JC Law’s Firm Focus June 2024
7th Edition
JC Law’s Firm Focus
BY: JAMES CRAWFORD JR.
A Message from CEO James
Crawford
First, I want to thank all of the legal and Admin staff for the hustle and extra focus that has been needed in the last week or two because of the added cases log. I see the buy-in and the way we give a "dam". So, from the bottom of my heart, I appreciate the perseverance and determination that we are showing, especially certain individuals that I have observed. I see the effort! It's about each one of us and our profession. The fact that what we do matters to our clients!
Let’s Get Back Into The Game
You may see Zach and I walking around the office dribbling a basketball. Don’t laugh…I can still dribble…a little…
This "back into the game" theme will be prevalent the rest of this week and next month. Thethought process is that our firm has one of the greatest resources imaginable. That is, us!
We have a tremendous amount of experience here. My goal is to push hard for the players who have been here the longest to start teaching more. That includes me!
Quick story.
Less than a week or so ago, Mark Sobel came into my office and said, “Hey, just letting you know I have a jury trial tomorrow, can we discuss for a minute”? Mark explained that he had a serious sex offense case where his client was facing potential life or many years in jail. We discussed the facts, bantered back and forth for a few, debated and he came to a conclusion. He decided he was going to stand his ground with the SA.
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JC Law’s Firm Focus
BY: JAMES CRAWFORD JR.
The next day, he and the state began picking a jury. The courtroom was filled with about 75 potential jurors. As he was sitting at the trial table the state attorney quietly leaned over to Mark and said, “Can we talk outside for a minute”?
They both went outside and within a couple minutes the state had dropped all felonies and major charges and agreed to proceed on a simple 2nd-degree assault, no jail, little or no probation, potential PBJ, and the client was likely to be able to have the assault expunged!
The next day Mark couldn't wait to tell me/us what occurred!
Here is the point. Law firms, lawyers, and legal professionals need to exercise their muscles in debate, discussion, imagination, thought processes, issues with judges, opposing parties, etc. Mark did that and does it often. Some others do as well. But we need to do more debating and arguing on cases with each other. We are our best training ground! All cases are not routine. We need discussion and imagination to find ways of creating issues for our clients. One way of doing that is “shooting the issue” past other lawyers. It's essential to growth.
The other issue is, that I doubt not more than 5 people in this office knew about Mark’s success, which by the way is major. It’s no one’s fault, it's just that we need to incorporate more banter about the law and the practice thereof, into our daily repertoire! We have many wins here, some big, some much smaller, but they are in fact wins! I want all of us to know about those wins and use the methodology to help in your particular matter.
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JC Law’s Firm Focus
BY: JAMES CRAWFORD JR.
So, let's get into the game! That’s what this basketball metaphor is all about. Going back to roots! Back to the game or game we love, that is, being who we are, the best practitioners around!
Weekly Win Sheet
In the next few weeks, the firm is going to publish and also discuss all wins (and yes some losses- for learning sake) every Friday at or before Friday Feast. Stay tuned for the methodology. The goal is to get recognized for achievement, but not just for yourself, it can help other future lawyers and staff! So, stay tuned!
PS: At our larger meetings, the person who contributes the most will be receiving a new basketball!
Operations Update
BY: ELISE CRAWFORD-GALLAGHER
After over a year in the role, I am excited to announce a redefinition of what Operations is and how it serves our firm. In doing this, I’ve worked with Jim to build out my Operations team to meet the needs of each facet of the company. The key function of an Operations team is to allow those in leadership to focus on tasks that only they can do, such as decision-making, communicating with stakeholders and partners, and creating long-term goals and plans while supporting the whole of the company with stability and solutions to problems. In short, Operations exists for three primary reasons:
1.
Coordinating and taking care of the details of day-to-day happenings of each office within the firm.
Creating and evaluating the big picture of company function and vision with the CEO and Senior Vice Presidents. 2.
Implementing new procedures and processes that support the growth and optimization of our client services across departments and office locations. 3.
We have a lot of exciting shifts this month that build out a team to support the mission of operations at JC Law, I am thrilled to announce the following promotions! Listed on the next page their names and just some of their day-to-day responsibilities:
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Operations Update
Cora Titow: Chief of Staff
BY: ELISE CRAWFORD-GALLAGHER
Serve as a liaison between the CEO/Executive Leadership, department heads, and external stakeholders.
Facilitate effective communication and collaboration across the firm to promote a cohesive working environment.
Work with Senior Vice Presidents to project manage priorities across all firm departments.
