Small Law Firms

Constantly Improving Your Law Firm

Innovations in technology are forcing law firms to improve more than ever before.

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law firm law offices small law firm solo practitioner by David LatAbout a year ago, I took the StrengthsFinders assessment. My top strength was Maximizer. (Positivity is my No. 2, so I’ll use it to keep this article upbeat.) Being a Maximizer means that I’m the type of person who is always in an improvement mode. For me, I always think that processes can be made better. This is how I approach much of what I do.

A challenge for Maximizers is understanding that not everything can go from good to great quickly. We have to find a balance and embrace a “done is better than perfect” mentality. The best part about being a Maximizer is seeing good, making it better, and continually testing and improving — anything.

Innovations in technology are forcing law firms to improve more than ever before. If you only stick to what you know and what has worked, you will miss changing trends in the marketplace. Adopting a process-improvement mindset will put your law firm on a different, forward-facing trajectory.

I’ve spent much of my time refining the client experience at my firm. I believe that constantly improving processes is something that every law firm owner or manager must prioritize. Why? Because it helps us to see how our clients experience working with our firm, how technology aids our practice, and how our employees understand their roles. With refined processes, you can build efficiency because you’re not wasting time doing tasks from scratch every time. For example, I use Lawmatics, intentionally building my onboarding for new clientele. It was common to send big packets with paperwork in the mail in the Before Times. (Now they can onboard digitally!)

After a client pays their fee, they start the onboarding process immediately with an email, text, and video welcoming them to the firm. In the video, I explain our firm values, processes for completing an estate plan, and policies, including expectations, timelines, refunds, and best practices for a beautiful experience at the firm. I also give them information on how to contact us if something goes wrong. Sounds straightforward, right?

So, what are some ways you can improve processes at your firm? Can you figure out flat fees, giving clients a more streamlined billing experience instead of monthly bills? Could you refine your off-boarding — making sure that that client receives a gift and is texted for a review? Perhaps you can streamline your follow-up process for past clients to ensure they do things like funding their trust or updating beneficiary designations?

What does process improvement look like for you? Please email me at [email protected]; I would love to hear what you have to say.

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Iffy Ifeoma Ibekwe HeadshotIffy Ibekwe is the principal attorney and founder of Ibekwe Law, PLLC. She is an estate planning attorney evangelist for intergenerational wealth transfer with effective wills and trusts. Iffy is writing her first book on culturally competent estate planning, available in 2022 (prayers up!). She graduated from The University of Texas School of Law and has practiced law for over 14 years. Iffy can be reached by email at [email protected], on her website, and on Instagram @thejustincaselawyer.

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