2007 Tip of the Week Archive

For the Week Beginning December 31, 2007
Need New Office Furniture?
January and February are traditionally good months to purchase office furniture.
If starting up, to save on initial overhead, purchase the minimum amount of furniture
possible. Work with key items for a couple of months to let your office shake out, then
make decisions on additional items.

For the Week Beginning December 24, 2007
Making a Plan to a Successful You
The new year is just around the corner and we all make the resolution to strive for personal growth and self-empowerment. At times we "talk" about the goals we would like to achieve but what about putting those plans into fruition. The following plan will help you on your way to making 2008 a successful year:

-Write down your vision statement and prioritize your values. It is very important that you have reviewed your statement and know that you will agree to take this plan with your highest values intended.
-Know how to express your vision statement. For example, lecturing law students in a particular area of law.
-Strategizing the steps you need to take to further your action plan (i.e. meditation, networking, skills-assessment, external support, value clarification, inner guidance).
-List both the external and internal obstacles that may hinder you from taking action.
-Write the risks you perceive exist for actions you contemplate taking. Also, ask yourself what the benefits are and what those risks cost.
-Set a time sequence for yourself for your actions to begin.

After you have made your action plan, sign it as a personal commitment to yourself. After all, making plans and setting goals are critical steps in designing an achievable future.

For the Week Beginning December 17, 2007
Keep the Work Moving
Reserving five to ten minutes every day to spend with your secretary and/or legal assistant can assure that the work keeps moving. Try scheduling the first ten minutes every day or the last ten minutes of every day to be accessible to your support staff. This should be time for them to ask YOU questions, not for you to delegate more work to them.

If you do this on a regular basis they can have a list of questions ready for you to discuss, and it will help them complete the assignments you have given them. Be brief, really keep it to no more than ten minutes, remember there will be another 10-minute meeting reserved just for them to ask questions - tomorrow.

We often find that the work the attorney has delegated to their support staff with the impression that it will be taken care of - starts to back up at the secretary's or legal assistant's desk because work coming from you is a non-stop stream, the staff is often pressed to work on what they can finish that day. Any thus - the stack on the side is growing steadily and developing into a situation of crisis management.

Remember - 10 minutes a day keep the problems away!

For the Week Beginning December 10, 2007
FREE, FREE, FREE!!!
There are countless sites on the web where you can get free software, internet access, email, computers, etc. Obviously, there are some drawbacks as we all can agree that nothing is totally free! In most cases you must agree to a long-term contract with an Internet Service Provider, agree to view advertisements or simply give demographic information. Listed below are a few sites where you can find "free stuff."

Free Computers
www.free-pc.com
www.freemac.com

Free Internet Access and Email
www.netzero.com
www.juno.com
www.hotmail.com
www.email.com
my.yahoo.com

Free Software/Shareware
www.shareware.com
www.download.com

Free Stuff
www.free.com
www.free-stuff.com
www.100percentfreestuff.com

For the Week Beginning December 3, 2007
"Buyer's Remorse" and Your Clients
Buyer's remorse is not limited to the purchases of consumer electronics and automobiles. Many clients also experience second thoughts about the lawyer they just hired. To reassure your new clients that they have made the right choice, immediately show a little extra client care. Send each new client a brief thank you letter with a "gift." The "gift" could be a recent copy of your firm newsletter, a recent topical article you authored, a business card that lists an unpublished telephone number for the client to reach you in an emergency, or a book related to their legal issues, showing you care about them as a client. (You get the idea.) Then follow-up with a personal telephone call several days later to let your client know you have begun work on the matter; let your client know it is a no-charge call. This immediate special attention helps to retain clients and build positive long-term relationships.

For the Week Beginning November 27, 2007
Taking Better Photographs
This isn't a practice tip; it's a tip to practice. If your Thanksgiving photos disappointed in any way, here are 10 tips to help improve your "photojournalism" skills in time for the upcoming celebrations. Capturing our family celebrations with memorable photos (works for both digital and film) is paramount.

