The core of conducting good business lies in placing customers at the forefront of everything you do. However, COVID-19 has caused considerable disruptions when it comes to delivering exceptional customer experiences in the ways firms are accustomed to. Most likely, in-person interactions have become scarcer at your firm to minimize the risk of spreading the virus, inevitably making initial first impressions with clients rather different. This is especially true if your firm depends on building rapport and trust that often comes from face-to-face interaction.
That said, delivering the best client experiences is still very much possible; the way it’s done has simply changed and shifted with our digital-first world.
One way to keep them happy? Implement a client portal. Client portals help your staff keep real-time interaction with clients while creating a secure spot for any communication or questions. This also remediates phone tag and lets them know you’re still right on top of their case with regular updates and information readily available.
Here are some tips on how you can execute on delivering great client experiences through a client portal:
But First: Why Law Firms are Moving to the Cloud
For long-standing law firm partners out there, you may be wondering what’s causing so many firms to move their operations to the cloud versus storing things on local hardware. The rapid need that erupted for remote work has created even more urgency around the conveniences of a cloud-based software solution – so everyone’s on the same page and able to access client information safely and securely.
The ability to keep client data in one place creates alignment across your staff and makes information retrieval and updates doable in real-time. Plus, with so many fully integrated capabilities, you can keep track of billing, securely share files, and any notes from calls they have with other staff members all at everyone’s fingertips. That agility is much-needed in today’s hybrid work environment, and a valuable asset when it comes to delighting clients and fostering a client-centric approach to your operations.
Now that you better understand the value of cloud-based practice management software, let’s jump into how to best implement client portals to deliver exceptional experiences for your customers so you get more referrals and continue to outdo your competition.
Top Priorities When Implementing a Client Portal
In order to improve client communication and create a client-centric approach to your day-to-day tasks, here are some priorities you should keep in mind when setting up a portal:
Focus on Storage
Most client portals come built-in with file storage attributed to each matter at your firm. The key is to make sure everyone uses the portal from the start of the case, so all paperwork, notes, and updates are logged for clients to take advantage of whenever it’s convenient. It’s a two-way street – a spot for clients to access things they may be wondering about in their case, but it’s also a tool for staff to easily share files when used with law management software.
Focus on Security
Between all the digital phishing and security breaches, hacking emails has become way more common. It’s not worthwhile to risk your client’s sensitive information from being compromised when a portal is a perfectly viable alternative to holding all their data in one place. The nice thing is they won’t need to download anything additional to access – any internet-enabled device will be able to log on to view updates, and they’ll receive a simple notification email whenever any new information becomes available. Security should always be at the forefront of your firm’s mind so clients feel secure when interacting with you; it will create a smooth, positive experience that they’ll be sure to recommend to others.
Geographical Flexibility
Depending on your area of law, with a client portal, distance won’t be nearly as much of an issue. Whether a client has temporarily relocated or your firm is currently working remotely, for the time being, everyone can be logged in and have access to all the necessary information on both sides. Not only is this more convenient, but it also creates a better place for client-centric interactions on an ongoing basis. Smoother communication and collaboration leads to better efficiency for everyone.
Benefits of Setting up a Client Portal in a Client-Centric Model
While there are many law firms out there, there aren’t many that successfully deliver a client-centric model for a superior customer experience. Having a synchronized staff empowered to always deliver and update clients in a way that keeps them feeling top-of-mind can be an essential, distinctive aspect that sets you apart from other firms. Client portals are a vital part of maintaining and nurturing that relationship – from the first conversation to the final bill, every touchpoint is of equal importance to maintaining a client-centric model.
24/7 Access to Documents, Deadlines, and Bills
This “always on” model is going to delight your clients. Anytime they’re wondering about the status of their case, or if there’s anything you need from them, they need only check the online portal. And if they’re still uncertain about the status of something, contacting your firm is only one quick message away through the chat function. With readily available billing and documentation, there’ll be no more need for constant calls or emails. Much like the rapid development of chatbots on sites, this instant communication creates the very best experience for clients throughout their case.
Deliver Exceptional Customer Support and Experiences to Clients
Client portals aren’t a magical remedy to all client communication, but it certainly takes the back and forth out of emails. In order to build ongoing trust and exceed expectations, it’s up to you to set the standard for client updates and communications. Consider sending out a weekly or bi-weekly update to your client, or having important dates of theirs (like a birthday, for instance) placed into your software so you can send nice, thoughtful messages instead of a strictly business transaction every time you talk. It’s building these relationships – that you see clients as people deserving of empathy and care – that will let you use client portals to bring exceptional experiences to them every time.
Increases and Client Intake
One of the longest processes during the lifetime of a client’s case is the initial steps of onboarding. Despite modern advancements in digital technology, the intake paperwork and setting up their file can take a bit of time after their initial consultation. However, you can expedite this process considerably by spending less time having them sign on the dotted line and more time actively listening and talking them through the difficult parts that come with a legal matter. Most people are distressed and in need of guidance – so be that guidance, and use client portals instead to gather any other information that may be needed (with the exception of what’s required to represent them, of course).
Improves Scheduling and Client Attorney Communication
On the client end, it can feel like there’s a long time spread out between updates on their case. With a client portal, you can help ease some of their uncertainties by sending them a message that will alert them via email on any updates that come through. Even if it’s a quick message, this communication can go a long way in demonstrating you’re willing to go the extra mile for them, even if it’s a minor update. With these convenient communication tools, attorneys can easily get support from staff to schedule an update call without all the back and forth emails of “does this day work?”
Streamlines Billing and Accounting
One of the biggest pitfalls that can occur when a client-attorney relationship starts is the lack of discussion around billing cycles. Before any official paperwork is signed, it’s vital to set expectations on what billing schedule has been agreed on. Once that’s established, a confidential and secure billing statement can be sent and updated for clients through the portal itself. This is a much smoother way of sending a statement that clients will appreciate being able to access rather than waiting on a bill in the mail. Plus, you’ll get paid that much faster by having integrations that offer credit card payments through the system (how’s that for ultimate convenience?).
Streamlined Communication and Collaboration Increases Efficiency
When everyone is on the same page about what’s happening, clients are happier and staff is able to deliver (and sometimes even overdeliver, in a perfect world). Things are always going to be busy, which is why now more than ever it’s so important to set up a system and customer portal that encourages a secure way of sharing information and data around a case. A real-time system streamlines everything for added efficiency and peace of mind in light of many uncertainties currently happening. Everyone’s happier, and things aren’t forgotten about in a file or lost. It’s all backed up in the cloud and available to view whenever desired. It’s the true key to working smarter, not harder.
Implementing Client Portals at Your Firm
When it comes to creating an exceptional customer experience at your firm, look no further than a client portal that keeps them up-to-date 24/7. Even when society goes back to in-person interactions more frequently, the benefits of a secure online portal will continue to be a useful tool for delighting customers at your firm throughout their case. This “new normal” has created some lasting changes – and firms must adapt to meet the demands of the modern customer.
