Legal Ease Blog

Do Something! Inject Some Calm Into 2019 - Try Meditation

This might seem like an odd post for this blog, but it really isn't. I'm all about preventing Lawyer Meltdown, being more productive, increasing your bottom line and making the practice of law more enjoyable. Believe it or not, meditation can help you with all of those things.

I wrote about meditation and mindfulness before in this post, in which I reviewed the book The Anxious Lawyer.  And lawyer health and well-being have been getting a lot of press lately. A post in yesterday's "Your Voice" column of the ABA Journal online, 4 Strategies for Building the Habit of Lasting Resilience in the Legal Profession, highlights the growing importance of resilience and mindfulness for lawyers, referencing the ABA's Working Group to Advance Well Being's pledge for law firms to acknowledge that more needs to be done to improve the health and well-being of lawyers.

The article poses the question, "What are the most effective and efficient strategies for achieving this important goal?" and outlines four essential principles for implementing an effective well-being strategy. One of those principles is to form habits around well-being.

One of the well-being habits attorneys can begin to cultivate is meditation. While I've long been skeptical of meditation (or at least skeptical my own ability to meditate), the increasing deluge of information in today's world has made it incredibly difficult to turn off and 'tune in' to what makes us human and what connects us to other human beings on a deeper level than just scrolling through photos on our social media channels. For other reasons that I will explore in a future post, I think the ability to connect on a human level and to use our intuition will become increasingly important, particularly for lawyers, as technology continues to advance and artificial intelligence becomes more mainstream in the legal world.

Over the past several months, I've been working on meditating more frequently. It certainly isn't always easy and I admit that I  completely got away from my meditation practice (and it does take practice) over the holidays. Part of that was because my usual routine was to meditate immediately after working out. But I was hit with not one but two nasty colds and threw my back out all during the holidays, so, working out wasn't even on the radar.

None of that should have kept me from meditating.  Thinking about the power of habit and developing habits around well-being makes me realize that when the habit of working out went away, the habit of meditating did also because the two were linked. Perhaps that is something to keep in mind when developing habits - linking them is great for reinforcement, but the loss of one habit could create a domino effect with unintended consequences.

But I digress, so I'll do what I do when my thoughts start taking over in meditation - simply recognize it and return to the practice. Back to meditation.

As we begin this new year of 2019, I'm re-committing to make meditation a part of my regular routine, if not daily, then at least several times a week. I find that by giving myself permission to slow down and let go of everything - even for a few minutes - I can be more productive with the rest of my day. And ironically, the days in which I have the most to do or the most pressure are the days when meditation seems to help the most - if I make the decision to carve out the time to do it. It helps me clarify my thinking and makes it easier to let go of things that aren't important or that create unnecessary stress.

As a beginner at meditation, I'm not yet comfortable just meditating on my own, so I've tried out a few meditation apps. The one I like best at the moment is Insight Timer - a free app available on iOS and Android. Insight Timer categorizes meditations into 7 categories: Mindfulness, Visualization, Gentle Repetition, Movement, Sound, Concentration, and Self-Observation. There are literally thousands of meditations available from all over the world - some guided, others just with music, ambient sounds or bells, or you can just use the app to set a timer for your desired length of meditation. 

One of the things I like about the app is that it keeps track of your meditation time and the milestones you reach when meditating, which helps you keep the momentum going once you start meditating. Habits require reinforcement, after all. And apparently I'm not the only one who enjoys using Insight Timer - according to this article, 63% of those who use meditation apps in the U.S. are using Insight Timer - that's three times more than any other meditation app.

If Insight Timer isn't for you, there are many other meditation apps available. For a calmer and more productive 2019, why not give one a try? Even 5 or 10 minutes can make a big difference. Just don't give up too soon - the more you practice, the better you'll get at it, and doing it "badly" or letting your thoughts intrude on your meditation practice is just part of the process.

Let me know in the comments if you already meditate and why, or if you decide to give it a try, let me know and tell me what you experience as a result of employing this new well-being habit.

 

 

5 Ways You Can Ease the Burden of Your Law School Debt

This is a guest post by  Andrew Josuweit, the CEO of Student Loan Hero, a company that combines easy-to-use tools with financial education to help millions of Americans living with student loan debt. All opinions and information contained in this post are those of the author, not of Legal Ease Consulting, Inc. or the Legal Ease blog.