To see examples of each of the tips below, visit www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=317&pq-locale=en_US

1. Look your subject in the eye
2. Use a plain background
3. Use flash outdoors
4. Move in close
5. Move it from the middle
6. Lock the focus
7. Know your flash's range
8. Watch the light
9. Take some vertical pictures
10. Be a picture director

For the Week Beginning November 19, 2007
Cost Cutting After Retiring/Closing Your Practice
You might be able to save a bit of money by reducing your professional liability coverage to "extended reporting" coverage upon retiring from your practice and/or closing down your office. This removes coverage for "continuing acts" and thereby reduces your cost while still providing insurance coverage on a claims-made policy. Check with your professional liability carrier if retirement or closure is on your horizon.

For the Week Beginning November 12, 2007
Take Your Backups Off-Site!!!
If you are storing your computer backup data in a "fire safe" common in retail stores, you are not necessarily safe. Great, you have in place a system for backing up your electronic files and you are on a rotation schedule for multiple copies but you leave the office every night and the backup files stay there. Most models of portable fire safes will only protect the contents for about an hour at temperatures sometimes below what occurs during a fire. And some don't protect against moisture damage. Think about what happens when the water from your sprinkler system or firemen's hoses hits that heat and flame Poof, steam. Don't forget that moisture along with intense heat will cause havoc with your storage media. Take your backups off-site!

For the Week Beginning November 5, 2007
Blackberry for Smaller Firms
Research In Motion Ltd. (www.rim.net) has introduced software that allows smaller businesses to use its BlackBerry phones with their corporate e-mail systems. The program can accommodate as many as 30 users.

The software starts at $499 per company, and Research In Motion will initially give away the cheapest versions for free to businesses that buy five new BlackBerrys.

For the Week Beginning October 29, 2007
A Tip About the Recent Postal Rate Increase that Every Small Firm Lawyer Should Read
Have you looked at your postage expenditures lately? If you are a small firm lawyer without a staff person who keeps track of such things. We've all dealt with postal increases before, but this one is different. The previous ones primarily only changed the rates, but this one deals with shapes and thicknesses. If you don't pay attention, you could see your mailing costs go way up! You may need to trade in your #10 envelopes for 6" X 9" envelopes.

For the Week Beginning October 22, 2007
Prepare your digital life for disaster
Expanding on last week's tip, the ever present threat of natural disasters continue to bring home the fragility of our lives and property. Evacuations don't give you the time to ponder everything worth saving. Certainly your life and those of your loved ones come first. Beyond that, what can you feasibly take with you when disaster closes in?

Some of the most useful things you can save are records and information. They can include anything from financial records to photos. But there's not enough time to organize these things if you have to evacuate suddenly. In the digital age, it's wise to keep backups. Important data should be in one place, ready to go.

If you have a desktop, you'll need a backup medium you can pack. One of the most mobile is a thumb drive. You can get a gigabyte-capacity thumb drive for under $200. Or 512 MB drives run well under $100. Many also provide rebates. Be sure to look for encryption features.

Of course, thumb drives are nowhere near as large as hard drives. So only the most important documents will make the cut.

Good candidates include birth certificates, titles and deeds, and tax records. Other valuable scans include insurance policies, bank statements and medical records. Some documents are best kept on traditional media. So paper will still be a part of your evacuation packing. Most important, keep these documents in a small, portable package.

Thumb drives are also handy for digital photos, which can be irreplaceable. Along with personal photos, take photos of your household possessions. Keep them with a spreadsheet of purchase dates and prices.

If you need more room for photos, you could burn CDs. But that would make your emergency packing more cumbersome. Another option is to back up photos onto the Web. Kodak EasyShare, Yahoo! Photos and Snapfish provide photo storage for a yearly fee.

