Bill4Time Staff

We don’t need to tell you that the legal industry has changed over the last few years — the once gradual switch to digital has become more rapid. While changes in the industry at large may not immediately impact the success of your firm, your client’s expectations and how they do business with you, will. 

In a 2022 commerce and payments trend report, 50% of consumers responded that they consider themselves more digital than ever before. Clients have unlimited on-demand access to pay bills or make purchases — all they need is internet access and a payment method. Time is a luxury and this simple payment process affords consumers the efficiency they desire. 

With paper check usage plummeting by 1.8 billion per year and 40% of individuals more likely to retain firms that accept online payments over those that don’t, adopting digital processes is the best way for firms to remain profitable and competitive in the market. 

Luckily, getting started with online payments has never been easier. Bill4Time’s built-in payment processor, Bill4Time Payments, offers industry-leading technology that makes getting paid faster and conducting business with your client easier than ever. 

Businesses use needs assessments to identify the gaps between the current state of operations and the desired business results. Needs assessments for law firms can be used to identify and correct skills gaps and reach business goals. In addition, needs assessments can be used to provide better balance in law firms and keep top talent satisfied with their work, a vital benefit in a competitive landscape.

What Is a Needs Assessment?

A needs assessment is the study of a gap between a firm’s desired state and its current state. Done correctly, it broadens the discussion to include group and individual biases, and divergent perspectives and allows for more inclusion, better decision making, and better results.

A needs assessment identifies the solution necessary to get the desired outcome. Without it, professionals may create training programs that don’t solve the organization’s business problems.

The benefits of a needs assessment for law firms include:

• Informing decision-makers of gaps
• Facilitating decision making to prioritize the optimal solutions
• Providing data to justify proposed solutions and goals
• Allowing for reflection on current methods and previous decisions

Tips to Perform a Needs Assessment

1. Conducting an External and Internal Organizational Scan

Scanning the internal and external environment and gathering information from a wide variety of data sources, such as financial statements, newspapers, and client data provides a comprehensive and thorough assessment,

2. Compiling Data for Business Needs

Organizational needs, whether for a law firm or another type of business, typically fall in the category of:

• Opportunities that can be capitalized upon, such as a new market
• A problem that can be solved, such as client complaints
• A strategy that can be supported, such as a marketing approach for a specific demographic

3. Gathering Information

It’s important for needs assessments to be standardized across all departments, stakeholders, and departments. The same questions need to be asked – even small changes in the language could affect the way the question is interpreted, and by extension, the data it provides.

The questions should also be clear and concise. Double-barreled questions or the same questions asked in different ways could skew the data and its results. Consistency is crucial across the entire assessment.

4. Performing Data Analysis

Data analysis offers key insights that identify the gaps between the current performance and skillsets and the desired performance and skillsets. This can be used to provide training that will target – and bridge – those gaps.

5. Identifying Training Solutions

The client or the needs assessor can identify possible training initiatives that can be used to bridge the gaps shown in the assessment.

Training may not always be the correct solution. The root cause of the issues or gaps could be caused by unclear expectations, ineffective use of resources, or other causes unrelated to training. If this is the case, it’s best to implement solutions to the underlying issues instead of wasting resources on training and development.

6. Delivering Data Analysis Feedback

The needs assessor can provide a presentation or report for the client detailing the training recommendations or other solutions that arose from the assessment and data analysis. This will also include recommendations for possible causes beyond knowledge or skill deficiencies, such as causes related to policies or the use of resources.

7. Designing a Training Process

Once the assessment and plan are complete, the solutions can be put into place. The process shifts to designing training and development objectives, content, and learning activities, as well as measurement and evaluation tools to help staff meet these goals.

It’s important that any aspect of the design process is directly connected to the business needs of the firm. Otherwise, it’s a waste of resources and effort.

Where Law Firms Can Benefit from Needs Assessments

According to research, law firms are currently struggling with young, diverse talent that’s unhappy with the hours. Law firms are hiring more professional staff to alleviate the non-billable workload, such as legal research and legal billing, and directing lawyers’ responsibilities to their experience, interests, and skills.

One possible solution is to match non-billable tasks to lawyers’ individual interests, ensuring the firm gets a return on investment from professional support teams. Data and assessments can inform decision-making to direct lawyers toward their desired work and ensure that the support staff is a good investment.

