Lawyers With Purpose

Start 2020 Off Right by Kick-Starting Your Maintenance Program

By LWP Implementation Specialist Amanda "Mandy" Bossow

From mid-November through the beginning of January, Lawyers with Purpose members tend to see a decrease of initial contacts, initial meetings, and workshop attendance. The holidays are THE time for your prospects and clients to be thinking about AND discussing their future plans with family, however, not as many do. How can you remedy this? By kicking off your maintenance program!

What is a maintenance program? The maintenance program is an additional service your firm can offer your clients to keep them informed of changes to the law, reminding them of the importance of keeping their plan up-to-date with personal changes, and keeping your firm in their top of mind awareness by sending out periodic newsletters, event invites, etc.

The beginning of the year is a wonderful time to send out an invitation to your clients, inviting them to join your maintenance program. It can fit right into their new year resolutions and provide them and their families great benefits, not only for this year, but for years to come.

You first must decide what you will include as part of your Maintenance Program. The suggested LWP Engagement Agreement (found on the LWP Member site) includes an option for a Maintenance Program where you can find some suggested items to include as part of your program!

Some suggested offerings the engagement agreement includes are:

• Regular client newsletters
• An annual client updating workshop aimed at keeping the client current with the changing legal environment
• Law firm-initiated changes to the client’s documents, if requested, to take advantage of changes in the law
• “Word processing” amendments to the client’s estate planning documents
• Regular specialized workshops
• On-going guidance with funding of new assets acquired during the year
• Annual estate plan review upon request
• Assistance to the client’s disability panel to verify their disability and get their successor Trustee appointed
• Meeting with the client’s family or helpers upon their disability or death to explain the estate plan they created and outline the assistance available in maintaining or settling their plan (any new services, if required, will be identified and billed separately)
• Annual social event for the client and their family to enjoy
• Special pricing for their family members to do planning during the year

Don’t be intimidated by this long list! You can make your Maintenance Program as inclusive as you’d like. You may decide in the beginning the only thing you can offer is the law firm-initiated changes, word processing amendments, and an annual estate plan review. Make sure you pay attention to your calendar to ensure you have time allotted to take care of these clients.

Next you need to start offering it to new prospects and clients during their initial and vision meetings. The lovely part about this is it’s already built into the LWP Enrollment Process! As you are discussing the various planning options with the potential client, you can discuss which plans have a maintenance option. You can even find a space for it directly on the Vision Clarifier tool!

Third, you need to determine how you are going to inform your current client pool of this beneficial new service. Some members send out a letter inviting their current clients to join at a discounted rate, while other members inform their clients they are enrolled into the maintenance program free for the first year so they can reap the benefits and then officially enroll the next year. You could also invite your clients to a kick-off event in which they can attend, maybe grab a drink with you, and hear all about other amazing events and additional benefits this program offers (as this is just a taste). The options are endless and entirely up to you!

The final step, which will be an on-going part of your practice, is to continue to maintain and grow your maintenance program. Maybe you start out small, offering only a few additional items, but then can add in quarterly newsletters, private events for maintenance clients only, etc.

The benefits for your clients to join and maintain their maintenance membership as well as the benefits for your firm is unlimited!  During the slow-down mentioned earlier in this article, you can plan your revenue goals to include the maintenance income right around the same time a decrease in new clients may occur! This also helps you stay in contact with your clients, reminding them to keep their plan current, inviting their family and friends to get their own estate plans completed, and providing a wonderful service to your community!

LWP Workshops: It's a Numbers Game!

 

By Amanda "Mandy" Bossow, Implementation Specialist

Recently, I was conducting an implementation call with a new LWP Member who attended the June Practice with Purpose in which Amanda Smith and Dave Zumpano were training. Our call topic was the Workshop, and a question the member asked me was, “Who wouldn’t do workshops?” and my honest response to him was, “Too many members don’t see the value in the workshops.” This brand new member was quite shocked that so many other LWP members weren’t doing workshops, so we detoured a bit to discuss the value of workshops as well as the excuses members give as to why they can’t, won’t, or simply don’t want to do them.

There are instances in which the workshop isn’t the next best step but conducting an Initial Meeting is; however, most prospects and clients are still going to require some education along the way.  If the Client Service Coordinator determines the prospect is in crisis  Medicaid, Probate, Trust Admin) in which they need to be enrolled in the process ASAP, the Initial Meeting is a better fit, and we can educate them once we’ve found a solution to their current situation.

