SWOT’s That? You Want To Grow Your Law Firm?

Julian Summerhayes’ “A Good Old Fashioned S.W.O.T. Analysis” on his blog Brand You. Written as a guide for lawyers and firms that are considering branching out into new practice areas, Summerhayes’ post is a useful reminder of the planning and analysis that goes into any successful initiative. Even if that initiative is just business as usual.

Because there’s more to this post than a standard, “good old-fashioned SWOT analysis,” as Summerhayes describes it. The template he’s put together for analyzing practice initiatives is in fact a template for analyzing the firm itself. Yes, you can use it to sort through your firm’s willingness, abilities, and affinities for taking on new expansion efforts. But the questions Summerhayes sets out will guide the analysis you should do (and do often) of the institutional strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that bear on every effort your firm undertakes. Read the post. And have a happy Friday the 13th!