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<td style="padding-left:10px; padding-top:10px; padding-bottom:10px; padding-right:15px; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:10pt;">DECEMBER 14, 2017</td>
<td style="padding-left:10px; padding-top:10px; padding-bottom:10px; padding-right:15px; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:10pt;"><strong>Practice tips,
membership benefits, upcoming events, new products, and more!
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<h2 style="color: #045394; margin-bottom: 7px;"><img src="
http://images.wisbar.org/Images/DigestEmails/GetPaid_175w.jpg" alt="" width="175" height="175" align="right"/>Getting Paid</h2>
<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;">You did the work, now you get to reap the rewards of your efforts. Of course, you have to collect those rewards first. And despite your best efforts, there will always be clients who don’t pay, or don’t pay on time, for the services you have provided. So what procedures can you put in place to help? Below are some tips to help you collect your fees.</p>
<ol style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;">
<li><strong>Interview new clients before accepting their cases.</strong> If they seem difficult during the interview, you might consider foregoing their business. You can imagine what trying to collect from them after the case might be like. </li>
<li><strong>Be clear about fees, billing, and penalties.</strong> Have a clearly written and understandable agreement in place that outlines rates, billing cycles, and the scope of the representation. </li><li><strong>Bill promptly and regularly.</strong> Consistency is key. For many clients, weekly billing may be too frequent. Monthly billing may make it hard for clients to tie your activities or conversations to actions. Find a balance that works for you and your clients. Maybe twice-monthly billing is a way to ensure that you have a steady cash flow and to tie your efforts to recent activities. </li>
<li><strong>Provide details.</strong> Avoid general statements that describe work performed for each line item. Include specific details. For instance, you might include: <em>“Analyzed pleadings and discovery in order to evaluate factual and legal support for a motion for summary judgments,”</em> instead of <em>“reviewed case file.”</em></li>
<li><strong>Use technology for payment convenience.</strong> Accepting credit cards gives your clients options if cash is short. The easier it is to pay, the easier it is to collect. </li><li><strong>Have a late-payment policy in place.</strong> This lays out the steps you will follow when a payment is not received. </li>
<li><strong>Be creative.</strong> Sometimes you need to be flexible with a client, especially if you want to keep the relationship. This might include a one-time discounted rate or a payment schedule. Whatever tactic you pursue, be sure to schedule follow-up if needed.</li></ol>
<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;">State Bar members have access to several discounted programs that can help you with invoicing and payment processing. For more information see:</p>
<ul style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;">
<li><a href="
https://www.wisbar.org/aboutus/membership/membershipandbenefits/Pages/CLIO.aspx">Practice management programs
</a></li><li><a href="
https://www.wisbar.org/aboutus/membership/membershipandbenefits/Pages/Payment-Processing.aspx">Payment processing programs</a></li></ul>
<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;">For additional tips on billing, invoicing, and collecting your fees, see:</p>
<ul style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;">
<li><a href="
https://www.upcounsel.com/blog/10-tips-on-fee-collection-for-solo-practitioners">10 Tips on Fee Collection for Solo Practitioners
</a></li><li><a href="
https://www.practicepanther.com/reasons-lawyers-attorneys-paid-more/">5 Reasons Lawyers and Attorneys Get Paid More Than You
</a></li>
<li><a href="
http://blog.cloudpeeps.com/how-to-invoice-like-a-lawyer/">10 Tricks For Learning How to Invoice Like a Lawyer
</a></li>
<li><a href="
http://businessoflawblog.com/2015/03/law-firm-invoicing/">10 Tips for Improving Law Firm Invoicing and Billing
</a></li>
<li><a href="
https://marketplace.wisbar.org/pages/eventsearch.aspx?k=CA2711">Collecting Debts for Your Law Firm and for Third Parties</a></li>
<li><a href="
https://www.wisbar.org/NewsPublications/WisconsinLawyer/Pages/Article.aspx?Volume=90&Issue=11&ArticleID=26045">Dear Client: Happy Holidays. Please Pay Your Bill.</a></li></ul>
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<h3 style="color: #045394; margin-bottom: 7px;"><img src="
http://images.wisbar.org/Images/DigestEmails/Invoices_125w.jpg" alt="" width="125" height="94" align="right"/>Invoices That Sell</h3>
<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;">Client invoices can communicate more than costs for services rendered. They can also share effective marketing messages. Here are a few ideas to help your invoices pay off even more:</p>
<ul style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;"><li>Reference other services/announce new services
</li><li>Include a link to your blog
</li><li>Add social media icons
</li><li>Ask for reviews and link to your preferred review site
</li><li>Mention your referral policy/process</li></ul>
<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;">Keep in mind that invoices should be clear and easy to read, so don’t clutter it up with too many extras. Instead, pick the ideas that help you accomplish a specific goal, whether it’s to raise awareness for a new service, increase blog subscribers, or gain new clients.</p>
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<h3 style="color: #045394; margin-bottom: 7px;"><span style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;"><img src="
http://images.wisbar.org/Images/DigestEmails/2018_AMC_logo_250w.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="72" align="right"/></span>Fall in Love with<br />Lake Geneva at AMC</h3>
