You Gotta Have a System

As I continue exploring ways to build the value of my law firm to reap the rewards now and on exit, one thing that I am focused on is systemizing firm operations.

“Strictly speaking, a law ‘practice’ and a law ‘business’ are not synonymous. Here’s the difference: a practice can’t function without the attorney. A business, on the other hand, relies on a well-trained staff, plus a carefully crafted set of systems. Which would you rather own?”  American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Top 100 E-Myth Attorney Tips, at 19. 

While many practices may have piecemeal routines, e.g., a template for drafting a real estate contract, I am striving for something much bigger than that.  To maximize the value of my firm and make operating it easier, I am aiming to implement documented processes for every facet of it (or as close as I can get to that goal).  I want to have written systems for everything from how to order office supplies to conduct a trial.  

Truth be told, though, I have grappled with trying to systemize for years.  Each time I tried to institute more structure, I made a bit of progress and then became overwhelmed with the task. 

Recently though, I have come to realize that if I truly want to build the value of my firm, systemizing is key.  “When you have employees who . . . own their responsibilities . . . and have documented procedures on how to deliver those responsibilities, the owner does not have to be involved in the day-to-day operations of the firm.  When looking at a firm from a valuation standpoint, nothing makes it more attractive than one that puts few (or no) demands on the owner.”  Brooke Lively, Exit on Top: Sell Your Law Firm to the Right Person at the Right Time for the Right Price, at 126.

To get past my own roadblock, I used a book called SYSTEMology by David Jenyns.  The book helped me understand that systemizing does not have to be done all at once and, perhaps more importantly, does not have to be done by me alone.  After reading the book and having my staff do the same, we are building the firm’s systems, day by day. 

Whether you use that book or another methodology, choose to rely on a consultant or delegate the task to a staff member, systemizing your firm will make your work life easier and, ultimately, your exit more profitable.