Most law firm practice plans fail. I get calls every month from firm leaders who wonder why this is the case. They have well-formed practice areas, they’ve often hired brilliant laterals, and they’ve had some sporadic success in the past.
They don’t fail because lawyers aren’t smart, but because the plans aren’t usable.
After years of working with partners across Am Law and global firms, I’ve noticed a consistent pattern:
Practice plans are often created once a year, checked off a list… and quietly forgotten. Pushed to the back of the drawer, without real SMART goals.
The best practice plans look very different.
They are:
Practical, not aspirational
Grounded in real client opportunities
Clear about who owns what
Focused on a few priorities, not fifteen
Designed to evolve over the year
Most importantly, they answer three simple questions:
1️⃣ Where can this practice realistically grow?
2️⃣ Which relationships matter most right now?
3️⃣ What actions will actually move the needle in the next 90 days?
The firms that do this well don’t treat practice planning as an administrative exercise.
They treat it as a leadership tool.
When done right, a strong practice plan:
– Creates focus for partners
– Aligns BD, marketing, and firm strategy
– Makes cross-selling easier
– Helps lawyers feel more confident about where to spend their time
And perhaps most importantly, it turns “business development” from an abstract concept into something concrete and manageable. Read more about how individuals have put this into action in “Breaking Ground” (PLI 2026)
