Ask Daliah

Ask Daliah: 5 reasons why I love being a lawyer

This morning, I woke up extra early to prepare for a complicated hearing in federal court. After court, I returned to my desk to deal with a barrage of emails and voicemail from hostile opposing counsel. By 2 p.m., I felt especially tired, frustrated, and depleted. As I was laying my head down on my desk, I received an unexpected visit from a client who was "in the neighborhood." He brought me two bottles of wine and personally thanked me for everything we have done for him this past year. Shortly after he left, the mail came in. I opened two handwritten thank-you notes from other clients.

Dec 21, 2017 9:00 AM CST

Ask Daliah: 5 ways to wish clients happy holidays (without the clutter of cards)

Dear Daliah: What is your opinion on mailing out greeting cards to clients for the holidays?

Nov 16, 2017 7:30 AM CST

Ask Daliah: Stand tall in your use of body language

Dear Daliah: You’re only 5-foot-2? You seem … taller.

Dear Reader: It’s a question I get quite often and one that I thought would be a great segue for this month's article.

Oct 19, 2017 8:30 AM CDT

Ask Daliah: Opening your law office to open spaces

Dear Daliah: What is the best way to set up a 21st century office?

Sep 21, 2017 8:00 AM CDT

Ask Daliah: Ways to record, bill and save those minutes at work

Attorney Daliah Saper has been answering readers’ questions online about building a 21st-century law firm. This augmented version of her column looks at time—timekeeping and time-saving. Dear Daliah: Any tips for tracking time better? Dear Readers: We have all faced the black-hole time warp. You worked 10 hours, but your…

Sep 1, 2017 1:30 AM CDT

Ask Daliah: Want media attention? Take these four steps toward making the news

Dear Daliah: You've been in newspapers and on TV. How do you attract media attention?

Aug 17, 2017 8:00 AM CDT

Ask Daliah: Here’s help on tracking your time

Dear Daliah: Any tips for tracking time better?

Dear Readers: We have all faced the black-hole time warp. You worked 10 hours, but your billable hours only record 4.5. Where did all the time go? You were so busy that you had a granola bar for lunch at 4 p.m. just to soak up all the coffee from the morning client marathon.

Jul 20, 2017 8:30 AM CDT

Ask Daliah: Four steps to making social media work for you

Dear Daliah: How do you use social media to market your law firm?

Dear Readers: I use social media on a daily basis to learn about recent legal trends, build my network, stay connected with existing clients and attract new ones. If you haven’t already leveraged the power of social media, you should start today.

Jun 15, 2017 8:15 AM CDT

Ask Daliah: Free client consultations can cost you

Dear Daliah: Should I offer free initial client consultations?

Dear Readers: Unless you have a very streamlined process for fielding new clients or can delegate the task to a non-attorney, my recommendation would be to charge.

May 18, 2017 8:00 AM CDT

Ask Daliah: It’s OK to start as a generalist, then choose a practice

Dear Daliah: How did you choose your practice area? Is it better to start out a generalist or a specialist?

(Culled from online questions)

Dear Questioners: There are two philosophies when it comes to hanging your own shingle: Take anything that walks in the door, or focus on a specific area or areas.

Apr 20, 2017 8:30 AM CDT

Ask Daliah: How to market on a budget

Dear Daliah: How do you find clients using methods that don’t cost more than $1,000 and don’t demand your every-day (every week?) attention? A simple plan to implement a marketing strategy.

Karen Guthrie

Dear Karen: Not all firms are alike, and not all firms can implement the same marketing strategies. However, all firms, regardless of size or practice area, can and should do these three things to effectively attract new clients—without spending lots of money.

Mar 16, 2017 8:30 AM CDT

Ask Daliah: Millennials will let you know how to work with them

Dear Daliah: For the new series on “Building the 21st-Century Law Firm,“ please also address the issue of handling millennials as employees and future partners.

Santiago Concha

Feb 16, 2017 8:30 AM CST

Ask Daliah: How can a solo find good contract help?

Daliah Saper, founder of the Chicago law firm Saper Law Offices, is answering reader questions about building a 21st-century law firm. She can be reached at [email protected].

Jan 19, 2017 8:30 AM CST