If you’re interested in the other benefits client portals to have to offer, please feel free to contact us for a no-obligation chat. We’re passionate about helping firms enhance experiences with clients to truly set them apart from the competition.
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Over the past 10 years, the legal industry has finally started to embrace innovative, customer-centric marketing tactics and strategies. For a long time, however, firms have relied on the strength of their partners and personal relationships to grow and drive business. But times are changing. There are more firms in the US than ever before and the competitive landscape is continuing to grow. However, with the advent of review sites, alternative fee structures, automation, and alternative legal service providers, firms are faced with a tremendous challenge.
Today, we’re seeing firms struggle to stand out as dominant forces where neither prestige nor competitive rates can ensure continued business. Corporations and individuals are looking for more from firms. Whereat one point, simply good counsel was enough, now they are looking for firms who align with their goals, missions, and strategy to make them look heroic.
This is where your brand comes into play. And before the naysayers jump in, yes your firm is a business and a star partner cannot carry the ship alone. At least not in 2020. At a time where differentiation is critical, what we’re still seeing is generic, copy-cat websites, and jargon-filled taglines that fall flat at the feet of new clients. With all this in mind, we’re going to take a look at the state of law firm marketing, the importance of communication and data collection, metrics to gauge your ROI, and automation tools that will make your marketing process a little smoother.
State of Law Firm Marketing
In 2013, the legal services industry generated 256.66 billion dollars in revenue. In 2018, this revenue increased to approximately 288 billion. That is a lot of money. Although there is a huge opportunity in the legal market, law firms are not setting themselves up in a successful way to gain those clients.
So this leads to the question: how are firms handling their marketing?
A tech report done in 2019, noted that 47% of firms overall have a marketing budget. Additionally, those responsible for “handling” marketing still lies largely with the attorneys themselves. 59% of respondents, including 60% of solos, said attorneys perform these functions within the firm. A Bloomberg law study concluded that 62% of respondents say their firm is increasing its focus on marketing and business development and 63% of respondents say they expect their firm to increase its marketing and business development budget over the next two years.
This is a priority for many firms, and not only is it a priority to increase budgets in these sectors, but it has also become a priority in terms of where attorneys and firms are allocating their non-billable time.
In a legal trends report, 33% of the firms surveyed reported that they’re spending their non-billable time on business development efforts, so this means that it isn’t just the money investment going in, it’s the time investment as well. Even though firms are putting a lot of time, money, and effort into these activities, many firms are not tracking the output of their efforts. In the same legal trends report, 91% of firms can’t calculate a return on their advertising investments and 94% don’t know how much it costs them to acquire a new client.
Importance of Client Data Collection and Communication
Where are clients finding lawyers? What is the most beneficial way to promote your firm?
The top source for finding a lawyer is through referrals. So knowing this information, how can your firm improve referrals? Typically it’s by collecting feedback and understanding client experience. But then how do you collect that data? Do you formally ask in person? Do you make a dedicated phone call? Email survey?
If you’re thinking about the competition in the industry, simply asking and recording your clients' feedback can make a tremendous difference in either improving or maintaining your customer experience.
Not only is it important for your firm to collect feedback, but it is also important when you collect feedback too. Feedback is often being sought too late in the process. It’s either at the close of the matter, or sometimes during, but there is a majority of feedback that isn’t being collected at the beginning of representation. Why is it important to collect data at this time you may ask? Because you want to know why someone hired you in the first place. That’s how you can determine how to improve your marketing in the future, or how you can determine what factors are influencing your client's decisions.
One of the easiest methods to use to gauge client satisfaction is the net promoter score. It is one simple question, where on a scale from 0-10, where ten means “extremely likely", five means “neutral,” and zero means “not likely at all,” would you recommend your law firm to others? This simple question provides powerful insight, and with this information, you can figure out who your “promoters” are (the people who will most likely bring more matters to your firm), and the detractors (those who will not). Giving your clients this easy, straightforward type of survey will allow your firm to maintain relationships when they’re going well, or pivot and adjust when a client is unhappy before it’s too late (and in some cases prevent malpractice). In general, firms that focus on better client service have higher revenue growth, higher profits per attorney, and higher client retention.
Outside of cost, the factors that impact the likelihood of your firm being recommended are the ease of understanding case expectations, the personality or your attorneys, and responsiveness to email, phone, and text. Now that you just read that, what is the one trend that is consistent between these three things? Communication! Your firm's ability to understand who your client is, how they digest information and their expectations of you are all things that can be collected at the start and throughout the cycle of a matter. There are many things that are out of your control, but these factors are not.
Rate of Communication
In a study by BTI consulting, of the participating clients, 80% of clients expected immediate response to texts and emails. But don’t worry, immediate in this case meant between 1-2 hours. Unfortunately, when firms were evaluated, attorneys considered immediate to be more between 4-8 hours. Within that big of a time discrepancy, we know a few things can happen; clients can get anxious, impatient, and lessen the likelihood of referrals post-matter. The simple solution to this is setting communication expectations early on. Let your clients know what the average time for you to get back to them is so that they are not left wondering if you’re ignoring them. Although you may be juggling many clients at once, the goal is to treat each client like they’re your only client.
This responsiveness also can be translated into how successful your referral business is as well. When people are searching for representation, oftentimes, it is the firm that responds to their call or email first that wins the business. Not only are these firms setting the tone right off the bat, but they are also making the client feel prioritized which is a huge factor that leads to converting potential new clients into billable clients.
In an ABA Benchmark study on intake process, they found that 42% of the time law firms would take three or more days to reply to a voicemail or web-generated form from a prospective client. That is a long time! You spend time and money trying to collect new leads, yet when they come in, firms are still slow to capitalize by responding inefficiently. The same goes for responsiveness over the phone! 35% of callers to a law firm didn’t get to speak to a person and 50% of voice messages left were only returned within two days, while many weren’t returned at all.
Ethical Model Rules
All of this information on collecting client data and communication rates are great. But, there are two things when it comes to marketing that you cannot do. In simple terms, you cannot lie about your firm or your services (which should go without saying), and you cannot pressure prospective clients to hire you.
When it comes to advertising, you are by all means allowed to pay the reasonable costs of advertisements or communications, but you may not compensate, give or promise anything of value to a person for recommending the lawyer’s service.
Building Your Brand
To either create your brand or maintain an existing one, the first step starts with information. This information should be collected both internally and externally. For your potential new clients, you should be asking who your target audience is? What do you know about them? What trends can you identify? Internally speaking, you should be asking how your staff views the firm, where would they like the firm to be in the future? If what your staff says internally differs from what the outside world says, then you have identified a gap that must be bridged. This bridge will be created by your brand and if deployed effectively, will pave the way for expansion and growth.
Courtesy of DeSantis Breindel
Differentiators
In addition to identifying your brand, you must also identify the differentiators or pillars on which to build that brand. The underlying challenge with this is you must be able to distinguish between required characteristics (things that everyone in the industry must have), and those features that are specifically unique to you. The purpose of your brand, will not only serve as a differentiator but also as an anchor through times of turbulence. To determine what differentiates you from the rest of the field, you must dig deep, these core values go beyond the surface level and require industry-wide analysis and research to fully understand what your value proposition is compared to your competitors.