Want to take everything on your computer? Back up your desktop to an external hard drive. It won't be as mobile as a thumb drive, but it can still pack easily into a suitcase or backpack.

Brands include Maxtor, Western Digital and Seagate. You can set up automatic backups of the entire contents of your computer. Then your external drive is always ready to go. You should be able to get an 80 GB drive for $100 to $150.

This week's tip is courtesy of WestStar Radio Network's Kim Komando

For the Week Beginning October 15, 2007
Back Up Your Network!
We have watched it happen over the years - Mother Nature ripping through law offices, causing a great deal of business interruption. This is another very good reason to back up your network; it is an important aspect of disaster planning. Backing up your firm's computers should be part of your office's daily (or at least weekly) routine, whether you use a tape drive, zip drive, or on-line service. It is important to store the backup offsite, otherwise, you're defeating the purpose of backing up your computers.

For the Week Beginning October 8, 2007
Cross-Training Can Solve Temporary Staff Shortages
Cross-training support staff can reduce the stress level when you need to fill a temporary vacancy on your staff.

Start by having everyone establish a 'position' description (checklist of all tasks performed at each desk). Encourage each person to 'help out' in a different area on a regular basis (half a day every week, until they are familiar with the responsibilities of each area of the organization).

The checklists will serve as a reference source. This way, when a team member is out, another can fill in more easily to assure continuation of the workflow at minimum interruption.

For the Week Beginning October 1, 2007
Air Travel Made Easier
Many attorneys spend a great deal of time flying, be it for business or pleasure. Traveling to depositions, client meetings, and vacation destinations has become much more difficult, if not unreliable. With the holidays looming and more folks flying for business and pleasure, here are a few helpful tips from industry experts to assist you when you fly:

Book the first flight of the day. If flights are cancelled, you have a better chance of obtaining standby seats on succeeding flights.
Think alternate airports and cities. Some major cities have several airports or another airport in a nearby city; if your flight is cancelled, immediately check for availability to another airport.
Paper tickets are your friend when it comes to delays and cancellations. Electronic tickets actually diminish your options if there are any flight irregularities. Paper tickets are negotiable documents and therefore will be honored by other airlines. If there is a delay or cancellation, e-ticket holders must wait in line to get a paper ticket, while paper ticket holders may already be booking the last available seats on another airline.
Find out the number of the aircraft that is assigned to your flight - this is different from the flight number. If your flight is delayed, contact the airline and ask for the status of that aircraft by number. The aircraft assigned to the flight may be stuck elsewhere, so you can attempt to determine whether to try to make alternate travel arrangements or wait for the aircraft.
Know your travel rights. In the event of any flight irregularity of any kind, except weather, you have certain rights (in industry jargon this is known as Rule 240), including being booked on another airline or given overnight accommodations. However, the terms and conditions vary by airline. Most airlines will help you find another flight on another airline and endorse your ticket over to that new carrier; some will provide accommodations and even meals. What you get depends on the rule of that airline. Rule 240 should be available for review upon request at all airport ticket counters. It is also available at http://airtravel.about.com/cs/delays/a/rule240.htm.
Carry the 800 number of your airline or travel agent. If you have to wait in line at the airport, you can always try to make alternate arrangements via your cell phone.

For the Week Beginning September 24, 2007
It's Not too Early to Prepare for Winter or Other Emergencies
Have you ever been unable to get to your office in a snowstorm or other emergency? How can you contact your clients, opposing counsel or the court to postpone important events? Keep a list of all office and home phone numbers of clients and opposing counsel. Bring home an updated hard copy of the list--or e-mail it to yourself--every few months. In case of an emergency, such as sickness, injury, storm or damage to your office--and it happens way more than we think--you will have a way to contact clients and other attorneys to inform them of the situation. Be sure to keep your client list in a confidential and secure location.