By setting a standard that workshops are not just part of the process, but also the first key step in the prospect’s journey toward becoming a client, you’ll likely experience less pushback over time as prospects, clients, and professional relationships learn to expect to attend a workshop from the onset.  You may even find your clients and professional relationships will promote these events for you!

The primary goal of the workshop is to educate prospects on basic estate planning concepts.  Members will find a wide variety of prospects in attendance from those who think they know something, but don’t really grasp the entirety of planning to people who have had elaborate plans throughout the years and understand quite a bit.  The goal is to ensure the majority of those prospects who move forward as our clients receive enough education to be able to make an informed decision about what planning options are going to best serve their needs for years to come.  This relieves you of the burden of “choosing a plan for your client” and the liability that goes along with that. 

A secondary goal of the workshop is to continue to build trust and rapport with your prospects, clients, and professional relationships. The trust we need a client to have in our firm begins during the Initial Contact step of the process during which it was determined that the workshop is the best next action for the prospect. By offering a noncommittal event in which prospects can continue to get to know you, your firm, and your process, you are ensuring that the enrollment process doesn’t feel like a sale.  Professional relationships LOVE workshops because they don’t have to sell their own clients as to why they should work with you. The workshop gives an easy-going forum for them to learn estate planning concepts and get to know you! 

One of the most important goals of the workshop is saving everyone a little bit of time. If you meet with 30 prospects at one time and those who realize they don’t want or need your service can weed themselves out of the process, you are able to focus on the prospects who are likely closer to being your ideal client. These individuals see the value of your services and WANT to work with you. If you were to meet with each of those 30 prospects individually, how would that affect your calendar, productivity, cash flow, and retention rates – especially if not even half of those prospects decided to move forward?  It’s simply a numbers game; the more people with whom you meet at one time vs. individually, the more likely you are to work with those who want to work with you! 

Some of our members have indicated they view workshops as a marketing tool, but as indicated above, the workshops are not utilized for marketing purposes. They are a huge component and one of the first steps of our process. You market your business, and the ease of becoming an educated client begins with attending the workshop where the prospect can decide if they s/he would like to move forward or not.

Know the Seven Common Workshop Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When LWP members start putting their workshops together for the first time, they often think of them as a way to generate new clients, which is a key outcome.  However, they tend to focus on the workshop solely as a lead generator, and this mindset falls severely short in terms of what workshops actually help you accomplish. The workshop should be considered part of your process, the education part.  It is the part of the process that almost everyone needs, but they don’t think they do. The workshop helps participants see things they didn’t know, as well as things they didn’t even know they didn’t know; it provides them something new upon which to reflect.  The workshop doesn’t just generate leads; it helps enroll qualified candidates into your firm for a Vision Meeting and helps you accomplish higher retention rates and higher average fees, adding to increased profitability.  Here are some of the common workshop mistakes that will sabotage your success:

1. Not delivering your value proposition. Avoid this mistake at all costs.  Not knowing your value propositions is the primary reason why workshops remain poorly attended and don’t result in the desired appointments.  You must know all of your value propositions and how to present them properly.  You need to understand what motivates the market that you serve; marketing messages that tend to resonate include how to save the family home, protect assets from long term care costs, and prevent losing control to the government.  Another way to show value is to waive the Initial Meeting fee for workshop attendees; doing so can be considered a $200 value proposition.  When you deliver the workshop, do you review pre-planning and crisis planning case studies?  Do you tell the stories?  Do you make sure participants understand that Medicaid does not mean they get reduced amounts of care?  Do you get them thinking about what they need?  Are you being clear on your value propositions in your marketing, enrollment calls, and presentation, and if so, do your numbers confirm that?  You’re not the only one who needs to understand fully your value propositions.  As staff members who communicate with potential clients, your marketing and client service coordinator(s) must know the benefits of attending the workshop, too.  Beyond that, you also need to understand why an allied professional would want to attend your workshop after having a Synergy Meeting with you, or the relationship could end right there. 

2. Failing to have a budget and goals established. There is more to hosting workshops than getting them scheduled and filled.  You need to define the amount you are able to spend and your expected return on investment.  To calculate that, you should know the number (as well as the percentage) of participants likely to schedule a meeting, and based on your average retention rate, the number and percentage of meeting attendees that are projected to hire you.  You need to know the costs of your workshops, including marketing expense, and have a financial revenue and profit goal for each workshop. Have you defined your goals and expenses?

