The Handbook Of Law Firm Mismanagement For The 21st Century

America’s expert on law firm mismanagement is back with a whole new array of humorous committee meetings, memos, speeches, and consultants’ reports that present lawyers acting not like sharks, but rather floundering in a sea of dilemmas. The lawyers at the fictitious firm Fairweather, Winters & Sommers consider the advantages of merging and going virtual, bicker over a firm web site, and in front of a morning talk-show audience, try to understand economics, and scramble to figure out what to do when a big corporate client gets caught being unusually unethical. A sports-mogul client argues for drafting law-school graduates as if they were athletes, and a look into the future finds lawyers trolling outer space for new business. As ever, the firm’s founder, Stanley Fairweather, gets the last, wise word. Imagination and humor drive this law firm send-up, which turns a dull topic into hilarious farce and entertains lawyers while showing them the error of their ways.

“Mitch Kowalski has translated his considerable understanding of tomorrow’s legal profession into an original, provocative and entertaining narrative.” —Professor Richard Susskind, author of The End of Lawyers? “This is the most innovative law practice management book I’ve ever seen. Mitch has deftly combined an engaging novel about the lives of working lawyers with an illuminating treatise on how law firms must respond to extraordinary change in the legal marketplace. Avoiding Extinction is as entertaining as it is instructive -- and it couldn’t be more timely.” —Jordan Furlong, Partner, Edge International “This is a must read for managing partners, and for all lawyers under the age of 50. Written as a parable, once you pick it up it’s difficult to put down. And it literally screams relevance to the lives of those lawyers today who worry about the sustainability of the current model of legal practice. Big firm or small. City or rural – no matter, this book is for you. Can the law be both a profession and a business? Is it possible to escape the tyranny of the billable hour? Is it realistic to imagine being a truly happy lawyer in private practice in the twenty-first century? You bet – and Mitch Kowalski shows us how! —Ian Holloway QC, Dean of Law, The University of Calgary “Avoiding Extinction is the most original, far-thinking and innovative book on transforming the way that law is practised that I have ever read. Mitch has taken the traditional law firm and turned it upside down. In the process he has reworked the law firm model and given us an insight into how a firm could be structured and run. If you are looking for a creative vision into what a new, truly different law firm could look like, then this book is manna from heaven.” —David J. Bilinsky, Practice Management Advisor, lawyer and writer on law practice management and technology. Creator of the law blog, Thoughtful Legal Management.

As the legal landscape becomes increasingly competitive, it is clear that law firms do not always do enough to remain at the top of their game. Firms that have embraced the challenges presented by increased competition are undeniably in a better position than those that have not.This title aims to help partners understand what they can - and what they should not - do to chart the course of their firm most effectively, and covers current topics such as digitalisation and the emergence of new competitors from outside the market. Keeping abreast of market developments is an essential part of law firm management and this edition focuses on helping partners, and their teams, to develop the right strategy.The second edition of this practical title in Globe Law and Business's series on the business of law offers up new ways to think about strategy and how to explore it in the context of a partnership. It includes contributions from leading academics, consultants and law firm partners who share their insights and experience in strategy development and management.Whether you are a managing partner of a small, medium or large law firm, this book offers a variety of viewpoints in a comprehensive single volume. As well as partners and their teams, it will also prove useful for consultants and academics in developing research in this important area.

