Strategic Planning and Management for New Jersey Law Firms

Not all attorneys are bound for solo or small-firm practice, but it is essential to understand how all firms operate. Attorneys also have ethical duties to protect clients’ confidential information, maintain their trust accounts, and serve clients in the ways they need. All of this ultimately comes down to how firms are run and managed.

This course explores key elements of effective law firm management in New Jersey, focusing on strategic planning, technology, and operational efficiency. Topics include how client expectations have evolved, including remote reception services, digital marketing trends such as SEO, and the rise of “TikTok lawyers.” Participants will learn how to set goals for sustainable growth, succession planning, and long-term success, including the use of SWOT analysis, with a focus on strategies relevant to New Jersey practices. The course also covers tech solutions that streamline workflows, enhance client service, and bolster data security. Additional topics include process improvement, project management, delegation strategies, and best time tracking and billing practices. Finally, the program examines the emerging role of AI in legal practice, its advantages and potential risks, and highlights considerations unique to firm planning and operations in New Jersey.

This program is targeted to practitioners of all firm sizes with any amount of experience. It is essential to know the mechanics of how a law firm runs and the ethical duties owed by all attorneys. However, understanding what some of the most streamlined and efficient firms are doing will benefit all attorneys.

Learning Objectives:

• Examine key concepts that govern all law firms: profitability, service to clients, and ethical duties to the practice
• Explore billing and accounting methods: billable hours, flat fees or subscription models
• Evaluate ethical obligations related to law firms, including maintaining compliant trust account management, client management, file maintenance, cyber security, and confidentiality
• Review the lifecycle of a client matter and consider pain points in their firm
• Analyze the benefits of AI, the pitfalls, and the ethical obligations of attorneys in this space
• Evaluate developments that could be most impactful in an attorney’s practice area and how to meet those developments