1) is there are specialty for the law firm e.g. criminal, housing loan etc etc etc
2) try to get a partner who is more famous to help bring in more clients
3) copy "better call saul"

1) Make contacts with Housing Developers to handle the SPA work, etc

2) Make contacts with Banks to handle the Loan Agreement, etc

But wait, do you have Bumi Partner cos its requirement to be Panel on Bank

Animal Rights - What are you talking about bro. Must be practical. You wanna help Animal Lovers to sue ppl?  MY and out Govt in general are not animal friendly

Consumer Rights - Tak Boleh Cari Makan. Already got Consumer Claims Tribunal. Won't work bro

Accident - Be Ambulance Chaser - also won't work in MY

Islamic Banking - May work but its confined to Big Firms like Wong & Partners, Allen & Gledhill , etc - you will not be able to compete plus do you have BUMI partner with the connections

what do you mean by panel for PDRM

You mean to handle potential cases of ppl suing the Insurance Company for more compensation

This is possible - but involves some element of corruption cos you need the Inspector / Sargent to recommend your firm

You need to pay the Sargent immediately buy you only get paid after you win the case

Could take month / years

Start a website, you don't need animals for publicity. If you need an area of focus. HR and company law is best. Lots of employers suing employees, and lots of disgruntled employees suing employers. Lots of employers who default on salaries, or fire unethically.

Hey bro, don't get me wrong. Am not potong your ideas

If I did not care, I won't bother to reply

To be on panel for Bank, some Banks requirement is to have 30% Bumi Partner - in compliance with NEP

If you're a Bumi Firm - it certainly helps

Its good if you have a Game Plan - Do CSR in form of Animal Rights to get contacts, etc

With Consume Claims Tribunal - don't need Lawyers to sue Retailers, etc

Not many people can afford Lawyers and besides, in a Civil suit, enforceability is always an issue. You can ask your wife, how to collect a Debt of RM10K when Bankruptcy is at RM30K

Your idea on Islamic Banking is good, but like I said, currently dominated by Bigger Law Firms

You can organise free seminars and invite Bankers to attend to generate publicity
Unless you sit there all day long. Not really corruption - just call it incentive.  Many Lawyers are already doing that now.
How much do you need to share the RM200K with other parties such as ****, *****, etc

Censored to avoid me being charged with sedition

A medium law firm, I'm sure your father-in-law has established a good client base and that includes panelship for most of the banks around. For a start, conveyancing and banking transactions are one of those easier ones u can get in. I presume your wife has experience in insurance litigation, it's possible to get some Plaintiff files. If you already have plenty of experience, can try getting into insurance companies' panel for defendant matters. Fees wise, more on volume.

For islamic banking, it really doesn't matter what kinda firm you are in. The concept is the same but maybe the name and structure wise has slight difference. Basically if your law firm has panelship for conventional bank, you are good for islamic bank. Just that maybe bigger loan amount requires higher tier law firms, what we call panel A.

Even if you don't have panelship for banks, fret not, you can apply for adhoc panelship. Requirements are pretty basic, minimum of 2 partners with 1million professional insurance coverage.

I'm not sure those who replied have experience in running or are they practising in a law firm. Some information given is not entirely accurate.

Experience yes but contacts, no. Knowledge, depending on individuals.

TS mentioned his FIL owns a medium sized law firm. That's about 10 LAs at least? Maybe I've missed it, but TS did not specifically mention which area the firm does.

Anyway legal works are not that hard to understand. Once you learn the concept everything else can be applied and re-apply to suit the transaction. In fact, I learned the most of my knowledge in corporate and islamic banking during my first few years in a medium sized firm.

Don't be surprised if a civil litigation lawyer can suddenly become an aviation lawyer in a week. What we do is read, understand, re-apply.

Was re-reading TS info on his FIL Law Firm again
TS, perhaps you can list out:

a) what sort of clients does your FIL do at the moment
b) How many qualified LA does his firm have
c) How many "legal clerks" does his firm have
d) Where exactly is his firm located

Since chastise is also a practising Lawyer, perhaps he/she can give you more insights

As of all, you need to ensure your wife is familiar in which field.

Secondly, you may consider your wife's dad field too. As you may consider to expand the business based on their expertise.

If you choose to start something which they are not familiar with, you need to standby at least 3years +- for them to catch up. So, why not just go into the field they familiar with? As lawyer is a professional field, not simply as just on marketing, get client then run it. Tons of liability might appear even after you close the case. Just as conveyancing, anything might appears, even after the case is closed such as fraud cases, fake title and etc...

I personally started my own partnership firm last year but fully focus on conveyancing. So could only able to share with you conveyancing related matters. Not proper for me to comment on others. Again, yes, you can treat legal firm and run it as a business but, plz take note on the liability accrued.

P/S: Looks like alot of experienced lawyer here! I am here stand to be corrected if any mistake/error on the info provided. 

Okay, you mean your FIL has 3-offices, one each in ipoh , taiping and kuala kangsar

So, when you mean 3 qualified Lawyers, this is for each office or combined offices.

Same goes for staff

How long as the qualified Lawyers been employed

Any risk that they don't like the new boss - your wife and leave with some clients and clerks?

Tak balik kampung cos orang KL

You must know that it is very HARD to actually sack someone in MY - especially since you are dealing with people who are conversant with Law.

You plus your wife really need to sit down with your FIL

Running any biz today is not the same as 20-years ago. Landscape, competition is very different.

You're from the F&B Line right, perhaps your wife can offer Legal Services to them such as

- Tenancy Agreement - with Landlord
- Contract Agreements - with suppliers
- HR Contracts - with staff

sorry, quite close lah

Use your contacts to get the Hotel contracts Legal Work

Not e-mails but visits with pitches and portfolios - YES

Big Legal Firms do that for Big Clients / Existing Clients - Talk about Firm Background, expertise, past portfolio etc

But not to sound too desperate lah

Pitch to Group Legal of the respective Firms,and also marketing departments like say Corporate Banking, Investment Banking, etc

Good way to create awarness is to offer "Free Legal Seminars" for prospective clients

Say - "Dispute and Arbitration process for Human Resources Department"

"Tenancy vs Lease - Pros and Cons" for Property Department / Legal Dept of the Hotel

Big Law Firms also do very Nice CV for their Partners / Lawyers

http://www.zicolaw.com/profile/david-lee-kim-meng/

http://www.lh-ag.com/s-saravana-kumar/

http://www.logan.com.my/html/people.html

What does your wife do now?? Is she a practicing lawyer with another firm? If she is practicing, she should hop over to your fil's firm for the next few years, so she gets to know his clients etc. You're a long way from hiring and firing my friend. You will have to give those old staff compensation etc. You can't hypothetically deduce how to run a business you're not involved in.

TS, you really should have an intense talk with your wife and FIL. Running three firms at the same time is not easy if without expertise in management includes human management, accounts and admin.

If there are only three lawyers and three branches, I believe each branch will have a lawyer stationed there, am I right? If so, you need to know each branch's clients' portfolios.

First thing you need to make clear is what is your role in the firm. Who is going to take care admin, accounts and management? Do other partners of the firm agree with the arrangement or the lawyers in the firm are mere legal assistant?
Please take note that a law firm cannot use a "marketing officer". 

With your background as S/M will definitely of help to your beloved wife. You may want to learn a little bit of law also. Suggest you to attend some seminars organised by the Perak Bar in relations to the field that you want. Further, enroll yourself to work in the firms to know more how a firm works. Without hands-on experience, it's very difficult for you to stand.

In conclusion:-
Identify your role in the firm and enroll yourself in seminars.