 overall. The firm showed a 151% three-year growth.  

Lawyerist Lab Coach, Ryan McKeen, Recognized on Inc. 5000 List

Every year, the Inc. 5000 list names the country’s fastest-growing companies. Specifically, they look at a company’s overall three-year growth rate from 2018 through 2021 compared with that of other applicants. Making the list is a distinguished honor.

Ryan McKeen founded the firm with partner Andrew Garza in 2018. “We knew from the start we were building something different—more than a law firm—we wanted to build a robust and successful business.” 

The team did things differently from the start. For example, Ryan documented systems on how to handle and process the mail before they even had a team. He knew one day the firm would be ready to grow. He wanted to make sure he was building the infrastructure that would support those goals.  

“We knew from the start we were building something different—more than a law firm—we wanted to build a robust and successful business.” 

Ryan mckeen

Experiencing 151% growth in a three-year period does not come easy. “Starting any company is incredibly hard. The hours are long and the struggles are endless. It is not for the faint of heart,” said McKeen. “Making this list is recognition of all of those long days, and all of the friends who helped along the way, and all the good we have done over the years. It is meaningful to me.” 

McKeen credits the community he had around him as the biggest contributor to his success. “The lessons we have learned from  others and a relentless focus on implementing those lessons has made all the difference.” 

McKeen Uses His Experience to Coach Other Lawyers  

McKeen uses his winning business philosophy and approach when he coaches lawyers participating in the Lawyerist Lab program. “Lawyers want to hear from other lawyers who have been in the trenches that what they are trying to achieve is possible,” said Lawyerist Lab Lead Coach, Stephanie Everett. “Ryan is a great coach because he is so relatable and willing to share with our community what’s worked and where he wishes he had tried something different. We are so proud of Ryan and his firm’s achievements and know that this is just the first of many accolades they will receive for the great work they are doing.” 

Law firm owners who are interested in hearing more about Ryan’s journey can check out these episodes of The Lawyerist Podcast:

While this latest accolade is a nice acknowledgment of the early success Ryan’s firm has experienced, it is just the beginning. “We feel like we are just hitting our stride as a firm. We expect to double our team’s size in the next twelve months so that we can help more injured people,” said McKeen. “We also expect to open a courtroom and multimedia studio so we can run focus groups, trainings, and events, and expand our ability to educate clients and our community.” The Lawyerist team agrees and can’t wait to watch where the business goes next.   

Buchanan Law Firm Finds Hidden Benefit Beyond Automation with Lawmatics

Like many small law firm owners, Deena Buchanan found her team spending lots of their time sifting through leads for their business—valuable time that could have focused on paying clients. 

The Wrong Clients Were a Bottleneck

At the time, Buchanan Law focused on representing employees who faced discrimination or retaliation from their employers. It’s an area where many people call a law firm feeling mistreated, but only a few of those cases are valid. “For every 100 inquiries we received, only 5-10 of those cases would look like they possibly had legal merit. And, only 2-3 of those would end in an engagement starting. Most people’s claims weren’t ready yet or didn’t meet the legal requirements for a case.” 

In 2020, Deena joined Lawyerist Lab, a business coaching community for solo and small law firms. She knew she needed to improve how she ran her business for everyone’s sake and that higher profits would be a pleasant result. Through her work in Lab, Deena narrowed in on the bottlenecks in her firm and how she could solve them. Client intake was near the top of the list. 

That’s when Deena discovered Lawmatics. Lawmatics’ client relationship management software promised to help Deena’s firm drive efficiency and increase client engagement leading to more revenue. It delivered on that promise—and more. 

Lawmatics Made Qualifying Clients Seamless

Before Lawmatics, Deena’s team would send a Google form to potential clients to collect information. Once submitted, the team would manually review the form to determine if it was complete, resulting in lots of back and forth to gather the information. With the correct information, the team could qualify the client. If they didn’t have a case or needed to wait, the team would write emails from scratch with dozens of variations to explain to the potential client why they couldn’t help them. When Deena met with clients for a consultation, she often realized she was meeting with people she could not help. Her qualification process was failing her. 

“It’s what happens after the form that was the real game-changer.”

Lawmatics allowed her to automate her intake process. She ditched her Google form for an intake form created in the Lawmatics platform. “It’s what happens after the form that was the real game-changer,” said Buchanan. We automated the collection process. The system sent automated reminders to clients to complete missing information. After a few attempts, the system created a task for a team member to call the client and follow up. The team also created templates for the various reasons they couldn’t help clients—no more hand-crafted emails. Now, the team could tag the reason for the rejection and trigger the correct message. 

“What previously took hours could now be accomplished in minutes. More importantly, I became confident in our system. I knew we weren’t losing cases simply because a team member had dropped the ball. I also knew we were meeting our obligations under the Bar’s rules by now having a written record with an email for every lead we rejected.”  

Lawmatics Made It Painless for Clients to Hire Me

The team also built an automated process for collecting a signed engagement letter and any initial payments through Lawmatics. 

“The system just made everything easier.”

Buchanan Law also offers a service where they will review a contract for a fixed fee. They set up a separate sequence in Lawmatics to send out the engagement contract and payment link and collect the information for the contract review. 

“I’d arrive at my desk in the morning with money in my account and everything needed to complete the review. I could just focus on the client work and not the administrative headache that often accompanies it.”

Deena saw that clients realized the difference, too. “We noticed that the number of positive Google reviews went up because clients found working with us was so easy.” 

