“Can’t we just do this ourselves?”
It’s a fair question, one that management consultants hear with some frequency.
Usually, this is merely a rhetorical question, but one I take seriously. My answer typically comes in three parts:
No, you can’t.
Many firms have already tried a DIY (do it yourself) approach to solving their most challenging strategic, operational, and leadership challenges but produced, at best, disappointing results. This was not due to a lack of knowledge, insights, or effort, but merely because competing commitments denied them the sustained focus they needed. Lawyers in successful firms are, quite appropriately, consumed with client work. The demands of practice leave little room for the kind of disciplined, collective attention that strategic planning, succession design, or operational reform require. Even when firms make the attempt, the results often fall short. We have all seen the outcome: a thoughtful strategic plan that quietly disappears into a forgotten folder or a binder gathering dust on a managing partner’s shelf. The issue is not the quality of the ideas; it is the absence of structure, follow-through, and accountability.
You need an outsider in the room.
The important partnership decisions usually need neutral facilitation by a knowledgeable experienced outsider. In any group of accomplished professionals, internal dynamics inevitably shape outcomes. Without an external facilitator, discussions are influenced—often unintentionally—by hierarchy, personality, and firm politics. Some voices carry disproportionate weight; others are muted. An experienced facilitator imposes discipline on the process, ensures balanced participation, and keeps the group focused on reaching clear, defensible decisions rather than circling familiar ground.
Actually, DIY will cost you more.
It is true that all but the most dysfunctional law firms can do it themselves—but it will almost certainly cost them more. The consulting fee is only a fraction of the true investment required to get good results. The far larger cost is partner time—time spent in unproductive meetings, revisiting unresolved issues, or pursuing initiatives that stall or fail. Those costs are real, measurable, and often overlooked.
When viewed through that lens, effective external guidance is not an added expense; it is a means of controlling and reducing the total cost of change. At Walker Clark LLC, we focus relentlessly on that return, ensuring that our clients’ investment of time and resources produces tangible, durable outcomes.
To learn more about how Walker Clark LLC can work with your organization to respond to your most difficult challenges and most promising opportunities, contact us using the secure e-mail link at the bottom of this page.