How Good Lawyers Survive Bad Times:  The View From 10,000 Feet*

Law firms are shrinking and toppling day by day. The legal world has been badly rocked by the recession and the end is not yet in sight. The worst thing a law firm can do is remain passive and wait for the economy to recover. Our experts will share with you some of the shocking statistics as well as some advice for not only surviving but thriving in this rocky economy.

Sharon Nelson, President

John Simek, Vice President

Sensei Enterprises, Fairfax, VA

Specific recommendations and thorough descriptions of all the hardware and software technology you need to outfit a first class law office, all within a $6,000 budget.  From computers and printers suitable for lawyers to case management software; from billing and accounting software to smartphones, search and faxing software; from backup systems to word processor/office suite; and most important-training.  Also included:  finding the best deals on law office technology.

Barron K. Henley, President  HMU Consulting, Columbus, OH

How Good Lawyers Survive Bad Times:  Management*

So many lawyers feel like their law firm “ship” is heading for the rocks. But there are things you can do to counteract the economy and many of them have to do with managing your practice differently than you might in prosperous times. Take a hard look at your employees. Can you replace a real receptionist with a virtual one? Do you need your legal assistant full time or part-time? Are you watching the books on a monthly basis to catch early warning signs of trouble? Are you in danger of losing good employees because they haven’t had a raise? Law firm management is dicey in these times, but there are plenty of good suggestions here to help you ride out the storm.

Sharon Nelson, President  Sensei Enterprises, Fairfax, VA

Mark W. Bertram, Esquire  Bean Kinney & Korman, Arlington, VA

Help!  My Inbox Is Exploding!  Email Management for Lawyers*

Lawyers are generally drowning in email and many feel helpless when trying to get it under control. This seminar addresses the important issues of avoiding email interruptions, efficiently storing email and attachments in a client-centric manner, dealing with high volumes of legitimate email, avoiding SPAM, email encryption and Microsoft Outlook’s built-in features that can help you with these tasks. We’ll give you tried and true strategies for managing email and your time more effectively.

Barron K. Henley, President  HMU Consulting, Columbus, OH

How Good Lawyers Survive Bad Times:  Finance*

The day has come for alternative billing. Really. More than 25% of the nation’s top firms have successfully implemented alternative billing and hordes of solos and small firms are following suit. Learn how they do it, even adopting the radical notion of success fees. How do you avoid no-pay and slow pay clients? How can you outsource the risk of non-payment? Do you need evergreen retainers? This session will offer you a wealth of financial tips to keep you from seeing red ink on your budget.

John Simek, Vice President  Sensei Enterprises, Fairfax, VA

Mark W. Bertram, Esquire  Bean Kinney & Korman, Arlington, VA

Your Office, Don’t Leave Home Without It*

With the right tools, you can now work remotely from almost any location and still have access to all the data, tools and resources you enjoy while in your office. With today's mobile hardware, software, web-based interfaces and the proliferation of Internet access (both wired and wireless), you can practice from just about anywhere you can sit down. Join us for a discussion and demonstration of currently available tools and technologies that allow your office to be where ever you happen to be.  This topic covers everything from laptops to tablet computers, smartphones to portable printers, portable scanners, digital voice recorders, mobile back up devices, cables, mobile security, auxiliary power and even carrying cases!  Plus, we’ll give you a primer to help you make sense of wireless devices and networks.

Barron K. Henley, President  HMU Consulting, Columbus, OH

Ethics are Tested in a Bad Economy:  Passing the Test*

You only have to read the headlines to know that lawyers are increasingly getting in trouble with the law and their disciplinary boards for actions that might never have occurred in prosperous times. When you can’t make payroll or pay your law firm bills, it is tempting to gaze at the trust account and remove monies not yet earned. Sometimes, you are tempted to take a client that may ask you to involve yourself in deceit – or worse. Lawyers have recently been charged with all manner of crimes, including insider trading, embezzlement, fraud, etc. It’s a long list and getting longer. Even in e-discovery, lawyers have made some horrific ethical errors. This session will highlight the ethical difficulties lawyers have experienced since times grew bleak – and how they might have been avoided.

David G. Ries, Esquire  Thorp Reed & Armstrong, Pittsburgh, PA

Billing and Accounting Software:  It All Adds Up*

Learn why Word and Excel just won’t get the job done; what programs are available for the solo and small firm and how much they cost; using an all-in-one billing AND accounting program, including trust accounting and management reporting; what questions to ask yourself before meeting with a vendor; and what questions to ask the vendor during the meeting.

