Many managers strive to improve their management and leadership skills, seeking out advice and education from other managers and professionals. One valuable, but often overlooked resource in the pursuit of improved management abilities is the perspective of those you manage or lead. If your employees were to rate you as a manager, how would you… Read More »
Management & HR
Building a Socially Responsible Law Firm
Tell a room full of people at a cocktail party you’re building a socially responsible law firm and you’re likely to be met with a few jokes. Typically, “law firms” aren’t synonymous with “social responsibility,” but more and more firms are making social consciousness part of their mission. Use these tips to help your firm… Read More »
5 Tips to Help You Effectively Manage a New Legal Support Team
Managing a new legal team can be an exciting time. Whether a new legal support team has just been formed, or you are a new leader stepping in to manage an existing team, there are several things you need to do immediately in order to set up that team for success. Use these five tips… Read More »
How to Build and Nurture These FOUR Key Relationships in Your Career
When it comes to building a successful career in the legal field, it’s often who you know can make a real difference. While you should always be focused on building your skills, you should also focus on building relationships. No one ever achieves their career goals alone, so if you have ambitions beyond where you… Read More »
10 Commonly Misused Legal Terms to Avoid
Precision is critical when it comes to legal writing – a single misused word could potentially negate an entire contract – so it is important that legal support professionals study up on commonly misused legal terms. Here are ten examples of terms that are often misused and tips for avoiding incorrect usage in the future.… Read More »
How to Write a Great Letter of Reference for a Legal Support Professional
“Will you write me a letter of recommendation?” It’s hard to say no to this request. Being asked to write a reference letter or a recommendation letter for another professional is a demonstration of that person’s trust in you and your judgment. It’s also a chance to share your candid opinion and endorsement of a… Read More »
How to Be Accountable as a Legal Team Leader
As a manager, you already understand the value of accountability. Without a result to answer for, team members are often “adrift,” focusing their energies on the wrong priorities and producing substandard results. Accountability is important for legal team leaders, as well – but you may not have someone watching you as closely as you watch… Read More »
The #1 Reasons Employees Quit (And What You Can Do About It)
The number one reason why people leave their jobs is no secret. The mantra, “people don’t leave jobs, they leave managers” has been a standard for decades. Even so, companies that struggle with turnover often fail to address management issues that cost them talent. If your legal department consistently loses talented support staff, use these… Read More »
How to Build a Highly Impactful Team
Recruiting the right people for your team is only the first step in team building. Once you have the skilled and focused staff you need, it’s time to work on building the connections among them, so they can pool their abilities for the greatest impact. Here’s how department leaders and team heads can encourage and… Read More »
Emotional Intelligence: How to Identify It in Legal Professionals
Legal professionals are “smart.” That’s the common perception of lawyers and legal support professionals, and it’s also a common feature in the profession: those who work on legal issues tend to be analytical, focused and persuasive. The popular emphasis on cognitive intelligence, however, tends to overlook an equally important form of “smarts”: emotional intelligence. Here,… Read More »