In the age of the Internet where virtually all previous online contents lives forever, reputation management can pose its challenges.  That’s why it is important to closely monitor the Internet, social media and review sites to listen in to what is being said about you – or someone with the same or a similar name.  “Lawyers Struggling at Managing Reputations” as published in the Daily Business Review shows all of us what can happen to an unsuspecting attorney or businessperson, if they do not have a handle on what is being said online.  Simple tools like Google Alerts work well for some while others choose to subscribe to a reputation management monitoring service.  Boardroom uses MyRepMan for selected clients.  You should consider a monitoring program for yourself.

To read the full DBR article, please click here.

Tomorrow the Legal Marketing Association will kick off its 2012 program with “Connecting Costs to Value: Your Role in Driving Revenue.”  If you are an  attorney, marketing and business development professional, marketing partner, managing partner, practice group leader, or manager from law firms/accounting firms, then you should be there!

Nationally recognized as a leader in law firm business development strategy, special guest presenter Silvia Coulter, will discuss what firms can do to build relationships based on loyalty versus cost of services, client growth cycle and process improvement and its impact on the firm’s revenue.

When: TOMORROW! Tuesday, January 17, 2012 from 5 p.m. -7:30 p.m.

• Registration and networking being at 5 p.m.
• Presentation starts at 5:45 p.m.
• Food, fun and networking at 6:30 p.m.

Where: Berger Singerman; 1450 Brickell Avenue Suite 1900, Miami, FL 33131

Cost: Complimentary for lawyers, legal marketing professionals and LMASE members, $25 for other business professionals or non-members

Please RSVP to Jennifer Clarin, jclarin@boardroompr.com (954) 370-8999 or via SurveyMonkey, http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YMJ3ZW7.

Hope you can join us!

The state of Florida is at the forefront of a national trend involving ex-spouses who are tired of paying permanent alimony. The house bill, introduced in November, proposes to make sweeping alimony reforms as it sets caps on alimony based on income and terminates alimony payments when the payer reaches retirement.

The final decision of this bill may mean significant changes for Florida, it will give every divorce the opportunity to be reopened and renegotiated.

The Florida Civil Justice Subcommittee took the bill under advisement on December 7^th. While Florida has been making changes to its alimony laws since 2010, nothing has made an impact similar to what is being proposed now.

Angela Neave, a Boardroom Communications client and family lawyer at Barry I. Finkel, P.A, was featured in a front page article speaking out about the alimony bill.

“My gut reaction is this is a good start, but it won’t pass as it is because it is too drastic,” Neave said.

To read the entire article click here.

To read the full bill, click here.

Our recent LMA media panel led by Boardroom COO Don Silver was a resounding success.  Panelists Julie Kay, Daily Business Review and Paul Brinkmann, South Florida Business Journal did a great job describing the best of the best and worst of the worst law firm crisis management war stories to an audience of mostly senior legal marketing pros at Greenberg Traurig’s Miami office.

The program was moderated by Don Silver, who led off with a brief primer on the top 10 ways that law firms can prepare themselves for and manage through a crisis.  The plan was to have Julie and Paul share a couple of examples of law firm crises they had covered in the past, but the discussion quickly turned into a roundtable with full audience participation.

Lessons learned for speakers and moderators:  Always be aware of what your audience wants.  That’s why the program was almost immediately opened up for member participation and the planned case study exorcise was set aside.

Those wishing to become involved in LMA’s South Florida CityGroup can contact Co-Chairs Jennifer Clarin of Boardroom Communications (954) 370-8999 or Susan Greene of  Becker & Poliakoff (954)985-4124.

For all of you legal and CPA firm marketers, attorneys and service providers, we hope you can join us for the upcoming Legal Marketing Association Crisis Management program being held at Greenberg Traurig in Miami on November 17th.  This is a program Don Silver has moderated several times before, which provides the audience to take part in a real life crisis situation.  Hope you can make it.

