What Makes a Family Law Firm Successful?

You've decided to open a family law firm. Now what? It takes a lot of planning and patience to see your firm grow from an idea into a bustling business. The most successful firms tick off the following boxes.

A solid business plan

A business plan helps you work out exactly what you want your practice to be and the resources you'll need to get it there.

Plenty of books and courses can help you develop a detailed plan, but in brief, your plan might cover:

• Goals: Impact you want to have, what you want to accomplish, etc.
• Budget: Fees you'll charge, operating costs, projected earnings, etc.
• Target demographic: Specialization in low- or high-conflict cases, LGBTQ families, father's rights, etc.
• Marketing strategy: Social media presence, TV commercials, billboards, blog posts, etc.
• Key team members: If this isn't a solo practice, how you'll organize the team and help your firm work together

Your business plan can evolve with your practice. If you meet your initial goals, set new ones. If there's a lull in your number of cases, adjust your budget. Having a plan helps you clearly see where you've been, where you're going and where you want to be.

Good branding

Family law is a crowded field. The right branding for your law firm is vital to attracting clients.

Your brand should demonstrate what your firm is all about and whom you set out to help. When potential clients recognize your brand, they're more likely to reach out.

A few things that will help you carve out a recognizable brand identity include:

• A memorable name or tagline
• An informative website
• A visually appealing logo

Good branding adds credibility to your firm and shows you've put a lot of time and thought into your business.

A client-first approach

You can't have a successful family law firm without clients. Show compassion for what your clients are going through, and make them feel respected and valued.

• Listen: Your client will have a lot to get off their chest. Take it all into account, even if it won't necessarily help their case, to show you want to fully understand their situation.
• Address their unique needs: Every case will be different. Take an individualized approach to get the best results.
• Be realistic: Setting unrealistic expectations will only disappoint your client if they don't come to fruition. Be honest about your client's chances of getting what they want.
• Keep them informed: Tell your client what's going on in their case in terms they can understand. Try to address their questions in a timely manner. Even if you don't have time to give a detailed answer, a simple response indicating that you received their inquiry helps.
• Be polite: Simple kindness goes a long way when building trust. Clients are more likely to confide in and listen to you if you're easy to get along with.

Satisfied clients

Earning a reputation for customer service, in addition to success, will help your family law firm attract more clients.

Online reviews play a big part in whether potential clients reach out to you. You may need to convince your clients to leave reviews. To do this:

• Remember to ask your clients for reviews and follow up if needed.
• Give them incentive, even if it's just pointing out that they'll be helping others in similar circumstances.
• Prepare a questionnaire for them to fill out.

Turning down cases you're not equipped to handle will also help you maintain a stellar record.

A strong network

Networking is an effective way to build a support system and possibly reach more clients.

To build a network:

• Keep in touch with your law school peers.
• Join your state's bar association.
• Attend conferences, seminars and social events.
• Build a social media presence.
• Find a mentor who has been in the profession longer.

Building rapport with judges, custody evaluators and others can help you in court.

Local presence

Visibility in your community naturally markets your firm. It lets locals know you're there to serve them and you're invested in your community.

A few effective methods of community outreach are:

• Local advertisements
• Teaching at the local college
• Renting a booth at fairs, markets, etc.
• Providing volunteer lawyer services

Knowledge of local judges

Each family court judge has their own preferences about everything from the preparation of documents to the presentation of exhibits.

Figure out what you can about how each judge operates their courtroom to best prepare your clients.

• Ask lawyers in your network about the judges.
• Call the judge's assistant ahead of time to ask about their preferences.
• Take notes for future reference.
• Read up on their past verdicts.

Judges can tell a well-organized lawyer from one who is ill-prepared. The impression you make in court can impact the outcome of your client's case.

Continually expanding legal knowledge

Staying up-to-date on changes to the law and industry standards helps lawyers best serve their clients. Seek out ways to expand your knowledge of family law.

• Be sure to fulfill continuing legal education requirements.
• Consider earning certifications in collaborative divorce and other areas to expand your clientele.
• Ask for feedback from clients and professionals in your network to find ways to improve.
• Read legal journals for the latest on family law.

Effective use of technology

Technology helps streamline the operation of your family law firm.

• Video conferencing makes initial consultations and meetings with clients easier. Some lawyers even choose to have 100% virtual practices.
• Custody X Change for professionals helps you manage your custody clients. You can create parenting plans, draw up schedule options, keep tabs on actual parenting time and more.
• Family Law Software does complex divorce math for you, including property division, 401K distribution calculation so you can prepare a QDRO, and spousal and child support calculation.
• Legal software like Clio helps with everything from billing to document storage.