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Phase One
Dear Mr. Hughes and Mrs. Johnson,
This is my finalized plan for the startup of your firm. This plan includes a look at how to structure
your firm, run operations, start-up financials, and law office cultural concerns. First I would like to talk to
you about how to structure your firm. There are several ways to approach how to structure your firm. I
would like to start with the most important, which is the organization of your firm. After you hang your
shingle, you will have to look at what you want the firm to represent through decor and also decide how
the firm will be arranged. You will also have to decide whether to have on staff accountants, human
resources, paralegals as well as a firm administrator. The structure of your firm should reflect your taste
and inform the clientele about what the firm represents. I have some suggestions that follow in this
consultation.
Your law office is a chance to practice law the way you see fit, use the tools that you have acquired and
reflect your interests and tastes. You should have the staff that will help to further your growth and help
to represent what your mission is. You can have a large staff or a small staff and there are advantages
and disadvantages to each. When I say a large staff I am talking about the hiring of full time employees
and not consultants.
In my opinion due to the size of your firm it may be wise to contract out the majority of the work. You
will need an accountant, an employment agency, and a firm administrator (a full time position), and a
paralegal or personal secretary (both full time positions). You will also need an outline of your firm’s
policies and procedures for full time staff. Which you can make a draft of to give me some insight on
what exactly to include and I will finalize it for you. I believe that the reduced cost of using consultants
arises because when you have a small firm it is easier and cost effective. When we had our initial
conversation you discussed that you want to practice a variety of law. You stated that you did not want

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to be a boutique firm. Your clientele should be given an accurate estimation of your knowledge and
background.
It is a daunting task to worry about how your firm’s décor should be designed. Keeping in mind your
own tastes as well as how it will appeal to clients. I will send you some names and portfolios of interior
designers that specialize in decorating work spaces. The next step to take is overseeing the operation of
your firm.
How your firm operates is paramount, ultimately it will lead to success or failure. You need to be
concerned with, how you will pay your bills and what the daily actions will be. Daily actions are as
follows: What time will you open and close? Will you pay on a weekly or bi-weekly schedule? Who will
be in charge of helping each of you personally? Will you have a personal secretary or will you try to hire
a paralegal for each of you? You will need to decide these things as soon as possible.
You need to decide what your goals are for the firm, by this I mean what do you stand for? After we
touch base again I would like you to talk to you about how you want to be reflected in the media and
how you want to advertise. I will draft a press release. I will make sure that the design represented in
advertising reflects your firms taste, vision and attracts the clientele that you wish to serve. I will be
sending you an email with some concept ideas and I would like for you to read them and tell me what
you think. Ideally I would like to have the press release sent out in three business days. We need to
explore financial concerns that will impact your firm.
You will have to consider billing issues first because you need to make a profit. The first thing on the
agenda is how to run your collections. You should outline your financials and meet with an accountant
as soon as possible. My consulting firm can make some calls and get you a meeting with an accountant
that will suit yours needs. When you talk to the accountant and outline your financials you will need a
checklist of how you see the cash flow going. I want you to be able to have a firm financial foundation

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because you will need to ensure that all your needs are met. The pay and pay scale is also an issue that
needs to be addressed.
You have to decide how you would like to be paid. You will discuss this with the accountant. You will
need to draft engagement letters for your clients to give them an overview of your fees and payment
requirements. You will also need to discuss the timing of your billing as well as what the billing format
will be. Lastly the most important thing to consider is cash flow. The discussion about cash flow should
include expenses, accounts receivable balances, a budget and what your line of credit will look like. The
time-table of billing must also be discussed.
When I am talking about the time-table of billing I am asking that you go to the accountant with
schedules for payment and a collection policy. The collection policy should be in the engagement letter.
The accountant will assist you in writing the engagement letter. You will have to require new clients to
pass a credit check to determine whether they need a retainer for your services. Money is important. It
keeps the lights on and your staff happy. You will always need a backup plan for financial security such
as an account especially for rainy day funds. This leads me another important item on the agenda,
cultural concerns.
You must choose your workers carefully. When you talk to an agency make sure you agree to the terms
of the agreement which includes how to screen and what type of person will live up to your
expectations. If you do not get the hiring right it could be your downfall. Make sure that you compose a
plan on what you expect from an agency when screening new hires. This should include personality
assessment, criminal background checks and a discussion about how the employee will fit into your
team. You have to decide what characteristics suit your firm and which do not.
Mr. Hughes and Ms. Johnson I will start giving you some choices for an accountant and interior
decorator on Tuesday. The press release will be drafted by Thursday and I will send over the portfolios

