Hidden talents?

23 June 2009

The last six months have sparked unprecedented changes in the legal industry, shaking up established models of business and talent management within law firms. Never before has the legal industry come under such scrutiny, while infallible expert legal advice is ever more critical in business and government. This time of change is going to reveal which law firms are agile enough to meet new client expectations, anticipate demand for expertise and foster an internal climate that promotes sharing of information, resources and client relationships. Success will depend on the right formula for developing and deploying talent.

The current context in law firms makes it difficult for young lawyers to develop their expertise in the same way that today’s partners advanced in their careers. With the increasing reliance on IT in execution, and fewer meetings and in-person discussions, the very nature of how work is conducted today poses a threat to young lawyers’ learning. They have generally less exposure to stakeholders and the processes of negotiation and legal reasoning that provide a foundation for the work they are asked to deliver.

The partner-associate dynamic

This modern way of conducting work is not conducive to the partner-associate mentor relationship and the legal reasoning skills that develop thereof – skills which were critical factors in the formative years of those successful partners who make up the senior layer of legal experts in today’s firms. As the client landscape and scope of legal matters also grow increasingly global, teams of lawyers may work together from various countries and offices virtually – which may have commercial advantages but which further undermines this dynamic.

Firms have the opportunity to invest in development efforts that meet multiple strategic needs and can provide powerful platforms for individual lawyers’ and the firm’s success. These include supporting management of matters and talent, as well as strengthening the critical functions of staffing, knowledge management and client relationship management.

The enormous capacity of training and development to communicate and reinforce strategic goals, solve real problems, and promote behaviours beyond the basic frameworks for management or communication is most often under-leveraged. Programmes that are tailored and synchronised to nurture the organisation’s strategic orientation have a greater impact on participants’ real behaviour than sole concepts taught independently.

Managing relationships

Managing relationships in the complexity of the current context is one of the greatest challenges for lawyers. Law firm partners need to maintain an ongoing dialogue with their clients to be able to predict legal issues they might be facing. Tailored leadership development can support partners in establishing and building value-oriented and mutually beneficial business relationships with their clients. This can include communication and presentation skills training, management skills training, and business development training.

As part of the professionalisation of managers’ development in this environment, building business development and sales skills are a high priority. Business development often seems largely to be a responsibility that senior lawyers hold for their practice individually. This not only limits their capacity and potential to be successful in all client-related activities, but it also inhibits identification of possibilities for cross-marketing opportunities between practice groups and offices.

A strategic business development programme with regular check points supports firms in sharing knowledge, experience, and best practices to maintain high standards in every phase of the client relationship cycle. With a long-term view, facilitated business development planning should include ongoing efforts to identify opportunities in current markets or emerging practice areas, and support partners in developing a proactive approach to building their practice.

Developing your associates

Firms also reap benefits in an exercise like this by engaging associates, who not only provide valuable perspective and ideas, but whom it is also critical to train in the practices of business development. Associates consistently ask for opportunities to learn about and engage in business development, and it offers an excellent platform to improve ongoing mentoring and development without the pressures on the team of external demands. Such efforts can include client pitches, publishing, hosting debates or round table discussions, speaking engagements etc. In addition, engaging high-potential mid-level to senior associates in aspects of business development also provides good reference for partnership promotion.

The lack of mentoring opportunities and direct exposure to key developments can be partly addressed through regularly briefing young lawyers from disparate functions on current cases or trends in relevant industries, similar to the Harvard Business School case study model. This will expand participants’ practice knowledge base, forge cross-divisional relationships and generate solutions that can be applied in future cases. It fosters discussion and community and allows managers to share insights and experience from previous cases or circumstances.

Executive coaching has also become a widely used way of facilitating senior lawyers’ effectiveness in managing their many responsibilities, as well as handling stress and conflict. An effective relationship with a qualified executive coach can support a lawyer in enhancing their client relationship skills, communication and presentation skills, team management, and time management. Coaching is also greatly appreciated in the way it can help lawyers create work-life balance and align their personal goals with professional and firm objectives.

A law firm, as a network of knowledge professionals, holds its ultimate potential in the relationships within the firm and with clients, and in the way knowledge is utilised to support the success of each practice group and office. The current business downturn offers a strategic opportunity for firms to invest in building the systems and competencies that will accelerate their competitive advancement in the next market upturn.