Boardroom Communications proudly supports Legal Aid Society of Broward County’s “For The Public Good Event,” taking place tonight, Oct. 14, at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina. This event is an excellent opportunity to meet hundreds of prominent Broward legal and business professionals, members of the judiciary, nonprofit organizations, as well as others who support the mission of Legal Aid. This is the organization’s annual fundraiser, and has already raised more than $117,000, and counting. We hope to see you there!

You’ve Been Served!
For The Public Good 10th Anniversary

Friday, October 14, 2011
6 – 10 p.m.
Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina

Legal Aid Service of Broward County and Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida will host its 10^th Annual For The Public Good Gala on Friday, October 14 at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina. The event is Legal Aid’s annual fundraiser with proceeds benefiting families and individuals in gaining access to equal justice.  Our very own Account Executive Michelle Friedman was named as Publicity Chair this year and has secured outstanding media placements.

Boardroom Communications is a proud sponsor and looks forward to seeing everyone there! For more information call 954-736-2429.

The Greater Miami Attorney at Law Magazine recently shed light on marketing techniques used by top rainmakers. The article explains that effective marketing requires time, money and advanced planning. In the article, Stephen Fairley, CEO of The Rainmaker Institute, suggests 4 strategies that have proven to been extremely successful and may even double the firm’s revenues.

Strategy 1: Build Relationships with Strategic Referral Partners (SRPs)

SRPs are people who already have relationships with people you want as potential clients. For example if you practice business law, possible referral partners would be accountants, local bankers, financial planners, insurance agencies, etc. You should first identify several professions or industries that already have trusted relationships with your target market.  Then build or buy a database of potential referral sources. Always focus on refining your unique competitive advantage, what makes you stand out? Next, create a form letter that includes who you work with, how you’re different and a personal invitation to set up a meeting to determine if you can work together. It’s suggested to send at least 10 to 20 letters per week. Be sure to follow up and have questions prepared to let them know you are interested in building a mutually beneficial referral relationship.

Strategy 2: Build a Powerful Online Presence

Having a great website is crucial to your law practice. Many potential clients will research you before hiring you. To make sure your website stands out from other law firms, hire a professional to help you.

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In Florida’s Super Lawyers 2011 issue coming out this Sunday, Boardroom client, Howard Talenfeld, is featured for his ongoing work and dedication to help many of Florida’s foster children and others in need. Howard is a partner at the law firm of Colodny, Fass, Talenfeld, Karlinsky & Abate. He has built a remarkable record of reforming Florida’s foster care, juvenile delinquency and mental health systems, while winning large class action and individual verdicts and settlements on behalf of children and adults injured while in those systems. Boardroom congratulates Howard for his hard work and is happy to spread the word.

To read the article, click here.

We would like to congratulate the Fort Lauderdale law and governmental consulting firm Colodny, Fass, Talenfeld, Karlinsky & Abate, P.A., for being named the “Law Firm of the Year” by Broward Lawyers Care, the pro bono project of Legal Aid Service of Broward County (LAS) and Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida (CCLA).

Colodny, Fass, Talenfeld, Karlinsky & Abate was recognized for its leadership in advocating for the less fortunate in Broward County.  Members of this firm participate in many community and service activities, including organizations designed for the protection of the interests and needs of the public, particularly the most vulnerable members of our society: children and the elderly.

This year Colodny, Fass, Talenfeld, Karlinsky & Abate, together with Broward County Bar Association, Legal Aid Service of Broward County and the 17th Judicial Pro Bono Committee, will launch the Tracey McPharlin Initiative named for Tracey McPharlin, a member of their firm, who passed away last year. The goal of the initiative is to recruit, train and support attorneys who will carry on Tracey’s work by representing at-risk children at all proceedings affecting their safety, permanency, health and well-being.

Larry Marin, a partner with Izquierdo & Marin, was also named the Broward Lawyers Care Attorney of the Year.  The official awards will be presented at the 10th Annual for the Public Good gala on October 14, 2011, at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina.