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President of Rafte & Company to Offer Guidance on Client-Focus to Association of Legal Administrators Chapters
| Source: Rafte & Company
HOUSTON, TX -- (MARKET WIRE) -- January 3, 2007 -- In the highly competitive legal marketplace,
law firms are faced with increasing demands from clients who want more for
less. In the coming weeks, Dena Rafte, founder and president of Rafte &
Company, will present, "Building a Competitive Edge: Creating a
Client-Focused Firm," to the Association of Legal Administrators in Palm
Beach County, Fla. and Chicago. Rafte & Company is a leading provider of
business strategy and technology solutions for law firms.
According to American Lawyer's annual survey of Am Law 200® law firm
leaders, published in its December 2006 issue, firm leaders said that their
law firms are preoccupied with trying to figure out what clients want.
Meanwhile, clients are increasingly using requests for proposals, which
seek to commoditize legal work. Despite these concerns, however, most firms
appear passive about client satisfaction, with nearly half (46 percent) of
respondents to the survey saying they visited with five or fewer of their
20 top-billing clients to discuss their performance in 2006.
"Legal administrators play a central role in designing and implementing
solutions to law firm challenges and there is no greater challenge today
than aligning a firm's business processes with client demands," said Rafte.
"In this era of rapid response and interactivity, the survival of law firms
depends on designing and implementing legal technology solutions and enable
a more open and accessible approach to client relations."
Rafte says one initial course of action is to examine the law firm's
workflow processes and eliminate wasteful and duplicate practices. Through
the strategic use of technology tools such as document management, case
management and docket management, the typical law firm can make great
strides toward satisfying client-driven requirements for real-time
communications and enhanced integration.
"Many clients are taking swift action to identify law firms that have
adopted a client-focused culture and leave the firms that are slow to adapt
behind," said Rafte.
Rafte will be the featured presenter at the Palm Beach County Florida
Chapter of the ALA's January Chapter Meeting, which begins with networking
at 11:30 a.m. on January 9, at Kravis Center Cohen Pavilion, 701 Okeechobee
Boulevard in West Palm Beach, Florida. To register, RSVP to Jennifer Tracy
at jbt@paxsmith.com. The cost for members is $25 and guests are $30. Ms.
Rafte will present to the Chicago Chapter of ALA's monthly luncheon on
January 16 at the Standard Club, 320 South Plymouth Ct. in Chicago. To
register, RSVP to Marie Fiorito by e-mailing vmfiorito@lgattorneys.com. The
cost for members is $25 and guests are $45.
About Rafte & Company
Based in Houston, Rafte & Company is a leading provider of strategic
technology consulting services for law firms and other professional
services firms. Established in 1983, Rafte & Company specializes in
designing, implementing and managing strategic business solutions that
accelerate growth by aligning a firm's processes, infrastructure, strategy
and culture with a clear understanding of the current and future wants and
needs of clients and prospects. Learn more about Rafte & Company at
www.rafte.com or by calling 713.993.9637 (call toll free: 800.396.9390).