This is some of the free online or low-cost stuff I use or books I’ve read (and re-read) in connection with my practice. I read a lot of business books, which some lawyers are not interested in. If you use these links to purchase books, amazon will pay me a referral fee.
For books, I’ve provided the traditional book link to Amazon but you can access the Kindle Edition, if available, from the same book page. I buy Kindle versions not only because they are cheaper but because they save trees and save me space. Check out Amazon’s FREE Kindle for pc software, which you can install on your laptop to read Kindle versions without buying a Kindle. They have similar Free Kindle Reading Applications for just about any mobile device- browse from the left menu, under Kindle Reading Apps, for your device of choice.
Online Tools
TimeDriver: An online self-appointment scheduler. It is simple to set up and use. I use Google’s calendar and it works like a charm with it; but they also support Outlook. They have a thirty-day free trial, and their annual fee is just $29.99/year.
Organization/Decision Making Tools
Free Mind Mapping Tool – mind42.com is a free, browser-based tool to organize or analyze just about anything, take notes, brainstorm by yourself or with others.
Books:
This is a great and fast read. As far as I’m concerned this is the only business book you need for the big and small picture of creating, managing and growing a business, regardless of the economy. (But read the reviews, far more important people than I think along these lines). Gives plenty of advice on the details of running a business. I can’t think of a chapter that doesn’t apply to running a practice as a business.
The E-Myth Attorney: Why Most Legal Practices Don’t Work and What to Do About It
This is the kind of book that obviously has to be read more than once if we are to implement its suggestions. Since Gerber has two lawyers as companion authors, we can easily see ourselves in its pages so a lot of what they suggest is relevant. This link takes you to the non-Kindle edition, but from it you can also access and buy the Kindle version as I did.
Free International Edition: The Future of a Radical Price
Long Tail, The, Revised and Updated Edition: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More
The author discusses the rise of niche marketing. As solo practitioner lawyers, niche marketing is really all we do. More importantly, though, is the analysis of why and what the internet has revolutionized nearly every facet of our lives and culture.