Lawmatics Offered a Hidden Benefit: Managing Team Members

One thing Deena didn’t expect when she adopted a new tech platform was to help her better manage her team. Once the system is created in the platform, it is easy to assign tasks and responsibilities to team members and also track when and how they are completing them. 

Deena explained that with Lawmatics, she could see when her team was completing tasks and what was taking them longer than it should. It helped her figure out that one of her team members was not in the right role, so the firm made some adjustments. The system gave Deena data that allowed her to manage the team and improve how they helped their clients. 

Getting Started with Lawmatics

Like any new technology platform, Deena cautions lawyers to be patient because it will take time to learn and implement. She advises to start with a clear understanding of the problem you are trying to solve. Then, determine if you are actually telling the system to do that because it sometimes doesn’t match.

“I realized that sometimes I thought I was telling the system to do it one way, but I wasn’t talking to it the right way. Fortunately, Lawmatics has a great team of coaches who would get on with me and help me find the right way to set up the program.” 

Her other advice is to just start by building one thing—what one thing would help your practice the most right now? It’s easy to get excited and want to build out everything at once, but that’s not always feasible. Instead, build the first thing and then expand from there. 

She also noted that you often won’t know exactly what you want it to do until you get a process started. So, it’s best to start with a few simple things and then build more as you figure out what you need. 

Finally, Deena complimented the Lawmatics team for their continuous development efforts. “They are always introducing something new and working to improve the platform.”

 
If you’re interested in seeing how Lawmatics can help your firm, learn more by visiting Lawyerist’s Lawmatics Review. Curious if business coaching could help your firm? Lawyerist Lab offers several options to help every firm no matter what stage of business they are in.

 

Lawyerist Hosts LabCon 2022

LabCon 2022: The Community is What Makes It

In early August, 60 solo and small-firm lawyers and law firm staff gathered to work on their firms at Lawyerist’s annual LabCon unconference in Atlanta, Georgia.

What’s an Unconference?

An unconference works differently than other legal conferences. This isn’t panel discussion and sponsor booths. Instead, LabCon functions as work sessions for lawyers in Lab, Lawyerist’s paid coaching program. It is a mix of conference, summit, retreat, design-thinking workshop, and hackathon.

Over 2.5 days, participants break out into small, coach-led sessions to work on each part of their business. They also use the time to implement the big ideas they get from these sessions.

Conference attendee Matthew Swanlund found LabCon valuable. “I was at times overwhelmed with the knowledge of what I have been missing, but then inspired to learn literally everything I need to know to make my business incredible,” said Matthew. “The guidance and feedback from the other Labsters was invaluable in that regard. “

How LabCon Works

During the conference, breakout sessions were sometimes created on the fly depending on participants’ needs. Sessions included topics like:

More topics covered all parts of a healthy business, including strategy, marketing, client service, finances, teams, and owners

Sessions were separated into stages based on each participant’s current experience and knowledge. For example, finance breakouts included Getting Started with KPIs for finance beginners and Subscription Services for the more advanced owner.

In between sessions, Lawyerist Lab coaches were available to help one-on-one as needed.

Additionally, while legal tech sponsors attended LabCon, those sponsors interacted as participants. There weren’t sponsor booths or overt sales pitches. Each sponsor led a session, made themselves available for one-on-one or group consultations, and often learned from the sessions themselves.

It’s Not All Work (Though Ideas Happen Everywhere)

LabCon also included a healthy amount of fun and giddy laughter. There was a fun contest (always a surprise), an impromptu mini-dance party, yoga, and several opportunities for long walks on the conference center’s trails. Participants also used mealtimes and after-work hours to dig into “hallway ideas”—the type of conversations people have after being inspired by a session. 

There were also opportunities to think outside the box using art and role-playing techniques.

The Community is What Makes It

The lawyers and law firm staff who attended were generous, open-minded, and collaborative. This combination made the energy in the room noticeably bright and compelling. 

“It was such an incredible experience.”

As attendee Jasmine Jowers Prout said, “It was such an incredible experience that I know for a fact moved, helped, and encouraged people because it did all of that to me. Not only did I find solutions or paths forward for my issues, I was able to share my experiences to help others do the same, and that was so rewarding!” LabCon is part of Lawyerist Lab, a coaching program designed to help every aspect of a business run smoothly. Interested in joining us for the next LabCon? Set up a time to chat with Lab Coach Sara about LabCon and our Lab Community.

 

The Lawyerist Podcast Reaches 400 Episodes

Lawyerist Celebrates 400 Podcast Episodes

It’s been almost eight years since the Lawyerist Podcast burst onto the legal podcast scene. The brainchild of Lawyerist founder Sam Glover and co-founder Aaron Street, the Lawyerist Podcast recently celebrated its 400th episode.

The idea was born in a South Minneapolis coffee shop as Serial, NPR’s mega-hit crime podcast, swept the nation. It seemed obvious to both Sam and Aaron this was an opportunity they didn’t want to miss.

“It was a vehicle for my curiosity—about lawyers’ practices, about legal innovation, and about business thinkers,” said Sam. Although he stepped away from Lawyerist in 2020 to pursue other ventures, Sam’s original vision remains intact. “I think it has kept that sense of curiosity and realness and I think that’s why listeners trust The Lawyerist Podcast,” he said.

The Lawyerist Podcast Difference

In the years since, The Lawyerist Podcast has become a leader in legal talk broadcasts. With listeners hailing from over 100 countries, it tops best podcast lists and averages over 40,000 monthly downloads. And, it’s played host to legal minds, business gurus, tech whizzes, and more.

We tackle what it’s like to own a law firm, run a business, be a healthy owner, and a great manager.

