The Managing Attorney's Role in a Family Law Firm
Jeff Sterling Hughes
Straight Talk on Growing Family Law Firm from 0 to 25 Attorneys & $15M | CEO of Sterling Lawyers
Welcome to J Sterling Hughes Insider. Today, we're exploring:
The Managing Attorney's Role in a Family Law Firm
The second most important role in a family law firm is the managing attorney.
There is no real debate on this point.
In the vast majority of family law firms, the founder/owner sits in two seats: (1) the president and (2) the managing attorney.?
The president sets the strategy, casts the vision, models the culture and many other “presidential” type things.
The managing attorney leads the lawyers and legal support staff. These teammates coach lawyers, engage clients, and fulfill the firm’s promises.?
The majority of law firm founders l-o-v-e the managing attorney job and can comfortably do it very well.? So, that’s where they stay. These leaders thrive in both seats.
Family law firms led by leaders who are the president/managing attorney typically stop growing at five to six attorneys.?
Conversely, a small minority of founders desire to move out of the managing attorney role so they can focus on being the president and thus build a larger firm.?
This is where it gets tricky.
This article is about how founders can move out of the managing attorney role, thus opening up the firm for growth beyond six(ish) attorneys.?
Who is a Managing Attorney?
A managing attorney is both an (1) exceptionally skilled family law attorney and an (2) effective leader.
Candidly, finding both of these qualities in one attorney is almost as hard as finding a Unicorn.??
It’s imperative that they are an excellent family lawyer who is skilled in the courtroom and has mastery of family law. They cannot lead without the respect of the attorneys that they are managing.?
Even if you find an excellent family lawyer, most don’t want to lead other attorneys. Leadership is a hard job with complex layers of stress and responsibility.
Once you’ve checked the box on finding an excellent family lawyer, they must also be an effective leader.
Usually, their technical lawyer skills will be way ahead of their leadership skills. That’s to be expected.
They can learn to lead.? Leadership is simply influence. It can be taught and acquired like any other skill.?
What a Managing Attorney Does
A managing attorney is analogous to a football quarterback or a symphony conductor. They have to know what everyone on the legal team is supposed to do and how to do it.
This is some of what they do:
How to Find a Managing Attorney
Look within your firm first. We have had the most success promoting from within.??
They already know your firm's values and culture, and they understand what makes your practice special.?
We also intentionally seek to hire lawyers who have leadership upside as they mature and grow. The goal is to build a bench of leaders.??
All things being equal, the firm with the most leaders wins.?
Put most of your energy into growing this internal talent.?
If there are no viable candidates internally, looking externally is the only remaining option.??
To do this, cast as wide a net as possible. Be patient and prepare for a long process.? Don’t rush. Be prepared to pay at the top of the market for this talent.
The lawyering skills will be fairly simple to assess. It's evaluating the leadership effectiveness that will be the greatest challenge.?
To do this best, talk to as many people as possible about the candidate's ability to influence. Remember that past performance is the best predictor of future performance.?
I love asking “Why do you want to lead?”? The answer, if truthful, will go a long way to letting you know their leadership fitness. Look for answers that are servant-focused, not for self-satisfaction.?
How to Lead a Managing Attorney
The formula to lead a managing attorney is simple:
Let’s break this down.
Once you've found the right person, set them up to win by giving them clear and simple targets to aim for.?
The fewer goals, the better.? For example, our managing attorneys are incentivized by gross margin and client satisfaction scores. Those are their two big targets.?
Managing attorneys need absolute clarity on what success looks like. Lack of clarity is the biggest demotivator in family law firms.
Be prepared to regularly coach them along the way.? Expect to have daily check-ins at the start. Then, as the managing attorney gains skill and confidence, make it a weekly check-in.??
It’s important that the founder not check out once the hire is made.? Be present and emphasize support.?
Finally, it’s critical that the founder get out of their way and let the managing attorney lead their way. Micromanaging will sabotage their success.?
Expect mistakes. This is part of the learning process. Help them feel free to take risks and fail.?
When you get this balance right, your managing attorney will lift up your whole firm – not just meeting standards, but setting new ones.
Washington Justices OK Pilot To Relax Regs For Non-Lawyers
https://www.law360.com/pulse/courts/articles/2270448/wash-justices-ok-pilot-to-relax-regs-for-non-lawyers Dec 8, 2024
Summary: The Washington Supreme Court has approved a pilot program allowing non-lawyer-owned entities to provide legal services under regulated conditions. This initiative aims to enhance access to legal assistance by permitting innovative business models and technologies to operate within the legal sector. The program will run for up to ten years, during which data will be collected to assess its impact on service quality and accessibility.
Jeff’s Take: This is another baby step toward deregulation. Note that this is a 10-year study to gather data on the topic. It seems clear that deregulation will ultimately happen. But, I don’t see this happening on a widespread basis for at least 12 to 15 years from now. The lawyer lobbies are just too powerful.
Repealing no-fault divorce has so far stalled across the US. Some worry that'll change
https://www.myjournalcourier.com/features/article/talk-no-fault-divorce-fading-rushing-court-19944644.php Dec 9, 2024
Summary: For the last 50 years, no-fault divorce laws have been instrumental in simplifying the dissolution of marriages by eliminating the need to prove fault, such as adultery or cruelty. However, there have been discussions and legislative efforts in some states to modify or repeal these laws, aiming to make divorce more challenging in hopes of preserving marriages. Despite these efforts, significant changes to no-fault divorce laws have not been widely implemented, and experts suggest that substantial alterations are unlikely in the near future.
Jeff’s Take: I didn’t know this was a “thing” or that anyone was talking about it. I personally wish weddings and divorce were harder to get. I don’t see this going anywhere in any state. There seem to be much bigger issues to deal with.