Readability is fundamental. That means even the font of your law firm’s website and legal documents matters.

Whether you’re working for a small law firm or BigLaw, using the right font can better engage your target audience and build your firm’s credibility and reputation for professionalism. It’s an important tool for creating your brand and getting your law firm’s name out there. (Just know that the right answer for a law firm font is never Comic Sans.)

As a lawyer, you’re regularly drafting. The font you choose, like the case law you research, is another tool to use to your advantage in persuading your audience. The font your firm uses on formal legal briefs and memoranda should differ from the one you use for casual communications. Which font to use for your law firm’s logo is an important question that deserves forethought, as is which to use for letterhead, business cards, and your firm’s web design. There is an art to it, we promise.

In this blog, we’ll discuss the basics of fonts for legal documents, including which to use and why, and then will get into details on different typographies and typefaces. Let’s get started.

What message can certain fonts portray?

Your choice of font impacts a potential client’s first impression of your firm. Is your firm classic and traditional, with a rich history? Or is your firm more modern and cutting-edge? A smart choice of font can convey seriousness or help build casual rapport. As you know, a solid law firm marketing strategy is key to staying at the top of the legal game, and font selection and consistency are important pieces of the marketing plan puzzle that can showcase your firm’s legal services.

There are a couple of overarching important things to keep in mind when choosing a font.

Readability and legibility are the two top priorities when selecting a font. Illegible and “artistic” fonts make your text difficult to read. You don’t want clients or prospects laboring to understand your message or read your law firm name. The best way to capture someone scrolling through social media is not by making your content harder to access. So, as more people choose to get work done from their mobile devices, it’s important to consider how a selected font reads on all screen sizes. Selecting the right legal font or typeface indicates good judgment, which we know your law firm has in abundance.

Consistency is also important. Your law firm should choose the legal font that can be used consistently across mediums, including on all lawyer websites, practice area pages, letterhead, business cards, and even T-shirts and office supplies. Thinking about your firm’s web design is especially important here. A unique and surprising law firm font can help set your firm apart and make it immediately recognizable to clients, a pivotal step in building brand identity.

What’s the moral of this story? The best law firm font is a consistent one.

Are there better fonts for certain aspects of your legal work?

The short answer is, of course! The font that you use for formal legal documents (say, in a U.S. Supreme Court brief or an IRS filing) can and should differ from the font used for your law firm logo or in your firm’s web design. Let’s take a look at which fonts you should use for which purpose.

Legal documents

Times New Roman, Arial, Helvetica, and Century family fonts are standard for legal documents. When it comes to drafting formal legal documents, your firm cannot go wrong with these typefaces. Many litigators already know that certain courts require them (and often other very specific formatting criteria, like italics over underlining). Check with your local jurisdiction for specific rules on typeface and font size before filing. Here, your firm’s style should take a back seat to your judge’s preferences.

The following legal document fonts should get you started on brainstorming and help you determine your law firm’s distinct style:

Marketing materials

When it comes to your firm’s marketing materials, you have much more leeway in font selection. We recommend fonts that are clean and professional but still have a bit of edge. As noted above, you’ll want the font to be both readable and consistent.

Which family of fonts should your firm go with: serif or sans serif?

There are two main classes of font styles: serif and sans serif. Which family of fonts should your firm choose? The answer to this question is a lawyer’s favorite: it depends.

Generally, serif fonts (think Times New Roman and Garamond) are about lineage and legacy. They’re classic and traditional, and we associate them with trustworthiness and reliability. They can also be seen as a little old school and are infrequently used by tech companies and startups.

Sans serif fonts (think Helvetica and Open Sans) convey newness, a modern outlook, and an emphasis on being cutting-edge. These fonts are minimal and simplistic, and we associate them with youth and freshness. Sans serif fonts lack the gravity and history of serif fonts.

Speaking more technically, serif fonts have a decorative flourish at both the beginning and end of the character. Sans serif (which means “without the serif”) fonts don’t have that flourish.

Which typography and font family to pick is entirely up to your law firm. Is your firm carrying on a family legacy? If so, a serif font might be most fitting. But if your firm is turning its legacy on its head and becoming more modern, a sans serif font might be the right choice.

When choosing a font, consider what image your firm is trying to convey and who you are. We understand that it’s a big question (and promise we’re not trying to derail your day with existentialism). Hopefully, it’s a fun question to consider! Your law firm is unique, and thinking about your clients and business is good for long-term growth and longevity.

This can be a tough decision, especially if you don’t have a background in branding and design. We recommend working with branding experts to get your firm started on everything from logo design to local SEO.

Choosing the best font for your law firm

Your brand is important, and the fonts your law firm chooses for each aspect of its professional services create the brand. Remember to prioritize readability, legibility, and consistency.

Finding the right font is a critical step in refining your law firm’s brand and voice and executing on its vision. It’s time to get creative!

Standing out is hard to do in the legal industry. And it might seem impossible for your law firm, depending on your firm’s location, size, practice areas, and age.

This is where a legal marketing plan comes into play. A successful marketing plan, regardless of the size of your law firm, can help you stand out from the competition and help clients find you. A lawyer's marketing plan will serve as your law firm’s road map to long-term growth. By creating a plan, your law firm will build repeatable, consistent processes while eliminating guesswork regarding its developmental goals.

To properly visualize future growth, it’s critical that your law firm establish a marketing plan. A typical legal marketing plan covers topics like social media, blogging, SEO, and digital marketing and advertising. Of course, it can be tricky to decide where to invest your firm’s resources and money, especially if you’re just starting out. Keep in mind that your firm’s marketing plan will vary based on its budget, size, and stage in the business development process.

Whether your firm is new or old, big or small, we promise that developing a legal marketing plan doesn’t have to be complicated or painful! This article will walk you through what you need to know to get your plan in motion.

What are some key legal marketing terms?

Before we get too deep, you need to get the basics down pat. So, we recommend starting by reviewing this glossary of key marketing terms.

Call to action (CTA)

A CTA entices your lead to take the next step. CTAs typically come in the form of dynamic and relevant phrases or buttons that encourage website readers to “contact us now” or “click here for more information.” CTAs are intended to make it easy for website visitors and other leads to get more information or contact your firm.

Conversion rate

At its core, your conversion rate helps evaluate the effectiveness of your law firm’s website. Your conversion rate is the ratio of people who visit your firm’s website (or click on an ad) to people who convert into a lead. With the right reporting tools, your law firm can track how long a visitor stays on the firm’s website, which pages they view the most, which pages have the highest bounce rates (visitors leaving the site), which visits result from organic searches, and how many visitors turn into leads.

Landing page

Landing pages are webpages created for specific marketing campaigns. These relatively simple pages have just one goal: converting visitors into leads. Generally, a visitor arrives at a landing page after they click on a link from a marketing email or an ad from a search engine or social media post. For this reason, landing pages are a powerful targeting tool.

Lead and lead generation

Put simply, a lead is a potential client — someone who can benefit from your law firm’s expert legal advice and who is willing to pay for that advice. When we use the term “generate a lead,” we mean catching a potential client’s attention. For more details, see our lawyer’s guide to lead generation.

Pay per click (PPC) and pay per lead (PPL)

With PPC advertising, your law firm will pay for the number of clicks it receives. Generally, your law firm’s ad pops up, someone clicks it, and then your firm pays for the click. It seems simple, but getting the best results from PPC requires a sound strategy and regular re-evaluation of that strategy.