If you’re a lawyer, it’s hard to forget the three years you spent after college in law school, doggedly studying. Not to mention the months after that studying for the bar. Plus, all those student loans you took out to pay for everything.

After all that, don’t you think you’ve earned a break – especially on the financial end? The good news is there are a variety of programs in place to help ease the burden of law school debt that comes from your federal student loans.

Student Loan Hero recently did a study on law school debt. In the survey, we found that the typical law student faces an average of $111,752 in debt from law school alone.

When you compare that number to a lawyer’s average starting salary of $73,710, it’s no wonder lawyers may need help some assistance navigating their student loan payments at the start of their careers.

But the burden of law school debt doesn’t have to be insurmountable. Read on to find out if you qualify for any repayment or forgiveness programs so you can get back to what really matters: the work.

1. Check out income-driven repayment plans

One of the first things you can try if you need to lower your student loan payments is an income-driven repayment (IDR) plan.

These plans lower your monthly payments to a percentage of your income (the percentage varies based on the plan), which means you won’t have to pay based on your current plan. But you do have to reapply for your plan each year – a fact many aren’t aware of.

Income-driven repayment plans don’t just lower your monthly payments; they can also result in student loan forgiveness. Just make sure you follow the guidelines for how many consecutive payments you need to make to ensure you remain eligible for forgiveness.

It’s important to note that you may be required to pay taxes on any amount that is forgiven. While the laws on this can change, as of right now (June 2017), any amount that is forgiven is considered to be taxable income the year the debt is forgiven.

2. Consider Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

If you’re currently working for a government organization, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, or another qualifying nonprofit, you might be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).

To qualify for PSLF, the first thing you should do is fill out the PSLF Employment Certification Form. This form needs to be re-submitted each year and again if you’ve changed employers.

The way PSLF works after that can be a little bit confusing because the program is a forgiveness program, not a repayment program.

In other words, you can apply for PSLF only after you’re qualified. And you don’t technically qualify for PSLF until a certain amount of eligible payments have been made.

Here’s how to qualify:

1. Your loans have to be Direct Loans.

• If you have FFEL or Perkins Loans, you can consolidate them under the Direct Consolidation Loan so they’ll qualify.
• Private loans will never qualify.

2. You must work at least 30 hours per week for a qualifying employer.

• Your employer’s qualification will be confirmed by the Employment Certification Form that you fill out every year.

3. You must sign up for an income-driven repayment plan.

• If you don’t and choose to stick to a 10-year Standard Repayment Plan instead, there will be no loan amount left to forgive by the time the qualifying payments have been made.

4. You must make 120 qualifying payments.

• They don’t have to be consecutive, but qualifying means they need to be paid in the full amount, no more than 15 days late, and meet several other stipulations, found here.

One thing to keep in mind: the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program has been under fire lately and might cease to exist for students hoping to use it in the future. If this is something your employer qualifies you for, you might want to consider signing up while you still can.

3. Look into student loan repayment assistance programs

Another beneficial tool for lawyers (and many other professionals) is student loan repayment assistance. Student loan repayment assistance programs are offered by employers, universities, and even states.

Below you’ll find a list of student loan repayment assistance programs (also referred to as LRAP). But the list doesn’t include more specific programs such as those offered by universities or employers.

If you want to quickly find out if your alma mater offers an LRAP, go to their website and search for a loan repayment assistance program. You can also reach out to your human resources department to see if your employer offers this kind of program.

4. Research loan repayment assistance programs by state

Read below for a snapshot of LRAP programs available by state, but remember that these can change each year.

For example, some of the programs listed have already run out of funding for the year, but it’s important to be aware of them so you can check back again next year.

