Phillip Sanders discusses how a 119 year old law firm found a product that brought their firm together in a way it never was -- having a single database software that all practice areas use -- plus having a relationship with PerfectLaw that ties us together for many years to come.
00:00:03 Anthony Beasley
OK, good morning everybody. This is Anthony Beasley again with the Perfect Law podcast and today we're going to be talking to the Co of MVP law in Missouri. Mr Phillip Sanders now just to give you a little backdrop on the relationship with Phillip, is that.
00:00:23 Anthony Beasley
Some years ago, many years ago, so phone call that I made to Phillip and he was looking at one of our competitors and was talking about making a transition.
00:00:32 Anthony Beasley
And at the time he had some things in mind of what he wanted to firm to be doing.
00:00:36 Anthony Beasley
Moving forward, so that turned into what has been gotta be going on close to 10 years now as a relationship as a business partner.
00:00:43 Anthony Beasley
So what I'd like to do is just kind of let you guys hear from Phil standpoint of you know what it's like to be a business partner with perfect law when it comes to.
00:00:52 Anthony Beasley
Perfect providing your form.
00:00:53 Anthony Beasley
With a firm management solution, especially for firm, the size of a firm like Mcenany, so Phil.
00:01:00 Anthony Beasley
With that said, we'd love to hear from you.
00:01:03 Phillip Sanders
Thanks Anthony. So yeah, we're Midwest law firm, presently 65 attorneys and but were spread out across the Midwest across 8 offices and so the geographical spread was a challenge. But really the beginning of our relationship is we were a fragmented firm with regard to.
00:01:08 Phillip Sanders
Thank you.
00:01:23 Phillip Sanders
You know, and it solution.
00:01:25 Phillip Sanders
We had practice groups using different tool.
00:01:28 Phillip Sanders
Rules and so the desire was defined in all in one solution, so that we get everybody on the same page.
00:01:35 Phillip Sanders
An as we looked around, there just was not that many solutions, and the solutions that we found were were not good.
00:01:45 Phillip Sanders
As I said, the attorneys for years were just in this.
00:01:49 Phillip Sanders
They could never agree, and that's when I say fragmentation is the attorneys would never agree on a single solution which made.
00:01:56 Phillip Sanders
You know supporting solutions very difficult, so we were introduced to perfect law and sat down and and had the owners attorneys engaged, went through the demo, an light bulb went off, particularly with the attorneys is that this is going to work. And I mean for the first time. I mean we're 100.
00:02:19 Phillip Sanders
19 year Old Firm and I can honestly say that the first time in 119 years all the attorneys agree is that this is the solution. Is that this it was. It was nimble enough. The base, the base was strong enough, the foundation of of Perfect Law solution was strong enough that it met everyone's needs. But then, on top of that is there was the ability to create.
00:02:42 Phillip Sanders
Solutions for the different practice areas that they were confident moving forward, and so you know, we jumped in, converted.
00:02:50 Phillip Sanders
You know, we've been.
00:02:52 Phillip Sanders
No, I'm with several other solutions and I can honestly say this is.
00:02:59 Phillip Sanders
This has been really.
00:03:00 Phillip Sanders
It's been a really great solution for us.
00:03:04 Phillip Sanders
You know, I'm not as a matter fact, I just I'm always checking in with ownership and said how is perfectly doing for you.
00:03:04 Anthony Beasley
Active.
00:03:09 Phillip Sanders
And they're like, actually it's great.
00:03:12 Phillip Sanders
So I mean, it's just, you know it.
00:03:13 Phillip Sanders
It has really met our needs really.
00:03:18 Phillip Sanders
And then we can get into anything.
00:03:20 Phillip Sanders
But you know, now it's it's.
00:03:22 Phillip Sanders
It's exceeding our expectations just because of the ability for us to.
00:03:26 Phillip Sanders
To move forward and advance some of our new needs as we you know, grow.
00:03:32 Anthony Beasley
OK, now I know over time you know that's that's the neat thing.
00:03:37 Anthony Beasley
And being in this position, you talk to a lot of different people.
00:03:39 Anthony Beasley
I get to hear a lot of problems that people are having with the current vendor or their reasons for leaving.
00:03:44 Anthony Beasley
And you know you had a focus of finding an all in one solution, which sometimes that's not really.
00:03:52 Anthony Beasley
You know someone's focused, they come in, they they think it's the Sky and the pie in the Sky dream.
00:03:57 Anthony Beasley
An and they just kind of bump into it, but you had a focus.
00:04:01 Anthony Beasley
I remember very clearly it was it was a.
