Law Practice Management Asked and Answered Blog

Category: Law firm business models

Feb 11, 2014

Law Firm Business Models – Alternatives to Consider

Question:

Our firm located in Grand Rapids, Michigan consists of 12 attorneys – 8 partners and four associates. We are a litigation firm and a relatively young firm. We started the firm six years ago as a result of several of us leaving larger law firms and wanting to start something new and different. We have been discussing our current approach to law practice and want to consider alternative business models. We would appreciate your thoughts?

Response:

The current economic climate has caused law firms to question many of the fundamental business models that have served at the core of law firm practice management for many years. Many law firms are exploring revolutionary business models while other firms are actively discussing whether changes to their traditional approaches are needed.

Suggest that you start by conducting a review of the following areas and develop strategies for each area:

Infrastructure
Talent management
Legal services pricing
Work process improvement
Client acquisition and retention

The key is to look for ways that you can differentiate yourself, make your firm distinctive, establish a lasting competitive advantage, and determine your competitive strategy.

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John W. Olmstead, MBA, Ph.D, CMC

Feb 17, 2011

Starting a Virtual Online Practice

Question:

I am a partner with an 8 attorney firm in central Illinois. Last week I attended the Illinois State Bar Association web-cast that you and others presented on Building and Managing the Virtual Law Firm. I thought the program was excellent. I do have a couple of questions.

I can see how such an approach might make sense for a solo – but why would a 8 attorney firm with a brick and mortar office that has been in practice for 20 years consider such a delivery model?
How would we go about it?

Response:

If your firm has a sufficient volume of work, does not have a need or desire to capture more commodity type legal work that it is either not doing at all now or is losing to lower priced competitors (law firms or content providers), or does not have a need or desire to extend its reach geographically a virtual delivery model make not make sense. However, if your strategic (business plan) requires you to extend your geographic reach or be competitive in a commodity practice area supplementing your brick and mortar practice with a virtual delivery model might warrant consideration. Also consider that the younger generation that is growing up using the internet to shop, bank, and pay taxes may appreciate and or expect such an option. As we mentioned during the session certain practice areas are more appropriate than others. I have some firms your size that are supplementing their brick and mortar practices with on-line delivery models just to service one practice area that they could not effectively deliver in the traditional manner. Keep in mind the value curve that we discussed during the session.

During the session I illustrated a continuum and we discussed the difference between virtual practices (doing virtual things) and a total on-line virtual practice. Even if you decide that the firm is not ready for a total on-line virtual practice, you may want to consider doing some of the virtual practices (virtual things) that we discussed to offer your clients more delivery options and more flexibility to your attorneys and staff.

Start with your strategic plan and if you don’t have one begin developing your long range plan. If you want to move in this direction you can use my handout as a resource guide.