With PPL advertising, the amount your law firm pays for an ad depends on the number of leads acquired from the ad. Usually, with a PPL agreement, your law firm will set the parameters of what constitutes a lead and will pay only when those specific requirements are met.

Return on investment (ROI)

ROI is a performance metric. When your law firm puts money into an investment (like a marketing plan), ROI helps your firm understand its profit or loss from that investment. A popular tool used in connection with calculating marketing ROI is Google Analytics. Many businesses use an ROI formula of subtracting marketing expenses from sales growth and then dividing the balance by marketing costs.

Search engine optimization (SEO)

SEO is the practice of optimizing a website to boost its online visibility. To improve your visibility, you must make your website relevant to users’ searches. That means your website content has to reflect the terms that users type into the Google search bar. The more relevant your content is to a user’s search terms, the more likely it is that your content will appear at the top of a Google search page.

What are some steps toward developing a law firm marketing plan?

Although each law firm will differ based on its individual needs, you should keep in mind the following four steps to ensure that your law firm’s marketing plan is a successful one. (We’ll get into the nitty gritty of common marketing practices in the legal space later.)

1. Knowing your law firm

The first step of developing a legal marketing plan is figuring out your law firm’s current positioning and core messaging. Your core messaging should address your clientele and emphasize your firm’s strengths. With a clearer idea of where your law firm stands, it’ll be easier to determine its trajectory.

As you get started, you may find it helpful to outline the types of legal services that your law firm offers, including its practice areas. Questions to begin with should include the following:

The answers to these questions will help you determine your lawyer marketing strategy.

2. Defining your target client

Defining your target audience is pivotal to developing the foundation of your firm’s marketing plan. Without identifying the folks who might need your law firm’s services, it’s hard to know how to tailor your marketing activities. Having a good understanding of who they are will help focus your law firm’s marketing efforts.

Important factors to consider regarding your target clients include geographical location, age, gender, income, and occupation. If businesses are your law firm’s bread and butter, consider your typical client’s size, geographical location, and industry.

3. Defining your marketing goals

The key question to ask is what you want your law firm’s marketing plan to do. We recommend thinking in terms of three-, six-, and twelve-month increments. Set SMART goals for each of these timeframes.

Factors to consider when defining your goals include the number of new clients you want, the number of retained clients you expect, the firm’s projected and current revenue, the firm’s practice area expertise, and the number of team members you plan to hire and retain. To envision your goals, you should consider questions like these:

Once you’ve determined your law firm’s marketing goals, you can decide where to focus your efforts and how to get the most out of the capital that you spend on marketing.

4. Executing on your goals

When devising your firm’s legal marketing plan, consider who at your firm will be in charge of marketing and who will be on your marketing team. We highly recommend outsourcing the legwork to marketing agency experts who can help you craft and implement your legal marketing strategy (and who won’t blow your budget).

Remember to keep your target client in mind when determining the right marketing channels. For example, if you practice elder law, a Twitter campaign might not be the most fruitful channel. However, if your firm practices in the technology space, a LinkedIn campaign might be the right place to advertise.

How can your firm measure the success of its marketing efforts?

Regardless of your firm’s marketing plan, it’s important to keep your eye on the prize (your marketing goal, that is). To do this, you’ll need to monitor certain data. Without doing so, your firm won’t be able to determine which of its efforts are winners and which might be losers. If some of your initiatives don’t achieve the desired outcomes, it’s okay to adjust! That’s the whole point of measuring. We’ll also note that you’ll likely be updating your marketing plan over time as you refine your law firm’s goals.

We recommend tracking and measuring the following marketing performance indicators. (Better yet, make them part of your law firm’s regular reporting process.)

Source of clients

Your law firm should track data about how newly acquired clients learned about the firm (e.g., from your firm’s website, social media, word of mouth, or referral). You can start by simply asking clients how they heard of you or including it in your client questionnaire at the start of the engagement. We recommend reviewing this data bimonthly and adjusting your cadence as needed.

Client retention and referrals

Your law firm should also be tracking client retention and referrals specifically. By creating an internal system for tracking client retention and referral data, administrators gain valuable awareness of firm performance. Happy clients stay on, and they tell their friends.

Conversion rate

As discussed above, your conversion rate is a key indicator of how well your firm’s website is performing. We recommend running this report three to four times a year so you can evaluate and adjust your firm’s website. Your firm’s website is an integral part of its marketing plan.

Return on investment (ROI)

Your law firm’s revenue growth provides a look into the effectiveness of your marketing strategy. By comparing the amount of increased revenue with marketing costs, your administrators will feel empowered to make informed decisions about the firm’s marketing plan and tactics.

Note that it can be deceptive to directly attribute sales growth to a marketing campaign. However, by reviewing your ROI monthly, your firm can gain some helpful insight into a campaign’s success.

What are some common marketing practices in the legal space?

Your firm’s growth will be driven by your marketing plan. Below are a few marketing tactics to get your law firm started.

Content marketing and strategy

Content marketing is the process of creating quality content that showcases your law firm’s work, practice areas, and lawyers and sharing it with intention through multiple mediums. To build a long-lasting online presence, your firm needs to integrate content marketing into its overall marketing tactics.

To get started, we recommend asking what questions your target audience and leads might have. For example:

Then create regular content addressing these questions, such as blog posts, social media posts, videos, and even webinars. This content will grow your directories and gain your law firm new business.

Your law firm marketing strategy should also include building new landing pages. A landing page should be persuasive and move your visitor to take a specific action, like signing up for a newsletter highlighting positive past client testimonials and recent wins and case studies from particular law practices. We highly recommend outsourcing the legwork to the marketing experts.

Website optimization and SEO

The best content marketing strategy will generate new leads, engage prospective clients, and boost your law firm SEO. While the content your firm produces should, of course, be legally and factually correct, it should also be optimized for search engines. Your firm’s website should include dynamic and relevant CTA buttons to make it simple for prospective clients to become paying clients.

Boosting your website’s online visibility is a top priority. As we noted above, the more relevant your firm’s content is to a user’s search terms, the more likely that your content will appear at the top of search results.

SEO is also measured by the quality of your firm’s website. When assessing the quality of your site, consider its layout, accessibility, keywords used, quality and quantity of traffic, backlinks, and even the quality of written content. Overall, your firm’s website should feature a clean and interesting web design, high-quality photos and content, and information on how to get into contact and follow up with your law office (including your address, email, and phone number).

Local SEO is also an essential online marketing strategy. Your law firm likely practices in a specific geographical area where it wants to generate leads. Optimizing your firm’s Google Maps, Google My Business, and Yelp presence can help establish your firm as the reputable, go-to law firm in the community.

Social media marketing and campaigns

Social media is an effective and low-cost marketing tool for your law firm. We recommend starting with Facebook, a Google Business Profile, and LinkedIn. Through a friendly and robust social media presence, you’ll encourage prospective clients to get in contact with you by demystifying the legal process. In addition, with a solid social media presence, your law firm can engage directly with current clients and leads, marketing its expertise while building stronger community relationships.

Your firm can purchase paid advertisements like PPCs, PPLs, and Google ads or you can post organic advertisements on your firm’s social media page. As with your overall content strategy, your firm’s social media posts should be helpful, legally sound, visually appealing, and link directly to your firm’s website to capture any leads. While there are many marketing services, we recommend the services of an A+ marketing team to get your firm started on its social media campaign.

