In any law firm, problems are inevitable. They can arise from virtually anywhere—budget constraints, legal challenges, staffing issues, case management breakdowns, recruiting struggles, or marketing inefficiencies. At times, these problems can feel overwhelming, especially when they involve long-standing practices or systems that have been in place for years. On the surface, a situation can appear…
Category: Management
The myth of “not enough work”: Why some lawyers still miss their billable hours
Billable Hours Remain The Foundation Of Many Law Firm Business Models Billable hours remain the economic engine of many law firms, particularly those involved in litigation. In firms that operate on a billable-hour model, profitability depends on competent, communicative, and diligent lawyers and legal professionals handling their cases. Just as importantly, they must record their…
Who should you promote within your law firm?
Deciding who to promote inside a law firm is one of the most important leadership decisions you will make. Promotions do more than change titles; they shape firm culture, reinforce expectations, and influence how your team views opportunity and fairness. When handled thoughtfully, they motivate performance and reward the right behaviors. When handled poorly, they…
The case for taking fewer clients and charging more
Many lawyers wonder how they can build a better life while still running a successful law practice. Most attorneys genuinely want to do great work for their clients. At the same time, they have law firm expenses and personal obligations to meet. In today’s economy, law firm and personal expenses continue to rise. In an…
How much to pay an associate attorney?
How much a law firm should pay an associate attorney is an age-old question that many law firms consider. Many law firms debate this question, making it difficult for them to develop a workable formula that works within their budget. Law firms often gravitate to one of two extremes. One extreme is that law firms…
Law firms need to be thinking about ChatGPT
For a long time now, Google has been a major source of potential clients for law firms. Many new clients come from individuals doing Google searches online. Whether a law firm was ranking high organically or through paid advertisements, law firms have had to worry about how they appear on Google from a marketing perspective….
Ensuring competence, diligence, and communication
Having a large number of clients in a law firm is vital. To attract new clients, law firms must have a successful marketing plan. It is also crucial to make as many clients as possible happy to ensure they refer others to your law firm. However, after successfully acquiring numerous clients, law firms must ensure…
Proactively meeting productivity metrics
Meeting productivity metrics within a law firm is vital. Employees must meet their productivity metrics for a law firm to meet its obligations. Law firms have vast obligations from payroll, rent, insurance, utilities, supplies, taxes, and other expenses. Law firms that bill hourly likely have billable hours and accounts receivable requirements. Similarly, law firms that…
Few employees are reading your emails
In an article I wrote long ago, I encouraged law firm managers and owners not to manage by email. Email is mainly ineffective for conveying messages or instructions to specific employees. Emails can be helpful when conveying firm-wide messages. They can also be used if a law firm is trying to document something for legal…
Freelancers can help law firms
Many law firms have a lot of administrative work that needs to be done, including marketing, graphic design, recruiting, human resources, bookkeeping, and other business services. However, it is cost-prohibitive for many law firms to hire the folks you need to complete the work internally. As a result, some law firms never get to many…
To expand, does it make sense to buy other law firms?
Law firms looking to expand into new markets must determine the best strategy. Some start from scratch, open a satellite office and attempt to grow it. Others seek to buy existing law firms and put them under their umbrella. The potential pros and cons of each strategy are below. Does Buying Existing Law Firms Make…
What’s the average law firm growth rate?
Many law firm owners and managers want to grow or scale their firms. If they can increase their firm, they can pay themselves and their employees more. With more income, law firms can do other great things, like buy new equipment, obtain better benefits, and maybe even expand their law firm. It can even allow…