• Arizona
  • Joyce Holsey's ALL (Arizona's Legal Legacy) - Loan Repayment Assistance Program
• Arkansas
  • Center for Arkansas Legal Services Law School Student Loan Repayment Benefit
• District of Columbia
  • DC Bar Foundation Loan Repayment Assistance Program
• Florida
  • The Florida Bar Foundation Loan Repayment Assistance Program
• Illinois
  • The Chicago Bar Foundation Sun-Times Public Interest Law Fellowship
  • Kimball R. Anderson & Karen Gatsis Anderson Public Interest Law Fellowship
  • Public Interest Attorney Loan Repayment Assistance Program
• Indiana
  • Richard M. Givan Loan Repayment Assistance Program
• Kansas
  • Rural Opportunity Zone (ROZ) Student Loan Repayment
• Louisiana
  • Louisiana Bar Foundation Loan Repayment Assistance Program
• Maine
  • Coffin Family Law Fellowship
  • The Maine Justice Foundation Loan Repayment Assistance Program
• Minnesota
  • LRAP Minnesota
• Montana
  • Montana Justice Foundation Loan Repayment Assistance Program
• Nebraska
  • Nebraska Commission on Public Advocacy Legal Education for Public Service and Rural Practice Loan Repayment Assistance Program
• New Hampshire
  • New Hampshire Bar Foundation Loan Forgiveness Program
• New Mexico
  • New Mexico Public Service Law Loan Repayment Assistance Program
• New York
  • NYS District Attorney and Indigent Legal Services Attorney Loan Forgiveness (DALF) Program
  • Steven C. Krane Student Loan Assistance for the Public Interest Program
• North Carolina
  • North Carolina Legal Education Assistance Foundation (LEAF) Loan Repayment Assistance Program
• North Dakota
  • Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation Loan Repayment Assistance Program
• Oregon
  • Oregon State Bar Loan Repayment Assistance Program
• Pennsylvania
  • Pennsylvania Bar Foundation - PA IOLTA Loan Repayment Assistance Program
• Texas
  • Texas Student Loan Repayment Assistance Program
• Vermont
  • Vermont Bar Foundation Loan Repayment Assistance Program

5. Apply for the John R. Justice Student Loan Repayment Program

Depending on what state you live in, another option could be The John R. Justice Student Loan Repayment Program. This program is only available to state public defenders and state prosecutors who agree to hold their respective jobs for a minimum of three years.

To find out if your state is currently participating in this program, you can use this list of contacts to reach out to your local state agency. Participation does fluctuate, especially based on funding.

As difficult as your law school debt burden might be, it doesn’t have to be insurmountable. By taking advantage of federal programs to lower your payments when you need them and student loan repayment assistance programs when you qualify, you can finally get that leg up you need.

Do Something! Don't Let Fear Stand In Your Way

The Editor's Note from Amy Cosper, Editor in Chief, in the February 2015 issue of Entrepreneur magazine is an excellent read for any entrepreneur, including those intrepid souls who go out on their own to develop their own law practices.

Cosper's column is not only inspirational, but it contains a number of good reminders for those times when everything might not be working exactly the way you'd like it to. The column is entitled "It's OK to be great," and I think it's her message about hard work that may resonate the most.

For example, Cosper says, 

You have a hard job. but I promise you, no matter what direction your company does, it will be meaningful, and you will matter. Because what you do, even in failure, matters. Why? Because you have chosen the path less taken, the path less understood and the path most pockmarked with pain. Much of the time that path is a complete slog, and your job, on occasion, is simply to slog it out.

Later, she says, 

...the reality is, you are working your ass off to make something, to fight for something and simply to see your vision to the next stage. And it doesn't always work. But that's OK....It's not always rainbows and bunny rabbits. In fact, it rarely is. Being an entrepreneur is more than being the boss. You are the leader - not only the leader of your own destiny, but a leader to the people who believe in you: employees, investors, customers and evangelists.

Fear, although you may feel it, is not an option.

The truth is that going out on your own, whether as a solo or with others to form a new venture is scary, and it's hard work. Sometimes it's easy to lose the vision and to forget why you decided to do this in the first place. Those are the days that you just have to keep going. It's that hard work and perserverence even (and sometimes especially) when facing the nay-sayers, that makes the difference.

It doesn't always work - sometimes you fail. But that's OK, too, because it's all a learning experience. As Dan Lear, director of industry relations for Avvo, mentioned in his article this month in Law Practice Today (quoting one of his mentors),

The best way to figure out what you want is to do something. Whatever it is, just start doing something. You’ll learn more by actually striking out and doing something than you ever will from thinking about doing or even talking to lots of people about doing. Instead, just get started.

