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I am generally critical about how law firms are managed, although always out of a sense of affection and respect for my profession. Even I was shocked by what I read about the management in Dorsey & Whitney’s London office:
But old-fashioned bad management is apparently playing its part too: one partner issued an email after the London bombings explaining that he had billed 7.5 hours on that day and expected his team to do the same. Apparently, he also refused to allow anyone from his team to attend the funeral of a partner who died shortly after leaving the firm.
This is actually excerpted from a news story on the rollonfriday.com site (which is supported by advertising from major London law firms). On Dorsey & Whitney’s web site, the firm proclaims of its own management that: Our management team is comprised of experienced law firm professionals, dedicated to creating an environment in which our attorneys can put clients first. Reconcile that with this excerpt from the same story which says:
at least eight associates have resigned.
There may be hope! In the recruitment section of their web site, under the heading “Firm Structure/Management” appears the following Q&A:
Are non-partner attorneys involved in firm management and governance? The Council is a representative body that serves to strengthen the voice of Dorsey’s non-partner attorneys. The Council welcomes feedback with respect to concerns, issues and ideas from all non-partner attorneys. The Chair of The Council regularly reports to firm management.
Perhaps “The Council” will have a go at this issue. PUNCHLINE: While the behaviour alluded to here is about as bad as I have seen, I promise you that Dorsey & Whitney is not alone in having socially dysfunctional, destructive lawyers in their midst. Do not imagine for a second that this kind of negative influence comes without expense. What does it cost to recruit eight associates? I’ll bet no firm would dare subtract that number from the billing revenue of some maniac in order to determine compensation. One Managing Partner confided in me that the greatest contribution he has made in his tenure as leader of his highly profitable international firm is the firing of 60 partners, including some that so demoralized others that their impressive billings just “were not worth the pain and suffering they caused, emotionally or in extra expense”. MY WIFE’S WISDOM: Sometimes my wife Bethany really nails the point – her reaction was: Dysfunctional people with power are going to have to realize that their behaviour simply is not anonymous anymore.
Happy New Year may 2006 surpass even your wildest dreams.
Greetings from our largest parrot, Pekoe, from our home in Anguilla, British West Indies, who joins all of the Riskins in wishing you a Happy Holiday and wonderful 2006.
(Pekoe is an Orange Moluccan Cockatoo standing on the rail on our front porch with St Martin and St Bart’s behind in the distance… when you visit us, he will happily say hello to you.)
The legal profession is extremely fragmanted. There is no IBM, Ford or even Price Waterhouse Coopers in the legal profession – the mega law firms are tiny. I believe that explains why there has been so little R&D and innovation in the profession. That may be changing. According to Bruce Macewen’s Adam Smith Esq. post titled: “Of Counsel”? “Non-Equity Partner?” Column C?, Allen & Overy has taken a step that may make them unique, at least temporarily, by creating a new category of lawyer called “Managing Associates”.
“Managing associates will have increased responsibilities and some access to partnership information and will be viewed as likely partnership material.”
Many large firms have created a category of associates who are on track for partnership but I have not heard of anyone using the title: “Managing Associates”. Maybe the Allen & Overy’s of this world and their mega counterparts are beginning to be a size where they will begin to modify the profession, hopefully for the better. I will be watching (both while on assignment with large firms and through the blogosphere).
Anthony Cerminaro OK – I don’t want to overdo this “fun and happiness theme” but there’s lawyer Anthony Cerminaro blogging about Happiness Breeding Success. Read his post it captures the gems from the article he referred to in Live Science by the same name. The other quote I liked was:
Scientists reviewed 225 studies involving 275,000 people and found that chronically happy people are in general more successful in their personal and professional lives.
PUNCHLINE: I am not suggesting that having fun and being happy are the exclusive ingredients for a successful firm in my view they must be accompanied by clear and strong values that are adhered to. I am, however, endorsing the idea that firms do much better if it’s not a drag to work in them. Reflect on this as you formulate your personal 2006 plan as leader of your firm.
Stephanie West Allen After seeing my post called “Fun in a law firm? You bet!”, Stephanie West Allen has authorized me to share with you a glorious little piece of work she did in 1997 called DON’T DECK THE CLOWN悠NVITING HUMOR INTO THE LAW FIRM Have a look – Download file – there may be some folks on your management team with whom you should share this. Thank you Stephanie West Allen.
Peter Cornell, Managing Partner, Clifford Chance I admire 53 year old outgoing Clifford Chance Managing Partner Peter Cornell for his integrity and self awareness in saying that “his skills as a lawyer were too rusty for him to return to practice” according to an article in today’s New York Law Journal by Anthony Lin titled: Clifford Chance Managing Partner Stepping Down I am not worried about Peter Cornell who is likely in sufficient demand to have his choice of lucrative careers after he steps down as MP. The importance of this story is not about Peter Cornell or Clifford Chance. My point pertains to the many managing partners in much smaller firms who risk their futures for their firms every day. Many have no built in compensation safeguard to allow them to gravitate back to practice after retiring from their Managing Partner role. There is a serious period of adjustment to attract work and to ensure that work is of the highest quality. The worst part for many firms is that their Managing Partners are well aware of this vulnerability and therefore refuse to dramatically diminish their law practices and therefore do not spend serious time and effort on management. I have worked with a number of firms where the managing partner is too busy to manage but won’t (or can’t) delegate much to others. These firms pay the biggest price of all because the meander through the years virtually unmanaged. It is time for all law firms of more than a handful of lawyers to realize that there is a return on the investment of management and a competitive disadvantage for ignoring that fact. They must create safety valves for Managing Partners who can then lend themselves to the management of the firm with enthusiasm rather than dabble in it while carrying a heavy caseload.
Well not just anyone…
DuPont, Sara Lee, Shell Oil and Wal-Mart put there money where their proverbial mouths are.
The National Association of Minority & Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF) applauds these corporations for their committment to place a total of at least $16 million dollars of legal work with minority-owned law firms during the upcoming year.
FASTFORWARD: Many firms remain completely asleep at the wheel. I am not suggesting that firms should strive to become minority owned in the short term I am however suggesting that if you are not thinking about your diversity score, you are headed for some serious economic disadvantage.