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of the advertising agencies by Friday. Please let me know as soon as possible if you have any problems
or requests. I will see you next Monday for our progress meeting.
Sincerely,
Toni Jackson
Phase two
Dear Mr. Hughes and Ms. Johnson,
Congratulations on your two year anniversary. I understand that you need some mediation. From what I
gather this is all just a case of miscommunication. I know you both are responsible for your success and I
understand that you do not want any hurt feelings or conflict. I have seen this situation arise time after
time with new firms. You both need to open up the lines of communication and establish some common
ground. This dispute resolution will require you to do the following things: 1. Make plans to have a meal
out and discuss your concerns together. 2. Try to break down the work load 3. Make plans to have a
group function with the staff. 4. Write down your concerns about the firm and try to meet once a week
to do an assessment and a check-up. A wise man once said, “familiarity breeds contempt.” Working in a
small firm requires a great deal of emotional intelligence. You need to quickly pin point problems and
work through them to avoid unnecessary conflict. A night or day out of the office to have a meal and
talk about the conflict is going to help solidify your relationship.
An adversarial relationship is not always a bad thing. Often people forget that progress comes from
breaking down barriers. You have to be mindful of the feelings of others. The first issue you need to
address is how you each of you feel about the heavy workload you have acquired. You have been

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successful thus far because you are both putting in a great deal of effort. Mr. Hughes, I understand that
you feel like you are doing more than your fair share. You must discuss your feelings with Ms. Johnson
and come to the root of the problem. I believe the root of the problem is miscommunication and hurt
feelings. Mr. Hughes you have to explain your situation to Ms. Johnson and clear the air. Ms. Johnson I
know you feel like you are being spread thin because of Mr. Hughes perceived disinterest in firm
matters. You both need to talk about your feelings and express your concerns to your partner. It is
imperative for a firm to have a healthy culture. When you do not deal with problems as quickly as
possible they can fester. The heavy load has to dissipate.
The second issue on the agenda is breaking down the load. Although you are both working hard towards
your success a heavy work load can cause tension and exhaustion. This can cause people to be edgy. You
both need to make a plan for involving the staff more. You should both have a team meeting to make
sure that you are not spending any time on administrative work. You will both have to have a meeting
with the firm administrator and the contractors. Feel free to organize a plan to make sure that the office
staff knows what their duties are and how to effectively use time-management. A group function that is
casual will help solidify the relationship between staff and encourage them to voice their concerns.
Almost everyone who works in the professional world has to feel connected to their job to instill wellbeing. A healthy culture means that everyone should feel like they are an important part of the job. This
can be fostered in many ways. My suggestion is a group function each month so people can build
allegiance to the team. Your employees should not feel neglected or bitter about their work
environment. Social occasions allow co-workers to build relationships with each other. I will plan an
outing and make sure it is in a causal arena. When I make the plans I will email you both my suggested
outing and you can get back to me with any concerns or feedback. Expressing your concerns through
writing can be a tool in facilitating honest and open communication

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It is often hard to express your dismay about your work environment to other workers verbally. They
may feel more attacked and threatened when confronted face to face. A cure for this is a way for people
to air their concerns in a less threating way. This will mean constructing a problems and concerns sheet
where people can remain anonymous. I will construct the sheet for you. The sheet will provide a way to
understand the plight of the employees and help to dissipate tension by allowing the employees to
express the way they feel. This will provide a tool for you to relieve office tension. Each week you should
have a meeting and try to find solutions to the problems that are expressed before they turn into
personal strife.
I will be in touch with you about the assessment sheet in two business days. Please email or call if you
have any more issues. I will also get back to you in three business days with the plan for the employee
function. Congratulations again on your two-year anniversary.
Phase Three
Dear Mr. Hughes and Ms. Johnson,
A merger is the best idea for continued success in your firm. Since you have worked with the firm
previously it seems like it would be a great fit. It will ensure stability by decreasing the work load
because of the added staff and also help to produce a larger profit margin. There are several concerns to
keep in mind when merging with another company. The issues that you will face will vary. Here are
some of the most important concerns you will face: 1. How can the culture be integrated? 2. What is the
profit margin going to look like? 3. How are you going to merge and still keep things profitable? 4.
Where will you set up shop? 5. How do you merge technologies?
The first item on the agenda is merging cultures. You have to make two teams merge successfully. This
will require an assessment of the activities of both firms. The two firms have to carefully select people
for their new positions. You have to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each employee. To merge

