“Growth doesn’t look the same for everyone and bigger isn’t always better. I used to work for a (now defunct) firm that was intent on growing quickly, and in its pursuit, failed to give proper attention and consideration to the necessary foundational work,” she said. 

“I’m not suggesting that rapid growth isn’t sustainable. Some have proven it is possible to grow quickly and successfully. However, by taking the time to create and build strong foundations, you are better placed to ensure your business operates in accordance with your values and intentions, and is more resilient and better able to adapt to, and leverage, change.”

Since the firm’s inception almost three years ago, Balance Family Law co-founder Jonathon Naef and Ms Kish have been the sole employees – but have managed to more than double their revenue and are currently on track to be a seven-figure firm “without growing in size the traditional way”, according to Ms Kish. 

“While we welcome two new employees this year, we have been able to ‘grow’ and scale by being very open to doing a few different things,” she added. 

“One of those things has been using consultants. Both legal and administrative support has been wholly provided by consultants. Our legal consultants may assist us with preparing court documents, preparing legal advice and general ‘overflow’ work. Sometimes they work directly with clients, on one-off jobs or even undertake case management. Our admin consultants undertake our bookkeeping, billing, basic graphic design and some marketing support – and we can utilise these services as much or as little as we need, paying for only what we need.”

Whilst the pandemic hit many small companies hard, Balance Family Law was able to respond to challenges and adapt quickly – which Ms Kish said was one of the benefits of being a “micro-firm”. 

“Our small practice was as ‘pandemic proof’ as a law firm could be because our overheads are low and we aren’t as anchored to a fixed way of working. Because of this, during the first lockdown of 2020, we were able to introduce a second practice area (estate planning) quite easily and move to solely home-based working, which was really just a return to our beginnings, as a primarily virtual firm,” she said. 

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“In these changing times, retaining flexibility and the ability to respond and adapt, despite growth, is essential in a post pandemic world.”

The firm is also working on its own project management software that will be specifically designed for fixed fees and streamlining billing and workflow management for lawyers and clients - and Ms Kish added that those who embrace change will come out ahead. 

"Practitioners who favour a multidisciplinary, genuinely collaborative approach are leading the charge for change, but most watch from the sidelines to see how others fare before making any changes themselves.  

“I’ve had practitioners tell me they’re keen to hear about how we have fared, regarding a new service offering, admitting they are not willing to try something without feedback from those who’ve already tested the waters. This suggests a lack of confidence or that decisions and changes are made primarily for financial reasons. Money can be a great motivator, it does motivate me to a degree, but I feel that to create a powerful, sustainable and influential brand and business, you have to be motivated by so much more than money and you equally can’t be inhibited because of money,” she said. 

“The way family law is practiced also needs to change to improve the client (and lawyer) experience. I think smaller firms (or firms that are without traditional structures) are best placed to bring about and drive positive change because their agility and a savvy responsiveness to change is essential for their survival.”

Sole practitioners in particular also need to be able to learn from others and be able to self-reflect in order to run a successful boutique or micro-firm, Ms Kish added. 

“Always remember why you went out on your own in the first place. Without commitment to this intention, you are likely to recreate the same environment and firm style from which you left. For some, being at the helm of such a firm is enough – but many leave a traditional work environment to start something different, or at least because they want to feel different about how and why they work. They may aspire to feel less stressed, less restricted, happier and relaxed. They usually seek greater flexibility or control, or all of the above,” she said. 

“Learn from others, for sure, after all, learning and successfully leading are immeasurably intertwined. But we need to learn the right things and that only happens when we are motivated by our purpose, and not a fear of missing out. Lawyers keen to embrace change and improve the experience for their clients and themselves need to be clear about their purpose – who they are, what they stand for and what they want to do better.”