Phil Kearns
Law Firm Consultant/ Fractional COO
phil@rjhconsulting.com | (225) 414-3930
Phil Kearns brings something rare to law firm consulting: he hasn’t just advised law firms — he’s run them. As a former Vice President of Operations, Attorney Manager, and Chief Process Officer at one of the largest consumer-based law firms in North Carolina, Phil spent years inside a high-volume practice building the operational infrastructure that allowed the firm to scale. He was named shareholder and served on the firm’s executive and strategic planning committees.
Phil’s career began at a major insurance carrier, where he served as a Senior Attorney and Claims Manager. It was there that his passion for personnel management, process improvement, and leadership first took shape — a passion he has carried into every engagement since. He was also a founding member of the team that developed a nationally successful law firm intake company, serving as its Vice President of Operations.
A graduate of Wake Forest University and Thomas M. Cooley Law School, Phil brings both the legal foundation and the operational rigor that law firms need from a fractional COO. He is particularly skilled at building the operational systems, accountability frameworks, and staff management structures that allow attorney-led firms to grow without the managing attorney having to be personally involved in every detail.
At RJH, Phil serves as a fractional COO and law firm consultant — embedding into client firms to provide the senior-level operational leadership that most growing practices need but aren’t yet ready to hire full-time.
Areas of Expertise:
- Fractional COO Services & Day-to-Day Operations Management
- Attorney Development & Performance Management
- Law Firm Intake Systems & Process Improvement
- Staff Management, HR, and Organizational Structure
- KPI Development & Management Reporting
- Business Development & Strategic Planning