89
A Tale of Two Lean Law Firms: Starting Lean and Becoming Lean Contact: [email protected] Phone: 208.388.1257 Visit: LeanLaw.co Helping Lawyers Create Lean Practices
| Date post: | 20-Jan-2017 |
| Category: |
Education |
| Upload: | gary-allen |
| View: | 117 times |
| Download: | 0 times |
A Tale of Two Lean Law Firms: Starting Lean and Becoming Lean
Contact: [email protected]: 208.388.1257
Visit: LeanLaw.co
Helping Lawyers Create Lean Practices
Meet Your Presenter:
GARY ALLENFounder &
CEOPracticing Attorney
Because Lawyers Are Heroes
LeanLaw Helps Solos & Small Firms Be EfficientAbout Us
Today’s Agenda
Why go lean?How to start a lean firm
How to become leanShould you DIY?
Questions
WHY GO LEAN?
Four Reasons to Go Lean$$$
SurvivalBetter serve societyEthical compliance
$$$
Not satisfied with:
Lawyers in Traditional Firms Grumbly
Stuck in the Overhead Swamp
Lean Practice = The Way Out
4 ADMINS
Overhead$/Atty/Year % of Revenue
5 ATTORNEYS
Meet a Traditional Firm
$12k - $18k mo. 35% - 55%
Overhead$/Atty/Year % of Revenue
5 ATTORNEYS
Lean Firms Are Different
$2k - $4k mo. <20%
>1 ADMIN
Where Does Overhead Go?
Billing
Document Management
Document Creation
CommunicationCalendar
ManagementGeneral/Insurance
Practice Devel-opmentPractice Man-
agement
Lean Firms = Profitable
Lower overheadMore flexible
More resources for marketingMore competitive for talent
Survival
Headed for Disruption Falls
A Perfect Storm of Economic Forces Market response:
Falling Demand
1 Georgetown Law, Center for Study of the Legal Profession, 2014 Report on the State of the Legal Market.
0%
-5%
2005-8CAGR
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Y/Y % change
+5%
Massive Technology Disruption
Endangered Species?
“As for much smaller firms with very few partners . . . I find it hard to imagine how these legal businesses will survive in the long run.”
Richard Susskind, Tomorrow’s Lawyers
Lean Firms = Competitive
Facilitates new business modelsFixed fees
Outsourced lit support & transactional due diligence
Customized Rocket Lawyer
Serve Society
Justice for All?
Lean Firms = Better Service
More affordableBetter service
More pro bonoHappier clients/happier lawyers
Ethical Compliance
The Ethical Quagmire
Unknowable threats from everywhere
Why a Quagmire?
Compliance determined after something bad has happened
Why a Quagmire?
Rule 1.1 – CompetencyRule 1.6 – ConfidentialityRule 5.3 – Supervision of Nonlawyers
Bottom Line: “Reasonable Efforts” Required
Rule Changes Regarding Technology
Lean Firms = Ethical Compliance
More ModernMore Secure
More PreparedMore Skilled
STARTING LEAN
How to Start a Lean FirmBusiness Fundamentals5 Rules of Lean Practice
Creating a Lean FoundationLean Workflows
Business Fundamentals
Business Fundamentals
Know Your WhyUnderstand the Lean Concept
Get in the Right MindsetBe Accountable
Know Your Why
Understand The Concept
Lean Practice =Measurable Goals
Behavior Change + Technology
Get in the Right Mindset
Make it a Team Effort
Culture
Buy in
Include all stakeholders
Two-way conversation
Accept Doing Some of the Work
Old Thinking Today’s Thinking
5 Rules of Lean Practice
Lean Practice Rules
#1: The Cloud Is the Future#2: Use Industry Standard Tools#3: Be In Sync#4: Back Up#5: Be Secure
Rule #1: The Cloud Is The Future
The Cloud Is Safe
Culture of SecurityBuilt for Security
Newer Authentication and InfrastructureIT practices will always beat yours
The Cloud Is The Safest Place for Your DataPHYSICAL STORAGE
The Cloud Is The Safest Place For Your DataCLOUD STORAGE
Rule #2: Choose Industry Standard Tools for Core WorkFlows
Documents Billing/AccountingEmailCalendarContactsWord processing
Tool Selection
Favor one tech ecosystem (Microsoft, Apple, Google)
Prioritize: “Must have” v. “want to have”
Open environments = flexibility
Rule #3: Be In Sync
All devicesAlways in syncAll the timeAll dataAnywhere
Rule #4: Back Up
3 Copies/2 Locations/1 OffsiteCloud-basedAutomatic
Rule #5: Be Secure
Partner-level discussionIndividual action
PasswordsMobile/biometric
Foundations of Lean Practice
Foundations of Lean Practice
InternetScannerOffice
Foundations
Is Your Internet Pipe Big Enough?