Requirements
Requirements are simply the elements that most legal brands have already. For example, “an experienced team,” or “unparalleled client service.” These things are the “obvious” essentials you need, but in 2020, they won’t set you apart.
Neutrals
Neutral factors are attributes that are not necessarily good or bad, and they will most like differ from firm-to-firm. Have you been operating for over 50 years? Is your firm woman-led? These things are all great, but when you ask if they were the tipping point for clients when they made their final decision between your firm and another, the answer is most likely not.
Issues
These issues (whether it’s one or many) encompass the challenges your firm faces that a brand may not be able to address. At a point, your brand will act as a stabilizer, but if you’re experiencing turmoil, like attorney turnover, malpractice, or even if you have a handful of clients who are unhappy, your brand can only go so far to counteract that. Make sure before making a push to identify your value proposition, you mitigate as many of these issues as possible.
Everything about your firm's brand is important. The way your attorneys present themselves, how your firm sounds as a whole in publicly distributed communications, how cohesive your strategy is, and your positioning across the rest of the industry.
Marketing Automation Metrics and Tools
One of the first things we discussed was data. In today’s world, a firm's ability to collect, process, and then utilize information will be the difference between a successful and unsuccessful firm.
Reporting
Marketing is important, there is no getting around that, but if you cannot create reports and analyze how your efforts are being translated in the real world, you’re wasting your time, not to mention your money.
The ability to group important reports, set security measures, track client data along with monitoring revenue are 2020 musts. Reporting gives you the ability to make better business decisions. It allows you to hone in on where you should be spending more or less of your funds, and it provides a deeper insight into how your firm is viewed both publicly and internally.
Metrics and KPIs your firm can use
For prospective new clients:
Lead Source- Of different marketing portals (online, print, etc), you want to track which ones are bringing clients and the value of the matters
The benefits of having all or even just one of these tools is priceless. Utilizing practice management software can allow you to automate the intake process. For example, if you have an intake form on your website, you can integrate that with your software so anytime a PNC fills it out, you are automatically notified on the back end. This streamlined communication process allows you to get to PNCs faster than your competitors.
As discussed earlier, it is important to know where your PNCs are coming from. Some software allows for marketing attribution that accomplishes just that. To go one step further, some programs allow you to customize conflict check reports to include only information that’s important to your firm. The ability to drill down on specific data is becoming more and more crucial, and utilizing tools that allow you to do that will drive your client experience and your referral numbers.
Do you want to hear some scary facts? In 2014, 500 million Yahoo users were compromised. In 2016, 57 million Uber customer accounts and profiles were breached, and in 2017, 143 million social security numbers were stolen from Equifax. Breaches to this scale may not happen every day, but smaller ones do. And as the prevalence of cyber threats grow, smaller companies are now being targeted at a much higher rate.
Between January 2015 and December 2016, there was an approximate 2,370% increase in identified exposed losses. Email scans were reported in all 50 states and from 2013-2016, the Internet Crime Complaint Center reported exposed losses of more than $2 billion. As privacy concerns continue to grow, governments are now instituting laws that require companies to report every incident of hacking and data breach.
Let’s take a look at the threats your firm faces, the obligations you have with your clients when you communicate through text, and how to protect yourself while you communicate in today’s day and age.
Threats Firms Face
According to a Legal Technology Survey Report that the American Bar Association released in 2016, more than one-quarter of firms with more than 500 lawyers admitted they experienced some type of breach. Approximately 40% of those firms reported significant resulting business downtime and loss of billable hours. 25% recounted hefty fees to correct the problems and one in six reported loss of important files and information.
So why are firms being targeted? Lawyer’s handle very sensitive information for their clients, intellectual property, financial information, and legal strategies, all of which are incredibly valuable for malicious third parties.
As this continues to become a problem, rules that govern the legal industry are changing. Let’s dig deeper.
Types of Threats
What are some of the challenges that law firms face?
Ransomware: It is exactly what it sounds like. An attacker will infect a computer or network with malicious software that encrypts data and hold it for ransom. The files held by the attacker cannot be destroyed without a mathematical key that only the attacker has. In these cases, it is a heft financial payment is made in exchange for the information. And this goes without saying, but if you do not have access to your work or matter files, you can’t function as a firm. The average cost of a ransomware attack on a business is $133,000. The cost of ransomware attacks surpassed $7.5 billion in 2019, according to Emsisoft.
Phishing: The second threat is called phishing. This attack is classified by hackers contacting an attorney via phone or email and posing as specific individuals to trick them into sharing confidential or sensitive information. In some cases, attorney's will even be convinced to give out unauthorized access to networks.
Malware: Malicious 3rd party software that is installed to gain unauthorized access to or otherwise damage a network. This malware is installed via a hacked wifi connection, a hard drive, or a link in an email that is opened. This type of attack results in a heavy financial burden to restore or repair the network.
Unfortunately, even with the advancements in firewalls and encryptions that we see today, people are the largest weakness in a firm’s security network. Whether it’s due to failure to follow protocols or insufficient training, social engineering hacking is on a rise.
Communicating With Your Clients
Texting
The rise of texting is undisputed. It is our primary means of communication. 81% of Americans are sending and receiving texts, with 27 trillion texts being sent every year. According to Nielsen, on average, Americans text twice as much as they call and for Americans under the age of 50, sending and receiving text messages is the most prevalent form of communication. The need and ability to send and receive communication instantly is a primary reason for the rise of this communication method. I'm sure you're familiar with this; people want what they want and they want it now, no questions asked. Today, if it takes longer than thirty minutes to respond to a text (and even that’s generous!), some eyebrows will inevitably be raised. As this trend has evolved, advanced, and continued its way throughout the 21st century, the legal field has slowly started to capitalize on the advantages of the fast and easy communication style too.
There are three compelling reasons why lawyers turn to texting their clients as a dominant means of communication.
Ease: Most clients are already texting, so they don’t have to go to their email, sift through a list of ads, open the message, read it and then respond and they don’t have to listen to missed voicemails. Texting makes it easy for lawyers to communicate with their clients and for clients to provide their legal team with the information they need quickly. Today, technology is so advanced that there is software that will even allow you to bill for the time texting, whether it’s inbound or outbound.
Efficiency: It doesn’t matter where the client or attorney is, a text message can be sent instantly and from anywhere. This not only increases communication with your clients, but it also allows you to bill for more time. Not to mention a huge benefit to texting is the conversation trail it leaves behind. Unless purposefully deleted, a client-attorney conversation can be saved forever.
Effective: It is in real-time, you can scroll back up through past messages and you have a frame of reference for where you last left off.
And if all of that isn’t enough to compel you, how about the fact that 78% of people wish they could have a text conversation with a business. You don’t have to be good at math to know that’s a lot of people.
