A Business Development Reality Check
Remember when things were busy and prosperous, and meeting a prospective client was a joy? There was a spring in your step and, while you were not cavalier, your future did not depend on any given individual so there really wasn’t a whole lot of pressure on each greeting or encounter. Remember that more senior […]
Illuminating the Future
Today, speakers, writers and consultants in our field are besieged with questions about the impact of change on every aspect of the legal profession. Law societies, bar associations, corporate legal departments, private practice law firms and sole practitioners alike all want some expert to illuminate for them the mysterious path into the future. My advice […]
In Successful Law Firms, Actions Speak Louder than Plans
“Doing” wins out over “Strategizing” Studies predictably show that firms with a plan do better than firms without a plan. As a managing partner, you need to determine whether your firm actually has a plan or not. Here is a test that will tell you if you do – Choose a member of your firm […]
How Managing Partners Can Support Law Firm Administrators
Note: This article was originally published in the Jan/Feb 2015 edition of Administrator’s Advantage, the newsletter of the Greater Chicago Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators Managing partners hope that administrators will cause fee earners to do the following: show enough self-discipline to record their time daily; optimize the use of the firm’s IT […]
Embracing the Product Imperative
Why and how law firms can and should consider the “product” approach.
Stop Making Partners
Four questions to ask yourself before conferring equity partner status on anyone else. My colleague Ed Wesemann recently published a must-read article titled “A Five Year Survival Plan for Mid-sized Firms.” Ed’s first piece of advice to the leaders of these firms is: “Stop making partners.” I think that’s absolutely correct, and I’d like to […]
Looking in the Mirror
Are law firm leaders unknowingly steering their firms based on misconceptions? A candid, data-driven review of clients, work, and partner roles can reveal hidden strengths and prevent costly missteps in strategic decision-making.
ProfitMotive®
A mini case study about positive change… Many of our clients strive to build on current achievements. To that end, when planning retreats and workshops, managing partners often ask me to suggest a structured list of objectives — and to reflect on what the discussion topics ought to be. It was just this kind of […]
Forget About Revenue
Profits are a better way to measure a law firm’s financial health. This article explores why so many firms are preoccupied with revenues instead of profit and what you can do about it.
Choosing Industry Leaders
Choosing and supporting an industry group leader requires care and attention.