Staffing the First Eighteen Months of a Branch
Opening a branch without a staffing sequence is how partner calendars fracture. The first eighteen months need a published rota, not informal promises to “cover as needed.”
Start with partner presence. Decide which matters require a named partner on site, which can travel from the lead office, and which a senior associate may carry with remote partner review.
Local hires usually follow, not lead. Reception, filing, and scheduling roles stabilize client experience early; fee-earner hires should wait until the referral pipeline is visible enough to justify another salary.
Administrative coverage across offices deserves its own line in the plan. Shared bookkeeping or intake should specify which office owns the client file on day one of a new matter.
Revisit the rota at month six and month twelve. Early assumptions about travel fatigue and matter mix almost always need a quiet correction before year two.