Comment
Falling into glory
Law Management Section chair and Wollen Michelmore managing partner, Chris Hart, looks at forthcoming Section winter events
Features
Made for each other?
Getting and keeping a corporate client is a lot like the dating game – you have to make your choice, get picked, and keep communicating and giving to keep the relationship going. Diana Bentley offers some tips for finding – and keeping – your perfect partner
Private lives
Six months on from the major changes to family legal aid, many firms are still grappling with the move from legal aid to private clients. Helen Broughton explains some of the management and financial challenges, and how to deal with them
Golden Brown
Wosskow Brown managing partner, Ian Brown, on securing new banking facilities worth nearly £2m
Under the microscope
For the busy manager of a law firm, few things cause more upset than the unwelcome news that the Forensic Investigation Unit is planning to visit. So what should you expect if it happens to you? Richard Lane explains
Building blocks
Becoming a partner no longer automatically equals a secure and prosperous career; ongoing work on your own skills is essential to long-term success. Ava Madon looks at three key aspects of personal development
Who you know
Your client information is key to generating new business, but too few law firms harness this information effectively. Sue Bramall explains how to use client relationship management tools – from basic spreadsheets to bespoke solutions – to build your business
Give it to me straight
Andrew Kwan explains how and why his law firm, Manchester-based Clear Law Solicitors, reworded its documents in plain English, and the benefits it has brought the firm and its clients
Knocked sideways
Making lateral hires may seem like a simple way to grow your business, but if you get it wrong – and most firms do – the consequences could be dire. Mark Brandon outlines the pitfalls, and how to avoid them in your firm.
Insider knowledge
Competitive intelligence can help you to avoid surprises, think several moves ahead of your rivals and minimise uncertainty when making business decisions. Graeme Dixon explains how you can set up a competitive intelligence function in your firm
When disaster strikes
The threats from natural or man-made disasters and cyber-hacking make IT disaster recovery planning a critical subject for modern law firms. Matt Rhodes looks at some options for protecting your systems and data
Back to front
Deborah Atkins explains how streamlining back office processes through new technology can free up time for HR staff to focus on attraction and retention, developing fee-earners’ skills and improving client satisfaction
Office politics
Now that legal business has woken up to the need for overarching operations managers in the guise of chief operating officer or operations director, the sector might be ready for even bigger change. Gary Jones explains