Features and Opinion – Page 4
-
FeatureWorking wonders
Healthy working capital is fundamental to the financial success of any business. John Playfair looks at how firms can improve financial stability by taking a proactive approach to managing working capital
-
FeatureIn the Manager's Chair: Spinning plates
Duncan Wood talks to Ann Harrison, chairwoman of Stephensons and member of the Law Management Section committee, about juggling multiple roles, presiding over a period of impressive organic growth, and making plans for the future
-
FeatureA bright future
A range of challenges face partners looking to plan effectively for their retirement in the current volatile marketplace. Mark Waddilove looks at the options, and which to choose at different stages of your retirement planning
-
FeatureAll above board
The SRA Code of Conduct obliges law firms to ensure their fees are transparent to their clients. Firms must not be seen to generate secret profits. Jason Mitchell looks at how to maintain compliance
-
FeatureBig thinking
Big data isn’t about sheer volume of data – it’s about how to use the data available to make effective business-critical decisions. As Charles Christian explains, it can help you to understand your business better, recognise trends and improve performance
-
FeatureThe test of time
Joanne Hunter outlines how making three small changes to how your fee-earners value, manage and record their time could make your firm more than £111,000 extra per year for every one of your fee-earners
-
FeatureTaking shape
Patricia Kinahan and Andrew Allen discuss the relative merits of an LLP and a limited company – or both – as trading structures for law firms, and how to make the best decision for your business
-
FeatureHow do you do?
The Law Management Section’s 2016 Financial Benchmarking Survey suggests a generally positive outlook, but, warns Andy Harris, some firms may be slipping back into bad habits
-
FeatureA flying start
What are your new year’s resolutions for your business in 2016? Top of the list should be analysing and managing profitability, according to John Playfair . He provides his top five tips for improving law firm profits, to ensure you realise your full potential
-
FeatureFund of information
Lending to law firms has changed significantly in recent years, from the old traditional funding market, to a ‘new norm’ with a more sophisticated range of products to suit different parts of the sector. Barry Wilkinson investigates.
-
FeatureEmergency exit
With firms feeling increasingly squeezed from all sides, it may seem tempting to divest yourself of underperforming practice areas. But getting it wrong could just make things worse. Grania Langdon-Down looks at the dos and don’ts
-
-
FeatureKeep in touch
Dan Lancaster explains why switching away from traditional communication systems is key to becoming more competitive, and how you can do it successfully.
-
FeatureFlexible friend
The increased pensions flexibility introduced this April presents new opportunities for law firm owners looking to extract profits from their firms through pensions. Duncan Wilson explains
-
FeatureBalancing the books
In our round-up of recent publications on law firm performance, Barry Wilkinson outlines the findings of a survey on the cause of law firm failures in the US, and Paul Bennett reviews a new title on financial management
-
FeatureReform of financial management regulation
Crispin Passmore explains how the SRA intends to reform how it regulates financial management in response to changes in consumer and market behaviours
-
FeatureAn offer they can’t refuse
Jillian Thomas explains how working with financial planners to offer clients a one-stop-shop for financial and legal advice can build customer loyalty, and help you stand out from the competition
-
FeatureWeights and measures
Key performance indicators are an essential tool to help you understand how your business is performing, and make improvements to everything from profits to client care. Bernard Marr provides a practical guide – and outlines some of the common pitfalls
-
FeatureBench press
Our 2016 Financial Benchmarking Survey is now open for contributions. We asked a law firm partner and a legal consultant why and how they use the survey to support their work
-
FeatureHow can a law firm spread the cost of shareholder exit tax efficiently?
Andy Poole and Nigel Holmes provide an overview of a common issue with the limited company structure and how to overcome it