Financial Management Services

Access Expert CFO Guidance Without the Full-Time Overhead

Optimize Profitability Through In-Depth Analysis

Navigate Major Financial Decisions with Confidence

Is Your Firm Making Critical Decisions Without a Clear Financial Picture?

Many successful small and mid-sized law firms excel at practicing law but operate with critical gaps in their strategic financial management. You see the revenue, you pay the bills, but crucial questions often remain unanswered:

Do you truly know which clients, matters, or practice areas are driving profitability, and which are draining resources?
Are major decisions – like signing leases, hiring laterals, investing in technology, or setting compensation – based on comprehensive financial analysis and forecasting, or more on intuition and historical patterns?
Does your firm react to financial performance month-to-month, or do you have proactive budgets, forecasts, and cash flow management that anticipate challenges and opportunities?
Are you confident your compensation system effectively motivates partners and associates and aligns with the firm's strategic goals?

Operating without dedicated, CFO-level financial insight often means navigating complex business decisions with incomplete information. This can lead to:

Missed Profit Opportunities: Failing to identify and leverage your most profitable work or address underperforming areas.
Costly Mistakes: Making significant investments or strategic moves that aren't financially sound in the long run.
Unexpected Cash Flow Crunches: Surprises that impact operations, distributions, or the ability to invest.
Compensation Friction: Plans that feel unfair or fail to drive desired behaviors lead to dissatisfaction and potential departure.
Stagnant Growth: An inability to confidently plan for and invest in the firm's future due to financial uncertainty.

Without clear visibility, expert analysis, and strategic forecasting, your firm might be losing money, taking unnecessary risks, and failing to reach its full financial potential.

Your Path to Strategic Financial Management: Gaining control over your firm's financial performance doesn't require adding a full-time executive C-suite. PerformLaw partners with you through a clear, structured process, providing ongoing CFO-level expertise tailored to your firm's needs. Our engagement typically follows three key phases:

Establish the Financial Framework

We begin by thoroughly understanding your firm's unique financial landscape – your current systems, reporting methods, key metrics, and strategic objectives. Working alongside your team, we help establish or refine processes for efficient data gathering and implement meaningful, customized financial reporting that provides accurate insights and a solid foundation for analysis.

Deliver Ongoing Analysis & Strategic Insight

This is where the ongoing partnership drives continuous value. We provide consistent, insightful financial reporting and analysis, including deep dives into profitability (by client, matter, attorney), KPI tracking against goals, budget performance review, and cash flow monitoring. Crucially, we don't just present data; we interpret it with you during regular strategic discussions, identifying trends, diagnosing issues, and highlighting opportunities for financial improvement.

Provide High-Level Decision & Planning Support

As your dedicated financial partner, we bring strategic expertise to your most critical decisions. This includes leading the development of annual budgets and multi-year forecasts, modeling the financial impact of major initiatives (like mergers, lateral acquisitions, or significant investments), advising on profit-aligned compensation structures, and offering objective, data-backed guidance to support your firm's long-term strategic direction and financial resilience.

This ongoing, phased approach ensures you have continuous access to the strategic financial oversight and expert guidance needed to manage effectively, make informed decisions, and confidently lead your firm towards greater profitability and sustainable success."

Strategic Financial Guidance Designed Exclusively for Law Firms

Running a successful law practice requires exceptional legal skill, but sustaining that success demands sharp financial management. We understand the unique financial landscape of law firms – the complexities of tracking profitability by matter and attorney, navigating intricate partner compensation systems, managing cash flow tied to billing cycles, and making critical strategic decisions often without the benefit of dedicated, high-level financial expertise in-house. We recognize the frustration and uncertainty that can arise when leaders lack clear visibility into the firm's true financial performance and health.

Since 2003, PerformLaw has functioned as the trusted strategic financial partner – effectively the Virtual CFO – for numerous small and mid-sized law firms nationwide. Our exclusive focus on the legal industry for over two decades provides us with unparalleled insight into the financial metrics, operational benchmarks, and economic drivers specific to law firms. We bring:

Deep Law Firm Financial Acumen: We understand your business model, from utilization and realization to partner compensation complexities.
Proven Methodologies: Our structured 3-Phase approach ensures consistent analysis, insightful reporting, and proactive planning.
Objective, Strategic Guidance: Leveraging our experience across multiple firms, we offer unbiased advice and decision support, helping you see the bigger picture and navigate complex financial choices (from budgeting and profitability analysis to M&A or lateral deal evaluation).
Accessible Expertise: We provide the C-suite-level financial strategy and oversight crucial for growth and stability, tailored to small and mid-sized firms' needs and budget realities.

