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February 2016
Drafting Legal Documents
Build a Referral-Based Firm (Part 2)
Steve Best Chairs TECHSHOW 2016
FREE Webinars
February Speaking Engagements
Bring Debbie to Your ALA
Bootcamps in 2016
Worldox Newsletter Archive
Word Tip of the Month - Always Click More
Newsworthy - Links of Interest (Turn Up the Heat Edition)
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Drafting Legal Documents: Why Traditional Methods Are Inadequate and What To Do About it
- Barron K. Henley, Esq.

What's Wrong With the Status Quo?  Lawyers typically draft new documents by starting with an existing document from a previous matter or transaction. The existing document is found, renamed, and modified to work for the present engagement. 

While obviously better than starting from a blank page, this approach has significant drawbacks. Finding the document can be time consuming; and sometimes you never find what you're looking for. If you do find a similar existing document, the word processor's Find and Replace function rarely catches everything.  

It is very easy to forget to add provisions or text missing from your original document. Even if you remember what to add, pulling text from other instruments or crafting new language is inherently slow.


To learn more about document automation, contact us.
How to Build a Referral-Based Law Firm - Part 2
- Stephen Fairley, CEO, The RainMaker Institute

This month, guest author Stephen Fairley of The Rainmaker Institute brings us part 2 of his 2-part article on building a referral-based law firm. Part 1 appeared in the January 2016 newsletter. 

Increase referrals and revenue by reconnecting with and staying connected to the three groups of people who are your best source of new business: current clients, past clients, and others (attorneys and non-attorney professionals) who have served as referral sources for you in the past.  
Affinity Partner Steve Best Chairs ABA TECHSHOW 2016
- March 16-19 in Chicago
Affinity Consulting Group has a long and proud history with ABA TECHSHOW, the premier annual law office technology conference. Affinity Partners regularly serve on the TECHSHOW Planning Board. Several have Chaired TECHSHOW, including Britt Lorish (2013), Paul Unger (2011), and Debbie Foster (2010).

The TECHSHOW 2016 Chair is Affinity Partner Steve Best. Joining him on the Planning Board is Affinity Partner Barron Henley. As an introduction to TECHSHOW 2016, Steve wrote an article to be published in the February 16 issue of the ABA's Law Practice Today. Read the full text of that article on our blog now. Also available now is Steve's interview on The Digital Edge podcast with Sharon Nelson and Jim Calloway, both past TECHSHOW Chairs.

The TECHSHOW 2016 faculty includes dozens of top law office management and technology experts. Affinity Partners and Consultants on the faculty include not only Chair Steve Best and past Chairs Britt Lorish, Paul Unger, and Debbie Foster, but also Planning Board member Barron Henley along with Jennifer Ramovs and Jeff Schoenberger. 

Register NOW for ABA TECHSHOW 2016. Early Bird discounted registration ends February 8.
Orion Practice Management - Beyond Outlook
-Steven J. Best, Esq.
Practice management is not a new concept. Information-sharing software for law firms has been around for 25 years. Unlike personal information managers IPIMs) like Microsoft Outlook, the key feature of practice management is cross referencing records into matters.  

Outlook isn't enough. It lacks the ability to record and cross-reference key information like appointments, tasks and contacts associating those records to a case or matter. Only true practice management software provides the matter-centric organization law firms need.


Learn more by attending our FREE 3-Part Orion/Affinity Webinar Series on February 25, April 28, and June 10.
FREE Education and Software Skills Webinars 

*Part of Affinity's New Beyond the 3Cs Webinar Series

If you have questions about training opportunities, contact us.
February Speaking Engagements
This month's busy webinar schedule keeps our Partners and Consultants in front of their web cams. Beyond webinars, Debbie Foster starts the month attending LegalTech New York and Barron Henley ends the month speaking to the Minnesota State Bar. 

ALA VIP
Where in the World is Debbie Foster? Check Your Local ALA!
Affinity Managing Partner Debbie Foster began 2016 like she ended 2015 - on the road! One of Debbie's greatest joys is sharing her vast knowledge of the business of law with legal professionals. This week she kicked off her year by traveling to Houston and Denver to educate, challenge and advise.

"Debbie was a great speaker with some great information and entertaining, as well," shared Jill Griffiths, Legal Administrator for Wade Ash Woods Hill & Farley, P.C., who attended Debbie's Mile High presentation. "She is a really great Affinity asset. I am so impressed with your organization."
  
As a VIP Business Partner for the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA), Affinity is honored to work closely with local and state chapters, as well as the national organization. In 2015, Affinity made a special offer to a select number of ALA Chapters - bring Debbie to town to speak for your Chapter for free!  


Contact Karen Scher NOW to schedule Debbie to speak to your ALA chapter.
Bootcamp Schedule for First Half of 2016
- Bootcamps Start March 7-8 
Affinity's software-focused Bootcamps provide you with intensive two-day training to increase your skills with popular law office software. Here is the schedule for the first half of 2016:

March 7-8 - PCLaw/Amicus Attorney Bootcamp, Beford, NH                         
April 4-5 - Tabs3 Bootcamp, Roanoke, VA    
April 13-14 - PracticeMaster Bootcamp, Roanoke, VA
April 20-21 - PCLaw Bootcamp, Atlanta, GA        
May 16-17 - Worldox Bootcamp, Tampa, FL

For more information on our Bootcamps, contact us.
Introducing Our Worldox Newsletter Archive
- Subscribe to Our Free Worldox Newsletter
In July of last year we launched our monthly email newsletter for Worldox document management users. The newsletter provides tips for using Worldox along with news of product updates and training opportunities. If you use Worldox, or are interested in adding best-in-class document management to your firm, you should subscribe.



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MS Word Tip of the Month - Always Click the More Button
Microsoft Word is perplexing because what you really need to know in order to control common formatting problems is concealed. Using the program over time does not reveal to you Word's secrets. Word is NOT learn-by-doing software.

For example, Word has a nasty habit of hiding things you need to see. The only way you'll be able to see them is by clicking More buttons. If you see one in a dialog, always click it!


To arrange for Word training customized for your firm, contact us.
Newsworthy - Turn Up the Heat Edition
Each month we bring you quick links to a variety of newsworthy items dealing with technology products, services, and other topics of interest to lawyers as they seek to better manage their practices. It is the depth of winter and you may be looking to turn up the heat. Here's some advice for when you find that "hotspot."    
Meet the Team - Danielle DavisRoe
Affinity Consulting loves to help improve the lives of our customers. We thought you might enjoy getting to know about the lives of some of our team members who help make that happen. Each month we will feature another member of the Affinity Team. Get to know us!

Meet Danielle DavisRoe, Consultant in Affinity's Columbus, Ohio office.  Danielle joined Affinity Consulting two years ago in January of 2014.  She was practicing family law at a local firm where she was in charge of maintaining their documents.  After realizing that was her favorite part of the job, she gladly applied for a position with Affinity where she could concentrate her efforts on crafting and automating documents full time -  "a dream come true" for Danielle. 
 
Why does Danielle love working for Affinity clients?  "I feel like I'm really making a difference in our clients' lives," says Danielle.  "Everything I do for them makes their job a little easier and faster, allowing them to either take on more work and make more money or spend more time on things they love to do outside of work."  
 
Outside of work for Danielle means preparing for her first baby.  She points out that she and her husband already have two four-legged children, an Old English Sheepdog and a cat, but they are eagerly awaiting their daughter to round out their family!  They have also devoted a great deal of time to renovating  their home and enjoy hiking and wine making.