Unlike other legal-centered podcasts, the Lawyerist Podcast primarily focuses on how to run a law firm as a successful and healthy business. According to podcast co-host and Lawyerist CEO Stephanie Everett, this is by design.

“Our show is about running your law firm as a business. We really are trying to build a show that applies to all solo and small firm owners. We tackle what it’s like to own a law firm, run a business, be a healthy owner, and a great manager,” she said. “We look for guests who can speak to that and sometimes bring in people from other industries.”

Above all, she further explained, the Lawyerist Podcast is about educating listeners with new concepts. Ultimately, its goal is to help small law firm owners think in new ways and discover how to apply what they learn to their firms.

Continuing the Legacy of the Lawyerist Podcast

Lawyerist always aims to be at the forefront of industry developments to help shepherd small firm lawyers and their businesses to success. “We will continue to want to be on the leading edge of what’s happening. We want our audience to know they can rely on us to understand what changes are happening and their impact,” noted Stephanie.

Topics range from emotional intelligence to real-world business implementation ideas and the nitty-gritty of cutting-edge legal tech. Here are some to note and listen to now:

The Lawyerist team is proud to continue the legacy of the Lawyerist Podcast. And they hope to help guide, educate, and inspire listeners for years to come. Zack Glaser, podcast co-host and Lawyerist Legal Tech Advisor, summed up the sentiment perfectly. “I just really consider myself extremely lucky to get to be a caretaker of this program,” he said. “I look forward to another 400 people—another 400 voices—helping to move our audience forward and be better lawyers and better business owners.”

The Lawyerist Podcast is part of the Legal Talk Network. Listen to new episodes of the Lawyerist Podcast every Thursday at Lawyerist or on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast app.

 

Recession Fears Lead Lawyers to Alternative Careers

Lawyers, worried about how a recession will potentially affect their careers, are starting to explore uncommon options. According to a July 11 poll by Magnify Money, a Lending Tree Company, 70% of Americans believe a recession is coming—most in the next six months. For lawyers, the last recession brought unprecedented layoffs. This leaves many lawyers considering what’s next.

Luckily, changes in the legal landscape provide today’s lawyers with many more options than they had in 2008.

Lawyers Are Striking Out on Their Own For Control and Flexibility 

Some lawyers are leaving their W-2 jobs to launch their own businesses. 

Although hanging a shingle may not seem like a way to protect your career at first glance, it can provide more security depending upon how one builds their firm. Sarah Soucie Eyberg was doing contract work for several firms when the Covid pandemic started. She quickly saw that work disappear and it gave her the push to start her own firm. Soucie Eyberg said, “Now, as the owner of my own firm, I have multiple sources of revenue—which is based on the number of clients on my roster—instead of a single paycheck.”   

I knew the billable hour didn’t work for most of my clients. Now that I have my own firm, I can experiment with different pricing models and find a combination that works for me and my clients.

Brandon Harter

Lawyers running their own business can let their vision and values lead the way. This opens up new opportunities like breaking from the billable hour or offering alternative legal solutions. Brandon Harter recently launched a litigation firm in Pennsylvania because he wanted the flexibility to charge his clients differently. “I knew the billable hour didn’t work for most of my clients. Now that I have my own firm, I can experiment with different pricing models and find a combination that works for me and my clients.” 

In the past, lawyers leaving firms to start their own businesses didn’t have much in the way of help or resources. Today, however, there are more options to learn what law school failed to teach—how to run a business. Online resources like lawyerist.com provide their complete guide series on everything from launching to pricing and hiring. And coaching communities, like Lawyerist Lab, pair lawyers with other firm business owners and professional business coaches.  

Lawyers have new options with the advent of legal adjacent companies. This includes Software-as-a-Service (SAAS) businesses that serve lawyers. Or, an organization trying to make legal services more accessible to the public. The way we deliver legal services is changing, and savvy lawyers can use this to their advantage.

Many legal adjacent companies are looking for lawyers. They can provide insight into how lawyers practice, or even knowledge of a particular legal field. For example, our own Zack Glaser uses his experience running a small law firm to assess legal technology offerings for other small firms. He says, “Understanding the particularities of running a business as a lawyer helps me determine the benefits and detriments of particular products from the standpoint of our readers.” Other lawyers have found success as evangelists for particular software like MyCase or Clio. 

Lawyers joining these companies enjoy many advantages including being able to use their legal degree outside the state where they are admitted. For attorneys ready to move to an area with a lower cost of living, this presents an easier path that doesn’t require another bar admission. Other lawyers may simply enjoy using their knowledge differently from the traditional practice of law. For example, instead of writing briefs or appearing in court, lawyers can help companies develop products that help lawyers work faster and better. Many will enjoy a job that doesn’t depend on churning out a requisite number of billable hours each month. 

Lawyers Find New Opportunities with Freelance  & Contract Work

More attorneys are deciding to forgo traditional jobs and opting for freelance or contract work. Freelance work allows lawyers to practice law and use their training without tying them to a single law firm or employer. Platforms like LAWCLERK make it easy to connect with attorneys looking to hire contract attorneys. Alternatively, legal recruiters can also connect lawyers with short-term and long-term contract work.

Lawyers are choosing the freelance path for the flexibility it offers. Freelancers can pick and choose the jobs they take. Many lawyers appreciate the ability to control their schedule. During Lawyerist Podcast Episode 388, Jason Lawerence explained that working as a freelance attorney through LAWCLERK allowed him to work more hours some weeks and choose to take on less other times.  

I really wanted to orient my life and my practice at that point around freedom. And, I did.

