Stop Building Workarounds: Why Law Firms Need to Solve Root Problems
Here’s how a workaround usually starts:
“Just CC me on the emails for now.”
“Let’s track it in a shared spreadsheet.”
“Text me when the file’s ready.”
And just like that, the process becomes… a process. A bad one.
What Is a Workaround?
It’s a patch — a temporary fix that becomes permanent because no one takes the time to solve the root issue.
Examples:
Manual invoice tracking because billing software isn’t set up properly
5-step intake emails or chasing down infinite amounts of information because no one built the form
Asking the receptionist to remind the team to update deadlines
Creating “roles” for people that don’t exist in the org chart
These feel like solutions — but they’re symptoms of missing systems.
Why Workarounds Hurt Firms
Time-consuming
Error-prone
Unscalable
Hidden from leadership
Frustration and burn out of your best people
The longer you rely on them, the more they become embedded — and harder to unwind.
How to Spot a Workaround Culture
If someone leaves, the whole system collapses
There’s no centralized documentation
Most communication happens in text or side channels
Team members say “We just do it this way” but no one knows why
Solve the Root, Not the Symptom
Ask:
What’s the actual breakdown here?
Who owns this outcome?
What’s the simplest system we can build to solve this?
Can we automate or eliminate this step?
This is COO thinking — and it’s the difference between duct tape and design.
COO Role in System Design
A COO:
Identifies recurring inefficiencies
Maps processes
Creates clear workflows with ownership
Documents systems
Aligns tools with people — so the work flows
If your firm is running on patches and hope, it’s time to upgrade your systems. Let’s replace the workarounds with operations that actually work.