On Thursday I had the pleasure of attending the 4th Annual Solo and Small Firm Conference and Expo, jointly presented by the Law Society of Upper Canada and the Ontario Bar Association. The conference was well-attended. I met several old friends from law school and had a good time.
The conference focused heavily on technology. Among the various offerings, I found the session “60 Tips in 60 Minutes” the most useful. I’d like to share my top 5 findings from this session:
- accept credit card to make collection easier
- install dual monitors at workstations to boost credibility
- use VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology to lower your long distance phone bills
- be ware of free software - it can cost you more in the long run because of the lack of support provided
- back up, back up, and back up!
I’m pleased to say that I have implemented tips No. 2, 3, 4, and 5.
The dual monitor turns out to be very helpful when I cross-reference documents. After my first day of using two monitors, I’m convinced that it’s a productivity booster and I’ve been encouraging my colleagues to try it, too.
Regarding the credit and debit card payment processing, I’ve spoken to my account manager, and I should have it in a month or two, cost permitting.
The rest of the conference was also jam-packed with information. (The binder weights well over 5 pounds.) I will be sharing more tips and tricks that I learned from the conference in future blog posts. Stay tuned!
