Law Firm Coach Blog

If I had to take an educated guess the one area that we have the hardest problem convincing law firm owners on is the matter of quality assurance. In other words accountability for standards set and how you measure whether or not the standards (or goals were met). Until you take this next leap, that of becoming a quality assurance law firm auditor, you will never know if any plan you have succeeds.

Admittedly Dave had to hit me on the head a few times as he is a former IBM auditor, ISO auditor, etc. etc. etc. My first thought was that I didn't see the return on the bottom line profit. However even I can be convinced and over the course of the years started putting in QA in all areas of the law firm.

I have been known to measure the productivity in work product generation. For example a law firm who says we will be an assertive law firm in litigation. The first thing I did was measure the amount of time between pleading due dates. For example, is discovery truly answered on time or is it continued and how many times. What I found was that the turth of the matter is litigation was not assertive, was not proactive but reactive, and that the length of time from cases start to finish was not based on court delays but on firm delays.

I then came in and started factoring in cost per hour for the delays. In other words the longer the case dragged out the more time put on it. I was a bit taken back on the high dollar cost factor on some cases.

The bottom line is that we put in QA metrics. We had a litigation team meeting and told them how we were going to track effectiveness. Each month we did a report on all litigation cases. The litigation lead attorney then put in some parameters that allowed the firm to fast track cases. Three things happened: (1) The actual on-going active trial case load reduced because cases were moving faster (2) We reorganized and actually reduced the section by one support person; and (3) The average fee increased.

There is not one area of your law firm you can not measure from employee productivity to cost expense analysis. All that it takes is a comimtment to define the area to be measured, put in a measuring stick, let everyone know, and hold people accountability. QA is the best kept secret in law firms that are successful in the 21st Century.

I believe if I could convince law firm owners of one thing that is a solid return on investment of time and money it is to have a law firm retreat once a year with partners. And if you are a sole practioner than pick your stakeholders (people who invest time or emotion into the success of the firm) and have a retreat. Retreats are the way to create synergy to drive your firm for another year. Old ideas are refreshed. New ideas are brought to the table. More importantly you are forced to take a long hard look at the past, the present, and your future. Good retreats don't happen by accident. Here is the criteria I use when planning our Dream, Believe, Dare, Do Retreats for law firms.

1. What is your objective. If the goal is to create a strategic plan or update one then you are going to need lots of information in advance to review so you can have at your finger tips the right information. Define the information and get it ready!

2. Create an agenda. In our retreats we touch on every aspect of the firm from HR to Marketing to Financials to Technology. The agenda should be specific and time allotted.

3. Agree on a facilitator. If you decide to use an outside facilitator make sure everyone agrees on the ground rules. If you do it in house than that person has to be willing to keep everyone on track and stick to the agenda.

4. Keep strong notes of everything said and agreed to. Set an entire year's goals with accountability (you are going to have follow up meetings believe me). Publish the notes and appoint a gatekeeper to keep your feet to the fire.

5. NEVER HOLD IT AT YOUR OFFICE! In fact we like to have the retreats away from the town you practice in. Find some place that you can stay and meet without distraction.

6. Allow time not only to do the retreat but to relax. This allows you to interact with others away from office mode.

7. Be prepared to work. The best retreats I have done is when everyone rolled up their shirt sleeves and worked hard to come up with a workable plan in the future.

8. Believe that you aren't the only one with a good idea. This is the one time that every one's input is important.

I believe that every dollar spent by you should get a maximum ROI. Taking time to plan to you are proactive rather than reactive in your business is about a good of return on investment you will every get. If it gets you one new case or it reduces one cost item you win!

I am getting ready to do a speech from my Marketing on a Shoe String Series on how to brand yourself. The one thing that came out in the writing was how many lawyers try to do what others do and not what fits them. An example might be the lawyer who truly isn't a people crowd person trying to give a speech or networking in a large group. Doomed to failure from the start. Instead if the lawyer would write articles and publish them on the web or through magazines he or she might get as much mileage in branding or driving clients through the door as the extroverted lawyer.

The bottom line is simply to figure out what are your strengths and what are your weaknesses and market your strengths. Spending marketing dollars on plans that work for others but not you is simply throwing good money on a bad idea.

Simply ask yourself these questions:

1. I have a passion for ....
2. I like to .....
3. I dislike doing...
4. I am happiest when I am....
5. I am terrible at...

An introvert can be an extrovert if they are talking about something they have a passion for. Enthusiasm comes from doing something you really enjoy. Things that you like translate into receiving things that you like.

Marketing yourself means marketing your strengths. Not the warm and fuzzy type? Then create an office of people friendly people to support you in these areas. The outgoing, friendly type? Take 1 hour each week and go visit places of business you know someone and just say hello. The trick is not only how you market but how often. Commit one hour a week to doing something that makes you stand out to others.

Everyone has a WOW factor. I promise you this.

I have been on a hiatus for the past two weeks and during that time I thought about all of the obstacles I have over-comed or the rise in my profession I have accomplished simply by attitude. I would think most who know me see me as a very high energy, enthused visionary who sees no limits (or at least that is how I see myself). But I think that what has gotten me where I am today is the attitude of optimisim v pessimism. I also believe that an attitude that hard work wins everytime, that at least I try, and that I don't sweat failing because it means I enjoy success more is important. I then applied that to law firms I have worked with and employees.

Time and time again I have seen employees who had less aptitude for the job hired than others but who succeeded because of an attitude similar to mine. The question becomes how does an employer encourage that type of attitude. Simply put, you tell them.

I believe lawyers write out expectations for employees so they know how to win. You can't fault someone for not playing by the rules if no one tells them the rules. If a part of your expectations is a positive attitude, a demonstration of strong work ethic, and any other attitudal trait you want to set is also a way to rise in ranks or pay I can promise you that you will get exactly what you ask for. And if the person doesn't get it then my hunch is no matter how good that person is at what they do, the toxic fall out due to the lack of the traits brings the rest of the employees down.

I will take one person with a good work attitude over ten people with just aptitude any day of the week. That is called ROI (return on investment)!