Birds, Feathers and the proverbial Flocking

You must have heard the proverb "Birds of a feather flock together". Many attach a negative interpretation to it, me on the other hand turning it into a positive one. I often read Frank Ramos' tidbits on how to present and run a successful legal practice. While I agree you must have the technical skills down pat, there is another element of success we tend to overlook.

I have recently joined SFG Paralegal Services, Vaughan, Ontario - up until now I was a sole practitioner. It does have its perks when you work alone and nobody is on your case, but comes a time when you need to expand and find the right environment for you. I have known the founder of SFG Paralegal Services for many years, as a matter of fact we have envisioned a joint venture since we crossed paths, but as you know, life got in the way. Finally the opportunity presented itself late 2017 to revisit this old plan. Fortunately, the timing was right and as of January 2018, I joined forces.

What made me to give up my "independence" ? In one word: TRUST. I trust the people I work with on a daily bases. Not only their professional knowledge is superb, but also their integrity both towards me and to our clients. Trust in business is a precious commodity, at the end of the day we are in it to make money and if possible generous profit (nothing is wrong with that). The road to get to that goal can be long, winding and full of landmines. Therefore, knowing your business partners have your back is priceless.

My advice is, before you even think about merging your practice into another, do your homework. Get to know your future partners, follow their practices, see them interacting with each other, have an overall feel of their workplace. Thorough preparation can save you tears, pain and disappointment. I am lucky, I love flocking together with my birds.