Recommended Reading: Twitter Case Studies.

The best way to learn about new technology is to use it. You can't imagine or understand the possible uses for things, like Twitter, until you have an understanding of what it does and how it does it. HOWEVER, reading case studies is the next best thing. Check out examples from companies including Dell, Best Buy and Levi's. While you read think about the ways that their social media strategy might apply to your practice. Can brief and immediate contact with clients improve your overall communication?

California's full of women (lawyers), whiskey and gold..

Of the five Women to be honored by the American Bar Association with the 2010 Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award, 3 are from California.

We hire RFPs not law firms...

Last week I attended an LMA panel on Best Practices for Responding to RFP's. The most profound takeaway:

Make sure that the effort (time + energy + money) you spend on an RFP aligns with the strategic goals of the firm

This means you don't have to answer every RFP that comes in the door just because it's an RFP but it also means that when you decide to respond, you should plan to win the work. To win you must have these tools in place:

• research capabilities
• a keen understanding of your growth areas
• customizable pitch packages
• an exceptional knowledge of your law firm's network (by attorney)
• ability to customize invoices (alternative billing)
• historical information (cases)

You should have these tools in place:

• diversity in your team
• a relationship with the company or their counsel
• a strong understanding of the prospect's industry
• desire to form a long-lasting relationship

California Counsel In the News

Thomas Sabatino Jr. named General Counsel for United Airlines, after a career in pharmaceutical industries

Safeway's Valerie Lewis, Senior Corporate Counsel, named one of the Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America by Savoy Magazine

Cheree McAlpine, General Counsel for Wyse Technology discussed latest legal forecasting on Cloud Computing yesterday

Questions about body painting? Ask Michael Alonso, General Counsel for MontBleu

Profile of Yahoo Inc. Exectutive VP and General Counsel Michael Callahan in today's Recorder (sub req)

Do legal work for McAffee (or want to)?

Check out this profile of Mark D. Cochran, general counsel of McAfee Inc. from the National Law Journal
He thinks that 5 cents per copy is reasonable, expects firms to provide hourly rate discounts and blames trolls for litigation surge.

Colin Sturt named GC and Corporate Secretary of Micrel

Based in San Jose, Micrel is an industry leader in analog, high bandwidth communications and Ethernet IC solutions. View the Press Release here.

Disaster Planning...not the Earthquake kind

I attended a Safety Committee meeting at my son's school last week and realized that there are so many things around us that we don't care about...until we do. Until the next big earthquake hits the school, it's ok that the emergency supplies aren't fully organized. Until someone gets sick from the leaky pipes, it's just an inconvenience and mess to clean up. Until a child is unaccounted for, there are more important administrative duties than visitor and volunteer passes.

Marketing works the same way. When times are good and clients are calling, it's ok to postpone the website redesign or push off that lunch with an old friend. If an attorney is busy with the actual practice of law, and the time-sheets are flush, how can you justify devoting valuable time attending a non-billable networking event or writing an article to get your name out.

Adapted to Law Firm Marketing from FEMA's Preparedness Guide
You plan only once, and are able to apply your plan to all types of hazards.

• Get informed about hazards and emergencies that may affect you and your family. Where does your business come from now, how will this change in the next year?

• Develop an emergency plan. Work with your marketing staff to create a personal plan and make sure you are doing your part to pitch in for the firm's.
• Collect and assemble disaster supplies kit. Learn about yourself and the type of marketing that suits your personality. Not everyone can work a room or maintain a blog. 

• Learn where to seek shelter from all types of hazards. Network: have wide range of people in your network that can help you get business, find a new job, take work that doesn't fit in your area of expertise.

• Identify the community warning systems and evacuation routes. Stay on top of industry news and information.

• Include in your plan required information from community and school plans. Attend association meetings, stay in touch with law school peers and other firms alum to develop a referral network

• Practice and maintain your plan. Amen.

Christopher E. Kevane Promoted to Sr. VP & GC for Rural/Metro Corporation

Rural/Metro Services the following California communities: Del Mar, Encinitas, Rancho Santa Fe, San Diego, San Diego County, Solana Beach

Attorney Coaching à la Tolstoy

An adaptation of Tolstoy's short story, "Three Questions was recently released as a beautifully rendered children's book. It got me thinking, how might the story apply to attorney coaching?

The Busy Attorney and Three Questions (an adaptation)

A busy attorney wanted to fulfill the commitment to marketing his practice. But every time he considered undertaking a marketing effort, he was quickly overwhelmed because he didn’t know when was the right time to begin; who were the right people to listen to and above all what was the most important thing to do, in order that he would never fail in any business development activity he might undertake.

He realized that these questions were blocking his success so the busy attorney sought the advice of every consultant and website and colleagues he could find. Many, many educated and experienced people spoke with the attorney but everyone answered the questions differently. Some advised him to work for three months on a business plan before undertaking any effort- in this way he would be more educated. Some advised him to hire a team of experts and outsource the work so that it would be efficient and inexpensive and still others advised him to take to the internet and trust social media to answer his questions.