Of course, with all this being said, there are downsides to communicating in this modern and rapid way; those being ethical obligations, confidentiality concerns, over accessibility, record preservation, and simplicity. As the legal field continues to evolve, and texting becomes more and more commonplace, there is a framework of rules that all lawyers should abide by as they continue to utilize this form of communication. Doing so, will not only enhance your customer experience but will also protect everyone from malicious third-party threats.
Framework for Communicating Via Text
Duty of Competence
As a lawyer, you have a duty of competence that you must provide to your clients. Competent representation requires the legal knowledge, skill, thoroughness, and preparation reasonably necessary for the representation.
Duty of Confidentiality
Back in the 90s, when email came onto the scene, the ABA said that lawyers had a reasonable expectation of privacy in communications made by all forms of email, but they also included that the encryption of emails sent over the internet was unnecessary, despite some risk of interception and disclosure. So twenty-some years ago, you didn’t have to worry about protecting your communications. But in 2020, with the rise of breaches and personal information being exposed, the ABA adjusted its statement to include that a lawyer shall make reasonable efforts to prevent the inadvertent or unauthorized disclosure of, or unauthorized access to, information relating to the representation of a client. Today, it is a lawyer’s duty to keep abreast of the knowledge and changes in the law and its practice, including the benefits and risks associated with relevant technology. Now, all lawyers are required to act competently to safeguard information relating to the representation of a client against unauthorized access by third parties and inadvertent disclosure of information.
Protecting Your Client’s Communications
The first thing every law firm and lawyer must be able to do is to understand the nature of the threat. Being able to identify what kind of threat is being imposed will help you determine how you should communicate with your staff about combating it.
Not only should you be able to understand the potential threats, but you should also have an understanding of how your confidential information is being stored and transmitted. How does your firm store information? Are you cloud-based or on a physical hard drive?
Next, you must know how to use reasonable security measures to protect what you’re communicating with your clients. This means you also need to determine how your electronic communications and client matter is being protected. It goes further than your IT department making a unilateral decision, it’s your responsibility to make the decision to protect your clients.
Lastly, firms must train their lawyers and staff in technology and information security and conduct due diligence on vendors providing communication technology. This includes how vendors process and handle your data, whether or not it complies with your ethical obligation, vendor conflict check, and understanding how they do business. Additionally, it is important to note whether or not these vendors are storing your information overseas, what jurisdiction they have over that data, and in the event of a breach, what are the steps to mitigate or resolve the hack?
Reasonable Efforts Standards
The factors to be considered in determining the reasonableness of lawyers efforts include:
The sensitivity of information- Are you discussing meeting dates and times or attorney-client privilege information? If the latter, that needs to be protected.
The likelihood of disclosure if additional safeguards are not used- This means the potential threat of your network or data being breached. Based on the data, the threat is much higher now than it was in the 90s.
The cost of employing the additional safeguards- How expensive is it to put in the systems to protect your communications and data.
The difficulty of implementing the safeguards.
The extent to which the safeguards adversely affect your clients- Are your clients able to navigate the additional safety measures? Do they hinder your bi-directional communication?
As you move forward and continue to grow your firm and expand your client list, it is best practice to speak with your clients and discuss their expectations for communication. What suits them best? Are they comfortable with communicating back and forth via text and are they aware of the security risks and threats in today’s day and age?
Is Texting Ethical?
Simple answer, yes. You may send texts to and receive texts from clients. There are no statutes prohibiting this, however, there are regulations around data security and confidentiality as mentioned above.
If you’re trying to solicit new clients via text there are some standards you must follow. For example, the first line of your text must say that what you’re sending is an advertisement. You must track who received the texts and what content they are specifically receiving. You must ensure that the prospective client is not responsible for the data costs by working with cell phone service providers and you must have a method for prospective clients to opt-out.
If all that sounds like a hassle to you, consider this: the average open rate for text message campaigns is 98%, compared to a 20% open rate for email campaigns. SMS response rates are 295% higher than phone call response rates and 75% of people wouldn't mind receiving an SMS text message from a brand if they opt-in for the service. All this data leads to the undeniable fact that texting yields the highest rate of response.
Law Firms at Risk
The information you handle every day is critical, because of this, firms all across the US are at risk. Any firm relying on existing non-secure messaging systems to communicate with clients is putting themselves and their clients’ confidential information at risk.
Steps to Protect Yourself
In today’s world, protecting yourself, your firm, and your clients is critical. Here are some basic measures and steps you can take to protect yourself.
There’s no limit to people in need of legal counsel at any given time. In fact, according to a U.S. Consumer Legal Needs Survey, 74% of prospects searching online end up contacting a firm by phone. Is your service going to reassure them you’re the right fit for their case? That’s why a client-centered law firm is so important in today’s world.
In a customer-centric, get-it-now world, it’s no surprise the expectation for a client-centered experience at law firms has become a bigger conversation in recent years. What does it actually mean to create a meaningful client journey in today’s digital environment? While you may be thinking – “of course we’re client-centric at our law firm!” – this is about more than prioritizing clients or sending them an update. It’s about baking client-centricity into everything you do. In day-to-day interactions, from onboarding to closing out their case, they need to know you’re there for them.
In this blog, we’re going to discuss ways to support a client-centered law firm in every aspect of your business, and why it’s important to do so moving forward to stay competitive and profitable.
What is a Client-Centered Law Firm?
Understanding a client-centered law firm is more of a line of thought versus a single line item to check off your list. Think of a client-centered model as a shift in the way you approach processes in your firm and how it’s run to be about the client in everything you do. While you may think you already do this, it’s a pretty big shift when it comes to your people and technology. It’s thinking about their experiences before making big decisions and adapting your technology to create a smoother, more transparent time during their case.
The purpose of a client-centered law firm, and why many firms have moved toward it, is to set themselves apart and be more competitive. In a world of thousands of attorneys in any given area, this can be the “wow factor” that’s the difference between a client going with you vs. someone else.
What Clients Want out of a Law Firm
In the age of instant gratification brought on by same-day grocery delivery and Amazon Prime, people want what they want – and fast. Waiting for status updates by mail is no longer a feasible option to stay competitive in lieu of the internet and other legal services instantly available. People get answers right at their fingertips in seconds for their bank statements, credit cards, Uber rides, and more. That expectation has, by proxy, bled into the legal industry, creating the need for a client-centered law firm.
Think of yourself as a customer for a moment. You expect ongoing communication and respect. You want to be treated like an equal. Apply those same principles to your legal services, and you’ll check all the boxes of what a client is looking for. Most times, clients are under duress and are coming to you for guidance and help. Rather than being callous or pristine, show them they’re heard and actively listen. After all, they know their case best. As an attorney, that initial contact via phone or in-person can make all the difference in whether they choose to hire you or not. The same can be said for your staff.
So, this all seems great in theory, but how exactly can this get implemented in between all the bustle of daily operations?
Implementing a Client-Centered Law Firm
The most effective way to implement a client-centered law firm is to zoom out and see the entire journey of a case from the client’s perspective. Running through this from start to finish can identify where you may have gaps or get muddy in terms of the communication and mindfulness we previously mentioned.
