In this reflection, she shares her insights on the key factors that drive a firm’s growth and success, discusses the invaluable lessons she has learnt and offers advice for those aspiring to start their firms.

A journey of challenges and growth

McManus reflected on the challenges and significant milestones she has encountered since the firm’s inception and during its ongoing operations.

She expressed that, “it wouldn’t be ‘Murphy’s Law’ if our story wasn’t one of challenges, ironies, and humour. I think any small business owner could relate to that!”

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From the outset, McManus highlighted that one of the most significant challenges she faced was the overwhelming necessity of wearing multiple hats during the firm’s early operations.

“By far, the biggest challenge from the outset was the sheer volume of responsibilities right from the start.

“When building a new firm, you’ve got to be head of accounts, head of IT, head of marketing, head of HR, and so on it goes, with so many hats to wear and so little time!” she said.

Additionally, she emphasised that the challenge of assuming multiple roles was compounded by the necessity of managing her family responsibilities, all while ensuring that everything was accomplished within a limited 24-hour time frame.

“Throw in your share of family responsibilities on top of that, which for me included getting three kids to school, and it’s a daily challenge to make sure your 24-hour days don’t stretch into impossible 36-hour ones,” she said.

However, she elaborated on how the firm’s growth led to a shift in challenges, as she could appoint skilled individuals to positions that she had initially filled herself.

“As the firm grows, challenges change, and it’s natural to also gradually set your standards higher. We have highly skilled people in key roles now, though, who can support us every day,” she said.

Amid the challenges she encountered, McManus also achieved several significant milestones during the firm’s operation, one of which was her husband’s appointment.

“We’ve had a lot of milestones along the way, one huge game changer being when my husband, Chris McManus, joined the practice in October 2016. Up until that point, I was doing a wide variety of law, but his 20-plus years’ expertise in plaintiff injury law really helped cement the practice in that specialty,” she said.

“But moving into our modern premises at Kedron two years ago was a favourite milestone for me. It was a highly visible change that meant our staff could work in an office they were proud of, where they had space to enjoy some downtime, either alone or as a group.”

The key to success

McManus underscored that the cornerstone of Murphy’s Law Accident Lawyers’ sustained success lies in its unwavering commitment to fostering strong, trusting relationships with its clients.

“Murphy’s Law is a people business over a law business. We focus on developing genuine relationships with all of our clients, our staff, and our business partners. Trying to understand everyone’s needs and responsibilities means we can make much better decisions.

“In the case of clients, it is crucial that we get inside their lives to understand their case and achieve the greatest outcomes for them,” she said.

Adaptability has played a crucial role in the firm’s growth, with McManus highlighting the importance of adjusting to emerging demands and opportunities.

“Secondly, we’ve been adaptable. We first opened our doors as Premier Legal and Murphy’s Law Group, initially encompassing multiple brands, but over time, we had to be open to adaptation, always being willing to alter course wherever the demand or opportunity led us,” she said.

McManus also recounted a memorable anecdote that has remained with her throughout the firm’s growth, significantly shaping her understanding of the business evolution.

“As a fledgling company, one particular anecdote stuck with me, whereby a business owner might start out selling yellow squares, but before long, one customer asks for a blue square. It then turns out that blue squares are more profitable and more in demand than yellow squares.

“Then the owner sees that a blue circle is even more in demand and more efficient to produce, so they then go down that path (something they would never have thought to do at the outset),” she said.

“This anecdote faithfully represents the Murphy’s Law journey, throughout which the various shapes and colours of our business have evolved, reflected externally in our changing brands that have morphed into the blue and green flecked circle we see in our logo today.”

Lessons learnt

As she reflects on her decade-long journey, McManus imparts valuable insights for aspiring firm owners, highlighting the critical importance of discernment and the need to establish a solid foundation for lasting success.

McManus identified that one of the critical lessons she learnt early in her career is the importance of recognising that only some opportunities are worth pursuing.

“One of the first business lessons I learned was that not every opportunity that presented itself was necessarily a good one. Many hours can be dwindled away on initiatives with other businesses, sponsorship opportunities, and the like, which is not helpful for a budding firm,” she said.

She stressed that one of her most critical lessons was the importance of establishing a stable foundation that can withstand internal and external challenges.

“The most important lesson was ensuring the foundations of the business were stable enough to withstand any internal or external challenges, whether they be market forces, the continued throng of law and business regulation, or opportunities that arose for expansion and growth.

“It involved identifying and managing business risks, creating innovative service delivery solutions, negotiating leases and software solutions, navigating IT, and, of course, ensuring expert legal service delivery,” she said.

McManus believes that a well-structured business model not only supports immediate operational needs but also prepares a firm to seize expansion opportunities when they arise.

How to build a sustainable practice

For aspiring law firm owners, McManus provides practical guidance on establishing a sustainable practice.

Reflecting on her own experiences, McManus conveyed that challenges are inherent in establishing a law practice, reminding aspiring law firm owners that obstacles are a natural aspect of the journey.

“As Murphy’s Law would have it … anything that can go wrong will go wrong! Nothing is as easy as it looks; everything takes longer than you think, but doing it the hard way and the right way is always easier in the long run,” she said.

McManus articulated that at the heart of Murphy’s Law’s success lies its team, saying: “When it comes down to the heart of our success, for us, the Murphy’s Law team has been the secret sauce: highly personable, extraordinarily capable people, with the skills needed to manage the complex affairs of our clients.”

Given the challenges of finding exceptional talent, McManus advises persistently uncovering these hidden gems and investing in their development.

“These people are not easily found, so my biggest piece of advice would be to have persistence in uncovering those hidden gems, and invest in them, in order to build a team of talented ‘unicorns’, unique to your firm, and your firm only,” she said.