Yes, we are still talking about "fail-safe tips" in the area of administration that allow your law firm to operate on a day-to-day basis almost automatically.

In order for these "fail-safe" systems to be automatic, the staff needs to be trained, the systems need to be set up and the "fail-safe" nature of the system needs to strictly adhered to.

Remember, "administration" is the second part that makes up every business in the world. Administration follows the first part that makes up every business which is "clients" or "customers." Once you are successful at getting clients, it is important to retain them. These tips on "fail-safe" systems will allow you to organize your client files.

We have now discussed eleven areas involving "fail-safe tips." These eleven areas are as follows:
1. Phone message system;
2. Prospective New Matter Reports;
3. Non-engagement letters;
4. New Matter Reports;
5. Two people signing off on each New Matter Report;
6. A new file for each client matter;
7. A separate billing file for each matter for each client;
8. "Thank you for referral" letters;
9. Tickler cards (blue cards) as a condition precedent for opening a file;
10. "Out of sight, out of mind" cards properly dated as a condition precedent for opening a file;
11. "For your information" copies of all incoming and outgoing mail to clients.

This week's "fail-safe tip" is to route "for your information" copies of all incoming and outgoing mail to the responsible lawyer, the assigned lawyer and the assigned legal assistant on every matter. This system of routing copies of incoming and outgoing mail to everyone involved in a client's matter is known as a nonverbal communication system. Part of the problem with communication systems in any office is the necessity to "chit chat" before the relevant information is communicated. Often these "water-cooler" conversations can turn into lengthy time wasting opportunities. My tip is not that verbal communication is not important, but rather, nonverbal communication is much more efficient.

The concept that you need to develop in your office is that those people working on a client's matter need to know what is happening and when it is happening. What better way to continue to communicate to everybody involved in a matter than making sure they receive a copy of all incoming and outgoing mail regarding a particular client matter. When they get the "for your information" copy, they can review it, bill time for reviewing it and have a working knowledge of where the client's matter is at any given time. All those working on a client matter will be able to answer questions from others who are not familiar with the matter as to the status of the case, and most importantly, will be able to communicate with the client about where the client's matter is at any given time.

When the "for your information" copy comes across your desk, you can simply read the letter and throw it in the waste basket, write notes to yourself on the "for your information" copy of the correspondence, pleading or document, or put notes on the item that can be sent to other people to prompt them to perform a task that will move the client's matter forward. In practice, these "for your information" copies of correspondence, both in and out of the firm, become the worlds' easiest speed memo format.

I am reminded of how much effort it takes to get everybody on the same page of the same hymnal at the same time! "For your information" copies of everything that is coming and going in your office instantaneously provides a way to get everybody on that same page at the same time.

This concept of giving "for your information" copies to those individuals working on a client's matter is easy. Your staff is already opening the mail, why not have them process it to be sure it gets filed, communicated to the client and to the attorneys.

I often put notations on "for your information" copies that come across my desk to other people in the office indicating things I would like them to do with a particular client's matter. The typical notations that I use are as follows:
1 .Great work! Go for it!;
2. Excellent work! Thank you!;
3. Calendar follow up for ten days;
4. See me ASAP!;
5. See me ASAP x 10,000!;
6. See me ASAP x 100,000!!;
7. See me ASAP x 1,000,000!!!.

I think you get the drift.. If you use these "for your information" as speed memos, you can certainly keep those and put them on the Notes, Facts, Memorandums backboard in the appropriate client file.

These "for your information" copies of correspondence, pleadings and documents can also be used as reminders of what task you need to do next.

I have found over the years that this "nonverbal" system of "for your information" copies is probably one of the absolute best ways to stay on top of all your client's matters. Believe me, it works!

Next week we will explore more "fail-safe tips." Next week's topic is automatic timekeeping for everything that comes in and goes out of your office on each client's matter. I think that you will be particularly interest in this "fail-safe tip" because this tip directly affects the bottom line profit of your law firm.

Talk to you next week!

Jim Wirken is a civil trial attorney and the Chairman of the Board of The Wirken Law Group in Kansas City.