Don't let fear stand in your way. The doing makes a difference, whatever the outcome. And, after all,  isn't success even sweeter once you've worked for it?

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With Gratitude Comes Perspective

With the Thanksgiving holiday tomorrow in the U.S., thoughts this week naturally turn to giving thanks for all that we have. But this quote from Oprah Winfrey reminds us that giving thanks isn't just important when everything is going great. In fact, it may be even more important when we're having a difficult day, week, month or year. 

When you're facing obstacles or tough times, that may be precisely the time to take some time to give thanks for what you do have - remembering that even when the chips are down, you still have much to be thankful for may be just the thing to give you not only perspective, but hope that you'll find a way out of that tough spot.

And who knows - that gratitude may even bring you the spark of an idea about how you can make things better.

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Packing for a Conference: The Basics (for Women)

I have been doing a fair amount of traveling in the past several years, and packing continues to be a challenge. When packing for my most recent business conference two weeks ago, I decided I needed to come up with a system - and possibly a series of checklists - to make packing for these trips easier, particularly since I often attend the same types of conferences over and over.

This post is the beginning of that process; it's the general packing list, which may need to be tweaked for specific conferences, or if there are activities planned that may require something not included in the general list. Hopefully this post will be as helpful to you in planning for conferences as it was to me.

General Tips

Planning ahead is key, particularly if you want to travel without having to check any bags (which is becoming more and more important, with fewer and fewer direct flights and higher and higher checked bag fees). This is even more important if you're presenting at the conference - and I had a scare once when I was presenting in New Orleans and my checked luggage didn't arrive...

I find it helpful to actually write down what I’ll be doing each day and what I can wear to do it, especially if I anticipate needing to change for evening activities, etc. This also helps with "specialty" activities, like going to the pool, working out, etc. On my last trip, I actually created a quick chart to print out and use for this purpose. If you're interested, you can download it here:

Download Outfit planner

I like to plan that I can wear pretty much everything twice (or at least two ways). It’s a good idea to try everything on before you pack it to make sure it’s good to go (it fits, is comfortable, has no stains, missing buttons or rips, and no other repairs are needed) and everything goes with everything else.

It’s usually easier if you bring neutral bottoms and colored or patterned tops or shirts, but if you're an expert outfit planner, there's no reason you can't mix and match. Just keep in mind that to get the most punch from your travel wardrobe while keeping it minimal enough to carry on, everything should coordinate with everything else. This helps with the "two ways" rule, because if everything coordinates, it's easier to layer different pieces. Try to pack pieces that aren’t prone to wrinkles. I find synthetics are more breathable and more wrinkle-free than cottons. Clothing with a little stretch makes it more comfortable, too.

Choose pieces that fit with the style and culture of the conference. If you'll be presenting, you may want some pieces that are a bit more structured or business-like. If you're just attending, you may wish to tend a bit more toward the casual side. But don't forget that conferences are as much about networking as they are about learning, and you never know who you might meet, so be prepared.

Basic 4 day conference clothing list

• 5 tops (including one dressier top if there's a dressier dinner or other evening event)
• 2-3 bottoms (ex: 1 pants+1skirt+ 1 jeans or shorts)
• 1 dress (these are easy because they can be worn on their own or with some of the other pieces for a different look)
• 1 jacket
• 1 sweater/wrap/cardigan - most hotel conference spaces are cold (you could replace this with a button down that you can wear on its own, as a ‘sweater’ over a tank or as a coverup at the pool, or you could bring the button down as one of your tops and bring the sweater, too)
• 1 scarf – good for the plane, chilly conference rooms, or to liven up an outfit
• 1 pjs
• 2-3 pairs of shoes – 1 flats +1 heels (or 2nd pair of flats) +1 additional of your choice - could be sneakers or other comfortable shoes for walking/traveling 
• 1 belt (great to help change up outfits and add interest)
• 1 hat  - I usually bring one just in case for the pool or touring around on sunny days
• 1 bathing suit+Swim coverup (if the pool is an option)
• workout gear 
• Socks and/or hose if you need them – depends on your shoes and the weather
• I usually throw in a camisole or 2 for good measure; they take up no room and can come in handy to wear as pjs, under a top, or to layer for the plane
• Jewelry – I usually keep this to a minimum on business trips so I don’t need to worry about it, but sometimes it’s nice to have something that will help add some interst, or if the conference has dressier evening activities. I like a long necklace that can be worn long or doubled up for a second "look."
• Undergarments
• 1 small purse or clutch -  so I don’t have to carry around the big tote that I use during the day with my laptop; the small bag might be easier for your non-biz days or if you go out to dinner at night. Just big enough for $, phone, credit cards, etc.