Lawyers can be compelled to do non-billable work if they’re passionate, and data can help determine the opportunities they wish to be involved in and their preferences. Surveys also reveal interests that can be used to better balance the workload.

Another challenge is the limited work for associates that’s interesting and beneficial for them. If interested, associates can be brought into initiatives like technology adoption to better utilize their skills.

Partners should also be free of day-to-day work. Instead, they could act in a leadership capacity to reinforce the firm’s culture or spearhead different initiatives like diversity, equity & inclusion.

Another significant change is incentivizing and rewarding non-billable work and distributing it across multiple lawyers, rather than only a few. Some ways to do this include:

• Billable credit: Lawyers can become involved in initiatives in exchange for billable hour credit.
• Benefits for promotions: Non-billable work can be a determining factor in promotions to incentivize young lawyers to get involved in activities beyond billable work.
• Time tracking: Law firms can use non-billable codes in a timekeeping solution to track different lawyers’ involvement in initiatives or extracurricular activities. This data can be reported to see which lawyers are spending the most time contributing to the overall firm objectives with non-billable activities, and which aren’t.
• Connecting firm goals to work: Lawyers should understand how their performance and contributions beyond just billable hours benefit the firm as a whole. Their non-billable work should be considered for performance reviews and bonus allocation as well.

Outlook on Needs Assessment for Law Firms

A properly performed needs assessment can identify the current gaps that are preventing a law firm from reaching its goals, whether to attract more talent, bring on new clients, or increase revenue, and develop better decision-making processes.

Those new to the legal profession or fresh out of law school tend to think that success comes from high billable hours, working hard, and serving clients well. While those things are important, more and more lawyers are learning that they need to revisit lawyer networking best practices in our digital world to generate business.

Most lawyers get business from word-of-mouth or in-person connections. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, in-person events are limited or nonexistent, making it more difficult for lawyers to build a book of business. This is true of both new lawyers and lawyers who are working to build or diversify their business.

Shifting lead generation and networking online can be challenging, but it’s essential for lawyers looking to build a book in the digital age. Below, we cover a few modern lawyer networking best practices that will help build a strong book of business online or in-person.

Client Referral Program

Client referrals are one of the easiest, least time-intensive, and cheapest ways to bring in new clients. A law firm referral program can help firms maximize referrals and create a repeatable referral process that draws more clients in, both now and in the future.

Referral programs require some creativity in the legal industry. For many businesses, simply offering free products or discounts is enough of an incentive, but law firms don’t always have repeat clients or opportunities to offer significant discounts.

Ideally, a law firm referral process will reward both the referrer and the referred. Past clients may enjoy gifts in the form of gift cards or donations, while the new clients can enjoy most discounts, free consultations, or similar incentives.

Law firms should create a robust referral program with clear guidelines that are posted on the website. The site should have a dedicated referrals page with all the information about the referral program, benefits, and eligibility.

Client Reviews

Online reviews are similar to word-of-mouth referrals. Consumers pay attention to online reviews, even in the legal industries, and reviews have a strong presence on search. When law firms encourage clients to leave positive reviews on third-party sites like Google or Yelp, it increases the visibility in search and helps searchers find them more easily.

Case Studies and Testimonials

Case studies and testimonials are a cornerstone of law firm marketing, but it’s not enough to share a case that was won. Law firms need to provide more in-depth information with details, effective examples, and actionable takeaways – even if the outcome wasn’t exactly as desired.

As prospective clients search for information, they may come across case studies and testimonials that are similar to their circumstances. If they can read detailed information about how the law firm won the case, made the process less stressful, or helped the client in a way that’s notable (beyond just the case itself), that may entice them to seek out more information and consider the firm as a solution to their legal issues.

Content Creation

Content is valuable for driving leads. Law firms can leverage content marketing to provide information to prospective clients, such as answers to common legal questions in their practice area, a typical timeline for a case, or client success stories.

Videos are popular across all industry verticals, and law firms can take advantage by turning popular written content into video. Simple videos, such as a Q&A, a client testimonial, or a breakdown of a case timeline can be short and direct, giving prospective clients the information they need and developing trust for the firm.

