Managing Partner 101: A Guide to
Successful Law Firm Leadership
(2d Ed. 2001)
Lawrence G. Green
ABA Law Practice Management
Section
Preamble: Four Cornerstones of
Successful Firm
1. Provide clients w/ quality legal product &
service.
2. Provide lawyers & staff w/ healthy working
environment.
3. Adhere to high standards of legal and
business ethics.
4. Be financially sound.
Quality legal product & service
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Skills, expertise in areas of practice
Diligence (timeliness) & attention to detail
Requires training of subordinates
Good communication w/ client, “get into
client business”
Mark Herrmann, Dialogue Between
Partner & Associate
Partner’s expectations of associates: positive
spin on 10 most common mistaken assumptions
made by new lawyers
10. Quality work product (draft = “best can
do”?); don’t waste superior’s time on junk.
9. Not just “billing time” but conferring value for
client!
Mark Herrmann, Dialogue Between
Partner & Associate
8. Ignoring facts, focus only on law (if don’t get
facts right, can’t get law right) In your matter, in
precedent being used, procedural & geographic
& historical facts …. They all matter.
7. Precise mastery, of holding, procedural posture,
legal principle & rationale.
6. Overreliance on computer; browse the books,
for overall context, big picture of law at issue.
Mark Herrmann, Dialogue Between
Partner & Associate
5. & 4. Read the cases …. All of them, in their
entirety. When you become a sponge, you can
convey your understanding efficiently to the
partner. Highest & best use of available
resources (time, $) . Sound bytes taken out of
context HURT badly.
3. Grammar, writing skills …. Critical to good
lawyering.
Mark Herrmann, Dialogue Between
Partner & Associate
2. Learn to ask questions, obtain fuller
information about assignment. Busy
partners aren’t good supervisors until they
are nudged into providing more guidance.
1. New lawyer is a potted plant ….
What does that mean for you?
Managing Partner 101, Green
Ch. 1 Managing Partner’s Job Description
• If well done, is CEO, “buck stops here”
• See details, pp. 4-7
• Sets moral & professional tone, ethical
infrastructure
• Internal leader, external representative,
embodiment of firm
• Don’t plan on doing much legal practice if
managing large firm
Managing Partner 101, Green
Ch. 2 Strategic Plan
• Strategic planning essential for any well run
organization
– Vision statement
– Realistic self-appraisal
– Detailed future actions to work towards
aspirational goals
• Periodically re-assess, revise or reground
Managing Partner 101, Green
Ch. 3 Establishing Individual Goals
• Goals should be individualized to draw on
different talents (strengths, weaknesses)
• System for setting & monitoring individual
– Partner’s goals
– Associate’s goals
• N.B. Written policies vs. actual practice
Managing Partner 101, Green
Ch. 4 Setting the Example
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As practitioner
As partner
As mentor
As follower of firm policy & procedure
As contributor to community
As human being
Managing Partner 101, Green
Ch. 14 Treatment of Associates
Legitimate associates’ expectations:
- Clarity re performance standards, policies & practices re
partnership consideration
- Appropriate work assignments
- Mentor
- Appropriate supervision & training
- Fair compensation package
- Annual performance reviews, done in accordance with
established H.R. protocol, notice on areas needing
improvement and reasonable opportunity to achieve
- Opportunity for life outside of work
After the JD
• http://www.americanbarfoundation.org/resea
rch/project/44
Managing Partner 101, Green
Ch. 15 Treatment of Partners
• While not now relevant, may forecast your
future.
• Rational partnership compensation system
(customary factors vs. need for discretionary
rewards for administration, associate training - &
recruitment)
·Responsible management for abuse, bullying,
harassment or other bad behavior. Zero tolerance
·Businesslike approach to collections (delinquent
accounts receivable handled by business manager,
not billing attorney)
Managing Partner 101, Green
Ch. 16 Special Situations: Life happens
• Under-Productive Lawyer
– Reasons why? Address the causes …
• Substance abuse: Established body of
literature and program expertise on impaired
lawyers & judges. See, e.g., OBA v. Smith,
• Slowing down … semi-retirement, “second
season of service”
• Long-term illness
pp. 85-87