Managing Partners Forum

I thoroughly enjoyed participating in this year's Conference. Thank you for your enthusiasm and leadership.

Richard N. Sherrill, Esq.
Clark Partington - Pensacola, FL

Conference

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CONFERENCE AGENDA

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

IMPORTANT NOTICE
Revised 2022 Agenda to be Announced
Preliminary Conference Agenda

The preliminary 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

11:00am
REGISTRATION
12:30pm
WELCOME LUNCHEON ** NEW **
1:15pm
OPENING SESSION ** NEW **

Building a Relevant Firm Culture 
Through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Programs

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

We’ll begin the Conference with an impactful discussion on why law firms must prioritize the importance of knowing and articulating firm culture in order to maintain relevance.

During our Opening Session, we’ll explore the importance of creating a culture of caring and how corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs 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, attract talent, 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.

David Cuthbert
CEO, The Global Imprint

John Harrity, Esq.
Managing Partner, Harrity & Harrity LLP

Terry M. Isner
CEO/Owner, Marketing & Branding, Jaffe
2:00pm
MPF WORKSHOPS  ** NEW **

Powerful. Practical. Provocative. These are the words last year’s 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 2020. These sessions are designed to “drill down” on two critical issues for leaders of successful law firms. This year, we’ll tackle attracting and retaining tomorrow’s lawyers, and succession planning. The faculty for both Workshops is outstanding.
 

MPF WORKSHOP #1
Attracting and Retaining Tomorrrow'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’ll 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

Dan Binstock, Esq.
Partner, Garrison & Sisson, Inc.

        
MPF WORKSHOP #2
Succession Planning in Your Firm:
Attorney Compensation, Firm Investment and other Financial Considerations
No challenge faced by law firm leaders will have greater impact on the near term than managing the many implications of the exodus of baby boomers from firms across the country. From compensation and finance issues to key client relationships, the decisions surrounding succession are increasingly front and center in many smaller and mid-sized law firms. In this Workshop, you’ll learn about critical factors and practical considerations on crafting your law firm’s succession plan.

Roger Hayse
Director, 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 in Your Firm:
Attorney Compensation, Firm Investment and other Financial Considerations
5:30pm
WELCOME RECEPTION
Cocktails and Hors d'Oeuvres - Capital City Club
7:30pm
Dine-Arounds ** NEW **
Hosted by selected Conference sponsors
You're invited to join your peers for dinner at one of Atlanta's finest restaurants.
 
Organized by Tabush Group.


Thursday, May 5, 2022

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

John Remsen, Jr.
President, TheRemsenGroup
President & CEO, Managing Partner Forum
9:15am

 





 

 
 
OPENING SESSION (General Session)

KEYNOTE PRESENTATION - People, Culture and Performance
Highlights of the MPF 2019 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 2019 Leadership Survey which reveals how smaller and mid-size law firms are responding to the rapidly changing landscape. This is great bench-marking data to take back to your firm.

John Remsen, Jr.
President, TheRemsenGroup
President & CEO, Managing Partner Forum
10:00am


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've found ways to succesfully attract and retain talent to their firms. Using audience polling technology, we’ll also ask the audience what their firms are doing to adapt to unprecedented change in the legal industry. Participants will leave with great bench-marking information to share back at their firms.

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

Lisa Ramsay Cole, Esq.
President and Managing Shareholder, Lewis Thomason

Additonal panelist(s) to be announced
10:45am
COFFEE BREAK
11:00am
MANAGING PARTNER IDEA EXCHANGES (MPIEs)
Session One: The MPIE concept is explained below.
MPIE Facilitators

Group 1    Uri Gutfreund
                 Natl Law Firm Practice Leader, Risk Strategies Co.        

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

Group 3    Roger Hayse
                 Director, 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

Gerry Riskin
Founding Principal and Chairman, Edge International

Morris Tabush
Founder & President, Tabush 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.

Dan Binstock, Esq.
Partner, Garrison & Sisson, Inc.

Jennifer Johnson
CEO, Calibrate Legal

Dr. Larry Richard
Principal Consultant, LawyerBrain LLC


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.

Terry M. Isner
CEO/Owner, Marketing & Branding, Jaffe

Director of Recruitment and Strategy Consulting, Calibrate Legal
 
 
12:30pm
NETWORKING LUNCHEON
1:45pm
MANAGING PARTNER IDEA EXCHANGES (MPIEs)
Session Two
3:00pm
AFTERNOON 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
  • 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.