Make it Easy: Helping Buyers Read Your P&L Fast
Smart Lawyers Position to Transition
Release Date: 09/04/2025
The Lifecycle of a Law Firm: From Start-Up to Plateau
Smart Lawyers Position to Transition
Every law firm goes through distinct stages: from the hustle of startup, through the rapid growth of scaling, to the challenges of repelling, and finally the stability of plateau. In this episode, host Victoria Collier breaks down what each stage looks like, how income changes along the way, and when it makes the most sense to sell. Whether you’re just starting out, feeling the stress cracks of growth, or enjoying a period of stability, knowing where you are in the cycle is key to making smart business and exit decisions. What you’ll learn in this episode: • The four...
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One Year After the Law Firm Sale with Joey Masiuk
Smart Lawyers Position to Transition
What happens after you sell your law firm? In this powerful interview, Victoria Collier talks with Joey Masiuk, one year after selling his firm, about the emotional, financial, and practical realities of exiting a long-time practice. From his early days as a PI lawyer, through building a family-centered estate planning firm with his wife, to navigating the highs and lows of selling, Joey’s story offers law firm owners a candid look at what it really takes to prepare, let go, and move on to a new chapter. What You’ll Learn in This Episode • Why emotional readiness can be the...
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Make it Easy: Helping Buyers Read Your P&L Fast
Smart Lawyers Position to Transition
A profit and loss statement may seem basic, but when you’re preparing to sell your law firm, it can be the difference between closing a strong deal or watching a buyer walk away. In this episode, host Victoria Collier explains how to transform your P&L into a buyer-friendly tool that inspires confidence and justifies your asking price. From breaking down income streams to spotlighting discretionary earnings and cutting duplicate expenses, you’ll learn how to make your numbers tell a story buyers can’t resist. What you’ll learn in this episode • Why a messy P&L...
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Duplicative Expenses: The Hidden Boost to Law Firm Value
Smart Lawyers Position to Transition
When it comes to selling or buying a law firm, what you see on the books isn’t always the whole story. Some costs are real for the seller but won’t carry over to the buyer — and those hidden savings can dramatically change a firm’s true value. In this episode, Victoria Collier uncovers the overlooked world of duplicative expenses. From accounting to software to office rent, these “double costs” can either drag down your firm’s valuation or create hidden upside for savvy buyers. What You’ll Learn in This Episode Duplicative expenses can mask a firm’s true profitability...
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From Sustainability to Survival with Jennifer Goddard
Smart Lawyers Position to Transition
What happens when life throws you a crisis that pulls you out of your business overnight? In this powerful episode, Victoria Collier sits down with Jennifer Goddard, CEO and co-founder of Integrity Marketing Solutions, to share how she faced a rare, aggressive cancer diagnosis—and how her business not only stayed afloat, but thrived without her. This isn’t theory. It’s real-life proof of why systems, culture, and succession planning matter. 3 Key Takeaways Systems Save Businesses: Documented processes and SOPs gave Jennifer’s team the roadmap they needed to operate and even expand...
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Too Many Cooks: How Outside Advisors Can Complicate—or Strengthen—Your Law Firm Sale
Smart Lawyers Position to Transition
When you’re selling (or buying) a law firm, your advisory team can be your greatest asset… or your biggest obstacle. In this episode, host Victoria Collier pulls back the curtain on the “good, bad, and ugly” of working with outside advisors. You’ll hear real-world examples of how advisors have saved deals by reframing strategy… and how others have nearly destroyed them through outdated, irrelevant, or ego-driven advice. Victoria shares practical ways to vet your advisory team, set boundaries, and keep the right person in charge (hint: it’s you). What You’ll Learn in This...
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When Buyers Come in Packs: Selling to a Multi-Partner Firm
Smart Lawyers Position to Transition
What happens when you're ready to sell your law firm, but the buyer isn't one person? It's an entire team of partners. In this episode, host Victoria Collier unpacks what really goes down when you're negotiating with a multi-partner firm. From the power plays and decision delays to the moments of opportunity and unexpected advantages, this episode is your insider’s guide to navigating the group dynamics that come with this type of sale. Whether you’re currently in talks with a multi-partner firm or just want to know what you might be getting into, this episode is a must-listen. What...
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Two Heads, Double Trouble: Why Selling a Law Firm with Partners Isn't Twice as Easy
Smart Lawyers Position to Transition
Selling a law firm is rarely simple—but when there’s more than one owner at the table, things get exponentially more complex. Whether you’re in business with a professional partner, your spouse, or both, this episode unpacks the hidden challenges of shared ownership and why “twice the brainpower” doesn’t always equal twice the ease. Victoria Collier draws from firsthand experience to explore why deals between co-owners often fall apart, even with the best of intentions. She pulls back the curtain on the emotional, structural, and financial landmines that make partnership exits...
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The All Cash Illusion: Why it's not a Free Pass for Sellers
Smart Lawyers Position to Transition
At first glance, an all-cash offer for your law firm might seem like the ultimate win. No seller financing, no earn-outs—just a clean break and a big check. But in this episode our host, Victoria Collier breaks down why that perception is often an illusion. Buyers who offer all or mostly cash are actually taking on more risk, which means they come with higher expectations, tougher due diligence, and tighter demands for post-closing transition plans. Whether you're a seller eager for a fast exit or a buyer ready to invest, this episode is your behind-the-scenes look at what really...
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Know When to Fold: How to Spot a Bad Buyer Before It’s Too Late
Smart Lawyers Position to Transition
Not all buyers are created equal—and some can cost you time, money, and peace of mind. In this eye-opening episode, host Victoria Collier breaks down the biggest red flags when vetting buyers for your law firm. From love-bombing for data to lowball offers disguised as all-cash deals, Victoria shares real-world examples and patterns she’s seen from the deal table. Whether you’re months or years away from selling your firm, this episode will help you sharpen your instincts, protect your legacy, and avoid falling for a “bad buyer in disguise. What You’ll Learn in This Episode...
info_outlineA profit and loss statement may seem basic, but when you’re preparing to sell your law firm, it can be the difference between closing a strong deal or watching a buyer walk away.
In this episode, host Victoria Collier explains how to transform your P&L into a buyer-friendly tool that inspires confidence and justifies your asking price. From breaking down income streams to spotlighting discretionary earnings and cutting duplicate expenses, you’ll learn how to make your numbers tell a story buyers can’t resist.
What you’ll learn in this episode
• Why a messy P&L raises red flags and lowers offers
• How to break out income by services to show buyers where revenue really comes from
• Simple ways to make your P&L visual, clear, and persuasive
Victoria Collier is a seasoned attorney, entrepreneur, and expert in law firm sales and valuations. With a background in law and accounting, including her prior military service and CPA training, she brings a unique perspective on the financial intricacies of business valuations. Victoria helps transform law firms into more valuable and sellable businesses, guiding attorneys through life after law.
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