Let PerformLaw bring financial discipline, strategic insight, and objective partnership to your firm. We empower you with the clarity and confidence needed to manage resources effectively, optimize profitability, and make sound decisions that drive sustainable success.

Getting Started in 3 Simple Steps

1

Initial Consultation (No Cost): We explore your firm's challenges and objectives to understand your specific needs.

2

Proposal & Agreement: You receive and approve our detailed proposal outlining the precise scope of services and a transparent fixed fee.

3

Engagement Launch: After initial payment is received, we schedule the engagement and start work

Your Firm's Financial Future: Strategic Investment or Costly Uncertainty?

You've seen how PerformLaw delivers CFO-level financial expertise tailored for firms like yours. You understand the importance of strategic financial management. Perhaps you're considering the investment, evaluating if the timing is right, or wondering if your current approach is "good enough."

But consider the real, often hidden, costs of operating without dedicated strategic financial oversight:

The profitable opportunities missed due to lack of clear data for investment decisions.
The resources drained by inefficient operations or underperforming practice areas not clearly identified.
The potential costly errors made on major commitments (leases, laterals, technology) without rigorous financial modeling.
The persistent drag on morale or productivity from compensation plans that aren't truly aligned or perceived as fair.
The simple inefficiency of leadership time spent wrestling with financial data instead of focusing on strategy and clients.

These aren't just potential problems; they represent tangible financial impacts that often far exceed the cost of expert guidance.

PerformLaw's ongoing Virtual CFO partnership, delivered through our structured 3-Phase process, isn't just another expense line. It's a strategic investment in financial clarity, optimized profitability, informed decision-making, and long-term stability. It provides the continuous financial intelligence and objective advice needed to consistently avoid costly pitfalls and capitalize on growth opportunities.

Stop letting financial uncertainty limit your firm's potential. Invest in the clarity and strategic control that drives sustainable success. Take the next step – schedule a confidential consultation to explore how our Virtual CFO services can benefit your firm.

Make financial decisions you are proud to own.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY

"PerformLaw helped us to grow and transition from a first-generation law firm in providing their expertise in business strategy, compensation plans, and law firm management. Any firm- especially small to mid-size firms - can benefit from working with Brian and PerformLaw."

Alan Brackett,
Mouledoux, Bland, Legrand & Brackett

"Over a three month period, PerformLaw worked with each member of our firm and created a written marketing plan with specific recommendations on how our firm can take our marketing efforts to the next level."

Karl Steinberger,
Heidelberg, Steinberger, Colmer, Burrow, P.A.

"I recommend Brian's skills in assessing the valuation, structure, and ongoing profitability of law firms. He has the ability to understand complex information and provide quick concise analysis, as necessary."

Colin Kemmerly,
Gardberg & Kemmerly, P.C.

"PerformLaw helped our firm determine our profitability model and helped us to increase our business growth. We thoroughly enjoyed working with them through the process."

K. Patrick Douglas ,
Douglas, Haun & Heidemann

"Brian and Sean gave me a crash course in firm building and helped me to reframe my thought process and plan my expansion in a more precise manner. I would highly recommend them for firm mergers and lateral hiring."

Dave Rodman,
The Rodman Law Group

"I am fortunate to have worked with Brian Kennel during his tenure as the Chairman/President of the Slidell Memorial Hospital Foundation Board. I watched Brian skillfully lead the development of the Foundation's reputation, Board participation and donor engagement. As a result, the Foundation continues to make a meaningful impact on the hospital's ability to improve the quality of life in our community."

Bill Davis
Chief Executive Officer - Slidell Market

"PerformLaw has helped our 15 person law firm to become more efficient and focused. With their help, we can get back to what we do best…practicing law and serving our clients."

Jay Lonero,
Larzelere Picou Wells Simpson Lonero, LLC

"Brian and the PerformLaw team keep us up to date on the latest trends and economics for our regional legal market. His advice and insight are invaluable."

April Watson,
Sessions, Fishman, Nathan & Israel, LLC

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Your Law Firm's Virtual CFO: Strategic Finance Made Accessible