Zachary Groves: Senior Vice President of Legal Operations
Develop and provide administrative leadership for system-wide quality programs, focusing efforts on processes which improve the quality of our cases and client satisfaction of JC Law clients.
Oversee the delivery and quality of JC Law legal services across the Domestic, Criminal, and Civil departments in each office.
Anthony
Hamilton:
Senior Vice President of People Operations
Create and execute workforce plans to support our expansion. Lead the talent acquisition efforts across offices, including sourcing top talent, developing recruiting processes, and building a strong employer brand to attract diverse candidates.
Champion an inclusive and empowering work environment. Develop and manage employee programs that foster professional growth, engagement, and overall well-being.
Claire Conway: Senior Vice President of Growth Operations
Ensuring that strategic initiatives are implemented effectively and consistently across all JC Law offices
Performing quality control in terms of consistent brand messaging and customer communications
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Operations Update
BY: ELISE CRAWFORD-GALLAGHER
Sean McMahon: Director of Administration
Oversee and manage the daily operations of the administrative team, including the office management team, I.T. and legal assistants and discovery specialists.
Manage facilities and office services, including space planning, maintenance, and security across all offices.
Garrett Wissel: Sales Operations Manager
Manage and direct the sales team to maximize monthly sales revenue.
Streamline our sales process to ensure that potential clients are moving smoothly through the various stages of the sales funnel. Running daily operations of sales including forecasting monthly sales goals and review with Senior Vice Presidents on a weekly basis.
Money Matters
BY: ALISON JANE
I’m sure this edition of the newsletter will be full of the exciting happenings in Fairfax and the Finance Department is no exception. We have the Fairfax office accounts and Lawpay payment page up and running! (Yes, this is exciting new for us!). We have great expectations of LOTS of activity! Andy and Courtney have totally gotten the hang of running their own office and are a pleasure to work with.
Until Stephanie, our newest HR addition, is up to speed, Alison is handling some parts of payroll along with Sean, so for the next couple of weeks she is a resource for payroll related questions.
EXPENSE REQUESTS …. Submit them timely!!!! Too many efiles are popping up on weekly reminder emails and Maverick invoices are showing up for matters that have no funds in Trust. Not acceptable. The cardinal rule is don’t spend what isn’t there and do the paperwork PLEASE! Much appreciated.
Enjoy your summer!! Stop by and say hello when you’re on the 2nd floor.
Controller Alison Jane
HR Happenings
Welcome Aboard!
BY: ANTHONY HAMILTION
The Human Resources Department welcomes its newest member to the team: Stephanie Spira-Aspuru – HR Finance Business Partner (Compensation)
PTO Usage and Billable Hours
In dedication to our staff, the billable hour requirement for all full-time, salaried staff shall be reduced retroactively following the utilization of PTO up to 10 days of PTO in a calendar year. Under this formula, each day of PTO, up to 10 days, shall be credited in the following way:
For Attorneys, each day of PTO, up to 10 days, shall result in a 6.92-hour reduction from their yearly billable requirement.
For Legal Assistants, each day of PTO, up to 10 days, shall result in 4.6hour reduction from their yearly billable requirement.
For Discovery Specialists, each day of PTO, up to 10 days, shall result in a 5.2-hour reduction from their yearly billable requirement.
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HR Happenings
BY: ANTHONY HAMILTION
HR Department Employee File Audit
Please be informed that our HR Department has completed a full audit of Active Employee Files. We want to ensure compliance with all necessary employment laws and regulatory requirements. As part of this process, you may be contacted by Annette Spriggs, our HR Department Coordinator. Annette may reach out to request your assistance in securing any missing or needed documentation. Thank you in advance for your cooperation and support in this matter. Your prompt attention to any requests from Annette will be greatly appreciated.
Employee Referral Program $$$
As JC Law continues to expand, we find ourselves in need of additional talent to join our ranks. Who would be better to help us identify topnotch candidates than our very own?
We're putting out a call for employee referrals to fill several open positions across our multiple offices and practice areas. To support this, we now have increased the referral bonuses for attorney positions up to $1,000. ($500 will be paid out after the candidate’s 1st Day of employment, and the next $500 upon the candidate reaching 90 days of employment)
The referral bonus for any other position includes $250(to be paid after the candidate's 90th day of employment) and an additional day of PTO. If you know any stellar attorneys, paralegals/legal assistants, or any other professionals looking for an opportunity to build with us, please have them apply online through our website at: https://www.jamescrawfordlaw.com/careers/
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HR Happenings
BY: ANTHONY HAMILTION
Then email recruitment directly (Anthony.hamilton@jamescrawfordlaw.com) (kevin.beres@jamescrawfordlaw.com) with their name & contact information.
