Walker Clark Worldview
commentary and insights for law firm leaders
Three of the Worst Mistakes in Law Firm Business Planning
Of course, the biggest and most costly mistake in business planning is not to have one at all.
In the past two weeks, several law firm managing partners have asked, “What are the worst mistakes that law firms make in business planning?”
Going beyond the obvious answer, above, there are three particularly costly mistakes that small and midsize law firms (and sometimes even larger ones) make when developing their business plans for the new year.
Signs and Portents
We’re just lawyers, not fortune tellers.
Actually, there is a lot that even the smallest law firm can do to anticipate future trends and developments that will affect them and their clients.
Here are five simple but reliable macroeconomic indicators that any law firm an use to anticipate future trends more accurately and be better prepared for both the expected and the unexpected in 2026 and beyond.
What will be most important to your business in 2026?
What should drive your law firm’s business plan for 2026?
Too many firms try to do too many things at once—and accomplish far less than they could if they focused on just two or three high‑impact strategic priorities.
As 2026 approaches, small and midsize law firms face an environment that demands a sharper sense of direction than ever before. Markets are shifting. Client expectations are evolving. Technology, regulation, and competition have blurred traditional boundaries of size and geography. Amid all this, clarity of purpose—expressed through a few well‑chosen strategic priorities—is not simply good management practice; it is an essential survival strategy.
Is one year enough?
Should your law firm move to a “rolling” two-year business plan?