3. Not having the right “whos” in place.  Knowing who is responsible for planning the workshop dates, preparing all the materials, and doing the majority of the administrative tasks is critical.  It's also critical to know who is accountable for the number of seats and registrations, and who is responsible to fill the workshop. You also must know who is responsible for the enrollment after the initial contact.  The presenter is responsible for the delivery of the presentation and accountable for the yes rate following a workshop; make sure you are tracking that detail on the LWP Dashboard to Profitability. Lastly, be clear who is responsible for workshop follow up and getting those who say yes scheduled for a Vision Meeting. Any one “who” who does not do his/her job correctly can drastically impact the results of your workshop—from attendance to outcome. Do you know who your whos are, or are you wearing each of those hats yourself?

4. Choosing the wrong location. This can also negatively impact your workshops.  First, be sure the location works for your budget.  Common places to consider are your office, library, senior centers, Chamber of Commerce, and hotels.  I once saw a dashboard that showed more attendees than registrants because the hosting library promoted the workshop, resulting in a number of walk-ins.  Verify that your chosen location will support your style of doing workshops by being a reputable site with ample seating, quality lighting, and appropriate parking.  Your location can either reduce or increase your attendance, so don’t overlook its importance.

5. Not having the proper materials. Review your handouts, and be sure you have what’s needed to demonstrate your value.  Do you provide the Estate Planning Facts handout?  Do you provide a workshop flyer and share that it is for workshop attendees to provide to a family member or friend who may be interested?  Do your workshop attendees have a way of capturing notes, particularly regarding what is important to them, so they can bring those notes to a Vision Meeting?  Do you provide the personal and financial information sheet to simplify the process for attendees and have them complete it prior to their Vision Meeting?  You need to know that your deliverables are working hard to enhance your value.

6. Not presenting the stories properly. This will turn people off.  You must know both: how to present the stories that you tell properly, and which stories you shouldn’t tell.  To determine whether to tell a story, first verify that you’re confident in the legal principle that the story conveys and that your state allows that strategy; there are some states that do not allow a second crack at the apple.  Be sure to review the stories guide, understand which slide accompanies each story, where the story is used in connection with the Estate Plan Audit, and what legal concept you are demonstrating.  Get comfortable with your set up and delivery.  Personalize your story; make it your experience, share your emotions, and be sure to use your Power-In-Partnership communication training.  This includes your purpose story.  Every story has a reason, so be clear on why you are telling each one.

7. Not having proper follow up. This will hurt you.  Follow up begins at the end of your presentation, so don’t rush or cut your workshop closing short.  You always need to have enough time to close your workshop properly.  You should provide time for participants to ask any unresolved questions at the end.  Some of our members even offer to schedule appointments in the back of the room afterward. 

If your process includes calling participants the day after a workshop, be sure to tell participants to expect a call if they said yes, and make sure your “who” has time to make those calls blocked off on his/her calendar.  Being committed to follow up is key, especially when you are a solo, so be sure to account for follow up time.  Don’t overlook what goes into getting appointments, from the closing of the workshop to the actual calendaring of appointments. The longer you wait to follow up, the less relevant your value becomes.

Understanding the standards of planning and preparing for LWP workshops is key to successfully marketing, delivering, and following up to get the goals you desire.  Make sure you are using the LWP Focusers and Dashboard to Profitability to track and measure the impact of changes you make and the return on investment.  I wish you all success in your next workshop!

Transform Your Practice One Who at a Time: Competency, Capacity, and Focus

Last time we discussed the Law Firm Accountability Chart. Your firm’s success depends on having the right “Who” in every box in the chart. If you’ve set goals for everyone on your team in the past, but they are not consistently met, you need to look at these three factors: competency, capacity, and focus.

Competency refers to a person’s ability to do the job at hand. Does the person in question possess the necessary skill set and knowledge for the job? Here’s one way to tell: If you have asked someone to do something three times, but the task has not been completed, the individual responsible may actually want to do it but simply cannot. This person may require additional training, or perhaps he or she is not in the right seat at your firm. Unfortunately, he or she may not be the right “Who” for your firm at all.

Another explanation for failing to complete required tasks centers on capacity. If some people in your firm frequently say they are too busy to tackle a requested task, maybe they are being asked to do too much, or maybe they are not managing their time properly. At LWP, we believe that there is always enough time to get the job done if proper systems, strategies, and workflows are being followed.

Finally, the problem may result from lack of focus. Perhaps the employee’s Key Performance Indicators have not been adequately defined or explained. Every member of your team should know the numbers and goals for which they are responsible.

