Manchester United and High Street Lawyer - What a combination!!!

For the next HSL Strategy Day I have gone all out and booked the home of Manchester United - Old Trafford. Okay their latest performance hasn't been as good but it's hard to deny that the Man United ground is the home of legends.

I have invited legends of the legal world to present. All of them have one thing in common; they want to help small law firms make more money. Our fantastic line up includes: 

• Andrew Roberts of Law League
• Nigel Haddon of Burcher Jennings
• Joe Reevy of Legal RSS/Words4Business

Each of our speakers will be giving special offers of their products to attendees, so your delegate price more than covers the savings that you will enjoy. 

Full details and booking details are here. 

Implementing the ideas at conferences is rarely easy so I make this special offer to the first ten firms who book from this email. I will give you one hour of my time FREE after the event to help you implement the ideas you glean from the Strategy Day. Normally, I would charge £250 for this but for the first 10 firms to register it's free. This offer is open to existing HSL member firms and those who have not yet joined.

My time + Your challenge = improved profits. 

You choose the subject, whether it is a marketing, training or compliance issue or something else. 

See you in Manchester

What is HighStreetLawyer Workshare?

HighStreetLawyer.com is a support services organisation for small to medium law firms assisting them in a variety of areas including marketing, training, strategy, procurement and networking.

HSL Workshare is our exclusive social networking platform where member firms share ideas, problems, solutions and work. They can also promote their services and procure services from other firms and our preferred suppliers. Sign up for FREE to find out more

It’s where we deliver tips, advice and training to our member firms and it’s where our preferred suppliers promote their services.

·         one of the great things about something like HSL is that we can and hopefully will bounce ideas off each other, just as you would with colleagues in a large law firm.

            GH, Gateshead

·         it’s good sharing info and ideas on here. I'm also now in touch with a selection of people I trust.

RF, Sheffield

·         I hope to collaborate and work with you all on this excellent platform.
I'm a firm believer that there is more to be gained from sharing than having a silo mentality.

            MS, Welwyn Garden City

Connect with people

The more people you are connected with, the more people can see, like and comment on your posts.

Sending an invite is easy. Just click on the “connect” button.  Sending a short message to introduce yourself when you connect. Helps to build relationships and trust.

Join Groups

HSL Workshare is made up of groups. There are groups for different practice areas. These are OPEN groups. Anyone can join.

OPEN Groups are also used for the HSL Preferred suppliers. To keep the site free from blatant advertising, suppliers maintain groups where they discuss their products, services and any special offers.

Strategic groups are OPEN or CLOSED depending on their nature. To join a CLOSED group your membership of it must be relevant and approved by the site administrator.

Promote yourself

There are a number of ways to promote yourself and your law firm on HSL Workshare

Featured firm  - each week one firm is our featured firm, their content is publicised and commented on by others. They are promoted on all HSL social media accounts;  twitter, linked in, blog

Ambassadors – Ambassadors are responsible for maintaining activity in a specific group. This is a great way to steer discussions to topics that promote the work that you wish to attract

Your profile – keep your profile up to date and include a picture and contact details to make it easier for others to connect.

Keep sharing and growing the network

Invite colleagues in your firm to join the debate on HSL Workshare. Everyone in your firm is automatically whitelisted.

Invite trusted colleagues in other firms who can add value to our network. Their invite requires the approval from the site administrator so only invite GOOD law firms with people willing to share and contribute

To find out more join us in Manchester on 11 June at Old Trafford and hear from the founder of HighStreetLawyer.com Gary Yantin and a great line up of speakers, all focussed on helping small law firms thrive not just survive. 

http://www.highstlawyerservices.com/#!hsl-strategy-day-11-june-2014/c1q8o 

Supporting the staff at the Land Registry

Today for the first time since 1984, which is probably the first time for many of the people affected, the staff of HM Land Registry went on strike. Organised by the Public and Commercial Services Union, staff at the 14 regional offices of the Land Registry yesterday commenced two days of industrial action and picketing.

The PCSU and Land Registry staff are campaigning about the Government's two consultations regarding the future of the Land Registry. The consultation sought views on whether the Land Register should be split into a Service Delivery Company which performs the day to day commercial and administrative functions of the Land Registry and a separate Office of Chief Land Registrar providing a regulatory role. The consultation went on to consider whether the Service Delivery Company should be transferred to the private sector in whole or in part. In short, a privatisation of the Land Registry.

Land Registry staff, present and past, are opposed to these proposals. They fear job cuts and are concerned about the integrity of the Land Register and the data that it incorporates. Essentially details about every land purchase in England and Wales.

Many high street firms including members of HighStreetLawyer.com across the country are equally opposed to the proposals. But, they don't have the opportunity to go on strike or picket outside their offices. The most we can do is try to make people aware of the good work that the Land Registry does, the first class service it provides to front line conveyancers and in turn the house buying public. The changes, if implemented, will have far reaching implications for small law firms, leading to greater risk, higher professional insurance and ultimately higher fees for conveyancing. If you want to know more about this aspect ask your local law firm.

The irony of the Land Registry staff going on strike is that there will be very little, if any, noticeable effect of the action. This is because most of its work is carried out behind the scenes, post completion of transactions and it is a well run effective organisation. But, it seems they have little choice too if they want their views heard in Westminster. The consultations have now closed but your local high street law firm will be able to tell you how you can still get involved.

Listen to Gary Yantin MD of HighStreetLawyer on this morning's BBC Radio Leicester Show. Fast forward to about 2 hrs 7 minutes. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01y9ht8 

Follow our Save the Land Registry campaign on facebook 

Another successful project completed on time and on budget by HSL Content

A website is one of the most basic marketing devices which all law firms should have. It need not be flashy or expensive, but it should do your firm justice and provide prospective clients with accurate and relevant information, to help them decide whether to instruct your firm. Nowadays, you can create a website using tools such as Wix or WordPress without spending much time or money. Amazingly, hundreds of firms do not have a website at all. But just having a site is not enough; it needs to say the right things about your firm, or you could end up being listed on Roll On Friday’s list of bonkers law firm websites.

At HSL, we provide our clients a bespoke web copywriting service, complementing our newsletter and blog-writing service. This month, our team was engaged by an established general practice firm based in the Midlands, who had recently left a well-known brand and needed to create a new website. The firm set a very short timeframe for fact-finding and writing the copy for the new site, related to the opening of a new office. They required copy for all of their different practice areas, and a profile page for each fee earner. Our team delivered punchy, SEO-driven content which exceeded the expectations of the client and was delivered ahead of schedule.

The key to producing effective website copy is ensuring the writers understand the culture of the firm, its goals, and what key message it would like current and prospective clients to come away with. When we are engaged to produce web copy, we take the time to get under the firm’s skin, so that we can write in your stead, and in your name. Hiring external writers means that your fee earners can spend more time on productive work, and gives you the peace of mind that your website could help generate new clients, not send them elsewhere.

For more information about how HSL’s copywriting and newsletter services could improve your marketing efforts, contact Gary Yantin on gary.yantin@highstreetlawyer.com.

The Life of a Managing Partner in a High Street Law Firm

Last week on HighStreetLawyer Workshare, it was the turn of Sheffield law firm Lewis Francis Blackburn Bray to inform, educate, cajole and encourage the other HSL member firms as our featured law firm. In reality LFBB Solicitors don't need an excuse to post as Rich Francis, their managing partner, is an avid networker and contributor to our social networking platform.

However, he used the week to describe the multiple roles that he has managing his South Yorkshire law firm. At times, being managing partner of a small law firm is like a series of acronyms. Rich is COLP, COFA and MLRO. While he does have the option of sharing these roles with his colleagues (unlike sole practitioners who be default have to wear many hats) Rich has decided that he needs to fulfil these roles personally to ensure that he has full coverage of what is going on. The problem it creates, even in a relatively small firm, is whether there is enough time to do any fee earning work. Other solicitors in a similar quandary, contributed to the discussion , giving examples of what works for them.

In any business cash is king and law firms are no exception. Most firms still bill monthly leaving fee earners scrabbling around at the end of the month billing work that they could have billed earlier and already had the money in for. Rich questioned why this was and whether any firms had any methods to change it. A brave move maybe, considering all of the fee earners at Lewis Francis Blackburn Bray are registered on HSL Workshare and even have their own group for their own discussions. I look forward to seeing whether they institute any changes.

Rich also spoke about the special relationship between High Street firms and their clients, acknowledging that most firms greatest asset and marketing opportunity is their existing client base but do firms really know what makes clients tick, why they use that firm, what else they need and how to get them coming back or recommending to others. It's a discussion that started at the HSL Strategy Day in March and continues to bubble along amongst our member firms.

Where else does this level of debate take place between owners and managers of small law firms across the country? Members share ideas, strategy, work referrals and even humour (dubious). We even received an insight last week into one partner's wishful day dreaming about his Bank Holiday activities. Join us for FREE on HSL Workshare. Sign yourself up or contact me for more details. A short chat to make sure that you are the type of firm that will add value to our network and that we can add value to you is needed before we approve your application but we look forward to welcoming you. 

Save the Land Registry campaign picking up momentum

The campaign to save HM Land Registry from the government’s proposed reforms is well underway. But one of the biggest obstacles to maintaining a meaningful campaign is lawyer apathy, possibly enhanced by the relatively short consultation period and the lack of publicity regarding the impact of the proposals. We hosted a mid-campaign conference call with solicitors and other interested parties last week to discuss how to take the campaign forward.

The Save the Land Registry website and Facebook page have generated a lot of web traffic and likes, but the key is converting the interest into a united voice. The solicitors and Land Registry employees that participated in the conference call were united in opposing the government’s proposals; now this unity must be spun into action. The Public and Commercial Services Union Land Registry group, representing the majority of HM Land Registry employees, has now submitted its formal response to the consultation. 

In its response, it emphasises the lack of explanation and reasoning behind the government’s proposals, much of which is couched in oblique language. Ultimately, the 98% satisfaction rate which the Land Registry enjoys is surely the best argument against the proposals, as well as the fact it costs the public purse nothing.

Meanwhile, solicitors in different parts of the UK are actively looking to generate publicity for the campaign amongst local solicitors and estate agents. They are also busy writing to their MPs to make sure they have a voice in the House of Commons.

The reforms, if implemented, may change the status of the Land Registry from a self- financing Trading Fund, with the ability to pass on cost savings to its end users, to a commercial service delivery company, potentially part owned by Government or entirely private. The proposals also suggest passing responsibility for making changes to the Land Register to conveyancers themselves. The impact on solicitors and their clients has not been made clear in the proposals.

One body whose voice has been strangely mute is the Law Society. Whether for reasons of political neutrality or lack of fight, they have not taken a clear position on the proposals. But in its stead, HighStreetLawyer is taking the lead in making sure these proposals are not quietly forced on us and is asking for further time for the proposals to be considered and for the proposals to consider keeping the current system. You can see what others are saying and add your comments on HighStreetlawyer Workshare. It's free to join. Just click here and follow the simple steps. 

What happened at HSL's Strategy Day

Wednesday 12 March saw our first High Street Lawyer Strategy Day of 2014. Delegates came from Yorkshire, Devon, Cornwall. Essex, Wales and London. Ideas were shared, problems solved and the general theme from the short interview that I conducted with delegates was that the quality of the discussions was unlike anything available to the owners and staff of small law firms anywhere else. Our fay was kindly hosted by DUAL Asset Underwriting and we look forward to launching our next project with them very soon.

Our day started with an update on the Professional Indemnity Insurance market by Stephen Levey of St Giles. It was well reported last year that over 130 firms closed due to an inability to obtain insurance cover. The reality, we learned, is that many more firms may also have failed to report and the real situation could be far worse. With the closure of the assigned risks pool and concerns around rated versus unrated insurers the situation for small law firms is far from clear for this coming year. Resisting any crystal ball gazing for the coming year, Stephen instead gave practical advice to delegates about how to get the best possible PII deal.

The next session focussed on marketing on a shoestring budget, which for most small law firms typifies the double edged sword that they face daily. Spend time and money on marketing or do the work that you have in front of you. Spend no time or money on marketing and there will be very little work in front of you. Joe Reevy of Words 4 Business gave an insight into network marketing and how to work your existing contacts, turning them into advocates for your business to generate more work.

Neil Thorogood of Lloyds Bank told us how small law firms can keep their bank managers happy. It doesn't involve boozy lunches. It involves sensible business planning, strong financial management and honesty about any problems your business might face. Neil and his colleagues are all Lexcel qualified so they understand law firms and the multiple pressures that they face.

A COLP (Compliance Officer for Legal Practice) is expected to spend up to 30% of their time on compliance activities. How that leaves any time left for fee earning is not clear. What was clear from Stephen Madge's talk was that the regimes surrounding compliance for small law firms are of procedures and preparedness. Can your firm demonstrate that it has systems in place so that it has the confidence to show that it is compliant? Stephen and his colleagues at Principle 8 advise law firms of various sizes on compliance procedure.

Our delegates other benefit from the day was Networking. Although our members meet virtually on our online platform, nothing beats a face to face meet up. Here are some of the comments I received at the end of the day.

"I really enjoyed the HighStreetLawyer Strategy Day, there is a bright future for high street firms after what I heard today."

"...a community feel and a trading of ideas that you don't get at big events"

"the presentations were fantastic. I have a renewed energy and ideas for my business"

"Very illuminating and slightly frightening"

"very useful in respect of day to day practice" 

"Excellent day, met some interesting people"

"Fantastic to meet the people we connect with on HSL Workshare"

"Delighted we came here today"

Find out more about High Street Lawyer by joining us on HSL Workshare https://cloud.workshare.com/highstreetlawyer.com/signup?1