Making Every Six Minutes Count

Time is a lawyer's commodity. Or rather, it is how most lawyers quantify their expertise. How successful you are as a lawyer depends fundamentally on how you use your time and there is a direct correlation between how much value you can extract from your time and your profitability. Most lawyers must record how they spend their time on a daily basis and regularly have to justify their use of time to clients, the court, or their employers. Managing Partner's new report entitled Making Every Six Minutes Count explains why lawyers should look more objectively at how they spend their time and how principles of time management can make an enormous difference in a profession which is now at its most stressful and intensive. The more efficiently and effectively you use your time, the more successful your practice will be.Topics Covered in this report include: - Defining time management and in turn self-management; - Why time management is a small investment for a big return; - Effective working environments and how they are conducive to better time management; - Streamlining office functions to enable more focus on critical work; - Efficient planning of working hours; - The differences between 'time management' and 'time leadership;' - Prioritizing tasks and dealing with overwhelm; - Delegation as the single most effective way to instantly get more time; - Practical tips on how to recognize and overcome procrastination habits; - The impact of communication and managing interruptions; - Work life balance and why it is so elusive for lawyers; - Managing clients more proactively to provide a more efficient and effective service; - Finding time for business development and networking; - Stress Management for Lawyers; and - The impact of time management on personal development and career planning. The report also features real- life accounts of the key challenges faced by a range of lawyers - from trainees to managing partners, and from sole practitioners to in-house legal advisors - providing you with insight into the common pitfalls and successes of those who have mastered time management and are currently using it to their advantage.

Auteur

CATRIN MILLS studied English and Related Literature at York University before taking the CPE and LPC at the College of Law, York and London, respectively. Catrin trained at City firm Reynolds Porter Chamberlain and spent five years there as an employment lawyer, representing employers and employees alike. Catrin moved to McKeowns in St Albans in 2005 where she set up an employment department. Catrin grew her team to 10 lawyers in three years whilst running her own caseload of high-profile employment matters. Catrin specialised in representing lawyers and other professionals in employment disputes. Catrin now provides individual coaching to lawyers (The Lawyer Coach) and writes a popular blog providing time and stress management tips for the legal profession, and regularly speaks on topics such as the challenges facing working mothers. For more information on The Lawyer Coach and to read Catrin's blog, visit: http://thelawyercoach.wordpress.com

Contenu

Chapter 1: Time management - Why bother? Managing time is managing yourself; A busy lawyer is not necessarily a successful lawyer; Avoiding the vicious circle; How this report can help you. Chapter 2: Start with your environment; Get some clarity; Clear up; Clinging on to files; Ditch the paperwork; A word on filing; The single-file rule; Using diaries and schedules; Contact information; Business cards; Journals and know-how. Chapter 3: Planning; It's not real work; It's about time leadership; Control time, don't let it control you; Your daily template; Some quick planning tips. Chapter 4: How to prioritise; Dealing with overwhelm; Turn your 'to-do' list into a 'to-day' list; Where do I start? Maximum results for minimum effort. Chapter 5: The art of delegation; Easier said than done; How to delegate properly. Chapter 6: Procrastination - The thief of time; Why do we procrastinate? Beating procrastination. Chapter 7: Managing communications and interruptions; Checking e-mail; E-mail notifications; Some e-mail tips; The internet; Telephones; Exit strategies; Colleagues and visitors; Working from home; Mental distractions; Rewards. Chapter 8: Proactivity versus reactivity; What do we mean by proactivity? Identifying reactive behaviour; Setting boundaries. Chapter 9: Managing clients; It's acceptable to have more than one client; There's still room for quality; Managing expectations; Keeping phone calls in check. Chapter 10: Networking and business development quick wins; Have a plan; Marketing - you're already doing it; Use client feedback; Updating your website; Online networking; 'Re-purposing. ' Chapter 11: Managing pressure and stress; Alcohol and drugs; What can firms do about stress? The economics of stress; Individual or cultural change? Chapter 12: Personal development and career planning; The importance of life planning; Your values; Not just a lawyer. Chapter 13: Practical examples; Example one - The managing partner; Example two - The City partner; Example three - The new partner; Example four - The assistant solicitor; Example five - The trainees; Index.