Finding little solace in the range of advice, the attorney felt more confused than ever and sought out the advice of a rainmaker from a firm across the country who had come to the city on a business visit. The busy attorney took the train downtown to the exhibit hall where the sage rainmaker was setting up his booth. When the busy attorney arrived he found the elderly rainmaker sweating and struggling to set up a booth by himself. The busy attorney approached the rainmaker’s booth and said, “I have come to visit you to find answers to three questions: How can I learn to do the right thing at the right time? Who are the people I most need? And, what affairs are the most important and need my first attention?

The rainmaker listened to the attorney but answered nothing. He just opened another box and commenced work on his booth. “You look tired”, said the busy attorney. “Let me have a hand at setting this booth up for you”. The rainmaker obliged. When the booth was nearly completed, the busy attorney walked to the lobby of the convention center to find the rainmaker seated at a café chatting with a small group of people. As the busy attorney approached the group, he realized that the rainmaker was talking with colleagues from his law school days. The busy attorney approached the group and instantly struck up a conversation and rekindled relationships he had lost with his fellow alumni.

Later that afternoon as the busy attorney and rainmaker were heading back to add final touches to the booth, the attorney posed the three questions to the rainmaker again and begged of him to answer. The rainmaker took a deep breath to speak but instead of answering quickly turned and shook hands with a an executive who was approaching them from across the room. The executive greeted the two and she and the rainmaker fell into a discussion of an important employment case she was dealing with. The executive mentioned that she was in desperate need of an expert in this area. Employment law was the busy attorney’s specialty and he had just successfully closed a case with strong correlations to the situation the executive was describing. He enthusiastically spoke up and volunteered his services.

As they took leave of the executive, the young attorney broached the three questions again. The rainmaker replied, “Don’t you see! If you had not helped me to set up the booth you wouldn’t have stayed long enough to meet your college buddies. So the most important time was when you were setting up the booth; and I was the most important man and to for me good was your most important business. Afterwards, when we were walking back to the booth, the most important time was when you spoke up about your specialty and if you had not walked back to the booth with me you wouldn’t have met the executive so she was the most important person and to speak up was the most important business.

(From the original) “Remember then: there is only one time that is important—Now! It is the most important time because it is the only time when we have any power. The most necessary person (client/colleague) is he with whom you are, for no man knows whether he will ever have dealings with anyone else: and the most important affair is, to do him good, because for that purpose alone was man sent into this life”.

Questioning the Questioner

At a certain point during Q&A of every in-house panel I've attended an audience member will stand up and ask some form of, ".....BUT how do I get your business?"

In-house attorneys always respond in a measured tone but I'm left wondering if the audience has been listening to the preceeding 90 minutes of discussion that included a myriad of ideas like: give me something I need to do my business better, communicate effectively, network.

Instead of just wondering, I am exploring the idea of throwing the questions back at the questioner. The Socratic Method: Leveraging Questions to Increase Performance offers a nice explanation of putting these types of questions to work in the leadership of your law firm (Bonus! There's also a case study).

A sample: "Although leadership is about moving people, the simple truth is that nobody moves anywhere unless they move themselves. The Socratic Method is a way to help people see when they need to move, and where they need to move to."

Retail General Counsel Unite!

The First of its kind Retail Litigation Center will be guided by its own Board of Directors, chaired by Janet Dhillon, executive vice president, general counsel & secretary for J.C. Penney Company, Inc. Also serving on the RLC Board of Directors are:

•Timothy Baer, Executive Vice President & General Counsel, Target Corporation
•David Goldston, Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary, Jo-Ann Stores, Inc.
•Susan Lanigan, Executive Vice President & General Counsel, Dollar General Corporation
•Samuel Reeves, Senior Vice President & General Counsel, Walmart US, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
•Michael Veitenheimer, Senior Vice President, Secretary & General Counsel, Michaels Stores, Inc.

Lady Gaga...future law firm CMO?

Great post from Church of the Customer blog on the ways that Lady Gaga actively cultivates her fan base. There is plenty of opportunity for law firms to incorporate these techniques into their marketing strategy and create loyal clients...a Tribe


1. Give fans a name (or take on the name they call you)
The first example that comes to mind is Morrison Foerster adopting MoFo in their marketing efforts.

2. Make it about something bigger than you
Law Firms are often the first to step up to the plate and donate funds in a crisis and have a long history of supporting their communities (stable economy = steady legal work). This is headed in the right direction but try considering ways that you can incorporate this spirit into your everyday work culture not just in times of need or when the sponsorship committee comes calling.

3. Develop shared symbols
Sponsoring industry events is a dry example of how you can accomplish this goal...but when you attend be creative! Engage your clients. Make the trip to your exhibit booth worth their while. Anybody can slap a brand on a chotchke...understand the industry and needs of your customers so that you can anticipate matters related to their business and speak their language

4. Make your customers feel like rock stars
Think about the last time you felt like a rock star: did you get the best seat in the house and the most knowledgeable server at a restaurant? did your partner make you breakfast in bed or a customer service rep go out of the way to insure your grandma got her Christmas package in time despite your last minute efforts? What did it feel like? Now think about ways you can make that happen for your clients? Hint: Sometimes all it takes is listening

5. Leverage social media
Legal Marketing is plagued with social media discussions. At the end of the day what matters most is how you use the tools that are available and if your efforts are sustainable. If Twitter doesn't feel right to you, then invest time and energy optimizing your website or revitalizing your blog.

David Harshman promoted at Toshiba America Information Systems Inc.

From The Recorder