Considering Trying Something New In Your Practice for 2007?

Welcome to 2007!

With the holidays and myriad end of year responsibilities, the past two weeks have disappeared without any posts. But other bloggers have been busy posting on some topics that will be important in 2007. Here are just a few posts that are definitely worth taking a look at as you contemplate the direction your practice will take in the upcoming year:

Ron Baker over at VeraSage has a great post about how you know when you really understand value pricing. (Thanks to Michelle Golden for the tip about Ron's post). Ron talks about the moment where one lawyer really 'got it' about value pricing. In some ways it's like riding a bike - there's a definite moment where you really just 'get it,' but it isn't necessarily something that's so easy to explain to someone else.

Michelle Golden of Golden Practices talks about trust in your firm and how it affects client loyalty and client service. She refers to a post by another client-oriented blogger, Dan Hull, whose post is entitlted, "'Associate Reviews: "Dude, if you can't steal our clients, you're fired.'"

Michelle's most recent post also talks about value pricing and the use of change orders.

Chris Marston of Exemplar Law Partners has a great post on his blog, Inside the Firm of the Future, discussing misconceptions about and why lawyers go wrong with value pricing. Be sure to read the comments for a discussion on value pricing in a litigation setting. Marston' continues the discussion about value pricing in his most recent post which talks about finding ways to make value pricing work.

Another Marston post talks about compensation, and the disconnect between what lawyers agree are important behaviours and traits and what is actually measured and compensated.

You may not agree with everything these professionals have to say, particularly if concepts like value pricing and alternative compensation systems are new to you. But the marketplace is changing, consumers of legal services are changing, and lawyers are changing. We all want more from our practices and our lives. Perhaps it's time to look at something new for your practice. Or look at something old in a new way.

Comments

[Allison Shields]

Michelle-

I couldn't agree more!

Allison

[Michelle Golden]

Hey Allison, thanks for pointing to our writing! Ron, Chris, Dan and I all strive for the same common goals: 1) the customer comes first, is always informed and in control--certainty in service and price is a giant part of this; 2) quality of service to customers hinges on quality of life in-house and on excellent project management; and 3) quality of life in-house is essential to attracting, inspiring and ultimately keeping the best people. Ignoring any of these is a recipe for mediocrity at best.
Best wishes to you in 2007 and it was terrific meeting you in KC in November!