Tim McKey, CPA

Tim began his career at Deloitte in 1983, founding the Vista Consulting Team in 2009. He has decades of experience working with local, regional, and national CPA firms, and has advised hundreds of law firms around the country.

As a CPA, and with several consultants who are also lawyers, Tim built a team that focuses on everything from management philosophy and strategic planning to implementation through programmatic systems. They consistently teach law firms how to track and monitor all aspects of law firm effectiveness and efficiency, usually creating custom dashboards to analyze “key performance indicators.”

Since all efficiencies and quality affect a firm’s bottom line, they focus on everything. From a technical standpoint, they review firm entity structure, accounting systems, and financial reporting. They test and improve client intake. They implement new software programs. They address human resources issues. And that’s just the beginning…

When working with Tim, clients often refer to “light bulb” moments…perhaps best referred to as BFOs (a Blinding Flash of the Obvious). He likes to say that business is “just not that complicated.” Tim’s ability to mentor successful business leaders, gently push them to new levels of thinking, while providing creative perspectives, contributes to Vista clients’ success, as well as Vista’s.

Tim’s strategic vision for Vista has made a great contribution toward developing a team of consultants who take a comprehensive approach to working with their clients. Identifying and solving operational issues is not the only goal…enhanced profitability and having fun doing it is real success.

Personally, Tim has two daughters, Sarah and Caroline, three granddaughters, Mary Grayson (MG), Ryleigh and Kate, one grandson, Timothy, and one wife, Jodi. A self-proclaimed business nerd, Tim enjoys reading, pondering and discussing future business trends, models, and disruptive change, tennis, exercise, and the pursuit of the “abundant life.”

• Case Management Tools & Thinking

  
  

  There are countless case management programs, of varying quality and pricing. Some target particular practices. The most important attribute of the program is you. How do you think about using it? How do you use it? Many of the programs have similar functions. We’ll walk through what you need to know and do to stay sane and ahead of your clients

• Technology to Review, Research, & Write

  
  

  Law firms are inherently document focused. Increasing efficiencies will increase your bottom line. We’ll cover document management systems, eDiscovery tools, doc review, eSignature, and word processing. Few lawyers stay up to date with the latest technology – our plan is to get you there so you know your options and which ones to explore further. 

• Client Development Tools

  
  

  Client development isn’t the handshaking game it used to be. Today, clients find us through referrals and online searches. How can you empower and encourage former clients to bring you new clients? How do possible clients find you organically? What tools make the most sense for a firm of your size and focus?

• All the Numbers: Accounting, Bookkeeping, & Performance Tracking

  
  

  Many firm owners don’t know how much they’re spending on differing  things, their profit margins, or where most of their time goes. You need a  well-constructed dashboard to inform your business decisions. We’ll discuss software and tools for accounting and tracking key performance indicators of the firm.

• Hiring, Managing, and Outsourcing

  
  

  Many firms are struggling to hire the right people and keep them. There are many online platforms to help on both fronts. Make sure to set the right expectations, then monitor how your team is really doing. And,  consider joining the 80% of law firms that outsource various work,
  including legal research and writing.

• Making Digital Communications Work Better

  
  

  Whether or not your firm operates remotely, you need to stay in sync with each other, clients, and potential clients. Are your remote meetings seamless? Your time should be spent on meeting content, not meeting process! Are you efficiently communicating, calendaring, and following up? We’ll discuss the tools and how to integrate them.