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successfully you will need to discern what positions you are keeping and which you are going to dissolve.
I will assist you in drafting a new mission statement as well as a press release. You will also need to think
about what the financial situation will be when you merge.
I believe that your merger is right on time. You need to dissipate the workload of your full time
employees. You will gain a financial incentive for merging with a successful firm. When merging you will
acquire new valuable and talented employees. The clients that you will bring in when you are able to
handle a larger load will grant you a large financial incentive. Both firms seem to be moving in the right
direction. This is a win-win situation. When you merge you must remember to assess your finances. You
will need to discuss billing and creating new engagement letters for your clients. Ensuring that you will
not need to turn away any clients because of a heavy workload will ensure that you will make more
profit. You will have to discern how the billing system is going to change.
When two companies merge successfully they both have aligned their financials. Both firms will have to
come up with compensation packets and decide upon a way to set up the billing. Normally when firms
merge the billing system will reflect both group’s needs. It will ultimately be planned out and enacted by
whomever you deem responsible for the billing. That could be any one of your assistants or a paralegal.
When it is decided who is going to run the billing system it is important to touch base with them before
the engagement letters go out to make sure that all of your clients billing is consistent with what the
clients expect. This is also important for the actual composition of the office space you will reside in.
People get cranky when firms merge and the firms do not attend to the working environment for the
staff. If you turn cubicles into one large space without dividers or take away space from someone who
previously had a larger space conflict may arise. The best plan for discouraging conflict is to involve
employees in the creation of a new work environment. Let your employees have some input about the
new location. Make sure you have a meeting to discuss what the seating options will be for the

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employees. You may not be able to accommodate all of their requests but they will feel like they have
some agency in the process. You must also try hard to dispel any office conflict about space by letting
everyone know in advance what the seating arrangements will be. This will give them more time to
adjust to their new surroundings. Merging technology will be a crucial part of the merger.
Lastly we have to discuss the merging of technology. The firm of Rogers and Jones is technologically
advanced. They have electronic billing systems and they are equip with the latest technological
advances. The firm of Johnson and Hughes is not technologically savvy. When the law firms merge they
have to make sure there is adequate training about the billing system for the employees of Johnson and
Hughes. The engagement letters to some of the old clients of Johnson and Hughes will have to explain
the new electronic billing system.
Phase Four
To the firm of Rodger, Jones, Johnson and Hughes,
Congratulations on your merger. In this letter I will address the business plan, the mission statement and
the HR policy handbook. The business plan consists of three parts: 1. A description of your firm. 2. A
market analysis of the firm. 3. Descriptions of organization and management.
The description of your firm will include an outline of profit projections, a description of our background
and an explanation of your future goals in the industry. We can convey the message that we are a
multi-dimensional, industrious leader with varied expertize and we value our clients.
The firm’s description is your chance to emphasize how the firm has varied talent and a consistent
record of providing quality expertize to your clients. In the firms description you should brag about the

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number of cases you have settled and your firm should highlight the star performers of your team and
how they were selected and retained because they are the best at what they do. Your firm needs to
convey that you are cornering the market.
Your market analysis will show how invaluable you are to your clients. You should include some
feedback statements from your clients, praising the firm. Your firm needs to let future investors and
potential clients marvel over charts illustrating the surge in business we have experienced since the
merge and your numerous litigation victories. Your future looks bright and your market analysis should
accurately convey your success in the legal arena. You will need to describe the composition of your firm
and an overall assessment of your star management.
In the business statement you must explain the roles in your organization. Concentrate on the array of
specialties your firm has. Make sure that the business plan explains the valued role of the attorneys and
support staff. Exemplify your firms continued commitment to providing excellent service and their
impressive array of background knowledge in their specialties. This concludes the composition of your
business plan. It is time to highlight your businesses statement of intent otherwise known as the mission
statement.
I cannot tell you what your mission is. I will say it is a reflection of present goals for your firm. I will craft
your mission statement from an outline you provide expressing your firms niche. This statement will
convey to clients what your firm’s role in the industry is. When working on the outline of your mission
statement you should remember to make the outline’s statement easy to comprehend and straight to
the point.
The HR policy will explain the policies of your firm. It will highlight the duties of each position. The HR
policy notebook will explain who to talk to about grievances. It will discuss the offices rules of
engagement. It will also include information about who you go to if you do not understand an office

