Accelerating upwards!
By Gerry Riskin Welcome to our second Edge International Review for 2010. We are so excited to begin with articles by the newest members of our team: Pam Woldow and Doug Richardson (both lawyers and extraordinary senior consultants joining us from Altman Weil) and John Plank (the finest presentation coach to lawyers and TV personalities […]
Implementing Legal Project Management
The rapid emergence of legal project management (LPM) as a powerful new source of energy in the legal profession resembles the discovery of fire. It’s hot, it’s new, and everyone is gathered around, trying to figure out how to put it to best use. Cautious types shrink from picking it up. But first-movers who dare […]
Reflections for Legal Project Managers
In her article on legal project management (LPM) on page 4, Pam Woldow describes the characteristics and benefits of legal project management — what it looks like, how it improves matter management, how it leads to improved metrics and fewer surprises, how it achieves significant efficiencies, and how it fosters more interactive client relationships. At […]
The Art of Engagement
A few months ago, the managing partner of a prestigious law firm asked me this question: “How can I keep my listeners engaged while I’m presenting?” In fact, she’s already a superb presenter — but like all good speakers, she constantly strives to be better. I’d like to share with you the advice I gave […]
Creating a Fast-Track Strategy Toward Your Preferred Future
Urgent and Important: your firm’s future is not waiting for you! It’s marching on, and you need to choose a sensible strategy to guide it. But you can’t wait until it’s convenient or comfortable — or worse, until the conditions are perfect — or it will simply never happen. In this context, procrastination can be […]
General Counsel Quiz
Every day, general counsel rely on metrics and benchmarks to monitor how well their in-house department is doing and whether targets are being met. But how often do they get the chance to test themselves too? If you’re a GC wondering how he or she is doing in this turbulent economy and time of upheaval, […]
Regaining Control of Pricing
In a growth industry, the sellers of services are always in a position of power when setting price. The recession, however, has shifted that balance of power to the benefit of the buyers of legal services. Law firms need to deal with some major pricing issues now or risk never regaining a level playing field […]
Marketing and Branding a Law Firm: The Indian Perspective
Lawyers in India must grapple with regulations that greatly restrict their ability to market their services. Accordingly, business development in India must rely on longstanding marketing and branding principles that also apply equally well to non-Indian lawyers. To appreciate the challenges facing law firm marketers in India today, consider the following March 2010 directive from […]
The Law of the Pencil
There’s an urban myth, thoroughly debunked but instructive nonetheless, involving the Ameri- can and Russian space programs in the 1960s. The legend goes that NASA needed a pen that would write in the vacuum of space, in extreme conditions, without breaking or freezing or otherwise malfunctioning at critical times. Scientists set to work and spent […]