Ed. note: This is the latest installment in a series of posts on motherhood in the legal profession, in partnership with our friends at MothersEsquire. Welcome Elise Buie back to our pages. Click here if you’d like to donate to MothersEsquire.
When I went to law school, there was no class teaching young law students how to run a business. Such classes are still an anomaly, though, for the life of me, I cannot understand why. Having founded a law firm devoted to family law and estate planning about a decade ago, classes on running a law firm — even one — would have been a godsend. I also strongly believe this type of class should be a requirement, not an elective.
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Why? Because lawyers’ paths change. Plus, and it’s a big plus, owning a law firm, particularly if you are struggling to integrate life and work so that you can excel and, dare I say, enjoy both, is one of the most gratifying and effective ways to reach these goals.
I have found this along my travels to be especially true for lawyer moms like myself. Lawyers who, like I once did, find themselves struggling to do it all in an industry that hasn’t caught up (or caught on) to women’s workplace struggles due to the gender inequality that persists at home and in the office when you don’t own the office.
But, as is painfully evident, it’s not entirely the legal profession’s fault; our infrastructure in the U.S. falls short of supporting families like other countries do by, for example, offering parental leave for mothers and fathers across the board. We need to catch up.
Until then, many people continue to turn to, as I did, law firm ownership as a means to afford themselves control and, along with it, flexibility. Long before remote working was en vogue, I started a fully remote law practice, which I haven’t regretted since, not for one minute, so I could be the mom and lawyer I envisioned.
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That’s not to say starting a law firm and leading it to success was easy or that there hasn’t been a steep learning curve. There has been. I will be the first to say that being a law firm CEO is not for the faint of heart. You have to not only want it but also be prepared for it in more ways than one. Twenty-two, actually, if I’m counting, 11 of which I will explain in the first part of this series, given the detailed attention it deserves.
First and foremost, you should be honest with yourself if you’re considering taking this leap. Look in the mirror and say, “Do I have what it takes to be the CEO of my law firm?” If you aren’t sure, here’s what I can tell you: The CEO role may not be for you if:
You are a hot mess who can barely lead yourself, much less others
If you think you’re a hot mess now and own that, good for you. That’s a sign you are not yet in the position to go solo. However, it doesn’t mean you can’t work on becoming someone who’s not a hot mess. We all have the power within us to pull ourselves together.
You can’t handle the truth (Think “A Few Good Men”)
If number one bothered you, so, too, will number two. To succeed as a law firm CEO, you have to be willing to ask yourself the hard questions. You also need to prepare yourself to answer the hard questions from others whom you seek support from, like coaches and mentors, along the way.
You have money mindset issues
Law firms don’t come cheap. You have to invest in them, you have to invest in yourself, and you have to invest in the people you hire to help them grow. If you don’t want to part with money to enable this growth, law firm ownership will not be for you. Mind you, the investment doesn’t end when you hang the proverbial shingle outside the door. Growth pays, but it costs, too.
You absolutely love practicing law
Law is a noble career. It is an art form. Many people love that about law practice and would never want to give that up. If that’s you, and you have your heart set on owning a law firm, understand you may have to give up that love of legal practice because there are only so many hours in the day.
You haven’t read and have zero interest in reading 1000+ business/self-improvement books
Have you ever seen the 1988 film “Cocktail”? In it, bartender Brian Flannigan (Tom Cruise) always has a business book stashed behind the bar. Why? He wants to have his own bar one day. The message? You don’t need school to learn. But you do need to read books — a lot of them.
You have a mean girl/guy in your head who’s downright verbally abusive
Imposter syndrome is real. For me, impostor syndrome comes in the body of a mean girl named Eloise. If you want to be a law firm CEO, fire the employees who poison the well, starting with the one in your head. It took me a while, but I finally got up the nerve to fire Eloise, and I haven’t missed her since.
You think 2400 billable hours per year sounds difficult (ha ha — try 5000 hours per year)
You’ve heard about work-life balance/integration (or, as I like to say, life-work balance/integration). Yes, I believe in the concept. But I also had to work for it. So will you. There’s just no easy way around it.
You value your freedom
You will (hopefully) keep yourself out of jail, but that will be about the extent of your “freedom.” Your dream of being a law firm CEO will hold you captive, but you won’t mind that so much if you’re serious. Just keep in mind that you won’t feel free until you get what you want.
You have no experience in failing, let alone experiencing regular, large, public failings
If you fail, understand that it’s going to be in public. I’ve already done it a few times. Que sera sera. Pro tip: Get the support of others on your way to becoming a law firm CEO, the people who will cheer you on no matter what. The ones who will be sad if you don’t succeed.
Unfortunately, there will also be those waiting to see you fail, waiting to enjoy it. There’s really not much you can do to avoid that. But if law firm ownership is what you’re after, do develop a thick skin first. You’re gonna need it.
Managing people is a drain on the soul, no matter how hard you try to get it right
Fact: Hiring is a drain. It’s tedious and can take a lot of time to get right. When you don’t, it can be even more grueling. Firing people doesn’t feel good, either. (Unless you’re disturbed, in which case, you have no business being a law firm CEO.) I’m not arguing any of this.
But managing people can also be gratifying as you begin to see the team you envision take form. If you’re going to become a law firm CEO, you need to be able to picture a time when this will happen and recognize that every obstacle you hit until then will make those moments that much sweeter.
You thought “The Devil Wears Prada” was a powerful example of good leadership
If you’re itching to say, “That’s all,” and be dismissive like Miranda, don’t bother with this career route. As a law firm CEO, it’s incumbent on you, if you want to build a strong team and have that life-work balance/integration you dream about, to become a mentor first. So be prepared to teach, share, appreciate, and, by that, lead.
Stacey Freeman contributed to the writing of this article.
Elise Buie is a Seattle-based divorce and family lawyer, founder of Elise Buie Family Law Group, a law firm devoted to family law and estate planning, writer, and public speaker. A champion for maintaining civility throughout the divorce process, Elise advocates for her clients and the best interests of their children, helping them move forward with dignity and from a position of strength.