Fireproof: A Five-Step Model to Take Your Law Firm from Unpredictable to Wildly Profi

By Mike Morse and John Nachazel

Skilled lawyers who open their own firms can quickly find their dream career turning into a nightmare. When the firm doesn't grow as fast as you expected, the money doesn't come like you'd hoped despite working long hours, and your less-capable peers are passing you by, it can be demoralizing and deeply frustrating.

Mike Morse has been there. The change he made that transformed both his personal life and his professional future was running his law firm like a business.

Now, along with John Nachazel, Mike has written the book he wishes he had twenty years ago. In Fireproof, the duo lay out a roadmap of business principles to help you sort out what's missing from your firm. By running your firm like a business, you are free to work in your sweet spot, doing what you love to do every day. You'll attract more clients, make more money, and enjoy newfound freedom. As your firm grows, you'll enjoy peace of mind knowing it'll bring more profitability—not more problems.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Jul 27, 2020
• ISBN: 9781544508542

Book preview

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Fireproof Book Reviews

"I wish I had this book forty-five years ago when I started my law practice. Fireproof outlines in cookbook fashion how to build a wildly successful law firm. The lessons taught are not theoretical, nor is the book a wish list of unattainable goals. It is instead a factual account of a law firm that actually did it!

It tells the story of a great trial lawyer, Mike Morse, and a great businessman, John Nachazel, who, in a very short time, built the largest personal injury law firm in Detroit, Michigan. They accomplished this while competing head-to-head with the 800-pound marketing gorilla who had dominated their market for many years.

If you have an 800-pound marketing gorilla in your market, don’t give up. Order this book and learn how it can be done."

—Brent Adams, Brent Adams & Associates

Ever wonder if there is a roadmap for the success of a plaintiff's personal injury law firm? Such a book exists. In their book, authors Mike Morse, Esq. and John Nachazel leave no stone unturned. Morse and Nachazel reveal the secrets to running a law firm as a business. This book should be mandatory reading for lawyers and aspiring lawyers. Fireproof is worth its weight in gold.

—John Fisher, John H. Fisher, P.C.

"We think we know how to run a practice; we don't.

We think we know how we get our clients—I thought I did; we don't.

We think we have a decent system; we don't.

Reading this book made me come to reality. It made me take a really hard and honest look at the way we do things. So far, I've only been able to make a few changes in my law practice related to what I learned from Fireproof. The results were like pyrotechnics. I'm actively reviewing and making more changes and am seeing major results. Don't just buy the book—implement the advice and take your practice to places you only dreamed about."

—Jason A. Waechter, The Motorcycle Lawyer

I feel so strongly about Fireproof and this story that I think every lawyer should pick it up. I'm responsible for a number of law firm employees, and this book just blew me away. It not only reinforced elements that I knew (even if I have been hesitant to incorporate them), but also shed light on things that I had simply not done. It won't be easy, but I even started to think of ways I could adopt some of the things that Mike Morse discusses throughout the book in real time. I know much of it will be a work in progress, but there is a simple roadmap laid out in this book that could benefit everyone who works in the practice of law. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

—Joseph Roche, Army & Roche

This is a must-read for any lawyers (or business owners for that matter) looking for a blueprint on how to take things to the next level. Mike Morse has reached the pinnacle of success in the legal world and, in this book, demonstrates a lot of candor regarding the challenges he's overcome, providing incredible insights along the way. He takes the time to break down many of the specific strategies that got his firm to where it is as well as what he's doing today. Fireproof provides exceptionally practical and timely guidance for those looking to dominate their market. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

—Neil Zemba, Rise DDS

Through his own ups and downs, Morse offers a roadmap for success on how to build and scale a modern law firm. The book has rich stories, surprising twists, and practical approaches to growing your own firm. It is very readable—touching at times and funny at others. There are also really good lessons here for non-lawyers on how to build successful teams and companies. I think the fireproof metaphor is excellent, especially in the context of these unprecedented times. I'm going to buy extra copies of the book for a few friends who run law firms. Highly recommend.

—Josh Linkner, New York Times Best-selling Author

Fireproof is a great must read, especially for law firm owners. It’s entertaining and, more importantly, it’s very informative and provides a no-nonsense, if not revolutionary, way to run your business. Read this book now!

—Rob McLendon, The McLendon Law Firm

Client Testimonials of Fireproof Performance Consulting

What our clients are saying within our first six months of launching:

My managing partner and I struggled to really understand and optimize performance at our law firm. Only after reading Fireproof did we realize that we could easily do both—and that I was the visionary while he was the integrator. Within a month, we were working with the FIREPROOF Performance team to apply its proven approach to our firm. We now have a leadership team in place, run regular and structured meetings, and have data readily available that we can understand and use. We also have clear ten- and three-year visions that my team members understand and support, and I am only doing the things that I excel at and enjoy. And, most importantly, we are now built to last. I couldn’t be happier.

—John Gomez, Visionary and Owner, Gomez Trial Attorneys

I thought I was a successful lawyer until I read Fireproof and realized there was so much potential for my firm. No longer are we a firm with just tomorrow in sight. Now I run a business with multiyear plans in place. Michael, John, and crew came into my firm and implanted processes that have not only helped us grow but have also given us the ability to handle that growth. For the FIREPROOF Performance crew, it is not only about a business relationship. I have also become friends with all of them and know that they are genuinely and personally invested in the long-term success of Ryan Montgomery Law.

—Ryan Montgomery, Visionary and Owner, Ryan Montgomery Law

Our team could not be more thrilled and excited to work with the FIREPROOF Performance team. Our coaching team of John and Anne has been a dream come true. Even from our earliest sessions with the FIREPROOF team, we have learned so much and have seen positive changes within our firm as a result. If you want to make the changes to push your firm past the walls blocking you from huge success, I highly recommend joining the FIREPROOF Performance team.