For the Week Beginning September 17, 2007
If your practice budget runs on a 12/31 basis, it is not too early to begin mapping out next year's budget. Here are some easy steps to follow:
1. Look at last year's financial statements.
2. Look at the bottom line.
3. Change the bottom line to where you want it (need for it) to be twelve months from now.
4. Look at your last year's expenses line by line and see how each item will change over the next twelve months - based on what you have to do to reach the new bottom line.
5. Look at your revenue. See by how much it will have to change to reach the new bottom line.
6. Make plans to increase your income (Review your marketing strategies, review your existing client and case base, review your intake procedures, review your billing procedures, review your collection procedures and document the nexessary changes that have to happen in order to reach the new bottom line).
7. Prepare a time-line for implementing necessary changes.
8. Establish a schedule for regular budget/actual reviews (i.e. quarterly).
9. Take corrective action when necessary.

For the Week Beginning September 10, 2007
Have you heard about "ICE"
ICE stands for In Case of Emergency. If you become incapacitated, emergency responders may check your cell phone to see if you have an ICE listing. If you put a period in front (as in .ICE) it will be positioned at the top of the list of contacts. You can also have a "Call If Found" entry with your landline number in case you lose your phone and some honest person finds it.

For the Week Beginning September 3, 2007
Head off Accounts Receivables Woes...
Establishing clear communication with your client about your billing processes before you send out the first bill may reduce accounts receivable woes down the road.

For the Week Beginning August 27, 2007
"Do Not Fax" Proposed Regulations Changes
Since 1991, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act has prohibited businesses from sending "junk faxes," but FCC rules implementing the law included an "existing business relationship" (EBR) exemption that allows, for example, associations to send commercial faxes to their members. In 2003, the FCC issued a rule eliminating the EBR exemption and created the written consent requirement.

The pending bill does impose new rules on firms sending commercial faxes, however. For the first time, all such faxes must have a "conspicuous" notice on the first page explaining how the recipient can opt out of future faxes. Currently, there is no "official" wording for the conspicuous notice. However, the opt-out mechanism must be available 24/7 and pose no cost to the recipient. In addition, after the date the law is enacted, firms must obtain fax numbers either from the recipient or from a public source to which the recipient gave the number for publication (e.g., web site or directory). The FCC will issue rules implementing the new law. Until then, firms are encouraged to add an opt-out message on fax advertisements immediately.
You can read more about S.714 at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:s.00714:

For the Week Beginning August 20, 2007
A New Problem for Nissan Owners
Do You Have a Late Model Nissan? Intelligent keys are part and parcel of many new model cars. Many times they make life a little easier, but the smart keys for the new Nissan Altima have had just the opposite effect. If your smart key is right next to your cell phone and the phone rings, the I-key can be permanently disabled. There is no way to fix it, and these I-keys cost about $400 to replace. Nissan has included I-key malfunctions under the factory warranty so if you have been affected by this, call the dealer you bought the car from. This problem could cause missed court appearances and client meetings.

For the Week Beginning August 13, 2007
Redefine Yourself!
Learn how to meet and greet people and not turn them away by how you introduce yourself. If you immediately say "I'm a labor lawyer," few people will ever think to themselves that they will need your services. At that point you may have lost the opportunity to market yourself for any other purpose. Create a five second introduction to repeat when meeting new people (i.e. potential new clients). It should be natural and informative, such as "I am a problem-solver for small businesses" or "I help families plan for their financial future." Try it!

For the week beginning August 6, 2007
Not so Fast with those Scanned Hard Copies!!
If you employ the use of a scanner to scan all documents into digital files, it is still a good idea not to throw out any physical copies right away. This is especially true if the document is being scanned as a word processing document and not an image. In order to scan a physical document into a word processing document that can be manipulated, OCR (Optical Character Recognition) software will be used. OCR software "reads" the text from these documents and puts it into a word processing format. The trouble is that OCR is not perfect and does make some mistakes. It's important to at least keep the original document to compare the OCR document to so that you can correct any mistakes that the OCR software may have made.

