Have you set your sights on a future where your law firm thrives beyond your tenure?

On this episode of Great Practice, Great Life, Mark Powers, the founder and president of Atticus, Inc., joins Steve for a conversation on succession planning for lawyers. We dissect the traditional succession model, and Mark shares how to transform a practice into a valuable, enduring asset. This episode isn't just about passing the torch. It's a strategic guide to cultivating a law firm that sustains profitability and outlasts its founders.

As we explore the nuanced process of preparing your practice for the next generation, we underscore the required critical shift—from laboring within your firm to developing it into a lucrative, transferable business. Mark and Steve review different models, from grooming successors to contemplating mergers, all while considering the emotional weight of detaching your identity from your life's work. This conversation is an essential resource for any attorney aiming to pave the way for a seamless transition that ensures both the firm's and their own prosperity.

Rounding out our conversation, we tackle the emotional and strategic layers involved in succession. The path to increasing a law firm's value and achieving a great practice—and life—highlights why you need to plan early and cultivate a mindset centered on empowerment.

If you want to lead a fulfilling life inside and outside the confines of the legal profession, this episode with Mark Powers will equip you with the information you need to craft a legacy supporting your vision for the future.

In this episode, you will hear:

• Mark Powers shares how to create a strong succession plan for law firms that ensures profitability and legacy

• Hiring professional CEOs and grooming successors for long-term firm sustainability

• Detaching your identity from the firm and establishing structured succession paths

• Succession planning challenges and strategies, like developing internal successors and poor communication

• Alternative succession strategies, including mergers and partnerships, considering regulatory advantages and firm profitability

• Building a law firm's value to enable founders to take time off and maintain firm success

• The personalized process of succession planning, accounting for age, business value, and personal finances

• The pursuit of a meaningful life beyond wealth accumulation

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Supporting Resources:

Mark Powers: President, Shareholder, & Certified Practice Advisor: atticusadvantage.com/team/mark-powers/ 

The Path to a Great Practice & Great Life: atticusadvantage.com/workshops/the-path-to-a-great-practice-great-life/ 

Team Leader Certification: atticusadvantage.com/law-firm-team-leader-certification/ 

Law Firm Coaching Program: atticusadvantage.com/coaching/ 

American Bar Association: Rule 1.17: Sale of Law Practice: www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/publications/model_rules_of_professional_conduct/rule_1_17_sale_of_law_practice

Episode Credits

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.