Law firm management is a complex and challenging activity that might initially feel overwhelming. But, with proper guidance, it can be an enjoyable task and an opportunity to develop as a leader. Law firm management is not only about the proper structure of a law firm but also about setting an example of professionalism and excellence to all that work in the firm.
Legal professionals are among the most competitive groups, and great lawyers have more than their share of competition. In most circumstances, being (becoming) a great attorney goes hand in hand with working for a great law firm. So let’s see some of the best practices law firm management tips you can implement to build one of the most outstanding legal practices in your area.
What Law Firm Management Entails
Every law firm will have its management style, but one key to successful management is knowing what you’re doing. When you are the leader of your law firm, your colleagues will look up to you and expect you to have a specific vision for the firm and them. To start your law firm, learn what you need to know before creating an ideal structure. Here are the qualities that successful lawyers and legal managers exhibit.
- Lawyers’ most important task is to help people solve their problems. However, one of the toughest challenges lawyers face is that the clients themselves often have incomplete or incorrect information, so they are more likely to make hasty decisions than a lawyer would make in their place. It means you must effectively manage the expectations and concerns of your clients and staff so they can act on your advice and benefit from it.
- Law firm management is about more than just running a business. It is essential to communicate with your staff, make decisions, and motivate everybody, from your senior partners to the newest-hired paralegals.
- Law firms are about as competitive as any business can get. Lawyers must compete for clients, opportunities to practice law, and recognition from their peers. But, to stay on top of your game, a firm must offer more than the competition does: reputable attorneys, affordable legal fees, even free consultation on some cases, offering a virtual office, transparent billing practices, 24/7 help, expert witnesses to strengthen cases, investigators on call, technological means to smooth workflows and processes, and more.
- Remember that not all great lawyers can also be great managers and vice-versa. For this reason, you need to set up a structure where the right people occupy the right positions.
- Growing law firms usually start with a few practice areas to expand to others. Plan how you want the law firm you are running to look and operate while expanding your practice in other areas of the law by bringing new professionals to the table.
Great Practices to Apply Today
As tricky as it is to master law firm management, this is the only way anyone who wants to start their firm can control the business end of things. Therefore, it’s essential to learn how to hire the right people for your firm, create an excellent strategic plan, and hone the details of those plans so they can be realized.
Finding good people will not be enough, however. You have to make sure they will work together efficiently. It would help if you had a solid administration staff that can take care of administrative issues to focus on what you do best—helping clients solve their legal problems.
Once you have hired your staff, you need to manage them. First, ensure that everyone on your staff has a clear idea of where they are headed and make it possible for them to accomplish their goals.
You need to be able to motivate all the people who work for you and manage them effectively so they will put forth the effort necessary for your firm’s success, not only in terms of the tasks at hand but also in terms of personal relations with each other.
Remember that there are no shortcuts to success. You can’t go into this business expecting that you can treat your staff poorly and still expect to be a successful business. You will need to motivate them and make them feel appreciated. You need to make it clear to everyone what their career paths can look like in the firm and what they need to do to get there.
Bottom Line
There are a lot of different aspects of best practices in law firm management that should be kept in mind while trying to keep your business on track and profitable.
Law firm management is a complex and challenging activity that might initially feel overwhelming. But, with proper guidance, it can be an enjoyable task and an opportunity to develop as a leader.
