The End of Summer

Ah, summer.  Lazy days by the pool, flip flops, a Dark & Stormy in one hand and my iPad in the other.      With all the mobility of my practice, I could literally get work done anywhere; how great it was.  The idea of doing that, mind you, not actually doing it.  In any event, now that summer is over it's time to reflect on the good, the bad, and the ugly.

THE GOOD

This summer was especially busy for my practice, thanks in no small part to me hiring my first dedicated assistant.  With her help, we were able to crank out quality legal work at break-neck speed.  I was really excited to be trying out a new support position, and am happy to say that it was a success.  Odd to me was that my work centered on reviewing work more than generating it.  Needless to say, it took me a little while to get in the groove.  And now, sadly, my assistant is gone.  Yep, back to law school for her, but hopefully she will have some time for my during the semester.  Time will tell.

For the first few years of my practice, I was using my Macbook for travel and home, but still kept up with a PC at work.  Before summer started, I decided to switch totally to using my Mac, complete with a larger external monitor for the office.  Why I didn't think of this sooner is beyond me, but the efficiency I enjoy now is also thanks to this switch.  Macs are just so much quicker and easier for me.  Stuff works, so I can focus on practicing law rather than the 20 minute Microsoft update every three days.

I also revamped my website, jdduncanlaw.com, which I am really proud of.  This is a site that I created using iWeb, and with the help of Photoshop I am very happy with the aesthetic.  This takes a really long time for someone that is not an expert on web design, but I can't complain about the results.

THE BAD

Billing was a different story this summer.  Using RocketMatter for my practice management software, which I love, is great when you only have one person using it.  To give other users the capability to enter and view specific information means you have to buy a second user through the site.  I did not do this, and I wish I had.  Thinking about the billing hours I lost because my assistant did not have an integrated clock to keep track of her time keeps me awake at night.

THE UGLY

Probably the worst thing about my quick practice was not going to the gym.  I was so busy that my daily run during lunch eventually turned into a "maybe tomorrow" workout session, and you know how that goes.  So now that summer is over, I'm back at the gym busting my tail so I can keep my collar buttoned all day.  Ugh.

JD

John D. Duncan is president of J.D. Duncan, PC, founding partner of Prater, Duncan & Craig, LLC in Newnan, Georgia, and is Esquire by Day.  You can find him at www.jdduncanlaw.com, or follow him on twitter and Facebook.