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policy. Policies that specifically pertain to each different department will be chronicled. Lastly, it will go
over dress code policies.
Phase five
Dear Rodgers, Jones, Johnson and Hughes,
I am writing this letter to fully explain the threats and opportunities associated with multi-office law
firms and what you need to expect when you have more mergers or open brand new offices. Some of
the threats to your firm when acquiring new firms are as follows 1. Cultures may not mix. 2. It can cost
you more to acquire than you expected. 3. Quality of lawyers and staff does not meet your expectations.
The opportunities of multi-office law firms are: 1. Increasing profit margin by obtaining new clients. 2.
Increasing your areas of expertise. 3. Getting prominent lawyers who already have the knowledge of
their state laws.
It is tricky to mix cultures. Often you cannot discern how each firm will impact your success. Trying to
pull different teams together can be like trying to separate oil from water. If the firms culture is too lax it
might offend your staff who will perceive that they are working harder. Attention to detail may not
measure up to your expectations. Different age groups follow different cultural norms so
communication could be difficult. Cash flow problems could be evident after merging that were
unexpected.
Often law firm’s initial financial portfolio does not forecast an accurate explanation of the finances of a
firm. Firms can have cash flow problems due to billing errors or an inefficient collection system. Often
the money in the bank does not account for the debts of a firm. A firm that has cash flow problems
could take a chunk out of your pockets. This is because you will be forced to clean up the mess. Also
projections of earnings are just estimates not facts. A firm can be busy and cash poor. It is important to
do your research and scope out problems before you merge with a firm that will become a financial

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burden to your practice. Another trouble spot is the misperceived bad quality of the staff you will
receive.
You can only estimate the value of a staff before you oversee their daily operations. When you do not
hire people you will not be able to foresee laziness and bad work ethics. Often the culture of a firm is
not present when you do not spend a great deal of time at the new firm. The people who are bad apples
may not be weeded out by natural selection. Often a firm’s policies will not address how to deal
effectively with insubordination and attitude problems that can arise when you have a rotten worker.
Bad eggs can make an acquisition annoying, time-consuming and physically and emotionally draining.
Increasing your areas of expertize can be valuable for your law firm. You now have access to new clients
which means that they might make recommendations to their family and friends and significantly
increase you profit margin. It will also bring you prominence and distinction. People love a one stop
shop and the closer your firm is to having it will influence a client’s decision to about your firm. It also
can be motivation for your lawyers to branch out and explore new areas. Knowing the states laws and
the surrounding legal community is also a plus of having lawyers in another state and not having to
relocate.
When you merge you take over a firm and you do not have to send lawyers out to practice in a different
state. It will save you time and effort. Having a person relocate will cost you an extra expense. The
lawyer has to take another state bar exam and build clientele in a state he or she is not familiar with.
Moving a lawyer to another state means that the lawyer will not understand the nuances of the local
court system. To conclude this letter it is important that I discuss additional factors that will be
challenging when a law firm is national and also factors that will be a concern when opening new
regional law firms.

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Having to run a new national firm can be tricky. It takes a lot of work to make thing run smoothly. You
may run into problems with employees. The employees could be detrimental to your success and it will
be costly and time-consuming to weed out long term employees who are not up to par. The culture of a
firm may condone bad behaviors. It is also hard to seize control and have the employees be eager to
accept a new way of working and they may fight you tooth and nail. When there are bad employees
there are often bad managers who have instilled the bad culture with their own employment practices.
You can also run into recurring problems with a local firm.
It may seem to be easy to take over a local firm; however it is not always easy. The local team may be
reluctant to fully immerse themselves in the new policies and procedures. A great deal of people have
problem adjusting to change. You cannot make people accept your mission and your rules. At first it may
seem like pulling teeth. The old may not be able to adjust to the new rules and replacing people may
cause more friction. A multi-office operation is a precarious thing. It requires a large amount of patience
and agility. This might not be a quality that exists in the staff member you pick to foresee the merge and
that will also cause unneeded problems for your firm. Merging in or out of state will present many more
challenges than I have discussed. It is really difficult work.
Phase Six
The things that need to be considered when operations are consolidated are as follows: 1. Which
employees will keep their positions and what will any new assignments entail. 2. Should the team move
locations to increase the space. 3. What will be the pay rate for any new positions 4. How should
management go about building trust and allegiance while merging back the culture?
Discerning which positions aretoo important to lose is crucial. Your success depends upon your ability to
work as a team. Motivation is paramount. You have to inspire and excite your workers. Cultures must
merge completely. Incidents of low morale should be extinguished. Everyone should feel that they are