If you understand your role in the firm, and you have the “Whos” in place to fill the roles outlined in the Law Firm Success Model, you will be able to transform your practice. You’ll have consistent cash flow and profitability; happy and flourishing employees; and increased personal and financial freedom. In short, you’ll have the firm and life/work balance you’ve always wanted.

Transforming Your Practice One Who at a Time: The Law Firm Accountability Chart

As you can see, the third row in the Accountability Chart contains four boxes: Marketing, Client Services, Legal Services, and Finance/Human Resources. These boxes can be further broken down. For example, Marketing is divided into RMS and Traditional Marketing. In the LWP System, RMS stands for Relationship Management System. RMS is our proprietary approach to tracking and managing relationships with referral sources, which we call allied professionals. Leads are generated by forging solid relationships with allied professionals. The skills required by the “Who” responsible for RMS may very well differ from those required in Traditional Marketing, which involves generating leads through radio, television, direct mail, and the like. Proficiency with both forms of marketing is essential to your firm’s growth and success.

Next we have Client Services. Here you’ll find another important distinction between LWP’s approach to Client Services and the approach taken by other companies. We break Client Services down into two categories, Client Enrollment and Client Satisfaction. Why? The skills and approach required to enroll a new client successfully are quite different from those required to maintain an existing client relationship successfully. Enrollment boils down to sales. Satisfaction involves making sure that client work is getting done accurately and in a timely manner, that client meetings take place on time, that clients are enrolled in the firm’s maintenance program, and more.

Similarly, you can distinguish Legal Services by enrollment and satisfaction. In enrollment, the “Who” must be able to identify and convey the value of the services provided by the firm so that a prospect will choose to hire the firm. This requires the ability to host compelling workshops and persuasive initial client meetings. Legal Services Satisfaction, on the other hand, demands proficiency at signing meetings, maintenance meetings, and client support. Again, the skill sets and approaches involved are quite different in each role.

The final box on row three is for Finance/Human Resources. Who is responsible for paying the bills, hiring and firing, managing employee benefits, and other financial and personnel matters?  This, too, can be subdivided, with one “Who” fulfilling the duties of Finance Director and another “Who” serving as Human Resources Director.

The Law Firm Accountability Chart provides a proven framework for identifying the roles that must be filled to achieve the three levels of success. The name of the game is thoroughly understanding the skill sets required for each box and finding the “Whos” who possess the requisite skills to fulfill the responsibilities of each position.

If you are a small firm, some “Whos” will obviously have to fill more than one role. As you grow, however, you’ll be able to hire the ideal “Who” for each position or train an existing member of your team to fulfill that role.

Next time we’ll look at the three key roadblocks to taking your firm to the next level.

Transform Your Practice One Who at a Time: The Accountability Chart

In the LWP system, progressing through the three levels of success depends upon your having the right people, the right “Whos”, in the correct positions within your organization. We call the graphic representation of “who does what” in a law firm an Accountability Chart rather than an organizational chart. This is because success depends on holding each “Who” in the firm, including the owner, accountable for accomplishing the tasks associated with each position.

Download the LWP Law Firm Accountability Chart here

Take a look at the Accountability Chart above. You’ll notice that the top box, occupied by the owner, has a question mark next to the word Entrepreneur. Why? The owner of a law firm is not necessarily an entrepreneur. He or she might be, but is not always. The skills, knowledge, and experience necessary to be an outstanding attorney are not the same as those required to be a successful entrepreneur. As the saying goes, law school doesn’t teach you how to be an entrepreneur or run a law firm, it teaches you the law.

Ask yourself: Are you an entrepreneur? Do you have a vision for the future of your firm and the commitment, together with the skills, necessary to make your vision a reality? If not, your firm’s success depends on your developing the vision and skills you need or finding someone—the right “Who”—to fulfill the entrepreneurial role.

Now consider the operations box on the Accountability Chart. In many law firms, the owner/attorney takes on the important duties of Operations Manager. At LWP, we encourage owners to avoid operations and instead bring someone on board who has the skills necessary to manage the firm. One of the key skills required of the Operations Manager is the ability to hold everyone in the firm accountable for doing their jobs in an accurate, effective, and timely manner.

It is important to note that by utilizing the tools and exercises we have shown you, many LWP members have discovered that the ideal Director of Operations is already employed by the firm in another capacity. The same can be said for other roles within the firm, including that of entrepreneur. The “Whos” you need to fill certain roles may already be sitting at your conference room table; they are just not in the right “seats.”