Interactive Networking Tools

Online tools that clients can interact with offer a lot of value. Quizzes, estimators, and similar tools can not only provide value to prospective clients, but it offers client and market insights for the law firm. These interactive tools should be gated, meaning that prospective clients have to submit contact information for access.

Facebook Groups for Lawyer Networking

Building a community online isn’t as difficult as it sounds. Lawyers looking to network and build online relationships can do so with Facebook groups, which bring together attorneys from across the country to share industry insights and resources.

These groups were highly active during COVID-19, but they’re still going strong. There are also Facebook groups for other industries, interests, and communities, offering opportunities to connect with potential clients.

Virtual Happy Hours

Virtual happy hours are a new trend that’s gaining ground online. Instead of everyone meeting up in one physical location, lawyers and other professionals can spend time in virtual happy hours and connect with people all over the country.

For these events, participants typically make their own drinks and “visit” the happy hour from the comfort of their own home, but they may hop between different happy hour groups. Happy hours are usually hosted on Google Hangouts, Zoom, or other teleconferencing software.

Lawyer Slack Channels

Slack is a communication and collaboration hub that can be used in the place of email. The platform is designed to enhance communication and support in hybrid and remote work environments, making everything more efficient.

There’s a lot more to Slack, however. The platform can be used for non-work-related communications, including channels for different professionals to network and communicate asynchronously. Lawyers can take advantage of these channels to network virtually and discuss important industry issues and topics with similar minds.

Thought Leadership

Thought leadership online is similar to speaking at networking events or industry conferences in person. Though less formal in its approach, the goal is the same – to position oneself as a leader in the industry.

Lawyers have an opportunity to engage in thought leadership to share important insights and topics they’re passionate about in digital publications. This not only improves visibility for the lawyer and the firm, potentially bringing in more clients, but gets the firm’s name out there for increased brand exposure.

Build a Strong Book of Business with these Lawyer Networking Best Practices

With in-person networking events limited in the wake of the pandemic, many lawyers are struggling to build a book and find new leads. There are plenty of options to increase lead generation and networking opportunities online, however, allowing lawyers to draw more clients and grow their practice now and into the future. As we continue navigating our post-pandemic work, lawyer networking best practices will fluctuate, but we hope these tips offered guidance on modern networking skills.

The technology that has emerged in the legal industry offers tremendous opportunities for both fresh law school graduates and veterans of traditional firms alike to transition to a virtual law office. Lawyers can launch, operate, and manage a virtual law office as a low-cost and low-barrier entry to the market, while also serving clients more effectively.

Here are the benefits for lawyers looking to transition to a virtual law office and adopt a more tech-forward practice.

1. Low Overhead

In the past, starting a law practice meant significant startup costs. From utilities to commercial space to office furniture to staff, lawyers who wanted to open a firm had a lot of upfront costs to overcome, often limiting new lawyers from getting a solid start. This is especially true of large cities, which tend to have more competition from large, established firms.

Even with the startup costs covered, it can take time to start drawing in clients and earning income. Sometimes, law firms work on client acquisition for months before they get their first clients.

This all comes with risk and expense, which can take a law firm down before it has a chance to succeed. A virtual office solves this problem, however, but offers much lower startup and overhead costs, allowing lawyers to focus more of the budget on client acquisition and marketing. In addition, law firms with lower overhead can take more time to draw in clients without struggling to maintain the operating expenses.

2. Remote Work

Even at large law firms, lawyers are increasingly likely to work remotely or in a hybrid environment. With secure communication and cloud solutions, lawyers have an opportunity to work from home more or conduct work in the field, offering more work-life balance.

Virtual law firms take this a step further. Lawyers can open a law firm and conduct business wherever there’s a wi-fi connection, offering more flexibility during the often-challenging startup period. Whether they’re balancing a family at home or working odd hours to get work done, lawyers have the flexibility they need to succeed with a virtual law firm.

3. Appeal to Web-Savvy Clients

The generations that grew up with the internet want more access to lawyers online. Despite being a highly sensitive and mostly traditional industry, many law firms are already embracing technology trends – including virtual communication, practice management software, and remote work – and clients are noticing.

These generations already shop, book travel, entertain themselves, and often work online, so they want a lawyer who’s willing to embrace technology in the same way. This is true of both business clients and consumer clients.