Jason Lawerence

More importantly, for some, they can work many of these jobs from anywhere. Lawerence shared how he escaped a hard Midwest winter and instead spent a month hiking and enjoying the Las Vegas area. Lawyers should keep in mind, however, that with this flexibility comes some uncertainty. Freelance lawyers don’t always know where their next job is coming from, or how long it will be. 

What’s Next

Even if you’re not worried about how a recession could impact your job, lawyers are considering more flexible legal careers. Many attorneys are drawn to these paths because  they want to run a healthier law firm. Others simply want to add a little freedom to their day. Currently, however, what may have seemed a tenuous career path could actually add certainty to your life. Whatever the reason for breaking from the norm, skilled attorneys will happily find many alternatives. Attorneys will benefit from taking the leap intentionally, instead of waiting for a surprise to sneak up on them.

Rocket Matter Makes Signatures Simple for Clients and Attorneys

In today’s tech-focused world, the last thing clients want to do is print, sign, and mail a document. With Rocket Matter, attorneys won’t have to. Quickly and securely request, send, and receive legal documents using Rocket Matter’s new, file-sharing and e-signature service, powered by Imagineshare.

Rocket Matter’s E-Signature Tool Allows Clients to Sign from Anywhere

Rocket Matter makes it easy for lawyers to send documents to clients for their signature—without a third-party application or a client portal. With a few simple clicks, lawyers can simply add the e-signature block to any document inside Rocket Matter. Clients will appreciate that they can sign the document with one easy click without downloading any software. Even better, clients can open and sign the document from their phone, tablet, or desktop.

Because the e-signature feature lives within the Rocket Matter platform, lawyers will appreciate that signed documents automatically live inside the client matter. This eliminates the need to visit outside platforms to find signed documents or import and save them. With Rocket Matter, everything shows up inside the client file—nothing additional for the team to do.

Law firms will appreciate that Rocket Matter’s e-signature tool has all the features one would expect, including the ability to:

  • Batch and send files to one or multiple clients.
  • Add a signature to any Word document or PDF.
  • Provide customized instructions to the recipient for signatures and form fields.
  • Customize new signature templates or use existing ones.

Lawyers Can Rest Easy Knowing Their Data Is Secure

Rocket Matter knows security remains a top priority for lawyers. That’s why Rocket Matter ensures lawyers can request or send files securely through the file sharing platform. Lawyers can share a secure link when providing documents to third-parties. Clients can also use a secure link to upload sensitive documents and information to the law firm. Additionally, lawyers can protect documents with customizable question/answer protections and link expiration dates.

Rocket Matter’s e-signature platform automatically uploads signed documents in the client’s file.
No coding experience is required. Easily add e-signature fields to any Word document or PDF.

Improve Client Service with Rocket Matter

Rocket Matter offers law firms a complete law practice management solution. Firms using Rocket Matter find they can deliver an improved client service and increase revenues by more than 20%. Rocket Matter makes it easy for law firms to go paperless, serve their clients well, gain confidence in their trust accounting, and ultimately make more money.  

In this video, Kelly Nicholson of Rocket Matter walks us through the new e-signature process and how to secure signatures with Rocket Matter. If you’d like to learn more, talk to one of the experts over at Rocket Matter and book a demo of the platform.

 

Sound Like a Pro on Your Next Podcast Guest Appearance

Sound Great as a Podcast Guest

Podcasting has exploded since the start of the pandemic, and the number of podcast listeners increases daily. According to Edison Research, over one-third of Americans now regularly listen to podcasts. With the medium here to stay for the foreseeable future, landing podcast guest interviews will be a part of many law firms’ marketing strategies in 2022 and beyond.

Being a podcast guest can establish subject matter expertise and increase firm exposure. Luckily, it’s easy to build a solid podcasting setup that won’t break the bank.

According to Zack Glaser, Lawyerist Legal Tech Advisor, a wide range of factors can affect audio quality. He offered a few simple suggestions to achieve studio-level sound quality from any home or office.

Equipment Affects Sound Quality

New podcasters often wonder whether the microphone and accessories used to make a difference in sound quality. The answer is yes—experts say equipment matters. However, with countless audio technology options available on the market, the association between cost and quality isn’t always clear.

Zack distilled his knowledge down to a few reasonable options for the average podcaster: “Simple plug-in Apple headphones can produce pretty decent audio quality, and can even sound better than a Blue Yeti or other popular microphones on the market,” he said. For people doing frequent interviews, though, Zack suggested purchasing a more quality setup for a couple hundred dollars.

“Simple plug-in Apple headphones can produce pretty decent audio quality.”

The Lawyerist Podcast team’s equipment list starts with the Shure SM58 microphone with a foam pop-filter microphone sleeve on a simple microphone desk stand. The setup also includes wired Sony headphones for monitoring, and the Scarlett 2i2 Audio interface to monitor and adjust the amount of volume received.

Audio Alternatives for Podcast Guests

While many people already have AirPods or other Bluetooth headphones at their disposal, according to Zack, this option is less than ideal. Bluetooth devices can run out of battery mid-interview or have difficulty syncing.

“If you’re using headphones, opt for corded ones and hold the built-in microphone piece directly in front of your mouth,” he said.

Above all, Zack recommended not using the computer’s built-in microphone, which will cause distant-sounding and echo-filled audio.

Other Considerations

Regardless of the microphone used, it’s important to keep the distance to the microphone in mind when being a podcast guest. Consistent distance during the interview will result in consistent volume.

