Creative Choices for the 21st Century Lawyer Inc.’s Post

CLIENT STORY: Do you do internal business development as an associate? I’ve been working with a mid-level lawyer, let’s call her Chantal, who is intentionally progressing toward partnership at a new firm. This new firm explicitly told her she won’t need a portable book of business to become a partner. She was relieved since the idea of business development frightened her. Chantal wants to excel in her new role and is concerned about not always having enough work to meet her billable target. When I asked about internal business development, Chantal was puzzled. She thought she was off the hook from doing ANY business development! 😮💨😮💨😮💨 I continued to introduce the concept of asking for work internally. Chantal’s face froze. She then admitted that at her old firm, there were lulls in work that made her wonder whether she should have asked for work. She never did and decided to find another role at a busier firm instead. To put things in perspective, I asked Chantal what outcome she would prefer: to lose her job on account of no work and never having asked for work; or to lose her job on account of no work after having asked for it. She said the latter! Chantal bravely asked for work for the first time last week (big gulp) in a way that was comfortable for her and she’s still alive 😁🤣 The lesson: sometimes we run away from a situation, thinking we can avoid a problem, but the problem just follows us. #Lawyers #Attorneys #Associate #LawFirms #LawPartner #Partner

"I need a few more years of experience in Private Practice" "I don't know enough yet to work in-house" "I don't know if it's right for me" A few weeks ago, Sam Gadsdon posted about the differences between working in-house vs. private practice, focusing on depth vs. breadth. In private practice, you dive deep into a niche area of law, offering specialist advice to a broad range of clients. It’s all about the depth of your expertise. In-house, though, is a different story. It’s all about breadth. You need to know enough to navigate a variety of challenges while developing a deeper understanding of one client... the business you work for! Here, you’re not just advising; you’re helping shape strategy and seeing the impact of your decisions first hand. Of course, there are law firm generalists and in-house specialists. But here’s the pattern he's seen: if you’re excited by the prospect of embedding yourself in a company’s strategic goals, building long-term relationships, and seeing the tangible impact of your work, you'd be best fit working in-house. For those who've made the switch, how have you found the added variety in your day-to-day?

"I need a few more years of experience in Private Practice" "I don't know enough yet to work in-house" "I don't know if it's right for me" A few weeks ago, I posted about the differences between working in-house vs. private practice, focusing on depth vs. breadth. In private practice, you dive deep into a niche area of law, offering specialist advice to a broad range of clients. It’s all about the depth of your expertise. In-house, though, is a different story. It’s all about breadth. You need to know enough to navigate a variety of challenges while developing a deeper understanding of one client... the business you work for! Here, you’re not just advising; you’re helping shape strategy and seeing the impact of your decisions firsthand. Of course, there are law firm generalists and in-house specialists. But here’s the pattern I’ve seen: if you’re excited by the prospect of embedding yourself in a company’s strategic goals, building long-term relationships, and seeing the tangible impact of your work, you'd be best fit working in-house. For those who've made the switch, how have you found the added variety in your day-to-day?

𝟰 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗺𝗲 𝗮 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻 – 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹. 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗮𝘄 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗺, 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗿o𝗻𝗴 & 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗮 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲! In the early years I would go for almost every wave I could. I hadn’t learned about wave selection, and I couldn’t read the waves well enough. As a result, I always went for the wrong waves. I tried to take a 12 ft wave, but my timing was wrong, it closed out (collapsed) just as I was taking off. I fell 12ft headfirst with my board smashing into my face on the way down. Catching the wave is the most critical and exciting time for any surfer. Get it right and you’re set for an awesome ride. Get it wrong and you either miss the wave or you’re off your board! === In the context of your law firm, catching a wave is like starting with a new client or case. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆. Clear communication, timely updates, and going the extra mile will not only keep your clients satisfied but will also encourage them to refer others to your firm. Get this right and you’re more likely to receive a lot of repeat business and referrals, which are the most powerful marketing tools. 𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗿𝘀. === How could you improve your: - Client onboarding process? - Client communication process? - Case management? - Quoting, billing and debt collection processes? To find out more check out this week’s edition of "𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙛𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙋𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙉𝙚𝙬𝙨𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧" (𝘾𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙠 𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙚): https://lnkd.in/dnNyVvkC (Wave: La Ticla, Mexico: 10-14 ft right hand point break) ===== John McCarthy Guiding Law Firm Owners to Scale Their Practices Global Outstanding Client Results 2022 Global Outstanding Client Results 2023 Global Coach of the Year 2024 EMEA Client Employee Engagement Winner Website: www.summitbusinesses.com Ring the 🔔 on my Profile Connect with me / Follow me ⬆️ #law #lawyers #lawfirmmanagement #lawfirmstrategy #profit