Email marketing

Email marketing is another cost-effective and useful tool to build your law firm’s online presence and portfolio. You’ll start by building an emailing list, which your firm can do by offering a free weekly or monthly newsletter. You can collect email addresses from prospective clients this way while also staying in contact with current clients (and updating them on how wonderful your law firm is).

Another way to start is to build lead magnets that visitors can download directly from your law firm’s website. Lead magnets are a free service or item given away to gather contact information (like emails and phone numbers). We recommend offering guidebooks, white papers, or webinars to entice website visitors.

Once your law firm has a solid email list, you can start effective email marketing. The emails sent out through this list should be targeted and positive. Showcase your firm’s expertise and how your lawyers make life easier for their clients.

Get started on your legal marketing plan today

With the tips mentioned above, your law firm should be on its way to creating and implementing a thoughtful legal marketing plan. Through marketing tactics intended to enhance your firm’s visibility, including increased website traffic by using SEO and improved content generation, your firm will be better prepared to hit your marketing goals. The right tools, solutions, and marketing experts will help your firm build awareness and, with it, a more profitable client list.

Lead generation: it’s the lifeblood of your law firm, whether you have a solo practice or are part of a major global firm. We understand that this might be a strange concept. After all, you didn’t go to law school to run a marketing agency on the side. And you certainly don’t specialize in sales tactics.

But hear us out. The only way to serve clients is to first recruit them, and lead generation is your firm’s best bet to acquire new clients.

Like most other aspects of modern life, law firm marketing happens online now. To compete in and win the legal marketing game, your firm needs to know how to generate leads from online sources. A reliable lead generation pipeline is as important to your firm’s growth as expanding its legal expertise.

Having a business development plan that includes digital marketing strategies to generate and capitalize on leads is how you can set your firm on a path that leads to sustainable growth. The good news is that lead generation is something that technology and the right team can help you with — without blowing your marketing budget.

Let’s get started by discussing what we mean when we say “lead generation.”

What is a lead? What is lead generation?

In the simplest terms, a lead is a potential client. A lead is a person or a business that can benefit from your firm’s legal services and that is willing to pay for those services.

The way the definition of lead narrows from there will be specific to your law firm and its needs. Maybe it’s someone who clicks on your paid advertisement, a company that signs up for your firm’s monthly newsletters, or traffic to a legal blog post showcasing your firm’s expertise.

When we use the term “generate a lead,” we simply mean catching a potential client’s attention. The next steps of turning that attention into actualization and a brand-new client for your firm is where the growth happens. But don’t put the cart before the horse. Knowing how to generate leads and creating a concrete strategy comes first.

We’ll start with common lead generation strategies for lawyers, then we’ll get into the nitty-gritty of how you can apply these strategies.

How does lead generation apply to the legal industry?

The application of lead generation to the legal industry isn’t that different from other industries. It all starts with awareness and relies on high-quality content to reel in potential clients.

Lead generation is the process of piquing interest and finding potential clients — and it all begins at the top of the sales funnel. The sales funnel guides your firm’s leads through their decision-making process before they select a law firm (and hopefully it guides them right to your office).

There are some basic phrases in a sales funnel and lead generation pipeline, which we break down below.

Awareness

This is more existential than we usually get, but the world needs to know you exist. Brand awareness is key, and unfortunately, it’s not as simple as just yelling into the void.

Building awareness involves improving your law firm’s search rankings through search engine optimization, developing an interesting and user-friendly website design, having a social media presence, and creating content. By maximizing the ways that your firm can be discovered by internet searchers, either organically or through paid advertisements, you’ll also start to optimize the number of leads that you generate.

Intrigue and interest

Now that your lead is aware of your law firm, the second step is to keep their interest. Accessibility and content are critical here. The longer website visitors stay on your firm’s website, the more they learn about what your firm can offer, and the more likely they are to contact you.

We recommend having a well-structured, welcoming website and regular blog posts showcasing your firm’s expertise to attract your target audience.

Decision

Congratulations, you now have your lead’s attention! This is the part of the sales funnel where your prospective client decides whether to use your firm’s services.

Your part in the decision-making process is demonstrating everything your law firm has to offer, including your first-class lawyers, subject area expertise, and client-oriented service. Your website should include all of this information and more to coax your lead into saying a resounding “yes.”

Action and success

This is the part of the sales funnel where new leads initiate contact. This initial contact might look different for each law firm. However, it usually includes the lead filling out an online form with their information, calling to schedule a free consultation, or reaching out for more information about your firm’s services. Make sure your website offers different options for initiating contact; some people prefer an online form to a phone call or vice versa.

Lead generation protects your firm’s financial health, ensuring that the sales funnel is regularly replenished with new inquiries and therefore potential for growth. Your firm has a lot that it can actively do to make sure it’s putting its best foot forward with lead generation.

What are some common lead generation strategies lawyers can use?

Without a lead generation strategy, your firm will likely rely on referrals and word-of-mouth to grow. You can do better! Below are some common lead strategies that your firm can use to get started.

Build a comprehensive website

We cannot stress how important your firm’s website is to generating leads and converting those leads into paying clients. As discussed above, your website is pivotal to establishing your firm’s brand. You want your website to be polished, professional, and user-friendly. It should also be compatible with both mobile devices and desktops.

Your firm’s website must be personal. Potential clients love to review attorney bios, so make sure those are drafted consistently and highlight the expertise and experience of your lawyers. We also recommend including positive case results and client testimonials on your website so leads can better understand what makes your law firm stand out.

Your website should include high-resolution and high-quality photos, and the headshots of your lawyers should be consistent and professional. Your firm is unique, and your website should showcase that.

Implement email marketing

Email marketing is another useful tool to help your firm generate quality leads. To begin, your law firm will need to build an emailing list. We recommend that you start in one of two ways (or both!).

The first is to offer a weekly or monthly newsletter free of charge. You’ll collect email addresses from prospective clients this way while getting the opportunity to directly share your firm’s expertise and wins with those clients.

The second is to build lead magnets that visitors can download directly from your firm’s website. Lead magnets are a free item or service given away to gather a web visitor’s contact information, including their email address and phone number. Popular resources that are worth exchanging emails and digits for include white papers, guidebooks, and access to webinars. The lead gets the valuable resource, while you get their contact information.

Once your firm has built a solid email list, you can follow up with current and prospective legal clients. The emails to your mailing list should be targeted and focus on the services your firm can offer and how those services solve problems for your clients.

Expand your reach through social media marketing campaigns

Your law firm must also have a polished and engaging portfolio on social media, particularly on Facebook, Google Business Profile, and LinkedIn. Contacting a lawyer can be intimidating for a prospective client, and social media can help you close that gap. In addition, with a solid social media presence, your law firm can market its expertise while building stronger community relationships by engaging directly with leads or current clients.

Your firm can purchase paid advertisements (discussed in more detail below) or use organic advertisements posted to your firm’s own page. Social media is the best way to show how unique and personal your law firm is, a key component in building reputation and trust with your audience. Social media posts should be interesting, visually appealing, and link directly to your firm’s website to capture any leads. Social media is also the place where your law firm can have a bit of fun — for example, you can conduct polls or host Q&As with the community. It’s the ideal platform for community engagement and the humanization of your lawyers and firm.

