Have you ever wondered how small law firms transform into scalable businesses? For most legal practices, growth hits a ceiling when processes rely too heavily on the expertise of individual attorneys. Crow Estate Planning faced this exact challenge – until they discovered the power of systems.
From Startup to Systems-Driven Law Practice
Crow Estate Planning began in 2019 with just two team members. By 2023, they had expanded to 15 employees across three locations in Tennessee and Kentucky. This rapid growth created operational challenges that threatened their ambitious expansion plans.
“John has what he calls a B-Hag, a Big Hairy Ambitious Goal. His B-Hag is to have a firm in each one of the southeast states of the United States by 2040,” explains Callie Saulsburry, Systems Champion at Crow Estate Planning and Probate.
The firm’s owner, John Crow, recognized that achieving this vision required more than just hiring talent – it demanded systematization.
The Strategic Decision to Create a Systems Champion Role
After reading The E-Myth and SYSTEMology, John made a critical decision to designate a dedicated Systems Champion. He approached Callie, who was serving as Client Experience Manager, to lead this initiative.
“When he first told me he wants to create systems for everything that we do in the office, I was like, ‘Oh my goodness, how am I going to do that?’ And then he came in with your book. And I really dived into that and the critical client flow… really helped me understand how it’s going to be achievable,” Callie recalls.
This strategic pivot allowed the firm to transform documented knowledge into scalable processes while freeing attorneys to focus on client work.
Implementation: Creating a Systems-Driven Law Practice
Callie’s systematic approach to implementation included:
- Identifying the firm’s Critical Client Flow, starting with estate planning as their highest-revenue service
- Working with knowledge experts to document processes for 95 different Tennessee counties, each with unique legal requirements
- Creating step-by-step videos and documentation in systemHUB for all key procedures
- Developing a streamlined onboarding system for new employees
- Sending monthly newsletters highlighting new and updated systems to keep the team engaged
- Implementing Asana for project management alongside systemHUB for process documentation
- Establishing different system tiers based on state, county, and case type (with/without will)
Measurable Results That Transformed the Practice
The implementation of systems has delivered significant benefits for the firm, particularly in reducing what Callie calls “single-person dependency” – the bottleneck created when only one person knows how to complete a task.
“Let’s say even a new hire asked a question. ‘Well, I’m unsure how to do that,’ the first thing is, ‘Well there’s a video on systemHUB for it!’ And I love hearing that here because there is, and then it’s a step-by-step, and it’s not interrupting someone else’s workflow.”
The firm also reports faster onboarding of new staff, reduced margin for error in legal documents, and improved workflow efficiency – critical advantages in a field where probate processes can take six to nine months to complete.
Key Lessons for Law Firms Looking to Scale
- Dedicate resources specifically to systems: “One of the biggest things for business owners is to really dedicate that to one person, the Systems Champion role who can really hone in and focus and take the time that it needs.”
- Value transferable skills: “It has so many transferable skills from teaching… I’m used to creating curriculum and stuff like that.”
- Be patient with return on investment: “It will take time, but I don’t believe that should discourage any business owner that it’s not an immediate wrap-in in there. It will come within time.”
- Focus on making systems engaging: “I will send out a newsletter… I make them fun. I’ll put a cartoon of me on there like this month, I’m a pumpkin.”
- Recognize the hidden benefits: “By drafting and creating all these systems, it’s more experience than just watching… because you’re actually physically doing it.”
The Path Forward: Systems as a Foundation for Growth
Implementing a systems-driven approach has positioned Crow Estate Planning for their ambitious expansion goals while improving current operations.
“I think that for anyone who is starting a business or has even been in a business for years, implementing the systems really does make a difference in getting scalable and sellable,” Callie concludes.
For law firms looking to scale beyond the limitations of individual expertise, the Systems Champion role offers a proven pathway to sustainable growth.
Ready to Transform Your Law Firm with Systems?
Join the growing community of Systems Champions who are creating scalable, process-driven businesses. Get started with the Systems Champion Academy – the world’s first training, support, and community for Systems & AI Champions.