Just because summer is here doesn't mean we're slowing down! ☀️ At Gimbal, our practical, industry-leading approach has helped thousands of attorneys allocate work better, streamline processes, and build systems that require less time and effort. We do four things to significantly improve law firm productivity and profitability, by helping lawyers: 👉 Develop their long-term strategy and a roadmap for achieving their goals 👉 Improve operational efficiency by optimizing legal processes and strengthening business & administrative systems 👉 Manage time & resources more effectively through delegation, matter management, and work allocation 👉 Communicate powerfully by improving writing skills, marketing, and messaging and we do these four things in three ways: 👉 Online and in-person training 👉 Group and 1:1 coaching 👉 Strategic planning and consulting. We're lawyers with decades of experience practicing law, providing strategic advice, and improving systems, efficiency, profitability, and productivity in law firms and legal departments around the world. Lawyers who work with us focus on doing the right work the right way. They accomplish more of what matters them in less time and with less effort. They finally have the freedom to enjoy their success! Don't let the summer heat slow you down – reach out to us today: https://bit.ly/4dVgAvj #legal #law #lawfirms #lawconsulting #lawyerburnout #corporateburnout #smallbusinessowners #smallbusinesses #legalconsulting #summerready #alwayshereforyou #startupsupport

Just because summer is here doesn't mean we're slowing down! ☀️ At Gimbal, our practical, industry-leading approach has helped thousands of attorneys allocate work better, streamline processes, and build systems that require less time and effort. We do four things to significantly improve law firm productivity and profitability, by helping lawyers: 👉 Develop their long-term strategy and a roadmap for achieving their goals 👉 Improve operational efficiency by optimizing legal processes and strengthening business & administrative systems 👉 Manage time & resources more effectively through delegation, matter management, and work allocation 👉 Communicate powerfully by improving writing skills, marketing, and messaging and we do these four things in three ways: 👉 Online and in-person training 👉 Group and 1:1 coaching 👉 Strategic planning and consulting. We're lawyers with decades of experience practicing law, providing strategic advice, and improving systems, efficiency, profitability, and productivity in law firms and legal departments around the world. Lawyers who work with us focus on doing the right work the right way. They accomplish more of what matters them in less time and with less effort. They finally have the freedom to enjoy their success! Don't let the summer heat slow you down – reach out to us today: https://bit.ly/4dVgAvj #legal #law #lawfirms #lawconsulting #lawyerburnout #corporateburnout #smallbusinessowners #smallbusinesses #legalconsulting #summerready #alwayshereforyou #startupsupport

𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗞𝗘𝗧𝗦 𝗦𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗙𝗔𝗦𝗧: 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗚𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟲𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲? 🟢 𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆’𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁: Discover a sizable legal sector event that is happening in London that will be a great opportunity to gain high level industry knowldge and create new business opportunities. I can’t wait to speak along side Kirsty Pappin, Sally Holdway, Manu Kanwar, Maggie Alphonsi MBE, Carla Hoppe, Christina Blacklaws (she/her) and Dan Riley ライリーダン. At this event, I'll be speaking about: ● How most law firm owners end up in the Law Technicians Valley of Doom where their firm relies on them to be profitable so they end up trapped having to work exhausting hours until the day they no longer can. ● What 'profitable delegation' is and how once law firm owners learn this they quickly greatly increase their profits while reducing their workload. I'll be sharing financial screenshots to prove this. ● The 3 core secrets to building a highly profitable firm that doesn't rely on the owner to be profitable so they create free time to focus on what matters to them and build an envious law firm. 🔴 When: 6 June 2024 🔴 Where: Shoreditch, London 🔴 How to get an early bird ticket before prices go up: Link in 1st reply below ⬇️ ❓Are you joining us❓ 💰I help law firm partners and CEOs increase their profits and reduce their workload. I'll show you how to increase your team’s billable hours with strategies that grew my client’s PROFIT by 89.15% (£596,734) in 6 months. ✅ Here’s your chance; send me a message here and let’s share ideas. 𝗣.𝗦. Or ask me about my 𝗟𝗮𝘄 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗺 𝗢𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗖𝗹𝘂𝗯; it’s free and you’ll receive a by-weekly implementable insight by email, free tickets to events I’m speaking at and short videos to help you increase your profits while reducing your workload. #Law #LegalProfession #LawFirms #Lawyer #Legal500 #DanWarburton #LegalGeek #LegalInnovation #legaltechnology

