At the Frontier: Ethics, Technology & Practice Management

At the Frontier: At the Frontier: Ethics, Ethics,

Technology & Technology & Practice Practice

ManagementManagement

Carl Shusterman, Los Angeles, CACarl Shusterman, Los Angeles, CAGreg Siskind, Memphis, TNGreg Siskind, Memphis, TN

AILA Texas Chapter Spring Conference AILA Texas Chapter Spring Conference 20112011

Hope for the Best Hope for the Best

BUT BUT Prepare for the Worst!Prepare for the Worst!“If it were done when ‘tis done, then ‘twere well it were

done quickly…” - Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 7.

Databases and Billing Databases and Billing Systems—Get OrganizedSystems—Get Organized

• Invest in an immigration database & Invest in an immigration database & billing systembilling system• Track progress of casesTrack progress of cases• Measure productivity Measure productivity

of attorneys & paralegalsof attorneys & paralegals

Weathering the StormWeathering the Storm

Diversify your practice Diversify your practice • What are your areas of specialization? What are your areas of specialization?

Employment-based? Family-based? Employment-based? Family-based? Build bridges of communicationBuild bridges of communication

• Contact HR managers, CEOS etc. Contact HR managers, CEOS etc. • Hold SeminarsHold Seminars

Find Your NicheFind Your Niche

Industry or Occupation (health care, Industry or Occupation (health care, sports, oil and gas, universities)sports, oil and gas, universities)

Type of family case (adoptions, same sex Type of family case (adoptions, same sex couples)couples)

Type of employment case (EB-5s, H-2Bs, Type of employment case (EB-5s, H-2Bs, H-2As, J-1 hardship waivers)H-2As, J-1 hardship waivers)

Make Sure Your Make Sure Your Fees Are CompetitiveFees Are Competitive

Are your fees higher than other Are your fees higher than other immigration law firms? immigration law firms? • Let clients pay in installmentsLet clients pay in installments• Credit CardsCredit Cards

Getting on the WebGetting on the Web Create, use, and update your website…Create, use, and update your website…

• Provide up-to-the-minute informationProvide up-to-the-minute information

Why Have a Website?Why Have a Website?

Presence on the InternetPresence on the Internet Ability to Communicate InternationallyAbility to Communicate Internationally Diversification of Client BaseDiversification of Client Base Referrals from Other AttorneysReferrals from Other Attorneys Organizational ToolOrganizational Tool Web Access for ClientsWeb Access for Clients

BlogsBlogs Easier to manage than web sitesEasier to manage than web sites Niche marketingNiche marketing Search engines like themSearch engines like them

Blogs (cont.)Blogs (cont.)

Good way to recycle your content Good way to recycle your content (articles, powerpoints, video and audio (articles, powerpoints, video and audio files)files)

Good for people who donGood for people who don’t want to write ’t want to write long pieceslong pieces

Social NetworkingSocial Networking

• Keep in touch Keep in touch • FacebookFacebook• TwitterTwitter• Linked-InLinked-In

Email CampaignsEmail Campaigns• Send newsletters and short email alerts to a Send newsletters and short email alerts to a

mass audiencemass audience• Can customize so that each email is Can customize so that each email is

personalized and sent as an individual personalized and sent as an individual message from you to the sendermessage from you to the sender

• ACT! – Group your contacts and target your ACT! – Group your contacts and target your messagemessage

Meet the PressMeet the Press

Use the press to:Use the press to:• Benefit your clientsBenefit your clients• Enhance your image on a local and Enhance your image on a local and

national scale.national scale.

Advocacy MarketingAdvocacy Marketing Write op-edsWrite op-eds Speak to community and Speak to community and

industry groupsindustry groups Use your web site, blog Use your web site, blog

and social networking and social networking toolstools

Take clients to DC or Take clients to DC or your state capitolyour state capitol

Be the one who wrote the bookBe the one who wrote the book

Develop a detailed table of contents and Develop a detailed table of contents and marketing planmarketing plan

Consider self publishingConsider self publishing Break down writing to small stepsBreak down writing to small steps

Be the one who wrote the bookBe the one who wrote the book

Find a topic that fits your Find a topic that fits your marketing goalsmarketing goals

Identify potential publishersIdentify potential publishers

Review the book proposal Review the book proposal formsforms

It seemed like a good idea. It seemed like a good idea. Maybe it really was.Maybe it really was.

Review your marketing effort and if all of Review your marketing effort and if all of your assumptions were correct, you might your assumptions were correct, you might simply need to keep at it for an extended simply need to keep at it for an extended time period.time period.

Learn From Your MistakesLearn From Your Mistakes

Understand your weaknesses…Understand your weaknesses…