4. Broad Reach

With a traditional law firm, lawyers are limited to the regional or local practice areas. Virtual law firms expand the reach to the entire state in which the lawyer is licensed, or in the case of a nationwide specialty like immigration, nationally. Lawyers can now capture clients in different areas, boosting client acquisition.

For some clients, choosing the best fit for a lawyer is more important than location, especially if they have the convenience of handling their legal case online (at least in part). This is also beneficial for clients who have limitations, such as personal injury clients who are hospitalized or clients who are dealing with legal issues while traveling.

5. Client Focus

Virtual law firms come with significant client retention benefits. With an increased focus on “client first” service across industries, virtual law firms have the tools and technology to serve the clients better.

Practice management solutions offer client tools like online bill pay, secure client communications, cloud-based document storage, automated forms, and more, all within a safe and ironclad client portal. This offers many benefits for the client, including better response times, a reduction in phone congestion, more flexible hours, and improved convenience. The virtual law firm is more efficient from both the client’s and the lawyer’s point of view.

Transition to a Virtual Law Office

There’s a key difference between working remotely as a lawyer and being a virtual lawyer, which is all about how the firm connects with clients online.

According to the eLawyering Task Force of the ABA, a virtual law firm must operate with a secure client portal that connects to the law firm’s website. The portal must be secure, encrypted, and password-protected to protect all parties and data.

Lawyers who want to become virtual lawyers or open a virtual law firm must know the rules and ethical implications. For example, some states require lawyers to practice in a physical office space. So, even if lawyers choose to work remotely, they must still have a brick-and-mortar office.

Virtual lawyers also have a responsibility to protect client data and maintain confidentiality. Most of the communications with virtual law firms take place online, and data can be vulnerable to bad actors and breaches. All channels and data must be secure and encrypted.

Transitioning from a Traditional Law Firm

Lawyers who have a traditional law firm must plan the transition to a virtual law firm. In this case, it may be more reasonable for firms to make the shift to virtual slowly, such as using a hybrid model and gradually increasing the ratio of online to in-person services.

Traditional law firms must also adopt more innovative processes and streamlined tasks. Outdated technology, such as scanners and fax machines, will shift to virtual solutions, and this can be a big change to adjust to.

Another option for updating the processes is choosing a cloud-based technology with practice management solutions and automation. Billing and payments can be done virtually, eliminating a lot of paper waste and manual time spent. These solutions must be secure and encrypted as well.

The Virtual Law Office is Here to Stay

Virtual law firms remove significant barriers for new or practicing lawyers looking to open a solo practice, work remotely, or adopt more technology solutions to streamline and automate processes. Along with low overhead and improved processes and work-life balance, virtual law firms also serve clients better, giving them more convenient and accessible legal services in safe and secure portals.

Lawyers are paid for the time they spend on casework, whether it’s consultations, case meetings, or court appearances. Administrative tasks, such as balancing the books, organizing files, managing busy calendars, answering phone calls, or addressing marketing strategies can take up a significant portion of the day – all on non-billable time. In fact, administrative burdens are so cumbersome to small firms that some lawyers consider administrative time among the top challenges they face. Workloads have skyrocketed over the last year, even posing issues for retention. Fortunately, there are many ways to reduce legal administrative time and limit administrative tasks for lawyers, leaving them to focus on the job they’re paid to do.

What is Billable Time?

Non-billable hours don’t have context without billable hours. Billable time is all the time a lawyer spends working on a specific client case, such as drafting emails, researching case information, or appearing in court.

Conversely, non-billable time is the time spent on tasks that may be vital to the function of the law firm, but don’t pertain to specific cases. This is time that lawyers can’t charge clients for and may include legal marketing, education and seminars, timekeeping, and phone calls.

Balancing billable and non-billable hours can be challenging. Some non-billable hours are inevitable, such as professional networking events and legal education, but they never belong on an invoice. 

Some non-billable time can be reduced, automated, or outsourced, however, such as bookkeeping and time tracking. Here’s how lawyers can reduce administrative time:

1. Time Tracking

Tracking time is among the most important legal administrative tasks at a law firm. Accurate time tracking ensures that lawyers are billing for all the hours they work on a case, but tracking using paper notes or Excel information on the back of an envelope doesn’t cut it.

