An ideal law firm is one that does not require micro-management by its principal but operates based on the system in place. The issue is that it does not just happen on its own. It takes a deliberate effort to achieve it. That is what this post: How to Effectively Manage an Ideal Law Firm For Growth, is about.

Alright, let get started.

To build an ideal Law firm you can one day own but no longer run, you have to start with wrapping your mind around the concept that you don’t have to do everything yourself or supervise everything yourself. But learn the act of delegating.

Realistically, the concept of delegating is very difficult for most lawyers because they are used to micro-managing or being in control.

Secondly, they don’t subscribe to the notion that someone else can actually do their work.

Thirdly, they are afraid to take the risk because of the damage that might occur if not properly done.

Truly,  your employees and outsourcers can actually get you in trouble if the jobs are not properly done. But building a business (law practice) is not about the elimination of risk. It’s about the intelligent management of risk. You do the best you can and if things go wrong, you deal with it and move on.

To obtain success in any endeavour, taking risk is inevitable. You have to be willing to take the risks and dip your toes in the water by applying the act of delegation. Try it and see what happens. If it works well, then delegate more things. That is how you will become comfortable in delegating. The main thing is to get someone else to do the work you usually do, over time with a few corrections here and there, they will master it. The firm can still effectively function without you. That is effective leadership.

Secondly, create a detailed operations manual for your office. Make the effort to document your systems, in detail, that someone else could truly step into your shoes (what you do on a daily basis). Pretend as if you are going to franchise your law firm and patiently script out every process as detail as possible step by steps.

When you get this right, it will allow you to have more time for yourself to do other important things. Also, you’ll have a valuable resource for training new staff.

If you have any question or you want more clarity on some things, let’s hear them in the comment section.

Regards,

Luke Ikekpolor

Business Growth specialist.