Ark Group & Managing Partner Magazine’s 3rd Annual

PRACTICE GROUP LEADERSHIP FORUM

Accomplishing strategic objectives by cultivating cohesive practice groups that positively impact and enhance client satisfaction - while developing a leadership pool for the future of your firm

May 15th, 2008
University of Chicago Gleacher Center, Chicago, IL

Featuring perspectives and contributions from:

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
Fenwick & West LLP
Baker Donelson Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC
Haynes & Boone LLP
Baker & Daniels LLP
Edge International
And others...

This conference was designed to help you:

*Develop & implement effective practice group business plans - establishing baselines, identifying action steps and assembling competitive intelligence

*Align your business unit strategies with your firm’s overall objectives and client development strategies

*Evaluate the cornerstones of success, accountability, commitment and leadership in the context of the various criteria by which a practice manager’s performance can be measured

*Articulate and communicate strategy: Holding practice group members accountable for achieving team and economic goals

*Develop tools for mitigating risk at the business unit level

*Navigate the balancing act that exists between practice and leadership responsibilities

Practice group leaders must be among the most essential players in achieving a firm's long-term success. The expectations placed on law firm practice managers are as critical as they are far-reaching and the quality of leadership at the practice group level often determines which areas of the practice will prosper - and which will fail. Despite vast amounts of time, energy and money invested in managing the performance, profitability and market position of specific practice groups, many of today’s practice management leaders still struggle with the inherent challenges and expectations in this role. Depending upon where you work, these expectations can include the responsibility for overall group profitability, business development and marketing initiatives, the development and reinforcement of team and firm loyalty, morale, mentoring, training and development of team members ...and the list goes on!

As law firms continue to evolve and adapt in the face of increasing competitive pressure, firm management has come to the realization that future success is wholly dependant upon developing a broader and deeper pool of leaders - as well as a clear management structure to support firm strategy. Leadership at many firms now recognize that increasing market segmentation equates to managing a wide variety of different businesses under one roof. Success requires that each business unit assess its external market as well as its internal assets to develop a reasonable forward looking plan in a time-effective manner.

Ark Group/Managing Partner Magazine’s 3rd annual PRACTICE GROUP LEADERSHIP FORUM will once again represent a critical roadmap for law firms seeking to create strong, cohesive practice groups that positively impact and enhance client satisfaction – while cultivating a leadership pool for the future. Aimed at the unique strategic needs of practice management leaders, this concise one-day agenda will evaluate the cornerstones of accountability, commitment and leadership in the context of the various criteria by which a practice leader’s performance can be measured. These various concepts will be illustrated through case study presentations and further discussed in highly interactive panel discussions.

Effective practice group management should in essence become a tool to mitigating risk at the business unit level. In order to fully realize its potential, effective practice groups must first achieve successful coordination of systemic business development, increased collaboration internally and the creation of the team mentality.

Ark Group & Managing Partner Magazine’s 3rd annual PRACTICE GROUP LEADERSHIP FORUM  will provide you with an opportunity to learn how your peers prioritize their responsibilities - developing and implementing strategies to become more competitive, cross-selling services more effectively, serving their clients better and developing new business.

WHO WILL ATTEND THIS CONFERENCE?
This highly interactive, next-generation program has been researched with and developed exclusively for practice group heads, client team leaders, heads of business development and marketing - as well as senior and managing partners. This forum will provide a unique, interactive opportunity for attendees to learn directly from their peers as well as network with today’s leading practitioners. We hope to see you there!

About Your Conference Chairperson:
Patrick J. McKenna is a seasoned law firm strategist and leading management advisor. He has worked with the top management of premier law firms to discuss, challenge, and escalate their thinking on how to compete and manage effectively.

McKenna is a partner in Edge International (www.edge.ai) one of the top three highest rated management consultancies in the world serving law firms. He did his MBA graduate work at the Canadian School of Management, is one of the first alumni of Harvard University’s Leadership in Professional Service Firms, and has professional certifications in both accounting and management.

He is the author of numerous books including Herding Cats: A Handbook for Managing Partners and Practice Leaders (1995); First Among Equals: How to Manage a Group of Professionals, (The Free Press, 2002) which topped business bestseller lists in the United States, Canada and Australia; has been translated into nine languages, is currently in its fifth printing, and received an award for being one of the best business books of 2002. In 2005, the book Management Skills (John Wiley / Jossey-Bass) named McKenna among one of the leading thinkers in the field of management.

His published articles have appeared in over 50 of the leading Management and Professional Journals, Newsletters, and online sources; and his work has been featured in such publications as Fast Company, Business Week, The Globe and Mail, The Economist, Investor’s Business Daily and The Financial Times.

McKenna has worked with law firms since 1983 and has served at least one of the top ten largest firms in each of over a dozen different countries on issues associated with developing competitive strategies, improving profitability, client service excellence, and systems for effective practice group governance.

Earn CLE Credits: Ark Group is happy to provide all necessary documentation to facilitate and fulfill requirements for CLE credit

Register before March 31, 2008 for your 15% discount!