“You don’t have to be a statue, but don’t move around or pull away from the microphone too much,” stressed Zack. While the post-interview editing team can raise or lower the volume of too quiet or too loud audio, it’s difficult to edit inconsistent volume.

“You don’t have to be a statue.”

While choosing the right audio setup can solve many issues, it can’t solve for nerves. Most microphones, good or bad, will pick up shaky voices. Alleviate pre-show jitters by reviewing talking points and doing a sound-check in advance.

Podcast interviews can be an excellent marketing strategy for solo and small law firms. Thoughtfully selecting and using the right audio equipment will lead to studio-quality sound even from a home or office.

LAWCLERK’s Network Makes Legal Outsourcing Easy

Freelance work has only become more prominent in the United States. Over one-third of the working population freelances. And, freelancers contributed $1.3 trillion in annual earnings to the US economy in 2021. While most freelancers are in the tech world, there are also freelance marketing, consulting, and legal professionals. That’s right—freelance lawyers—and freelance legal networks—like LAWCLERK.

What is a Freelance Lawyer?

Freelance lawyers are those hired by another attorney, either directly or through a platform. They typically complete legal projects by the hour or for a flat fee. Many attorneys freelance to supplement their income or as a full-time career choice. You’ll find freelance attorneys with different backgrounds and areas of expertise.

Freelance lawyers can take on a number of different tasks. But, it’s easier to think of them as remote associates. They can conduct more substantive work, like research, drafting, or document prep. Freelancers can write blog posts, help write a CLE course, or perform more specialized tasks. They could assist with that tricky tax/immigration/administrative/mineral rights case. You could even hire a freelance attorney to go to court on your behalf! 

The Benefits of Freelance Lawyers

If you’re thinking of becoming a freelance attorney, the benefits are obvious. You have more control and flexibility over your schedule. You can say yes to doing only the type of work you like. And, you can work from home.

Hiring a freelance attorney has a lot of benefits as well. A freelance attorney help with overflow work (and allow you to bill for that time). You can also hire a freelance lawyer to free up time in your schedule so you can take on higher-paying projects. Some solo and small firm attorneys have seen over $7000 a month in additional revenue by using freelance lawyers. 

Considerations on Freelancing

So, freelancing sounds pretty good, but there are some considerations to keep in mind:

  • Malpractice Insurance. Does the freelance attorney have it? The hiring attorney should have sufficient insurance to cover a freelancer. And, the freelancer should also have their own to mitigate any potential risk.
  • Skill sets. Especially if you’re hiring a freelance attorney, make sure they have the proper skill set and experience to handle the task. 
  • Ethics Rules. Make sure you know your jurisdiction’s rules on hiring and using freelancers in your practice. There may be rules on advertising your services if you’re regularly using freelancers, multijurisdictional practice of law, or what you need to tell clients.
  • Overhead Costs. Freelancers need a reliable computer and internet connection. The work may require subscriptions to certain legal services or databases. Consider insurance and tax implications. 

Once you decide to hire a freelance attorney, you need to know where to find them. Many freelance attorneys have websites or build up their LinkedIn profiles. Others get work through word-of-mouth and referrals. You can also find freelance attorneys on general freelance job sites. 

Or, you can make it easier on yourself and use a specialized freelance legal network, like LAWCLERK.

LAWCLERK is a revolutionary legal services marketplace created by lawyers for lawyers, developed in response to the changing legal landscape. LAWCLERK helps solos and small firms produce a better product for clients while reducing client costs and increasing profits. 

Additionally, LAWCLERK connects attorneys to help foster a better and more reliable legal freelance network. LAWCLERK vets all attorneys on their platform on a consistent basis so you know you’re hiring someone in good standing. LAWCLERK is free to join for both freelancers and those looking to hire! Hiring attorneys only pay when they have a project or start a subscription.

In the video below, Kristin Tyler, of LAWCLERK, walks us through what it looks like to hire a freelance attorney through their platform. If you’d like to learn more, talk to one of the experts over at LAWCLERK and book a demo of the platform.

Case Status Helps Law Firms Focus on Client Happiness to Increase Net Promoter Scores

If you do not satisfy your clients, your practice will fail. 

This is a hard, but important, truth to learn for both growing and established firms. Satisfied, or better yet, delighted, clients are those who share their experiences with others. They can be your biggest advocates. Similarly, unsatisfied and unhappy clients can leave damaging reviews online and share their negative experience with your firm to anyone who will listen. Which, in turn, can decrease your client net promoter score (NPS).

Delighting clients may seem easy. Yet, in practice, it can be an involved process. Client satisfaction is how clients feel about their entire experience with your firm, from start to finish. It’s on you to make that experience a positive one. Case Status helps your firm use surveys, client net promoter score, and automated updates to do just that.

Satisfying and Delighting Your Clients

So, how do you satisfy and delight your clients? You make their interactions with your law firm positive. Yes, a bit of a nebulous answer, but for a good reason. The approach to delighting clients will differ from firm to firm. But, every firm should have a key aspiration: clear communication with their clients. 

A common complaint from clients is that they don’t know what is happening with their case. Clients will complain, “I don’t know what they’re doing. My attorney isn’t sending me anything back!” They text or call at all hours of the day to get an answer. And, sometimes they have to wait days before getting a response. 

This isn’t because the attorney doesn’t want to respond. Sometimes, there isn’t time or a system for others at the firm to answer the client. Answering basic client case status questions can be a huge time sink for firms. Improving client communication and offering more transparency on case status is an easy way to make your clients happier. This will increase your client NPS and get more time back in your day.