Follow a robust content strategy

To build a long-lasting online presence, your firm needs to integrate content marketing into its overall business strategy. A sound content marketing strategy will generate leads and boost your law firm’s search engine rankings.

The best way to start is by asking what questions your legal leads may have. Then create regular content addressing those questions for your target audience, such as blog posts on subject matter where your firm has expertise or a webinar on a developing area of law. As discussed above, these lead magnets are a great resource for growing your firm’s contact list and reputation.

You’ll also want to build landing pages, which are web pages created for specific marketing campaigns. Landing pages have a single goal: converting visitors into prospects. A visitor arrives at a landing page most often after they click on a link in an email or in an ad from a search engine or social media.

To be effective, your landing page copy has to be persuasive and centered around getting your visitor to take a specific action. Say, for example, that you want to set up a landing page promoting a particular practice area. You could advertise your lawyers’ personal injury expertise by offering a downloadable guide explaining the steps a plaintiff should take if they’ve been involved in a car accident.

The content your firm produces should, of course, be legally sound and helpful, but it should also be optimized for search engines. Creating a content generation strategy that answers clients’ common questions ensures that prospects find your website. Including dynamic, relevant call-to-action (CTA) buttons like “contact us now” or “click here for more information on how to file” make it easy for visitors to follow through to the next step and contact your firm.

Optimize your website for search engines

Search engine optimization (SEO) improves your firm’s website to boost its online visibility in search engines. Google and other search engine result pages show the top results of a user’s search based on the content of your webpage. The more relevant your content is to the Google search, the more likely that your content will appear at the top of a Google search page.

SEO is also measured by the quality of your law firm’s website. Quality takes into consideration things like your site’s layout, accessibility, keywords, the quality and quantity of web traffic to your website, backlinks, and even the quality of your content. Yes, that means that Google, like your high school English teacher, is judging your grammar and syntax and assigning you a grade.

Considering and improving these SEO components will increase your firm’s overall SEO, leading to increased searchability and visibility and therefore increasing the quality of your leads.

Local SEO is also an essential marketing strategy. Your law firm likely has an ideal geographical area that it wants to generate leads from. Optimizing your firm’s Google Maps and Google My Business presence can help establish your firm as the reputable, go-to law firm in the community.

Employ pay-per-click advertising, pay-per-lead advertising, and Google advertising

Paid search campaigns are a great tool to enhance your law firm’s visibility. There are three main types of paid advertising: pay per click, pay per lead, and Google’s Local Services ads.

Pay per click (PPC)

With PPC advertising, your law firm pays for the number of clicks it receives. Your ad pops up on the platform (search engine, social media, or another website), someone clicks the ad, and then your firm pays for the click.

It seems simple, but getting the best results requires a sound strategy and regular re-evaluation of that strategy. You’ll need to research and pick the right keywords and platform to host your ad, organize those keywords into ad groups, and then link to the right portions of your website to hook the lead quickly. As with your website, ad design and copy are also important.

Pay per lead (PPL)

As the name suggests, with PPL advertising, the amount your law firm pays for an ad depends on the number of leads acquired. Usually, with a PPL agreement, your law firm will set the parameters of what constitutes a lead and only pay when those specific requirements are met.

PPL is generally quantified by the number of leads who provide their contact information — think of the call to action, lead magnets, or newsletters discussed throughout this article. PPL advertising is a particularly good option for solo practitioners or small law firms that want to grow their law practice but don’t yet have the capacity to open the floodgates to many new clients.

Google’s Local Services ads

Local Services ads are Google’s first PPL program. With Local Services ads, your law firm can connect with people who search on Google for the services your firm offers. Your firm’s ad will show up for these customers in your geographic area. Similar to standard PPL, your law firm will only pay if the lead calls or messages directly through the advertisement.

These Google ads are relatively new and require multi-step verification. As with other advertisement strategies, Local Services ads should be optimized to showcase your law firm’s expertise.

Start generating more qualified leads for your law firm today

The legal market is booming. To stay at the top of the heap, your law firm needs an online advertising strategy complete with a well-considered lead generation process. By implementing tactics to improve your firm’s visibility, including building out your website using SEO and stepping up your social media and content marketing efforts, you can start getting the word out on just how great your law firm is and begin attracting more qualified leads.

The prospect of taking on lead generation can be daunting. But you don’t have to be an online marketing expert to build a pipeline of leads. The right tools and solutions, including lead generation services, will help you get off to a fast start and accelerate your lead conversion rate in no time.

 

Family law clients are in deep conflict. They’re facing some of the most trying situations in their lives, whether it’s a matter of a separation agreement, divorce, alimony or child support dispute, or child custody battle. Their nerves are likely frayed, and they need support and guidance.

So, prospective family law clients probably need a little more hand-holding and care than many other types of clients. Because their issues are so personal, they likely need an empathetic ear. They’d also benefit from a client intake process that eliminates the fear of working on personal matters with a stranger and makes it easy for them to start moving forward.

One way that family law firms can make client intake easier for prospects is to offer a questionnaire that helps prepare clients for the information they need to share, so they can organize their thoughts and documents in advance.

Here’s how an online intake form can help you make the most of the intake process, so you start your attorney-client relationship off on the right foot:

How does an outstanding client experience add value?

Clients create value for any business, including law firms. Since the practice of law is a client-based (and reputation-based) business, law firms need to provide an outstanding client experience from the very beginning.

Keep in mind that your family law clients are likely a source of repeat business. (Let’s hope that their disputes are one-and-done and that they instead help you grow your firm’s revenue by attracting new clients with positive online testimonials and referrals.)

Unfortunately, many lawyers are too busy practicing law to give a lot of thought to the client experience. That’s a mistake because there’s little otherwise to differentiate you from other law firms. To ensure your clients walk away with a great impression, you should communicate regularly with them and keep them updated on their case, use technology to create a client portal for ease of billing and calendaring, and of course, develop a thoughtful client intake process.

Why does client intake matter for family law firms?

The practice of family law is different from other areas of law because it’s emotionally charged and often adversarial. It’s also incredibly personal and potentially embarrassing or terrifying— especially for victims of emotional and physical abuse.

Family law clients often feel a little shellshocked when they first walk in for an initial consultation. Not only are they going through something traumatic, but then they must share the most personal, intimate details of their ordeal with a complete stranger. That’s why it’s critical for lawyers to build a sense of trust with new clients at the very beginning— and to do so very quickly.

Without that trust, clients may not share important information that is potentially damaging to their case. Worse yet, they might run for the door and into a different lawyer’s office.

What is client intake, and why is it so important?

The best way for a family law lawyer to create a positive client intake experience is to prepare in advance. That way, you’ll be ready to handle any emotional discussions more productively. This might mean implementing technology for a smooth virtual intake process or giving your client a form to fill out beforehand.

A client intake form, when built correctly, can give your clients direction. It can also get them used to talking about their issues so that they don’t get so flummoxed that they clam up and refuse to talk or unload like you’re their therapist.

Streamlining the intake process also cuts down on the risk of making a bad first impression. When asking questions about personal matters like domestic disputes, attorneys at law may appear to be insensitive. A questionnaire avoids that discomfort because you’ll be informed about the client’s situation in advance and be ready to start proposing solutions.

