Wisconsin Lawyer
Vol. 79, No. 4, April
2006
Legal News & Trends
Looking for answers to business and
technology issues? Subscribe to the State Bar's new electronic list
State Bar members can share information, ask questions, and connect
with a panel of experts when tackling business and technology aspects of
their practice on the State Bar's practice management electronic list,
Practice411.
"Practice411 is a great resource for all Wisconsin lawyers to connect
with lawyers and legal professionals on all areas of practice management
including technology, human resources, client relations, increasing
their client-base, and more," says Nerino Petro Law Office Management
Assistance Program (LOMAP) advisor.
Practice411 cosponsors are LOMAP, the Law Practice Section, the Solo
and Small Firm Committee and the Wisconsin Association of Legal
Administrators. LOMAP, the Bar's newest member service, provides an
array of law practice management resources to help State Bar members
more efficiently and effectively practice law.
Subscribe. To subscribe, send an email, from the
address where you wish to receive your messages to:
join-Practice411@elists.wisbar.org
(leave the subject line and the body blank), or go to the Law
Practice Management tab at www.wisbar.org and select
Practice411.
Subscribers can transmit or receive messages, which are disseminated
immediately to all subscribers who can send a reply message to all
members. For more information, contact the State Bar at (800) 728-7788
or (608) 257-3838.
Petro is available for individual questions, at PracticeHelp@wisbar.org or
(608) 250-6012, or (800) 444-9404, ext. 6012.
This month's practice management tip
Color coding within client
files
Make locating your own work product within a client file easier by
using colored paper when printing the file copies of these
documents.
Use one color for memorandums and notes and another color for copies
of correspondence. Some law firms load their fax machines with one color
so that incoming faxes and confirmations are color-coded. Reams of
colored copy paper are available at office supply stores. Select colors
that make sense to you and your staff. Don't go overboard and try to
color coordinate every document - remember less is more.
The Practice Management Tip, sponsored by the State Bar Law Office
Management Program (LOMAP), is a service of the ABA Law Practice
Management Section. Tips are not meant as legal advice, nor binding on
any bar association or law society. Visit www.wisbar.org/lomap
for the practice management tip.
For an in-depth discussion on client file retention issues, see "Practice
Tips. Retaining Client Files."
Judicial Council seeks
researcher for rules of court practice and procedure
The Wisconsin Judicial Council is seeking persons interested in
conducting a research project, which the council will use to develop a
strategic plan. The research project will focus on current practices by
various entities to develop and implement Wisconsin rules of court
practice and procedure. The research project also will document the
extent to which the council's statutory functions are performed by other
entities, investigate how these functions are performed and funded in
other jurisdictions, and recommend action by the council.
The Wisconsin Judicial Council, created by Wis. Stat. Section 758.13,
advises the supreme court on changes in the rules of pleading, practice,
and procedure, studies court administration and operation, and
investigates suggestions about the administration of justice.
Proposals must be submitted no later than June 30, 2006.The Request
for Proposal is available at the Judicial Council Web site, www.courts.state.wi.us/about/committees/judicialcouncil
or from the Judicial Council office, 110 E. Main St., Suite 606,
Madison, WI 53703-7637; phone (608) 266-7637.
For more information, contact Judge Edward E. Leineweber, Judicial
Council Strategic Planning Committee chair, at edward.leineweber@wicourts.gov
or (608) 647-2626.
Wisconsin Lawyer
