Firms routinely report that hiring lateral partners is a difficult process with a low success rate. Why do they struggle with lateral hiring? More importantly, what can they do to improve their results?
Pay for performance is not a new concept in this country. The ideas and concepts underlying a graduated pay scale based on contribution and merit are deeply ingrained in our society. However, in general law firms have been slower to adopt pay for performance systems. What law firms need now, and this article describes, is an approach to partner compensation that closely links a partners pay to their ability to contribute to the achievement of the firm's strategic objectives.
"Data Analytics" have become more than just buzzwords and are an integral part of well informed decision making. The following best practices have the ability to bring your firm's data management up to speed with competitors in the law industry, while turning what might be an underutilized resource into a working asset that drives revenue.
For a large portion of engagements, discounts are not necessary to win the work. In fact, discounts come at a price. Both parties assume a degree of risk when margins are thinned. This article presents several techniques that you can use to re-direct discussions away from discounts and help to minimize their financial impact.
In a survey conducted by Major, Lindsey & Africa, lateral partners put firm culture and practice support ahead of anticipated compensation when considering a new firm.
How Law Firm Marketers Can Assume a Leadership Role The marketing director needs to gain "a seat at the table" in order to have a voice in planning, and to be viewed as an integral member of the firm's management team. How do you go about earning that seat?
Data mining is a relatively new practice in the legal space and the data profiles of firms are highly variable from one organization to another, so identifying the right tools and prioritizing initiatives can be challenging.
All lawyers want to be wanted and valued by their firms. It has become apparent that tomorrow's legal talent requires even more hand-holding than previous generations. They want to understand why and what's the payoff of their efforts. By creating a firm culture that addresses these concerns you will heighten your firm's ability to retain precious talent.
Smart business leaders compete by constantly seeking cost advantages. Yet law firm leaders compete by perpetually increasing associate compensation. As always, this will not end well.
It's Not the Number of Hours We're Billing or the Number of Hours We're Working; It's the Way We Feel About How We Spend Those Hours That Matters Working long hours, tracking those hours and feeling that we have to grind all year to hit a specific number of hours to meet a profitability target can make us feel like fungible, dehumanized automatons rather than highly trained providers of specific and thoughtful solutions to complex legal challenges.
