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The International Practice Management Association (IPMA) is the primary source of information and education for managers in law firms, corporations, and law departments. We provide an inclusive community that promotes and enhances the proficiency and professionalism of our members. We deliver practical resources and cutting-edge solutions on the value and management of professionals in the legal environment.IPMA Articles
The IPMA publishes management-related articles and articles on current trends and issues in the area of legal management. Many of these articles are linked below. All articles are copyrighted works and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the permission of the IPMA. Some works are reprinted with permission and will require the permission of the author for reproduction.
To suggest topics for future IPMA articles, please contact IPMA headquarters at info@theipma.org.
Professional Development Articles
- Understanding & Avoiding Burnout as a Manager
The more you can manage the inevitable stresses of life and work, the less chance these will burn you out and drain you of the positive energy you feel when you are productive and motivated by what you do. Learn how to avoid and deal with stress in the workplace so that you can avoid being burnt out.
- Professional Development for Paralegals
You may ask why we need a professional development plan for our paralegals and the answer is quite simple: To provide low, cost-efficient legal services to our clients, we must look at the competencies of the resource, that is, the paralegals.
- eLearn, iLearn, uLearn
This article offers a great step-by-step guide to creating and maintaining online resources for those you manage.
- Top Ten Leadership Skills Necessary for Effective Paralegal Management
Being a paralegal manager means more than just preparing budgets, conducting performance reviews, and assisting in marketing endeavors. A skilled paralegal manager must possess these ten leadership skills to lead effectively.
- 15 Ways to Build Trust Fast
The level of trust in business relationships is a greater determinant of success than anything else, including content excellence. Use these steps to quickly build trust in your work life.
- Is Paralegal Education Keeping Pace with the “New Normal”?
The reality is that our industry and our profession is—and has been changing—for some time. Clients are demanding greater efficiency, alternative fee arrangements are working their way into the system slowly but surely, and technology and eDiscovery are fast growing and evolving. Make sure your professional development falls in line.
- NEW: Speak the Language of Intellectual Property Like a Pro
Learn to speak the language to make managing IP paralegals easier and to understand what they do. IP is truly unlike any other practice area; however, like litigation, it does have a predictable life cycle.
- Demystifying Project Management
Project management has become a hot topic in the legal industry. Corporate legal departments have faced increasing pressure from management to reduce their legal spend. In response to this pressure, in-house lawyers have become much more sophisticated in their approach to monitoring the work performed by outside law firms and evaluating the associated value. Corporate clients expect that the outside law firms they use will manage their matters as efficiently as possible, and project management is key to this effort. Learn about the principles and methods of project management.
Human Resources Articles
- Investing in a Paralegal Manager: Improving Productivity and Saving Money
This article provides insight on the role and value of a Paralegal Manager, including how to find your manager, what benefits the organization will see from introducing this new position, and how to grow and evolve this position into exactly what the organization needs.
- The Value of a Legal Assistant Manager
Legal Assistant Managers are active, productive, and valuable members of the administrative team whose direction and expertise in overseeing a legal assistant program can be key to the productivity and profitability of the organization. In this article, find out what this role entails and what your organization can expect from this position.
- NEW: The Paralegal Impact
Staffing shifts have given some paralegals new work and new needs—and given their employers new challenges. Past IPMA President Marcia Bibb speaks to her experience in this informative ALA article.
- Seven Tips for Interviewing Culturally Diverse Candidates
At job interviews, candidates behave in ways that they believe will demonstrate how suited they are for a job. But this behavior is based on what is important in their culture, which may be quite different from your own.
- Cognitive Dissonance – A Recruiting Theory in Practice?
This article sheds some light on how Cognitive Dissonance can shape and effect your decision-making process, including recruiting. Learn how to use it as a tool and truly reinforce the belief that people are the greatest asset of any business.
- What to Expect When Employee's Expecting
While this is great news for new mothers, employers are left to figure out how to cope without an important team member for an extended period. Learn about what steps to take and how to make this an easy transition for all parties involved. Hint: Communication is key!
- NEW: Millennials: Shaping Our Future Workplaces
If you thought the Baby Boom generation, by its sheer size, significantly shaped our social, educational, and economic fabric, watch out for the Millennials. Members of this group are showing us that they are hard workers. Learn more about Millennials here.
Staffing Articles
- NEW: The Utilization of Legal Support Staff in a Corporate Law Department
The utilization of the legal support staff should be as consistent as possible throughout a law department. This article provides insight on ways to effectively utilize your legal support staff through professional development.
- Investing in a Paralegal Manager: Improving Productivity and Saving Money
This article provides insight on the role and value of a Paralegal Manager. Including how to find your manager, what benefits the organization will see from introducing this new position, and how to grow and evolve this position into exactly what the organization needs.
- The Value of a Legal Assistant Manager
Legal Assistant Managers are active, productive, and valuable members of the administrative team, whose direction and expertise in overseeing the legal assistant program can be key to the productivity and profitability of the organization. In this article, find out what this role entails, and what your organization can expect from this position.
- Managing in the Middle: Improving the Bottom Line and Retaining Talent
Law firms, are experiencing economic pain as their corporate clients look for ways to decrease costs and improve the bottom line. Law firms and corporate legal departments must carefully assess their staffing needs. Managers are vitally important in the role of maintaining a well-trained, properly utilized and motivated paralegal staff is critical to holding costs in check and providing cost effective, quality legal services.
- NEW: The Paralegal Impact
Staffing shifts have given some paralegals new work and new needs—and given their employers new challenges. IPMA President, Marcia Bibb speaks to her experience in this informative ALA article.
Financial Management Articles
- Managing in the Middle: Improving the Bottom Line and Retaining Talent
Law firms, are experiencing economic pain as their corporate clients look for ways to decrease costs and improve the bottom line. Law firms and corporate legal departments must carefully assess their staffing needs. Managers are vitally important in the role of maintaining a well-trained, properly utilized and motivated paralegal staff is critical to holding costs in check and providing cost effective, quality legal services.
- Investing in a Paralegal Manager: Improving Productivity and Saving Money
This article provides insight on the role and value of a Paralegal Manager, including how to find your manager, what benefits the organization will see from introducing this new position, and how to grow and evolve this position into exactly what the organization needs.