Are you ready for unexpected opportunities?
Sometimes the greatest risk is the risk of unexpected success.
Small law firms in the United States must prepare now to handle a surge in high-stakes cases as large firms retreat from challenging President Trump’s latest policies—a trend reported in the Washington Post on October 26, 2025. While big law firms have sharply reduced their involvement, smaller firms are increasingly pressed into service, picking up critical legal disputes and working around the clock to address over 390 lawsuits against the administration.
This presents both an intense challenge and a unique opportunity to raise the public service and competitive profile of small practices. Although the Washington Post article deals with law firms in the U.S., the underlying challenge — the risk of unexpected success — is relevant to small and midsize law firms everywhere.
Why big firms are stepping back from what appear to be good opportunities.
According to recent coverage, some of the largest U.S. law firms have become less likely to contest Trump administration actions in his second term, reportedly due to new executive pressures and retributive policies targeting law firms perceived as adversaries. As a result, cases that would traditionally be absorbed by these firms are cascading down to smaller practices—many of which face limits in staff, technology, and financial resources to handle this new caseload.
Challenges for small law firms
Taking on a sudden, unpredictable surge in caseload can jeopardize a small firm’s service quality, staffing capacity, and client relationships. Among the most urgent concerns are:
Resource constraints: Small offices may lack adequate personnel to manage a heavy influx of cases.
Time pressures: Immediate compliance deadlines and urgent filings strain existing workflows.
Unfamiliar case types: Firms often must expand into specialized or high-profile litigation areas.
Reputation risks: Increased visibility means higher stakes—success brings opportunity, but missteps can have lasting consequences.
Proactive planning: the Strategic Focal Point Analysis
Walker Clark LLC offers targeted solutions to help small law firms meet these sudden opportunities without compromising stability, using its Strategic Focal Point Analysis service. Rather than relying on broad strategic plans that take months to develop, this approach prioritizes laser-focused assessments of urgent issues — tailoring rapid, actionable solutions for firms facing limited partner time and immediate operational risks.
The process involves:
Crystal-clear definition of the urgent issue, eliminating ambiguity and guesswork.
Challenging underlying assumptions to reveal practical barriers and fresh opportunities.
Detailed, data-driven risk assessment, giving partners the insights to make well-informed decisions under pressure.
Development of a straightforward, cost-effective action plan that ensures maximum return on time, money, and attention invested.
Rapid implementation support, so firms can move decisively and confidently, not just reactively.
Small law firms that anticipate increased caseloads can benefit from Walker Clark’s proven expertise in strategic planning for urgent challenges. Its Strategic Focal Point Analysis ensures that firms delegate resources, prioritize cases, and streamline operations in ways that safeguard service delivery and strengthen competitive advantage.
By sharpening tactical focus—while maintaining sight of the firm’s bigger goals—Walker Clark LLC empowers small law practices to rise to national challenges, transforming "good news" opportunities into sustained institutional progress.
Now is the time for action.
For whatever unexpected opportunity appears on your firm’s horizon, now is the moment to prepare, not when the clients are lined up outside your front door. If your firm’s habit has been to “cross that bridge when we come to it,” you will probably discover that the “bridge” will not longer be there, having been washed away by the dynamics of a fast-changing legal market or, worse yet, already occupied by your competitors.
Use the secure e-mail button at the bottom of this page to schedule a complimentary discussion about how we can help your firm make the best decisions about your most urgent and important strategic issues.