—Dawn Figueredo, Chief Operating Officer and Integrator, Lloyd Baker Powerhouse Injury Attorneys

"I picked up Fireproof during the pandemic and read it in one sitting. Fireproof set my firm on the path to quadruple our revenue from January 2020 to December 2020. Fireproof is my best Amazon purchase ever, and, being from Seattle, we are Amazon-obsessed!!

Since reading Fireproof, I now work with the FIREPROOF Performance coaching team and could not be more excited for 2021. I have identified my leadership team and will be following the Fireproof/EOS system in collaboration with the leadership team to rocket the firm into the stratosphere (think SpaceX meets Legally Blonde hosted by Oprah). I expect that Michael, John, Sara, and Anne are going to be trusted colleagues for years to come—cheerleaders and truth-tellers. What a powerful coaching team."

—Elise Buie, Visionary and Owner, Elise Buie Family Law

Michael and John are legends and they’re awesome at sharing their knowledge. Their guidance and leadership while helping us implement the Fireproof system have set my firm on a rapid growth path. Running our law firm like a business—having accountability, team vision, and goals people can get excited about—has made a major impact on our team and leadership. I am truly grateful for their friendship and help!

—Lloyd Baker, Visionary and Owner, Powerhouse Injury Attorneys

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Copyright © 2020 Mike Morse & John Nachazel

All rights reserved.

Second Edition

ISBN: 978-1-5445-0854-2

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This book is dedicated to my father, Joel Morse, for teaching me that being a lawyer can be the most rewarding job in the world.

This book is also dedicated to my mom, Susan Morse, who has been an inspiration to me and has been there every step of the way. I couldn’t have done this without you.

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Contents

Foreword

Prologue

Introduction

1. Know Thyself

2. Hiring, Firing, and Paying

3. The Legal Jumbotron

4. Run Your Business like Your Biggest Case

5. Cherry Garcia Beats Vanilla

Conclusion

Acknowledgments

About the Authors

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Foreword

I started working with Michael Morse thirteen years ago.

When I met Michael, he was bursting with raw talent and ambition. I feel honored to have worked directly with him and his leadership team as their Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) implementer. I taught them how to implement the EOS tools and practices I lay out in my book Traction. EOS is a system for helping any entrepreneur run a better business in any industry.

The vital ingredient that makes EOS work in helping entrepreneurs build great companies is that they have to be entrepreneurs first. Michael Morse is a true entrepreneur, as you will see by his story. Michael would have succeeded in any business. Fortunately for you, he chose law. He will show you how to build a successful law firm.

Michael added John Nachazel as his chief operating officer in 2008, and together, they have achieved a level of success rarely seen in business. It was the perfect visionary-integrator combination, which is why I feature them in my book Rocket Fuel.

In addition to being a great entrepreneur, Michael is also a marketing genius. His advertising has transformed him into a local celebrity and taken his business and life beyond what he ever imagined was possible.

John is a master of data. He is one of the best I’ve ever seen at utilizing data to run a business. I have never seen anyone do more impressive work with data than John.

Combining the EOS tools in Traction, Michael’s marketing genius, and John’s data mastery was like throwing gasoline on a fire (no pun intended). The combination was a triple threat, and now, that explosive strategy is available and customizable for your law firm.

If you are a lawyer and you are committed to running your law firm like a wildly successful business, it is imperative that you read Fireproof.

Enjoy the journey and stay focused,

Gino Wickman

Creator of EOS and author of Traction

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Prologue

A Story of Self-Reliance

I learned at an early age that if I was going to be happy, I had to rely on myself.

I grew up in suburban metro Detroit. I was just a normal Jewish kid from a middle-class family. My dad was a solo lawyer, doing general law stuff with an emphasis on personal injury. My mom was a retired school librarian and stay-at-home mom. When I was twelve, my parents divorced, and the world my sister and I lived in was shattered.

My dad remarried, but his new wife hated us. She would tell people when they asked her about Joel’s kids that they were dead to her. Lovely. My mom also remarried, and her new husband was physically abusive. My stepfather was a psychologist who lost his license for sleeping with a patient. As a result, we moved to another town, and I had to start high school without a single friend. This made me a target for some of the school bullies. They threatened me with beatings, but my cunning ability to avoid danger and talk my way out of threatening situations kept me safe. Still, this was not a very happy time in my life.

By the time I was fifteen, my survival skills were razor sharp. I started working—partly to get out of the house but also as a way to protect myself. If I couldn’t find comfort, protection, and stability at home, perhaps I could find it through work. So I took a job busing and waiting tables. This kept me busy. It’s not like schoolwork and friends were taking up any time. That’s one of the good things about working in restaurants. It is usually a bunch of misfits looking for connections and a job. My coworkers in the fifteen-plus restaurants I have worked in have always become my close friends and somehow part of my family. This is a real thing and happens in most jobs of this nature.

I’m not joking when I say that waiting tables taught me everything I needed to know to be a great trial lawyer.

Good evening, folks! My name is Michael, and I’ll be your waiter this evening.

I learned how to think on my feet. I learned how to juggle five tasks at once while keeping a smile on my face and thinking ahead to what I would do next. I learned how to read customers. I learned how to communicate quickly and clearly to chefs, hostesses, and diners. I developed a fantastic memory. I followed certain practices that allowed me to work faster and more efficiently. I figured out what type of table made me the most in tips, and I learned how to encourage the hostess to seat the four businessmen in my section and give the mother with three toddlers to someone else. I loved the pace, the demands, the pressure. I loved doing an excellent job for my customers, and I loved depositing a fat wad of bills from tips