“Too Many Cooks”: What Happens When Law Firms Have No Decision-Making Structure
In a lot of growing law firms, it’s not a lack of good ideas that stalls progress — it’s a lack of decision-making structure.
Who approves this hire?
Can we greenlight this marketing spend?
Who has final say on the org chart?
When the answers are unclear — or worse, change based on who’s in the room — things grind to a halt.
The “Too Many Cooks” Problem
Law firms often grow by cobbling together leadership roles as they go. One partner runs hiring, another runs finance, the office manager “owns” systems — until nobody really owns anything.
And when that happens:
Initiatives stall
Team members get mixed messages
Politics and posturing increase
Nothing moves forward without endless discussion
What a Lack of Structure Looks Like
Committees with no authority
Owners overriding decisions last-minute
“Consensus” cultures that confuse accountability with collaboration
No clear process for approvals or feedback
This isn’t just inefficient — it’s exhausting.
What Healthy Decision-Making Looks Like
Defined roles and decision rights
A leadership team that understands scope of authority
Aligned strategic goals
A system for making — and sticking to — decisions
How a COO Fixes It
Facilitates decision-rights mapping across leadership
Installs structure without bureaucracy
Builds an operating system for clear ownership and accountability
Helps the firm move faster — without creating silos
Leadership can still be collaborative. But someone needs to own the call — and make sure it actually gets executed.
If your firm feels like it’s stuck in a cycle of endless discussion, let’s fix the structure. I’ll help your team make smart decisions — and actually follow through.