Here are a few tips to help:
Design a Client Journey
From the origin of a client’s legal issue to paying their bill at the end, your client’s journey is defined as every step of their case from their perspective. There’s usually a substantial difference between what you see of their case and what they’re experiencing and living while everything is unfolding.
Is there a workflow anywhere in your legal tech outlining the client's journey? This can be a great starting point to help you assess where there may be shortcomings or delays.
Refining the Customer Experience
No law firm is perfect – there are always ways to run a client-centered firm and improve upon existing processes. While it may never feel like the “right time,” consider blocking out an hour a week to push aside distractions and focus solely on putting yourself in your client’s shoes. Over time, this can create massive improvements in their experience or all the touchpoints concerning their case.
To refine your customer experience, ask yourself a few questions about your firm, such as:
Are billing cycles timely and easy to understand?
What are the areas of improvement in the onboarding process?
Where are the steps clients feel the most dissatisfied, and why?
What gaps do your team see? Have you asked them about possible solutions?
Do you have a bank of commonly asked questions from clients? Where can these be implemented to help ease their worries?
Smoothing out the process can boost satisfaction and faith in the process itself.
Tracking Your Client’s Customer Satisfaction
You can implement everything you want to help clients, but if there’s no way to measure success or gauge satisfaction, you might as well be working blind. Using a Net Promoter Score (NPS) to measure customer satisfaction can be invaluable if you’re stuck in the previous step of “I don’t know what I don’t know.”
For clarity, a quick survey or matrix can be 3-5 questions asking for recommendations and a 1-10 sliding scale for satisfaction. Finding the average of responses, and measuring this over time, can give you a KPI on how a client-centered approach is moving the needle.
Courtesy of Medium.com
Running and Maintaining a Client-Centered Law Firm
Now you know why client-centered law firms stay competitive and are an important part of the changing landscape in the legal industry. Now you need to know the actual structure and pieces needed for it to work: the people and technology aspect. After the plan and big picture, steps are in place, now it’s about running and maintaining the system. It takes a strong, communicative team to make it all happen, so remember – how you treat your team will reflect and trickle down into how clients are treated.
Ask for Feedback Regularly
Isolating your thoughts can quickly become an echo chamber. If you’re a managing partner or attorney, be sure to ask for feedback from your other employees regularly since you’re not on the ground level working with clients most of the time. Every month or quarter, send your employees a survey or meet (digitally or otherwise) to hear their thoughts. Chances are, they’ve been itching for an opportunity to voice concerns, especially when the day-to-day can take over.
Put the Client at the Forefront of Your Business Process Decisions
It’s easy to have short-sightedness when it comes to goals – everyone wants the low-hanging fruit and the small wins to come quickly. But that won’t help when clients feel unheard, or you’re not able to return calls and help increase onboarding as goals, for example.
Building a client-centered firm means always thinking “how does this affect the client?” first and foremost will help keep them top of mind when it comes to the customer journey. Tie that into its own KPI, or verbal note during every budget meeting. Have a few minutes baked in for suggestions and ways things can be improved.
Go Above and Beyond Meeting Your Client’s Needs
When it comes to client centricity, as you’ve learned, they’re at the core of every business process and decision. That means during in-person meetings, make them feel comfortable and, if possible, carve out extra time in case you need to listen to clients for longer than the allotted time. These little gestures can show you’re committed to going above and beyond them long after they’ve signed the dotted line.
The legal industry, at its heart, is a people business, built on helping others and bringing to justice for those who have been wronged. Remind them of that with every update and movement of assistance you provide.
Leverage Modern Law Firm Technologies to Deliver Exceptional Service
This may feel daunting like there’s never enough time in a day to get it all done. We get it. That’s why many firms have turned to practice management software to do some of the legwork for them. By using expedited billing and workflow automation, you can get minutes back in everyone’s workday that adds up to something incredible: the ability to offer exceptional service to your clients.
Process credit cards instantly: 40% of consumers would never hire a lawyer who didn’t take credit or debit. Don’t cheat your firm out of extra business by accepting payments faster.
Route approvals with automation: workflows ensure everyone gets eyes on necessary documentation, so there’s no more paper trail that’s lost in the shuffle.
Centerbase can do all of the above and more for your firm.
A Client-Centered Law Firm Benefits Everyone
To recap, by mapping your client journey – or their perspective of a case from inception to their last bill payment – you can stay competitive and create a positive reputation that earns more referrals and business. By keeping an open line of communication between your staff and clients and rating the satisfaction over time, you can pave the way for a truly immersive, client-centered experience in all your big business decisions. How’s that for staying competitive in a digital, software-dominated industry? Staying profitable and efficient are the two hallmarks of a client-centered experience that all work together to bolster success
Staying efficient with updated software can give you the secret sauce to ensure all of it happens every day. If you’re interested in learning more, feel free to contact us or read our resources library for more about how Centerbase can change the game for your firm.
Who doesn’t love a little history refresher? You like it too?! Perfect.
So, fifty-one years ago, the first ARPAnet (later to be known as the internet) was created. Fast forward to 1989 and you have a proposal from a man named Tim Berners-Lee for a program called “Mesh” (also later to be known as the World Wide Web). The advent of both the network infrastructure (the Internet) and the software infrastructure layered on top of it (the Web) paved the way for a growing dichotomy between the centralization and decentralization of resources and knowledge, and one-way versus two-way consumer consumption patterns. Now, fast forward again to 2020 and we see the proliferation of content that simply did not exist even a mere few years ago.
An astounding 59% of the global population is connected to the internet. Do you know what that means? It means that consumers now have access to so much information that the power that brands and corporations once held has completely shifted. The asymmetric balance that sellers held only a few years ago is now virtually non-existent.
We are now living in a digital world. Leading companies know that in order to keep their competitive advantage, they must align with their customers. They don’t view this alignment as a chore on their laundry list of duties that they'll get to eventually, they're actively pursuing it. They are reimaging every aspect of their business and how the consumer experience and journey are affected every step of the way. In 2020, this alignment is the bedrock upon which successful businesses are built on.
Law Profession vs. The Industry
How does any of this news relate to you and your firm? To start, it should be noted that the legal space drags behind other industries. The primary cause of this polarity is a result of a divergence between the profession and the industry as a whole. Put simply, it is the divide between lawyers and the myriad of technology and business management expertise that make up the entire industry. There is a notable difference between the two, where we have the profession, or lawyers, who are shackled to paradigm and resistant to change, matched against the industry that is compelled by the new principles of customer demand.
