The Academy is all about systems. We believe that if your law firm is not organized with the systems running the practice and the people running the systems you are bound to get inconsistent results, confusion among staff and a haphazard client experience. Yet when I talk with experienced attorneys around the country their comments are uniformly the same: No we don’t have any written systems.

I remind them that they do, indeed have systems, even if they’re not written down. The default systems in most firms are the staff member’s way of doing things laid down by each departing employee on their way out the door. That is if you’re lucky enough to have an employee that actually gives you proper notice when they leave.

Systems are your way of saying, “This is how we do things here. This how we answer the phone. This is how we meet with clients. This is how we draft documents and pleadings. This is how we dress. Whatever it is that is going to set your firm apart and brand it with your way of doing things will be found in your unique systems.

My suggestion is to start looking at every part of your firm’s processes from the largest to the smallest and begin writing them down, better yet flowchart them. Have all employees set aside time each week to create a binder outlining every detail of their job. Make it an ongoing project that you monitor as closely as you watch your cash flow.

When it’s done, you’ll never fear those unexpected resignation notices and, more importantly you’ll take pride in knowing the firm is a reflection of your unique vision.

Robert Armstrong
President and Co-Founder
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
9444 Balboa Avenue, Suite 300
San Diego, California 92123
Phone: (858) 453-2128
www.aaepa.com

Tags: Estate Planning, Estate Planning Education, law firm practice management, Law Firm Systems, Legal Education, legal marketing, Practice Building Strategy, Processes, Robert Armstrong, Unique Systems, Written Systems

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