I grew up without much. Some would say, ‘We wus poor.’
We moved a lot—18 homes by the time I was 18.
That amount of uncertainty drove me to seek financial security, and I thought law school was my best option to achieve it.
In law school, I worked very hard. Got solid C’s. I managed to graduate in the upper-lower half of my class.
When I finally started practicing, my law degree was my most precious asset. I had to protect it at all costs. It was the only egg in my basket.
I opposed anyone doing ‘my’ work if my name was on it. My motto was: ‘If it was meant to be, it was up to me.’
Eventually, that only got me so far. I wanted more.
More money, more influence, more fun.
I had to learn how to move away from doing it all myself and learn how to build something bigger.
What does it mean to go from working “IN” to “ON”?
Working “IN” your firm looks like:
- Meeting with and advising clients
- Drafting documents
- Litigating
Working “ON” your firm looks like:
- Building a process for a regular workflow
- Coaching an associate
- Crafting marketing campaigns
- Scouting the next office location
“IN” to “ON” is about shifting your primary work energies and time away from client work to law firm building work.
The “IN” to “ON” Blueprint Sequence
1 – Personal Preparedness
This shift has to come from a genuine internal desire to grow the firm. It’s got to be gut-level in you.
External expectations from daddy, mommy, or your lawyer peer group won’t sustain you through the challenges.
Demand an honest answer to the question: “Why do I want to do this?”
If your passion lies in mentoring young associates, developing innovative strategies, or building an influential firm, go for it!
But if this shift doesn’t align with what truly motivates you, stop! Stay focused on being an extraordinary practitioner, not a firm builder.
2 – Firm Size and Revenue
For a family law firm, I recommend waiting until you have a stable revenue base—typically around $1 to $3 million.
This isn’t a hard rule. But having a team of at least two to three associates gives you the bandwidth to start working on the firm.
Once you reach this level, you have enough margin in your finances and on your team so that you’re not scrambling to keep up with daily work.
3 – Firm Performance Indicators
Beyond size and revenue, look at your firm’s performance in other key areas:
- Consistent Client Growth – There needs to be a steady and predictable stream of new clients coming to your firm. Nothing pushes you back to working “IN” than a long, sustained dry spell of new clients.
- Operational Efficiency – Firm primary workflow processes need to be documented. Is your team able to produce predictable results to avoid burning them out?
- Financial Health – Cash flow and a solid balance sheet are non-negotiables. Cash is oxygen to a law firm.
- Tracking Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) – Your firm is tracking and reporting on the most important performance metrics in the firm. Usually, the KPIs are only 10-12 numbers.
- Delegation – Do you have team members to whom you can delegate tasks, ensuring your time is freed up for firm-level work?
4 – Plan it out
The most effective and safest way to make the shift is by doing it gradually. A year-long transition might feel slow, but it’s the most sustainable approach.
Planning out a year-long move requires clear and frequent communication with your team. There need to be clear accountability structures in place for your team–and you.
Getting a coach for you is a very worthwhile investment. They can be invaluable to keeping you on track and focused.
5 – Play to your strengths
Start with working on the firm areas of the business that excite you. Usually, we like tasks that are in our strengths.
Personally, I love marketing and growth. So I naturally lean into that part of the firm.
Conversely, I am too impatient to do the critical tasks of fine-tuning and documenting processes. I delegate those things to teammates who are better suited for it.
Focus on what you are good at and enjoy. Let others handle the rest.
6 – Build Your Delegation Muscle
Lastly, delegation is a skill that can’t be overemphasized.
It’s a skill that is never mastered. Think of it like a journey.
Every time I think there’s nothing left to delegate, I find something new that a teammate can do better than me.
So, if you’re at that point where you’re ready to shift from working in your firm to working on it, remember it’s a journey.
Plan it, communicate it, and lean into the support around you. This shift is challenging, but it’s also one of the most rewarding moves you can make.
Until the next post, keep growing as a leader—because everyone wins when the leader gets better.
Jeff
