Law Firm Planning: Setting Priorities

After reviewing the law firm's performance, the next step is to set your priorities. Chunking things up into bite size pieces is always a good idea. Focus areas make prioritization easier too. Which areas need the most improvement varies from law firm to law firm. This is where reviewing the law firm's previous performance comes in handy. It's all about understanding where the firm is now and getting the most out of the investment of time and any potentially expenses.

Billing Process

Whether it's time and expense tracking, invoice creation, payment processing, or trust balance management, many law firms have this area high on their list. To better understand the needs of the firm, consider the below questions:

• Does the law firm track all of its' time or just billable hours?
• Which facet of billing does the firm need improvement the most? Is it with tracking time, expenses, managing payments, creating invoices, or something else?
• How does the firm already track its' billable hours? Do attorneys use some kind of program or just plug the numbers into a spreadsheet?
• How are invoices created and tracked?
• Is the process automated? 
• How do clients view and pay their invoices? 
• Does the firm accept online payments?

Understanding the time required to complete the entire billing process helps the firm know if this is an urgent need. Is the process simple? Or does it take several hours and continuous follow-up? 

File Management and Automation

Quickly accessing files and ensuring the firm and client are seeing the same files is another area where firms can struggle. After all, clients and attorneys work better if they're on the same page. Ask relevant questions like the following:

• Does the firm and the client have access to files? Does the law firm prefer to offer access on a matter by matter basis?
• How much time do attorneys spend on creating new documents or searching for old ones?
• Are there many standardized documents? Are these automated?
• How much time does the firm spend on file management tasks? 
• Does the firm have the option to give clients portal access? Can clients upload and view files independently?
• How automated is the document creation process?

Having one central point of truth where the firm and, if given, the client, see the same information is key. Document automation saves time and minimizes errors. File management, automation, and streamlining how files are stored is key. 

Repetitive Steps

For many law firms, there are a lot of repetitive processes. As such, there is room to streamline a lot of it. Understanding what can be streamlined, how they're currently managed, and how they can be even be improved are key. Consider the below questions:

• How are tasks and appointments currently managed?
• Does the firm have any way to automate reminders of upcoming items?
• Are there any standard processes the firm follows based on the case? Are workflows identified?
• Do clients need to submit information for their matter? How does the firm gather that information and can it be automated?

Relying on random tasks assigned across multiple software platforms drives confusion and inconsistency. Developing a consistent workflow, with reminders, and getting client input throughout is critical to driving efficiency.

Lead Management

All law firms need new clients. How the firm tracks incoming leads, manages the follow-up process, and converts them to a client can be quite time consuming. Think about the below questions to gain some more insight:

• What do clients look for in their attorneys? Does the firm make their benefits clear?
• How are new contacts managed? 
• What is the success rate of tracking leads, the follow up process, and converting a lead to a client? 
• Are consultations part of the process? If so, how are those notes managed? 
• What is the process for a lead to become a client? Is conflict check a manual process?

Firms that actively manage the lead process grow. It's that simple. The top complaint from clients is that law firms do not respond. Be the firm that does.

Starting each attorney-client relationship on the right foot helps build the trust that's so important for these kinds of professional relationships. The better first impression a lead gets, the greater chance they'll spread the word to other potential leads. Word of mouth carries weight in supporting a law firm's reputation. 

Task and Calendar Management

Regardless of what type of law attorneys practice, managing tasks and appointments is critical. Consider how the firm currently tracks these items and the success rate of staying on top of it all. Below are some good questions to consider:

• Does each person manage their own calendar? If not support the whole time?
• Does the firm want visibility to each member of the law firm's calendar? Can types of appointments - Court Date versus a Consultation - be seen? 
• Can tasks be assign to specific individuals?
• What degree of oversight does the current system allow?
• Are reminders needed? Does the current system offer customized reminders to clients, attorneys, etc.?
• Are appointments available to automatically create a billable time entry?

Whatever process the law firm uses, it should be streamlined and meet the needs of the firm. Relying on multiple tech stacks drives confusion and time demands. Beyond just managing the information, the success of completing each item - tasks or appointments - is critical. Consider the potential benefit of automated reminders.

Client Communications

Clients need to feel involved and supported. Tracking where and when clients are reaching out is key to make sure the firm and the client feel informed. You already know what's coming... here are some helpful questions to keep in mind:

• Which communication method does the firm support?
• Are clients generally happy with communication levels or is this an area of improvement?
• How are files sent by clients handled? Is it a manual or automated process to store files together with their specific matter?
• Are reminders provided for clients? Can the firm set specific reminders?
• Does the firm stay in touch with the client after their legal matters conclude? How does the firm make sure they stay top-of-mind?

Answering a client's inquiries and requests in a timely manner shows the firm values their perspective. Tracking communications can be time consuming - searching through an inbox or multiple inboxes - not only takes time but is not comprehensive. Consider the benefits of a client portal where all communications are tracked at the matter level, automatically.

Conclusion

Identifying the top priorities for the firm is the first step. Then, it's all about considering your options, which is next week's topic for the blog. Understanding where the firm is now, what the primary pain points are, and which have the highest chance of making a real difference for the firm is a powerful and important step.

SimpleLaw streamlines all aspects of law firm planning in an all-in-one case management software program.

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