By Steve Fretzin & Tom Dunlap
Scaling Your Law Firm: How Letting Go of Control Can Fuel Growth
Running a law firm is more than just practicing law: it’s about managing a business. In our conversation with Tom Dunlap, managing partner at Dunlap, Bennett & Ludwig, we dug into what it takes to truly scale a law firm. His approach is different from the traditional law firm model, and his military background played a significant role in shaping his leadership style. The key takeaway from our discussion was this: to grow and scale, you need to get comfortable letting go of tasks that don’t align with your highest and best use of time.
At the heart of our conversation was a discussion on control. Many lawyers feel the need to do everything themselves—from managing clients and associates to handling administrative tasks. But as Tom emphasized, trying to wear all those hats is not only unsustainable but also detrimental to growth. You didn’t go to law school to order office supplies or review malpractice policies. You went to practice law. So why are so many lawyers reluctant to hand off those responsibilities to professionals who are trained to manage the business side of things?
Tom’s journey into law wasn’t the typical straight path. He actually left the legal field early in his career, enlisting in the Army and eventually becoming an armor officer. That military experience gave him a unique perspective on leadership. In the Army, he learned that the most effective leaders are those who delegate and trust their teams. This lesson proved invaluable when he returned to law, taking those principles and applying them to build a successful law firm. His firm now boasts 80 lawyers, a growth made possible by his willingness to let go of non-essential tasks and hire professionals to manage the business side of the firm.
For lawyers looking to scale, Tom’s advice is clear: start by outsourcing the tasks that don’t require your legal expertise. At first, this might mean hiring an office manager or outsourcing bookkeeping and IT. As your practice grows, you’ll need to think bigger—bringing on a Chief Operating Officer (COO) or even a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) to take over critical business functions. The goal is to free yourself up to focus on what you do best: practicing law and bringing in new clients.
One of the most insightful points Tom made was about the reluctance lawyers often have to allow non-lawyers to manage the firm. There’s a persistent belief that only lawyers can run a law firm effectively, but this simply isn’t true. While non-lawyers can’t manage cases or advise on legal strategies, they’re more than capable of handling the firm’s operations—whether that’s finance, HR, or marketing. Lawyers who insist on managing every aspect of their firm are often the ones struggling to grow.
Tom shared how he and his co-founder scaled their firm intentionally by hiring the right people. At first, they outsourced basic tasks like bookkeeping. But as the firm grew, they hired a project manager from Airbus to serve as their COO—a professional who understood how to manage complex operations and free Tom and his partners to focus on practicing law. Eventually, they added a CFO, a CMO, and other key roles, building a structure that allowed them to scale without getting bogged down in day-to-day management.
For those just starting out, Tom recommends investing in a robust practice management tool as the first step. This can streamline everything from client intake to billing, allowing you to manage your practice more efficiently. But beyond technology, the most critical move is finding that key non-lawyer hire—a COO or office manager—who can take on the operational responsibilities that are pulling you away from billable work.
As lawyers, we often fall into the trap of thinking that no one can do the job as well as we can. But the reality is, if you want to grow your firm, you need to focus on the tasks that only you can do—building client relationships, practicing law, and making rain. Everything else should be handled by someone else. Tom’s firm is proof that this approach works. By letting go of control over non-legal tasks, they’ve been able to grow from a two-person operation into a firm of 80 lawyers.
Toward the end of our conversation, we talked about the value of bringing in lateral partners and even entire groups to grow the firm. This can be a highly effective strategy, but it’s not without its challenges. The key, Tom emphasized, is culture fit. You can have the most talented lawyers in the world, but if they don’t align with your firm’s values, the integration won’t work. At Dunlap, Bennett & Ludwig, they take the time to vet potential laterals carefully—focusing not just on their book of business but also on how well they’ll fit with the firm’s culture and operational structure.
Ultimately, scaling a law firm isn’t just about adding more lawyers. It’s about building a solid infrastructure that allows you to focus on high-level work while professionals handle the rest. As Tom said, being a managing partner shouldn’t mean managing every aspect of the firm—it should mean being the face of the firm, bringing in clients, and ensuring your team has the support they need to succeed.
Get to know more about Tom HERE.
For more information about taking your law practice to the next level, please email me directly at [email protected].
Steve Fretzin, an expert at legal business development, is the author of four books regarding the topic and is the host of the Be That Lawyer podcast. He has helped hundreds of attorneys across the world dramatically grow their book of business while living a well-balanced life. He can be reached at [email protected].