For the Week Beginning July 30, 2007
Signing Adobe Documents
Many courts are accepting e-filing and many lawyers are now "signing" pleadings without physically signing them. Adobe's Rick Borstein has a very helpful post on how to build a transparent signature stamp in Adobe Acrobat at http://blogs.adobe.com/acrolaw/2007/02/creating_a_tran_1.html#more. The signature with transparent background is much more appealing on a document than one with a white background. He also adds a reminder that you can "add simple usage restriction security to prevent copying the signature from the document."

For the Week Beginning July 18, 2007
Confidentiality and the Fax Machine
Confidentiality is a big issue when sending faxes to your client. When a client gives you his or her fax number, determine right then how the client receives faxes. Is it a neighbor's fax machine; a common fax machine in an office; or a personal computer accessible to several people? Make a note by the fax number whether the fax machine is reasonably confidential or whether the client must be called first in order to stand by the fax machine to receive the fax. You may want to modify your client intake form to include this information.

For the Week Beginning July 16, 2007
Are You Having Fun Yet???
It's often said that one of the most difficult things about the private practice of law is the number of hours most lawyers work. Television series depicting the lives of lawyers don't show the long hours spent reading opinions and transcripts. The rest of your life suffers when you work too much. The summer will soon be winding down and if you haven't had any time off, figure out how you can take at least a long weekend to do something fun. We can all benefit from thinking and reading about maintaining better life balance. If you could use a bit of help, consider borrowing The Lawyer's Guide to Balancing Life and Work or the CEO of You from our Resource Library.

For the Week Beginning July 9, 2007
Make a Good First Impression
How you introduce yourself can make a big difference in your business development efforts. Learn how to meet and greet people and not turn them away by how you introduce yourself. If you immediately say "I'm a labor lawyer," few people will ever think to themselves that they will need your services. At that point you may have lost the opportunity to market yourself for any other purpose. Create a five second introduction to repeat when meeting new people (i.e. potential clients). It should be natural and informative, such as "I am a problem solver for small businesses" or "I help families plan for their financial future."

For the Week Beginning July 2, 2007
Discussing Fee Issues with Your Client
It is best to discuss fee issues with the client more than once. Remember that clients are often under considerable stress (from their legal problems) the first time they visit a lawyer. Your explanation of your fees and costs may be a model of clarity, but it may not sink in. Give your explanation in writing as well as verbally. If a lot of money is at stake (in the eyes of the client), allow the client time to think it over before committing to your fees. Clients who 'buy in' to a fee agreement are more likely to abide by it. Then take the initiative to periodically discuss the amount of fees throughout your representation. If at any given point the fee does not comport with the client's expectations, resolve the situation as soon as possible - don't let it fester until the attorney/client relationship is irreparably damaged. To protect yourself, always use an engagement letter with fee details clearly explained.

For the Week Beginning June 25, 2007
Lawyering and the "Graying of America"
If you notice that your client base is inching toward the "Golden Years," they'll really appreciate your increasing the font size on your wills, trusts, cover letters and other documents. Even a small change can evoke appreciation for many years to come.

For the Week Beginning June 18, 2007
Get A Buddy
For coverage in the event of a disaster or to simply have someone to commiserate with, choose a reliable lawyer buddy.

For the Week Beginning June 11, 2007
Protect Your Technology
Use passwords. Get up to the minute anti-virus software and set up firewalls. Learn about hoaxes and don't forget to BACK UP EVERY DAY!!!

For the Week Beginning June 4, 2007
Use a Practice (Case) Management Software Program
You are "dead in the water" without these robust, money-making, time-saving programs. You'll need to shop for the best fit and get appropriate training. Also, using a case management program might save on your professional liability premium.

For the Week Beginning May 28, 2007
Develop a Technology Plan (and Budget)
Plan annually for hardware, software and training expenditures. Make sure you are not stingy with your training dollars. It will pay off!!!

