Managing Partners Forum

The MPF is unique among law firm conferences because it features relaxed, informal discussions among managing partners from other large firms.

John H. Cooper, Esq.
Sirote & Permutt PC - Birmingham, AL

Conference

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CONFERENCE AGENDA

THE MPF 2022 LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
May 4-5, 2022
Capital City Club - Atlanta, Georgia


NOTE: 2023 AGENDA WILL BE ANNOUNCED SOON

2022 Conference Agenda

The agenda for The MPF 2022 Leadership Conference is presented below. Participants value the high-level, interactive format and, each year, we introduce new faculty to keep our content fresh. We apply for maximum CLE credit in numerous jurisdictions.

 

Wednesday, May 4, 2022

11:30am
REGISTRATION
12:30pm
OPENING LUNCHEON ** NEW **
1:00pm
WELCOMING REMARKS

John Remsen, Jr.
President, TheRemsenGroup
President & CEO, Managing Partner Forum
1:15pm
OPENING SESSION ** NEW **

Building an Exceptional Culture for Your Law Firm 
Finding the Right Balance in the Hybrid World

It has been said that “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”

We will begin the Conference with an impactful discussion on why law firms must prioritize the importance of knowing and articulating firm culture to attract and retain talent, to attract and retain clients and maintain relevance in the marketplace.

During our Opening Session, we’ll explore the importance of creating a culture of caring to provide opportunities for your law firm and its people to engage and collaborate with your clients, get involved in your communities, motivate and engage your employees, and make a lasting impact on some of today’s social and economic challenges.

As buyers of legal services place their loyalties with firms that have positive impacts on their communities, and tomorrow’s lawyers align with firms that foster a culture that embraces moral, social and environmental responsibility, successful law law firms can’t be in business simply for the sake of earning profits.

April Campbell, JD
Past President and Executive Director, Association of Legal Administrators

Ann Gomez
President, Clear Concept, Inc.

Hank Grezlak
Editor-in-Chief, ALM Media

Dr. Larry Richard
Principal Consultant, LawyerBrain LLC
2:00pm
MPF WORKSHOPS  ** NEW **

Powerful. Practical. Provocative. These are the words past participants used to describe these highly interactive half-day Workshops introduced at The MPF 2019 Leadership Conference. Based on their success, we’re pleased to offer them again in 2022. These sessions are designed to “drill down” on two critical issues for leaders of successful law firms. This year, we will tackle attracting and retaining tomorrow’s lawyers, and succession planning.
 

MPF WORKSHOP #1
Attracting and Retaining Tomorrow's Lawyers
Attracting and retaining tomorrow’s lawyers are among the most critical issues facing smaller and mid-size law firms. In today’s job market, each individual your firm hires is important. So, getting the right cultural fit is vital. Our distinguished faculty for this Workshop will share insight on how to find the right attorneys (and support staff) who mesh with your firm’s culture and keep them engaged and performing at their highest levels in your firm. In this high-level, interactive session, you will leave with clear, proven strategies and tactics to fine tune the recruiting process and establish a professional development framework that increases engagement and retention.

Dr. Sharon Meit Abrahams
President, Legal Talent Advisors LLC

Marla S. Grant, Esq.
Professional Development Manager, Greenberg Traurig

        
MPF WORKSHOP #2
Succession Planning - Leaders, Rainmakers and Key Client Relationships: The Financial and Cultural Case for Acting Today
From the aging of baby boomers to the shockwaves of the Great Resignation, today's market is forcing many firms to address the challenges of succession planning. A shift in Key Client relationships coupled with the departure of rainmakers and firm leadership threaten viability, never mind profitability. In this Workshop, we'll explore how to diagnose where your firm stands today, what stumbling blocks to avoid and the success factors of a winning succession plan.

Eric R. Fletcher
Market Strategist, Hayse LLC

Andrew E. Jillson
Director, Hayse LLC
3:30pm
REFRESHMENT BREAK
3:45pm
MPF WORKSHOPS - Continued

Attracting and Retaining Tomorrrow's Lawyers

Succession Planning - Leaders, Rainmakers and Key Client Relationships: The Financial and Cultural Case for Acting Today
5:30pm
ADJOURNMENT
5:30pm
WELCOME RECEPTION
Cocktails and Hors d'Oeuvres - Capital City Club
7:00pm
Dine-Arounds ** NEW **
Join your peers for dinner at one of Atlanta's finest restaurants.
  • AG @ The Ritz-Carlton, Atlanta
  • Empire State South
  • White Oak Kitchen & Cocktails
  • Ray's in the City
Hosted by selected Conference sponsors
Affinity Consulting Group, Law Strategy Corp, Ames & Gough, Tabush Group


Thursday, May 5, 2022

8:00am
REGISTRATION
8:30am
NETWORKING BREAKFAST
Coffee and Continental Breakfast
 
9:00am

 





 

 
 
OPENING SESSION (General Session)

KEYNOTE PRESENTATION - People, Culture and Performance
Highlights of the MPF 2021 Leadership Survey
The time for leadership is now! As the legal profession continues to evolve, we begin the day with an overview of the results of The MPF 2021 Leadership Survey which reveals how smaller and mid-size law firms are responding to the rapidly changing landscape. We also share current benchmarking data collected during our ongoing MPF Webinar Series. This is great information to take back to your firm and share with colleagues.