For a very long time, the profession has clung to structural and economic models, and self-regulation has been a critical part of the formula to remove any and all competition. In the past, firms have been able to minimize the impact of cultural, economic, and sociological trends that have disrupted many industries, but in this new digital age, things have changed. Since the turn of the millennium, we’ve seen a shift between legal practice and the fundamental business behind delivering those services. This shift is due to the fact that law is no longer just about the lawyer. Over the years, we have seen a significant volume of work has drifted from law firms to corporate legal departments. The 2017 Georgetown Report cites, ‘erosion of the traditional law firm franchise,’ a euphemism for ‘clients no longer need large law firms to handle many legal tasks. ’
When you look at how a lawyer becomes a lawyer you will see a few things: risk avoidance, trained perfection, proactiveness, and the delivery of creative solutions. Throughout a lawyer’s education and professional training, critical thinking is reinforced, but the business side of their professional services is not. Because of this, we have seen a rise in legal service providers who aim to provide law firms with more data, process management, technological advancements, training, cybersecurity, the list goes on and on. Their mission is to provide solutions to business problems that will hopefully create efficiencies and stimulate customer engagement and alignment. However, digitally advanced companies have taken to solving these problems on their own. They're redefining their target markets, tracking competition, committing to a capital shift from buyer to seller, and they're monitoring customer satisfaction. Highly informed decision making is now defining the gap between competitive and non-competitive firms.
With today's access to the internet, consumers can now decide for themselves when, where, and at what price point a licensed attorney is required. The law industry is being disrupted and systemic changes and customer-centric models are forcing the balance of power to shift from the firm to the consumer.
Reimagining Legal Delivery
The marketplace of all industries, including legal, is now composed of consumers who expect a customized delivery, one that entails the involvement of project managers, design engineers, data analysts, and the like. When you look at the practice of law, specifically, trained experience, specialized skill, expertise, and judgment, you’ll come to find that it has been intricately woven into the broader picture of the legal service industry. The practice of law, as traditionally defined, is being eclipsed by the business of law and everything else required to deliver legal services. In order to remain dominant in the legal space, firms must differentiate, scale, and align with customers.
The question remains, how do law firms do this? How do law firms differentiate themselves, scale, and align with customers? As we ponder this, it is important to note that operating in a consumer-centric world does not mean the law profession will be eviscerated. The unique characteristics and intricacies of attorney-client relationships are pillars of legal practice that will remain standing for the foreseeable future.
Rethinking Customer Relationships
Consumers-not lawyers- determine what is ‘legal,’ whose skill is required, when it is required, how it is delivered, and at what price point they’re willing to pay. With the internet only a click away, building trust with your customer is paramount. Change won’t happen overnight, but building a strategy around your goals, investing in technology, and viewing your client's journey with your firm as a customized experience, all encompass the steps you should be taking in order to build a successful consumer-centered business. Optimize your firm, be receptive to change, and invest in technology that will not only maximize your client experience but drive your revenue too.
In 2020, law is not only about selling legal knowledge. Practice area expertise must be leveraged by technology in order to provide consumers ‘faster, better, cheaper’ and quantifiable results on a transparent, real-time, and customer-centric basis.
Training is one of the leading factors that creates the largest gap between buying and utilizing technology.
For many people, even the word “training” triggers a whole host of negative feelings from angst, stress, and even dread.
But training doesn’t have to be such a pain point. At its core, the key is to look at technology training as an investment rather than a cost. To foster a mindset that training is a piece of a holistic project versus an unavoidable burden.
Let’s take a look at 5 key questions that can help you get the most out of your tech investment.
1. What are the elements of an effective, successful training program?
Leadership Buy-In
First and foremost, the leaders in a firm need to be the advocates for the training. Partners and firm administrators know exactly what they want to achieve with the software, and that information should always travel from the top down. Overall success can largely be controlled by the expectations that upper management sets early on. Clearly defined goals and objectives will naturally promote a sense of direction and purpose for the training.
Micro-Learning
The hope of any training is that your staff retains what they learn. Studies today show that our retention rate for audio/visual material is about 20% in any given session. And if that training surpasses one hour, we retain less than half of the total information presented. Crazy, right? So, how do we combat this? You guessed it, with micro-learning. The key is to break your training into sessions. Never do everything all at once or you can guarantee that your staff's retention will be less than noteworthy. A common complaint is that training takes time away from completing day-to-day work. With micro-learning, you can not only prevent mind drifting, but also reduce the stress associated with not finishing work or meeting specific deadlines.
Relevance of Information
Break your training out by content and who it specifically pertains to. The best way to maximize engagement is to provide training material that is relevant to the work each person has to produce. Matching training content with staff roles will also encourage specific questions that will allow for deeper discussions on pointed topics within the training. Everyone’s work and expectations of producing that work are all different. Keeping that in mind throughout your training sessions will lead to a happier, more attentive team. Another key to utilizing relevant information in your training is to import your firm's own data into the system prior to the training. You can combat the foreign nature of a new software with the familiarity of known data. When people see information they know, they will not only grasp the concepts you’re teaching faster, but they will naturally be more inclined to learn.
Reinforce
Now that you have gotten through your initial steps of training, you may think the most important part is over, but don’t be fooled! Reinforcing that information is just as crucial to ensuring you are implementing it correctly, avoiding bad habits, and maximizing the potential of your investment! Simple steps like hosting a Q&A session once a week or providing a resource library with videos and guides will go a long way in making sure your team is less reactive if issues appear down the road. Most importantly, make it fun! Training and review sessions don’t have to be as awful as they sound. Bring food, have giveaways, create an atmosphere that makes it easier to learn the new material. If you are constantly reviewing best practices and streamlining your sessions to focus on specific questions, you will see an overall faster adoption time and run into less user error in the future.
The Positive Change chart above shows the emotional cycle of new users and the effect the technology adoption has on their mood as they go through the training process. Reinforcing relevant material will help reduce that drop between Uniformed Optimism and Informed Pessimism.
The Staff Emotional Cycle of Change chart gives a high-level view of the unavoidable stages a team will typically go through in the period of a new technology adoption. The pit between stages one and two can be minimized with effective training.
2. What are a few different types of training and which is the best for law firms?
Instructor-Led and Group Discussion
There are a variety of ways a firm could structure how they train their team. From hand’s on individual coaching, group lecturing, and instructor-led training, the style you choose is entirely up to your discretion. However, for law firms looking to adopt the best practice of a new cloud management system, instructor-led training and group discussion are the two most ideal types of training. Instructor-led is the most beneficial if you’re in a remote environment. If everyone is on Zoom together, it is important to have one leader who can direct the group, answer questions, and have a specific roadmap for that session. This style of training is also great for efficient micro-trainings on specialized material. Group discussion is also a preferred method of training because you will be able to break your team out into a variety of segments based on attendance size, relevant content, and personality of the group. Group discussions tend to boost participant engagement and foster an environment that is better suited for questions and suggestions.
Superuser
Superusers are composed of individuals from different departments within a firm who have the strongest grasp of the new software. The goal of these users is to be prepared and make sure that the objectives of each training session are being met and discussed. These superusers, whether they’re partner’s, firm admin’s, or tech-savvy paralegal’s, need to prioritize discussions around various decisions, procedures, and facilitate the overall configuration of each training. All training decisions will be made by this group of superusers prior to attorneys and other staff members getting involved. Superusers provide a unified voice to the rest of the team and offer immediate support for the staff on go live. Superusers are critical to helping keep the internal environment calm and minimize that emotional dip of informed pessimism.