And if you share the form before your meeting, rather than requiring clients to fill it out when they get to your office, you’ll be more prepared for your first meeting.

What should you include on a family law client intake form?

You’ll need more than a basic contact form to get the information you need to improve the intake process. A comprehensive family law intake online form asks targeted questions. While it may not cover every single angle you’ll need to know about your client, it will give you a baseline of information to guide your conversation during the initial consultation.

The key is to start with general information and then move to more specific details. Here are some of the things that your family law intake form should cover:

It’s also a good idea to ask a few narrative questions, such as “describe your relationship with your kids,” “explain your biggest concerns about this situation,” and so forth. Questions like these give new clients a chance to tell their stories before talking to you. You can use this background to frame your discussion.

Download our client intake form template

If you don’t already have a client intake form, download our template (see the pop-up to your left?) to start building your own. Using an online client intake form can strengthen your client relationships, giving you the foundation for a better client experience from the very beginning.

It’s no secret that the last two years have been filled with unprecedented challenges. But, navigating these challenges has armed attorneys and legal operations professionals with valuable lessons about providing legal services in the midst of difficult times. Moving into 2022, the legal industry as a whole is taking those lessons and turning them into resources to support a successful year to come.

Firms want tools that help them handle routine tasks in a more efficient manner so they can save time and drive revenue. As such, two words will define the legal industry in 2022: streamlined and convenient.

Keep reading to explore some of the trends that will drive these concepts and shape the industry in 2022.

Client Focus

As consumers in the larger economy, legal clients have come to expect convenience from every business they patronize, and that includes law firms. They want a seamless client experience that meets them where they are without requiring what they perceive as unnecessary steps. With a goal of maintaining positive client relationships, firms will increasingly rely on technology to meet that objective.

Tools like virtual meeting platforms, client portals, and electronic payment capabilities will maintain their prevalence among law firms in 2022. Even as some firms have returned to in-person meetings and proceedings, many clients still expect the convenience of conducting business from the comfort and security of their homes. To remain competitive within the industry, firms of all sizes will have to meet this expectation.

Electronic Discovery

Discovery is often one of the most convoluted tasks that a law firm handles, requiring time-consuming contributions and coordination between all parties to a matter. It can be a complicated process that drives industry efforts to make the process easier to handle. E-discovery uses artificial intelligence (AI) and automation technology to collect and produce data in response to formal requests within a legal proceeding. Not to mention, it is a $2B industry that helps law firms pull relevant information from volumes of various types of records. A cost-effective alternative to traditional discovery methods, e-discovery is expected to continue growing and helping firms increase revenues in the year ahead.

Outsourcing

Outsourcing has become a widely accepted practice for law firms in recent years as they look for ways to complete administrative, and even legal, tasks in an efficient and cost-effective manner. Outsourcing involves the identification of tasks and practice areas that can be best handled by outside service providers. According to experts, the outsourcing of legal processes will continue to be a growing industry in the year ahead, providing law firms with services related to accounting, legal billing, and various tech functions.

By outsourcing some necessary non-legal duties, firms can spend more time and resources on their most profitable tasks. But some firms are even choosing to outsource some of their more intricate legal processes. The use of contract paralegals will continue to expand during 2022. Firms benefit from bringing in these professionals to work on specific matters without the extra overhead costs that come along with hiring a new employee. Particularly within small and mid-sized firms, paralegal outsourcing can help drive revenue in an efficient manner.

“New Law”

“New law” is taking outsourcing to another level with many big firms hiring contract attorneys to handle matters on an as-needed basis. This innovative way of providing legal services is largely in response to consumer complaints about high costs and hourly fees. Firm leaders have discovered that the use of contract lawyers can help them control their costs. They can then pass some of those savings onto their clients, while also maximizing profits.

In 2022, “new law” offers law firms and individual attorneys the flexibility they need as the uncertainties of the pandemic persist. They can pivot quickly to remain competitive while continuously meeting client needs and driving revenue.

Automation

Automation is a major driver for streamlining the practice of law, and any reduction in repetitive law firm tasks equates to more time for work that drives revenue. Automation technologies are evolving the basic administrative functions of a law firm through the use of AI innovations. They take on various forms, and each can significantly ease the day-to-day functions of a law firm. In 2022, firms will look for the repetitive tasks that create bottlenecks within their workflows and seek out automation options that can better handle them. Tasks like calendaring, client onboarding, conflict checks, and even the creation of some court documents can be effectively handled through automation.

Evolving Remote Work

Remote work was a quick necessity at the start of the pandemic, but moving into 2022, firms will look for ways to evolve these arrangements, making them more efficient, seamless, and responsive. The “make it work” perspective will be replaced with one that embraces serious thought and strategy. Firms will revisit their policies to identify areas for improvement.

As better technology adds to a more effective remote working environment, communication will play a large role. Firms will seek improved communication systems to remove obstacles that thwart both collaborations between firm members and effective communications between the firm and clients. The use of cloud-based softphones and texting platforms will expand in 2022, along with client portals. From lead management to collections, firms will seek ways to raise the communication bar.

Embracing Technology

The wave of legal technology will not come to an end in 2022. Many courts and jurisdictions recognized the efficiency of processes like remote hearings and no-appearance proceedings when they became a necessity, and even as the world reopens, they will continue utilizing these tools. The access to justice will expand and legal technologies will keep evolving to meet these needs. As such, law firms will also continue embracing new technologies as the year progresses.

Data Focus

For law firms to thrive in 2022, they will need to pay close attention to analytics and reporting. Information related to revenue, profits, expenses, and practice area performance will be key to making decisions about the direction and growth of firms. Over the past year, attorneys and law firm administrators have put a lot of thought and effort into transforming their practices and working to make them pandemic-proof. 2022 will be the year of determining whether these new processes have actually translated into real profits. To do this, firms will need technologies that make the capturing and reporting of data quick and easy. With a data-focused perspective, law firms will be able to make informed decisions in the new year.

Part-Timers

Part-time work generally does not come to mind when thinking about jobs within the legal industry, but experts suggest that this will be a trend in the coming year. Many employees enjoyed the work-life balance that they experienced during shutdowns. They will seek ways to continue that flexibility in 2022 and part-time opportunities offer a viable solution. Firm members can earn enough money to meet necessary expenses and even pay down some student loan debt while maintaining a level of freedom within their personal lives.

Increased Demand

Experts suggest that the increased demand for legal services that started during the pandemic will continue into 2022, especially for the following practice areas:

Firms can meet these increases in a number of ways. They should first recognize the potential that lies within these practice areas and the types of prospective clients that they may bring through the door. Firm leaders can identify which of these practice areas best align with the strengths of their firms and how to best leverage existing resources to serve these clients. With an understanding of increased demand within the legal industry, law firms can take advantage of this trend in the coming year.

Tis the season for law firms to give back and expand on their charitable endeavors! For some firms, this may be a one-time holiday event, while others may choose an initiative that continues into the new year and beyond. Whatever the case, giving back helps firms solidify themselves as members of their communities with a vested interest in their people and their wellbeing, and also provides a powerful brand-building tool.

Let’s explore the various aspects of law firm humanitarianism, including the benefits of giving back and some ways that law firms can serve their communities in the holiday season and throughout the year.

Why Give Back?

