Podcasts · Counsel to Counsel - Career Advice for Lawyers
Episode 186: Building a Law Practice by Design, Not by Default with Susan Guthrie
· 45 min · Episode 186
Episode Episode 186: Building a Law Practice by Design, Not by Default with Susan Guthrie
What if you could start your law practice all over again? Would you build it the same way?
Many lawyers build successful practices without ever consciously deciding what they want those practices to look like. They inherit systems from previous employers, follow traditional approaches to billing and marketing, and develop habits that may not serve their clients or their own professional satisfaction.
My guest on this episode of Counsel to Counsel is Susan Guthrie, a nationally recognized attorney, mediator, practice-building strategist, and past chair of the American Bar Association Section of Dispute Resolution.
Susan and I have gotten to know each other over the past year through our overlapping work coaching lawyers, our involvement with the ABA, and our shared interest in helping legal professionals build more satisfying and successful careers. I've been particularly impressed by Susan's generosity and her commitment to the concept of "coopetition," the idea that we all benefit when we support one another, even when our work overlaps.
Susan is the creator of The Practice Playbook Series, including the recently released second edition of The Business Plan Playbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Intentional Practice Design for Lawyers and Dispute Resolution Professionals. Her forthcoming ABA book, Future-Proof: How to Build a Thriving, AI-Ready Legal and Dispute Resolution Practice, explores how artificial intelligence, generational change, and evolving client expectations are reshaping the profession.
In our conversation, Susan shares her own career journey from family law litigation to mediation and practice development consulting. We discuss why lawyers often build their practices by default rather than by design, how to rethink inherited systems and assumptions, and why intentional practice design can lead to greater professional satisfaction.
We also explore the three forces Susan believes will fundamentally reshape legal practice over the next several years: AI, generational turnover, and changing client expectations. We discuss what those changes mean for hourly billing, the value lawyers provide to clients, and the skills professionals will need to remain competitive.
Throughout our conversation, Susan emphasizes that insight alone isn't enough. Lawyers need practical strategies for implementing change and building practices that can evolve as their careers and the profession change.
Whether you're launching your own practice, rethinking an established one, or wondering how to prepare for the future of law, Susan offers valuable perspectives on creating a practice that works for you rather than simply continuing along a path you never consciously chose.
Key Takeaways
• Build your practice by design, not by default. Many lawyers inherit systems, processes, and assumptions from previous employers without considering whether those approaches fit their own goals. Intentional practice design begins by examining what you want from your practice and making deliberate choices about how to build it. • You don't have to abandon everything you've learned. Susan distinguishes between inherited, reactive, and intentional elements of a practice. Existing systems may have real value, but lawyers should examine them critically and make changes where necessary rather than simply continuing to do things because that's how they've always been done. • A business plan should be a living document. Susan's concept of a Living Practice Plan goes beyond the traditional business plan. Rather than creating a document that sits on a shelf, lawyers can develop a framework that guides everyday decisions about clients, services, pricing, marketing, and professional priorities. • Professional involvement creates opportunities. Susan's experience with the American Bar Association demonstrates the value of showing up, volunteering, and becoming actively involved in professional organizations. Those relationships and opportunities can lead to…
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