The Creators
The AFL model has been designed by an unique team of talented professionals to harness their collective skills and experience to create a multi-faceted approach to the needs of lawyers navigating the changing legal landscape.
Entrepreneurs, disrupters, career lawyers, professional service leaders, academics, global law firm operations executives, private equity and venture capitalists, innovators, ASX-listed marketing officers and global digital marketing advisors have contributed to the construction of the AFL Model.
It is these people who will work in partnership with you on the business to make it a success. With this model, you are no longer on your own. You have the best minds in business and law firm management as your partners.
How It Works- The Structure
The Fit – You and AFL will discuss your fit for becoming partners. AFL is looking to partner with law firms and individuals for a ‘win win’. The partnership must bring financial benefits, fit the AFL Group Strategy and support measured long-term future of growth and success.
The Deal – For existing law firms AFL, will acquire a majority of the practice (a minimum of 51%). The acquisition will be based on a valuation of the firm will be determined by applying market standard valuation metrics as they apply to the attributes of the existing business. The shares in the firm will be owned by you and AFL.
For individuals, AFL will establish a new entity in the name of one of its brands that best suits the new practice. The shares will be owned by you and AFL, but AFL will provide the financing to remove any risk to you as the individual.
Structure – The parties will execute three documents to reflect the deal. A share/asset sale agreement, a shareholder’s agreement and an employment contract. All have standard terms that address the parties’ respective contributions to the partnership. These documents are available on application. A Board of the company will be established with you as the Managing Director and a business plan is set for the next 12 months to three years.
AFL Model – AFL will then integrate the law firm into the AFL model. The full integration, with end to end management and services, will be planned to take account of all aspects of modernising the business for client service and financial returns. All aspects of the AFL model are applied to the partnership along with a standard corporate overhead.
Your Brand – As a rule, AFL does not change the brand of the businesses it partners with. The decision around branding is a mutual one. It is what best suits the market position of the business.
Strategic Plan- A plan for your business is developed that maps out periodic goals that are both quantitative and qualitative. These goals focus on realising the mission of the partnership and are centred around growth and performance.
Earnings – The salary of the lawyer is agreed in the transaction and profits flow with performance.
ROI – We work together to achieve the financial and personal goals of the business including a sustainable model that supports the business long term.
How It Works – Day to day
The Power of AFL
As a business partner AFL not only helps drives the success of your law firm and career strategically and financially, we also support your practice day-to-day so you can focus on the clients and the law.
The Operational Support
AFL provides the partnership with:
Client Acquisition and Marketing – AFL’s competitive advantage is its digital client acquisition model. We have the largest team of digital experts in Australia focused on local SEO, Google reviews, social media, content and mainstream media. These elements feed into a new client services team who capture and book clients for legal appointments to drive the partnership forward. There is no other firm in the market that can match AFL’s leadership and investment in this space.
AFL has PR consultants to support media. AFL has the largest share of media voice in Australia for its commentary on legal matters in the Family Law space.
Business development has been a growing area for AFL with over 30% of its clients generated from referral activity. A full-time Business Development resource supports the partnership with activities, tool kits and corporate relationships that have been developed for the referral of clients with some the largest companies in Australia.
All marketing, brand and digital is governed by leading global specialists.
Human Resources, People Culture – AFL will provide the partnership with a full end-to-end recruitment and retention service. This includes support with the recruitment of staff, their contracts, their management and implementing a reward program that supports retention. AFL takes this administration task away from the lawyers to support them.
Technology and IT – Working in the cloud, with mobile devices and applications from Ring Central to Google Analytics and DocuSign, AFL has built a suite of applications that support the paperless practice of law in every element.
Utilising LawMaster
– Software for practice management that has been tailored to AFL’s unique needs, AFL offers the most comprehensive daily reporting of metrics seen in private client services.
Legal Education and Precedents – An internal CLE and education program support provided by University Professors of Law and industry experts supports the development of the highest legal skills in the industry. AFL has the largest bank of precedents designed over 40 years and by the best legal minds (including current members of the Judiciary) to support legal service.
Financial, Accounting and Trust Administration – AFL provides full end-to-end financial services from the management of Trust Accounts, to accounts payable and from billing to banking.
Capital – If the business needs capital to grow or expand AFL can provide it.
Executive Support – AFL is led by specialists in law firm management who have a track record in the law and commerce both locally and globally. They have owned, invested in and led the growth of law firms. These people will sit beside you to support the success of the partnership