The 80/20 Principle

The only tasks you should do in your practice are (1) things that require a law license to do, and (2) things you enjoy doing. Everything else should be delegated. Finding good people to delegate work to is easier because of the Internet, and the availability of outsourcing. But finding qualified assistance is still hard because you have to properly vet candidates. It's better to work with VA comp...

Automation is the key to exponential efficiency, but you need to approach it systematically. Simple automation is easy to set up and fine-tune. But complex automation will require the help of a trustworthy consultant. Document creation is the most useful area for lawyers to automate, but there are other areas ripe for automation as well: scheduling, client-intake, initial client communications, an...

Systems are the key to a smooth-running law practice. You need to develop systems with ruthless discipline , and you'll find it's well worth the effort. Your work (and the work of others in your firm) will be better and more consistent. And you'll be able to delegate work more easily —even to people who aren't exceptionally skilled. Read the book E-Myth Revisited , by Michael Gerber, to learn more...

Building trust with people that have never met you (or who barely know you) is excruciatingly difficult. But it can be done using a time-tested method called Direct Response Marketing. Most lawyers have never heard of DRM, and some have heard of it but reflexively dismissed it without bothering to find out why it's so effective. Plus It's not expensive to do. But best of all? Direct response marke...

Referral marketing is the most powerful kind of marketing. Some people call it "networking," or "word-of-mouth" marketing. The reason it's powerful is that it works with the trust you've already cultivated . Even though it works well without much effort, it will work much better if you do it strategically. That means using basic psychology. People need to be reminded of what kind of work you do, a...

If you want to attract a steady stream of great clients you absolutely must understand how to establish trust and then build it up. Most lawyers do not understand this, which is why they fail in marketing their practices. Trust is not based on logic or reason. It's based on emotion and empathy. There are deep-seated psychological principles you need to grasp in order to build trust effectively, an...

To build a successful practice you'll need outside guidance from consultants who can you help you with business strategy, technology and marketing. But finding the best people is challenging. In this episode, we break down the 5 qualities you should look for in every outside consultant that you hire. Marketing consultants are notoriously difficult to find, unless you are looking for opportunistic...

Last episode we provided an overview of the Success Blueprint for creating a thriving law practice. Here we drill into the foundational aspects of creating that blueprint, one tailored to your unique goals. You need to envision as precisely as possible what kind of law practice you want to have. And you need to be realistic about the time frame it will take to achieve your ultimate goals. Nothing...

The key to creating a successful law practice is having a clear plan. Creating that plan is crucial, and yet too many lawyers don't take the time to do it. There are three pillars to a Law Firm Success Plan. But you have to fill in the gaps, which starts with you envisioning what "success" means to you. How many hours do you want to work per week? Do you want to have a traditional office, with emp...

Too many lawyers struggle with the business side of their practices. And that's without considering the ever-increasing dependence on technology. As you probably realize, many lawyers find technology frustrating and counter-productive. But, if you approach it sensibly, technology will make your practice much more profitable and easier to manage . Best of all? You don't need to be a tech-wizard to...