Goals That Stick: How to Set (and Conquer) Your Legal Team's Targets
Goal setting isn’t just a “New Year’s resolution” exercise. For law firms, it’s essential for driving growth, improving client service, and keeping teams aligned. But let’s be honest—many goals fizzle out before they can deliver meaningful results.
So, how do you set business development goals that busy lawyers will actually achieve? It’s all about crafting goals that are clear, realistic, and tied to your firm’s long-term strategy.
Why Goal Setting Matters for Law Firms
Without clear goals, teams often feel directionless. Attorneys focus on urgent tasks instead of long-term growth. Strategic business development efforts get deprioritized.
Setting BD goals creates accountability and purpose. Whether your firm is focused on growing revenue, improving client satisfaction, or increasing brand awareness, a structured goal-setting process provides clarity and momentum.
Here’s why goals matter:
✅ They improve focus – When attorneys know exactly what they’re working toward, they’re more likely to prioritize effectively.
✅ They build accountability – Goals encourage follow-through and responsibility, which is critical in busy legal environments.
✅ They drive results – Clear, measurable goals create a roadmap for success and help you track progress along the way.
The SMART Goal Framework (With a Legal Twist)
The best goals follow the SMART framework—and it’s a perfect fit for law firms:
Specific: “Increase client referrals” is too vague. “Increase client referrals by 20% within 6 months through a targeted referral program” is better.
Measurable: If you can’t track it, it’s not a goal. Use metrics like new clients gained, hours billed, or LinkedIn engagement rates to measure progress.
Achievable: Goals should stretch attorneys without being unrealistic. Setting a goal to triple revenue in one year? Probably not achievable. Increasing it by 10-15%? That’s doable.
Relevant: Make sure your goals align with your firm’s larger strategy. Ask yourself: Will achieving this goal contribute to the firm’s overall growth and success?
Time-bound: Deadlines create urgency. Without them, goals lose their punch.
How INform54 Helps You Reach Your Goals
Goal setting is great—but how do you track progress, stay accountable, and ensure follow-through? That’s where INform comes in.
Here’s how INform54 makes it easy to set, track, and achieve your goals:
Custom Dashboards – Keep your team’s projects front and center with dashboards that track progress in real-time.
Reminders & Nudges – Automated reminders ensure that no one forgets a deadline (or the steps to get there).
Progress Reports – See what’s working and where you need to course-correct with detailed reports on progress.
Collaboration Tools – Set team projects and assign tasks so everyone knows their role in achieving success.
Quick Tips to Make Goals Stick
Even the best goals need a bit of encouragement to stick. Here are some tips to stay on track:
🎯 Celebrate Wins – When milestones are hit, recognize and reward the effort.
🎯 Adjust as Needed – If a goal is off track, reassess and adjust. Flexibility keeps goals realistic.
🎯 Keep Goals Visible – Use tools like INform54 to keep goals top of mind, not buried in a to-do list.
Let’s Make It Happen!
At the end of the day, goal setting is about moving the needle for your firm. By setting SMART goals, keeping them visible, and tracking progress with INform54, you’ll turn ideas into actionable results—and see real growth in your firm’s bottom line.
Ready to get started? Let INform54 help your team achieve more this year. Connect with us today to learn how we can help you reach your goals!