The Timeline for a Training Roll-Out
Superusers should be involved in the training process from day one all the way up to go live. Typically, attorneys can be up and running with the software after an hour and a half of initial training, however, paralegals, secretaries and firm admins may need more time. Training time largely depends on whether utilization is streamlined or more manual, and how active leadership is in encouraging their staff to view training as more of a benefit than a hindrance.
3. How do I evaluate a trainer?
Successful adoption of a new technology will largely be determined by training. A great trainer is someone who is empathetic, patient, and can adjust their teaching methods to best suit the learning styles in the room. It is important that your trainer is someone who will go through all the ups and downs with you throughout the process. You can ask your technology vendor who will be training you and ask them to come to the office as soon as possible for initial discussions. Don’t be afraid to interview the trainer, make sure their skill set is at a level you need it to be, and make sure they understand the preferences and personalities of the people they are going to train. Some software vendors offer free training, but don’t let the word free deceive you. With free training, you will simply get what you get. You won’t have much control over when the trainer comes in, nor will you have much flexibility to select a different trainer if the one given to you doesn’t meet your needs. Getting the right trainer is half the battle in ensuring you’re getting the most out of your technology investment. If the person isn’t the right fit, it could lead to poor adoption of the material.
4. How do I evaluate the success and effectiveness of a training program?
This question largely depends on how deeply you want to analyze the training. You have to decide whether you’re going to do a general cost-benefit analysis or a long-detailed cost-benefit analysis to determine if the training is meeting your ROIs. Prior to the start of your training, ask yourself what you’re trying to measure. Are you looking for more billable hours? Trying to create an environment more appealing to younger attorneys? Attract new talent? These goals will help measure what you’re looking for. The easiest way to evaluate the training is by getting your staff involved. Create surveys, have pre and post-training assessments, and self-evaluations. Giving your staff a voice will not only decrease inefficiencies but will allow you to change strategies and pivot approaches when need be.
5. Why should I measure the effectiveness of my training program?
There are so many metrics to gauge performance, from marketing reports, KPI’s, and applications with metric dashboards at a glance, a firm can measure their performance on many levels, but what we aren’t measuring is how teams are really doing with their software. Could they be doing better? Are they using the most effective strategies? Are they streamlining the process? Additionally, users are now working remotely, so how can we measure performance in a way we’ve never had to measure it before? All of those answers will point to the areas where you need more training. If you can measure your learning objectives, you will be able to measure your efficiency metrics a little better. Everything is being broken down and analyzed these days and training shouldn’t be an exception. At the end of the day, if you can locate your efficiencies, you can increase your competitive advantage. For example, let's set a goal of increasing your billable hours. What do you do next? Well, you can invest in technology that gives you features like Automated Time Capture (ATC). ATC functions solely to help you bill more hours. But what if you don't know how to use the tool? Looks like you won't be reaching your goal.
If you have the tools but they are never used, you’re not going to gain the efficiency and you might as well not pay to have the tool in the first place.
Training is essential. Proper training that fits your firm's needs is crucial. You will get the most out of your technology investment by embracing training, tailoring it to your firm’s needs, and evaluating its overall effectiveness.
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We want to thank Laura Kennedy, Co-Founder of Circle Management Group, for providing the Positive Change and the Staff Emotional Cycle of Change charts. Laura was also pivotal in conducting the webinar, How To Get the Most Out of Your Tech Investment, hosted alongside Centerbase's own, Rob Joyner, VP of Sales and Marketing. This blog was written based off their discussion on how proper training can make or break the successful adoption of any technology investment.
Laura has over thirty years of specialized technology training and change management experience. Her approach to training has helped thousands of professionals adopt new systems and processes.
For one-third of law firms, a 2019 survey revealed recruitment is among management’s top challenges. There’s no doubt about it: the dip in specialized talents, as well as the pitfalls of education in recent years, are simply not meeting the needs of the modern firm. Certainly, attracting the next generation of legal talent has its fair share of demands, especially when it comes to new needs in technology.
Of course, you’re well aware of that. It’s a matter of what those changes are – and how to implement them smoothly and effectively – that becomes the bigger obstacle. Because not only do you need to hire that talent, you want to retain them to be your future leaders, too.
Here are some tips on how you can incentivize new talent to join your firm:
Align With Their Core Values
Most firms function similarly, so it won’t be day-to-day operations young talent look at when job hunting. Instead, these stars are searching for a place that aligns with their morals and values. These values, indicative of your company’s culture, are going to be your “secret sauce” to distinguish yourself from other firms.
Pinpointing your values originates in two key places: flexible work policies and sustainability efforts.
Flexibility
Millennials and younger generations prefer versatility in their workday. Gone are the days of eight hour workdays sitting in front of a computer pushing paper. The more effective technology available that takes manual, iterative work out of young lawyers’ days, the better. These workers want fulfilling careers that move the needle for clients – so balancing that desire with a flexible work schedule rewarding dedication with remote hours is sure to make your firm more appealing than others out there.
Many law firms are now offering flexible work policies, so if you haven’t yet, consider implementing work from home days as a perk to the job. It goes a long way with this new workforce, and you could get passed up for a firm that does have it.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
Championing social and environmental causes outside of your firm is an important aspect the younger workforce holds in high esteem. Keep any notes of causes you support in your job descriptions and recruitment notes, and prospective employees are sure to take interest.
If you aren’t currently making monetary donations, consider a volunteer day at a local soup kitchen or a toy drive during the holidays to help your local communities. Current employees may have ideas on who to reach out to through Facebook groups or other Instagram pages. This is all part of the desire for emerging talent to make a difference bigger than themselves – and what better way to do that than through helping the environment and future generations?
Technological Efficiency
Gone are the days of legacy, on-premise dinosaur computers that aren’t mobile or user friendly. Like many industries, firms are going digital, and new lawyers are going to covet systems that work with their flexibility, not against it. The easier your systems are to learn and use, the more people will use technology to make their jobs better (your accounting department will also thank you when they regularly enter their billable hours and client matter notes).
Of course, nothing happens overnight, so if you are in the market for revamping your system, notify new lawyers about the process during recruitment and add their input is valued in order to bring in the best possible new upgrades to the firm. This new generation loves knowing their feedback is taken into account, and it makes them feel like they’re being part of a positive change.
Career Advancement and Mentorship
Offering non-monetary incentives during recruitment is crucial for young workers. In this Robert Half Legal survey, one in four (25 percent) of lawyers interviewed said that leadership or advancement opportunities are the most attractive incentive. Like most careers, lawyers will need to learn on the job, and learn how things work at your firm specifically. The best way to navigate the twists, turns, and mistakes and turn them into victories for your firm is to have top associates and talent guiding them.
Show your aspiring talent you will prioritize their ongoing growth, and you’ll have loyalty and commitment from them to work hard.
Continuing Education
Not everyone you’ll hire will be lawyers, but they’ll still need to know the requirements of law they’re working within. There’s been an uptick in one-year master’s programs offering Legal Studies, which helps prepare students for the business aspects of dealing with courts and law. This could be a useful incentive for employees.
