Cynthia Sharp discusses practice management and activity mastery strategies that you can incorporate immediately into your practice as well as day to day personal lives. She shows you tools for organization and self management with a detailed explanation of how the diligent and persistent use of these tools can help you achieve balance in personal as well as professional lives.

1. Presented by Cynthia Sharp
• Professional CLE Speaker
• Attorney Business Coach
Wednesday, December 19, 2012

2. Wednesday, December 19, 2012

3. Strategies for Taking
Charge of Your Life and
Law Practice
Event Sponsor:
December 19, 2012
Wednesday, December 19, 2012

4. Business Expertise
• Business Creator
• Business Operator
• Business Innovator
• People Developer
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5. Strategic Skills
• Manage client expectations
• Create a culture of client communication
• Deliver top notch client service
• Develop a powerful & loyal staff
• Stay on top of pending cases
• Minimize daily stress & irritation
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6. 2 Top Areas of Ethics
Complaints
MRPC 1.4 Failure to Communicate
MRPC 1.3 Lack of Diligence
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7. “Insanity: doing the same
thing over and over again and
expecting different results.”
- Albert Einstein
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8. MRPC 1.3
“A lawyer shall act with reasonable diligence and
promptness in representing a client.”
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9. Symptoms of Lack
of Diligence
• Failure to timely file pleadings
• Missed court appearances/meetings
• Files have grown mold
• Numerous requests for extension
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10. Causes of Lack
of Diligence
• Too much work
• Procrastination
• Disorganization
• Incompetency
• Personal issues
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11. “Procrastination is a mechanism for coping
with the anxiety associated with starting or
completing any task or decision.”
- Neil Fiore, Ph.D.
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13. MRPC 1.1
Competence
“To maintain the requisite knowledge and skill, a
lawyer should keep abreast of changes in the law
and its practice, including the benefits and risks
associated with relevant technology, engage in
continuing study and education and comply with all
continuing legal education requirements to which
the lawyer is subject.”
- Comment 6 to MRPC 1.1 (as amended)
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Wednesday, December 19, 2012

14. Activity Management
Concept - Covey Quadrant
I. II.
Urgent/Important Not Urgent/Important
III. IV.
Urgent/Not Important Not Urgent/Not
Important
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15. The One Year Challenge
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16. The One Year Challenge
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17. The Ideal Week
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18. The Ideal Week
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19. Take Charge Plan
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20. Branding Tip:
Create a Culture of
Communication
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21. Communication
“... A lawyer should promptly respond to or
acknowledge client communications.”
- Comment [4] of MRPC 1.4 (as amended)
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22. Duties to Prospective Clients
“...[a] person becomes a prospective client by
consulting with a lawyer about a client-lawyer
relationship with respect to a matter”.
- Comment 2 to MRPC 1.18 (as amended)
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23. 23
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24. Strong Case
Management System
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25. Develop Rapport
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26. Ask Open
Ended
Questions
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27. Listen Actively
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28. Keep Client Informed
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29. Defining The Terms of
Client Service
• Retainer Agreement
• Non-engagement Letter
• Termination Letter
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30. Retainer Agreement
• Responsibilities of Lawyer
• Obligations of Client
• Scope of Representation
• Lay Out Stages of Case
• Payment of Costs
• Retainer Policy
• Billing and Payment Policies
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Wednesday, December 19, 2012

31. Retainer Agreement
• Grounds for Withdrawal
• Nonpayment
• Client Misrepresentation
• Failure to Cooperate
• Client Requests Unethical
Behavior
• Include Sunset Provision
• New Agreement for Each Matter
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32. Non-Engagement Letter
• Anytime You Don’t Accept Matter
• Recommend Second Opinion
• Be Brief and Polite
• Record of Transmittal
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33. Termination
Letter
• Reason for Termination
• Conclusion
• Nonpayment
• Conflict Discovery
• Client Terminates
• Failure to Cooperate
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34. Termination
Letter
• How to Obtain File
• Status of Fees
• Client Satisfaction Survey
• Ask for Referral
• Ask for Testimonial
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35. Client Relations
• Welcome Letter
• Client Satisfaction Survey
• Phone Appointments
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36. Four Decisions
• Decide what you want
• Decide what you will give up to get what you want
• Decide to take personal responsibility
• Decide what value and service you are going to offer
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37. Work/Life Balance
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38. Questions?
Wednesday, December 19, 2012

39. Connect with Cindy
like us follow us connect with us follow us share with us
The Sharper Lawyer
Wednesday, December 19, 2012

40. The Sharper Lawyer
now offers
a complimentary
half hour coaching session.
Email Cindy for more details!
cindy@thesharperlawyer.com
Wednesday, December 19, 2012

41. Thank You
The Sharper Lawyer
www.thesharperlawyer.com
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Wednesday, December 19, 2012