Like organization, digital tools are the best way to keep time accurately and efficiently. Digital time-tracking tools use automated processes with cloud-based storage to keep up with time logs for casework like research and meetings. Practice management systems, like Bill4Time, have built-in timers to record time easily even if they’re jumping between projects. Bill4Time’s Google Calendar integration makes this process even easier by allowing lawyers to create time entries from a single calendar event. Whether your calendar is updated on the Bill4Time platform or Google, the bi-directional synchronization eliminates the need for duplication and improves time tracking accuracy.

2. Outsourcing

The obvious answer to how to reduce administrative time for lawyers is by outsourcing administrative work. Most large law firms have an extensive support staff to help with these tasks, but the extra expense can be a challenge for small firms.

If the budget is tight, law firms can hire as-needed help, such as a virtual paralegal or part-time positions to address administrative needs. Contractors help with tasks like bookkeeping, marketing, web development, and design, or fielding phone calls without adding a full-time position.

3. Delegating

Delegating can relieve some of the administrative burdens, but it’s not the strong suit of most lawyers. In some cases, the administrative tasks are piled on one person because they choose to do it all themselves.

Lawyers should prioritize the workload and focus on the tasks only they can do, such as case research or client calls. Beyond that, the tasks can be delegated to the appropriate team members as needed to ensure that everything gets done.

4. Better Organization

In addition to tasks that take time to complete, some lawyers waste time looking for the supplies they need. Client files, past case files, or basic office supplies can take time to find, which can turn a quick task into a significant chunk of the day.

File maintenance and organization are critical to a smoothly running law firm. Lost files and misplaced documents not only waste precious non-billable time, but they can lead to malpractice suits. Also, if your clients are evaluating your capability based on your organization, a messy desk or frantic search for files can leave a bad impression.

The best way to stay organized is with digital tools. Searching for documents stored online is a matter of a quick toolbar search, rather than hours spent rifling through paperwork. Bill4Time offers a cloud-based document management solution that provides lawyers with the security and confidentiality they want, along with an efficient organizational system that makes accessing documents more convenient.

5. Practice Management Systems

Practice management systems are a great way to reduce legal administrative tasks. They offer automated systems specifically designed for law firms and legal professionals. In addition to timekeeping, practice management systems can automate and streamline administrative tasks like client records, case matters, billing, email management, and more.

Furthermore, practice management systems use cloud-based operating systems, so lawyers can access any information within the system at any time, from any device with an internet connection. So, while taking taxi rides, waiting for a client at a courthouse, or meeting a client for lunch, a lawyer can track time, create events in their calendar, take notes, and more on the go with the reassurance their information is accurate and in one place.

Reduce Legal Administrative Tasks with Legal Technology

Non-billable hours and administrative tasks are part of doing business at a law firm, but lawyers can take numerous steps to reduce the administrative burden and focus on billable tasks. One of the best ways is with digital practice management systems, which track time and automate tasks like billing and time tracking. With solutions from Bill4Time, law firms can become more productive, efficient, and profitable with automated processes designed to cater to the needs of legal professionals.

The best way to manage lawyer burnout is to identify it early on, which is easier said than done. Lawyers are up against constant deadlines, long hours, and never-ending requests for time. In addition, law firms have constant burdens and strict requirements that create a high-stress environment.

According to recent research, lawyers and other legal professionals struggle with mental health issues. About 64 percent of attorneys have anxiety, over 31 percent are depressed, and over 10 percent think they have an alcohol problem. These statistics are concerning not only for the ones suffering but for the future of an industry that maintains these high demands.

Many lawyers are facing issues with mental health and wellness or burnout, but there are ways that they can manage their own stress and law firms can implement measures to manage lawyer burnout.

Warning Signs of Lawyer Burnout

Burnout can take different forms, but it has a few common red flags regardless of industry.

Constant Exhaustion

Everyone feels fatigued, overwhelmed, or exhausted at times, whether it’s from a particularly stressful day or a poor night’s sleep. Lawyers who feel exhausted all the time, no matter their sleep patterns or day-to-day stress, may be experiencing burnout.