00:04:03 Anthony Beasley
It was a December that year and you were, you know you were in a phase of finalize or at least doing some testing with another vendor and all the things that happened in overtime when you looked at perfect while you said hey, you know, I think we might have something here, but of course people don't think about the business relationship on it.
00:04:18 Anthony Beasley
So what do you think you know from your?
00:04:20 Anthony Beasley
Experience has made us a little bit different.
00:04:22 Anthony Beasley
Yeah, over the time we've known each other.
00:04:24 Phillip Sanders
Well, as I said the solution.
00:04:26 Phillip Sanders
The solution was exceptional.
00:04:27 Phillip Sanders
You know, it just really was and and but for us so you know.
00:04:32 Phillip Sanders
Well I mean.
00:04:33 Phillip Sanders
For us our.
00:04:34 Phillip Sanders
Culture and our business like we are in the relationship business and so we are incredibly.
00:04:44 Phillip Sanders
Very close knit and we are face to face people with their clients.
00:04:48 Phillip Sanders
We go to see them.
00:04:49 Phillip Sanders
I mean everything is based on relationships and you know quite frankly to be successful in this business.
00:04:55 Phillip Sanders
That's in my opinion, that's what you have to have.
00:04:58 Phillip Sanders
Well so for me to be in charge of the operations of the firm, we extend that into our vendors.
00:05:04 Phillip Sanders
And really look at them just like we do our clients as partners in the business and the relationship and so.
00:05:11 Phillip Sanders
So part of the selection of perfect Glow had a lot to do with the connection that we made just with regard to similar cultures.
00:05:21 Phillip Sanders
The way we view relationships, everything else and so you know, for me, you know the again, the product absolutely excellent behind that.
00:05:31 Phillip Sanders
And the reason for success is the relationship with the people.
00:05:34 Phillip Sanders
Very much, you know, like we're having this conversation today and and our ability, my ability to reach out to people within perfect law owners and and talk about.
00:05:46 Phillip Sanders
What we're envisioning and what we need, and in in the positive response that we get, you know all of that and and the focus on mutual success and the fact that I mean, you know, we just we just like you guys, 'cause you're just good folks.
00:06:04 Phillip Sanders
Great.
00:06:04 Phillip Sanders
You know, I mean, I mean, it's, and that's.
00:06:06 Phillip Sanders
And let's not forget about is.
00:06:08 Phillip Sanders
Is.
00:06:09 Phillip Sanders
Can we have a little bit of fun, you know, can we actually think about you, know the moon and and talk about it, and in which we've, you know I've had those conversations and some have ended up in projects and some of not.
00:06:11 Phillip Sanders
Right?
00:06:21 Phillip Sanders
But, you know, is good people good business and have a little bit of fun too?
00:06:28 Anthony Beasley
Great, now I know you have had some conversations here recently in in, you know, a lot of people know that the initial stuff that goes on with perfect law.
00:06:37 Anthony Beasley
We kinda.
00:06:39 Anthony Beasley
You kind of get overwhelmed if your firm that doesn't really have a good idea of where you want to go.
00:06:45 Anthony Beasley
I will admit, you know, in my time here there are certain firms that always stand out about where they are, and I know Mac and it's been one of those terms that has always stood out because you always seem to be a little ahead of people.
00:06:56 Anthony Beasley
As far as the software is concerned and using it.
00:06:59 Anthony Beasley
The things you want to do now we're going to be doing some special things in moving forward.
00:07:05 Anthony Beasley
I think you know.
00:07:06 Anthony Beasley
I can talk about them and I think those things you know coming from the vendors great and people would love to hear about it.
00:07:12 Anthony Beasley
But just to give people a little bit inside, 'cause obviously you know we're going to have not just our clients, but also potential clients that will be looking into this podcast and wanted to hear what people have to say.
00:07:22 Anthony Beasley
But you know what I'd like for you to do is just talk a little bit about your ability to work with us and provide us input and some of the things that we have talked about.
00:07:30 Anthony Beasley
You know, is we look forward in the future.
00:07:31 Anthony Beasley
Here, because we do believe that as far as the industry is concerned, when you look at the changes that are going on.
00:07:38 Anthony Beasley
We are a very unique company in the sense that when you first became a client, we were owned by a small group of people and now we are an employee owned company which we think is going to be a huge advantage for us in the future as we start to face more and more, these corporate companies that are just buying up the smaller companies so just give us, you know a little bit of your insight into what you see in the future, especially with some of the things that we've asked you to be involved in.
00:07:56 Anthony Beasley
Right?
00:08:03 Phillip Sanders
Well, I mean in that is that is a huge component of in the strength of our relationship too.
00:08:06 Phillip Sanders
No.