For the Week Beginning May 21, 2007
Know What To Do With Your Trust Account
Get a copy of the Trust Accounting Booklet from your Law Practice Management Program. Don't send in your dues payments drawn on your Trust Account!!!

For the Week Beginning May 14, 2007
Understand the Bar Rules
Well - OK, at least read them! The Bar's Directory and Handbook contains the Bar Rules and a whole lot more. Don't overlook the Directory. You can also find the rules online at www.gabar.org.

For the Week Beginning May 7, 2007
Use Legal-Specific Technology
Don't waste time and money on products that are not designed for law offices like yours. Shop for the right solutions first. If you need help deciding what might be best for you, contact Natalie Kelly at 404-527-8770 or natalie@gabar.org.

For the Week Beginning April 30, 2007
Deal with Staff Problems Quickly
Address dissatisfaction and poor performance immediately. Provide regular and appropriate feedback on delegated tasks. Always remember that exemplary staff do not always start out that way. Many, many staff problems can be headed off by implementing and enforcing a policy and procedures manual. If you'd like a sample manual, give us a call at 404-527-8772 or contact Kim Henry at kim@gabar.org.

For the Week Beginning April 23, 2007
Reward Staff Appropriately
Praise staff for jobs well done and be flexible when personal issues arise. Retain good staff by providing useful benefits.

For the Week Beginning April 16, 2007
Staff Your Small Law Office
Do not assume you cannot afford staff. Administrative work can take up time that you could be billing at higher lawyer rates.

For the Week Beginning April 9, 2007
Smart Phones Get Smarter
With big screens, QWERTY keyboards and fast 'net connections, sleek phones are packing PC-like power. If you're looking for a new phone, call or write us (404-527-8772 or kim@gabar.org) and we'll send you an article to help you choose the right one.

For the Week Beginning April 2, 2007
Send Your Clients Detailed Bills
Good bill formats include detailed descriptions of all work and shows write-offs and discounts. Give the clients a sample copy of your bill along with your fee agreement. We have a great book in our Resource Library entitled "How to Draft Bills Clients Rush to Pay." If you'd like to borrow a copy, contact Kim Henry at kim@gabar.org or 404-527-8772.

For the Week Beginning March 26, 2007
Measure Your Clients' Satisfaction
Use a Client Satisfaction Survey to determine how your clients feel about your service. Attempt to fix any legitimate wrongs they find with your firm's service. If you'd like a sample Client Satisfaction Questionnaire, please contact Kim Henry at 404-527-8772 or kim@gabar.org.

For the Week Beginning March 19, 2007
Keep the Cash Flowing
You can set up a merchant account and accept credit card payments for your services. Most attorneys select either Visa, MasterCard or American Express, or all three. Make sure you understand the cost associated with this method of payment.

For the Week Beginning March 12, 2007
Help Clients Build Their Files
Give a copy of all documents in the file to the client. Give clients an expandable file with your firm's contact information attached.

Remember, files belong to clients!

For the Week Beginning March 5, 2007
Return Telephone Calls Promptly
Avoid this #1 complaint from clients and return their calls on the same day or early the next day. If you are somehow prevented from doing this, have someone in your office phone the client to let them know when you will telephone them back.

For the Week Beginning February 26, 2007
Use Non-Engagement Letters
If you decline a case, send a letter explaining why and note additional actions that need to be taken. This will eliminate the possibility of client misunderstanding.

For the Week Beginning February 19, 2007
Put ALL Fee Agreements in Writing
Make sure all the details regarding your services and the client's obligation to pay are in writing and signed by all parties. If you're currently not using fee agreements and need a sample, please contact Kim Henry at kim@gabar.org or 404-527-8772. We can mail, fax or e-mail the material to you.

For the Week Beginning February 12, 2007
Discuss Fees and Charges Up Front
Give clients a price range with higher estimates for handling their cases. Discuss the difference between fees and costs, and give an estimate on how long the work will take.

