5 Hints to New Law Firms

Before we begin to discuss about the suggestions I dare to make to new law firms (on account of my nearly 30 years of experience in the management of these institutions), the introduction of some assumptions or prerequisites for those suggestions to make sense will be required. (the lawyers love to call them “recitals”).

We all know that, for a business to prosper and succeed, we have to have a blend of certain characteristics of his/their creators, such as: entrepreneurial spirit, technical expertise and a lot of hard work, and I am starting from the premise that the pieces of advice or suggestions that will be listed below are intended to the offices that fulfill these conditions. (let us remember that the hints themselves do not ensure success, only make it come faster).

Think as an enterprise – In my point of view, this is the most important hint (although it seems obvious and even childish!). Worship, invest and work for the institution in every way and remember that the sum of all is bigger than the sum of each one, individually. The result generated by it brings, as a consequence, fulfillment, payment and prestige to its partners. Put the ego aside, as well as the cult to personality and other vices that people of strong personalities are used to having.

Think big and act in a homeopathic way – That is: You must have a medium to long term target and must take all day by day actions and decisions always based on this target. Never lose your focus!

Invest in technology and talent – More and more, things like efficiency, timely response and decisions, quality of work and mainly productivity are required from all enterprises. (and law firms belong to this category). So, you must have a clear policy of attraction and retaining talent (whether lawyers or administrative  officers) and take good care of them. Remember that the main equity of a law firm goes down the elevator every day and goes back home. If this patrimony does not return next day, his office is worth nothing!

Think in a modern way and act accordingly – The niche formed by law firms has a big tendency to be extremely conservative because of the academic background and the exercise of the profession. (laws, doctrines and jurisprudence are always in the past.) This habit hampers creative and intuitive thinking that should focus on the future, disconnected from facts and statistics from the past. Make a modern marketing of your enterprise and not of your personality, using for it all the existing tools in internet and in other social and professional networks.

Take a great deal of care of your client – Marketing wizard Philip Kotler says that the biggest “asset” that all the enterprises have is their clients; the rest goes around them! Take care of them as they were consumers, not only clients (this requires the office to be much less tolerant to minor flaws and prevents natural accommodation that appears as time goes by). Surprise your client with non -billable activities that bring some value to him/her. (newsletters is not the case!)

The support of an outsourced consulting firm, that is experienced and exempt from internal political interactions may really accelerate this process.

The help by an outsourced consultancy firm, that is experienced and is exempt from the internal interactions and relationships may really help a more effective and professional management of companies (mainly in challenging times like the current one).

José Paulo Graciotti, is consultant and founding Partner of GRACIOTTI ASSESSORIA EMPRESARIAL, engeneer by Escola Politécnica Universidade de São Paulo, with Financial MBA at FGV and specialized in Knowledge Mnagement by FGV. ILTA Member since 1998 (International Legal Technology Association) and ALA (Association of Legal Administrators), with more than 27 years managing Law Firms in Brazil – www.graciotti.com.br