A Guide: What Law Firm Founders Should Hand Off to Their COO
When you’re building a law firm from the ground up, doing everything yourself is part of the job. But as your firm grows, continuing to be the operations department is no longer sustainable—or strategic.
Hiring a Chief Operating Officer (COO), whether full-time or fractional, can be a game-changer. But bringing someone in is only half the battle. The other half? Letting them do their job.
To really benefit from a COO, law firm founders need to offload key areas of responsibility. That means trusting your COO with ownership—not just tasks—so you can reclaim your time and focus on what only you can do.
Here are some of the top areas a law firm founder should hand off to their COO:
1. Day-to-Day Operations
Your COO should oversee the inner workings of the firm—how things run, who does what, and how efficiently it’s getting done. That includes managing calendars, workflows, staff coordination, and keeping the trains running on time.
2. Team Management
Hiring, onboarding, training, performance management, and even offboarding—your COO can take the lead on all of it. They ensure that your team is aligned, supported, and held accountable, so you’re not stuck in the weeds of people ops.
3. Technology & Systems
From case management software to billing platforms, your COO should evaluate and maintain the tech stack that powers your firm. They can implement automations, streamline tools, and make sure your systems are actually working for you.
4. Vendor Relationships
Stop being the main point of contact for your IT provider, office lease, marketing agency, or bookkeeping service. Your COO can take ownership of those relationships, manage contracts, and keep services aligned with the firm’s goals.
5. Finance Operations
While your bookkeeper or CPA handles the numbers, your COO keeps a close eye on cash flow, budgets, expenses, and financial reporting. They make sure you have visibility into the financial health of your firm—without being buried in spreadsheets. They can quickly give you the bottom line and save you a ton of time.
6. Process Improvement
Your COO should constantly be looking for ways to improve the firm’s efficiency. Whether it’s tightening up intake, streamlining billing, or creating SOPs, they’re the one turning chaos into clarity.
7. Strategic Execution
You’ve got the vision—your COO turns it into reality. They help drive strategic initiatives, set priorities, align resources, and track progress so you can actually execute on your big ideas.
Grab the Checklist: “What to Hand Off to Your COO”
Want to make sure you’re delegating the right things?
Download the free checklist here and keep it handy as you build out your leadership team.
At ING Collaborations, we serve as the fractional COO for law firms that are ready to scale but need operational leadership to get there. We help founders let go of the day-to-day and build firms that run smoothly, grow sustainably, and reflect their long-term vision.
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Let’s talk about what you can take off your plate—and how we can help carry it forward.