Measuring Client Satisfaction

Making clients happy is important. And, you also want to know what you do to make them unhappy. You can’t improve client satisfaction if you don’t know what you’re doing right and wrong.

Asking clients for feedback is a more qualitative approach to determining client satisfaction.  Some businesses use more quantitative methods to determine client satisfaction. One popular example is the Net Promoter Score (NPS). Designed to measure customer loyalty and satisfaction, this survey asks clients how likely they are to recommend your product or service to others on a scale of 1-10.

All these ways to measure client satisfaction are great, but when do you send out surveys? How long should it be? What sort of questions should you ask?

Using a Software to Help

Client relationship manager software (CRM) can help you improve communication with your clients and gather and measure client satisfaction. A CRM can help streamline marketing, sales, and management for your law firm. If you are already using a law practice management software, you may already have a CRM. However, it likely doesn’t do more than automate administrative tasks and data entry. If you really want to improve client satisfaction and leverage the data, you’ll need something more than a standard CRM. 

Up Client Satisfaction and NPS with Case Status

Case Status is an all-in-one information hub designed for clients to communicate efficiently with your firm, saving you time and helping provide clients peace of mind. Its Client Portal gives your clients real-time information on the status of their case. If we can get real-time status of our Domino’s delivery, why shouldn’t clients have the same with your firm?

Invite Clients to Your Branded Client Portal

Invite clients via text message to download the Case Status app for instant, 24/7 access to their case. Branded with your firm’s logo and colors and available in English or Spanish, the app gives clients a sense of ownership over their matters. Through the app, clients can send you messages, schedule appointments, and view the finer details of their case. This means fewer late night phone calls and text messages from clients, and more time for you.

And if a client doesn’t want to download the app, you can continue to text them via SMS within Case Status. This secure texting platform allows you to maintain attorney-client privilege and text from a business number instead of your personal. 

Improve and Automate Your Client’s Journey

Case Status tracks everything your clients do in the portal and allows your staff to respond, in app or from the web. Case Status also allows mass communication with your clients with a single click. You and your colleagues can leave notes, mark as read, and even set up a daily email digest to alert clients to unread messages. 

You can even automate messages to clients when you update their case. Case Status has many integrations, including Clio, PracticePanther, and Zapier. So, your automations can be truly powerful. This is where Case Status stands out. It takes important but mundane tasks and makes them routine.

Clients often reach out about their case status because they want updates. More importantly, though, they want to know what those updates mean. It’s their matter, and they want to understand and help as much as possible. Many times, clients will ask the same questions that have the same answer. Case Status provides templates that can be sent to clients automatically, based on certain triggers. Those templates walk the client through what the case update means, what will happen next, and what they can do at this stage. It can provide an informative and reassuring experience for clients who just want information.

Messaging through Case Status is secure and encrypted, so you can feel confident in sharing and receiving private client documents. 

Manage Client Satisfaction

Case Status easily helps you measure and leverage client satisfaction. Using NPS questions, Case Status surveys clients throughout their case about how likely they are to refer your firm. This consistent feedback gives you insight into which clients are happy (and may leave a positive review) or unhappy. Then, you can move quickly to remedy dissatisfaction and improve client engagement. 

All feedback is requested through the Case Status app, so clients can answer quickly and honestly in the moment. 

Demo Video 

Jose from Case Status recently gave us a demo from both attorney- and client-side, on mobile and laptop. Take a look at the video below to see a walkthrough Jose provided our Legal Tech Advisor, Zack Glaser. It may be just what you need to increase your firm’s client NPS.

How to Get It

Case Status empowers firms to provide the best client experience and transform client advocacy through access and ownership. If you’d like to learn more about Case Status and how it can help you save time and empower your clients, visit casestatus.com to learn more or schedule a demo.

 

American Legal Technology Awards 2022 Gala Set for October 9, 2022

American Legal Tech Awards 2022 Gala Set for October 9, 2022 at the Clio Cloud Conference in Nashville

The American Legal Technology Awards will hold its first in-person Gala on October 9, 2022, to recognize innovators in the legal industry. In its third year, it’s the first time they will gather together and celebrate the awards and winners. 

Created by Patrick Palace, Cat Moon, and Tom Martin, the awards “hold up examples of excellence in creative innovation and technology in the legal industry for the purposes of 1) expanding our understanding of what is possible, 2) encouraging a virtuous cycle of improvement, and 3) creating a more just society.”

The award recognizes industry innovators in 8 categories: Access to Justice, Startup, Enterprise, Technology, Law Firm, Individual, Court, and Law Department. “We’re really excited to recognize the work that is being done by different people and groups across the industry,” said Tom Martin, awards co-founder. “Their work is inspiring and deserves to be shared with the larger community.”

Some consider it the “Oscars” of the legal tech community (also affectionately known as the Law Prom). Accordingly, organizers hope the awards will encourage and inspire innovations throughout the legal industry.

“We want to bring the community together and celebrate and elevate the winners and the amazing work they are doing with a James-Bond-worthy event,” said event co-founder Patrick Palace. “This won’t be like other industry events. We’re bringing the glamor and glitz, so don’t be afraid to don your fancy shoes!”

 “This won’t be like other industry events. We’re bringing the glamor and glitz, so don’t be afraid to don your fancy shoes!”

-Patrick Palace

A live, online Past Winners Genius Panel will be held on July 28, 2022 for those who missed last year’s event. The group will also host an online State of the Industry Genius Panel in September. Panelists and event sponsors include: Jack Newton, CEO of Clio, Ann Cosimano, General Counsel for ARAG Legal Insurance, Mark Homer, CEO of GNGF, along with representatives of LawPay and MyCase.

