What to do with Technology and Marketing in Your New Law Practice

Two of the questions I am asked most frequently from lawyers starting new firms are:

• what technology is worth spending money on?
• how do I find my first client?

Recent articles by two of the smarties in law practice management, Dennis Kennedy and Lee Rosen, showcase thoughtful answers to these questions.

Dennis, in his ABA Journal article Teaming Up, Starting Anew, advises new law firms to use technology to cut costs.

[Sidebar, this reminded me of the scene in Moonstruck where Cosmo the plumber explains why he favors only copper pipe:

There are three kinds of pipe. There's aluminum, which is garbage. There's bronze, which is pretty good, unless something goes wrong. And something always goes wrong. Then, there's copper, which is the only pipe I use. It costs money. It costs money because it saves money.

Perhaps admitting that I know the movie Moonstruck by heart is not the high water mark for my testosterone level...]

But I digress.

Dennis goes on to advise that new law practices be technologically prepared to:

• share - printers, files, calendars, etc.
• standardize - computer brands, computing platforms, etc.
• budget realistically - plan to spend equally on hardware, software and services

He also includes a handy 7 point checklist of items to consider at the end of the article. Make sure to head over and check the article out.

Different but equally sound advice comes from Lee Rosen, author of the family law practice management blog Divorce Discourse. Lee, ever the marketer, says:

"The first thing to do, the very first thing, is not to buy something, it’s to sell something. Find a person that needs what you’re offering and get them to buy it."

Lee also offers great guidance on how the new family lawyer can find his/her first client:

• call everyone you know and tell them what you are doing
• repeat

It's a good read for new family lawyers, and, come to think of it, new lawyers in any practice area.

There you have it: technology tips, marketing advice and a quote from a girlie movie.

My work here is done.