It should go without saying that the best reason for giving back to the community is helping those in need. Legal professionals should take an interest in the communities in which they work and the people they serve, which includes taking steps to address unmet needs. A charitable spirit is a perfect reason to give back, but it is far from the only one.

A 2019 Forbes article discussed the value of corporate philanthropy. It talks about the “do-good renaissance” currently taking place within the business world, where brands increasingly seek ways to do good in the world. This expansion into community giving is partially due to the industry pressure of keeping up with their competitors, but it also occurs in response to consumer expectations.

Consumers want to patronize businesses positively impacting the world, and that includes law firms. They appreciate when companies take on these endeavors as their responsibility.

This is particularly true among younger consumers who see their patronage as an indirect way of also giving back, so they choose businesses that engage in charitable ventures towards social good and actively support causes they also care about. Giving back helps firms increase client and lead engagement.

Community involvement also helps law firms to:

Implementing a Charitable Plan

When developing and implementing a community service plan, your law firm should consider some important factors. First, take a serious look at your community to identify opportunities to provide assistance. For example, is there a large homeless population in need of assistance? Perhaps childhood hunger is a major concern, or the local sports league needs sponsors. You should evaluate your practice and employee strengths and interests, then select activities that capitalize on them.

Once a community need is identified, you can establish a goal and get firm employees invested in the plan. It’s easy to write a check and walk away, but law firms benefit much more by involving employees in the giving back process.

By providing employees with an opportunity to give, law firms promote morale and collaboration among the team. For a single event, firms can divide tasks among firm members. For an ongoing initiative, firms may set aside a certain number of hours for employees to volunteer annually.

An important part of execution is sharing the charitable plan with your law firm’s clients and the public at large. These stakeholders want to see the impact of your community investments, so make it easy for them to find it. Include a page on your website that highlights the firm’s commitments. It could display the number of volunteer hours donated by firm members or the number of people helped through firm initiatives. Some firms choose to highlight the amount of money donated throughout the year.

This promotion may feel a bit unethical and against the charitable spirit, but the more profitable a law firm becomes, the more it can give back to the community. Highlighting the firm’s impact on the world helps to attract new clients and satisfy current ones. It all comes full circle, your firm should not shy away from sharing its work within the community.

Ways to Give Back

Every law firm brings different skills and passions to the table, so it’s important to find initiatives that fall within your practice culture. Here are some ways that law firms can make a difference within the communities they serve:

This is probably the most common form of law firm community investment. Many firms maintain a system for choosing and handling pro bono cases. Some do so through legal volunteer organizations that specialize in a specific practice area, while others allow their members to take on pro bono cases internally within their firms.

Most nonprofits and community organizations need monetary donations to keep their operations running and continuously providing services, so a check is always greatly appreciated. Your firm may choose to identify a single organization for a donation or it may choose a particular cause and give donations to multiple agencies working within that space.

You can also sponsor a fundraiser with all proceeds going to a nonprofit. For the active members of the firm, a charitable sports tournament or race could be a great way to raise money while promoting teamwork. Your firm could also offer to match monetary donations that firm members individually make to their favorite nonprofits.

Pro bono work is not the only form of volunteerism available to attorneys. Every community has organizations that need volunteers in order to maintain their operations. Firms can encourage members to find a cause that they personally care about and allow them to use a set number of firm hours each month to further that cause. Alternatively, the firm can identify one collective cause or organization for members to volunteer with on a regular basis or at a designated firm “day of service.” Both options provide law firm members with an avenue for volunteering their time to the community.

Law firms can provide valuable guidance to young people through mentoring programs. This may look like time devoted to school-aged children’s programs or college student internships. Firms may also develop mentoring programs that assist adult community members, such as resume writing workshops or life skills training courses.

Community members look up to legal professionals and many would welcome an opportunity to learn from a law firm partner or associate. Through mentoring programs, law firms can give back to the community in the short term while positively impacting participants for years to come.

Authentic Community Giving Helps Law Firms Meet Two Needs

Whatever endeavor a firm undertakes, it must be done with a spirit of authenticity. Clients are savvy, especially within today’s environment, and they can easily recognize actions that are done for the purpose of furthering a firm’s agenda rather than uplifting the community. No matter how big the effort, a lack of sincerity can result in a negative pushback. The greater visibility that results from a law firm’s community actions are added benefits, but marketing should not be the driver behind community engagement.

Community engagement helps law firms meet two important needs: contributing to making the world a better place and strengthening the firm’s reputation while bringing in more business.

Especially during the holiday season, law firms should embrace a charitable mission and craft a plan for giving back.

Wellness is not an adjective often used to describe the legal community. Studies show that mental, emotional, and physical health issues have become more common among legal professionals as they struggle to deal with the demands of their chosen careers.

In 2019, The ABA and Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation conducted a national study on attorney substance abuse disorders. The project, which included 15,000 attorneys from 19 states, highlighted some shocking statistics among licensed, employed attorneys:

In comparison to other professions, lawyers are reportedly three times more likely to suffer from depression, according to the American Psychological Association. Additionally, the legal industry has the 11th-highest incidence of suicide among professions.

Why is Wellness a Problem Among Legal Professionals?

Legal professionals typically deal with numerous demands on any given day. The myriad of cases, clients, deadlines, and expectations seemingly never end.

When working in a stressful law firm environment, some attorneys feel they need to sacrifice their own self-care in order to succeed in their professions.  This decision can have detrimental effects on legal professionals, potentially leading to mental health challenges and substance abuse.

The entire legal industry is notorious for unhealthy work habits. It’s no secret that attorneys commonly clock 70-to-80-hour work weeks and these practices may extend to operations and support professionals like legal secretaries and paralegals. Working this many hours leaves little room for personal time, family, physical activity, or even sleeping. It also contributes to a pattern of poor eating choices and elevated stress levels.

Studies show that the stress of working too many hours raises cortisone levels within the body, increasing the risk of stroke, diabetes, and cancer. According to a study done by The University College London, the risk of heart disease increases by 67% for people who work long hours compared to people who work a standard eight-hour day.

Another report, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, suggests that long work hours can lead to long-term brain damage or dementia. Researchers found that middle-aged workers who clock more than 55 hours a week develop diminished mental skills at a higher rate. These deficiencies show up as short-term memory loss and the reduced ability to recall words when compared to those working a standard 40-hour week.

The ABA has started to recognize how problematic the lack of attention to individual wellness has become. In 2017, the ABA House of Delegates approved Resolution 106 which amended the ABA Model Rule for Continuing Legal Education (CLE) to include at least one hour of mental health and substance abuse credit every three years. Several states have followed suit with mandatory mental health or substance abuse CLE courses.

Achieving Wellness Within the Legal Community

Wellness is not a one-size-fits-all concept because different people need different strategies to help them feel healthy and at their best. Wellness includes an improved work-life balance, better stress management, and a positive mindset that prioritizes self-care. Unfortunately, many law firm environments make it difficult for legal professionals to achieve a level of wellness. Demands for billable hours coupled with demands from numerous clients can make a work-life balance impossible.

The Individual Approach

For the individual, the path to wellness is a very personal journey. You may have to practice different strategies before finding a routine that builds positive habits within your life. There is no magic pill or secret recipe. Wellness requires a holistic approach that touches various aspects of your life to craft a more sustainable and healthy work-life balance. This may include some of the following elements:

The Law Firm Approach

Many law firms fail to classify employee well-being as integral to the firm’s existence, but the legal industry has a responsibility to promote wellness among its members and employees. Lack of transparency about wellness promotes the stigma that exists around attorney mental health. Firms are uniquely situated to address these issues by making wellness an aspect of their overall firm culture.

