#MyAffinityStory: Gilk Legacy Law and Affinity's New Firm Launch Program

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We recently had the opportunity to speak with some of our amazing clients as part of Affinity’s Client Appreciation Month. In the coming weeks, we’ll be spotlighting some of those clients in a series of posts tagged #MyAffinityStory. In this series of case studies, you’ll gain an insider’s perspective on some of the challenges faced by legal organizations today and get a peek at how the Affinity team works with clients to help them achieve their goals.

Located in southwest Minnesota, Gilk Legacy Law is a premier law firm focused on business entity formation and real estate for individuals, farms, and businesses. Ensuring that succession transitions go smoothly and that clients have the peace of mind that comes with preserving their legacies, Gilk Legacy Law delivers top-quality legal services and tangible results.

The Challenge

When the founder of Gilk Legacy Law, Jennifer Gilk, set out to start her law firm, she had a distinct vision for her new venture. She knew her extensive legal expertise in the areas of estate planning, trusts, and farm/business succession would serve her community well, and that the team she was going to assemble would be top-notch. However, she found that she needed a guiding hand with regard to the technology her new firm would use to serve its clients. She needed specialized technology expertise, and she needed it fast—without cutting any corners. She knew she need to have her firm up and running within a short two-month timeline, with critical technology issues also addressed within that time frame.

“I was ready to get going with my new law firm and excited to see it come to life! But one person can’t do everything,” explains Gilk. “I knew right away that the legal software selection and set-up was something I would outsource—but only to the right team. I knew of Affinity Consulting’s services through attending a CLE webinar they had hosted, so I gave them a call. Right away they hit the ground running with the right advice.”

The Solution

Affinity Partner Debbie Foster knew that Affinity’s new firm launch program would be the perfect fit for Gilk Legacy Law.

“Under this program’s umbrella we focus on building the framework which will empower law firm founders to build their businesses without having to worry about details of technology selection, implementation, and administration,” says Foster. “Everything from establishing a cloud strategy to training to legal-specific accounting software comes under its purview, and all that’s left for the legal entrepreneur to do is execute on their vision.”

The Affinity Consulting team set out not only to build Gilk Legacy Law’s technology from the ground up, but also to assist them with modernizing their processes, software, and hardware. From which case management software to pick to the way they would bill their clients to which documents would they produce that would need to be automated, Debbie and her team provided a comprehensive list of recommendations coupled with implementation support. This empowered Gilk Legacy Law to launch the new firm with a solid technology and process foundation that has contributed to its ability to grow and to take on more clients with fewer people. 

“They had a very structured, step-by-step process that eased me into the new system,” says Gilk. “I felt reassured that they took the time to explain why they were recommending the software or platforms they were. Beyond that, they actually did the grunt work! The first two weeks of set-up, Debbie and her consultants were logged into our computer system configuring our programs and even customizing our letterhead.”

The Results

Gilk Legacy Law needed results, and they needed them fast. By managing deadlines and project scope, Affinity Consulting worked with the Gilk team to ensure that all project goals were reached. As the desired go-live date of December  31st rapidly approached, Debbie and her team worked to handle all of the details required for the new firm’s successful launch, including mail-merging contact lists, automating the correspondence announcing the new firm’s creation, setting up the office phone lines, and more.

“Debbie had no problem working with me on weekends—even over the Christmas holidays,” explains Gilk. “Whenever I was overwhelmed, she patiently guided me through whatever was frustrating me. But more than that, I really believe that Affinity’s new firm launch program has been an investment that has produced true value for my firm. Thanks to Debbie’s team, Gilk Legacy Law is a forward-focused organization, ready and empowered for the future.”

Want to learn more about how Affinity can help you launch a new law firm? Contact us at info@affinityconsulting.com or request a consultation.

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