We learned all the hobbies, we baked all the breads, we watched all the Netflix – but even with all that, 16 months is a long time to be cooped up. As the world begins to reopen, we’re all eager shake off this cabin fever. For lawyers, however, being away from the office can be a little more complicated than other professions. Whether you’re planning an actual getaway or just taking some time off to unplug and relax, you’ll want...
As most lawyers know, a court bond is a tool to ensure a party will fulfill their responsibilities as ordered by law. Probate attorneys, for example, must often post a bond on behalf of an executor, administrator or conservator of an estate. However, the need for a bond also arises in a wide variety of other matters, such as appeals, injunctions, TROs, replevin actions and more. HISTORY OF SURETY BONDS Although the seemingly modern concept of surety bonds has definitely increased...
If the last year has taught us anything, it’s to expect the unexpected. Just in Oklahoma, the past several months have been a wild ride when it comes to weather-related phenomena. Ice storms, snowstorms, late-season tornadoes – we’ve seen it all over the last six months. Plus, our regular tornado season and our roller-coaster spring weather is just around the corner. Disasters aren’t limited to weather-related events, however. Fires, plumbing floods, even burglaries can happen at any time and can...
This resource has been written by guest author Jeff Yenzer, SPHR. He has been working within the fields of human resources and personnel management for 20 years, operating in the Oklahoma City metro and working with several industries across Oklahoma and other states. After serving as an in-house HR professional for several years, he founded Yenzer Consulting Services LLC, where he provides outsourced advisement and solutions as a strategic business partner to organizations of every size. No matter the reason...
Co-written by Phil Fraim and Zindaba Tembo FROM DIVERSITY TO A DIVERSE TEAM Phil Fraim, President and CEO The topic of diversity and inclusion is an important one. However, it is also one that people have heard so many presentations about and been involved in so many educational or training sessions on that they have become weary or desensitized. That is not to infer this is a reasonable reaction, or even understandable. Rather, merely an observation based on statements some have made. Someone...
A lot of what lawyers write is for other lawyers – briefs, emails and letters all be intended for someone also in the practice of law. There are times, however, when what you write may be intended for nonlawyers. Whether composing social media posts, writing a blog post or even just creating or updating text on your firm website, below are tips to make your writing as layman friendly as possible. 1. Avoid acronyms and abbreviations. Imagine your physician explaining test...
It’s no secret, every business needs a website. If you have the budget, an easy option is for someone else to build it. If you have an even bigger budget, hiring a company to build and manage it is even easier. However, if you don’t have the budget for either of those, you can build one yourself. Building your own website sounds a little daunting, but thankfully lots of platforms offer an easy setup that lets you get a site...
Our world, especially as it relates to marketing and communicating, is a visual one now. Whether on a website or on your firm’s social media accounts, photos are vital, so below are some tips to help you make the most of the ones you use. USING A PHOTOGRAPHER If you don’t have updated headshots and group portraits, ask friends and family for professional photographer recommendations. Because most photographers do on-site photo shoots, you can also ask them to shoot a few...
Did you know that 45% of the total world population uses social media? It’s a great way for law firms to both attract new clients and retain current clients. But that doesn’t mean you should have a presence on every platform available to you. In fact, it’s better to select a couple of platforms and put more energy and effort there, rather than spread yourself too thin in order to have a presence on all of them. Four of the...
As a lawyer in a solo or small firm, you wear many hats. You’re an entrepreneur through and through – often creating a business from the ground up, soliciting work, marketing your services, managing accounting… oh, and actually doing the legal work, too. Marketing is one area that can overwhelm people who aren’t trained in it, especially as it’s continued to increase in complexity over the past decade. Gone are the days of newspaper ads and billboards being the primary advertising...