Next time we’ll discuss the four boxes in line three of the Law Firm Accountability Chart: Marketing, Client Services, Legal Services, and Finance/Human Resources.

Transform Your Practice One Who at a Time: The LWP Law Firm Success Model

At LWP, we believe that a firm’s success can be broken down into three levels. The Law Firm Success Model illustrates this principle and is a proven blueprint for tracking your progress from one level of success to the next. 

Download the LWP Law Firm Success Model here

As you can see, in the Success Model level one is defined as technical success—and rightly so. At the very least, your firm must be able to use the law competently to address your clients’ needs and craft legal documents that produce the desired results for your clients.

Where are you with respect to competency and level one? Perhaps you are transitioning from one area of the law, such as family law, into elder law. In that case, you might not be proficient at designing, say, an asset protection trust. This would put you to the left of level one, letter A on the Success Model above. To fully achieve level one success, you must master the strategies and tools of estate planning, elder law, Medicaid planning, and asset protection.

LWP has helped many new members attain technical success through a combination of cutting-edge software, hands-on training, legal/technical support, and one-on-one coaching. Our three-day, intensive Practice With Purpose (PWP) workshops are the best possible way to start. You can learn more about them, or register for an upcoming PWP workshop, here.

Now let’s move on to level two, operational success, which is defined as consistent profitability and growth. Study the bulleted questions in level two. If your answer to most of these questions is no, you are to the left of operational success, the letter B in the Success Model—you’re not quite there yet. Conversely, if your answers to most of the questions are yes, you are well on your way to operational success and consistently achieving your revenue, profitability, and growth goals.

If you have achieved operational success, you are ready to move to the next level in the Success Model, entrepreneurial success. In essence, entrepreneurial success means that your firm can operate successfully and profitability without your day-to-day involvement. For example, if your firm has achieved level three success, you can go on vacation for a few weeks and your firm will not be in a state of utter chaos upon your return. Entrepreneurial success means you have the team—the “Whos”—in place to keep your firm running at peak efficiency whether you are in the office or not.

Look at the Success Model one more time. Whether you are in position A, B, or C, we can help you get to the next level. You will benefit from our next email, which will discuss our proprietary Law Firm Accountability Chart—the cornerstone of building a team that is comprised of the “Whos” you need to move forward.

If you are in position D, congratulations, you are not only an accomplished attorney, you are also a successful entrepreneur. Don’t bother reading our next email. We won’t mind. We celebrate success, and you should, too!

Automated Workflow Management: The Top 4 Reasons Why You NEED Automated Workflows in YOUR Firm!

Utilizing an automated workflow management system makes it much easier to have greater insight into your business by easily generating reports instead of having to dig through files or spend time locating the information you need.

With automated workflow management, you and your team are held accountable by auto-generated tasks set specifically for certain roles. Your ability to communicate both internally and externally is more effective because everyone is aware of the specific step a client is on within the process and how to keep clients moving efficiently through your process, overall.  By having more effective communication and staying ahead of the game, your clients and referral partners have a greater satisfaction with the services you provide.  Lastly, the ability to produce top notch documents is now easier than ever, and you can be sure the information needed is entered properly without having to spend a ton of time reviewing and editing.

• Increased insight into how your business is doing.

Wouldn’t you like to:

Know if/where a client gets stalled in the process? 

Prevent any client from falling through the cracks? 

Be able to measure your KPIs?

 

With automated workflows you can easily answer the following questions:

How many clients do I need to retain this week in order to meet my revenue goals?

How many individuals are registered to attend our workshop this week?

How many prospects are at a follow-up step from the workshop we had last week?

How long has client John Smith been at the vision meeting step?

Who is coming in to design a plan this week?

What is my retention rate and average fee?

When are we getting paid next?

 

All of these questions can be easily answered by placing the matter into the proper step within your automated workflow. With just a few clicks of the mouse, you can generate a report to review if follow-up has been completed timely and effectively, if your marketing is working properly, and if your cash flow projections are on track. With automated workflows, everyone is aware of the tasks they have or have not done, and that which you inspect, people will respect. You will have fewer accountability issues in your firm when everyone is conscious of their work.

 

• Increased accountability and communication for you and your team.

