Virtual Seminars


Upcoming Seminars

PMRC Virtual Seminar Banner - Adapting to Change

Register Here for the PMRC Seminar

As the legal industry undergoes transformative shifts, law firms must adapt to remain profitable and competitive. The State Bar of Michigan is offering a virtual seminar, "Adapting to Change: Law Firm Profitability in the Digital Age," to help Michigan attorneys navigate these changes 2-3 p.m. April 16 via Zoom.

The seminar is offered by the State Bar’s Practice Management Resource Center and features two presenters: Margaret Burke, President and Founder of MB Law Firm Consulting, LLC; and Suzette Welling, founder and President of Law Practice Edge. Both have decades of experience in the realm of running a successful law practice.

Key highlights of the virtual seminar include:

  • Evolving Landscape: We'll explore the transition from traditional to modern law firm operations, emphasizing the adoption of digital solutions for increased efficiency.
  • Client-Centric Billing Models: Learn how client expectations are reshaping billing practices, including the adoption of Alternative Fee Arrangements (AFAs) for improved client relations and profitability.
  • The Role of Cost Accounting: Understand the importance of cost accounting in assessing and enhancing firm profitability, with practical insights for implementation.
  • Practical Implementation: Receive a clear guide for integrating modern practices into your firm, addressing challenges and leveraging new billing models for competitive advantage.

Suzette Welling, a Certified Legal Manager, is the founder and President of Law Practice Edge. Her career spans over two and a half decades in upper-tier law firm management, and her comprehensive understanding of law firm administrative functions encompasses a broad spectrum, including strategic planning, finance, human resources, communications, client relations, professional development, recruitment, and facilities management.

Margaret Burke, President and Founder of MB Law Firm Consulting, LLC, is a Certified Legal Manager and has decades of experience consulting with lawyers, partners, and small to midsize law firms. She specializes in law firm management, strategy, and finance to improve law firm operations, streamline processes and scale revenue. She has advised and led acquisitions, relocations, succession planning, restructuring and start-ups.


LJAP Virtual Seminar Foundations for Flourishing

The State Bar of Michigan’s next Virtual Wellness Event will take place on Friday, April 26, 2024, at 10 a.m.

The 90-minute event, offered for free to all State Bar members, will feature keynote speaker Jordana Confino who will share her presentation on “Foundations for Flourishing: Leveraging the Science of Positive Psychology for Greater Well-Being, Resilience & Performance.”

You can sign up for the event here. The first 25 members to register will have the opportunity to sign up for a free future one-hour group coaching session with Confino.

The presentation will focus on the idea that career success is not necessarily the key to well-being, but rather that well-being is what fuels success. Participants can expect to learn how to apply insights from the field of positive psychology for personal and professional satisfaction, learn the elements of well-being, and walk away with a toolkit of exercises and an action plan for using them.

SBM’s Lawyers and Judges Assistance Program hosts Virtual Wellness Events biannually. Learn more at michbar.org/LJAP


Library of Recent Virtual Seminars

The State Bar of Michigan Practice Management Resource Center regularly offers virtual seminars to Michigan lawyers to help them improve their practice. The majority of our webinars are offered free and can be watched at your leisure. Topics include a variety of topics by experts in their field. Register for an upcoming virtual seminar below or checkout all our virtual seminars on YouTube. They are collected in a single playlist to make it easy for you to browse past webinars based on your interests and needs.

Check Out Our Virtual Seminars on YouTube


This full virtual seminar runs about two hours. The State Bar of Michigan has made it available on-demand, so you can watch it on your own time.

You can download the materials referenced in the virtual seminar here.

Topics

  • What Constitutes A Business Disaster?—1:55
  • Causes—4:19
  • Practice From Anywhere—6:03
  • Remote Working Checklist—13:34
  • What Will The New Normal Look Like?—17:39
  • Electronic Filing System—25:45
    • Step 1: Bullet-Proof Backup & Security—32:20
    • Step 2: The Hardware—37:29
    • Step 3: Searchable PDFs—50:59
    • Step 4: Search Program or Document Management System—59:02
    • Step 5: If No DMS—1:04:28
    • Step 6: Digitize Everything—1:08:05
    • Step 7: Email Stored Outside Email Program—1:11:23
    • Step 8: Collaborative Tools—1:16:03
    • Step 9: Write it Down & Get Trained—1:16:55
  • Accessing Files Remotely—1:19:48
  • Hardware Considerations—1:23:10
  • Mobile Communications—1:37:33
  • Getting Documents Signed—1:44:37
  • Security & Protecting Client Data—1:46:17
  • Cloud Systems—1:53:47
  • Drafting Documents—1:57:22
  • Home Workspace—2:00:26