profit first for lawyers by RJon Robins
BUY THE BOOK

Law Firm Owners: Who Is Serving Whom?

by

“The firm is supposed to serve you. You are not supposed to live in service to the firm.” – RJon Robins, author of Profit First for Lawyers

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 12:41 — 11.8MB) | Embed

Subscribe or Follow RSS | More

Is your law firm improving your life, or consuming it?

This episode explores one of the most important mindset shifts a law firm owner can make: your business is supposed to support your life, not the other way around.

In clips from a 2021 Profit First for Lawyers livestream and the October 2023 Live Quarterly Meeting, RJon challenges law firm owners to rethink their relationship with their firms. Using a colorful analogy comparing a law firm to both a baby and a mule, he illustrates a critical distinction that can change how law firm owners approach business ownership.

Exercise: 7 Parts of Every Successful (and Unsuccessful) Law Firm

RJon encourages law firm owners to evaluate the seven core parts of their business to identify where the biggest operational gaps exist. The goal of this exercise is to be aware of key parts within your business that need the most attention. This isn’t about perfection. It is an opportunity to intentionally improve the weaker areas in your business. The 7 Parts exercise is outlined in more detail in the Profit First for Lawyers book.

Resource: Business Plan Workbook

The Business Plan Workbook resource is designed to help law firm owners evaluate the operational strengths and weaknesses inside their law firms.

Download the Business Plan Workbook to begin building a business that supports your goals, your family, and your future.

Key Takeaways

  • Your law firm should serve your goals.
  • Skill gaps and operational blind spots create unnecessary stress.
  • Use the exercises and resources from this episode to identify where to begin.
  • Low-performing areas of your business are opportunities for growth, not personal failures.
  • Successful firms are built through intentional management, systems, and leadership.

This episode may challenge law firm owners who think of their business as their baby. But ultimately, it’s meant to offer insight that can fundamentally shift how they lead, manage, and grow their firm. A healthy law firm should support the people it was designed to serve, including the owner.

Connect