RESOURCES

Whether you are a new or experienced lawyer, if you have management responsibility for your practice, Opening and Managing a Law Practice should prove to be a resource filled with valuable, practical management tools that will help you for many years. Click on any link below to view the contents in PDF format. Each top section contains the entire section.

Cover Letter

Table of Contents

Introduction - About this Book
Who Needs This Book
How To Use This Book - A Cautionary Note
The Texas Center for Legal Ethics and Professionalism
Principal Authors and Editors
Contributors
Acknowledgments

Section 1: Master Blueprint for Opening and Managing a Law Practice

1.1 Master Blueprint for Opening and Managing a Law Practice

Section 2: Before You Get Started

2.1 Are You Ready for the Financial Risks of a New Practice?
2.2 Are You Ready to Run Your Own Practice?
2.3 Assessing Your Time Management Skills
2.4 What is Your Communication Style?
2.5 How to Identify Different Communication Styles and How to Be a More Effective Communicator
2.6 The Right (and Wrong) Reasons to Make Career Changes
2.7 Questions to Ask Before You Change Firms
2.8 Compatibility of Potential Partners
2.9 When to Reevaluate Your Existing Law Practice
2.10 Warning Signs of Emotional Distress
2.11 Warning Signs of Chemical Dependency and Alcoholism

Section 3: Your Law Practice Business Plan

3.1 Choosing a Firm Name
3.2 Types of Legal Fees
3.3 Setting Your Billing Rates
3.4 Initial Budget for A Law Firm
3.5 Identifying Start-up Costs and Funding Sources
3.6 Developing a Law Firm Business Plan
3.7 Basic Strategic Planning Components and Terms
3.8 Establishing Short-term and Long-term Plans
3.9 Ten Essential Elements of Profitability
3.10 Conduct Your Own Management Self-Audit
3.11 Pre-Planning Before a Law Firm Merger

Section 4: Locating Office Space

4.1 Finding the Right Real Estate Broker
4.2 Determining the Proper Size and Amenities for Your Law Office
4.3 Before You Sign an Office Lease -- Some Things to Consider
4.4 How to Calculate Your Costs on a Commercial Lease
4.5 Negotiating the Lease
4.6 Avoiding Office Sharing Risks and Liabilities
4.7 Moving Checklist for Law Firms

Section 5: Setting Up the Legal and Financial Framework

5.1 Finding a CPA
5.2 Business Entities for Law Firms
5.3 Comparison of Business Entities in Texas
5.4 Formation of a Law Firm Entity
5.5 Selecting the Right Accounting and Time & Billing System
5.6 Accounting and Recordkeeping Checklist
5.7 Establishing a Collections Process
5.8 Payroll Process Checklist
5.9 Internal Controls for Your Firm
5.10 Tax Return Due Dates

Section 6: Optimizing Law Firm Personnel

6.1 Law Firm Partnership/Shareholder Agreements
6.2 Law Firm Partner/Shareholder Responsibilities
6.3 Job Description Worksheet
6.4 Sample Employee Manual Table of Contents
6.5 Compensation Policies for Law Firms
6.6 How Much Money Will You Make This Year?
6.7 Revenue Calculation Charts
6.8 How To Compensate Lawyers For Non-Billable Activities
6.9 Retirement Plan/Fringe Benefits For Law Firms
6.10 Initial Interview Guidelines
6.11 What to Consider Before Hiring An Experienced Attorney
6.12 Criteria For Evaluating New Partners
6.13 Improving Employee Productivity
6.14 Guidelines for Working With Legal Assistants
6.15 Code of Ethics for Legal Assistants
6.16 Differences Between Employees and Independent Contractors

Section 7: Law Firm Operations

7.1 Locating the Right Law Firm Operations Consultant
7.2 Law Firm Vendors
7.3 Law Firm Document Templates
7.4 Types of Law Firm Administrative Files
7.5 Insurance Checklist for Law Firms
7.6 Using the Internet to Reduce Library and Other Costs
7.7 Office Furnishings and Supplies
7.8 Should You Lease Office Equipment?

Section 8: Developing a Client Management System

8.1 New Client Procedure
8.2 Client Data Sheet for New Matters
8.3 Contents of Fee Agreement
8.4 Sample Letters Declining Employment
8.5 Sample Completion of Services Letter
8.6 Conflicts of Interest Checklist
8.7 Maintaining and Reporting Proper Trust Accounts
8.8 Establishing a Time and Billing Process/Calendar
8.9 Increase Profitability by Improving Billing and Collection
8.10 How to Create An Effective Format for Your Client Bills
8.11 How to Create Bills That Clients Like to Pay
8.12 Effective File Management Procedures
8.13 Establishing An Effective Docket Control and Scheduling Process
8.14 Client Management Checklist
8.15 How to Add Value to Your Client Service
8.16 Ten Steps For Improving Client Meetings

Section 9: Implementing Technology

9.1 Who Should Be On Your Technology Committee?
9.2 Checklist for Selecting Computers
9.3 Setting Up a Network
9.4 Identifying and Purchasing Software
9.5 Workstation Ghosting
9.6 Checklist for Selecting Office Technology
9.7 Are Your Computers and Data Secure?
9.8 Selecting a Technical Support Vendor

Section 10: Marketing and Media

10.1 The Essential Rules for Getting Clients
10.2 Where to Find New Clients
10.3 Ten Steps to New Clients
10.4 How to Refine Your Client Targeting
10.5 Sample Attorney Marketing Action Plan
10.6 Six Steps to a Successful Marketing Action Plan
10.7 Marketing Activity Checklist
10.8 Using the Media to Enhance Your Practice
10.9 How to Draft Press Releases That Get Published
10.10 How to Distinguish Your Practice From Others
10.11 Web Site Design Agreement Checklist
10.12 How To Have An Effective Web Page
10.13 Ten Irreversible Errors in Web Site Design
10.14 Relative Cost vs. Impact of Advertising Legal Services
10.15 Responding to Requests for Proposals (RFPs)

Section 11: Effective Financial Reporting

11.1 Law Firm Chart of Accounts
11.2 Fee Projections
11.3 Sample Cash Flow Worksheet
11.4 Sample Profit & Loss Statement
11.5 Summary Financial Management Report
11.6 Summary Financial Management Report Sources
11.7 Suggested Law Firm Benchmarks
11.8 You Know Your Practice is Financially Successful When. . .
11.9 You Know Your Practice is in Financial Distress When. . .
11.10 How to Reduce Office Expenses
11.11 Measuring Attorney/ Timekeeper Performance