Message From the Guest Editor: How To Manage Not to Waste Your Time

By Donna Seyle, Founder and Legal Tech Advisor, Law Practice Strategy

Planning, managing, organizing, automating: what more can they ask of a lawyer whose primary responsibility is getting it right? Legal analysis and procedure are huge responsibilities, and make the difference between your client’s failure or success. Now lawyers are charged with addressing the vagaries of the marketplace, technology, and non-lawyer competition. Efficiency, productivity and client satisfaction are currently essential elements of a law practice, and integrating them into how you manage your practice is a goal to work toward. This issue is devoted to discussing ways to achieve and maintain this goal.

Personally, I’ve had to address my own less-than-effective management methods. In the process, I’ve developed a list of habits I need to change. Since I suspect I’m not alone in this, I’d like to share them with you.

1. Don’t plan to do your writing later in the day. Whether you’re writing web content or court documents, your best juice is right after your first or second cup of coffee. Even if you’re one who moves slowly into the day, delaying that which will require your greatest effort until after you’ve accomplished easier tasks only makes it harder to get started. Your mind is filled with all the information you’ve encountered that morning, and you’re drifting closer to the mid-afternoon slump.