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Recent Articles from Christopher F. Earley
Marketing is vital, but leave it to an assistant
Marketing is what drives the growth of a law firm. To me, it is the single most important function of a practice, because outside of word-of-mouth referrals, typically there are no clients walking through the door without marketing. But if lawyers are doing the marketing, then the marketing either is not done right or it’s […]
How to make calling your firm a positive experience for clients
I believe the telephone and the way it is handled is one of the most important aspects of running a successful law office. Here are some easy and free ways to improve the experience for all callers to your firm. The greeting. The telephone greeting is really, really important. Instead of the cold and off-putting […]
Finding that special someone
“People are not your most important asset. The right people are.” — Jim Collins I am a massive believer in the importance of hiring the right people for my firm. Without the right people, my firm can only go so far. But hiring the right people rarely occurs by happenstance or luck. Rather, it requires […]
The importance of coaching
“A good coach can change a game. A great coach can change a life.” — John Wooden One of the best decisions I ever made was to invest in professional coaching. Since I began to receive coaching, it has been a shot in the arm for me. I have seen a significant increase in the […]
Is your firm’s intake system working as well as it should?
Intake is one of the most critical aspects of any law firm. But far too often firms don’t give the intake process the special attention it deserves. When that happens, money goes flying out the door. Marketing spend is wasted if a firm does not have a smooth intake system for converting qualified case leads […]
Getting online client reviews isn’t easy, but it’s important
“We all need people who will give us feedback. That’s how we improve.” — Bill Gates If you run a law firm, you likely rely on online reviews. There’s no question, though, that it can be very hard to get reviews from clients. It’s an ongoing challenge, but potential clients expect you to have reviews. […]
The difficult but important task of letting someone go
“In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst you can do is nothing.” — Theodore Roosevelt There are few things harder for me than letting go of someone who is not working out. This is, however, just […]
Hate the dreaded employee reviews? Give ‘quarterly conversations’ a try
“To listen well is as powerful a means of communication and influence as to talk well.” — John Marshall Open and honest communication with team members is crucial when running a law firm. Whether it be a group meeting or a one-on-one meeting, effective communication is critical. When I have one-on-one meetings with team members, […]
Finding ways to show team members you care
“The leaders who get the most out of their people are the leaders who care most about their people.” — Simon Sinek The success of any law firm hinges on its people. No successful law firm was ever built on the backs of average team members. If team members know that you truly care about […]
Delegating to others can help grow your practice
“In most organizations, the bottleneck is at the top of the bottle.” — Peter Drucker If someone else can do something 70% as well as you can, delegate it. As lawyers, we tend to try to handle everything ourselves. It gives us a sense of control. The old adage, “If you want something done right, […]
Protecting your time with time management practices
“It is not enough to be busy. … The question is: What are we busy about?” — Henry David Thoreau As attorneys, our time is our stock in trade. Effective time management is therefore the name of the game. Maximizing our time is essential to our personal productivity. […]
Hiring: Finding the right person is mission critical
We’ve all been there. We hire someone we really believe will be a great hire. Soon, though, it becomes clear it is not a good fit. I had to make the really tough decision of letting go of a team member recently. I am really, really slow and deliberate with hiring. I look for superstars, […]
Verdicts & Settlements
- Worker fell off roof, rendering him a paraplegic — $1.25M settlement
- Driver sustained permanent hearing loss after traffic collision — $240,000 settlement
- Plaintiff suffered concussion in rear-end collision — $81,000 verdict
- Builder misrepresented home status to buyers — $675,000 verdict
- Low potassium led to cardiac arrest, death of patient — $1M settlement
- Excessive propofol caused death in dialysis patient — $850,000 settlement
- Pedestrian struck in crosswalk in hit-and-run incident — $300,000 settlement
- Navy veteran killed in collision with box truck — $1.85M arbitration award
- Motorcyclist ejected from bike in collision with SUV — $1.5M settlement
- Jury rules in plaintiff’s favor in defamation suit with city — $300,000 verdict
- Woman missed step on walkway, rupturing Achilles tendon — $160,000 settlement
- Court dismisses suit in hit-and-run death of 2-year-old
Opinion Digests
- Debtor fails to show that signatures were forged
- Alleged defect in service of process excused
- Sales reps defeat injunction motion by former employer
- Court refuses to strike damages expert’s report
- Company can’t dismiss securities class action
- Defendants sued for not repaying loan
- No claim for ACA retaliation outside employment arena
- Plaintiffs awarded $33K in damages, $324K in fees
- Bank dodges claim for customer’s in-person transfer
- Jury to decide who is on hook for $207K loss
- Woman claims hospital did not offer appropriate exam
- Board members accused of political patronage
