From Survival to Strategy: Scaling Your Law Firm Finances, with Bernadette Harris

In episode 583 of the Lawyerist Podcast, Zack Glaser talks with Bernadette Harris, business strategist and finance coach at Lawyerist, about how to move beyond “survival mode” and into strategic, scalable growth. 

Bernadette breaks down the financial metrics that define a mature, transferable law firm, what she calls the difference between working in your business and having your business work for you. Together, they explore the KPIs that show when your team, not just you, is generating revenue, how to measure leverage across roles, and how to build systems that make your firm valuable enough to sell or pass on. 

Bernadette also shares what succession planning really looks like for small firms, why client origination should be team-wide, and how to start laying the groundwork, no matter your current stage of growth. 

Listen to our previous episodes with Bernadette: 

• #557: KPIs for Lawyers: Measuring Your Law Firm’s Financial Health with Bernadette Harris Apple | Spotify | LTN 
• #523: Financial Red Flags: Are You Hiring Too Soon?, with Bernadette Harris Apple | Spotify | LTN 
• #457: Healthy Profits: Understanding the Story Your Numbers Tell, with Bernadette Harris Apple| Spotify | LTN 

If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you. 

 Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com. 

Chapters/Timestamps: 

0:00 – Introduction: Running and Community at LabCon
2:40 – The Power of Accountability and Growth Communities
5:40 – Advanced Firm Finances: Stage 3 & 4 Growth
8:45 – Shifting from Survival to Strategy
11:35 – Measuring Leverage: Who’s Doing the Work?
14:45 – Tracking Revenue by Role, Not Hours
19:15 – When Owners Should Stop Doing Casework
23:00 – Building Transferable Value
25:40 – Succession Planning and Client Origination
29:10 – Systems, SOPs, and True Scalability
33:20 – How to Reach the Next Stage
35:10 – Closing Thoughts & Resources 

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