A limited quantity of early bird Gala tickets is still available until August 31. The deadline to submit award nominations is July 31, 2022. For more information on the Gala and awards process, visit https://americanlegaltechnology.com/.

 

Lawyerist Lab Lawyers and Coaches Receive Recognitions in the First Half of 2022

The first half of 2022 included several awards, elections, appointments, anniversaries, and more for Lawyerist Lab members, coaches, and alumni. Here are the highlights:

Lawyerist Lab is a coaching program designed for solo and small-firm lawyers to help them build a solid foundation for their business systems.

Omnizant Builds Accessible Websites to Meaningfully Connect with Clients

The internet belongs to everyone, but not everyone enjoys equal access. Web accessibility is a hot topic these days, and for good reason. Over 1 in 4 American adults live with a disability. That’s 61 million Americans living with a mobility, hearing, vision, cognition, or self-care disability. While the ADA has helped those Americans when they’re traveling from place to place or running daily errands, a whopping 98% of the world’s top one million websites don’t offer full accessibility or compliance. That doesn’t even include websites for local businesses, let alone websites in the legal space. 

If your law firm’s website isn’t accessible, not only are you excluding a large population from using your site, you’re also excluding a large population of potential clients. Omnizant can help your firm build meaningfully accessible websites.

What is Accessibility? 

Accessibility is the practice of making your website usable by as many people as possible. Many times, people use the shorthand of “ADA website compliance.” Traditionally, most people think about accessibility as something for those with disabilities only, but accessibility also benefits other groups. For example, those using mobile devices (talk-to-text anyone?), those with slow network connections, or those who are experiencing a situational disability, like only being able to use one hand when carrying a child or having their hands full. 

Web or digital accessibility means that everyone—regardless of ability—can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with information on the internet. It helps provide an equal experience for those with disabilities or impairments, which means a better experience for everyone. 

Why You Want an Accessible Website for Your Firm 

While having an accessible website for your law firm means increasing your potential client base, it can also reflect who you are as a firm. An accessible website can be an extension of your firm’s values. You want to be inclusive and have your website POUR—be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. Building an accessible website means building a great website. When your site POURs, every user benefits. 

Keeping an ADA Compliant Website

Having an accessible site means having a website that is compliant with federal, state, and international laws. For example, the ADA and state laws in California and Colorado all require digital accessibility. Outside of the US, Canada’s Human Rights Act, the European Union Web Accessibility Directive and European Accessibility Act all promote digital accessibility. You don’t have to just follow regulations to build an accessible website. You can follow accessibility principles using W3C or with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.

Easier Maintenance

Another benefit to having an accessible website is that they are often less costly to maintain. Accessible websites typically use cleaner code, which leads to faster load times, fewer errors, and improved search engine results for your site. Having a more streamlined code for your website means maintenance will be more straightforward. Your site can still be dynamic as needed, leading to  fewer chances of your site crashing and a better user experience for everyone.

Examples of Accessibility

While it’s easier to build an accessible website from scratch rather than trying to retrofit an already built site, there are some easy ways you can make your website more accessible:

  • Alternative Text – All your images should include an equivalent alternative text to provide information for the  visually impaired or those who turn off images.
  • Clear, Concise Content – Having clear content laid out logically expands your audience and improves the on-page experience for everyone. This is beneficial for users with cognitive impairments and pretty much everyone else. 
  • Text to Speech (TTS) – Providing an option to have users listen to text, rather than read, is helpful for those with visual impairments, second-language learners who have better listening comprehension, or for multi-taskers. Screen readers are a common example of TTS.
  • Closed Captioning – Often seen as optional, closed captioning is mandatory if you want to create accessible content. Closed captioning is not only useful for those with hearing impairments, but for those who don’t speak the native language of the video.This allows you to reach viewers in a wider variety of environments. For example, ads with captions have an increased video view time of 12%. More importantly, 80% of users react negatively when videos play sound when it’s unexpected. 

Other examples of website accessibility include having good color contrast on your site; having large links, buttons, and controls; and keyboard only navigation. If all of this sounds overwhelming, don’t worry. Many ways of increasing accessibility on websites are intuitive, and something you don’t have to do alone.

How Omnizant can Help

Omnizant is a legal marketing agency focused on developing websites that are fully compliant with WCAG Guidelines, and what people would call ADA website compliance. Your fully compliant website can be built from the ground up, or your current site can be audited to identify areas where accessibility  can be improved. This remediation process and work happens behind the scenes in your site’s code, so the overall aesthetics of your website won’t be affected. 

Additionally, all of Omnizant’s websites, whether custom built or improved-upon, are fully accessible on their own. This means no browser plug-ins or accessibility overlay tools are needed. All Omnizant designers are trained in best practices and every element of your site is evaluated and optimized for accessibility and works with assistive technologies. 

If you’re curious to see how accessible your law firm’s website currently is, Omnizant offers a free consultation or website audit. Reach out to Omnizant to learn more!

Demo Video

Victoria Sileccia, the Chief Marketing Officer at Omnizant, recently had a great discussion about accessibility with our Legal Tech Advisor, Zack Glaser. Take a look at the video below to get some immediate and actionable tips on how to build an accessible website, what POUR and other accessibility principles are, a great blog post from Omnizant on expectations and your law firm’s website, and how to ensure continued ADA and WCAG compliance. 

How to Get It

Omnizant is an award winning legal marketing agency specializing in organic SEO and building dynamic and accessible websites for law firms of all sizes and practice areas. They help attorneys propel their practice by enhancing your image, broadening your reach, and supercharging your operations.