00:08:11 Phillip Sanders
Is that mutual desire for growth and development sustainability?
00:08:16 Phillip Sanders
We we have been with with several other solutions in the past.
00:08:23 Phillip Sanders
I'm I'm supposed to mention those or not, but but you know, I mean what we found and what we found.
00:08:30 Phillip Sanders
I'm sure others have two is you find something that is is pretty good and typically it's going to be, well, a lot like our law firm where you know Midwest homegrown.
00:08:41 Phillip Sanders
You know, just good people doing good.
00:08:43 Phillip Sanders
Work and and those are the.
00:08:45 Phillip Sanders
Typically the the companies that get gobbled up by the bigs, either because you know they they agree that solution is great or you know my opinion.
00:08:56 Phillip Sanders
They buy him to get him out of.
00:08:57 Phillip Sanders
The way and.
00:09:00 Phillip Sanders
You know that that and it up to this point.
00:09:03 Phillip Sanders
That's that's a curd with just about every.
00:09:05 Phillip Sanders
Solution we've sought after you know, I mean.
00:09:08 Phillip Sanders
And and so.
00:09:10 Phillip Sanders
That ability to deal with a company that is is all about their solution.
00:09:16 Phillip Sanders
The company themselves and so that for me that's a huge component with perfect law.
00:09:21 Phillip Sanders
Is is the fact that it's employee owned and it's all about creating solutions.
00:09:26 Phillip Sanders
But moving forward though is you know those solutions that?
00:09:31 Phillip Sanders
Now, with mobility and everything else.
00:09:35 Phillip Sanders
In creating, you know we've talked about user groups and creating solutions amongst all of the you know, the business intelligence that we have within the perfect law family.
00:09:47 Phillip Sanders
Uh huh.
00:09:47 Phillip Sanders
Huh?
00:09:48 Phillip Sanders
That's huge for us to be dialoguing about that, because it's our business is changing right in front of our eyes, and so the ability to take you know perfect loss solution and then create that in you know.
00:09:57 Phillip Sanders
Right?
00:10:05 Phillip Sanders
In a mobile platform.
00:10:08 Phillip Sanders
You know that's been.
00:10:09 Phillip Sanders
It's been a game changer for us.
00:10:11 Phillip Sanders
And now as you guys are building your solutions moving forward, it's we're pretty excited about it.
00:10:16 Phillip Sanders
I mean, there's there's.
00:10:16 Phillip Sanders
Great.
00:10:17 Phillip Sanders
There's a lot of great things coming down the Pike and and we have a lot of good ideas too.
00:10:23 Phillip Sanders
And and so you know, with that.
00:10:23 Anthony Beasley
Good.
00:10:26 Phillip Sanders
And that's again back to the relation.
00:10:28 Phillip Sanders
Chip is we really are confident that if we think we have a good idea, we present that to you all and you go.
00:10:34 Phillip Sanders
That's pretty cool.
00:10:35 Phillip Sanders
You know we should talk about that.
00:10:36 Anthony Beasley
Right?
00:10:37 Phillip Sanders
That is, you're not going to get that with the what I'll call the bigs, right?
00:10:43 Phillip Sanders
You know, I mean, actually is you're spending your day trying to figure out who to talk to?
00:10:48 Phillip Sanders
Correct, you can't get past sales team and I I'm talking to P.
00:10:52 Phillip Sanders
So that the only company in our programming and an really are the foundation of of perfect solution.
00:11:01 Phillip Sanders
So I mean, when you're having a conversation about what's possible, you really talking about what's possible an for us, that's very exciting.
00:11:10 Phillip Sanders
Very exciting.
00:11:11 Anthony Beasley
Great, well I feel I do appreciate you and I appreciate you giving us some time.
00:11:16 Anthony Beasley
I mean I know for a lot of people who want to hear you know it's great for us to say things and it's great to give somebody your name on a list.
00:11:26 Anthony Beasley
But when they get to actually hear your direct comments, it makes a huge difference.
00:11:30 Anthony Beasley
We are in the process of creating a more of a sharing environment, not just with potential clients, but our clients themselves.
00:11:36 Anthony Beasley
So you know, I know that there's some things that you have directly done that people may not realize that the growth of the software has been your fingerprints on it quietly behind the scenes, and we appreciate that.
00:11:46 Anthony Beasley
And we look forward to more and more of that in the near future, so.
00:11:49 Anthony Beasley
With that said, I'm going to conclude today's podcast and we will definitely look forward to working with you and hearing more from you in the future.
00:11:58 Phillip Sanders
As always, a pleasure.
00:11:59 Phillip Sanders
Thank you.