Foundations
Scanner
OR
Foundations
What Is A Bona Fide Office?
Lean Workflows
Lean Workflows
Billing
Document Management
Document Creation
CommunicationCalendar
ManagementGeneral/Insurance
Practice Devel-opmentPractice Man-
agement
Billing
Billing
Document Man-agement
Document CreationCommunication
Calendar Man-agement
General/Insurance
Practice Develop-
mentPractice Management
Billing
Lean Leaders: Key Considerations:
Fully integrated workflowWill attorneys input time? Review drafts onlineE-invoicing/payment
Best Add-Ons:
Document Management
BillingDocument
Management
Document Creation
CommunicationCalendar
ManagementGeneral/In-
surance
Practice De-velopmentPractice
Management
Document Management
Lean Leaders:Key Considerations:
Less paperIntegration with practice managementEase of useE-filing compatibility
Best Add-Ons: Outsourcing – think quality, cost, specialization,
consent
Document Creation
Billing
Document Man-agement
Document Creation
CommunicationCalendar Man-
agementGeneral/In-
surancePractice Develop-
mentPractice Management
Document Creation
Lean Leaders:Key Considerations:
Templates easy to find and useFormattingFinalization, delivery & filing
Best Add-Ons:
Communication
Billing
Document Man-agement
Document Creation
Communication Calendar Management
General/In-surance
Practice Develop-
mentPractice Management
Lean Leaders:
Key ConsiderationsOrganizing and filingContact management
Best add ons
Phone
Lean Leaders: Key Considerations:
Cost v. valueFeatures
• Is mobile enough?• VOIP?• Desktop?• Connectivity to other apps?
Alternatives:
Receptionist
Calendar Management
Billing
Doc-ument Man-age-ment
Doc-umen
t Cre-ation
Communication
Calendar Management
Gen-eral/In-
surance
Practice Development
Practice Management
Calendar Management
Lean Leaders:
Key Considerations:Integration with base calendar
Best Add-Ons:
Practice Development
Billing
Document Man-agement
Document Creation
CommunicationCalendar
ManagementGeneral/In-
surance
Practice Devel-opment
Practice Management
Practice Development
How do lawyers get clients?
Lean Leaders:
Practice Management
Billing
Document Man-agement
Document CreationCommunication
Calendar Man-agement
General/Insurance
Practice Develop-
ment
Practice Man-agement
Practice Management
Lean Leaders:
Key Considerations:How will you use?Cost?Better specialty tool?
Best Add-Ons:
Becoming Lean
Becoming Lean
Why change?Managing change
MigrationWhere to start
Why change?
Managing Change
Lead by exampleTeam effortOne step at a timeDon’t let one partner
stop you
Migration
TechnologyData
Where to Start
It’s a marathon not a sprintCreate the mindsetFollow the rulesLay the foundation
One core workflow at a timeSet a goalExecuteRepeat
Should you DIY?
Questions?
LEANLAW.CO
Contact: [email protected]: 208.388.1257
Visit: LeanLaw.co
Helping Lawyers Create Lean Practices
facebook.com/LeanLawco
linkedin.com/company/leanlaw
twitter.com/leanlawco