Barron K. Henley, President  HMU Consulting, Columbus, OH

Obtaining Clear Title After Foreclosure

Robert L. Shuman, Esquire  Reeder & Shuman, Morgantown, WV

Tips and Techniques for Getting the Most Out of Microsoft Word*

Save enormous amounts of time and energy by tapping the full potential of Word. Designed specifically for lawyers and law firm staff, this session provides practical solutions and time saving tips.  We cover everything from how to fix Word's default settings (they are bad) to styles and paragraph numbering.

Barron K. Henley, President  HMU Consulting, Columbus, OH

Stop the Bleeding:  How Small Firms Contain Electronic Discovery Costs in Today’s Economy*

Most attorneys aren’t dealing with the mega-cases, where it is assumed that the electronic evidence costs will exceed six or seven figures. So how can you effectively use electronic evidence in smaller cases? How much might it cost you? How do you select a vendor that will be proficient, and yet as cost-conscious as you are? What methods are there to hone in on the most valuable evidence quickly? What tips and techniques can be employed to keep the costs down? Bring your own questions – our experts are here to help you figure out how to deal with electronic evidence competently, but with a budget in mind.

David G. Ries, Esquire  Thorp Reed & Armstrong

Sharon Nelson, President  Sensei Enterprises, Fairfax, VA

Fasten Your Seat Belts!  60 Law Practice Management & Technology Tips in 60 Minutes*

Get ready to move quickly as our experts offer you 60 law practice management tips in an hour. Get the latest on legal technology for your office, cool utilities to aid you in your practice and ways to reduce the paper glut! Learn how to manage your practice with better policies, new software and news ideas born of the electronic era. We’ll touch upon the things that plague us all – from computer security to Inbox control to helpful tips for traveling lawyers. This is a fun and fast-paced session, so fasten your seat belt and let’s rev up!

Sharon Nelson, President  Sensei Enterprises, Fairfax, VA    

John Simek, Vice President  Sensei Enterprises, Fairfax, VA    

Barron K. Henley, President  HMU Consulting, Columbus, OH

David G. Ries, Esquire  Thorp Reed & Armstrong, Pittsburgh, PA

50 Marketing Tips in 50 Minutes*

Professor Emeritus Forest “Jack” Bowman will lay out fifty marketing ideas that every lawyer can use.  None of his suggestions costs “big bucks” and all of them are relatively easy to carry out.  While no one will be drawn to all fifty of the ideas, everyone who participates in the seminar should come away with a couple dozen practical techniques to increase business (and to increase precisely the type of legal business you want).

Prof. Forest “Jack” Bowman  WVU College of Law, Morgantown, WV

Developing a Family Law Practice

Andrew S. Nason, Esquire  Pepper & Nason, Charleston, WV

How much time have you wasted looking for a file? If you are anything like the average lawyer, the amount of productive time lost is astonishing. That problem all but disappears in a paperless world. Storage costs also disappear. Best of all, it is relatively inexpensive to move from a paper world to one that is paperless. Well, there’s still SOME paper that we need to keep – wills, deeds, etc. – but you’ll be surprised at how the benefits of moving to a paperless environment. The rewards are many and the investment is inexpensive. As Nike would say, just do it!

John Simek, Vice President  Sensei Enterprises, Fairfax, VA

Michael A. Minter, Esquire  Miles & Stockbridge, McLean, VA

Effective Use of Forensic Psychological Examinations in Civil and Criminal Litigation:  Getting Real Value

Various forms of mental claims are being set forth in all venues of litigation.  Evaluation of these factors in Social Security, criminal cases and civil litigation can be costly and time consuming.  Understanding the professional and ethical guidelines which the forensic psychologist or psychiatrist should follow will help attorneys make an informed decision whether to pursue this avenue in a way that is valuable to developing one's case. Using case law as well as psychological literature topics such as "reasonable person" and post-traumatic stress will be examined.

David A. Clayman, Ph.D.  Clayman & Associates, Charleston, WV

How Good Lawyers Survive in Bad Times: Technology*

No law office can manage without technology, so you might as well get the best bang for your buck. This session will tell you about no cost and low cost technologies of all kinds, including virtual receptionists, transcription services via the Internet, telephone conferencing services, productivity software, electronic billing, and utilities of all kinds. Do more. Pay less. What’s not to love about that?

John Simek, Vice President  Sensei Enterprises, Fairfax, VA

Michael A. Minter, Esquire  Miles & Stockbridge, McLean, VA

Good Lawyers, Good Clients, Bad Economy:  Succeeding in a Bankruptcy Practice

Andrew S. Nason, Esquire  Pepper & Nason, Charleston, WV

The Lawyer as an Employer*

Learn how to develop employment policy for your firm and handle employee disciplinary issues, update on ADA, FMLA, and FLSA.

Karen hamrick Miller, Esquire  Miller Weiler & Walters. Charleston, WV