Use Your Time Wisely According to the American Bar Association, the typical lawyer works around 2,500 hours per year, with approximately 1,400 being billable hours and 1,100 being nonbillable hours. The nonbillable hours include training, legaleducation management, research, and marketing. Budget time for marketing your practice at the beginning of the year and identify specific marketing during the year. At mid-year, check your actual marketing with your budget. Turn Down Work It is difficult to turn down work, as all lawyers wonder where their next file will come from, but you must learn to say, “No.” Turn down nonprofitable work or work in an area where you do not have expertise or simply do not want to spend your time. If this results in extra time, use that time to write an article, go visit clients, or pursue other marketing possibilities. You will regret taking work you do not really want. All work is not desirable work. Take Time for Yourself and Your Family Burnout is an occupational hazard for the busy lawyer. It is easy to have all of your time consumed by billing, managing your practice, and marketing. It is difficult to turn off your mind when you need to leave the office. You must find a balance among family, personal time, and work. Take vacations and allow yourself to recharge. Leave the cell phone and the iPad off or use them for entertainment purposes only when on vacation, or check them only infrequently, not every few minutes. If an emergency develops, your office will know how to contact you. You really can take two weeks off and your practice will not disappear. Conclusion There are many more ways to build a practice than I have mentioned above. Building a successful practice requires a combination of the steps I have mentioned, together with other efforts which will enhance your reputation and build a quality practice. ■
FORENSIC PSYCHIATRY GERALD S. STEIN, M.D.
Cell: 479-244-6582 FAX: 970-987-5100
e-mail: jerrysteinmd@gmail.com See CV: www.geraldsteinmd.com
Office Manager Rebecca Stein 479-244-5060
645 CR 235, Eureka Springs, AR 72632 Appraising Real Estate throughout Arkansas for over 45 years. We are pleased to announce the opening of our office in Northwest Arkansas! J.T. Ferstl, JD, MAI Tom M. Ferstl, JD, MAI, SRA Little Rock
Fayetteville
501.375.1439 621 E. Capitol Ave. Little Rock, AR 72202 jtferstl@ferstlvs.com
C OM ME R C I A L
479.595.0245 101 W. Mountain St., Suite 210 A & B Fayetteville, AR 72701 websupport@ferstlvs.com
•
RESIDENTIAL
•
EXPERT
T E ST I M O N Y
www.FerstlValuationServices.com Weekly Case Summaries of significant Arkansas Supreme Court and Arkansas Court of Appeals decisions provided each week to members only in the weekly e-bulletin. Vol. 49 No.3/Summer 2014 The Arkansas Lawyer
17