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worthy and that their opinion matters. Embracing a team effort and encouraging working through
difficulties together will inspire your employees to be respectful of their team members. Instilling an
open door policy will help you bring the office together. Space issues will be a major concern.
No one wants to feel cramped or as if they are being denied personal space. Squeezing too many people
into a small office is not a good idea. You need to bring this to the attention of the higher-ups. Everyone
who is crammed into a small space will suffer personally and the quality of their work will start to falter.
It is your responsibility to advocate for your team. If you think a bigger space is needed try to talk to a
partner or your immediate supervisor. You will need to explain how feeling uncomfortable will cause
distress. You can also see if you can have any of your employees work from home until this issue is
resolved. You will have to ensure that you are encouraging open and honest communication with your
employees is the first step to build trust and instill the firm’s culture.
Your employees do not have to love you they need to respect you and their co-workers. Often managers
are so busy trying to push the bottom line that they forget about a relationship with your employees
that will encourage trust and mutual respect. Fostering team culture and being insistent on creative
solutions to solve problems can be difficult; however the effort will be benefital to everyone in the office
.Encouraging collaboration and true but affirmative feedback can be the most important tools in your
arsenal to help merging back the culture.
Phase Six
Due to the incredible impact Mr. Hughes had on the community of Denver he will be missed. Mr.
Hughes was an innovator and a dutiful, hard-working man. Mr. Hughes legacy will be that he gave back
to the community at large and made great strides in visibility for his firm and positively influenced
employees. Mr. Hughes was a motivational leader. To commemorate his accomplishments it is only fair
that the company create a foundation in his name. All employees should have a get together separate of

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the funeral to further express their admiration and their grief. The people there should talk about the
larger than life figure, Mr. Hughes. Is important to remember that Ms. Johnson and Mr. Hughes started
this firm from the ground up.
Mr. Hughes keen eye for business sense made the firm well known and his continued efforts ensured
that the members of his staff never had to concern themselves with job security or have any anxiety
about raises, or a decent health care package. Mr. Hughes was like a bear very protective of his cubs. He
loved to see his team reap the benefits of his efforts. Mr. Hughes warm laugh, agility and focus in the
eye of the storm was legendary. He seem to make calculated decisions and be very uptight; however he
was a fun-loving thoughtful person.
Ms. Johnson and Mr. Hughes were friends for over several decades. He is survived his wife his daughter
and soon and five grandchildren. Mr. Hughes was a man who never gave up. He was persistent and he
commanded respect from some of the city of Denvers most elite people. He was able to negotiate deals
that seem to be hanging together by a thread and ensure that these deals were help to solidify
relationships with several Denver institutions that will be with the firm for years to come.
The partners all loved him and worshiped the ground he walked on. Mr. Hughes was a mentor to several
of them. The weight of the crushing blow of his death will likely affect them for a long time. The partners
should all be on the board of Mr. Hughes foundation. So they can be part of his legacy and the
appointment will make the partners feel like they are involved in a way the Mr. Hughes would admire.
He is, “long gone but not forgotten”. I previously mentioned that the employees should all have a get
together in his honor to discuss their grief and gain some closure.
When you lose a significant person in your life it often helps to feel connected to their spirit and a close
person get together with those who adored him and looked up to him seems like a good way to help
employees with grief. The get-together will be where people can share personal stories about him and

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how he impacted their lives.The vendors, clients and the general public will be invited to volunteer for
some of the programs supported by his foundation or to mourn with his closet family and friends at the
funeral. A man like Mr. Hughes will be a hard act to follow but I think the partner’s should eventually
start looking for his replacement. He can never be replicated the firm will always his down to earth
smile and his candor. The statement the partners will give to the press is as follows:
David Hughes was a great father grandfather, coworker and friend. He positively influenced all the lives
of the people in his firm because he was so committed to matching their hard work with his own. Mr.
Hughes was a fierce negotiator and had a natural talent for litigation. Mr. Hughes will always remain in
our hearts and minds. At our request and with the help of his wife and daughter we established a
foundation in his name to fund several charitable causes in Denver. Mr. Hughes was very influential
because of his brave and bold approach to addressing the world. He will be missed by many in this city
his impact will always be remembered fondly.