If you want to be really minimal (or have a really small bag) you can limit this even more, because the above list will give you more mix and match outfits than you need for a 4 day trip, but I like to have options - and I often like to change things up a bit for the evening, depending on the planned activities. 

Although this list is obviously for women, it can be 'tweaked' for men - the essential basics are the same - tops, bottoms, shoes, jacket and/or sweater, using layers to re-use pieces, etc.

Tech Items

• Laptop 
• Phone
• iPad/Tablet/e-reader (You may or may not need it if you’re bringing your laptop)
• Phone  and other charger(s)
• Laptop cord
• Extra eyeglasses case or zip bag for cords, chargers – I find it’s easier to keep smaller ones together this way - especially if there are ones I might need en route
• Power strip (you may or may not need it)
• Headphones

Necessities to Keep Accessible

• Eyeglasses
• Sunglasses
• Business Cards
• Pen
• Hand lotion
• Lip balm
• Tissues
• Wet wipes
• Medication
• Snacks (especially for long flights)
• A refillable water bottle comes in handy and helps you stay hydrated
• Ear plugs and an eye mask can be great for the plane or for noisy hotel rooms

• Toiletries: of course, you'll need the basics, including your toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, hair brush, razor, makeup, etc. In addition to these, depending on your activities and destination, you might consider bringing sunscreen, a stain stick and a travel sewing kit. 

Packing Tips

I usually try to pack my toiletries in 3 separate pouches – 1 for liquids (which need to be separate anyway for security if you’re not checking bags), 1 for makeup, and one for everything else. In 3 separate containers, it’s also usually easier to fit them in the suitcase. I've also taken to preparing a complete set of travel toiletries that I keep in my suitcase since I travel so much; when I return from a trip I try to replenish what's missing or getting low so that I'm all set to go the next time I travel.

If you pack right, you should be able to get all of this in a carry on and your ‘personal item’ so you don’t have to check luggage. I like to “bundle” my clothes when I pack – you can fit more in and it really reduces wrinkles - but it means you'll need to unpack everything when you arrive at your destination. You can learn more about it (and there’s a handy diagram) here: http://www.onebag.com/pack.html#bundle.

I like to use packing cubes to use as the "core" of the bundle or to pack separately with less wrinkle-prone items like t-shirts, undergarments, swimwear and other accessories. I like the packing cubes from e-bags - they are durable, inexpensive and there are plenty of options. To keep electronics under control, use grid-it or similar organizers.

I've found that it's definitely worth the investment to get a suitcase with 360 spinner wheels - it's so much easier to pull and I've had far fewer shoulder problems since switching my bag.

I'd love to hear your travel and packing tips!

Is There a Gender Gap in the Law?

Here's an interesting infographic from Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, addressing the state of women in the law:

 

Brought to you by the online Master of Legal Studies program at @WashULaw

What do you think? What are you experiencing in the legal field - is there a gender gap? If there is, what are your suggestions for closing the gender gap? Do you think women in the legal field are contributing to the existence of a gender gap or helping to eliminate it?

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Things I Carry - My Own List

About a month ago, I did a post inspired by the LinkedIn thought leaders' series, "Things I Carry." My post was entitled, "What Things Do Lawyers Carry," and I was hoping to get some comments or responses from lawyers so that I could create my own slide presentation of the indispensable tools carried by lawyers.

I didn't get any comments or responses except for one, from Kelli Proia, who actually sent me her own slideshow of the things she carries every day. You can see Kelli's presentation here.

