Does Your Law Firm Have Core Values? Here’s How to Create Them

You likely already know your law firm’s overall mission. Perhaps you seek to help people stand up to insurance companies after injuries that weren’t their fault, to make your clients’ lives easier in family disputes, or to make the world a better, safer place through environmental regulation.

Think of your law firm’s mission as your destination. To reach that destination, you’ll need to be guided by a road map, which comes in the form of your core values.

Establishing your firm’s values will ensure you stay on course to accomplish your mission. Not only do your values help you and your teammates stay true to your firm’s purpose, they will also let current and future clients know what type of firm they’re working with.

How to Establish Your Core Values

If you haven’t already established your firm’s values, that’s okay. It’s never too late to start this important process. Here are a few suggestions to help you find what drives your firm to accomplish its purpose.

What First Motivated You to Practice Law?

Consider what first prompted you to go into the legal profession. Maybe you wanted to stand up for people who were being taken advantage of by large corporations. Maybe you wanted to make sure that every person is given fair treatment under the law. If your initial motivations are still driving how you work today, then you’ve identified some of your core values.

What Do You Value More Than Making a Profit?

Nearly every business strives to turn a profit, and most law firms are no exception. However, your hopes of making money likely have boundaries. Once you identify those principles that money can’t touch, then you’ll also find some of your most important core values.

Which Values Do You Share With Coworkers?

Sometimes the best way to find your firm’s core values is through an open, heartfelt conversation with your team members. By collaborating with coworkers, you can identify those principles that guide your decisions and theirs when dealing with clients.

Which Values Stem Naturally From Your Mission?

As we mentioned above, your law firm’s mission is the overall objective you’d like to accomplish. Identify the best practices you’ve found helpful in achieving your goals. Transparency, integrity, respect, accountability—get in touch with the qualities that help you deliver the best service possible to your clients and your community and then center your core values on those attributes.

Make Your Values the Compass That Guides Your Practice

Once you’ve identified your law firm’s core values, make them central to your practice. Post them in your office and on your website. Make sure that your firm’s employees, both new and current, know what they are and why they should matter to everyone who works at your firm. Anytime you face difficult decisions, return to your core principles as your guide.

At backdocket, Our Values Help Us Help Law Firms Thrive

At backdocket, we also believe that values can help businesses make the best decisions possible. We strive to make the firms we work with more organized, efficient, and profitable. We’re here to serve our customers and improve the way they work. If you’re a small- to mid-size law firm looking for a practice management software to grow your practice, we want to show you how backdocket can improve your processes. Contact us today to schedule a free backdocket demonstration.