Goal Setting for Lawyers: A Useful Framework for Sustainable Success

co-authored by Lindsay Goldford and Mindy Gulati

Three years and 2,000 miles apart, we each reached the same crossroads. Both of us worked as public defenders—Mindy in California, Lindsay in Colorado—where success was measured in jury verdicts, motion wins, and sheer survival in a relentless, high-stakes system.

Over time, our definitions of success changed. For different reasons—ethical concerns, motherhood, and the cumulative stress and anxiety of public defense—we found ourselves increasingly out of alignment with the lives we wanted.

Each of us eventually took the leap into owning our own law firms. For the first time, our goals were truly ours to define: how much we worked, how much we earned, how many cases we took, and even how we spent our time on any given day. We both came to the same realization—building the professional and personal lives we wanted required intentional, values-driven goal setting.

Goal Setting in the Legal Profession

The legal profession demands precision, discipline, and long-term thinking in our day-to-day work. However, many lawyers find themselves moving from one stage of their career to the next without a structured plan for where they want to go. Whether navigating the pressures of billable hours, business development, leadership responsibilities, or personal well-being, lawyers benefit enormously from intentional and well-designed goals.

Why Goal-Setting Matters

Goal setting is not merely a productivity exercise; it is a strategic practice that helps lawyers align their daily efforts with broader professional and personal objectives. In an environment dominated by urgent demands, goal-setting protects what is important—offering clarity around priorities, a more manageable workload, and a stronger framework for decision-making.

Before tactics and frameworks, goal setting is most powerful when grounded in a clear vision. In our coaching we use structured visioning exercises to help lawyers realize and articulate what they want their professional lives to look like in the future, not only in terms of achievement, but also impact, fulfillment, and sustainability. This vision becomes a reference point against which individual goals can be evaluated and refined.

Different Types of Goals

Effective goal setting begins with recognizing that not all goals serve the same function. Lawyers often default to outcome-based goals such as making partner, hitting a revenue target, or winning a major case. While these goals are important, they are most effective when paired with process-oriented goals that focus on the behaviors and habits required to achieve them. Process oriented goals focus on the journey and creating habits, such as setting aside two hours each week for writing briefs, or responding to client communications within two business days.

The SMART Goals Framework

One of the most widely used and effective tools highlighted in the presentation is the SMART goals framework. SMART goals are:

• Specific: Clearly defined so there is no ambiguity about what success looks like.

• Measurable: Trackable through concrete indicators or milestones.

• Achievable: Ambitious yet realistic, given available resources and constraints.

• Relevant: Aligned with personal values, professional priorities, and long-term objectives.

• Time-Based: Anchored to a clear deadline to create urgency and momentum.

For lawyers, applying the SMART framework helps translate broad intentions, such as “grow my practice” or “improve work-life balance,” into actionable commitments. A SMART goal, such as “I will present one CLE per quarter this year” or “I will not respond to texts or emails after 5 p.m. for the next three months” forces clarity and reduces the likelihood of procrastination or overcommitment.

Don’t Fall into the Traps

Even well-crafted goals can stall when common obstacles arise. Lawyers often cite lack of time, competing priorities, perfectionism, and fear of failure as barriers to follow-through.

Progress becomes more sustainable when large goals are broken into small, manageable steps that fit within demanding schedules. Reframing perfectionism as progress and prioritizing consistent, imperfect action over ideal conditions also helps maintain momentum. Finally, identifying and challenging unhelpful internal narratives allows lawyers to replace them with more constructive, evidence-based thinking.

Accountability is Where It’s At! 

Finally, accountability is essential. Lawyers are accustomed to external accountability through clients, courts, and colleagues, but personal and professional goals often lack similar structures. Creating accountability through peer check-ins, mentors, coaches, or regular self-reviews or tracking helps maintain momentum and course-correct when necessary.

Conclusion 

Goal setting, when done thoughtfully, is not about adding more to an already full plate. Instead, it is about ensuring that effort is directed toward what matters most. By using frameworks, addressing barriers head-on, and committing to accountability, lawyers can design careers that are not only successful by external measures, but also intentional, resilient, and personally meaningful. 

Lindsay Goldford Gray and Mindy Gulati are leadership coaches and advisors to law firms and corporations. They are the co-founders of Safra Leadership and co-hosts of the podcast Take the Lead, Change the Game. Learn more about Lindsay at lindsaygoldfordgray.com, about Mindy at Fundamental Advisory (www.fundamentaladvisory.com), explore their work at Safra Leadership (safraleadership.com), or listen to the podcast on YouTube (youtube.com/@SafraLeadership).