From solo-practice to a team: what advocates need to consider

Scaling a law practice begins when the number of clients, the volume of cases, and new requests already require the support of a team. A new office or an expansion of staff should be a direct result of this need.

This was discussed during the webinar «Building a team: when is it time to scale up?», hosted by the UNBA NextGen in the Odesa region. The discussion was moderated by the Committee’s regional representative Karina Mokhortova. The speakers were advocates Anastasia Khizhnyak and Oleksandr Zhovtan.

O. Zhovtan explained that the law firm started with just two advocates, and the team later grew to nine employees. According to him, each expansion was driven by necessity: more cases came in, client requests broadened, and the need for new expertise or support arose.

He described the first stage as hiring an assistant. This need arises when an advocate spends too much time on administrative tasks: sending documents, preparing simple motions, filing requests for postponement, requesting video conferences, and reviewing case materials. An assistant allows the advocate to focus on strategy and more complex procedural issues.

The next level of delegation occurs when there are cases in the workload that follow a well-established workflow. These can be gradually handed over to a team member, training them to work independently. If the advocate and assistant can no longer handle a certain category of cases, there is a need to bring in another person.

Separately, O. Zhovtan drew attention to specialization. He explained that over the course of their practice, an advocate can master one or two areas of law to a high standard. Therefore, team development involves seeking out advocates and assistants who will work in specific practice areas.

A. Khizhnyak noted that when forming a team, professional skills, personal qualities, and a person’s willingness to work in a team environment are taken into account. According to her, a specialist may be highly skilled but might feel more comfortable working independently. In such cases, the parties can choose different paths while maintaining a normal professional relationship.

According to the attorney, shared values, a common vision for growth, and trust are essential for the team. If a person lacks experience in a particular area, this can be remedied through training. However, their approach to work, attitude toward clients, and principles of professional conduct must align with the firm’s guidelines.

During the discussion, the speakers also explained how the quality of work is monitored following the firm’s expansion. O. Zhovtan noted that important documents, positions on cases, and defense or representation strategies are reviewed by the partners. This applies to complex, unusual cases or cases involving specific clients. At the same time, the firm is refining protocols for communicating with clients, collaboration between advocates and legal staff, and document preparation.

In conclusion, O. Zhovtan advised advocates planning to form a firm with a partner to discuss in advance areas of responsibility, compensation, procedures for various situations, and possible scenarios for exiting the partnership. According to him, conflicts between partners can destroy law firms, so these issues should be resolved before the partners begin working together.