The contemporary law practice has fundamentally changed. There has been a power shift from law firms to clients due to economic shifts, the impact of technology, and a leveling of information and metrics. Client focus, understanding, and service are more important than ever. It is clear that recent law graduates need to have an astute comprehension of business fundamentals and appreciation of the business drivers underpinning the practice of law. The Business of Contemporary Law Practices provides students—and practicing attorneys—a solid foundation for understanding, adapting to, and thriving in the world of private or in-house law practice. From business development to human resources to technological platforms, this book will simultaneously build a baseline business-world fluency and inform any reader of the various law firm and non-traditional legal environments many will find themselves in. Professors and students will benefit from: Historical backdrop and orientation to the modern context for the private practice of law Introductory business information including essential vocabulary and financial statement fundamentals An in-depth examination of private practice and in-house legal departments Discussion of emerging business models and technology Enough high-level information to gain an appreciation for unfamiliar subject matter with opportunities for more immersive experience in particular areas of professor expertise and student interest.

This engaging ethnography examines the gendered nature of today's large corporate law firms. Although increasing numbers of women have become lawyers in the past decade, Jennifer Pierce discovers that the double standards and sexist attitudes of legal bureaucracies are a continuing problem for women lawyers and paralegals. Working as a paralegal, Pierce did ethnographic research in two law offices, and her depiction of the legal world is quite unlike the glamorized version seen on television. Pierce tellingly portrays the dilemma that female attorneys face: a woman using tough, aggressive tactics—the ideal combative litigator—is often regarded as brash or even obnoxious by her male colleagues. Yet any lack of toughness would mark her as ineffective. Women paralegals also face a double bind in corporate law firms. While lawyers depend on paralegals for important work, they also expect these women—for most paralegals are women—to nurture them and affirm their superior status in the office hierarchy. Paralegals who mother their bosses experience increasing personal exploitation, while those who do not face criticism and professional sanction. Male paralegals, Pierce finds, do not encounter the same difficulties that female paralegals do. Pierce argues that this gendered division of labor benefits men politically, economically, and personally. However, she finds that women lawyers and paralegals develop creative strategies for resisting and disrupting the male-dominated status quo. Her lively narrative and well-argued analysis will be welcomed by anyone interested in today's gender politics and business culture.

Let's be honest, traditional small firm law practice is not working very well. Too many small firm lawyers struggle to make ends meet, get clients, meet clients' expectations, or they wrestle with mental health issues or substance abuse. Meanwhile, there is a huge gap between those who need legal help and those who can get it. But it doesn't have to be that way. We can build better firms, be more effective with our clients, enjoy better health and a greater sense of fulfillment, and make a bigger impact on our communities. With the client-centric law firm management model in The Small Firm Roadmap, you'll see that getting started is easier than you think. The team from Lawyerist.com-Aaron Street, Sam Glover, Stephanie Everett, and Marshall Lichty-will help you gain clarity around your career and firm goals and identify successful strategies for starting, managing, and growing a thriving future-oriented law firm. If you're ready to do great work that supports a great life, this book is for you.

The contemporary law practice has fundamentally changed. There has been a power shift from law firms to clients due to economic shifts, the impact of technology, and a leveling of information and metrics. Client focus, understanding, and service are more important than ever. It is clear that recent law graduates need to have an astute comprehension of business fundamentals and appreciation of the business drivers underpinning the practice of law. The Business of Contemporary Law Practices provides students—and practicing attorneys—a solid foundation for understanding, adapting to, and thriving in the world of private or in-house law practice. From business development to human resources to technological platforms, this book will simultaneously build a baseline business-world fluency and inform any reader of the various law firm and non-traditional legal environments many will find themselves in. Professors and students will benefit from: Historical backdrop and orientation to the modern context for the private practice of law Introductory business information including essential vocabulary and financial statement fundamentals An in-depth examination of private practice and in-house legal departments Discussion of emerging business models and technology Enough high-level information to gain an appreciation for unfamiliar subject matter with opportunities for more immersive experience in particular areas of professor expertise and student interest.

Practical and engaging introduction to Law Office Management for paralegals. Features: Comprehensive overview of the basics of law office management in today's legal environment. Features real-world examples of law office management issues faced in the law office today. Includes helpful vocabulary, constructive discussion starters, and useful case excerpts underscoring core concepts. All of these help instructor's engage students with the material. Discussion questions and case studies are provided at the end of each chapter to reinforce the material. Each chapter includes review checklists and additional resources to help students master the concepts. Students are taught the ethical requirements of the legal business but are also challenged to understand their real-world underpinnings. New to the Second Edition: Updated to reflect changes in the legal profession as clients demand economically viable solutions and technology increasingly allows lawyers to provide them Coverage of The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in Chapter 5. Coverage of sustainability in facility management in Chapter 6 More focus on developing demonstrable skills useful in law office management, in the legal field, and beyond Greater emphasis on client relationship management and legal project management by all members of the legal team Career preparation tips in every chapter Chapter outcomes added to the beginning of every chapter Coverage of texts and instant messaging in Chapter 7 New section on Marketing the Law Firm in Chapter 8 Enhanced discussion of social media and its usefulness in law firm marketing

As a part of our CasebookPlus offering, you'll receive a new print book along with lifetime digital access to the downloadable eBook. In addition, you'll receive 12-month online access to the Learning Library which includes quizzes tied specifically to your book, an outline starter and three leading study aids in that subject and the Gilbert� Law Dictionary. The included study aids are Acing Professional Responsibility, Exam Pro on Professional Responsibility, Objective and Legal Ethics in a Nutshell. The redemption code will be shipped to you with the book. With clear and concise explanations of all basic concepts in the law of lawyering and all topics tested on the MPRE, this accessible book allows professors to satisfy the ABA professional responsibility requirement with a course that students find highly engaging and useful. Unlike most professional responsibility textbooks on the market, however, it links ethics issues to portraits of the practice contexts in which they typically arise for real lawyers, helping students appreciate their relevance in contemporary practice. It also introduces students to the rich empirical literature on the profession, teaching them about the profession's overall composition and organization as well as huge variation in the practice settings, types of work, and daily experiences of American lawyers and their clients. It describes powerful economic and cultural forces that are reshaping the legal profession, and it explores current controversies relating to access to justice, globalization, technology, diversity, and legal education. It invites students to reflect on their place in the profession and how they will navigate the turbulent landscape to chart successful, rewarding and responsible careers in almost any type of practice today's law graduates might enter. Every chapter also contains problems that can be used in class discussion or as written exercises. This is the only PR book on the market that provides sufficient explanation of basic legal concepts and the operation of the legal system to make it suitable for first-year students, but it also works very well for second and third year courses.

What separates this manual and textbook from others in the field of law practice management is the experiential component. The course takes students step-by-step through the process of opening their own law firm. The textbook incorporates breakout boxes with experiences from the authors' own law practices to illustrate points in the text. The book's appendix includes a comprehensive collection of sample forms that law school clinics and new attorneys can use as a reference for the various types of cases that they may be called on to handle. And, finally, the new edition of this book includes an exploration of the issues involved in deciding whether or not to open a virtual office. The teacher's manual lays out exercises in detail, week by week, for the entire process of opening a law firm. It also features simulations, class discussions, and written reflections to give students the experience of handling the kinds of dilemmas, struggles, and emotionally charged situations that are common when starting and running solo and small-firm practices.