Look at these lovelies 🥰 Got me thinking Law firms: 🤷🏽♂️do you create the right environment for your staff? Expectations, teamwork, comfort, best tools, training, processes, support? 🤷🏽♂️do you pick the right spot and right work and clients for them? Fill the right vessels with the right sort of work and give work to appropriate levels of fee earner - teamwork, prioritisation, delegation, organisation 🤷🏽♂️do you consider others around them in terms of best placement? Make sure they can work quietly, in an organised way, without interruptions, well supported 🤷🏽♂️do you feed and nourish regularly? Make sure they are trained on time recording and billing, check in on them, make sure they have enough work but not too much, give them the confidence to talk to clients about costs and expectations, take away burdensome admin tasks, give them the best tools for the job, allow them to be the best that they can be 🤷🏽♂️do you water every day? Are you having regular team meetings to share issues, workloads, inactive files, problem clients, conversion rates, figures, inefficiencies, time recording tips and rules? 🤷🏽♂️do you check on them? Allow them to share issues openly and empower them to say no to the wrong clients, or price accordingly Ensure they have self-worth, value, time management and organisation Ensure they feel happy telling you if they have too much work, too little work, etc 🤷🏽♂️do you dead-head when you need to? Do you make quick firm decisions if you need to? Such as moving someone to a different team if they will be happier? 🤷🏽♂️do you plant a new offshoot? If something works well, congratulate and replicate The same applies to your actual firm: are you looking after it properly? All covered in my better billing workshops and in my mentoring And it will make you lots more money - on top of happier staff and clients! Dm me #flower #garden #law #lawyer #lawfirm #solicitor #summer

Did you know that around 25% of lawyers are self-employed, either as partners in firms or running their own personal practice? That's a big chunk! This means that a lot of lawyers are choosing the path of independence, handling their own clients, setting their own hours, and building their own businesses. It’s a reminder of the flexibility and opportunities within the legal field – for some, it’s about pursuing their own vision, while for others, it’s about finding work-life balance or exploring specific areas of law that they're passionate about. Self-employment can be incredibly rewarding, but it also requires juggling business management along with client work. For lawyers, it means stepping into roles beyond just the legal work—like marketing, client relations, and financial planning. If you’re a lawyer considering this path, remember that while it takes effort, it’s definitely possible to create a thriving practice that reflects your goals and values. #LawyerLife #SelfEmployedLawyer #LegalPractice #IndependentLawyer #LawFirmOwner #LegalEntrepreneur #LawyerStats #LawyerIndependence #SoloPractitioner #LawyerJourney #MrsJuneLegal #AttorneyWhisperer #Paralegal #ParalegalServices

Did you know that around 25% of lawyers are self-employed, either as partners in firms or running their own personal practice? That's a big chunk! This means that a lot of lawyers are choosing the path of independence, handling their own clients, setting their own hours, and building their own businesses. It’s a reminder of the flexibility and opportunities within the legal field – for some, it’s about pursuing their own vision, while for others, it’s about finding work-life balance or exploring specific areas of law that they're passionate about. Self-employment can be incredibly rewarding, but it also requires juggling business management along with client work. For lawyers, it means stepping into roles beyond just the legal work—like marketing, client relations, and financial planning. If you’re a lawyer considering this path, remember that while it takes effort, it’s definitely possible to create a thriving practice that reflects your goals and values. #LawyerLife #SelfEmployedLawyer #LegalPractice #IndependentLawyer #LawFirmOwner #LegalEntrepreneur #LawyerStats #LawyerIndependence #SoloPractitioner #LawyerJourney #MrsJuneLegal #AttorneyWhisperer #Paralegal #ParalegalServices