Why Employee Referrals are great:
You know what it takes to succeed here and can vouch for candidates' skills and fit.
Referred employees tend to have higher job satisfaction and increased retention.
Increased candidate quality
The hiring process is naturally faster.
Improved company culture & overall communication
Here are the priority openings as of May/ June 2024
Associate Attorney (Fairfax)
Associate Attorney (Maryland)
Senior Associate Attorney (Maryland)
Junior Associate Attorney (Maryland)
Associate Attorney (Pennsylvania)
Law Clerk (Maryland)
Let's keep our talented team growing!
Director Anthony Hamilton
Employee Engagement Committee
BY: ANTHONY GREEN-POWELL
Message from Anthony, President of the Employee Engagement Committee (EEC):
The EEC has been brainstorming over how to be more inclusive with how we acknowledge, and/or celebrate, holidays that reflect the diversity of the firm. We are still working on the 5K run/walk for charity and are looking forward to working closely with our HR department to make fair and effective changes to the policies and procedures that will affect how we operate as we continue to grow and expand as a legal force in the different markets we are moving in to. Stay tuned!
EEC President Anthony Green-Powell
Sales Spotlight
BY: GARRETT WISSEL
I'd like to begin our sales department update for June 2024 by providing some important news regarding recent additions to our sales team!
Firstly, I'd like to introduce myself to each of you! My name is Garrett Wissel, and I'm thrilled to be joining the sales department as our Sales Operations Manager. This move comes after an exciting year spent in our media & marketing department, and I'm ready to take the valuable knowledge gained in that role and use it to take our sales process to the next level! We have a history of strong success in client acquisition here at JC Law, and I intend to build upon that success by refining our process into a streamlined, efficient system that is not only scalable for our ongoing expansion, but provides our entire department with the tools to win!
Next, I'd like to shout out our two recently hired client acquisition attorneys, Christina Delane and Jonathan Luff, for a very strong performance in their first full month of selling here at JC Law.
Christina absolutely crushed it, bringing in a whopping 48 sales for the Maryland office and assisting on an additional sale in our Fairfax, VA office as well! Her attention to detail and the effort she puts in to building a connection with our potential clients (PNCs) is clear to see, and I'm looking forward to seeing her continued success!
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Sales Spotlight
BY: GARRETT WISSEL
ILeading the charge for our Pennsylvania office, Jonathan had his own strong month, landing 26 sales in his own right and keeping a vital flow of new matters coming in to our PA location! I have no doubt that Jon's flexibility and drive to talk to any (PNC) no matter the time or place will carry him to even more success here at the firm!
While the spotlight above is on our two recent additions, I'd be remiss if I didn't take the time to thank all of the practicing attorneys, intake specialists, client account managers, receptionists, and everyone else who assists in our sales process: thank you all for your continued efforts. Let's start off the back half of 2024 on a high note.
Thank you for your time, and happy hunting!
Sales Operations Manager Garrett Wissel
Domestic Digest
BY: ABIGAIL BEICHLER
As we begin to draw Quarter Two to a close, it is important to take time to reflect on the changes this quarter has brought up. In Quarter Two, we have had numerous team members join us. Each of them has made incredible strides in their first several weeks. Thank you, also, to all of our team members who volunteer their time in assisting with training and onboarding of new staff.
As a Department, we have continued to remain firm in our pursuit of justice on behalf of our clients. In doing so, we have seen a reduction in the number of client complaints over the span of Quarter Two. Our refined commitment to client communication and the hard work of our team, especially our legal assistants, has propelled us forward and the results are astounding.
I would be remiss not to thank each of you for your dedication and efforts as we navigated transitions during this Quarter. Seeing the team come together to seamlessly transition clients and ensure that their success and comfort was our top priority was truly humbling.
As always, as a Department, we continue to excel in meeting our revenue goals and expectations. As we prepare to welcome several new team members in the coming weeks, we have no doubt th continue.
We are very much looking forward to Quarter Three. We are eagerly anticipating reviews and further growth and expansion for our fast-paced Department. Partner/VP
Criminal Corner
BY: MARK SOBEL
The Criminal Department has been working very hard on behalf of our clients in the month of June. I am pleased to announce that in the second week of June we had one of our best weeks ever. We retained many high quality and revenue producing cases. We thank the sales department for their assistance in getting us the leads so that we can retain and represent the clients.
