Editor’s foreword

In every respect, I am proud to say that this issue of Managing Partner is truly a summer bumper edition. Not only are we pleased to introduce a new look, which I hope you will agree, is far more user-friendly, but we have also included a special pull-out report on ‘Mobile Working for Law Firms’.

The fresh design is part of a renewed drive to provide you, the reader, with a bigger, better and altogether more lively publication. With a broader news section, more case studies, more in-depth features on all things management related, regular masterclasses, interviews with, and profiles of, leading figures in law-firm

management, all presented in a new format and design, we are sure you will find more valuable and entertaining information within these pages than ever before.

As of the mobile-working report, it comprises Managing Partner’s first in-depth research into this critical area in the legal profession. A typical lawyer’s life now needs to be more flexible than ever, with demands for home-working facilities becoming popular at the same time as clients increasingly expect their lawyers to be available, whenever and wherever. For law firms, in particular, there are concerns, primarily with potential security risks and confidentiality breaches from lawyers working while on the move. But there is also another issue that Neville Eisenberg raises in this month’s Thought Leader. In a world where business is moving faster than ever before, firms must ensure that they can provide a consistent level of top-quality legal advice, despite the demands and capabilities for added speed. For instance, quiet thought and reflection may be essential to getting a transaction or deal right, but they are hardly traits that are encouraged in the time-critical business marketplace of today. In the long run, that could be a real worry for law firms and their clients.

Managing Partner’s survey gained feedback from firms across the globe on just these sorts of issues. An analysis of the findings has been published as part of the report, together with features, interviews and case studies, which will provide you with essential insights into the mobile landscape.

In addition, this issue includes case studies and masterclasses looking at leadership skills in law firms. Considering the degree of competition and growth in the legal profession today, it is surprising that this issue still seems to be dismissed by many firms that continue to appoint their leaders from among their most successful client winners. That the best fee earners may not necessarily make the best leaders seems obvious but sadly lost on some firms that seem more caught up with tradition than business common sense. For those that are little more forward thinking, however, there is plenty of advantage to be won from appointing the right leadership at the right time.

For those who find themselves taking the helm, leadership can be an isolating and controversial role that demands self-confidence, an ability to communicate and motivate, and a flexible approach that can absorb the changes that will impact the business in both good times and bad. Some natural leadership skills will be essential to really inspire teams from the start, but that does not necessarily mean that leadership skills cannot be learnt or improved upon. This may involve attending leadership-development programmes, or getting more personal executive coaching to improve self-awareness and interpersonal skills. Whatever an individual firm’s approach, the essential point is that the best leadership comes from an ongoing process of succession planning and leadership training.

I hope you enjoy reading this first issue of the revamped Managing Partner. Don’t forget that you can still access the magazine’s extensive library of archived material online at www.mpmagazine.com. If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, please contact me directly at cpoynton@ark-group.com.

Caroline Poynton
Editor

Features

Masterclass: New product development for law firms Free
The first reaction of many a law firm to the concept of new product development (NPD) might be to assume it’s irrelevant. This step-by-step guide, however, aims to help firms use the principals of NPD to gain competitive advantage.

Laws of leadership Free
The tradition in the legal profession is to appoint its leaders from the most senior partners in the firm, a strategy that generally results in promotion for those with the biggest client wins. Some firms, however, are beginning to realise that the best fee earners do not necessarily make the best leaders. By Caroline Poynton

Leading lights: Leadership tips for the modern law firm Free
There is a prevailing view that great leadership comes naturally. That doesn’t necessarily mean, however, that the right attitude and behaviours cannot be learnt.

Case study: Leadership through change Free
Trials, tribulations and opportunities in leading a firm through merger and internal reorganisation. By Anthony Hughes, managing partner, Ricksons

Trend tracker: Coaching conundrum Free
Executive coaching is still a new concept for the legal profession, with many firms feeling sceptical about the benefits. With the promise that it will help firms better manage change, however, the opportunities and potential pitfalls cannot be ignored. By Julie Harrison, Portland International Consulting Group

Instant messaging: Collaborative tool or security threat? Free
For end users, the advantages of IM over other communications and knowledge-sharing mediums is clear. But, because of IM’s origins as a consumer medium, it is still treated with suspicion by many IT managers, who cite as problems a lack of corporate control over the medium and the risk of security breaches. By Jessica Twentyman