According to a recent study, Holland, Michigan is the happiest town in America.  Never heard of it?  Well, it's a small, sleepy town in western Michigan.  What's unusual about Holland residents' happiness is that the town has one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation, at 16%.  So, what is it that makes the residents of this town so happy in the face of a bad economic situation?  This video report by ABC News explains that Holland's residents are so happy because they rely on each other, believe in community, and participate in charitable projects.

The happiness in the face of adversity of the people of Holland teaches us some lessons for the corporate world. 

First, environments matter.  The atmosphere of Holland is pleasant, which makes its residents want to live there. Creating an environment in your business that is pleasant will yield similar results.  Employees will want to go to work, much like the residents of Holland like to live there.

Second, having outlets outside of work is beneficial.  Holland's residents are active in community philanthropic organizations.  The small town has over 100 philanthropic organizations.  This not only does a little good in the world, but also makes them happier people by giving them opportunities to do things that are non-work related.  Bringing this idea to a corporate environment yields similar results.  At Total Attorneys, we have a couple charities we support not only monetarily, but by the active involvement of employees.  For example, in June we're having an 80's hair contest to benefit the Total Impact House.  We also recently sponsored a successful fundraiser for the organization.

Finally, placing emphasis on community and working together creates a bond between people.  Holland residents rely on each other in times of need.  Creating a community (not just a group of people who happen to work together) will result in happier employees and more productivity. 

These simple lessons about happiness from Holland, Michigan are ones that all organizations should think about when assessing employee happiness.

You definitely know by now that we’re always looking for ways to grow, expand and adapt our services to improve the legal industry for consumers, small law firms and solo practitioners.  We make those changes every day, in small ways and sometimes in larger, more dramatic ones.  Today, our acquisition of Virtual Law Office Technology, LLC (VLOTech) is one of the big ones.

Like Total Attorneys, VLOTech has dedicated its efforts to helping small law firms grow through technology.  With VLOTech software, an attorney can practice law anywhere there’s an Internet connection.  The software affords amazing possibilities to attorneys and consumers.

VLOTech makes it possible to build and maintain a full law practice with or without a physical office location.  It allows consumers who live in rural areas or are unable to get to an attorney’s office to retain legal services online. For both virtual and brick-and-mortar practices, it allows clients to log in 24/7 to securely upload and download documents, complete legal forms, update personal information, review invoices, make payments, and more.

And, of course, we’re not stopping there.  We’re all very excited about the many ways this software integrates with existing Total Attorneys products and our plans for the future.  VLOTech Co-founder Stephanie Kimbro will assume the title of Total Attorneys Evangelist, while continuing in her virtual law practice. Co-founder Benjamin Norman will be joining us as a Senior Developer and will continue to expand VLOTech features.

The addition of VLOTech to our product line is a significant step in our ongoing effort to revolutionize the delivery of legal services, and we expect both attorneys and clients to benefit from the flexibility and efficiency it offers. Consumers and legal professionals will see the quality of representation and access to legal services improve as we integrate our two innovative companies into one.

A few weeks ago, Total Attorneys announced its acquisition of VLOTech.  The VLOTech software helps attorneys practice law anywhere there is an Internet connection, and clients can log on to secure webpages to communicate and collaborate with their attorneys, upload documents, complete legal forms, update personal information, make payments, review invoices and more.  An article entitled “Online Office-Makers” in the October 2009 issue of the ABA Journal said that VLOTech is “at the forefront of a legal services delivery revolution, streamlining and in some cases automating tasks to drive down costs dramatically.” Read the full article here to learn more about how VLOTech is helping attorneys build their practices while providing the cost-effective services, flexibility and efficiency that today’s clients seek when looking for high quality legal representation.

Join guest host, Gerry Riskin, as he speaks with callers and attendees from the Get a Life ™ Conference on his shared session with Kevin Chern, “Create Your Own Strategic Plan.”  In this session, attendees were given the tools to create a long-term strategic plan for their law office.  Listen in here or call in at (347) 857-1419 for answers to your questions and tips to create a successful action plan! For more info about this and future Blog Talk Radio shows hosted by Total Attorneys and Total PMA, go here.

Each year, Crain’s Chicago Business Magazine chooses 40 outstanding individuals in Chicago who have achieved success in business before the age of 40.  These winners have included professional actors and athletes, high-ranking politicians, and presidents and CEOs of major companies, among many others who have made a major impact in their respective industries.  This year, Ed Scanlan, CEO and Founder of Total Attorneys, landed a spot on the 2009 “Top 40 Under 40” list.  Check out his profile and video here on the Crain’s Chicago Business Magazine website.

Join guest hosts, Alexis Martin Neely of the Family Wealth and Planning Institute, Max Gardner of Maxinar’s Bootcamp, and Total Attorneys Vice-President Tim Ryan as they speak with callers and attendees from the Get a Life conference on their shared session—"Insights on Outsourcing: Virtual Workers Cut Law Firm Overhead." In this session, you can learn how to utilize this growing industry in your law practice. Listen in here or call in at (347) 857-1419 for answers to your questions and tips on discovering the benefits of outsourcing, determining costs in delivering your core services, deciding what types of tasks to outsource, getting started and ensuring quality, security and confidentiality when working with virtual workers! For more info about this and future Blog Talk Radio shows hosted by Total Attorneys and Total PMA, visit our Blog Talk Radio page.