Of course, take time to assess the needs of your current workforce first, but when you look to other positions, you could offer tuition reimbursement for a certain amount of tenure at your firm. Not only will this help with retention, it will demonstrate your commitment to their ongoing improvement and career excellence.
Competitive Salaries
While money is not the end all be all when it comes to hiring new talent, it certainly can get their attention. As stated in the aforementioned report, a competitive base salary can make a huge difference when looking to recruit top talent. Be sure when recruiting to offer salaries that meet and exceed the job market trends – this will help attract star players who have the potential to enrich your firm’s services.
This isn’t a one time thing, either – as salary trends are constantly changing, it directly affects employees’ feelings of worth about their jobs. When it comes to promotions and market level compensation, if you’re not adjusting based on their performance and worth, there’s a chance they’ll end up going somewhere else that will.
Find Top Talent and Keep Them
In order to survive through the digital age, you’re going to want talent that will drive your business and its clients forward. Since this educational gap doesn’t look to be filled in the near future, it’s up to you to create incentives and help bolster your incoming talent to be the very best.
We hope these tips helped you keep on top of recruiting top talent for your firm, and that you’re ready for the continued digitization of day-to-day processes.
Have questions on digital services for your firm’s matters? We’re here to help. Centerbase works with hundreds of law firms to improve processes and speed up the billing cycle while still keeping true to accuracy. Learn more by subscribing to our blog or contacting us today.
If you’re trying become a partner, this blog is for you. We know you work long and hard hours, but sometimes you’re not always rewarded for it. We have compiled a list of the top 6 reasons your firm will be motivated to promote you to the next level and you need to check them out.
But first, let’s discuss why more attorneys never make it to this senior level.
Attorneys who want to be made partners at large law firms typically quit too soon. Many times, attorneys will quit very close to the finish line within months or even days of becoming a partner. Most people who stick with it have a chance of making it, but most people don’t.
For the most part, the main hurdle to becoming a partner at a major law firm is most often psychological. In general, law firms don’t want to make people partner. If they make people partner, especially in situations where it’s for an equity partnership, it’s going to cost the law firm more money. And when someone is close and gives up before making partner, it gives the existing partners a reason to feel special, it also gives them access to more money.
Generally, law firms will only make you a partner if they have to. However, there are some exceptions to that, such as making contract partners or non-equity partners because law firms can make a lot of money off of non-equity partners.
We know that isn’t necessarily great to hear, but that’s why we have collected all the insights into why firms are actually incentivized to make you a partner, let’s jump in.
6 Reasons Firms Will Make You a Partner
1. You Generate a lot of business
The first reason a law firm will make you partner is if you have a lot of business or if your future projections indicate that you will be bringing in a lot of business.
If you have a lot of business and say you’re bringing in $10 million dollars, the firm may only have to pay you $2 million to make you a partner. They may pay you a little bit more, or they may pay you a little less, but think of all the money you’re generating for the firm. So at the end of the day, that law firm can pay you a fraction of what you’re generating and become very profitable, and generally, they will want to make you partner.
There are very few reasons why a firm wouldn’t want to make someone with millions of dollars worth of business a partner. Or someone who looks like they’re going to have a lot of business in the future. If you’re bringing in small amounts of business, but the business you’re bringing is continually increasing, and you’re on an upward trend, they can see someone who is capable of doing that and you will be rewarded.
2. You have connections to other partners
A second reason a law firm may make you partner is if you’re connected to a powerful partner or a group of powerful partners with a lot of business. If that’s the case, they will most likely make you a partner. It’s very important for associates and counsel to get as close as you can to powerful partners with a lot of business because those are the people who are really supportive of the firm and are driving revenue. So if those partners want you to be a partner and the law firm can do it, they’re going to do it. A lot of times what happens too is if you’re close to a powerful partner and that powerful partner leaves, as a condition of joining the new firm, they may actually demand that they make you partner as well.
3. You have connections to a powerful client
The next reason is if you’re connected to a powerful client or group of clients that give a lot of business to the law firm. The law firm will likely make you partner in this case. A lot of times an associate may be tasked with working with a major client and if that client is very enthusiastic about that person and is giving the firm a lot of money, the firm may highly consider making that person a partner. Getting close to a client and doing really good work for that client are always the smartest things you can do, especially if it is a very large client because they without a doubt can influence your career.
4. Your worth ethic is superior
Hard work is one of the most common reasons people are made partner at a lot of large law firms. If you’re the hardest working, billing the most hours, setting the pace, and making the firm a lot of money, it will be incredibly difficult for the law firm not to make you partner. In many cases, what will happen if they don’t is it will demotivate all the other associates and staff working hard around them. The thing about billing a lot of hours is not just the fact that you’re billing that time, rather it’s that people are giving you the work and the firm isn’t having to write off your hours. It’s the fact that your clients are enthusiastic about your work and they’re willing to continue giving it to you. If you’re always in the office and billing a lot of hours, you’re going to be a good role model for other attorneys. In this case, if they don’t make you partner it is going to make the law firm look bad.
5. Your firm experiences staff changes
The fifth reason a law firm may make you partner is if the firm experienced some type of disruption. This disruption could precipitate from unforeseen departures, firings, or retirements, and the firm needs to move into action to keep people around. If people are made partner under those kinds of conditions, they may have already been considering leaving the firm, so the firm made the move to make them a partner to prevent that. When a law firm suffers from departures or other morale issues, remember that it is temporary. If management or the leaders of the firm don’t correct it, they will be left without any attorneys to promote.
6. You have special skills
Many people will also be made partner because they have some form of expertise or a special skill or other types of connections that the law firm needs. These skills or connections can typically not be found anywhere else. If you have that type of expertise, a firm may want to make you partner. This could be something as such as having a Ph.D. in electrical engineering. For an IP litigator firm, that credential would be incredibly valuable.
Having experience outside of the legal industry can prove to be incredibly valuable. Many times law firms will hire individuals who have unique backgrounds or come from institutions like the government or if you’re well known through your family name or have superior connections within the legal industry. Differentiating yourself is one of the fastest ways to move to the top.
The Takeaway
The important thing to understand is that a firm will not make someone a partner unless they have to. If you’re made a partner, it is because you’re giving more to the firm than the firm can offer you in return. Making partner is a sign of not only your worth but the value your firm places in your role there.
While there are many law firms out there, there aren’t many that successfully deliver a client-centric model for a superior customer experience. Having a synchronized staff empowered to always deliver and update clients in a way that keeps them feeling top-of-mind can be an essential, distinctive aspect that sets you apart from other firms. Client portals are a vital part of maintaining and nurturing that relationship – from the first conversation to the final bill, every touchpoint is of equal importance to maintaining a client-centric model.
In 2013, the legal services industry generated 256.66 billion dollars in revenue. In 2018, this revenue increased to approximately 288 billion. That is a lot of money. Although there is a huge opportunity in the legal market, law firms are not setting themselves up in a successful way to gain those clients. 