I still love the concept, so I decided I would do my own presentation of five "tools" I carry with me every day. You can see it below. I hope that it inspires you to let me know what YOU carry with you every day.

Things I Carry by Allison C Shields from Legal Ease Consulting, Inc.

Just in case you can't see the presentation, my tools include:

1. My Droid Razr Maxx
2. Curiosity
3. An Open Mind
4. Evernote + Lists (OK, so maybe this counts as two) 
5. News Feeds

(But I think the presentation is more fun because of the photos...)

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Holiday Gift Guide 2012

Thanksgiving is not quite here, but in some places, the Black Friday deals have already begun – the ‘holiday shopping season’ seems to start earlier and earlier every year. I’ve started seeing all kinds of articles and posts about holiday gifts, so I thought I’d pull some together for you.

From BlogHer’s Holiday Gift Guide for Entrepreneurs, I especially like the idea of cable management tools, (maybe because I was just having this conversation the other day at home about how much space is wasted on the desk in our kitchen as a result of all of the electronics and cords plugged in there)…it may not be the most glamorous gift ever, but it is definitely practical.

Also from the BlogHer list:

Instead of asking a stranger to take a photo of you and your family, or having pictures with one person (the photographer) missing, the QuikPod attaches to your camera (or iPhone) so you can take the photo yourself.

Another great idea for someone you want to splurge on who does a lot of presentations for groups or clients but doesn't want to lug around a ton of havey equipment is a pocket projector.

Techlicious.com‘s list of holiday gifts includes the Cambridge Soundworks Oontz, a portable, affordable ($70) Bluetooth speaker that actually produces good sound. and the Moshi iGlaze+ Versacover, a ‘smart’ iPad cover that folds in several different directions and includes a magnet on the back as well as the front so the cover stays put when it’s open (which seems like it would be particularly helpful if you’re going to try to take photos with your iPad). 

Jim Calloway and Sharon Nelson have done their annual list of holiday tech toys on their Digital Edge Podcast (you can see the list in their show notes on this page too). Their list includes the iPhone mini-dock which allows you to dock your iPhone right to the charger, freeing up counter and table space (and eliminating yet another cord) while it’ charging, and a desktop robo-vacuum, as well as the Samsung Galaxy SIII and the VuPoint Solutions Magic Wand Portable Scanner, among others.

Reid Trautz’s holiday gift guide includes books from the ABA Law Practice Management Section’s “In One Hour” series of books (including LinkedIn in One Hour for Lawyers and Facebook in One Hour for Lawyers, which of course, I recommend), as well as the Leap motion sensor (who wouldn’t love to ditch their keyboard AND their mouse, while still keeping their computer screen fingerprint-free?) and novelty items including customized socks and bacon candy…an eclectic list, to be sure.

Since I do a lot of traveling, I’m into travel gifts. A couple of practical travel ideas I like came from the Daily Grommet, including a collapsible water bottle and the Zen Class Nirvana travel organizer, a seat-back organizer for all of your travel essentials and a carry-on all in one.

I love to travel with packing cubes (like these from e-bags) - you can buy a whole set or just one. They make packing and unpacking easy (I like to unzip them and place them as-is into hotel room drawers so my clothing is always contained), and at the end of your trip, it's easy to separate clean clothes from dirty ones. It's also great if TSA goes through your bags, because everything stays nice and neat.

If you’d like to give the gift that keeps on giving, check out this list of gift of the month clubs, and if you’re looking for unique holiday gifts but don’t want to break the bank, you might try one of these sites:

• CWonder 
• Ten Thousand Villages 
• Etsy.com 

And don’t forget about Small Business Saturday this Saturday – instead of going to the same old retailers, malls and big box stores (and standing on crazy lines), think about heading out to some local small businesses. Here on Long Island, in the wake of “Super Storm” Sandy, I know our locals could use any help they can get.

Happy Thanksgiving, and happy shopping!

Do Something! Tips for Organizing Your Law Office

 

In my last post, I literally opened up my closet to show you my first organizing project of the year. When working with my clients, I find that they are often not as productive as they could be because they aren't organized and they don't have good systems in place, which creates clutter and confusion, leading to a vicious cycle of disorganization and poor productivity.

