Post on 11-Aug-2020
transcript
Strategic Blueprint
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Overview 3a. Law Practice Management will reengineer your office into an efficient and more profitable
firm. Familiar with lawyer dynamics and the economics of law firms, 3a. Law Practice Management
will analyze and interpret financial and management information and responses. Employees are
usually willing to discuss their perceptions about the firm and respond to our questions more readily.
We will recommend alternative approaches for achieving firm objectives.
The Strategic Blueprint is the process whereby 3a. Law Practice Management formulates
immediate and long-‐‑term goals as well as methods for achieving these objectives.
When properly developed and implemented, the Strategic Blueprint will enable staff
management and the partners to reach consensus on shared goals, identify qualitative and quantitative
benchmarks and develop an action plan that includes timetables and lawyer accountability for
performance. The Strategic Blueprint will serve as a guide for allocation of the firm'ʹs resources. It will
allow the firm to plan its lawyer activity more productively, i.e., the time spent on fee producing work,
practice development and image enhancement, management of administrative and substantive
activities, recruiting, etc.
The Strategic Blueprint process is usually undertaken in the following four phases:
Phase Approximate Timeline for Completion
Phase 1: Self Assessment 30 days from start
Phase 2: Analysis of Database 45 days from start
Phase 3: Present Action Plan Objectives 50 days from start
Phase 4: Implement Action Plan 60-‐‑90 days from start
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Phase 1: Self-‐‑Assessment.
This phase begins with a brainstorming session known as the Strategic Planning Meeting. It
involves the committee assigned to survey all or a representative number of staff through personal
interviews, questionnaires or a combination of both to obtain their perceptions about internal and
external trends that will have an effect on the firm.
The objective of this Strategic Planning Meeting is to discover the firm'ʹs Potential Improvement
Points (PIP). PIP issues that are usually addressed during the self-‐‑assessment underscore the following
themes:
(1.) The philosophy, objectives and plans currently guiding the firm;
(2.) The firm'ʹs culture;
(3.) The form and effectiveness of firm governance, organization and administration;
(4.) How effectively the firm'ʹs growth has been managed;
(5.) Partner/associate relationships, i.e., the ratio of associates to partners, classes of partners
and associates, criteria for admission to partnership, communications among and
between partners and associates, retirement planning, etc.;
(6.) Firm economics, i.e., partner satisfaction with gross revenue and net profit, individual
net income, hourly and billing expectation from partners and associates, etc.;
(7.) Areas of practice management, i.e., does the firm deliver legal services in a quality,
timely and profitable manner?;
(8.) Firm resources and capabilities, i.e., strengths and weaknesses, as related to resources,
reputation, services and legal market position;
(9.) Client perceptions and partner willingness and ability to sell legal services, etc.;
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(10.) An assessment of the legal market environment, including size, synergism, trends,
competition, client behavior, etc.;
(11.) A forecast of the political, social and economic forces of change that will affect the firm
and its clients.;
Once these PIPs are discovered, they are then divided into one of the following eight departments:
(1.) Compliance
(2.) Operations
(3.) Finance
(4.) Human Resources
(5.) Information Technology
(6.) Marketing
(7.) Quality Assurance
(8.) Professional Development
From there, the Job Task Dissection (attached without tasks) will eventually contain a current
snapshot view of all job tasks that resolve the identified PIPS as critical to ongoing success of the firm. It
is paramount that the right roles and responsibilities are assigned to the right employee based on their
skill set, behavioral work style and identified goals. The Action Plan will reallocate roles.
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Self-‐‑Assessment Preparation.
You can help prior to our Strategic Planning Meeting. It'ʹs simple. Just do this:
(1.) Read this Strategic Blueprint before the meeting;
(2.) Plan to communicate -‐‑ now is the opportunity;
(3.) Consider tasks categorized by the eight departments;
(4.) Consider tasks by resource and position;
(5.) Consider the deadlines for each function;
(6.) Consider the most pertinent processes;
(7.) Consider the forms and checklists that resemble the firm'ʹs brand;
(8.) Emphasis must be made on how the work is completed and how many steps it
takes to produce that output;
(9.) Sequence tasks by cause and effect;
(10.) Potential Letter Templates, i.e.:
a. Retainer & Welcome Packets;
b. Client Correspondence; and
c. Pleadings.
(11.) Potentials Forms, i.e.:
a. Client Intake Form;
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b. Employment Packets; and
c. Expense Reimbursement Form.
(12.) Potential Pipelines (timelines), i.e.:
a. Consultation;
b. Litigation; and
c. Marketing Referral.
(13.) Be Prepared to offer solutions with each identified PIP.
Good Luck.
Alvaro A. Arauz
3a. Law Practice Management
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