Law Practice Management Calendar/Scheduling Management & Personnel Issues

1. Law Practice Management Calendar/Scheduling Management&Personnel Issues By: Christina Benitez & Alesha Smith

2. Scheduling/Calendar Management Outdated method: paper calendar to manage appointments

3. Modern Calendar Management: Most efficient modern method = electronic calendars

4. Electronic Calendar Options: • Can go the basic route of iCal, Google Calendar, or Microsoft Outlook • However since lawyers at firms have very busy schedules with multiple events going on at a time law practice management software where you can have “firm wide calendaring ” is a MUST have • Great programs that can sync to Outlook

5. Examples of Programs Available: • Rocket Matter • Offers individual and firm wide calendaring, to do and task tracking matter management, conflict tracking • Cost is cheaper the more users you have ($49.99 a month for 2-6 users; $39.99 a month for 7-20 users) • Amicus Attorney • Offers calendaring, universal communication, to do lists, deadline management • Small firm edition is $499 (needs annual tech support) • Practice Master • Offers firm wide calendaring, conflict checking, document management, common task templates, and emails • Basic version is $150 for first user and only $50 per additional user

6. Electronic Scheduling Benefits: • Easy to use (just type your appointments in) • Can block off time (lets your secretary know you cannot be scheduled for anything during that time) • Allows for easy synchronization among multiple users • Calendar is viewable to multiple parties at the firm • Promotes cohesion and organization • Efficient scheduling because secretaries are able to see the availability of all the attorneys at the firm

7. Electronic Scheduling Benefits: • Integrated calendar can be used to schedule: • Appointments (both professional and personal) • Court appearances (hearings, pre-trial conf., motions) • Depositions • Client meetings/conferences • Allows for “alerts”/reminders of important meetings/events • Electronic calendar very conducive to the active, often hectic attorney lifestyle • Can be accessed remotely where ever you are on your computer, I-phone, I-pad, etc

8. Personnel Issues

9. Develop a Personnel Manual • So our legal assistants will know what we are expecting of them • We can cover potential conflicts which causes the employee to be further away from home

10. How to Develop a Manual • Create our own manual • Copy the manual of another law firm • Buy a manual from the ABA • Buy a CD with sample policies from LOMAS

11. Solution to Losing Personnel • Let them work from home • They can be hooked up to the network and working from home • Necessary equipment: • Desk • Chair • Computer - laptop may be easier • Web cam • Skype capability • Phone - home/cell • Small copier and scanner • Computer desk area at the office • Commute to office when necessary

12. Hire a Virtual Assistant • Can be located anywhere in the world

13. Top 5 Reasons to Hire a Virtual Assistant • We only pay for what you need • No extra office space or equipment is needed • They can provide much needed support • We can tap into current marketing for the firm • We can get strategy’s

14. What Can a Virtual Assistant Do for Us? Anything and everything we want them to do

15. How do we Find a Virtual Assistant? • Word of mouth and recommendation is the best referral • Request For Proposal (RFP) form where we can outline the services you are looking for and our request will be distributed to all member VA's • Those who provide that service and are available will contact us