<p style="margin-top: 4; margin-bottom: 7px;">Join us for the 2018 Annual Meeting & Conference, June 21-22 at the Grand Geneva Resort – a jewel at the heart of the gorgeous Lake Geneva community. Enjoy lake living at its best with a wide variety of outdoor activities centering on Geneva Lake, such as:</p>
<ul style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;"><li><a href="
http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/name/bigfoot/">Big Foot Beach State Park</a> </li><li><a href="
https://www.visitlakegeneva.com/lake-geneva-shore-path/">Lake Geneva Shore Path
</a></li><li>Fishing charters
</li><li>Lake cruises
</li><li>World-class golf courses
</li><li>Hiking, biking, and horseback riding</li></ul>
<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;">There’s something for everyone in this historic resort town, including:</p>
<ul style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;">
<li><a href="
http://astro.uchicago.edu/yerkes/">Yerkes Observatory
</a></li><li><a href="
https://blackpointestate.wisconsinhistory.org/">Black Point Estate and Gardens
</a></li><li>Wineries and breweries
</li><li>Museums</li></ul>
<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;">Start planning your trip to Lake Geneva and AMC by visiting <a href="
https://www.visitlakegeneva.com/">https://www.visitlakegeneva.com/</a>. And watch your inbox and <a href="
http://amc.wisbar.org/">amc.wisbar.org</a> for more conference details. See you at the lake!</p>
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<h3 style="color: #045394; margin-bottom: 7px;">You’re History – On WisBar<sup style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 0; ">®</sup> That Is</h3>
<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;"><img src="
http://images.wisbar.org/Images/DigestEmails/JustForMems_200w.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="89" align="right"/>You’ve probably spent some time in your <em>my</em>StateBar profile to keep track of your CLE credits, access CLE course materials, or update your profile. But you can also find helpful records of your State Bar membership and WisBar activity there. </p>
</p><p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;">Can’t remember when your last committee meeting was? Want to review a WisBar article you saved? Need to find an old product order? The <em>my</em>History section is the place to go. You’ll find:</p>
<ul style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;"><li>Saved articles
</li><li>Committee, order, meeting, and subscription history
</li><li>Dues, assessments, and financial info</li></ul>
<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;">Simply log in to <a href="
https://www.wisbar.org/ProfilePage/Pages/myHistory.aspx"><em>my</em>StateBar</a> and select the <em>my</em>History tab to view this information. </p>
<p align="center"style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt;"><strong>Former Senator William Proxmire<br />Passes Away in Maryland</strong></p>
</p><p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;">Why do people fall in love? The National Science Foundation spent $84,000 trying to find out why and received the first ever Golden Fleece Award for its research study. The award, given out from 1975-1988 by Senator Proxmire (D) of Wisconsin, was once referred to as "the most successful public relations device in politics today” by the <em>Washington Post</em>. </p><p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;">Senator Proxmire served from 1957-1989. He ran unsuccessfully for governor of Wisconsin in 1952, 1954, and 1956.
</p><p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;"><a href="
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/15/national/william-proxmire-senator-who-abhored-waste-dies.html">Learn more about his life and career here</a>.</p>
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<div align="center"><img src="
http://images.wisbar.org/Images/DigestEmails/bkofwk_digest-purple.jpg" width="250" height="83" alt=""/><h3>Book of the Week<br />
Ends Friday, December 15</h3></div>
<h3 style="color: #045394; margin-bottom: 6px;">The Wisconsin Rules of Evidence:
A Courtroom Handbook</h3>
<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 6px;"><span class="black" style="color: #000"><a href="
https://marketplace.wisbar.org/Pages/Product.aspx?category=&cat=&pid=AK0050">Print Book</a>:<br />
List: <s>$179 member</s> / <s>$229 nonmember</s><br />
</span><span style="color: #E31B1B"> <span style="color: #E31B1B"><strong>Sale price: $143.20</strong></span><strong> member / $183.20 nonmember </strong></span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 6px;"><span class="black" style="color: #000"><a href="
https://marketplace.wisbar.org/Pages/Product.aspx?cat=WISBAR&pid=AE0050">Books UnBound</a>:<br />
List: <s>$159 member</s> / <s>$199 nonmember</s><br />
</span><span style="color: #E31B1B"> <span style="color: #E31B1B"><strong>Sale price: $127.20</strong></span><strong> member / $159.20 nonmember </strong></span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 6px;">To claim your discount, use priority code <strong>B5032BB</strong> when ordering online or mention it when calling (800) 728-7788.*</p>
<hr />
<div align="center"><img src="
http://images.wisbar.org/Images/DigestEmails/CLE_Pinnacle_.jpg" width="250" height="83" alt=""/></div>
<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:10pt;"><strong><span style="color: #045394; margin-bottom: 7px;"><span style="margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 7px;"><strong><img src="
http://images.wisbar.org/Images/DigestEmails/SecDiv_Connect_blueBG_175w.jpg" alt="" width="123" height="101" align="right"/></strong></span></span>Free CLE Program for Taxation Law Section Members
</strong></p><p style="margin-top: 3; margin-bottom: 7px;">The latest webinar in the Taxing Thoughts CLE series is coming up next month – and the first webcast is free to Taxation Law Section members!
