This section covers succession, specialisation, mergers, selling a law firm, becoming a partner, and business structure
How to plan and execute the process of starting up a new legal practice that is compliant and financially healthy
How to set up your firm’s systems to provide the information that enables you to improve profitability and cashflow
How to avoid professional negligence claims, with examples of common problems and suggested solutions. Plus FAQs on PII
This section only covers SRA Accounts Rules and GDPR at the moment. Compliance for start-ups is covered in the Starting up...
How to protect your law firm from cyber attacks. What steps to take if your systems are hacked
How to recruit and retain a team that is both happy and highly effective, dealing with the HR issues along the way
In marketing, like anything, you need to get the basics right. Otherwise the time and money you invest in marketing will be wasted
How to win new clients, make the most of existing relationships, encourage referrals and generate new leads
How to approach creating a law firm website that works, from agreeing your objectives to making sure you get the results you want
Why lawyers need to know about social media, how to make the most of the opportunities and how to avoid potential pitfalls
How to use PR to build your firm’s reputation; and how to create cost-effective advertising – traditional and online – that delivers results
Simon set up the management consultancy McCrum Consulting in 2016.
He qualified as a commercial litigation solicitor in 1990 at Pannone. This role gradually evolved into a mixed fee-earning, marketing, and management role and then into a solely marketing and management role.
He became Head of various teams, as well as Marketing Partner, Director of Business Development, and part of the Management Team at Pannone. He also launched the Connect2Law network for law firms.
In 2007, Simon became Managing Partner at Darbys Solicitors. On a £6m turnover, the firm made a trading loss in 2007 but after going a long way backwards - and during the credit crunch - the firm emerged to have its most successful year ever in 2010. In 2013 it was the country's fastest-growing law firm.
In 2016, with turnover up to over £14m, Darbys was acquired by Knights Professional Services (now Knights PLC). Simon joined the merged organisation as Client Relations Partner.
He exited to form McCrum Consulting, a management consultancy for law firms. He now pulls together everything he did right and everything he did wrong in a lifetime of law firm management, leadership, and growth, into a model that he calls The Perfect Legal Business. He works with law firms (maximum one firm in each region) to get them to dominate their region by getting them on the right roads, which can be done surprisingly quickly. Profit-rich and cash-rich growth then comes quite easily.
He has just published his first book, “The Perfect Legal Business” (available at www.mccrumandco.com/books) and is currently working on the next book in the series, “The Perfect Lawyer”.
Website: www.mccrumandco.com
Twitter: @McCrum17
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/simonmccrum