MARKETING MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY FINANCE
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Repack Your Parachute
By Laura A. Calloway
“WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU DOING?” my legal assistant asked as she gazed at me across my desk, which was strewn with the
contents of my carryall handbag, a bemused smile on her face.
I understood her confusion. After all, I was the one who had
just said that I was past my departure time for a meeting in
another city, yet there I was combing through the detritus of
my life—sorting crumpled bills, arranging loose change and
placing credit card receipts into separate stacks. I had to admit
that it probably looked like a huge waste of time to her.
Nevertheless, I continued sorting for a few more minutes. I
made sure that all the bills were organized by denomination and
was properly placed, I grabbed the bag and hurried out of the
office, a few minutes late but much better prepared for the toll
bridge, the parking meters and any other obstacles that might
crop up between my departure and the meeting awaiting me.
REVIEW AND
REDRAFT YOUR
INTAKE FORMS FROM
TIME TO TIME AS THE
LAW CHANGES AND
YOUR EXPERIENCES
WITH PREVIOUS
CLIENTS DICTATES.
tucked carefully within my wallet. I double-checked to make
sure that I had returned my credit and debit cards to the wallet
rather than just throwing them into the bottom of the bag and
that the change had been put away. I cleaned my sunglasses and
reading glasses and returned them to their cases, reorganized
the little zipper pouch of necessities, and then returned all the
contents to the bag. I added a small notebook, my tablet and
my smartphone, making sure that everything was in the correct
inside pocket or arranged in the correct order in the large
middle compartment, so that I could easily locate any item by
feel and retrieve it without needing to search—especially while
driving. Once I was sure that everything I needed for the trip
That’s why it’s important to take time periodically to review your
systems and “repack” them, if needed. Listed below are some
things to think about.
CLIENT INTAKE SYSTEM
A good intake system should help you to quickly gather not only
information about a client but also information that’s necessary
to help you evaluate his or her case. It’s a good idea to draft a
separate intake form for each area of the law in which you practice. Include questions that will help make sure a case has a good
chance of meeting all the elements of proof and the minimum
criteria you require, such as minimum damages, in order to
