Law firm practice group leadership is not for the faint hearted. As firms compete increasingly at practice group level, leaders are being asked to run their groups like business units; to develop and implement a strategic plan that supports the goals and competitiveness of the firm; and to coordinate and lead their partners to enhance the efficiency, performance, and profitability of their groups. Many firm leaders complain that some of their group heads are not producing the results they want to see. But how many practice group leaders receive the tools and support they need to succeed in this critical role? How many are selected for demonstrable leadership skills? And how often are they held accountable for how well – or otherwise – they perform in the role?
With contributions from a wide range of experts, this second edition of Effective Practice Group Leadership explores these key questions and more, building on the first edition with new insights and thought leadership. The book examines the position of the practice group leader (PGL) in law firms today, the challenges of the role, and the changes to it, innovations and how modern practice groups are changing, and demonstrates the enormous contribution PGLs can make to the profitability and performance of their law firms, when armed with the tools and the authority.
Table of Content
Executive summary vii
About the authors xi
Chapter 1: Role and responsibilities of practice group leaders 1
By Susan Saltonstall Duncan, president, Rain Making Oasis
Introduction 1
Attributes that make effective practice group leaders 2
Practice group leader as strategist 3
Practice group leader as financial steward 7
Practice group leader as talent manager and coach 9
Ways to accelerate practice group leader effectiveness 11
Chapter 2: The practice group leader as change agent 13
By Susan Raridon Lambreth, principal, Law Vision Group, and Dr Larry Richard, founder and principal consultant, Lawyer Brain LLC
What does it mean to be a change agent in your role as a PGL? 15
What else does a PGL need to be a change agent? 15
Benefits of being a change agent 22
Chapter 3: Rethinking what your practice group is and might become 25
By Michael Roster, former general counsel of Stanford University and former managing partner of Morrison & Foerster’s Los Angeles office
Some law firm examples 25
A non-law firm example 27
Platforms 28
Conflicts 30
Privilege 30
Possible transition 31
Chapter 4: Innovation in practice management 33
By Jonathan Fortnam, dean, Aston University Law School
Introduction 33
Practice management – a law firm perspective 33
Practice management – another perspective 34
Pricing – a client perspective 36
Alignment – a new perspective 36
Innovation – a different perspective 37
Time for lunch 39
Redesign to align 40
A final perspective 42
Chapter 5: The increasing presence of non-lawyers in practice groups 45
By Neil Lloyd, managing director, FBC Manby Bowdler
Driving digital transformation 46
Developing a people-first culture 47
The new business advantage 49
Bringing something new to the boardroom table 50
Chapter 6: Leading the practice group to sustainable profitability 53
By Norman K. Clark, managing principal, Walker Clark
Practice group financial management – the law firm’s transmission 53
Four essential elements of effective financial leadership of a practice group 54
What makes your practice group profitable? 55
Understanding the client base 62
Realistic and comprehensive business planning 64
Relentless and continuing attention to quality 68
Where the action is 69
Chapter 7: Developing a practice group pricing strategy 75
By Colin Jasper, principal, Positive Pricing
Introduction 75
Targeting clients and services 76
Setting prices 77
Justifying why we should be chosen, even if we are more expensive than competitors 79
Managing matters 80
Conclusion 81
Chapter 8: Focusing your practice team on industry clients 83
By Patrick J. Mc Kenna, internationally recognized author, lecturer, strategist, and seasoned advisor to the leaders of premier professional service firms
It is not what you call the industry, it is what the client calls itself that is most important 84
As all industries eventually mature, they naturally fracture into multiple sub-industries 85
There are some areas of opportunity that initially defy simple industry categorization 89
Industry sector expertise is a key differentiator 89
What makes industry sector expertise a meaningful differentiator? 90
Chapter 9: Implementing the balanced scorecard at the practice group level 93
By John Sterling, founding partner, Sterling Strategies, LLC
The balanced scorecard – an overview of Kaplan and Norton’s system 93
The balanced scorecard in its most basic form 94
The balanced scorecard as a management tool 95
Implementing the balanced scorecard at the practice group level – a “how to” primer 99
Chapter 10: Coaching for practice group leaders 107
By Hannah Beko, lawyer, author, and founder of Authentically Speaking, a coaching and training consultancy to the legal profession
Mindset matters 108
Why do practice group leaders with a growth mindset stand out amongst their peers? 109
Coaching questions encouraging self-reflection 111
What attributes create a great practice group leader? 112
About Globe Law and Business 119
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