William R. Legier knows that the legal community demands solutions for its changing profession. As the managing director of the consulting and CPA firm of Legier & Materne, he has led the development of a range of law firm consulting services that are specifically designed to enhance profitability and operating efficiency for firms of all sizes.
 
"The legal marketplace is more challenging than ever before. With less business to go around, more in house corporate legal departments as new competition and an exodus of many attorneys from larger firms to smaller boutique practices, law firms are looking for creative, less expensive solutions without sacrificing quality or efficiency.
 
"We have targeted the legal profession because of our success in working together with lawyers to accomplish their practice management objectives. Attorneys are buying benefits for themselves and their clients with our services," said Legier.

Profit Enhancement a Must

As part of its law firm consulting services, the firm is frequently called upon to advise on all areas of law firm practice management. Legier said that increased competition and the resulting downward pressure on legal fees has forced law firms to reexamine traditional methods of doing business. Firm management must search for new and innovative ways to maximize productivity and profitability, while maintaining the highest level of client service. It is critical that law firms have direct access to consultants who understand the evolution which is occurring in their profession.
 
In addition to being certified public accountants, Legier & Materne's law firm consultants possess both advanced and previous hands-on successful legal administrative experience with major law firms.

Unscramble the Eggs

Law firms often must come to grips with the valuation, dissolution and reformation of their practices, and Legier said this can often become an intensely personal experience. "After all, we are dealing in some cases with lifetime endeavors, long term careers and sizable consequences," he said.
 
In the valuation of a law practice, Legier & Materne will describe the feasibility and terms by which firms can admit or retire a partner, as well as the expectations that can be realized by all participants.
 
In the dissolution and reformation of law firms, where the partners essentially agree to disagree, Legier & Materne develops a checklist of critical items that must be addressed including accounting, tax and other business issues. "In many cases, the unscrambling of the eggs is complex, but to the extent that this process can be completed efficiently, all parties stand to gain enormous benefits from their affiliations," Legier said.
 
The formation of a new firm is often a unique challenge, even for highly successful attorneys. "In starting from scratch, there are an enormous number of details to consider. We have developed a program specifically setting forth all aspects of practice formation to insure the most efficient and profitable beginning and ongoing operation," he said.

State of the Art Technology is the way of the Future

Legier also stressed the Firm's experience in office automation, which helps attorneys operate with fine tuned efficiency. In working with law firms, they have introduced efficient automated systems that capture every dollar of time and billing, as well as expenses related to cases. They have found that more often than ever the competitive nature of the legal field demands that firms operate more efficiently and with more management information than ever before to insure maximization of their profits and the accumulation of wealth.
 
In addition to its law firm consulting services, Legier says that it is important to also provide a full complement of accounting, auditing, tax and financial, and business planning and consulting services, including office automation, litigation support and computer animated accident reconstruction and graphics. The firm's professional staff of certified public accountants includes two attorneys who do not practice law but rather have dedicated their careers to the practice of the highest quality tax reporting, accounting and proactive planning that takes advantage of every opportunity within the tax laws. All of the partners and many staff members began their successful careers with "Big 5" accounting firms.

Experience is the Key

Legier says his firm offers the technical competence found at large international accounting firms along with a personal involvement at all levels. "We have chosen our own playing field in achieving our goal of serving clients, using our "Big 5" backgrounds, combined with the personal service and attention that clients expect of us", he said.
 
Legier attributes his firm's success to an outstanding staff. "Our growth continues because we work from a mission statement that emphasizes quality professional services delivered in a timely and friendly, personable way. We develop a cordial, supportive relationship with our law firm clients, no matter how large or small, to go along with our experience, competence and technical sophistication. In many cases, because of the sensitive and personal nature of information, we become part of the extended families of our clients," he said.