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“Knowledge is Power” Sir Francis Bacon - 1597
My experiences tell me this is only true IF that knowledge is executed correctly. I would argue the skill, and manner, of execution is far more important than knowledge itself.
I would guess most law firms have 95%+ of the knowledge they require but are not executing their plan, through all levels of the business, at a similarly high rate.
After 7 years of being a Director in a law firm I took the decision to instruct a legal consultant for a dual purpose. To provide feedback on me AND the business.
The key benefit I gained (and therefore the business gained), via the legal consultant, was policing me and holding me to my vision and standards.
I was “over chunked”.
Each day emails, calls, internal, and external, requests for support and problem solving ended up distracting me from the areas I knew needed much of my focus.
Having seen first-hand the benefits of the right legal consultant being hired I began to think about how I could create a company, which would bring together similar minded professionals, to help law firm managers.
One of the most damning statements I have read regarding the legal profession is:
“in 2017 it was reported that lawyers suffer the most from stress of any profession in the UK”.
It is one thing knowing what needs doing, but it is another being in the right mental and physical condition to execute your ideas in a way which benefits, both you and, your business.
Managing a firm is very rewarding, but (you can smell the but coming!), also incredibly challenging when under such immense pressure and stress.
Had I instructed the right legal consultant years earlier there is no doubt in my mind the business and I would have benefitted hugely. I decided to create a legal consultancy business where experienced law firm managers could join forces and use their skills and experience to benefit any law firm.
Having written my plan, for a multifunctioning legal consultancy business, I placed it on my fridge. One evening, as I opened the fridge (god knows what for as there is only ever milk, water, butter in there!), I saw a note from my 7-year-old son Joshua. The note was placed by Joshua on top of my plan with two fridge magnets holding it up.
“DO IT!”
That I did.
So here we are!
Our aim is to provide you, and your firm, with all the benefits of adding industry leading expertise to your executive, and non-executive board, without the expense and reduction in control encountered in doing so.
We want to a be a key partner in your journey.
Irrelevant of the size, experience, and current performance of your business it is our firm belief every law firm would benefit from the right legal consultant.
As an example, is your recruitment and training as good as it should be? Many say it is not the staff you hire that kill you it’s the one you didn’t fire. Well, perhaps if recruitment and training was better implemented …….
How accurate are your financial projections? We have worked on projections which have predicted the next 3 months income within 5% of performance. How do your projections measure up?
What is the standard of your daily, weekly and monthly reporting? Are you receiving the key details in the most efficient format?
What are your monthly management meetings like? (assuming you have them of course!!) How effective are they?
The above are just a few examples of key areas of the business where the right overview, analysis and support can lead to highly positive improvements and results.
When we spoke with law firm managers in respect of why they might not want to hire a legal consultant we received a range of responses…….
1. Not sure I/we need one (having never tried);
2. I/we won’t ever use one again (having had a bad experience);
3. Don’t’ want/need someone telling me what to do;
4. Don’t want someone knowing our/my business;
5. Cost and value for money concerns;
6. Not thought about it before.
Ok, so 1) above ….. of course, that is your view because you have never experienced working with a legal consultant. No law firm manager would ever believe their business to be perfect but why not strive to get as damn close as possible to perfection? There is very little to lose, and huge potential gains, by hiring the right legal consultant.
In respect of 2) a bad experience in the past…….. you’ve taken the decision to instruct a third party and felt let down. Was that down to them or you? What would you want differently from a legal consultant to make it work next time? Set those parameters at the onset and a bad experience, in the past, could be the key to a great achievement in the future.
3)……… Having worked so hard, and overcome so many challenges, to work in a management team, the last thing you feel like you need is someone telling you what to do. That is not what the leading consultants do though. The best consultants find out from you, and your team, what the aims of the business are, where you are at (both as a business and personally), what resources you require and how do we achieve those aims in the most efficient manner. You set the rules, the goals and work together on the process.
4) Both internally and externally there are risks of IP or key clients coming under attack. Whether it be from rival firms, or employees wanting to leave to start up on their own, privacy and business IP is a key concern. We have all the right legal agreements in place to protect the firm when they instruct us. Privacy, confidentiality and protection of your key assets is one of our main focuses of attention and one where we believe we can strengthen your firms’ position, both internally and externally.
Cost and value concerns in 5) above. Legal consultancy need not be pricey. The best legal consultants will grow with you and look for long term partnerships and not just a “quick buck”.
Not thought about it before as per 6) above. Well hopefully this article provides plenty of food for thought!
When I hired a legal consultant, I found many benefits and we believe you will also similarly benefit:
As you can see hiring the right legal consultant can be a fantastic benefit to you and your firm.
Don’t just take our word for it……………….
Additional testimonials are available at here.
“I believe J & J Legal Consultancy to be a perfect fit for any firm of solicitors. The experience Sean has gained over the last decade are second to none. Sean has been involved in every area of management in a solicitor’s practice. Sean has worked successfully on many different projects, such as, researching and diversifying in to new areas of claim, successfully converting to an ABS, raising working capital, working with litigation funders in respect of unique funding lines, amongst many others. I could not recommend him more highly to any firm of solicitors seeking a non-executive director or support in the management of their firm.”
“Having worked with Sean for a number of years in his capacity as Director of High Street Solicitors, we have been most impressed by his expertise in a wide variety of legal areas but also his dedication to our business relationship. Sean has always found the time, in an increasingly busy day, to engage in detailed conversations about specific cases, thus ensuring we always have a full overview of his practice, and sometimes an education on a new area of law! His knowledge combined with his easy going and honest approach has meant we have built a strong relationship with Sean and his former solicitor practice. We would highly recommend Sean to any solicitor firm looking to expand their business.”
“Having worked with the people behind J&J Legal Consultancy, it’s a service you could not do without. The legal services market is ever changing, traditional high street firms are finding the going tough and now must compete with LegalTech in an ever-innovative sector.
It’s very reassuring to know that we have a team of experts just a phone call away to help us protect the business, work through strategy on new projects and provide assistance across all areas of the firm. Their proactive approach has helped us to evolve to remain relevant in the market place.
I would have no hesitation in recommending J&J Legal Consultancy to any business, big or small - they are in my view, worth their weight in gold!”