Expert Advice with Tim McKey

In this edition of our 'Expert Advice' series, we sit down with Tim McKey, CEO of Vista, to discuss the best practices for running a successful plaintiff law firm. 

Tim spent 18 years practicing as a traditional Accountant, until later transitioning his practice from traditional CPA's to consulting CPA's. He began to work with a variety of businesses, assessing their systems and operational processes, and developing operational metrics to ensure best practices were being followed in all areas of the business. After gaining traction with one particular personal injury firm and realizing the widespread demand for hands-on consulting at law firms, Vista was born and has since worked with hundreds of law firms across the country. 

When evaluating law firms' systems and practices, there are ten key areas the Vista team looks at: vision, firm infrastructure and culture, intake management, case management, human resources, accounting, client experience, reporting, physical plant, and information technology. 

Out of these ten areas, Tim says that the mindset of firm leadership is one area he tends to notice the most deficiencies. While many firm leaders might be resistant to change, he states that his best clients are the ones who are functioning at the highest level but are still always looking for the next way to grow and improve. Another area that Tim claims to see the most deficiencies when evaluating firms' operational processes is their case management, particularly in relation to client communication. Having systems in place that allow every team member to track the last date of communication with their clients and hold one another accountable is key for running a successful law firm.  

When it comes to promoting accountability within firms, Tim suggests clearly defining expectations and using case management software, like CASEpeer, to keep record of everything. First determine what your goals are, then who is responsible for executing those goals, and finally how it is going to be recorded to keep everyone held to the same level of accountability. 

When asked about the business mistakes Tim has seen firms make throughout his years of experience in the legal industry, he says one of the biggest mistakes is trying to do everything yourself. He urges firms to allow themselves room to grow as that will ultimately produce more value in the long run. He says another mistake he has seen is firms not taking advice from their peers. When there are so many resources and groups out there that provide access to valuable knowledge and advice from others with much more experience, there's no reason to not be taking advantage of that.  

Tim leaves the audience with simple, but important parting words of advice: Do something. Words can only go so far, but actions can take you a lot further. Being proactive and not complacent is the only way to test your limits. 

Watch the webinar replay to listen to the full discussion and all the other tips and insights Tim shares from his 10+ years in law firm consulting.