Want to learn more about Omnizant? Check out our full review, where you can see a features list, other demo videos, and community comments. Remember that Lawyerist readers get an affinity benefit through the review page.

 

Lawyerist Media Launches Redesigned Website to Better Help Small Firm Lawyers

Lawyerist Launches Redesigned Website

There’s a new look for Lawyerist. On July 6th, Lawyerist Media launched a completely redesigned version of its popular website, lawyerist.com. In addition to its new look, lawyerist.com offers expanded resources to shepherd lawyers along their healthy firm journey. It also includes new comprehensive guides that pinpoint significant areas of business development, regardless of where firms are on the journey.  

Lawyerist has guided hundreds of small law firms toward a healthier business through free content, resources, and in-depth products and services reviews. With its newly designed and relaunched website, Lawyerist Media continues to position lawyerist.com as the to-go resource for solo and small firm lawyers.  

Doubling Down on Building Healthy Law Firms

The idea of helping law firms build a healthy business is more than just a slogan at Lawyerist. Stephanie Everett, CEO, explains:

“We’re tired of seeing law firm owners suffer because of the broken, traditional law firm model. Our team is on a mission to help lawyers build something different—a business that is client-centered, designed around healthy teams using efficient systems, and is ultimately more profitable. We know lawyers can have what they set out to create—a firm that allows them to spend time with their families, impact their communities, and build for their future.”

The new “Healthy Law Firm” hub lays a clear path for lawyers working toward healthier law firms.

Walk through each step of Lawyerist’s healthy business model, including:


Teaching Law Firm Owners How to Build and Grow Their Business

For years, lawyers have visited Lawyerist Media’s site to learn practical advice to build and grow their business. Lawyerist’s new Complete Guide series will make it even easier for lawyers to find the information they need to begin their healthy firm journey. 

Each guide provides an overview of essential business concepts and easy-to-understand guidance to apply to their business. Everett explains, “We know law school doesn’t teach lawyers how to run a business. These guides will help lawyers understand key business concepts and how they apply to their business.” 

Nine new guides have launched, with plans for more to follow in the future.

Initially, lawyers can access Lawyerist’s Complete Guides to:


The new Complete Guide Series is under Resources at Lawyerist.com. In addition, lawyers can access long-favored tools, including The Small Firm Roadmap book, the Lawyerist Podcast, and the Small Firm ScorecardTM

Lawyers can also turn to Lawyerist Media to find the latest industry, community, and company news in the relaunched News Articles section. And, those who miss the Lawyerist blog will be happy to see it make its comeback.

Lawyerist Media Connects Law Firm Owners With Tools Needed to Run Their Business 

Lawyers ready to build and grow a business know they can’t do it alone. Business owners rely on the right tools and services to help them effectively run their firms. Unfortunately, researching and choosing the right solutions can feel like a second job. So, Lawyerist does the work for you.

Lawyerist Media will continue to ease that burden and make the process easier for law firm owners with an updated Product Reviews section. In this area, firm owners can learn what to look for when choosing products, discover the features that could help them most, and select the best tools for how the lawyer wants to work. 

Software and service providers are now broken down into three easy-to-understand categories:


The Product and Services Reviews section of the website then takes a deeper look at each of the top providers, with detailed service descriptions, editorial reviews, and demo videos. lawyeristbackup.kinsta.cloud is the perfect place for lawyers to start when they are ready to purchase new software and engage a new service provider for their firm.

 

TimeSolv Makes Complex Client Billing Simple

For some attorneys, timekeeping and billing is not complex at all. But those attorneys are few and far between. For the rest of us, time tracking and invoicing can be a complex issue that feels like a slog. TimeSolv’s timekeeping & billing software for legal can simplify some of these processes. Take a look at some of the features TimeSolv has to offer below.

It’s not always easy, or fun, to follow-up on unpaid invoices. Often, we only find out when we go to do more work for our clients. With TimeSolv, you can set-up invoice payment reminders to go out automatically. Move your clients forward with gentle reminders and collect more of your accounts receivable.

Even better than sending invoices and waiting to get paid, however, is autopay. With TimeSolv, you can save your client’s credit card information and they can pay with the click of a button—or, in some cases, automatically. 

Check out the video below to learn about some of the advanced legal billing features TimeSolv has.

TimeSolv Demo Video

How to Get It

Ready to learn more? Check out our full review of TimeSolv. There you will find community reviews, additional demos, features charts, and more. Remember that Lawyerist subscribers get additional discounts through the Affinity Benefits offered by our partners.

 

MyCase Drive Alleviates Document Management Pains

Cloud-based document management generally allows for broader access to your client files. Unfortunately, it can easily make editing and version control much more difficult. With MyCase Drive as your document management platform, your cloud storage appears as a local drive on your computer. This alleviates the need to download a file, make edits, and then upload it to your remote storage again.

Document Management with MyCase

MyCase Drive document management maintains a real-time synchronization between your local and cloud storage. This means that the files will appear in both places the same. Open a word document from your local drive (through MyCase Drive) and you’ll be editing the cloud document directly. When you save, it automatically saves to the cloud.

Additionally, while you are editing the cloud file, no other user can access it. This makes version control much easier, and you’ll always know that everyone worked on the most recent file.

Take a look at the video below to see MyCase Drive document management in action.

Demo Video

How to Get It

Ready to learn more? Check out our full review of MyCase. There you will find community reviews, additional demos, features charts, and more. Remember that Lawyerist subscribers get additional discounts through the Affinity Benefits offered by our partners.