John Remsen, Jr.
President, TheRemsenGroup
President & CEO, Managing Partner Forum
9:30am


LEADERSHIP IN ACTION - BUILDING TOMORROW’S LAW FIRM
EXECUTING SUCCESSFUL GROWTH STRATEGIES
Panel Discussion Featuring Audience Polling Technology
Next, we bring on a panel of managing partners who have found ways to succesfully attract and retain talent to their firms. Using audience polling technology, we will also ask the audience what their firms are doing to adapt to unprecedented change in the legal industry. Participants will leave with great benchmarking information to share back at their firms.

Roger E. Barton, Esq.
Managing Partner, Barton LLP

Debbie Foster
Managing Partner, Affinity Consulting Group

Stephen L. Mabey
Managing Director, Applied Strategies, Inc.

Gerry Riskin
Founding Principal and Chairman, Edge International
10:15am
NETWORKING BREAK
10:45am
MANAGING PARTNER IDEA EXCHANGES (MPIEs)
Session One: The MPIE concept is explained below.
MPIE Facilitators

Group 1    Uri Gutfreund
                 Senior VP and Managing Principal, Ames & Gough      

Group 2    Stephen L. Mabey
                 Managing Director, Applied Strategies, Inc.

Group 3    Eric R. Fletcher
                 Market Strategist, Hayse LLC

Group 4    Tea Hoffmann, Esq.
                 Managing Principal, Law Strategy Corp.

Group 5    Dr. Sharon Meit Abrahams
                 President, Legal Talent Advisors LLC


MPIE Topics and Faculty Experts

Investing in Your Firm
Topics include firm culture, core values, policies, procedures, profitability, accountability, infrastructure, budgets, office space, technology, partnership agreements, governance models, compensation models, strategic planning.

Darragh Fitzpatrick
Executive Vice President, Tabush Group

Andrew E. Jillson
Director, Hayse LLC

Rob Mattern
President and Founder, Mattern

Wendy Merrill
Director-Strategic Consulting, Affinity Consulting Group


Investing in Your People
Topics include succession planning, growth strategies, mergers and acquisitions, lateral hires, recruiting and retention, generational issues, diversity, support staff, COOs, mentoring, training and development, criteria for partnership.

April Campbell, JD
Past President and Executive Director, Association of Legal Administrators

Ann Gomez
President, Clear Concept, Inc.

Morris Tabush
Founder & President, Tabush Group


Investing in Your Clients
Topics include quality work product, client service, staffing and delegation, knowing business and industry, client teams, alternative fee arrangements, industry practice groups, social media, website, marketing and business development.

Casey Blake
Director of Client Success, Kolibri Law Support Solutions

Margaret Burke
Managing Director, Kolibri Law Support Solutions

Jessica Cox
Senior Executive Search Associate, Calibrate Legal

Gerry Riskin
Founding Principal and Chairman, Edge International

David Schaefer
Managing Director, Calibrate Legal

 
12:30pm
LUNCHEON
1:45pm
MANAGING PARTNER IDEA EXCHANGES (MPIEs)
Session Two
3:00pm
REFRESHMENT BREAK
3:15pm
MANAGING PARTNER IDEA EXCHANGES (MPIEs)
Session Three
4:30pm
RECEPTION
5:30pm
ADJOURNMENT

 

ABOUT MANAGING PARTNER IDEA EXCHANGES (MPIEs)
 

Since their introduction in 2003, MPIEs have been consistently rated by firm leaders as the most valuable part of the MPF Leadership Conference. They provide a highly interactive format during which managing partners share ideas and practical solutions to the challenges of leading a successful law firm.

Each MPIE consists of 15-20 managing partners grouped by firm size. The sessions are facilitated by a professionally trained discussion leader with participation by some of the country’s leading law firm management consultants.

Topics are determined in advance based on input from the MPF Faculty and MPF Advisory Board. They often include:

  • Strategic Planning (including Succession Planning)
  • Leading Change and the Role of the Managing Partner
  • Compensation Systems
  • Dealing with Problematic Personalities
  • Staffing and Administration
  • Associate Recruiting and Retention, including Gen X, Millennials and Diversity Issues
  • Firm Governance and Partnership Structures
  • Growth Strategies, including Mergers, Lateral Hiring and Branch Offices
  • Strategies to Improve Profitability
  • Marketing and Business Development
  • Technology and Cyber-Security

In this rich, interactive environment among peers, law firm leaders learn best practices, acquire critical benchmarking information and establish relationships with other firm leaders from around the country.  
    
After the Conference, participants will receive notes highlighting the best practices and take-aways from each session.