Increased Irritability or Cynicism

Lawyers’ work is stressful and certain coworkers or clients may inspire conflict at times. But if a lawyer is consistently irritable or impatient with the law firm’s staff or clients, it could be burnout.

The same is true of cynicism. While lawyers may be more naturally cynical and critical as high-performers, excessive cynicism, especially in a lawyer who is usually more even-tempered and optimistic, could indicate a potential for burnout.

Loss of Focus

Balancing a lot of tasks and managing time effectively requires focus. If a lawyer experiences a loss of focus or motivation, it can be a serious indicator of burnout. Left unmanaged, this loss of focus can affect work.

Self-Medication

As indicated by the results of the cited research, lawyers are experiencing mental health concerns like depression, anxiety, and alcohol or drug abuse. Some lawyers may take to self-medicating for these conditions, whether with alcohol and drugs or with food, developing physical health problems. Self-medicating to address burnout is of particular concern because of its potential for serious health concerns.

Poor Sleep Patterns

Changes in sleep patterns can be telling. Lawyers experiencing burnout could suffer sleep disturbances, whether in difficulty falling asleep or difficulty staying asleep. This can make burnout worse since the lawyer isn’t getting the necessary physical and mental rest needed to handle their stress.

Strategies to Manage Lawyer Burnout

Planning

Lawyers are always facing demands, and some of them conflict. Court appearances, casework, and research, client meetings, staff meetings, conference calls, preparing for opposing counsel, responding to emails and text messages, and other tasks all beg for time throughout the day.

Balancing all of these tasks requires precise planning and more than just putting meetings in a calendar. Lawyers should plan out days, weeks, months, and quarters to get a comprehensive view of the track for the future and ensure that all necessary tasks are moving forward. The feeling of being overwhelmed often arises from not meeting expectations.

Blocking Out Time

With a big-picture plan for the future, lawyers can focus more on immediate planning for the upcoming days and weeks. Managing all these tasks requires swift mental pivots that can make them more challenging, and a lack of being in the right mindset can cost valuable time as lawyers try to refocus on the new task at hand.

Ideally, the day should be mapped out with time blocks for different tasks. Administrative tasks or tasks that require lower focus and tasks that require deep focus on a lot of mental stamina can be grouped together to prevent constant shifts in focus throughout the day.

Lawyers can start this planning before the week starts to make sure everything gets done and idle time is filled between meetings. Daily schedules can be adjusted as needed, but having a clear plan at the beginning of the week helps lawyers focus and prioritize.

Optimize Processes

Planning and time-blocking boost productivity and reduce overwhelm, but that can be enhanced further by optimizing work processes.

Having an organized system for streamlining communications and lead generation promotes organization and removes a lot of administrative burdens. It’s also important for lawyers to manage the caseload effectively, which may be helped by practice management solutions like Bill4Time. This type of software automates mundane tasks and integrates with many existing systems, including email platforms, to optimize workflows.

Establishing Boundaries to Manage Lawyer Burniut

Expectations and demands can derail the best of planning. Lawyers need to set and enforce boundaries to keep performing at a high level and ensure they’re setting themselves up for success. Client requests, court appearances, hearings, meetings, and never-ending deadlines can take a toll quickly, especially if they pop up in the middle of a lawyer’s already packed schedule.

Lawyers have to set clear boundaries, with both their clients and themselves, to avoid taking on too much and piling on the stress. With manageable workloads, lawyers can ensure they’re doing their best work.

One of the best ways to accomplish this and get in the habit is with new client onboarding. Clients expect responsiveness, but the first meetings can establish expectations for communications. For example, a lawyer can let their new client know that they may not get back to them within minutes of sending an email, but they can expect a response on the same day. This is another benefit of having time blocks for client responses since it sets up time periods in which clients can expect communication.

It’s also vital that lawyers set up boundaries for themselves. Lawyers should avoid taking too much work home with them, or if they do, they need clear cut-off points for when work stops and personal time begins. Of course, there will be times when lawyers need to spend more time working on briefs or preparing for court appearances, but that shouldn’t be happening every week. When most of the time is balanced, pulling a few more hours won’t be as detrimental.

Lawyers are experiencing burnout and its health effects at an alarming rate. The industry isn’t slowing down, so it’s up to lawyers to take proactive control of their wellbeing by setting boundaries and combating burnout.