Wellness policies have become a common expectation among job seekers, so firms can better situate themselves competitively to attract new talent with these policies in place. They also promote a more enjoyable workplace, which can improve the firm culture.

Law firms need policies in place that include some of the following provisions:

10 Quick Strategies to Promote Wellness

The landscape of law firm recruitment is changing dramatically. Whether seeking to attract new attorneys out of law school, entice lateral hires, or retain current members, law firms are taking unprecedented steps away from tradition in hopes of engaging and keeping top legal talent.

The Candidate Perspective

Over the past year, many law firms have sought to entice new firm employees with signing bonuses, but these financial incentives proved to be only one piece of evaluation criteria for candidates.

When considering a move to a new firm or the merits of staying put, candidates are basing their decisions on much more than the firm paying the biggest bonus.

Conventional considerations like compensation, promotion potential, and bonuses remain part of the equation, along with some new metrics of comparison:

Reputation

The social and financial challenges brought on by the pandemic created an environment where candidates are increasingly evaluating potential employers based on their reputations. They classify socially responsible firms as those that took steps to protect their employees during shutdowns. They may have cut partner compensation to maintain associate salaries or provided vast support for remote work.

Candidates view these actions as real-world examples of a law firm’s values and they factor them in when making employment decisions. They want more than a large paycheck. They want to work for law firms that align with their own values and beliefs.

Firm Culture

Law firm candidates have also become more cognizant of the culture that a firm offers. With the added stress of the last couple of years, candidates want an environment that makes them feel valued for more than their billable hours. They seek opportunities with firms that promote a healthy work-life balance and prioritize the mental health of firm members.

Today’s candidates do their homework, researching “Best Places to Work” lists and searching social media for insight into a firm’s culture. Working within a positive environment has become top-of-mind among law firm prospects. They have a new appreciation for the things they find most important and they are willing to hold out until they find them.

Flexibility

It took a global pandemic, but the legal industry has finally accepted the value of remote working arrangements, and even with the return of some sense of normalcy, many candidates are simply unwilling to return to a traditional office setting with traditional office hours.

According to an American Bar Association (ABA) survey, the vast majority of attorneys report feeling this way, with no desire for pre-pandemic office arrangements.

Of those lawyers surveyed, 36% stated their preference for the ability to set their in-office schedule from week to week. With this greater demand for remote work, candidates prefer law firms equipped with the technology to offer these options.

How Law Firms are Responding

Law firm leaders and administrators are taking note of these candidate expectations and are making adjustments to their recruitment and retention efforts. A look at trends in the general legal landscape reveals increased usage of the following strategies:

Flexible Work Arrangements

Even the most traditional of law firms have recognized how critical flexibility has become in attracting quality candidates. That does not mean that 100% remote options need to be made available for every candidate. Instead, firms can craft various hybrid options to meet this need, which might look like two days of remote work and three days in the office each week. It may also mean that some attorneys work mornings in the office and remotely every afternoon.

The traditional 9-to-5 has quickly become an unpopular option. Legal professionals have gotten accustomed to spending more time with their families and having more control over their work-life balance. By offering at least some level of flexibility, law firms better leverage initiatives to recruit and retain talent.

Flexibility offers an additional value. Remote working arrangements can substantially widen the candidate net for new hires. Geographic limitations are lessened so that firms can seek talent from broader markets with lower salary averages.

Diversity Initiatives

Corporations are not the only entities ramping up diversity efforts. Law firm leaders are also recognizing the value of these initiatives. Internally, it creates a more enjoyable workplace where attorneys from various races, genders, abilities, and sexual orientations feel valued. Externally, a significant percentage of candidates consider the diversity of a firm when making employment decisions.

The customary practice of solely recruiting from top law schools ignores a vast market for incredible and diverse talent. Along those same lines, it may not benefit firms to only seek lateral hires from the biggest law firms. Substantial talent can be found at legal practices of all sizes and law firms are beginning to recognize that fact.

Redefining Ideal Candidate Profiles

Law firms use Ideal Candidate Profiles (ICPs) to identify qualities, characteristics, and achievements they desire in a potential hire. These tools have been used for years, but recent changes within the legal recruitment realm have brought about a need for adjustments.

Law firm recruiters are taking a serious look at their current ICPs and making changes to meet this new normal. Consider criteria such as technical skills or a proven track record of success working virtually.

Make Mental Health a Priority

Stress, overwork, and burnout have long been associated with the legal community. While some industry conversations have taken place over the years about the dangers of these working habits, discussions about employee mental health really began to take center stage during the early days of the pandemic.

In response, many law firms have implemented programs aimed at preventing burnout and promoting mental wellness. Tools like regular check-ins, free access to mental health resources, and greater flexibility are being used to demonstrate a commitment to the emotional, wellness, and development needs of firm personnel. Recruiters should highlight these initiatives to attract potential candidates, and firms can leverage them to keep their top talent happy within the firm.

The Takeaway

In order to remain competitive in today’s legal recruiting environment, firms need to step outside of the traditional sign-on bonus and instead look at other benefits of interest.

By offering flexible work arrangements, improving diversity initiatives, reevaluating ICPs, and prioritizing mental health, you put your organization in the best possible position to attract and retain top talent.

Attracting new clients is critical to maintaining a successful law firm, but there must also be a coordinated effort to maximize the client service experience once representation begins. Yesterday’s level of customer service is no longer enough to meet the expectations of today’s legal clients. They expect innovation, convenience, and consistent communication.

With a client-centered strategy, you can work to deliver the level of value and quality that meets client needs. This starts from the initial consultation and continues even after representation ends.

Let’s discuss some strategies that law firms can implement to create a client-focused environment where all clients feel valued.

Setting Expectations

As the first substantive communication between firm and client, the intake process is a perfect opportunity to solidify a client-centered approach to legal services. This begins with gaining a clear understanding of the client’s needs and expectations, which can be done by asking the following questions:

The answers to these questions reveal a lot about a client’s journey, while also providing insight into enriching their experience. Once this information is gathered, firms are able to assist clients with managing their expectations.

Intake is the perfect time to establish clear guidelines for client communication, including acceptable methods and what frequency of communications clients should expect. Some law firms choose to provide this information as part of a welcome packet that includes communication guidelines, firm information, and data specific to their legal matter.

The intake process should also establish the firm’s commitment to the truth. Clients need and deserve honest assessments about their legal matters, even if it is not what they want to hear.

Transparency builds trust and strengthens the client relationship, which is essential in a client-centered practice. By establishing clear and reasonable expectations from the start of representation, law firms lay the foundation for a successful client relationship.

Another strategy for improving the client intake process is to eliminate tedious repetition and inefficiencies. Legal practice management software helps with streamlining procedures such as client intake and CRM automation. With a faster intake process, casework can start as soon as possible.

Law firms should also insert calendaring into the intake process by immediately adding all pending court dates or events to the schedule. This prevents missed deadlines or appearances, which is a major impediment to a client-centered approach.

Setting Rates and Fees

Client service should also be evident in a firm’s rate and fee setting, which does not necessarily mean offering the lowest prices in the industry.

