Leadership and management of change

As the year speeds its way through to the half-way point, law firms continue to face uncertain times. While certain firms have published positive results inspiring thoughts of an escape from recession, some magic circle firms are freezing salary bands, presaging fears of impending redundancies.

This month’s theme of leadership and management of change is particularly apt. We live in a changing legal world, one in which corporate management challenges the traditional culture of law firm partnerships. The individuality of partners often clashes with the corporate vision of firm profitability. But If firms must change, how can the cultural resistance to this be overcome? How can a leader confer stability and reassurance while instilling a culture of innovation that will drive the firm forward?

These are just some of the issues that we will address within the magazine. We will also be looking at articles such as: effectively managing human resources; and an introduction to legal marketing - is it all about sales?

I am continuing to include regular sections and I hope you enjoy this month's country focused interview with Georgi Spasov, managing partner of Bulgarian firm, Spasov & Bratanov. With law firms looking to the international market for their expanding business, it is important for us to be looking at firms in different jurisdictions.

You will also notice a page devoted to our upcoming June conference on law firm technology. While IT is still seen as the domain of the IT director, technology must now be considered within the strategy of the business. Only through integrating technology with the overall business vision and direction of the firm can the real benefits and, of course, the return on investment, be realised. This is why we have put together this two-day event that focuses on the strategy rather than the system and software. It’s directly relevant to all those involved in strategic management and I hope you will be inspired by the accompanying interview.

As ever, I am keen to hear your news, views and opinions, so feel free to contact me at cpoynton@ark-group.com.

Caroline Poynton, Editor

Features

Launching successful client teams: seven ways you can help Free
Many law firms are establishing client teams as a way to help partners uncover opportunities, cross-sell, establish multi-level relationships, and deliver the additional value that is important to large clients. When they work well, client teams strengthen the firm’s performance and the client’s loyalty. But when they fail, which happens often, client teams create tension, bureaucracy and disappointing results. David W. Woods, president of Creating Key Clients, LLC, examines why some client teams thrive and others flounder, considering some of the ways firm leadership can help launch and sustain teams that succeed.

How can law firms manage innovation? Meeting the needs of an expanding market Free
As partners step back from dealing with the normal in-tray of financial performance, new partners, under-performing partners, the office rent and new IT systems, there are probably any number of initiatives jockeying for position. John Atkinson and Robert Pay of Jaffe Associates, assess the innovation minefield, examining how you can lead your firm to develop new and different initiatives.

Are there any human resources time-bombs ticking in your firm? Free
Most professional partnerships, particularly law firms, are better informed than the average employer about relevant labour laws and employment procedures – and yet a surprisingly high number fail to comply with them. Henry Clinton-Davis, a partner, and Cerys Williams, an associate at Brobeck, Hale and Dorr, assess potential problem areas and provide tips for partners and human resources professionals on how to avoid the pitfalls.

Regulars

Interview: Georgi Spasov Free
Caroline Poynton talks to Georgi Spasov, managing partner at Spasov & Bratanov, on his experiences of running a Bulgarian law firm and his leadership role as managing partner.