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Outgrowing Informal Structures: A Strategic Planning Case Study for a Litigation Boutique

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Industry

Technology

Challenge

The firm, a 15-lawyer litigation boutique with 35 staff, had outgrown its informal management structures. This resulted in governance gridlock, avoidance of succession planning, tension over compensation, lack of accountability, and a breakdown in firm culture. Critical decisions were stalled, trust among partners eroded, and the firm was at risk due to overdependence on its founder and key operational leaders.

Results

Affinity's engagement enabled transparent conversations around succession and governance, fostered a unanimous commitment to new management structures, and launched dedicated task forces for implementation. The firm established ongoing review processes and shifted its culture from avoidance to shared responsibility and proactive planning, safeguarding leadership continuity and firm stability.

Key Product

Product one

$5.4M+
Manage Spend
100+
Deals Completed
7.6x
ROI
$2M
Cost Savings

We kept having the same conversations and getting nowhere. We needed someone from outside to help us actually talk to each other.

Anonymous

Managing Partner

picture of an office, with a few people working at desks

About your Customer

A 15-lawyer litigation boutique with a stellar reputation, recognized for handling high-stakes cases and representing judges and lawyers. The firm was founded decades ago by a highly influential partner, now approaching 80, and has grown to about 35 total employees. Known for excellence and teamwork, the firm operates with a mix of founding, mid-career, and younger partners.

The Challenge

The litigation boutique, highly respected for its high-stakes legal work, reached a crossroads as its size and reputation outpaced its informal management style. Governance decisions stalled, compensation issues lingered, and partners became frustrated with a lack of accountability and clarity—described by one as a "dysfunctional all-star team." Operational continuity was threatened by the firm's reliance on its founding partner and a single key administrator, creating uncertainty about the future and eroding trust among partners.

The Solution

Recognizing the risks, the firm turned to Affinity Consulting for strategic guidance—driven by a collective realization that they were "trying to run the firm like a small boutique from decades ago." Affinity conducted 18 confidential interviews to surface perspectives across generations of partners, then designed and facilitated a two-day retreat focused on governance, succession, compensation, and culture.

Breakthrough moments included reframing succession as a contingency issue, the founder's open acknowledgment of transition, and the formation of task forces. As one partner put it, "We kept having the same conversations and getting nowhere," but Affinity's process provided structure, empathy, and expert facilitation to move the group forward.

The Results

After working with Affinity, the firm saw immediate and sustained change. Partners unanimously committed to new governance and accountability frameworks, formed cross-generational task forces, and implemented regular review processes.

The cultural shift was palpable: partners moved from avoidance to action, from individualism to shared responsibility. As the founding partner reflected, "It's not just about [the founder] anymore. It's about all of you. And it's about everyone who works here."

With a clear succession pathway and robust operational support, the firm is now well-positioned for continued excellence and stability.

Key Metrics: 35 staff, 18 partner interviews, 2-day retreat, 9 equity partners.

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