Yes, being competitive with other law practices is important, but you also need to be careful about undervaluing your services. Potential clients want top-notch skills and expertise when seeking legal counsel, and many are willing to pay more for those services. So, law firms need to set prices that are fair and in line with the level of service that their clients receive.

Payment options are also an important aspect of pricing. Alternative fee structures, like flat fees and unbundled legal services, have become increasingly popular within the legal industry over the past decade. Clients prefer these options because they allow for a more transparent fee agreement sans unexpected fees and costs.

Firms should also consider the client experience when determining what types of payment methods to accept. Today’s clients want the ability to pay their legal fees electronically with credit cards and/or ACH transfers. They appreciate the ease and convenience of these payment options, along with the extra layer of security that they offer.

Managing Communications

Communication is key in a client-centered law practice. The busy nature of a law firm atmosphere can negatively impact client communications when calls and messages go unanswered, so law firms need a system for ensuring timely responses to client inquiries. Even without an immediate solution, a quick response can calm concerns and strengthen the client relationship.

In establishing a communication plan, law firms should consider the following:

Legal matters can be mentally and emotionally draining for clients. By committing to regular communications and outreach, a law firm can provide much-needed support while strengthening the client relationship.

Adequate communication also extends to written communications. To make sure that clients get the most out of all correspondence they receive, law firms should avoid unnecessary legal jargon and use plain, easy-to-understand language instead. You can also improve the readability of their writings by using shorter sentences and avoiding lengthy paragraphs. Consider using techniques such as headings, subheadings, and bulleted lists.

Get Feedback

The client-centered approach does not end after representation. To be truly dedicated to a high-quality experience, law firms need to honestly assess their performance and make improvements where appropriate. Feedback is a great way to accomplish this task, and the following are some ways that you can secure it:

Once the feedback is collected, law firms should take steps to act on it. If clients were not happy with some aspect of their representation, firms should implement strategies to address change.

Information gathered from positive responses is useful to reinforce the procedures that make clients feel valued.

Create a Client-Centered Law Firm

Client satisfaction should be an ongoing goal for law firms as they craft a client-centered experience. This starts with asking what clients need and ends with an honest evaluation of whether or not those needs are being met.

By implementing these strategies, law firms add a considerable amount of value to their client service, resulting in happy customers and repeat business. Happy clients also mean potential referral sources for a law firm, helping you grow your business and bring in more revenue.

Attorneys often view succession planning as solely applicable to retirement, but disruptive events can occur at any time, forcing a law firm transition. While some of these occurrences can be forecasted, others come with no warning at all. A sudden illness or disability can leave a firm leader unable to manage the regular legal operations of the practice, which makes succession planning a priority within a law firm’s business strategy. Without it, firms and clients can suffer significant setbacks as they deal with the uncertainty of the firm’s future.

These risks are particularly heavy for solo and small law firms. Many of these practices operate without succession plans and have no continuity plan should a disruption occur. These situations leave firm members struggling to handle disgruntled clients or aggressive creditors in the midst of disorganized transition.

While many states do not require law firm succession planning and offer no specific guidance, there are useful considerations and tips law firms can use to craft a comprehensive succession plan.

Types of Transitions

Depending on the goals of the practice leader or leaders, law firm transitions can take a variety of forms. Whether considering retirement or preparing for an unforeseen disruption, attorneys need a clear understanding of what they hope to achieve, so they know the best direction to take. They should ask themselves whether they want to remain somewhat active in the firm or completely move away from all firm operations. Attorneys must also decide whether they want the firm to continue after the transition or if dissolution is more appealing.

The answers to these types of questions help firm leaders make effective decisions about which of the following transitions they hope to achieve:

Firm Dissolution - For attorneys who do not want to invest additional money or make an effort to transfer their firm to another attorney, closure can be an attractive option. But closing a firm is no easy feat. Attorneys must create a plan that addresses their ethical obligation to leave all clients in the best position to secure alternate legal representation. This includes providing access to all necessary files, documents, and relevant data. Attorneys who prefer to sell their firms also need to obtain professional valuations to maximize profits while following all ABA rules related to the sale.

Partnering with Another Firm – This transitional option is often used by attorneys who prefer a slower movement away from the firm. Instead of walking away, the attorney chooses to form a partnership with another attorney or firm. As part of the merger, the attorney helps navigate a more gradual and smooth transition. This type of transition theoretically allows the attorney to lessen the inconvenience felt by firm clients. The time frame for these partner agreements can vary greatly depending on the terms of the agreement.

Choosing a Successor – Attorneys that hope to maintain the basic structure of their firm with a new leader at the helm may decide to choose their own successor. This option may allow the attorney a significant amount of time to groom the attorney who will lead the firm in the future.

Succession Plan Components

Every law firm succession plan differs depending on the desires of the attorney and the specific details of the law firm. But the following are some components typically included within succession plans:

1. Client Services

Clients are the backbone of any law firm, so a comprehensive succession plan must include strategies to maintain excellent client service to address client needs during and after transition. This includes providing written instructions on how and where client data is stored, along with the necessary credentials for access.

Client notification should also be part of the plan. For firms remaining intact after transition, giving clients plenty of notice makes it less likely that they will seek representation from another firm out of frustration. For firms that are dissolving, attorneys should give clients as much time as possible to make alternative arrangements at a different firm if necessary.

2. Compensation Structure

A succession plan should include a compensation structure addressing how the transitioning attorney (or the attorney’s estate) will be compensated going forward. For instance, if the practice is being sold, the attorney should have the firm valued to ensure a fair purchase price. If the plan is to transition clients to a new partner, the attorney may need to maintain some client files and data. When this is the case, attorneys should be compensated appropriately for their time and effort.

3. Business Records

When the need for transition arises, those involved will need access to all relevant business records, including:

4. Estate Planning Documents

Documents like a will and power of attorney should also be included within the succession plan, along with detailed instructions for your family or estate executor. Family members are often named as estate executors, so it is important that at least one trusted family member has access to any estate planning documents related to the firm’s transition.

5. Safeguard your Succession Plan

Once a succession plan has been created, attorneys should make sure to store it in a highly secure manner. The sensitive nature of the included data can be detrimental in the possession of the wrong person. Be extremely careful about your chosen method of storage, as well as anyone you choose to provide with access in case a disruption occurs.

Law Firms Need a Succession Plan in Place

Crafting a succession plan can feel like an overwhelming task, but attorneys should do it to protect their law firms and clients. No one knows when a crisis will occur, so it is important to be as prepared as possible. For law firms with a large number of retirement-age attorneys, it is even more critical to maintain a comprehensive succession plan.

Legal technology can play a major part in crafting a succession plan. It can be a time-consuming process, but legal technology can help attorneys save time by quickly providing necessary data. Legal practice management software keeps the firm’s various business components in one centralized location, which can make a transition easier and efficient to navigate. With a few clicks of the mouse, transitioning law firm members can access reporting pertaining to matter progress, invoice status, revenue, accounts receivable, and more.

Quick Succession Checklist

Taking the time to solidify your firm’s succession plan is a daunting task, but is one that is critical to both your firm’s future and the happiness of your clients. If you’re not sure where to begin, start by compiling the below information in a secure location. A legal document management system can help keep this sensitive information from getting into the wrong hands, while also serving as the source of truth as future generations of lawyers need to access client data to keep the firm running smoothly.