Strategic  Blueprint    

     

3a.  law  management  www.3alawmanagement.com

Overview    3a.  Law  Practice  Management  will  reengineer  your  office  into  an  efficient  and  more  profitable  

firm.  Familiar  with   lawyer  dynamics   and   the   economics  of   law   firms,  3a.  Law  Practice  Management  

will   analyze   and   interpret   financial   and   management   information   and   responses.   Employees   are  

usually  willing  to  discuss  their  perceptions  about  the  firm  and  respond  to  our  questions  more  readily.    

We  will  recommend  alternative  approaches  for  achieving  firm  objectives.    

 

The   Strategic   Blueprint   is   the   process   whereby   3a.   Law   Practice   Management   formulates  

immediate  and  long-­‐‑term  goals  as  well  as  methods  for  achieving  these  objectives.  

 

When   properly   developed   and   implemented,   the   Strategic   Blueprint   will   enable   staff  

management  and  the  partners  to  reach  consensus  on  shared  goals,  identify  qualitative  and  quantitative  

benchmarks   and   develop   an   action   plan   that   includes   timetables   and   lawyer   accountability   for  

performance.    The  Strategic  Blueprint  will  serve  as  a  guide  for  allocation  of  the  firm'ʹs  resources.  It  will  

allow  the  firm  to  plan  its  lawyer  activity  more  productively,  i.e.,  the  time  spent  on  fee  producing  work,  

practice   development   and   image   enhancement,   management   of   administrative   and   substantive  

activities,  recruiting,  etc.    

 

The  Strategic  Blueprint  process  is  usually  undertaken  in  the  following  four  phases:    

 

Phase   Approximate  Timeline  for  Completion  

Phase  1:  Self  Assessment   30  days  from  start  

Phase  2:  Analysis  of  Database   45  days  from  start  

Phase  3:  Present  Action  Plan  Objectives   50  days  from  start  

Phase  4:  Implement  Action  Plan   60-­‐‑90  days  from  start  

 

 

 

3a.  law  management  www.3alawmanagement.com

Phase  1:  Self-­‐‑Assessment.  

This  phase  begins  with  a  brainstorming  session  known  as   the  Strategic  Planning  Meeting.       It  

involves   the   committee   assigned   to   survey   all   or   a   representative   number   of   staff   through   personal  

interviews,   questionnaires   or   a   combination   of   both   to   obtain   their   perceptions   about   internal   and  

external  trends  that  will  have  an  effect  on  the  firm.    

The  objective  of  this  Strategic  Planning  Meeting  is  to  discover  the  firm'ʹs  Potential  Improvement  

Points  (PIP).  PIP  issues  that  are  usually  addressed  during  the  self-­‐‑assessment  underscore  the  following  

themes:  

(1.)   The  philosophy,  objectives  and  plans  currently  guiding  the  firm;  

(2.)   The  firm'ʹs  culture;  

(3.)   The  form  and  effectiveness  of  firm  governance,  organization  and  administration;  

(4.)   How  effectively  the  firm'ʹs  growth  has  been  managed;  

(5.)   Partner/associate  relationships,  i.e.,  the  ratio  of  associates  to  partners,  classes  of  partners  

and   associates,   criteria   for   admission   to   partnership,   communications   among   and  

between  partners  and  associates,  retirement  planning,  etc.;  

(6.)   Firm  economics,   i.e.,   partner   satisfaction  with  gross   revenue   and  net  profit,   individual  

net  income,  hourly  and  billing  expectation  from  partners  and  associates,  etc.;  

(7.)   Areas   of   practice   management,   i.e.,   does   the   firm   deliver   legal   services   in   a   quality,  

timely  and  profitable  manner?;  

(8.)   Firm   resources   and   capabilities,   i.e.,   strengths   and  weaknesses,   as   related   to   resources,  

reputation,  services  and  legal  market  position;  

(9.)              Client  perceptions  and  partner  willingness  and  ability  to  sell  legal  services,  etc.;  

3a.  law  management  www.3alawmanagement.com

(10.)   An   assessment   of   the   legal   market   environment,   including   size,   synergism,   trends,  

competition,  client  behavior,  etc.;  

(11.)   A  forecast  of  the  political,  social  and  economic  forces  of  change  that  will  affect  the  firm  

and  its  clients.;  

Once  these  PIPs  are  discovered,  they  are  then  divided  into  one  of  the  following  eight  departments:    

(1.)     Compliance  

(2.)     Operations    

(3.)     Finance  

(4.)     Human  Resources  

(5.)     Information  Technology    

(6.)     Marketing  

(7.)     Quality  Assurance    

(8.)     Professional  Development    

 

From   there,   the   Job  Task  Dissection   (attached  without   tasks)  will   eventually   contain  a   current  

snapshot  view  of  all  job  tasks  that  resolve  the  identified  PIPS  as  critical  to  ongoing  success  of  the  firm.  It  

is  paramount  that  the  right  roles  and  responsibilities  are  assigned  to  the  right  employee  based  on  their  

skill  set,  behavioral  work  style  and  identified  goals.      The  Action  Plan  will  reallocate  roles.  

   

3a.  law  management  www.3alawmanagement.com

Self-­‐‑Assessment  Preparation.  

You  can  help  prior  to  our  Strategic  Planning  Meeting.      It'ʹs  simple.    Just  do  this:    

(1.)     Read  this  Strategic  Blueprint  before  the  meeting;  

(2.)     Plan  to  communicate  -­‐‑  now  is  the  opportunity;  

(3.)     Consider  tasks  categorized  by  the  eight  departments;    

(4.)     Consider  tasks  by  resource  and  position;  

(5.)     Consider  the  deadlines  for  each  function;  

(6.)     Consider  the  most  pertinent  processes;  

(7.)     Consider  the  forms  and  checklists  that  resemble  the  firm'ʹs  brand;  

(8.)   Emphasis  must  be  made  on  how  the  work   is  completed  and  how  many  steps   it  

takes  to  produce  that  output;  

(9.)     Sequence  tasks  by  cause  and  effect;    

(10.)       Potential  Letter  Templates,  i.e.:    

      a.     Retainer  &  Welcome  Packets;  

      b.     Client  Correspondence;  and  

      c.     Pleadings.  

(11.)       Potentials  Forms,  i.e.:  

      a.   Client  Intake  Form;  

3a.  law  management  www.3alawmanagement.com

      b.   Employment  Packets;  and  

      c.   Expense  Reimbursement  Form.  

(12.)     Potential  Pipelines  (timelines),  i.e.:  

      a.   Consultation;  

      b.   Litigation;  and  

      c.   Marketing  Referral.  

(13.)     Be  Prepared  to  offer  solutions  with  each  identified  PIP.  

                                         Good  Luck.  

       

                                                                                             

                       Alvaro  A.  Arauz  

                     3a.  Law  Practice  Management            

 

 

 the  end.