One of the more dreadful things for a lawyer to discover is that their electronic device — desktop computer, laptop, Blackberry, PDA, portable hard drive or USB flash drive —has gone missing, taking confidential client information with it.

Setting fees for your legal services is a two-fold proposition. It isn’t just learning what the going rate for legal services is, developing a standard or creative pricing strategy and then positioning yourself based upon your experience. It is also confidently being able to convey to the client the value of your services.

Your firm’s values, mission, and differentiation (unique selling proposition, or “USP”) are the foundation of your marketing.

The real definition of marketing is simple: Identify the people most likely to hire you for the work you want to do, communicate with them to let them know who you are, and then develop close relationships with these people to demonstrate how you can help them achieve their goals.

Article only available in French.

Dans l’article qui suit, le spécialiste en cabinets d’avocats Richard Puzo, CPA, passe en revue les principes de base de la budgétisation dans un contexte de pratique juridique et montre comment évaluer les besoins de votre cabinet pour élaborer un plan financier adaptable qui fournira d’excellents résultats.

At the time of writing, I have had my own law firm for 56 days, 13 hours and 22 minutes.

To help you with the ongoing task of financial analysis in your practice, we have provided two sets of financial forms, one for the solo practitioner and the other for the small law firm.

The General Ledger ("GL") is the accounting record in which all non-trust financial transactions are posted and sorted.

What lawyers refer to as trust accounting is not really accounting at all, just bookkeeping - recording the receipt and disbursement of trust money in a journal and posting these transactions to the ledger accounts of the clients or other persons to whom the money belongs.