A Farewell and Congratulations to WSBA’s Pete Roberts

The WSBA Law Office Management Assistance Program (LOMAP) thanks retiring practice management advisor Pete Roberts for his career of service. For 13 years, Pete worked with WSBA members to provide low-cost and confidential professional assistance with office administration. If you’re a solo and small firm practitioner, or you are opening or closing a practice, learn more about what LOMAP can do for you. Here’s a farewell note from Hal Prukop, a WSBA member and LOMAP client, wishing Pete a happy retirement.

I first heard about Pete Roberts from another attorney I networked with last spring, who had high praise for Pete and LOMAP. Later, Pete spoke about LOMAP during my readmission course in August 2013.  I found him to be very experienced and someone who could provide worthwhile, real-world advice.

Pete and I met twice in the final months of his time at WSBA (once in September, once in October), and I never even knew he was retiring! He never once talked about it (he is so humble), he simply focused on me and my questions about my practice, as well as discussing with me the things I needed to do to be a successful solo practitioner — because, as he said, “Hal, I want you to be successful.” Pete was not only seasoned and extremely knowledgeable, but he had a dry sense of humor and a quick wit, which may not be apparent at first blush, but comes shining through the more you visit with him.

Pete gave me an overview of a business plan, the ability to put systems in order, to understand my financial situation, case situation, and calendar. He showed me how to get help with an assistant once I could reasonably afford one; how to market myself constantly on a weekly, if not daily, basis; how  not to take on too many clients at first (maybe two or three a month) in order to get properly set up; and how to get all my banking, financial, legal research, and forms systems in place, and read up on relevant areas of my law practice (in my case, estate planning, wills, trusts, elder law, and probate).

What I learned from Pete is to go slow, and that being efficient is more important than being fast. We discussed in depth why small firms fail and why they succeed. He also inspired me to purchase Law Office in a Box and the Probate Deskbook, and to create an effective website. We talked about every substantive area of law office management there is. The investment of time and money I put in with Pete Roberts is already paying dividends in the form of receiving referrals and intaking clients effectively in our first meeting.

I am sure that any solo or small firm attorneys who met with Pete at any time in the last 13 years have superbly benefited. I wish him only the very best in his retirement!