Client Selection: Choose Your Own Adventure

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In the 1980s and 1990s, a popular series of children’s books called "Choose Your Own Adventure" captivated young readers with their engaging, interactive narratives. These books allowed readers to make decisions for the main character at crucial plot junctures, with each decision leading to a different story outcome.

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Many lawyers and law firm owners forget that the best part of having a law firm is that you get to choose the people and businesses you want to work with as clients. We are often too focused on making sure we have enough clients and worried that no one will hire us that we neglect targeting the right clients. This concept of selecting your path isn't just a children's game—it’s a crucial strategy for law firm growth and success. In the legal profession, the clients we choose to represent are the plot junctures of our professional story. Just as every decision made in a 'Choose Your Own Adventure' book impacts the storyline, every client we select can significantly influence the direction, growth, and overall satisfaction we get from our practice.

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The Importance of Client Selection

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The importance of being selective about client intake cannot be overstated. Every law firm has limited resources: time, energy, and expertise. When these resources are spent on cases that don’t align with the firm’s focus, the practice will stumble off course. The wrong clients can drain resources, decrease job satisfaction, and stunt the firm’s growth. In contrast, the right clients can invigorate a practice, fueling growth and increasing professional enjoyment.

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Defining The 'Right' Client

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The right client isn't a one-size-fits-all definition. It’s a client that aligns with your firm’s specific values, expertise, and goals. They respect your time, pay promptly, and communicate effectively. They bring cases that fit within your area of expertise, enabling you to fully leverage your skills and knowledge.

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Something that is often overlooked is that the right client often leads to other right clients, creating a ripple effect of positive growth. Just as in a 'Choose Your Own Adventure' book, each correct decision brings you closer to the desired outcome. Keep in mind that the correct decision for you may not be the correct decision another firm makes because you are each targeting your own version of the right client.

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Navigating the Adventure

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So how can law firms ensure they’re selecting the right path in their client intake process?

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First, clear vision and values are crucial. Law firms must understand their mission, area of expertise, and the type of clients they want to serve. If you do not know your own mission and expertise, you will have a hard time attracting the right clients to your firm. This clarity will guide decision-making when faced with potential clients.

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Second, effective communication is vital from the first interaction. This helps to establish expectations and boundaries, ensuring a mutually beneficial relationship. The ‘right’ client for your firm will be the one who fits your communication style and systems that you have set up. For example, if you do not accept phone calls and all communication goes through your client portal, the ‘right’ client will understand and appreciate the systems you have in place, if they are outlined and effectively explained from the beginning of the representation.

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Third, a robust screening process can help to identify the right clients. Some strategies for a robust screening process include conducting an initial consultation to gauge the fit, charging a fee for the initial consultation, reviewing of the potential client’s history and reputation, and carefully analyzing of the case’s alignment with the firm’s focus. If a client does not fit the firm’s definition of the right client, say no. Refer the matter to another firm, especially if you can identify that the client is the right client for someone else. A superpower to develop is matching networking partners to their right clients, which could be its own article (and probably will!).

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Don’t Choose All of the Adventures

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Running a successful law firm can be likened to navigating a 'Choose Your Own Adventure' book. The decisions made at each plot juncture—in this case, marketing, client pipeline, and then client intake—can significantly influence the firm’s trajectory. There are those of us who really loved these books as kids and intentionally had to go through each one to try all the options. In the real world, it is not recommended that you take on all the clients just to see how it turns out. Pick the path with the end goal in mind and create a client experience designed for those who are your right clients.

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By being picky about client selection, lawyers are choosing the right path for their unique adventure and enjoying the ride. As with any great adventure, the journey of building a successful law firm is filled with critical decisions. By adopting a 'Choose Your Own Adventure' mindset, law firms get to choose the story they want to have with their clients, and it starts with welcoming the right clients into the firm.

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Select your clients wisely and enjoy the journey. Your law firm's adventure awaits!