A New Philosophy for Managing Partners: Building Consensus Versus Managing As an Autocrat

An Astute Lawyer-Manager Must Achieve the Appropriate Balance of Building Consensus Among the Partners Applying management techniques to practice areas may introduce to the firm a new take on methods for enhancing profitability.

7 minute read February 01, 2019 at 12:09 AM
By
Joel A. Rose
A New Philosophy for Managing Partners: Building Consensus Versus Managing As an Autocrat

Countless law firms, large and small, are questioning long-standing views about firm management and structure. Yet, the sources of their concern are not new. After years of analyzing the personal and professional styles of lawyer managers in successful (and not so successful) law firms, three inescapable conclusions are readily apparent:

This premium content is locked for Accounting and Financial Planning for Law Firms subscribers only

ENJOY UNLIMITED ACCESS TO THE SINGLE SOURCE OF OBJECTIVE LEGAL ANALYSIS, PRACTICAL INSIGHTS, AND NEWS IN Accounting and Financial Planning for Law Firms

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

Already have an account? Sign In Now

For enterprise-wide or corporate access, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or call 1-877-256-2473.

NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2026 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.

Continue Reading

Agentic AI introduces risks that are novel and complex, but the most effective response is a familiar one. Zero Trust answers the problem of when an AI agent misfires on its own by constraining what an agent can do rather than betting on how it will behave.

July 31, 2026

The outsourcing of office and administrative services is expected to grow 50%-60% in the next five years. Contrary to what decision-makers think, and what the service providers hope you think, the biggest risk in outsourcing isn't choosing the wrong provider. It's outsourcing the wrong process, under the wrong model, with the wrong performance measures and contract terms.

July 31, 2026