The Criminal Department saw some change in June as we said goodbye to Jennifer Kafes who moved on to the next chapter in her career. While we were saddened by her departure, the team needed to ensure that all our clients were well represented and we had to juggle our already hectic court calendar. While it has been a somewhat stressful transition, I am extremely proud of how our team bonded together to ensure that the clients were informed and comfortable with how their cases were being handled. Thank you for all your hard work.
A special shoutout to Angel who covered nine court appearances/hearings last week, including a couple at the same time in different jurisdictions. On another occasion, she needed to be on a zoom call with the Circuit Court while handling a District Court case in-person. Great job last week.
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Criminal Corner
BY: MARK SOBEL
I would finally be remiss if I did not also personally thank Aura and Stephanie for their assistance with our clients. They have done an incredible job with navigating our calendars and coordinating the court appearances and client meetings for the past couple of weeks. Angel and I could not have done it without you.
As always, please let me know if you have any questions or want to hear any interesting stories from our cases. I promise you they are entertaining.
Pulse of Pennsylvania
BY: CONSTANCE NELSON
The Pennsylvania Office has continued to expand by increasing its domestic, criminal and civil files on a monthly basis. Though all of our attorneys are responsible for taking sales calls, on a daily basis, our office has seen a significant increase in sales with the addition of Jonathon Luff, our Client Acquisition Attorney! On the last count, we have 212 active cases among all of our attorneys. Keep up the great work, Jonathon! You are appreciated!
Our Attorneys Danielle Coleman and Russell Manning have done an exceptional job in keeping up with the demands of the influx of work that the new files bring. The clients are pleased with their diligence and attention to their files. Danielle and Russell, you’re the best! Keep it up!
Of course, our attorneys cannot perform their daily tasks absent the assistance of their Legal Assistants. Both Olivia Munguia and Anne Gramiak have been great assets in ensuring client satisfaction and speaking with clients when the attorneys are unable to due to court obligations, etc. Ladies, you rock! Continue to be excellent!
Managing Director Constance Nelson
Virginia Update: Open and Growing!
Fairfax Forum
BY: ANDY PATZIG
That is the news from the Fairfax office. We are all moved in and invite you down for a visit. Currently there are three of us in Fairfax but we are conducting interviews now and will be growing quickly. We are all getting used to this great new space and look forward to all the great things to come. Very importantly, we have a lot of great restaurants nearby.
Managing Director Andy Patzig
Admin Insights
BY: SEAN MCMAHON
I’d like to welcome Tahera Atbin to the Administrative Team!
Tahera comes to the team bringing a ton of experience from her administrative assistant position with the US Embassy located in Afghanistan, where she won an award for her excellence in customer service! I am super excited to welcome her on board as the Assistant Office Manager supporting our day-to-day operations. Just so you know, Tahera can speak Farsi fluently (Native Language), she painted an entire kitchen cabinet for the first time, and it came out amazing, and she can watch a TV series for three days and nights in a row without sleeping (talk about laser focus!)
Office Director Sean McMahon
Ethical Esquire
BY: JAMES DICKERMAN
In May, the Firm received 22 client complaints and during the first two weeks of June, the Firm received 9 client complaints. Again, the major cause of the complaints was the attorney’s failure to effectively communicate with their client. For example, one complaint stated “I am concerned about the extreme delay in responsiveness of my attorney on the matter of my marital separation agreement.” Simply put, there is no acceptable excuse for an attorney to not properly communicate with their client. Any communications from a client must be responded to in a timely manner, which means the same day if at all possible. Moreover, a client should not have to contact their attorney to learn the status of their case, attorneys must keep their clients informed regarding what is going on in their cases,
The New File Disbursement Process and Procedures will assist in this endeavor by creating the proper foundation for handling the case. It is only a start, however, and continued vigilance is necessary to ensure that ongoing communication is occurring with the client. It is important that supervisors continuously discuss with their attorneys the status of the communications with the client. Therefore, this topic should be part of the weekly meetings. For instance, asking whether there are any clients that the attorney has not communicated within the past two weeks and if so, exploring whether there is a justifiable reason.
In addition, it is necessary to emphasize that client communication is at a minimum, equally important, to the other tasks the attorney is performing and should not be considered something that is only done when time permits after other tasks are complete.
In summary, if you want to avoid client complaints communicate with your clients.
General Counsel James Dickerman
