The realm of law is constantly changing with updates and revisions on policies, laws, rules, and regulations. But amidst the changing legal landscape, law office management is also evolving. Law firm management consists of marketing, client relations, finances, hiring, staff management, and law firm management. Whether you’re starting your own firm or a seasoned professional, here are three tips to improve office management and set your firm up for success. Create a business plan. One of the first things you want to do is create a formal business plan that outlines the firm’s goals; financial profit plan; what makes your firm stand out from competitors; and how you tend to showcase strengths and differences to potential clients. It’s also beneficial to include how compensation works at the firm — even if you’re a solo lawyer. Develop a procedures manual. To keep the firm running as smoothly, consistently, and efficiently as possible, create a procedures manual that clearly states how things should be handled at the office. You can outline the workdays for lawyers, paralegals, legal assistants, accountants, and office administrators so everyone knows their roles and responsibilities and whom to go to if someone has questions or concerns. Ask your team to outline how specific processes work to ensure everything is streamlined. Creating a thorough procedures manual will also simplify the onboarding process for new employees — making the firm grow more quickly. Focus on client experience. Business is personal because you’re working with clients and their personal matters. Because of this, it’s imperative that you set a high standard for client experience and improve your customer service skills and strategies. Provide training and workshops to help your team focus more on their clients’ journeys, how to know what they want out of your services, and how you can deliver these services seamlessly. If your clientele enjoys your services and the time you’ve spent to ease their concerns and provide a beneficial outcome, they will be more likely to use your services in the future and refer others to your firm. WITH THESE 3 STRATEGIES IMPROVE YOUR FIRM’S OFFICE MANAGEMENT
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And not just visits to Bakersfield. My Oak Brook friends are responsible for my first trip to Washington, D.C., during law school; that post-bar exam cruise to Mexico; multiple trips to Hawaii; road trips in the magnificent deserts of Arizona, Nevada, and Utah; and global tours to Reykjavik, Dubai, Saigon, Singapore, Cabo, Costa Rica, and elsewhere. I’m grateful for the education I received at Oak Brook; indeed, I had few other options, and may not have made it elsewhere. Besides enabling me to pass the bar exam and take on occasional legal engagements, the mental sharpening that law school — and my classmates — provided has been an invaluable asset, even in other lines of work. Yet the benefit that I most cherish from Oak Brook is not the degree; it’s the enduring friendships that I’ve made, the people that I’ve spent untold hours, days, weeks, and months with: sharing the joys of an excellent menu, the experience of a beautiful location, the piquancy of a stimulating conversation, the comfort of companionship during times of loss and sorrow, the challenges of the past, celebrations of the present, and aspirations for the future.
These tips are guidelines to help your firm achieve its goals and more effectively assist your clients. Modify these strategies to fit your needs, vision, and desired
–Joel Barker ‘07B
outcome. With teamwork, effective communication,
confidence, and a willingness to learn and develop, your firm’s office management will improve in more ways than one and set you up for success.
Joel Barker is a proud member of the ’07B class. He works in both tech and law, and enjoys problem-solving to improve business operations. In his free time, Joel bikes, travels, and grapples with big ideas. He currently resides in Arlington, VA.
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