Why Hiring Happy People Makes a Successful Law Firm

As Managing Partner of Joye Law Firm, I’ve had the privilege of overseeing our growth over the last 30 years. During that span, we’ve seen tremendous growth at our law firm from four lawyers in one office to 21 lawyers across five offices throughout South Carolina in Charleston, Columbia, Myrtle Beach, Summerville, and Clinton. Along with our expansion in size, we’ve seen our firm’s gross income increase by more than tenfold, including quadrupling in the last decade alone.

There are numerous factors needed to build a successful law firm, but the most crucial: employees. They make or break business success. While you must have talented lawyers who are not afraid of a courtroom, the rest of the employees are the firm’s backbone. They are often the face of the firm, serving on the frontline in the fights we take on for our clients. If I could offer one piece of advice to new attorneys looking to build a thriving firm, it would be this – hire happy people.

What We Can Learn About Happiness from Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln once said, “Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be.” There’s a lot of truth in that statement. Now before you dismiss it by saying, “Well, of course, Lincoln was happy, he was the president”, consider this:

Lincoln was president during the most stressful time in the country’s history
He was the target of numerous assassination plots before he was eventually killed by John Wilkes Booth
Lincoln’s first son died at age 3 due to a hemorrhagic stroke
His favorite son, Willie, died at age 11 from typhoid fever in the second year of Lincoln’s presidency
His only surviving son when Lincoln was killed in 1865 would die a few years later at age 18 from pneumonia
Lincoln’s wife Mary was psychiatrically troubled, suffering from severe depression and other undiagnosed conditions

If ever there was someone who had every right to adopt an Eeyore mentality, it would have been Abraham Lincoln.

Happy Employees Are the Backbone of a Successful Law Firm

The role of workplace culture in driving a firm’s profitability cannot be overstated. The legal profession, especially in personal injury and workers’ compensation, is often taxing and stressful. From navigating complex legal cases to managing emotional people and situations, our days can feel long and challenging. Working at a trial law firm is not for everyone, but a positive workplace culture, built on the foundation of happy employees, helps alleviate that stress and keeps the firm moving forward. Because lawyers’ lives are stressful even under the best of circumstances, it is crucial that they’re surrounded by team members who are upbeat and generally positive.

Whether it’s case managers, intake specialists, or administrative staff, your team is often the first point of contact for clients and is critical to your success. I’ve seen firsthand how hiring employees who are upbeat, positive, and love what they do can transform the atmosphere of the entire firm. Take my case manager Marcy, for example. She has recently celebrated her 10th year anniversary with our firm and consistently brings a smile to everyone’s face, even on the toughest days. Despite the pressures that come with her job and her anger when she sees our clients being treated poorly, Marcy’s positive attitude never wavers.

The one thing that is universal is that every person has their own sack of troubles to haul around but in a professional setting, it’s important that we’re able to check most of our minor problems at the door. When the major problems come along, it’s important that we have support networks, which should include our co-workers, to lift us up.

Building a Culture of Positivity

Sometimes, we all need a reminder of our victories to re-set how we look at the world, and how well we feel it’s treating us. Of course, the world (and no one in it) owes us anything. How we make our way through the one life we’re given is completely up to us. Remember what Lincoln said: happiness is a mindset. Even in a high-stress profession like law, it’s possible to create a positive work environment by focusing on the good and uplifting those around you.

At our firm, we strive to be a supportive network for each other. When someone is having a tough day, their coworkers are there to lift them up. This culture of mutual encouragement doesn’t just happen by chance – it’s the result of deliberate hiring decisions and leadership that prioritize employee happiness.

The Key to Success: Hire Happy People

At the end of the day, a law firm can’t thrive without talented and motivated people. But to really take a firm to the next level, those people need to be happy. They need to love what they do, feel supported, and be eager to contribute to the firm’s goals.

If you want to build a successful business – whether it’s a law firm or any other organization – hire happy people and treat them well. The rest will follow.