12 hacks for an office summer refresh
Spring is often an extremely busy time in the legal world, but as summer comes around, vacations and reduced litigation can actually make more time for brushing up on projects around the office. Consider using the coming weeks to take on new plans, address old ones, and catch up on postponed activities. Here are some […]
Origins of legal processes and key industry practices
As legal professionals, it is easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of day-to-day practice. There’s always a trial to prepare for, a contract to negotiate, or an executive compensation package to draft. With the flurry of activity, it’s hard to find time to reflect upon the history and origins of our profession. History, […]
7 steps to filing legal documents successfully
What are the steps to filing legal documents with the court? What needs to happen between brief and court date to ensure that the document reaches the judge as it should? What does the filer need to do or know at each phase to ensure success? If you’ve been filing documents for years now, this […]
10 things you can do in five minutes or less
Let’s face it: from time to time, every legal professional feels overwhelmed. Work piles up and the to-do list keeps getting longer. Then, once the workday ends, family obligations take over. Even though we’re constantly rushing about, it can sometimes feel like we aren’t actually accomplishing anything. In times like these, it is important to […]
Expert account management tips for firm administrators
Several months ago we discussed top One Legal features and tools that helped filers stay ahead of court filing. As the firm administrator, you might not be regularly filing documents yourself, but you will still be dealing with many of the results of your team’s interactions with the One Legal platform. So, we’ve gathered up […]
7 strategies for organizing your digital workspace
For many people, an organized life is all about simplicity. From physical desktop to digital workspace, organized surroundings can bring a surprising amount of clarity to one’s life. An organized digital workspace can be particularly useful to those who work in the legal industry, where the majority of work occurs while staring at a computer, […]
8 nifty acronyms and quick tips for handling emails at work
Email: the most universal and far-reaching communication platform of our current times. It’s used by just about everyone, regardless of where they work or what their preferred platform is. With an email, you can reach from Generation Z up to the Baby Boomers and everyone in between. Still, as busy professionals, managing emails can be […]
Tips for taking a break from work—and why it matters
The prevalence of portable electronics has pushed us as professionals to always be “on.” Because we can work from anywhere, we often feel like we should work from everywhere. But is this constant drive to produce actually harming our productivity? Many experts believe the answer to that question is a resounding “yes.” Various studies have […]
Bringing effective legal project management to your team
For decades, the term “project management” invoked images of construction workers and engineers huddled around a set of blueprints, scheming to raise a building from the ground up. It was rarely, if ever, applied in the legal setting. In recent years, however, the legal profession has embraced the concept of project management. In fact, the […]
10 alternatives to meetings your firm should try
The face-to-face interaction of a team meeting is often useful for picking up nonverbal cues and team building, but is it always necessary? While being crucial and extremely useful in some scenarios, meetings as a whole are notoriously time-wasting. Too much waiting around, not enough staying on task. Too much discussion, not enough decisions made. […]
4 tips for meeting filing deadlines—every time
There may be no more deadline-intensive industry than the law. Courts, agencies, and clients are unforgiving when it comes to timeliness. Some days, it feels like it’s all one can do just to keep on top of the calendar. And this is no small issue – according to the American Bar Association, calendaring mistakes are […]
8 ways to spice up routine tasks in your law firm
Working in a law firm has its moments of excitement, but the day to day responsibilities can often be less than dynamic. As the support and foundation of a successful law firm or legal department, your workday likely includes repetitious or non-creative tasks. And while these responsibilities are critical to the smooth operation of a […]
Strategies for handling the busy seasons in your law firm
There is no doubt that law firms are busy places. If you ask a legal professional when the busiest time of year is, however, the answer would likely be “it depends.” Litigation teams are swamped in the months leading up to trial. Corporate and real estate attorneys tend to find themselves underwater as major deals […]
How to create templates in Microsoft Word for legal documents
In just about every role in a legal office, you’ll find yourself creating multiple documents for clients, cases, and financial purposes. Each type of document will often require the same format with headings, logos, font types, spacing, and more. Create templates and save for company-wide use to keep specific designs and stylings in place and […]
How to outsmart context switching (and get more done)
You’re working on a case for a client when you remember that you were supposed to finish editing a different brief by lunchtime. You go to work on that just before realizing that a colleague has been waiting on an email from you–since yesterday. By the end of the email, you’ve thought of several calls […]
Maximizing your lunch hour: tips for busy legal professionals
Is the cycle of waking, working, sleeping starting to get to you? Do you struggle to keep up with all of your interests and errands each week while also giving yourself room to breathe? Don’t despair. You have an important tool that can be used to leverage your time and enable you to do more […]