For some firms in the Great Recession, reduced revenues combined with the overwhelming pressure from multimillion-dollar pension liabilities — a holdover from the days when pensions were simply a promise firms made to retiring partners — were too much to bear. But with the Great Recession now a decade in the past and another recession brewing, has the industry learned from its mistakes?
Compensation systems are typically a strategic afterthought, seen as the means by which to allocate the spoils of a successful strategy. They're viewed as affecting the level of grousing among partners, but not a firm's performance. The data, however, indicates the reverse is true.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Newly minted partners offered up some usual complaints on this year's New Partners Survey, lamenting unexpectedly low compensation, opaque performance metrics and copious administrative work. But new anxieties have arisen among Big Law's latest partner class, including the threat of a recession and growing concerns about mental health.
What Does Widespread 'Deleveraging' Mean for Law Firm Health? Industry watchers say law firms have become less reliant on bank debt over the past decade, as they explore other funding options. Often, that means raising capital from partners, or turning to other, less common sources.
Baby boomers control an outsize portion of law firm business. As they inch toward retirement, how are firms preparing for the transition process?
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 because the "just do it" attitude, does not work. 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.
