Your law degree might have prepared you for complex litigation, but running your own legal practice is another thing altogether. As senior counsel at your own firm, you’re responsible for everything from finding the right talent to grow your practice to procuring new clients. In other words, you have to start thinking like an entrepreneur as well as a litigator.
Law firms and other small businesses might be different in many ways, but most of their keys to success are the same. Continue reading to get some tips that have helped other small businesses conquer their markets.
Recruit top talent.
As you know, there are plenty of talented lawyers in Canada. In fact, there are over 120,000 lawyers in the country, and they’re all highly qualified. However, if you want to bring in the best of the best, you need the proper recruiting tools.
Believe it or not, your competition is looking to snatch up the brightest prospects the moment they receive their law degree from the Osgoode Hall Law School at York University. That means you have to be more aggressive in your recruiting efforts to have a shot at competing with the rest of the field.
As the founder and senior counsel of Nava Wilson LLP, Malliha Wilson prioritizes diversity as part of her recruiting best practices. She realizes that representation matters to clients, and they’re more comfortable when they have an attorney who can identify with their unique situation. As the first visible minority to serve as Assistant Deputy Attorney General to the Ontario Government and present human rights cases to the Supreme Court of Canada, Malliha understands the critical nature of diverse representation in the legal profession. If you’re looking at how to hire, one way is to make sure you prioritize representation the way Malliha’s law firm does.
Invest in digital marketing.
People are turning to web browsers more and more to find the products and services they need. With that in mind, it’s paramount to your law firm’s success that you invest time and capital in digital marketing.
One of the most effective digital marketing techniques is content marketing. By creating content that explains fundamental legal concepts and provides basic legal advice, you can greatly increase your online presence and visibility.
Driving organic traffic to your website is one of the best ways to grow your customer base and improve your search engine rankings. Aside from the fact you can do your own digital marketing and it’s effective, the best thing about it is it’s affordable.
Create the right look and feel in your office.
The aesthetic appeal of your law office is as much a part of your marketing as your online ads and social media posts. When prospective clients enter your building, you want them to feel relieved that they’ve come to the right place to settle their legal issues.
“Canvas N Decor” is a family-owned business that specializes in creating fine art prints and canvas prints of favorite photos. Canvas N Decor offers some of the best photo printing Canada has ever seen. Their fine art prints can give your office the look of prestige you’re going for.
Build a company culture of employee engagement and client satisfaction.
Company culture is one of the most important elements in a small business’s success. Indeed, people, these days expect much more from employers than previous generations, and the companies that have adjusted to this new workplace culture have thrived.
The key is to create a company culture where your team members feel valued and have opportunities to further their careers. After all, the happier your team members are, the better they’ll be at their jobs.
Canada is one of the best countries in the world in which to launch a legal practice. However, with competition being so stiff, having success building your own law firm takes a lot of hard work.
Some of the ways you can increase your chances of building a prosperous law practice are recruiting top talent, investing in digital marketing, and prioritizing the employee and customer experiences. If you follow these tips, your law firm should be handling notable cases in no time.