Reader:

Last week, a pressing question came from Jay, a member of our Modern Lawyer Practice Accelerator program. As an experienced employment lawyer of nearly a decade, he found himself in a familiar bind - needing to hire a new staff member but unsure where to start.

Sound familiar?

This challenge reflects a broader truth about solo practice: being an excellent lawyer doesn't automatically translate to running a seamless practice. The sheer volume of details can be overwhelming.

That's where checklists and standard operating procedures (SOPs) become vital - especially for hiring processes. I dive deeper into this in my latest video.

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As Atul Gawande explains in "The Checklist Manifesto," even highly trained professionals rely on checklists to reduce errors and improve outcomes.

Here's why checklists are so powerful in legal practice:

• Mental Freedom: Stop keeping every process step in your head
• Consistent Service: Deliver reliable quality regardless of circumstances
• Reduced Anxiety: Systems catch details so you don't have to worry
• Easier Delegation: Clear documentation enables confident task-sharing

The best part? You don't need to create everything from scratch. Start small:

1. Choose one process
2. Document steps as you naturally do them
3. Refine and improve over time

I've seen remarkable transformations in practices that implement systematic checklists. They're not just about efficiency - they're about reclaiming your peace of mind and rediscovering the joy in practicing law.

February Workshop: Mastering Legal Process Mapping

Want to learn more about implementing systems that will transform your practice?

Join me this February for an intensive, hands-on workshop that will transform how you run your practice. In just three hours, you'll learn how to create systems that save time, reduce stress, and improve client service by learning how to:

• map your client journey
• design and build effective workflows
• leverage AI to accelerate your drafting of key processes and workflows.

More information about the workshop to follow but for now:

• Pick one process in your practice that constantly nags at you.
• Take 15 minutes today just writing down the steps that must be taken to complete the process.
• Don't try to perfect it – just get it on paper.
• Congratulations! You've just completed your first legal practice checklists.

That's all for this week!

Reply to this email with your biggest challenge in creating systems for your practice. I read every response, and your input helps shape future content that addresses your specific needs.

Here's to building a practice that works for you, not the other way around.

Committed to your success,