Ed Poll – LawBiz

Pension Obligations in Firms For years we have heard the warnings about impending doom for the Social Security system, as the number of retirees receiving benefits continues to increase and the number of workers available…more

The Disparity in Attorney Fees The Wall Street Journal, perhaps reflecting the concerns of its corporate readership, continues to emphasize what it considers to be the overpaid lawyers at the pinnacle of the profession. In…more

Changing Jobs is on the Rise A fellow blogger, Mimi Donaldson, recently cited an interesting statistic. With the national unemployment rate at 9% it's hard to believe that anyone is willingly changing jobs. However, a…more

"Change is Natural and Good" A good friend, Mimi Donaldson (author of the book Necessary Roughness: New Rules for the Contact Sport of Life) recently wrote a blog post on the topic of organizational change. To quote her:…more

The Disappearance of Spring Bonuses In a recent column we discussed the plight of associates at larger law firms, where the ranks of entry level lawyers have shrunk by as much as half since 2008 while compensation has…more

Ethically You Can Retain a Collection Agency A new opinion by the New Jersey State Bar's Advisory Committee on Professional Ethics raises a major alarm bell for any lawyer who has trouble collecting money from a current…more

Clients Value Their Privacy I do not provide references because my clients value their privacy and time, as do I. After practicing law for 25 years, I am thoroughly imbued with the concept of confidentiality, and I take it…more

Stress, the "Silent Killer" Dr. Oz, the popular television medic, recently said that high blood pressure is the "silent killer." Stress, he said, is one of the major causes of high blood pressure. Lawyers I talk with almost…more

Engage an Executive Director In 1995, the U.S. Government recognized my service mark, The Business of Law®. At that time, no one used the word "business" in the same sentence as "profession" when talking about the law…more

I can attest from personal experience that interest in the sale of law practices continues strong and unabated. This may reflect continued economic stress, the aging of the profession or simply greater desire to look for greener…more

Real marketing is an affirmative effort. All of us "sell" all the time. Marketing/selling is both conscious and unconscious. When we make it conscious, as a means of creating an unconscious connection with potential…more

Collecting Receivables The financial lifeblood of any law firm is receivables - the bills that firms send out to and collect from clients for work done. In addition to the traditional challenge of collecting…more

Intense Competition Among Associates Back in the good old days of 2006 and 2007, when the competition was intense among big law firms to hire new associates out of top law schools at salaries of $160,000 and more, it…more

Get Recognized! Some months ago, when I was attending a conference, another attendee who I did not know introduced himself and addressed me by name. I asked how he knew who I was and he replied, "I get your weekly…more

When is a Lawyer Subject to Disbarment? Disbarment - being stripped of one's license to practice law - is the most severe professional penalty a lawyer can receive. Rule of Professional Conduct 8.5 states that a…more