Roles and Responsibilities of a
Partner
Peter Scott Consulting for
LawNet New Partner Development
Programme
Aim of today’s session
To provide you with practical skills which
you can begin to put into practice
today
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The scope of today’s course
The roles of a partner
- being a team player
- being a business developer
- being a manager
Core values
Leadership
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It is not enough just to be a
good lawyer
So what else do you have to be?
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Your role as a partner
Are you clear as to your role as a
partner?
Do you know what will be required of
you?
‘but nobody told me I should be
doing that’
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What is partnership?
The relationship that subsists between
persons carrying on
- a BUSINESS
- IN COMMON
- with a view to PROFIT
Partnership Act 1890
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Your firm is a business
How much do you know about your
business?
Must be managed as a business
By every partner
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In common
In common – together
T.E.A.M
- Together
- Each
- Achieves
- More
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Sharing and delegation of
work
Sharing is the essence of partnership
Teamwork is key
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Do you recognise any
of these?
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“Heavyweight gorilla”
“You can’t
manage me.
I’m a big
biller!”
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“That’s a great idea
…for the rest of you!”
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Are you a team player?
What does it mean to be a team player?
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Are you in a team?
What roles do you play?
Are you a good team player?
Does the team work well together?
How could you improve your team’s
performance?
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How not to be a team player?
‘we have no room for those who put their
personal agenda ahead of the interests
of the clients or the office’
David Maister’s ‘Predictive package’
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With a view to making profit
How?
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What else do you have to be?
A businessman / businesswoman
What does this involve?
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What else do you have to be?
A business developer
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What else do you have to be?
A manager
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A manager of what?
yourself
client relationships
work
people
finance
change
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What is Management?
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A business developer
We are all different
Finders, minders or grinders
What are you?
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What does it take to be a good
business developer?
Basic requirements?
-
Hunger
Being a communicator
Being a team player
Adding value
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Value Clients Care About
What do we need to do to be
successful?
We need to gain competitive
advantage
HOW?
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What are clients looking for?
Core issue is to add value:
More than the competitors
In a way which
- is regarded as valuable by clients
- differentiates you – to create a
‘brand’
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What is ‘added value’?
You will add value if…
You provide clients with what they want
– and more
At prices they perceive to be value for
money; and
You do this better than the competition
BUT for a mid-sized firm to do this….
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You need strategic focus
You cannot be ‘all things to all men’
To be competitive requires focus on a
client-type / work type value mix
The wider the core client-types, the
narrower the work-type focus
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How will mid-sized firms be able
to compete?
Mid-sized firms with appropriate focus
can succeed
But focus will be crucial
- sharper focus on client/work types
than larger firms
- wider focus than niche firms
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How to compete with the best?
Being mid-sized is not about being
second rate
- not a mirror image of larger firms
- but must be able to compete with
best of large and small in chosen
markets
Depth of resource may be crucial in
some markets
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Value Clients Care About
Our clients’ perspective
Not our own perspective
Is there a gap?
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The value gap
It is the client’s perception of value that
matters
Too much emphasis on service
attributes
Not enough on helping clients achieve
results
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The value gap
Typical remarks by clients:
“I cannot recall any innovative thinking
being applied”
“I don’t expect lawyers to be
businessmen”
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You will add value if…
You provide clients with what they want
– and more
At prices they perceive to be value for
money; and
You do this better than the competition
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Closing the value gap
You should be aiming for:
‘the info of [x] has helped enormously
‘[x] is always armed with new
suggestions when we meet’
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Value is Personal
CEO
FD
Controller
Strategic
Tactical
Operational
How do we get market share in our
industry?
What do I do about the consolidation
taking place in our industry?
What are the tax issues involved?
Our systems do not support the
business
We need to improve our budgeting
procedures
We need to get stock levels down
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Value Characteristics are
Variable
Ideas
Contacts
Strategic
Based on knowledge & wisdom
Knowledge of
industry strategy
Technical
skills
Tactical
Methodology
Extra resource
Operational
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Based on hours/technology
The Competitive Moves
High
Perceived
Value Ave
X
Suicide
Zone
Low
Low
Ave
Perceived Price
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High
High Value – Added Services
High value- added services – strategic
impact on client – generally
wisdom/experience driven
Identify and recognise needs of the
decision maker
Understand client’s needs
Nurture wisdom/experience within the
firm
Ensure added value is perceived as
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Moving to High Value Added
Services
Focus on specific client types/work
types
Seek leadership in a few, cohesive
segments
Understand how brand influences PAV
- brand is about differentiating yourself
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Moving to High Value Added
services
Do not add too much PAV – especially
in a price sensitive market
Focus cost reduction only where it will
not jeopardise value added
Ensure added value is always perceived
as valuable
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Low Value – Added Services
Low value –added firms will compete on
processes and price – technology driven
services with minimum professional
input
Value enhanced by
- driving down cost
- facilitating implementation of
solutions
Invest in standardising processes
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Issues in providing Low Value –
Added Services
Understand the need to move north to
hold position - constantly squeeze out
more value for same cost
Ensure financial strength to stay the
course
Avoid creating the perception of
reduced “quality”
Be careful not to undermine PAV
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Some Useful Tips
Understand the client’s needs and
requirements
Show enthusiasm and a genuine
interest in the success of your client’s
business
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Some Useful Tips
Provide access to experts and speciality
teams when necessary
Take a business-oriented approach and
consider the wider picture and
situations facing his organisation
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Some Useful Tips
Keep the client up to date and informed
with respect to new developments
which affect his business
Provide recommendations to improve
the client’s business
Provide original and innovative
thinking
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Do not wait for the client to
ask
Be proactive
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So how are you going to add
value to your clients?
