The Business of Family Law
| Jurisdiction | United States,Federal |
| Author | Written by Jaime N. Cage, CFLS |
| Citation | Vol. 45 No. 1 |
| Publication year | 2023 |
Written by Jaime N. Cage, CFLS
"Lawyers who own their own practices usually earn less than those who work in law firms or other business establishments."1 - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Family law attorneys are amongst the hardest working, dedicated, skilled, and well-rounded attorneys in the legal profession. Not only must they master the Family Code, the Evidence Code, the Code of Civil Procedure, and all State and Local Rules of Court, but they are also required to become skilled in many other disciplines like forensic accounting and psychology to excel. Although law school does not teach attorneys how to become Chief Executive Officers, family law attorneys are notorious for "hanging their shingle". This article will explore what is required to be successful in the business of family law.
A great leader must master the art of delegation, "one of the most difficult transitions for leaders to make is the shift from doing to leading".2 Many family law firms struggle to grow because their leaders do not make the shift from doing to leading. The legal community generally measures success in terms of billable rates, trial skills, and practice accolades. Often, firm owners focus on being the best possible trial attorney and practice management becomes an afterthought. Although being a tremendous litigator can garner an attorney a great reputation and a healthy client referral base, it will leave little time for much else, to the detriment of the business of family law. Balancing client work with business operations is a key component to firm success.
When thinking of going out on their own, many young associates erroneously do basic math, multiplying their hourly rate by the number of hours they bill, and believe they can earn significantly more money as a solo practitioner. These calculations fail to account for the finite number of hours in each day and the added responsibilities of firm management, not to mention overhead costs.
Firm owners need to decide what percentage of their time to devote to the practice of law versus management of their firm. This should be an ongoing discussion, especially in partnerships. If both partners want to be busy trial lawyers always in court, who will run the practice? A successful family law firm needs to identify a partner who is interested in being more entrepreneurial or hire a non-lawyer to assist with practice management. You can't do it all.
To make your firm stand out, decide what your firm stands for outside of the reputation of its owners. Establishing a business around one or two individuals is not conducive to sustained long-term growth. The firm should have a mission to present to staff and clients alike.
Focusing on common beliefs and goals will help identify your ideal client. Of course, family law litigators want affluent and intelligent clients, but which client-type do you enjoy working with most? Which case-
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type will generate the most revenue for the business? Is this based on the subject matter of the case? Geographic location of the lead? Overall estate size? A combination of these considerations? Knowing these answers can help your firm build its brand. Branding professionals are available to assist the firm in creating a logo and brand messaging to have continuity on all firm communications from the website to business cards and the letterhead.
Law firm owners need to become educated in search engine optimization, online marketing, and paid advertising. With your ideal client and case-type in mind, you can partner with marketing...
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