How to Create Authentic Core Values—For Yourself or Your Law Firm
In my last post, I shared why core values shouldn’t just live on your law firm’s website—they should guide you as a professional. Because when your work aligns with your personal values, everything flows better: your decisions, your energy, your team dynamics, and your client relationships.
But if you’ve never gone through the process of defining your core values, you might be wondering… how do I even start?
Let’s break it down.
What Are Core Values, Really?
Core values are the non-negotiable beliefs that guide your behavior, choices, and priorities. They aren’t just “nice words” you throw into a mission statement—they’re your internal compass.
Authentic core values:
• Reflect what you actually believe, not what sounds impressive
• Help you choose who and what to say yes to
• Give you the clarity and courage to say no, too
• Feel aligned with how you want to live and lead
And here’s the thing: your core values don’t have to be your firm’s values. They can overlap, but they should reflect you—your leadership style, your boundaries, your purpose.
How to Create Your Core Values
Here’s a simple but powerful process I recommend:
1. Reflect on Your Best (and Worst) Experiences
Think about:
• A client or project you loved. What made it so fulfilling?
• A team you thrived in. What worked?
• A moment you felt proud of how you handled something. Why?
Now flip it:
• When have you felt drained, frustrated, or out of alignment?
• What values were being ignored or violated in those situations?
Patterns will emerge. Pay attention to them.
2. Look at Your Decisions
Think about recent choices you’ve made—what you said yes to, what you walked away from. What informed those decisions?
For me, when I’ve ended engagements—even lucrative ones—it was because they didn’t align with my values of trust, mutual respect, and fun. I’ve never regretted those decisions. In fact, they’ve led me to even better fits.
3. Get Honest (and Specific)
Don’t choose values that sound good on a website. Choose values that make you feel something.
“Integrity” is a classic value—but what does it mean to you?
Does it mean being honest, being reliable, doing the right thing when no one’s watching?
If “fun” is a value (it is for me!), what does that look like in your work? Lightness? Humor? Creativity? Energy?
Get specific. Clarity is power.
4. Narrow It Down to 3–5 Core Values
More than five gets hard to remember—and hard to use as a filter.
Try grouping similar values together. For example:
• “Accountability,” “ownership,” and “follow-through” might all live under “Responsibility.”
• “Positivity,” “lightheartedness,” and “enjoyment” might all fit under “Fun.”
Choose words that resonate with you. You don’t need to explain them to anyone else—but you should be able to feel them.
5. Put Them to Work
Core values aren’t useful if they live in a drawer.
Use them:
• When deciding which clients or opportunities to pursue
• When hiring or building partnerships
• When setting boundaries and saying no
• When checking in on whether something feels right
The more you use them, the more aligned—and fulfilled—you’ll feel.
Need Help Defining Yours?
📥 Download the FREE Core Values Worksheet
Ready to get clear on what matters most?
Click here to download the worksheet
This guided worksheet will help you reflect, identify patterns, and distill your values into something meaningful and actionable.
At ING Collaborations, we work with law firm leaders to help align their vision, values, and operations—whether through fractional COO support or strategic advisory work. If you want to lead with intention and clarity, we’re here to help.
Let’s build something that reflects you.