Episode: 12
5/20/2016
Host: RJon Robins – Owner & CEO
How To Manage A Small Law Firm
Jason Castillo
Attorney Credits
Continuing Legal Education
Heather Z. Bliss
Divorce & Family Law
Law Office of Heather Z. Bliss, Inc., P.S.
Robert Gruler
Criminal Defence
R&R Law Group
Mike Clarke
Civil Litigation, Personal Injury, Estate Planning
Clarke Griffin, LLC
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Lightning Round
Question 1-A: It is good practice to allow your whole staff to be part of the hiring decision process when interviewing new candidates to add to your team.
– Mike Clarke
Answer 1-A: I said True to question #1. Now that I’m looking at the wording of the question, I change my answer. However, having all of the teams buy-in for a hiring decision may be helpful depending on the size of the team and the candidates position. Our receptionist is the voice and face for the firm (usually the first contact with the firm, and sometimes the last) and interacts will all team members daily. In my recent hiring of a receptionist, I chose to get buy-in from my whole office as part of my new policy of hiring slow. I wanted to make sure I didn’t miss any clues indicating the person was not a good fit. Although my last 3 hires have been successes, my first 8 hires were horribly bad. I would say it is a good practice to consider having your whole staff be part of the hiring decision.
Question 1-B: It is good practice to allow your whole staff to be part of the hiring decision process when interviewing new candidates to add to your team.
Panelist – Jason Castillo:
Answer 1-B: False. While I think it is beneficial to get feedback from key members of the team, I do not think that allowing the whole staff to be part of the hiring process is a wise decision.
Question 2: Recruiting new clients is easier than retaining old ones.
Panelist – Jason Castillo:
Answer 2: False. Existing clients have expectations that must be continually met or exceeded. New clients do not have these expectations. (I would analogize it to personal relationships – I think its harder to stay married than it is to date.)
Question 3: CLE speaking engagements can be helpful to build credibility within the legal community, but they are not helpful in gaining new clients.
Panelist – Jason Castillo:
Answer 3: First part true, second part false. Yes, CLE speaking helps to build credibility AND with potential clients. When you present a CLE course, you are the expert that is teaching fellow attorneys. This makes you look like an expert on the subject in the eyes of potential clients.
Question 4-A: Running a virtual office is not sustainable in the long term as your law firm grows.
Panelist – Robert Gruler:
Answer 4-A: I answered true to this question and stand by that response. Law firms have a culture that must be nurtured and maintained. Many issues arise in a law firm that require teamwork to resolve. The best environment to accomplish these goals is through personal interaction in an office setting. Law is a people business and creating hubs where people can meet and collaborate generates culture and a sense teamwork where employees and customers can thrive.
Question 4-B: Running a virtual office is not sustainable in the long term as your law firm grows.
Panelist – Jason Castillo:
Answer 4-B: False. Personal contact is still incredibly important for some, but many people in our society – and especially millennials – now prefer to communicate through electronic mediums like Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and other social media channels. Personal contact is less important to these people, and Facetime & Skype can now replace in-person meetings and contact. My one caveat is that virtual practice may not be sustainable for all practices – a virtual family law practice might be difficult to sustain and grow.
Question 5: You should only enter into law firm partnerships with attorneys who can sell as much or more in legal services than you.
Panelist – Jason Castillo:
Answer 5: False. Every attorney has different strengths and weaknesses. While some attorneys excel at bringing in business, others prefer to stick to the practice of law. The attorneys skill sets complement each other in some of the most successful partnerships I’ve seen – one attorney excels at bringing in new clients and business and the other attorney(s) focuses more on the cases and the practice of law.
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