The Beauty (and Brutality) of Doing It Right From Day One
Starting a law firm is hard. Most firms fail early for one (or more) of the same reasons:
- Charging too little
- Not investing in business education or the right experts
- Not defining an ideal client
- Dabbling in too many areas of law
- Refusing to turn down bad cases
Recently, I spoke with law students and new lawyers about starting their own firms. But even if you already run a well-established practice, there’s a lot to gain from revisiting the fundamentals.
Maybe you skipped a step.
Maybe this is the kick you needed to go back and fix something.
Maybe you get nothing out of it—and if that’s the case, I wasted a few minutes of your time, and for that I’m sorry. But I still appreciate you reading.
Assuming you’re still with me, let’s forget failure and talk about building a successful firm from Day One. If I could go back in time, here’s what I’d do differently.
Step 1: Figure Out Your Ideal Client
This needs to be done on Day One, maybe even Day Negative 30.
I know I harp on this constantly, but there’s a reason. If you’re still unclear, we’ve put together a worksheet to help. The goal is simple: know exactly who your firm exists to serve.
Until you define your ideal client, every other decision is guesswork.
Step 2: Develop Your Way to Solve Their Problem
Don’t reinvent the wheel. The law has been mostly the same for hundreds of years, we just stopped wearing wigs.
That said, you do need a clear system for how you deliver your services.
For example:
- Do you do an initial consult, then a strategy session, then a signing meeting? Or can that be condensed into two steps?
- Do you make multiple pre-suit offers before filing, or file immediately?
- Do you handle contested divorces with children, or only uncontested cases without kids?
When in doubt, refer back to Step 1 and ask: what does my ideal client actually need from me?
Step 3: Branding (Yes, It Matters)
Once you know who you serve and how you serve them, it’s time to think about branding.
This might mean hiring help, if you have the budget to develop:
- A firm name
- A logo
- A slogan
- A visual identity
Everything should appeal to your ideal client. That’s why Step 1 came first.
Think carefully about naming the firm after yourself. That usually only makes sense if you plan to do the legal work long-term and aren’t thinking about selling the firm anytime soon.
Also:
- Check trademarks
- Secure your domain name
- Lock down social media handles
Consistency matters. Ideally, everything matches.
I’d also incorporate as an S-Corp. I’m not an accountant, nor do I play one on TV, but this has been incredibly helpful for me both for taxes and asset protection.
Step 4: Start Finding Clients
This is Step 4 on purpose.
I don’t care about an office, business cards, fancy software, or even a perfect website at this stage. You need revenue. You need clients now.
Ideally, you’d build a full marketing plan covering ads, SEO, social media, direct mail, and everything else. But if you can’t afford that yet, here are low-cost ways to get started:
- Build a basic website on Wix or Squarespace
- Create your social media profiles
- Schedule coffee or lunch with friends and contacts
- Answer questions on Avvo, Quora, Reddit, and local Facebook groups
And yes, you may even do some work for free or low bono early on. Just be intentional about it.
Step 5: Turn Clients Into Testimonials and Referral Sources
Think about a new restaurant in town. If it’s packed with great reviews and strong word of mouth, you’re curious. If no one’s talking about it or the reviews are nonexistent, you probably skip it.
Your firm is no different.
Subject to your state’s bar rules, start collecting and using testimonials aggressively:
- On your website
- On social media
- In blog posts
- In email campaigns
- On mailers
Social proof builds trust faster than anything else.
Step 6: Build a Sales Process
Now that leads are coming in, what happens next?
How do you follow up?
- Calls
- Texts
- Emails
When do you follow up?
- Only when it’s convenient?
- Or is it scheduled and consistent?
What are you saying in follow-ups? You should be highlighting reviews, outcomes, and credibility.
Eventually, this should live in a CRM. But early on, whatever system you can afford and maintain is fine.
Here’s the key: without a consistent sales process, your marketing is almost pointless.
If you only follow up when things are slow, you’ll never know what’s actually working. A real process lets you see which cases are profitable, which aren’t, and where to adjust pricing, case selection, or workflows.
Step 7: Start Trying New Things (On Purpose)
If referrals are working, double down or bring in someone to help you stay top-of-mind.
If Google Ads are profitable, invest in SEO to reduce click costs.
If direct mail works, expand to new areas, add billboards, or layer in retargeting ads.
You won’t know what’s best for your firm until you test, track, and evaluate. Run experiments intentionally. Keep what works. Fix or cut what doesn’t.
Step 8: Repeat and Grow
Rinse. Lather. Repeat.
Eventually, you may hire staff, add lawyers, or bring in outside leadership or marketing support. But if you build this foundation correctly, everything that comes next gets easier.
And more importantly, you’ll be building a firm you’re actually proud of.