Upcoming NAFLP Sponsored Event - Jan 22, 2009

Join Lisa Solomon, Legal Research and Writing Pro, and presenter Cheryl Stephens, in an exciting teleseminar -

Plain Language Principles for Better Briefs

Thursday, January 22, 3:00 p.m. Eastern (12:00 noon Pacific)

In Making Your Case: The Art of Persuading Judges, authors Bryan Garner and Justice Antonin Scalia advise lawyers to “[b]anish jargon, hackneyed expressions and needless Latin” from their briefs. You can accomplish this goal, and write more persuasive briefs, by applying the principles of plain language legal writing. Plain language legal writing refers to legal writing that is well thought out, well organized, and understandable to the reader without interpretation: the language is clear, the legal concepts are explained and the technical terms are defined.

In this program, you’ll learn:

• What it means to really know your audience
• What your intro should include
• When and how to use precedent
• Ways to reword legal terms so they’re understandable in plain English
• Methods for reducing wordiness
• When ambiguity is useful, and when it’s a hindrance
• Traps that make your writing cumbersome
• How to structure a sentence for clarity
• How to design paragraphs that work
• What passive voice is good for

. . . and more!

Presenter Cheryl Stephens is the author of several articles and books, including Plain Language Legal Writing. Her plain language blog, Rapport, is a popular resource online. For nearly twenty years, she has been writing, speaking, and teaching about plain language, helping legal professionals to become more successful communicators using plain language principles.

Registration for this program includes the live teleseminar, plus access to a downloadable recording (mp3).

The cost for this program is $97. NAFLP members receive 25% off ALL Legal Research & Writing Pro programs and products. NAFLP will receive the promotion code via separate email for use during checkout.

To register, visit http://legalresearchandwritingpro.com/products and add a Silver Membership to your cart.

Reserve your place early!

Upcoming NAFLP sponsored event

Join NAFLP affiliate, Lisa Solomon of Legal Research and Writing Pro, and Ed Poll, a nationally-recognized law firm strategist for this exciting tele-webinar -

Business Competency for Lawyers

Tuesday, October 21, 12:00 p.m. Eastern (9 a.m. Pacific)

• Are you interested in launching a solo practice or small firm, but don’t know where to start?
• Are you in the process of opening, or planning to open, a solo practice or small firm?
• Do you want to take your existing solo practice or small firm to new levels of profitability?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, don’t miss this information-packed program, in which you’ll learn about:

• metrics that measure your success
• the importance of a business plan
• the elements of a business plan
• where marketing fits into your business plan
• the different types of financial statements—and why they’re important for solos

All practicing lawyers need to have a firm grasp of the subjects covered in this “tele-webinar.” In a “tele-webinar,” you call in to a conference call line to receive the audio portion of the program. If you have access to your computer, you can follow along with a Power Point presentation as well. There is no need to install any software on your computer. If you’re calling in from outside the office, don’t worry: you’ll receive a link to the presentation slides the day before the program, so you can view them at your convenience.

Presenter Ed Poll is a nationally-recognized law firm strategist who coaches lawyers and consults with law firms for their greater profitability. Ed enables lawyers to be more effective with their clients, more efficient in their delivery of legal services and more profitable. The net result is more revenue for the family and less stress in the practice of law! The cost for this program is $97. Plus, when you register, you'll have an exclusive opportunity to purchase Ed's book, Business Competency for Lawyers: A Special Report for $18.50 (that's half off the $37 cover price).

NAFLP members receive 25% off ALL Legal Research & Writing Pro programs and products. (Members, the promotion code for use during checkout has been sent directly to you).

To register, visit http://legalresearchandwritingpro.com/products and add a Silver Membership to your cart.

Upcoming NAFLP Sponsored Event

Brought to you by Legal Research and Writing Pro -

Beyond Hourly Billing:

How to Implement Flat Fee and Other Alternative Billing Arrangements
Tuesday, August 19 at 12:00 p.m. PST

There’s been a lot of buzz recently about abandoning or moving beyond billable hours, but is it possible for freelance lawyers to use alternative billing? What are the most common alternatives to hourly billing? What does "value pricing" mean? In this teleseminar, law practice management expert Allison Shields will explore these questions and more. The program will focus on which alternative billing methods are appropriate for freelance lawyers. You’ll learn how to implement those methods, even if you’re a new lawyer. You’ll learn what value billing is and how to talk about it with the lawyers who hire you. And you’ll learn the special problems encountered by freelance lawyers in using alternative billing arrangements, when it’s possible to overcome them, and how.

Click here to register, add a Silver Membership to your cart. The cost for this program is $97. NAFLP members receive 25% off ALL Legal Research & Writing Pro programs and products (the promotion code will be provided to NAFLP members directly). A recording of the program will be made available to registrants at no additional charge.