</p><p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;">Don’t let nonqualified deferred compensation keep you up at night. <a href="
https://marketplace.wisbar.org/Pages/eventDetails.aspx?category=&cat=&pid=CA2719W"><em>Section 409A Overview & Issue Spotting</em></a> guides you through the statute while offering advice on what not to do when creating nonqualified payment deferral arrangements. </p><p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 14px;"><strong>Taxation Law Section members can view the January 5th webcast for FREE!</strong> Standard tuition rates apply for all other webcast dates. </p><p style="margin-top: 10; margin-bottom: 7px; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:10pt;"><strong>CLE Funding Available to Government Lawyers</strong> </p><p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;">Attention, gov’t lawyers – if you’re planning to attend a CLE session or conference focused on gov’t practice, the <a
href="
https://www.wisbar.org/formembers/groups/Divisions/GovernmentLawyersDivision/pages/home.aspx">Government Lawyers Division</a> (GLD) can help cover your costs, including:</p>
<ul style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;"><li>Tuition
</li><li>Transportation
</li><li>Accommodations</li></ul>
<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;">You must be a GLD member (it’s free to join!) and submit a <a href="
https://www.wisbar.org/formembers/groups/Divisions/GovernmentLawyersDivision/Pages/FileCabinet.aspx?CurrentPath=&download=45ae0bd9-9db2-4acb-b0a7-408a16d436a7">short application</a> at least 30 days before the CLE program date. </p><p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;">In return for the funding, simply write an article for the GLD News newsletter describing your experience and key takeaways. For more information, contact one of your GLD board members or GLD Liaison <a href="
mailto:bpark@wisbar.org">Bryant Park</a>.</p>
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<div align="center"><img src="
http://images.wisbar.org/Images/DigestEmails/Student_Corner.jpg" width="250" alt=""/></div>
<h3 style="color: #045394; margin-bottom: 7px;">Get Ahead of the Curve with Free CLE OnDemand Seminars</h3>
</p><p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;">Hey law students – did you know you can attend CLE for free as a Law Student Associate member? For real!
</p><p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;">As a Law Student Associate, you automatically receive FREE, unlimited access to any live, video, webcast, webcast replay, telephone, or CLE OnDemand seminar produced by State Bar of Wisconsin PINNACLE<sup style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 0; ">®</sup>.
</p><p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;">Choose from hundreds of topics that can help you understand current changes in the law and become a smarter business person. Live CLE sessions are a chance to network with lawyers while you learn. Or watch CLE OnDemand seminars on your laptop in your PJs.
</p><p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;">Take advantage of free CLE this winter and start your next semester off running with CLE OnDemand seminars like these:</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;"><a href="
https://marketplace.wisbar.org/Pages/Product.aspx?category=&cat=&pid=CA2533D">15 Rules of the Road - A Public Speaking Primer
</a></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;"><a href="
https://marketplace.wisbar.org/Pages/Product.aspx?category=&cat=&pid=CA2634D">Effective Time Management: Getting More Done for Less
</a></p><p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;"><a href="
https://marketplace.wisbar.org/Pages/Product.aspx?category=&cat=&pid=CA2386D">An Introduction to Consumer Law
</a></p><p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;"><a href="
https://marketplace.wisbar.org/Pages/Product.aspx?category=&cat=&pid=CA2566D">An Introduction to Traffic Law
</a></p><p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;"><a href="
https://marketplace.wisbar.org/Pages/Product.aspx?category=&cat=&pid=CA2387D">An Introduction to Worker's Compensation
</a></p><p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;"><a href="
https://marketplace.wisbar.org/Pages/Product.aspx?category=&cat=&pid=CA2552D">An Introduction to Condemnation
</a></p><p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;"><a href="
https://marketplace.wisbar.org/Pages/Product.aspx?category=&cat=&pid=CA2545D">Step-by-Step Estate Planning I
</a></p><p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 7px;"><a href="
https://marketplace.wisbar.org/Pages/Product.aspx?category=&cat=&pid=CA2547D">Step-by-Step Estate Planning II</a></p>
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<p style="margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 6px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:8pt;"> *This offer is not available with any other discount and expires December 15, 2017. Discount cannot be applied to previous purchases, or used for renewals of subscriptions, auto-supplementation subscriptions, or Books UnBound full library subscriptions.</span></p>
<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 6px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:8pt;">MKT495E </span></p>
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