Comment
An unqualified success
Law Management Section chair Robert Banner rounds up the Section’s annual conference in April
Features
The final countdown
The changes to continuing professional development will be mandatory from 1 November 2016. Nicola Jones and Jane Green-Armytage look at how firms are responding, and the pros and cons of adapting the old regime versus embracing a competency-based approach
First things first
A clear understanding of your firm’s brand – at its simplest, what it sells, to whom, and why – is an essential first step in ensuring you deploy your marketing resource effectively to win the business you want. Ben Kamble explains
Running for my life
Sally Azarmi began training for the London Marathon last year, despite never having run competitively before, and having a painful condition in one leg. And the training taught her more about running her law firm than she ever could have expected
A gentle nudge
Why don’t most compliance programmes work in practice? Because the traditional theory on which they are based doesn’t take into account how people really behave. Barry Vitou looks at what we can learn from a more recent approach: nudge theory
Gunning for success
With a distinguished career as a law firm partner behind him, Darryl Cooke co-founded a law firm, gunnercooke, on an innovative new model. He explains to Duncan Wood how the firm is challenging the way that legal services are delivered
Faking it
‘Fakery’, a form of cyber-fraud based on social engineering, is on the rise, but isn’t covered by cyber-insurance. Stuart Poole-Robb explains why law firms need to have a conversation now with their insurer to mitigate the risks if they fall victim.
The 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
Piece of mind
One simple technique can help lawyers with everything from stress to client care, time management to leadership: mindfulness. Martin Stepek, in conversation with Peter Nicholson, explains how it works, and how he has implemented it in his firm.
Silver service
Clients are rarely able to judge you on how well you know the law, but they can judge you on how well you look after them: your opening hours, how your reception looks, the clarity of your communications. Kerry Underwood offers his tips for top-quality client service
Taking 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
Small wonder
How can smaller law firms compete in today’s challenging market? Focus, innovate, collaborate and dare to be different, according to Edward O’Rourke
The march of progress
Recruiting and retaining the best lawyers and identifying the partners of tomorrow is vital for all legal businesses. Ian Hopkins describes how he approached the issue when he took on the chief executive role in an established firm