 

I talked about the basic steps to getting rid of office clutter on Lawyerist some time ago, but this post expands on those ideas, particularly with respect to Step 3 - organizing. 

Step 1: Clear Out

The first step in de-cluttering is to determine what you have. The best way to do that is to clear everything out.

If just not possible or practical for you to tackle your whole office at once, you can begin de-cluttering on a smaller scale, by doing one area (such as one shelf, one desk drawer, or your desktop) at a time. But as you go through the de-cluttering process, remember one of the enemies of organization is duplication if you don’t know what you have or you can’t find it, you tend to collect multiples. If you’re not doing your whole office at once, you’ll have to be even more aware of duplicates.

Step 2: Quick Sort and Purge

 Once your office (or that one desk drawer) is empty, it’s time to sort through all of the stuff. The initial sort is done on a ‘one touch’ basis – pick something up and make a snap decision as to which pile it belongs in. You can read more about this step here.

One of the most important parts of the initial sort is the purge – getting rid of what you don’t need. If you’re feeling stuck in your practice, you might be surprised at the effect that a good  purge can have. Getting rid of the old or outdated makes room for the new and frees up your energy. 

Your office should only contain paperwork that you’re currently working on, supplies and files that you need on a regular basis. Keep only those items in your office that you need to take action on or that you need to refer to when doing your work.

After this first round of sorting, you’ll probably still have more stuff than you really need to keep. That’s where Step 3 comes in. 

Step 3: Organize

 This is where the really serious work begins. First, take everything that doesn’t belong in your office and put it where it belongs – file room, your secretary’s desk, etc. Then you’ll only be organizing what needs to go back in your office.

Before you put anything back, ask yourself these questions:

• When was the last time I used or referred to this?
• Is this something I need to use or access frequently?
• Is this information I can easily find elsewhere (like the internet)
• Does it fit my current practice and my goals for my firm?
• Will it advance what I am seeking to achieve?

Create broad categories that work for you (too many categories or categories that are too specific may be difficult to remember and actually make organization more difficult). Some categories you might consider if you’re de-cluttering your office might include:

• Marketing/promotional materials
• Research files
• Client files
• Personal files
• Personal items (photos, mementos)
• Office supplies
• Books
• Reference materials
• Work to be done
• Archive
• Delegate

For categories like ‘work to be done,’ don’t keep the entire file in your office unless you’re going to work on it right away. Instead, create some other reminder of what needs to be done, and only retrieve the file when you need it.

Next, you’ll need to create a home for everything that’s left. You might consider organizing by:

• Proximity (put things that you use together near each other)
• Space (make sure you use space to your advantage)
• Frequency of Use (how often you need to access something – the more you need it, the more accessible it should be)

Ensure that:

• High traffic areas are free from congestion
• Storage space and necessary materials are accessible
• You can easily see memo boards and important information that’s accessed daily

Tip - Technology is your friend
In the age of electronics, there’s even less need for the piles of paper, whether it’s forms, templates, checklists, periodicals, reference materials, etc. Rather than keeping a file cabinet full of reference materials or templates, etc., scan those items into your computer and save them electronically. You’ll feel lighter without all of that paper!

“I need to see it” syndrome

One way clutter piles up is because you think you need a physical reminder of what you need to do, or you’ll afraid you won’t get it done. Bad organizational and management habits and lack of productive systems can create this syndrome. But the truth is that the idea that you need the physical reminder actually reduces, rather than increasing, your efficiency and effectiveness. Having piles of work or files, etc. makes it more difficult to focus on the task at hand – you’re literally getting buried under your ‘to-dos!’ – they’re physically looming over your head.

If you really can’t do without the physical reminder or are afraid to rely solely on your electronics or your calendar, keep folders or lists grouped by category in your office; instead of keeping a big bulky file in your office, you’ll have only an item on your list or one piece of paper noting what you need to do.

Files and Filing
Create a filing system that works for you – the simpler, the better. Don’t file stuff just to get it off of your desk. Only file what you’ll actually need.

Statistics show that 80% of what you file will never get used or referenced again.

Reduce ‘reference’ files – ask yourself:

• Can this information be found elsewhere (such as on the internet)?
• Do I need the whole thing (i.e. just cite vs. whole case)
• Will it be outdated by the time I need it again?
• Can I scan it and save it electronically?