By utilizing automated workflows, you can move past the days of to-do lists when team members needed to keep a record in a notebook of the things they accomplished in a day.  By utilizing an automated workflow management system, you can view and delegate tasks and know if they are in progress, whether or not they were completed, and the amount of time it took to complete them.   If you see a ball being dropped, you can take a proactive approach to prevent a problem instead of discovering it when an upset client contacts your firm.  Simply running a report will reveal if follow-ups were completed in a timely manner.  Likewise, if you are scheduled to draft documents for a client, a task can be generated to remind you so you can stay on top of your own workload, too. With automated workflows, when you calendar and link appointments, they will auto-generate the tasks for your upcoming meetings.  This ensures that you have sufficient time to complete your tasks, eliminating the potential for unpreparedness or having to cancel meetings last minute, both of which could can cost you revenue and credibility with your clients.

 

The automated workflow has a built-in communication system that decreases the need for untimely interruptions. Adding a note to a client matter each and every time someone has contact with either the client or the matter itself keeps everyone in the loop.  Even the receptionist can review the notes to ensure that the paralegal is currently drafting the documents that the attorney will review prior to a signing meeting with the client this coming Wednesday!

 

• Increased satisfaction from clients and referral partners.

As part of their standard value proposition, LWP members can confidently demonstrate to their prospects, clients, and referral partners that there is a process to prevent a lack of communication, and that ‘balls very rarely get dropped.’ You will have a standard process to which you adhere that ensures you can deliver on your promises. Clients gain more confidence in your services when they don’t have to be the ones reaching out all the time and holding you accountable, and the more enjoyable the process is for the client, the more they will want to refer others. Staying ahead of the issues and concerns increases client satisfaction.

 

• Improved quality of deliverables.

Another added benefit for utilizing a workflow management system is the use of plug-ins! By utilizing a plug-in for HotDocs, you have the ability to draft documents right from the cloud as well as having some of the information from the client matter preloaded into the software. This leaves less room for error and more continuity with documents. The review process can be completed in less time, and you can be confident that names and addresses were transferred properly. “Copy and paste” can quickly become a thing of the past!

 

We have found that when LWP members use automated workflows, it not only keeps them on task, but they are able to distinguish themselves above the rest!

- Amanda Bossow, LWP Implementation Specialist

Transforming Your Firm One Who at a Time: The Practice Transformation Tool

To get where you want to go, you must first identify precisely where you are now. The LWP Practice Transformation Tool provides a succinct yet accurate and revelatory way to do just that. We suggest you download it now and complete it as soon as you can.

First, rate each of the eight specified areas from one to 10. The area in which your firm is most successful should receive a rating of one, whereas the area that needs the most improvement should receive a rating of 10. Next, write down examples of specific successes and challenges within each of the eight areas.

At this point, you have an idea of where your firm is today. Now it’s time to identify where you want your firm to be in the future. Specify your ideal goal for each area and its importance to the success of your firm.

So, which of the eight areas have you ranked 1, 2, and 3? These are the three areas where you want to focus first.

You might want to have your team participate in this exercise as well. Perhaps their perspective differs somewhat from yours, which should warrant additional discussion that could provide you with valuable insight. In the end, by completing this exercise you will have a good idea of the areas upon which you and your team need to improve the most. Focusing on those first will help you get to the next level.

Transform Your Practice One “Who” at a Time

"How do I get my practice to the next level?"

This is the first question the vast majority of our prospects ask. Unfortunately, it is the wrong question. Becoming an efficient, proficient, and consistently profitable firm isn’t about how, it’s about who. The question you must ask is, “Who do I need to take my firm to the next level?”

In the coming days, we’ll help you find the answer to that question. You’ll learn the three levels of law firm success and where your firm stands on the LWP Success Model; the eight key areas you need to improve in order to grow your firm; who is accountable for achieving specified goals in the six areas of lead generation, lead conversion, workflow, cashflow, personnel, and finance.

In short, we’ll share the strategies, insights, models, hands-on tools, team activities, and more that have helped thousands of attorneys build the firms and the work/life balance they’ve always wanted.

So, let’s get started. The place to begin, logically enough, is your firm’s bottom line: Where are you right now in terms of revenue and profit? If you follow the LWP System—and you most certainly should—this is what a successful law firm’s ratio of staff to profit looks like.

Do your firm’s numbers resemble these? If they don’t, they should, and we can help you get there. Next time, we’ll share with you a powerful, hands-on activity to help you determine where your firm is now in terms of the eight key areas necessary for success. It’s called the Practice Transformation Tool. You don’t want to miss it.