Tag Archives: associates

the fog of the numbers

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Norman Clark

Earlier this week, I had the privilege of teaching an advanced course in Law Practice Management as part of the LL.M. program in Law and Management of the INIDEM Business Law School.  INIDEM is an international institution based in Panama, which … Continue reading →

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American legal education and non-renewed dog licenses

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Norman Clark

When I earned my J.D. degree 40 years ago this month, I felt that I was fully ready to argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court. But I did not know the first practical thing about drafting a simple … Continue reading →

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zombie hours

Posted on April 29, 2013 by Norman Clark

When a law firm faces severe challenges to its profitability, sooner or later someone will say, “We just need more billable hours.” This often results in the promulgation of minimum billable-hours requirements for lawyers and other fee earners, often accompanies … Continue reading →

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Carrots and sticks in a post-merger law firm

Posted on March 4, 2013 by Norman Clark

Today’s on-line edition of The Lawyer leads with an article about concerns about individual partner performance at Norton Rose. In brief, the management has sent letters warning under-performing partners that they are at risk of being sacked or demoted on … Continue reading →

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An investment mentality: one of the toughest challenges for traditional law firms

Posted on January 14, 2013 by Norman Clark

Why are so many partners unwilling to make important investments in the long-term success of their firms, especially in strategy, quality assurance, or business skills development for associates? This question highlights one of the most important challenges for law firms … Continue reading →

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Survival skills: rethinking the role of law firm partners

Posted on December 28, 2012 by Norman Clark

This is the fourth of a series of posts about eight business skills that will be essential for the continued success of most law firms in 2013 and beyond. Designing and managing alternative fee agreements to remain competitive and profitable Strengthening … Continue reading →

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8 survival skills for 2013… and beyond

Posted on December 18, 2012 by Norman Clark

This is the first of a series of  nine posts that highlight management skills that law firms will need to ensure sustained financial performance through the rest of this decade. We call them survival skills for 2013 because firms that do not … Continue reading →

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Tempus fugit, or why lawyers don’t record time

Posted on December 10, 2012 by Norman Clark

Research conducted by Walker Clark LLC suggests that, at a conservative minimum, 10% of all billable work performed by lawyers in law firms never is recorded. Never recorded, these hours are never billed.  Never billed, the value of this time … Continue reading →

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How law firms lose money without noticing it

Posted on December 4, 2012 by Norman Clark

Of all of the work that your law firm does for clients, for how much of it do you actually get paid? More importantly, what are the reasons why you don’t get paid and what can you do about them? … Continue reading →

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Paper or people?

Posted on November 21, 2012 by Norman Clark

Many law firms like to trumpet that “people are our most important asset.” But they spend more on paper than on developing the talents of their associates. This short-sighted thinking is especially prevalent in the most overlooked area of professional … Continue reading →

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