Closed files: Move them to an out of the way or off-site storage area or scan them; don’t let them use prime space in your office

Electronic files: just like paper files, electronic files can get lost and you can waste time searching if you don’t create conventions for naming files and documents so that you always know where to find what you’re looking for. Begin with broad categories and name documents accordingly.

Your desk: Your desk is PRIME real estate – the most prime real estate in your office. That means anything that’s kept on your desk should be something that’s used daily. Move non-work items off of the desk. Keep office supplies in drawers or on shelves where they’re within reach but not cluttering up your desk. Make use of vertical space – hang shelves or wall pockets or bulletin boards to keep control of those ‘important’ papers that regularly pile up on your desk. These methods keep the important reference information or reminders in view without interfering with your work.

Don’t keep shuffling paper around on your desk; make a decision about what to do with it; if it needs action, schedule it (see step 4).

Business cards: Get rid of that stack of business cards from networking events, etc. Scan the information into your contact system (or have your assistant enter it) with notes from your meeting and toss the cards.

Periodicals: Newspapers, trade magazines and other periodicals multiply quickly. To keep them from piling up, skim through the table of contents and pull out only those articles that you want to read. Keep a ‘reading’ folder in your briefcase for waiting in the doctor’s office, waiting for your adversary in court, riding on the train, etc. TOSS the rest! You may consider having a secretary or assistant pre-screen your periodicals and pull articles for you.

The same goes for electronic ‘periodicals,’ RSS feeds, alerts, and newsletters that clutter up your email. The same content gets recycled over and over, so if you haven’t read it and it’s over a week old, delete it or save it to a designated folder, like a ‘library’ or 'reference' folder on your computer - or save it to Evernote and tag it for easier retrieval later.

Step 4: Schedule

Once you have managed to clear out your space and organize the work to be done, it's time to schedule a time to actually accomplish those tasks. Use your calendar wisely and don't over-schedule. And remember to leave time for the chaos factor.

(For more on getting organized and productive, I recommend David Allen’s book, Getting Things Done, where many of these tips originated)

Need help with your law office organizing project or don't know where to start? Post your comments or questions below - or contact me to see how I can help.

Do Something! Organizing Your Law (or Home) Office

I consider myself to be fairly organized, but sometimes things just get away from me. The end of 2011 was a bit hectic which made things even worse, but now we've started a new year, and one of my goals for 2012 is to get more organized.

I have a supply closet in my office that houses reference materials, marketing folders, handouts, technical equipment, client gifts and a host of other odds and ends. It didn't have good shelving, and I was making do with a storage unit stuck into the closet, but I finally couldn't take it any more.

Before organizing

Below are the 'before' shots of the office closet - maybe you'll see why it stressed me out.

 

Before - everything's jumbled; these shelves just aren't working for me

Left side of the closet before - I can barely get those drawers open to get anything out

Right side of the closet before - I have to move everything to get anything

I installed some built in shelves and used some additional freestanding ones, and now the closet functions much more like it should - everything is easily accessible, I know where to find what I need, and I don't get anxious every time I open the door.

After organizing

 

Much more organized!

 

Right side of the closet after

 

Now everything is actually accessible

In addition to the shelves which are attached to the back wall of the closet (but are adjustable so I can customize the configuration as things change), I used a tall silver shelving unit which is small enough to fit in the space and makes good use of the height there, while still giving me access to the supplies I need without stacking them on top of one another. I also got a shorter, wider unit to accommodate the boxes of old files.

I hung some of my plaques in the empty space in the closet, rather than hanging them all on my office wall. This frees up wall space in my office itself, and since no one sees them but me anyway, (I travel to my clients or work with them virtually) putting them where I see them when I access supplies is a good reminder that the work I do is actually helping people.

Getting my office organized helps me to work more efficiently and effectively, because I’m not wasting time looking for things or moving them around to gain access to what I need; I can focus on working for my clients.

It's not often that I let people take a peek into my closet, but I hope it helps!

Do you have an organizing project that you want to tackle or that you just completed? Share your stories in the comments below - and keep an eye out for my next post with some times to help make your organizing project just a little bit easier.