Leadership

Articles

• Lawdragon's 100 Managing Partners You Need to Know  ** NEW **
  by Lawdragon.com  
  

  We found this rather interesting list "100 Managing Partners You Need to Know" browsing the Web earlier this month. Not surprisingly, it appears as if one must be with an AmLaw 200 firm to be on it. Lawdragon says it contacted more than 50,000 legal professionals for their input. 

• Turning The Business Model in Your Law Firm Inside Out  ** NEW **
  by William E. Lowell
  

  According to a recent Harvard University study, more than 70% of a customer's "brand perception" is based on experiences they have with the organization's employees. For law firms this means both lawyers and support staff. This article speaks to the concept of "relationship capital," which is created when everyone in the firm is focused on working together to achieve a positive brand image and deliver the brand promise to each and every client, prospective client and referral source.

• The Best-Performing CEOs in the World 
  by Harvard Business Review
  

  According to this HBR article, the very best CEOs are "quiet" leaders who deliver outstanding results, year in and year out. Most have formal training (They have MBAs.), and many inherited the leadership role at a struggling company from a mediocre predecessor. 

• A New Leadership Model is Needed
  by Robert W. Denney
  

  MPF Faculty member Bob Denney offers practical advice to firm leaders in the wake of the worst economic recession in 70 years.  We couldn’t agree more with Bob’s points. It’s time for law firm leaders to step up.  

• Great Leadership is Everything:
  11 Leadership Skills for Recovery and Renewal
  by Quint Studer
  

  This is a must-read article for firm leaders, especially in these challenging times. "Out of difficulty, leaders rise. That someone might as well be you," says acclaimed author Quint Studer. The 11 bits of advice offered in this article are the components of leadership greatness in law firm executives. 

• Leadership Transitions: Seven Steps to Ensure Success
  by Patrick J. McKenna
  

  Succession planning is neglected by far too many law firms. In fact, most managing partners - 74% to be exact - do not have an exit strategy when they take the job. This helpful article provides seven thoughtful suggestions to smooth the transition when you're ready to pass the baton. 

• Best Practices for Setting Managing Partner Pay
  by Peter A. Giuliani
  

  How should a firm appropriately compensate its managing partner for the non-billable time required of the role?  Take a look at Peter Giuliani's article that appeared recently in the ABA's Law Practice Magazine.

• Your Mission, Should You Choose to Accept It: First Steps for the New Managing Partner
  by Merrilyn Aston Tarlton
  

  You've just accepted your new role as managing partner of the firm. Congratulations. Now what? This article, published recently in the ABA's Law Practice Magazine, offers a list of savvy first steps to help you get started on the right foot.  

• The Evolving Role of Today’s Law Firm Leaders
  by John Remsen, Jr.
  

  Today's law firm leaders face extraordinary challenges. Learn steps that the top level of firm leadership can take to enhance the effectiveness and performance of their organizations.
  

• Law Firm Leadership: Accessing the Inner Entrepreneur
  by David H. Freeman, JD
  

  Have you ever heard this excuse from your colleagues? "I didn't go to law school to become a salesperson!" If the business aspects of practicing law don't come naturally to you ... or to someone you know ... this is the article you need. It's time to change your approach and tap into entrepreneurial resources you've had all along.  

• Becoming a Change Insurgent in the Legal Profession
  by William C. Cobb
  

  Riffing on an article from Fast Company, a publication that focuses on creative individuals in the business world, Cobb issues advice for the law firm environment. Like "Find, hire and promote people that make you and the organization uncomfortable." This article is a shot in the arm for the naysayers and people afraid of change.  

• Are Law Firms Manageable?
  by David Maister
  

  Harvard management guru David Maister asks the ultimate question "Can lawyers be 'managed' at at all?" Given their unique personalities, it's no easy task. We think every firm leader should read this article.

• Herding Cats: The Lawyer Personality Revealed
  by Dr. Larry Richard
  

  According to the research presented in this timeless article by Dr. Larry Richard, lawyers are highly skeptical, hate change, avoid risk, love autonomy and expect immediate results. That makes them an especially tough group to lead. A must read, this article will help firm leaders understand what they are up against. 

• Defining the Role and Development of a New Managing Partner
  by Joel A. Rose
  

  The managing partner job rarely comes with an instruction manual or even a job description. Rose polled firm leaders to find out the real concerns of new law firm leaders. Should you lead by consensus or decree? How much time will you spend managing? Learn what your colleagues had to say.

• Five Lessons for New Firm Leaders
  by Glenn B. Callison, Esq.
  

  MPF Advisory Board member Glenn Callison wrote this article for Texas Lawyer magazine a few years ago. In it, he talks about what he has learned in his role as Chairman and CEO of Munsch Hardt, a 100-lawyer law firm based in Dallas, TX.

• Leading Productive Meetings: Five Practical Tips for Lawyers and Law Firm Administrators
  by Sally Williamson
  

  Meetings are one of the most universal parts of business life, but one of the least effective communication tools. Read this article to learn ways to run more efficient and productive meetings at your firm.