This book presents an invaluable collection of essays by eminent scholars from a wide variety of disciplines on the main issues currently confronting legal professions across the world. It does this through a comparative analysis of the data provided by the reports on 46 countries in its companion volume: Lawyers in 21st-Century Societies: Vol. 1: National Reports (Hart 2020). Together these volumes build on the seminal collection Lawyers in Society (Abel and Lewis 1988a; 1988b; 1989). The period since 1988 has seen an acceleration and intensification of the global socio-economic, cultural and political developments that in the 1980s were challenging traditional professional forms. Together with the striking transformation of the world order as a result of the fall of the Soviet bloc, neo-liberalism, globalisation, the financialisation of capitalism, technological innovations, and the changing demography of lawyers, these developments underscored the need for a new, comparative exploration of the legal professional field. This volume deepens the insights in volume 1, with chapters on legal professions in Africa, Latin America, the Islamic world, emerging economies, and former communist regimes. It also addresses theoretical questions, including the sociology of lawyers and other professions (medicine, accountancy), state production, the rule of law, regional bodies, large law firms, access to justice, technology, casualisation, cause lawyering, diversity (gender, race, and masculinity), corruption, ethics regulation, and legal education. Together with volume 1, it will inform and challenge conceptions of the contemporary profession, and stimulate and support further research.

"This book presents an invaluable collection of essays by eminent scholars from a wide variety of disciplines on the main issues currently confronting legal professions across the world. It does this through a comparative analysis of the data provided by the reports on 46 countries in its companion volume: Lawyers in 21st-Century Societies: Vol. 1: National Reports (Hart 2020). Together these volumes build on the seminal collection Lawyers in Society (Abel and Lewis 1988a; 1988b; 1989). The period since 1988 has seen an acceleration and intensification of the global socio-economic, cultural and political developments that in the 1980s were challenging traditional professional forms. Together with the striking transformation of the world order as a result of the fall of the Soviet bloc, neo-liberalism, globalisation, the financialisation of capitalism, technological innovations, and the changing demography of lawyers, these developments underscored the need for a new, comparative exploration of the legal professional field. This volume deepens the insights in volume 1, with chapters on legal professions in Africa, Latin America, the Islamic world, emerging economies, and former communist regimes. It also addresses theoretical questions, including the sociology of lawyers and other professions (medicine, accountancy), state production, the rule of law, regional bodies, large law firms, access to justice, technology, casualisation, cause lawyering, diversity (gender, race, and masculinity), corruption, ethics regulation, and legal education. Together with volume 1, it will inform and challenge conceptions of the contemporary profession, and stimulate and support further research."--

Learn how to cost-effectively get new clients... ...without being looked upon as an ambulance chaser In How to Build Your Law Practice with a Book, legaland publishing experts Kenneth L. Hardison and Adam D. Witty provide a powerhouse of advice for attorneys eager to attract clients and gain a reputation as an authority in their area. They identify 21 key reasons that authoring a book can propel a lawyer to the top, including growth of credibility and recognition, publicity for years to come, and constant generation of new leads. With a book, a lawyer can become a trusted speaker and media source whose range of influence will far outpace the competition. This is an essential guide for attorneys who want to grow their law practice.

Hon Russell Fox argues that the existing common law procedural system is not equal to the demands of the coming century. Beginning with a thoroughly researched analysis of the large scale dissatisfaction with and disaffection from the present day courts, this book proposes means for approaching Justice in the Twenty-First Century. This book is essential reading for all lawyers, judges, politicians and citizens interested in the question of remedying the significant problems plaguing the current system for the provision of justice in Australia, England and the United States. Foreword provided by the Rt Hon Lord Irvine of Lairg, the Lord Chancellor of Great Britain.

Recognized and respected for its cutting-edge material and strategic approach, MANAGERS AND THE LEGAL ENVIRONMENT: STRATEGIES FOR THE 21ST CENTURY, Sixth Edition, is one of the most comprehensive, challenging, and understandable texts on legal environments available. Its in-depth coverage illustrates how the law impacts daily management decisions and business strategies, including how managers use the law to minimize risk and create value; craft solutions to attain core business objectives; spot legal issues before they become problems; and effectively handle the inevitable legal disputes that arise in the course of doing business. Skillfully integrating law with management from the perspectives of current and future business managers, MANAGERS AND THE LEGAL ENVIRONMENT: STRATEGIES FOR THE 21ST CENTURY, Sixth Edition, is equally suitable for students with substantial work experience, as well as those studying business for the first time. Important Notice: Media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the ebook version.