Any questions?
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How are you going to develop
business?
Do you have a plan?
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Your role as a partner
What else is necessary in
partnership?
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Partners’ core values
We will show each other mutual trust,
honesty, respect and support
We will deal openly and directly with
each other
We know and understand the different
motivations and aspirations of other
partners
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Partners’ core values
We expect partners to lead, train and
mentor
We expect partners to explain, to
empower and to encourage their teams
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Accountability
“We have no room for those who put
their own personal agenda ahead of the
interests of the clients or the office”
David Maister’s ‘Predictive package’
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“Do own thing”
“That’s a great idea…
…for the rest of you”
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Partner accountability
For example and without limiting in any way
my agreement to the above overriding
obligation, I undertake to support in the
fullest possible way:
The implementation of all decisions made by
our partnership
Those mandated with the onerous task of
managing the firm; and
Every other partner in the firm as each
endeavours to fulfil their respective roles in
the firm.
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The skills required to be a
partner?
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Traditional partner
contribution
Billing and …..
Functional responsibilities – increasingly
professionalised
Staff responsibilities – leadership, team
building etc
Client responsibilities – developing and
retaining business
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Skills contributing to
performance
Leadership skills
Client skills
People and Team skills
Technical skills
Communication skills
Financial performance and management
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Are those skills valued in
your firm?
What does it take to succeed at your
firm?
What gets measured and valued?
Have you been made aware of this?
Are these skills rewarded?
‘but nobody told me I had to do that’
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If skills are valued Then they are skills which need to be
publicised and referred to
They are skills that need to be
demonstrated and assessed through
review
They are skills that need to be rewarded
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How to make partner
‘appraisals’ work?
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Appraisals / Performance
development reviews
Do you have a partner appraisal
system?
How effective is it?
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Measurement criteria
Sample factors to be taken into
account:
Client development
Teamwork
Production
Effort and dependability
Management and leadership
Participation in the firm
Delegation and development of lawyers
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Professional and community activities
A U.S. firm example
The most important single factor in its
evaluation is:
‘which partner/partners passed you
most work last year?’
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Any questions?
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Leadership
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Leadership Vs Management?
Leadership is about doing the right
things
Management is about doing things
right
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What does it take to be a law
firm leader today, able to deal
with the challenges ahead?
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Leadership feeds on challenge
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What is the greatest challenge
facing your firm today?
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Managing change
“It is not the strongest of the species
that survive nor the most intelligent, but
the ones who are the most responsive
to change”
Charles Darwin
The Origin of Species
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Dealing with the challenges
presented by change is the
leadership issue today in
law firms.
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How are you facing up to the
challenges of change?
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FACE UP TO
REALITY
FOCUS ON BIG
ISSUES
MAKE IT
HAPPEN
MAKE
DECISIONS
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Leadership involves facing up to
reality
Leaders CHALLENGE everything:
- Why do we do things this way?
- Why do we still do this kind of work?
- Why do we continue to accept under
performance?
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Leaders face up to sacred cows
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FACE UP TO
REALITY
FOCUS ON BIG
ISSUES
MAKE IT
HAPPEN
MAKE
DECISIONS
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Thinking Leaders focus on
the BIG issues
The VISION of what the firm
can realistically become
The ability to COMPETE
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FACE UP TO
REALITY
FOCUS ON BIG
ISSUES
MAKE IT
HAPPEN
MAKE
DECISIONS
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Leaders make decisions
Earn respect and confidence
Build belief and credibility
Communicate the vision
Inspire
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FACE UP TO
REALITY
FOCUS ON BIG
ISSUES
MAKE IT
HAPPEN
MAKE
DECISIONS
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Leaders make it happen
They inspire their people to achieve
the vision
They have determination to achieve
the vision
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Making it happen is not easy
Lead by example
Use the power of the team
Develop partner accountability
Timing is everything
Bank progress and move on
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Above all, to make things
happen, leaders need….
Courage
Determination
The ability in a partnership to take
people with them on the journey
To communicate, communicate,
communicate
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Can leadership be taught?
Qualities or skills?
The qualities required of a leader need to
be NURTURED
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Good leaders bring out the
best in people
Good leaders nurture new
leaders
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In your firm….
Do you nurture leadership qualities?
OR
Do you stifle them?
Are you afraid of potential leaders?
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What happens when law
firms do not nurture or
they discourage
leadership?
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The challenges facing your
firm will determine the
leadership you need
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Cometh the hour
Cometh the man
Anonymous
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Choose a leader in whom you
have belief
… and who will take you
through the difficult process of
change
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Change is inevitable
‘Change before you have to’
Jack Welch
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What are you going to
take away from today
and do something about?
Any questions?
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