By Jim Calloway and Julie Bays ABA TECHSHOW was held March 1 in Chicago. After 2021 resulted in a virtual TECHSHOW and 2022 was a hybrid show, the consensus among attendees was that it was great to be 100% in person again. For us, the ABA TECHSHOW began on Wednesday. We attended a day-long retreat…

By Jim Calloway Even as we endure the chilly winds of March, it is time to look forward to this summer’s Solo & Small Firm Conference, held June 22-24 at the Osage Casino Hotel in Tulsa. SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE From the conference kickoff with the ever-popular “60 Tips in 60 Minutes” to the closing session…

By Jim Calloway When lawyers leave private practice to take an in-house counsel or government position, they are often asked about the differences in their new roles. Many of them say they are pleased not to have to complete timesheets anymore – it is a relief not to have to look at the day in six-minute…

By Jim Calloway I recently attended a presentation by Judge Scott Schlegel, a Louisiana district judge who has received many accolades for his forward-thinking views about the use of technology to improve court proceedings, including text message reminders about appearances and calendars available online for scheduling. He asked those attending the program if they had…

By Jim Calloway I often consult with lawyers setting up a new solo or small firm practice. There are many items involved in setting up any new business – like applying for an employer identification number (EIN) and deciding on the best entity to use for the business. But there are also aspects of setting…

By Julie Bays Businesses exist to make a profit. Lawyers often go into practice with the goal of helping their clients with their legal needs. Profits often aren’t the first thing a lawyer thinks about daily, but it should be a primary goal every day. Practicing law can be stressful, and lawyers have enormous responsibilities….

By Jim Calloway The term “billable hour” has long been a topic of discussion in the legal community. However, for such a simple term, it can be used in different ways. The most obvious answer is that hourly billing and the lawyer’s hourly billing rate is the method, likely still the predominant method, of determining…

By Jim Calloway It is certainly not rare to see lawyers practicing in an office sharing arrangement. Sometimes a law firm that is downsizing finds itself with more office space than it needs, and subletting makes sense. Two or three lawyers might rent an office suite for their individual solo practices. Office sharers can benefit…

By Jim Calloway The 2022 OBA Solo & Small Firm Conference came back strongly after its two-year hiatus. We had a great attendance and many sponsors supporting the event. Mainly, we all were happy to meet in person again. The conference featured a blend of substantive law programs and practice management/legal technology education. There were…

By Jim Calloway There is people law, and there is business/corporate law. Over the years, there has been a greater divergence in these two types of law practice focuses. But today I’m going to make the case that increasingly, these are completely different types of law practices, with different types of challenges and processes. Some…