For the Week Beginning February 5, 2007
Charge for the Initial Consultation
Demonstrate to clients the value of time. Deduct the charge from the first bill if retained. This process can "weed out lawyer shoppers."

For the Week Beginning January 29, 2007
Be Prepared for Initial Consultations
(For the next several weeks, we'll be reiterating tips for relationship building
between you and your new clients.)
Review prospective client information before the first meeting with the potential client.

For the Week Beginning January 22, 2007
Checked Your Malpractice Carrier's Rating Lately?
Attorneys, be sure you know the financial strength and size of your malpractice insurance carrier. If you are carrying $10M of coverage and your carrier only has $10M of assets, you could be flirting with danger. Give them a call and ask about their current assets and reserves. (It wouldn't hurt to do this twice a year.)

For the Week Beginning January 15, 2007
Buying an Existing Practice
If you're considering purchasing an existing practice, investigate it just as you would a startup. Ask yourself:

Do I have experience or interest in this type of law?
Will I enjoy running a larger practice six months or six years from now?
Do I have the finances to buy the practice and keep it operational?

Then ask these types of questions:

What's its history over the past five years?
Have revenues been increasing or decreasing?
Why are the practitioner/partners selling?

If no major roadblocks exist after the initial investigation, you're ready to establish a fair purchase price. A common formula combines the market value of hard assets, any liabilities and the goodwill value of the business.

When you and the seller come close to agreeing on a price, get the professionals involved. An accountant experienced in buying and selling businesses should thoroughly review the business' financial picture of the past five years and help you negotiate the final purchase price. Also have an attorney (other than yourself) prepare (or review) a purchase offer and the final sales contract.

For the Week Beginning January 8, 2007
Retrieving Deleted E-mail in Outlook
Did you know you can retrieve emails that have been deleted from the "Deleted Items" folder.
This is an easy process:

Select the "Deleted Items" folder in Microsoft Outlook
Select the "Tools" menu
Select "Recover Deleted Items"
In the new window select the emails you want to recover.
Select the yellow envelope on the top of the window.
The emails you selected will now be available in your "Deleted Items" folder.

Email will be retrievable this way up to 90 days after being removed out of the "Deleted Items" folder.

For the Week Beginning January 1, 2007
Giving Thanks for E-Mail (as posted on our friend, Jim Calloway's
blog December 29, 2006)
"It is the season of giving thanks in the U.S. While I have many things to be thankful for, including great friends and my family, none of those make for a good Law Practice Tips blog post.

So let me pick an unlikely candidate for my thanks and choose an application you may have already cursed at least once this week. Yes, let's give thanks for e-mail. (I can hear the rumblings now from those dealing with overflowing inboxes, balky spam filters and clients who are calling saying "Why didn't you return my e-mail from half an hour ago?")

Let's give thanks for universal e-mail. You youngsters may not remember the days when AOL e-mail meant only to other AOL users and you could not e-mail those on CompuServ. Just remain quiet while we old-timers raise a toast to FidoNet.

I am thankful that e-mail lets me easily stay in contact with good friends in places like Toronto, Canada or Washington, D.C. or Montgomery, AL at essentially no cost. It may be difficult to build a relationship just with e-mail, but you can nourish one with it.

I am thankful I no longer have to deal with envelopes, postage and, sometimes, Federal Express to send a paper or presentation materials across the country.

I am thankful that people who are inclined to share their wisdom with me can easily do so, by clicking "attach file" and send, instead of having to decide if it is worth the trouble to mail me a copy.

I am thankful for electronic mailing lists that allow me to tap the collective wisdom of many others. (And I'm really thankful for my GMail account to manage my electronic mailing lists.)

So, even though we hate spam, mysterious attachments we can't or shouldn't open, e-mail from people who obviously have too much time on their hands and getting a joke for the 15th time via e-mail, we CAN be thankful for this simple business tool."