End game drama unfolds as new PII season approaches

October 1st sees in a new Professional Indemnity Season - any firms that have not obtained insurance by that time must be given an extended indemnity period (EIP) by their current insurer. The EIP is essentially 30 days grace in which firms can continue to practice whilst trying to obtain cover. If a firm cannot source any cover in that time then it is curtains.

Insurance renewal is essentially a litmus test to a law firm's viability as a going concern, business is business after all and a necessary survival of the fittest has taken hold.

You should be safe but just in case here’s 10 things to look out for if you suspect your firm or department is displaying zombie characteristics and…some steps business leaders may want to take to contain any outbreak. 

1. Low morale. Come on have you ever seen Bill Rancic in a zombie film? Antidote – sounds obvious but get your people motivated. Put sometime aside to start working on your business rather than in it. Investigate funding opportunities for personal growth within your business. Rediscover the fire that got you where you are now.       

2. People disappearing. Has anyone seen Gill from Property? She was here one minute and then she was just gone. Losing people – especially your firm’s stars - can be a sign of a problem. Antidote - exit interviews, employee surveys and back-fill ASAP. Get your hands on your work culture, find out something what reality is and take some steps to remedy the situation.     

3. Narrow focus. Zombies eat anything. Antidote – start being selective about the work you are bringing into your business. Directly by only working with good payers. Indirectly by upping your rates.   

4. Stand out from the crowd. Zombies succumb to herd mentality. Antidote – create a proposition that makes your firm genuinely different from Joe Blogs down the road. Work on USP’s, touch points. Exploit free marketing opportunities.

5. Lack of dynamism. Anyone can outrun a zombie although you might get lucky if you corner someone. Antidote - investigate new revenue streams. Build your network. Act quickly on opportunities.

6. No vision. Zombies ain’t got a plan, it’s day to day and week to week for the undead. Antidote - come on picture the business in 3 or 5 years. This is true existential stuff and if you don’t have an idea why you are in business then the bell could be tolling for you.

7. Banging on the doors and windows.  We’re not talking about creditors here but customers. Antidote - use your brains. Treat them with respect and as a minimum meet their expectations and you can expect more business from referrals.    

8. Poor appearance. We all know how zombies see but how do they smell? Bloody awful I tell you. Antidote – It might not be the odour but take a look in the mirror. Dress meeting ready every day and you will at least look as though you mean business.   

9. No personality. Is your office a dead zone? We are not talking about corpsing here but when’s the last time you had a laugh with your colleagues? Antidote – lighten things up. Encourage personality. If you need a bit of help get a radio on to encourage talking points. Go out for pizza!

10. Poor communication. You might hear the odd moan from behind a closed door and a maybe a bit of finger pointing career but apart from that you feel like a mushroom. Antidote – you are alive so start your day by saying good morning to everyone in the office. Create a shared diary. Get a notice board up in the office. Set up group email addresses. Intranet and/or weekly update email. Monthly and quarterly meets. Make incremental additions to the communications’ channels and soon information will be circulating around the office again.     

Douglas Scott are multi-award winning legal recruitment specialists. We can breathe life into your career and re-animate your working environment. Contact us here – dawn ‘til dusk.