Jon Whittle Consulting Ltd

This Practice Note provides information about different ways of measuring financial performance in a law firm. It also provides guidance on how to analyse and benchmark financial data to compare performance against previous years and competitors.

This Practice Note sets out a structured approach to business development planning for law firms. It covers three connected stages: analysing the firm’s current position through internal and external analysis, setting clear and realistic business development goals, and developing a focused business development and marketing strategy. It addresses financial performance, clients and markets, competitive positioning, goal setting, KPIs and strategic choices, providing a practical framework to align business development activity with firm strategy and support sustainable, measurable growth.

This Practice Note addresses the delivery stage of business development planning for law firms. It covers the selection and management of business development and marketing campaigns, combining activities into co-ordinated campaigns, measuring effectiveness, and managing business development resources. It also explains how to create and use a practical business development plan.

This Practice Note explains what business development means in a law firm context. It outlines the core elements of business development—marketing, selling and client and referrer development—and explores different strategic approaches. It also provides a clear, six-step framework for business development strategy, planning, management, monitoring and review, helping firms move from ad hoc activity to a structured, co-ordinated and measurable approach.

This Practice Note provides an understanding of what might cause a law firm to fail and what the bank will be looking for if it is to continue to support the business with additional finance.

This Practice Note provides guidance for law firms on some key areas to consider when producing a proposal document. Creating a persuasive proposal document requires more than good writing skills. A number of different processes need to be carried out to the right timescale and in the right sequence. Co-ordinating the team effort requires care, planning and determination.

This Practice Note provides an understanding of how to deal with the constant pressure from clients to discount fees. It discusses some creative fee arrangements and looks at how solicitors can learn to negotiate fees with more confidence.

This Practice Note explains why it is so important for law firms to improve the efficiency with which work is done and how this can be achieved without diluting quality.

This Practice Note explains what a pipeline of new clients and new business is and how to set about developing one.

Lawyers can become more confident business developers if they understand how the sales process works and are willing to try different approaches. This Practice Note provides guidance on the process of selling to new prospects or to existing customers.

This Practice Note provides guidance to law firms on how to formulate a strategic plan. It explains the difference between a strategic plan (also called strategic aims) and a business plan. A strategic plan sets out the law firm’s strategic aims for a defined period, usually anywhere between one and five years. This Practice Note also sets out a structured process for formulating your firm’s strategic plan, including how to prepare and execute an effective strategy away day.

This Practice Note provides information about how to read and understand the financial accounts of a law firm.

This Practice Note looks at some of the most common causes of financial instability in law firms and suggests what needs to be done to ensure problems never develop into crises.

This Practice Note provides guidance on why a law firm might need finance and the ways in which such finance might reasonably be obtained. It also considers how much debt is healthy and when it becomes excessive.

This Practice Note sets out a framework for law firms pitching for business and highlights best practices required to succeed in a competitive market.

This Practice Note is intended for law firms. It sets out different methods for predicting your annual fee income and expenses.

This Practice Note gives guidance about the key steps and considerations to bear in mind when preparing to deliver tender presentation.

One of the challenges lawyers face when meeting a prospect is the lack of knowledge of the contact and the business they represent. Preparation for the first few meetings is therefore very important in order to have the best possible chance of developing the relationship. This Practice Note provides guidance to help a lawyer prepare for a meeting with a business prospect.

Submitting a high-quality proposal document requires a combination of effective and efficient processes, committed capable people, careful attention to detail and tight adherence to what the request for proposal (RFP)/invitation to tender (ITT) is asking for. In addition, it has to be well written and presented. It is important to have a checking procedure to ensure the quality of the proposal document is as high as possible. This Practice Note contains quality control questions for some of the most common problems and weaknesses in proposal documents along with suggestions on how to overcome these.

This Practice Note is intended for law firms. It considers how you might go about improving your staff’s financial awareness so they might be more inclined to and more skilled at, ensuring you hit your financial targets.